Film Review “Hot Tub Time Machine 2”

Starring: Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke
Directed By: Steve Pink
Rated: R
Running Time: 93 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Let’s go back to very late 2009. I was still in college and people were using Facebook since there was no Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or other form of social media to fill up our limitless down time. This was when we truly shared every little thing on Facebook because we didn’t yet know or understand the consequences of our oversharing. I remember specifically when the trailer for the first “Hot Tub Time Machine” was released. Every status update ripped into it and I remember thinking, “There’s no way in hell this could be remotely good.” Despite my gut reaction, I still saw and was pleasantly surprised. So rewind to not too long ago to 2014 and seeing a trailer for the sequel and thinking the exact same thing. I am once again wrong, but not by much.

This sequel brings back nearly everyone from the first, except John Cusack, who is jokingly mentioned when his character’s absence is brought up. Craig Robinson is still loveable as Nick, Rob Corddry once again brings back his Danny McBride-like contemptible Lou, and then there’s Clark Duke who plays Jacob. Sorry. He’s still just a character who’s kind of a fourth wheel (technically third wheel now) to the group. Since the first movie, the trio of used their knowledge of the future to augment their life. Nick steals ideas from songs that have not yet been crafted, Lou simply blurts out technological advances before their time and Jacob just follows along the coattails of Lou. Like I said, fourth wheel.

Of course Lou is still a miserable troll who irks everyone who crosses his path. So when someone shoots him at one of his lavish parties, they must use the hot tub time machine to go into the past to find who shot him and why. Of course in this movie, they go into the future, but create an alternate time line so technically it’s still the past…I’ll just avoid the confusion and say that they’re in the future which will result in them finding out what happened in the past. They at least make light of this troublesome plot.

What makes this sequel admirable is it’s ability to find every way to jump the shark while drawing out a filthy laugh from you. “22 Jump Street” set the mark for making a comedy sequel, but “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” manages to point a few things that are worth noting. They manage to point out the stolen sci-fi formulas they’re playing with and the absurdity of them. Also by the movies end, they manage to point out some of the predictable set-ups that today’s comedies have fallen into. When a unnecessary comedy sequel points that out, it might be time for the rest of Hollywood’s comedy writers to take note and change up their comedic ingredients.

I should probably quit heaping praise on this movie because it’s not without it’s flaws. This is still a movie that has to introduce another character to demote Jacob to fourth wheel. The introduction of Adam Scott as the son of John Cusack’s character is welcome, but doesn’t quite fill the hole that Cusack left behind. Cusack provided a reliable straight man while Scott is simply the virgin who gets to pop his party cherry. It’s fun, but not the right component for the group that needs a voice of sanity.

Ultimately the movie is choppy, but clever enough at trying to stay new. It’s unwarranted, but funny enough for a one time viewing for fans of the original. I wish it would have maken light of the fact that it’s a redundant sequel to a bizarre comedy. Maybe when “Hot Tub Time Machine 3” (let’s hope not) rolls around, it’ll realize how much of a cash grab for Paramount Pictures it has become and create the ultimate meta, middle finger.

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Film Review “McFarland, USA”

Starring: Kevin Costner, Maria Bello and Ramiro Rodriguez
Directed by: Niki Caro
Rated: PG
Running time: 2 hours 8 mins
Walt Disney Pictures

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I don’t know why, but I picture a little office hidden deep in the bowels of the Walt Disney Company where a little man with glasses sits every day and reads 150 small town newspapers every day, looking for just the right story that will make a great movie. Whether it’s the story of bartender turned pro-football player Vince Papale in “Invincible” or high school coach Jimmy Morris striking out batters in the major leagues in “The Rookie,” the people at Disney know what people like. Winners. And “McFarland, USA” crosses the finish line in first place.

Jim White (Costner) is a high school football coach with a temper. After a poor performance in the first half of a game, White scolds his team in the locker room. When his quarterback doesn’t seem to be getting the message, White throws a shoe at him. The shoe bounces off a locker and hits the young man in the face. Say it with me: “You’re fired!” Needing a new gig, White moves his family to the small, migrant heavy town of McFarland, California. He again runs into trouble when, as an assistant football coach, he refuses to put a player back in the game after a big hit. He’s doing the right thing but his actions rile the head coach, who has him dismissed. In his PE class white notices many of the young boys he sends to run laps return quickly and not out of breath. He learns that these boys have a stamina born from working many hours in the fields, both before and after school. White gets an idea. In order to keep his teaching gig, and earn the extra money that coaching provides, White decides to put together a cross-country running team. But getting the boys to buy in to the experiment is another thing all together.

A “Hispanic ‘Hoosiers’”, and I mean that with all due respect, “McFarland, USA” is an uplifting film that hits the right notes. This could have easily been a stereotypical “white coach shows up and changes the minority athlete’s lives” story but it is, in fact, much more. The first sign of prejudice we see is from White and his family. From their reluctance to eat dinner at a Mexican restaurant to White’s overprotective actions when a group of tricked-out cars drive by, it becomes clear that the only problem here is White’s attitude. He learns to temper these thoughts by getting to know the boys, and their families. While the parents are impressed that this could be a way for the boys to escape the fields and possibly attend college, they must also come to grips with the knowledge that every hour the boys are at practice is an hour not spent in the field. And this situation affects the whole family. Only after White volunteers to go to work with the boys one morning do we really see the work ethic required to do the job needed. It is a teaching moment unlike any other for the coach.

On the performance front, this is Costner’s second strong performance this year. Like Gene Hackman’s Coach Dale in “Hoosiers,” Jim White is a flawed man with a passion. And that passion comes through quietly in Costner’s performance. Whether he’s eating a plate full of enchiladas at a runner’s house or pacing the boys while they run, sitting on the seat of his daughter’s high-handled “Barbie” bike, his willingness to teach, and learn, is visible. Among the young runners, Rodriguez’ Danny Diaz is the most complete character. The plot almost takes a turn into maudlin territory (Coach White’s daughter begins seeing one of the team members, a gang altercation takes place) but director Caro manages to keep her eye on the prize and steers the film back to where it needs to go. If you’re looking for a story that will inspire long after the final credits, then go see “McFarland, USA.” And keep an eye out for the local newspaper!

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Film Review “All The Wilderness”

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Virginia Madsen and Danny DeVito
Directed by: Michael Johnson
Rated: This film is unrated
Running time: 1 hour 25 mins
Screen Media Films

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

James Charm (Smit-McPhee) would easily be labeled the “weird” kid if you didn’t know him. Since his father’s death, James spends the majority of his time in his room, listening to Chopin and reading Melville and Sandburg. He also seems to have picked up a pre-occupation with death, from the family hamster to a schoolmate, who punches James in the face after the boy predicts the day and time he will meet his maker. James is seeing a sympathetic psychiatrist (DeVito) at the request of his mother (Madsen) but he doesn’t seem to be making any progress. However, a chance meeting and a night time bus ride will soon bring James back into the world he’s trying to escape.

I’m giving a little leeway here because “All the Wilderness” is a first time feature by screenwriter/director Johnson. There is a lot going for it, but also some things going against it. On the plus side, the film is rich with strong performances, especially the younger cast members. James wears his weariness like a badge and Smit-McPhee perfectly embodies a young man growing up lost without a father to guide him. His fellow youthful co-stars are equally strong. Isabelle Fuhrman is Val, the chance meeting that manages to bring a little sunshine into James’ life. As Harmon, James newfound friend and influence, Evan Ross also manages to help put a smile on James’ face. Of course, life isn’t all rainbows, but when the storms come the three manage to explore them without falling into a stereotypical fracas. On the negative, only the younger characters seem to have been completely drawn. Madsen is wasted as a mother whose only scenes seem to be of her drinking wine and scolding James. You can sense the love underneath the performance but she’s not given enough to push it to the forefront. DeVito has a few good moments but his character comes across as the standard Judd Hirsch/Robin Williams shrink everyone expects anymore. Another detriment is the running time. You have to make sacrifices as a first time feature filmmaker and I wonder if there was more to be added.

As a filmmaker, Johnson has an experimental way with a camera that shows promise for the future. He also manages to make the nightlife of Portland, Oregon (thank you, Food Network, for your many journeys to VooDoo Donuts, which I recognized on screen) look exciting! I will certainly be keeping an eye out for his next project.

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Film Review “Still Alice”

Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin
Directed by: Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 41 mins
Sony Pictures Classic

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Still Alice” – based on the novel of the same name by Lisa Genova – is a finely performed, well-paced film, and while it may strike some emotional chords with a female demographic, I found it to be extremely hard to relate to. However, that’s primarily the only flaw I had with this film.

Alice Howland (Moore) is a renowned linguist whom after a few strange episodes of forgetting words, and not remembering where she is, discovers that she has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The film rests solely on Moore’s performance, which works well. She is in every single scene of the film, and all the other actors seem to be there just to back her up. Alec Baldwin gives a fine performance as Alice’s husband. And although she was only in a few scenes, Kate Bosworth was able to bring some emotion to this story. On the other hand, Kristen Stewart blinks and stammers her way through scenes as she is accustomed to doing. I don’t dislike Kristen Stewart, but in my opinion it’s unwise to have her acting opposite Julianne Moore in a scene. Most of the emotional scenes take place between Moore and Stewart, and Stewart does not deliver at all.

Moore’s performance is so subtle, while also being erratic at times, that you can’t fully see the change she makes with her character, until toward the end of the film. Alice Howland, after discovering her disease, leaves a video message for herself on her computer; and when she watches it months and months later, you’d believe it was two different women. That moment alone is deserving of Moore’s recent Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

As stated before, I found this film hard to relate to, and that stems from the writing. The story falls into too many of the generic character ruts that we’ve seen all too often. The talented, independent woman, with the brainy, and handsome husband. Three adult kids: a son who is a doctor like his father, a daughter that is married and perfect, yet struggling to have children; and the youngest daughter with her dreams of acting while not contemplating college. As this disease sets in, Alice is able to quit her job and move out to their family’s house on an island as her husband contemplates taking a year off from his job in academia and being with her. I’m sure people like this exist, but to a Midwestern man, I can not relate to it. Although I can quite easily relate to the heartbreaking reality of family members living with Alzheimer’s.

As a whole I liked the film, and it did get to me on an emotional level once or twice. Julianne Moore once again reminds us of the talent she has, and the story itself points the finger at a disease that not enough people are talking about.

 

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Film Review “Kingsman: The Secret Service”

Starring: Colin Firth, Teron Egerton and Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 9 mins
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

1997. Several members of an elite British spy organization are interrogating a terrorist suspect. Refusing to answer the bad guy produces a previously hidden grenade. In a split second, one of the Brits jumps on the grenade, taking the brunt of the blast and saving his comrades. Back in Britain the young hero’s wife and small son are presented with a medal for valor, with a number engraved on it. Should they ever need anything, they only have to call.

2014. Following the kidnapping of a climate professor (Mark Hamill) and the brutal murder of another spy, the agency known as Kingsman begins a hunt for a new member. At the same time we meet Gary “Eggsy” Unwin. Gary was the young boy who lost his father seventeen years ago and has run afoul of the law. Asking to make a phone call, he pulls a chain from around his neck on which hangs his father’s medal.

A curious mix of comedy and drama, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” starts out well when it introduces Harry Hart (Firth), code name Galahad, a suave, sophisticated spy with all of the coolness of James Bond and the badness of Jack Bauer. Harry reports to Arthur (Michael Caine) and informs him he’d like to submit Eggsy (Egerton) to fill the position that is open. When the candidates assemble, it’s obvious that Eggsy will have his work cut out for him. The other young men in attendance have proper names like Rufus and Digby. There are also two young ladies in the class. They are met by the course leader (Mark Strong) and informed that their first task is to write their names and next of kin on a provided body bag. Failure to succeed is pretty severe.

While the kids are playing spy, the organization is dealing with stopping a crazy billionaire who is offering the world free cell phone service and internet through an item he is giving away. Named Valentine (Jackson), he’s the stereotypical movie bad guy, though Jackson makes him interesting by playing him as a lisping Mars Blackmon. When Harry discovers that Valentine’s product will cause people to literally kill each other he decides to intervene. And here is where the film goes off the tracks. Harry attends services at a white-supremacist church and soon finds himself in a battle for his life. In an amazingly filmed, but so over the top that you don’t care, scene, Harry literally kills EVERYONE in the church, but every means available. Gunshots to the head and a flag pole in the chest are two of the many interesting and gory ways the parishioners die. While a great display of some nice visual effects, this scene, which seems to go on for 30 mins, just takes you out of the film totally. Any sense of believability runs out the exit door. Which isn’t good when there’s still a lot of movie left to go. Firth does a good job as the proper English spy and looks like he’s having a good time. Sadly I couldn’t say the same.

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Film Review “Black or White”

Starring: Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer
Directed by: Mike Binder
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hrs 1 min
Relativity Media

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Elliot Anderson (Costner) is a very successful lawyer living the good life. But when we meet him it is one of the worse days of his life. His wife has been killed in an auto accident and he must now break the news to his granddaughter, Eloise (Jillian Estell), who they have raised since the death of their daughter. Things get complicated when Eloise’s paternal grandmother, Rowena (Spencer) petitions for custody. Did I mention that Elliot is white and Rowena is black?

A fine attempt at conveying the message that a child is best molded when love is the main ingredient, “Black or White” relies mostly on coincidence and disbelief to succeed. When Rowena and her extended family visit Elliot’s home after the funeral, Rowena scolds him for never inviting her family over to swim in his pool. Rowena, et all live in Compton. But in a very nice part of Compton. Rowena talks a good game but really, the only difference I can see between her neighborhood and Elliot’s is that Elliot’s has more pools per square inch. We also learn that Rowena is a successful businesswoman with multiple achievements. Why hasn’t she moved from Compton? Things get even worse for Elliot when Eloise’s father shows up and joins the custody case.

Kevin Costner has grown into a fine character actor. Here he plays Elliot as a man who loves his granddaughter but also loves his liquor. Rowena accuses him of being an alcoholic but actually he’s just sad. He’s already lost two women in his life and faces losing a third. Spencer gives Rowena a coolness that makes her endearing…not the caricaturistic “black granny” (see: Tyler Perry’s Medea). But credit is also due to the youngest members of the cast. Estell is cute but smart as Eloise and Mpho Koaho almost steals the film as the young math tutor that works with both Eloise and Elliot. Anthony Mackie and Andre’ Holland also do well as Rowena’s brother/attorney and Eloise’s father, respectively. The script, written by director Binder, tries to say too much, and in doing so, loses some of its charm.

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Win a DVD of Rutger Hauer’s Latest Film “RPG” [ENDED]


Media Mikes has teamed up with ARC Entertainment to give (3) readers the chance to win a DVD copy of the new futuristic thriller “RPG,” starring Rutger Hauer.

All you have to do is let us know below what your favorite Rutger Hauer role is. Is it Roy Batty from “Bladerunner?” Wulfgar Reinhardt in “Nighthawks? Maybe you loved him as the creepy John Ryder in “The Hitcher.” Whatever it is, let us know below. At the end of the giveaway (3) random entries will be selected. Those entries will win a DVD copy of “RPG.” This contest runs through Sunday, February 15, 2015. Winners will be notified by email. Good luck!

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Film Review ” A Most Violent Year”

Starring:  Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain and Albert Brooks
Directed by:  J.C. Chandor
Rated: R
Running time:  2 hrs 5 mins
A24

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

So many things happened in New York City in 1981.  Julia Stiles and Paris Hilton were born there that year.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, over 1,800 people were murdered.  And, on a personal note, I saw my first Broadway musical, “42nd Street,” when I was visiting the city on my way to Germany. It’s also the setting and time period for the new film written and directed by J.C. Chandor, “A Most Violent Year.”

Abel Morales (Isaac) and his wife, Anna (Chastain) have built a good life for themselves.  With much hard work they have grown a small heating oil business into a mini-empire.  Which makes many of the other would be oil magnates angry.  Soon the Morales’ trucks are being hijacked, their drivers beaten. Compared to what is about to come down the pike, losing their inventory could be the best thing to happen to them.

More intense then violent, “A Most Violent Year” is a tightly written story carried along on the shoulders of its actors. Isaac plays Abel as an honorable man.  I’m sure it’s no coincidence that Abel was the brother killed by Cain and that you can’t spell Morales without “moral.”  Having just committed all of his savings as a deposit to the purchase of a new facility (if the deal does not go through he loses his money), Abel learns that the local D.A. is about to file charges against him for fraud – apparently the heating oil business is very shady. Couple that with the fact that one of his drivers, while being hijacked, pulled out an unregistered gun and traded shots with the bad guys.  Not too many banks like to take risks like that and Abel finds himself slowly drawn into a world he doesn’t want to be a part of.  Isaac’s performance brings to mind Al Pacino (both in choices and in appearance) in “The Godfather.”  On the opposite side you have Chastain’s Anna.  The daughter of a former wise guy, Anna is the tough one in the relationship, always staying one step ahead of the next search warrant.  It is as the couple slowly reverse roles that make the film entertaining.

Technically the film also delivers.  The period cars and clothing are spot on as are the shots of a much grittier and dirtier Big Apple.  Named the Best Picture of the Year by the National Board of Review, “A Most Violent Year” somehow avoided being nominated for anything Oscar-wise (I would gladly put Chastain in Laura Dern’s spot in the Supporting Actress race this year).  I don’t know if it’s the best film of the year but it’s certainly one of them.

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Film Review “American Sniper”

Starring: Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 12 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

As he looks through the scope of his high-powered rifle, Chris Kyle (Cooper) describes the scene. A young boy and his mother are standing on the street while a group of American soldiers approaches. The woman hands the boy something and he starts walking towards the soldiers. Kyle thinks the woman handed the boy a grenade and asks for confirmation. No one else saw the handoff so now it’s up to Kyle to make a decision. Shoot an innocent boy and cause a world-wide uproar, or defend the troops he’s there to protect. He releases the safety, exhales quietly and….

Featuring an amazing performance by Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper” is Clint Eastwood’s return as an important filmmaker. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Eastwood’s take on “Jersey Boys” last summer but musicals are not his bread and butter. After years of “one for you” (a “Dirty Harry” flick) and “one for me” (“Honky Tonk Man,” “White Hunter, Black Heart”) with Warner Brothers, Eastwood created “Unforgiven,” winning his first directing Oscar along the way. He followed that film up with “Mystic River” (another Oscar nod) and “Million Dollar Baby” (another Oscar) as well as two very different films that looked at war through different eyes, “Flags of My Father” and “Letters From Iwo Jima.” A musical was probably a nice break but Eastwood is best when he’s looking at life and the moral questions it asks.

Based on the exploits Kyle himself highlighted in his book of the same name, “American Sniper” is a film that will have you on the edge of your seat constantly. Eastwood puts the viewer INTO the war. It’s you looking through the scope, fingering the trigger and praying you’re not wrong.

Carrying an extra 40 pounds of muscle, Cooper transforms himself in to Kyle. Gone is the smart-alecky Phil from “The Hangover.” Instead we gaze upon one of America’s finest. Cooper loses himself in the performance giving a believability that is often lost in films like this. He is matched emotion for emotion by Miller, who portrays his frightened wife, Taya. Her fear, home alone, is just as real as the fear Kyle faces in the field. But that fear doesn’t stop him from doing his job, emerging from his tours of duty as the most deadly sniper in U.S. military history. Kyle is so feared by the enemy that “Wanted” posters featuring just images of just his tattoos begin springing up. His story is uplifting as well as it is tragic, and should be remembered for a long time to come.

 

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Film Review “Blackhat”

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis and Wei Tang
Directed By: Michael Mann
Rated: R
Running Time: 133 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars

May I state the obvious? I shall. It seems like every week, and sometimes every day, there’s a breaking update on how someone’s social media account was hacked or how hacktivists have leaked thousands of valuable government or company documents (U.S. military and Sony, I’m looking at you). Cyber terrorism might end up being the most highly used news term for 2015 with how the landscapes of battles are changing. It’s a fascinating new realm in which to play with story ideas and birth high concepts. So why does “Blackhat” feel like such an outdated product?

Scrawny, pencil thin nerds are what we’ve come to expect in techno thrillers. We imagine them sitting behind a computer, clicking and clacking away at the keyboard, pushing their glasses up the brim of their nose, but instead we have the muscular, wavy golden haired Chris Hemsworth. He plays Nicholas Hathaway, one of the world’s greatest hackers, who’s incarcerated and still able to hack from prison by the way. He does push-ups in solitary, talks with piercing confidence, and seems un-phased by life in prison.

His skills will be needed after a criminal begins hacking his way into the financial systems of China and causes a nuclear power plant to go haywire. He’s recruited by Chen (Leehom Wang), a high ranking military expert for the Chinese government who, by the strangest coincidences of the movie, was Nick’s college roommate. They may have just as well have lived across the hall from our criminal by that logic.

After some unnecessary negotiations with Chinese and U.S. governments to get Nick free, the two meet, and along for the ride, is Chen’s sister, Lien (Tang). Oh by the way, she’s also a master hacker, computer expert, and anything else the script requires. The exact moment Nick and Lien lay eyes on each other, you know they’re going to hook up. It’s usually an obligatory character relationship that’s created to add tension or complicate matters for our group. It doesn’t.

The more I think about “Blackhat”, the more I wonder when this was written and who wrote it. Nick’s on the trail of a supposed genius that neither the U.S. or Chinese government can catch, but his knack for picking up on clues or finding evidence is ludicrously easy or frustratingly unrealistic. It makes you wonder why neither government wouldn’t already have the manpower or staff to catch someone who, as the movie says, is incredibly dangerous. Although it’s example as to why he’s so dangerous is because he’s not doing these attacks for political or financial gain. By the way, one of those ends up being true anyway.

It’s really hard to flat out hate something that tries so admirably. It’s almost like listening to a kindergarten class sing a beloved song. They’re butchering it, but they definitely got some room to grow. Director Michael Mann’s previous movies include “Last of the Mohicans” and “Heat”, but loses so much dramatic flair amidst techno babble. The cast is spick and span despite a baffling script. There are some neat visuals and gorgeous establishing shots. But this movie is just frustrating because it just can’t bring everything together.

Someone might want to consider programming some better hardware into this movie before releasing it. There’s a lot to enjoy, but it’s suppressed by mundane talk sets. It’s even more vexing for me because I keep trying to put my finger on it. What happened? It has a style that screams exciting, but constantly had me stretching my legs and covering my mouth as I yawned.

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Film Review “The Wedding Ringer”

Starring: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad and Ken Howard
Directed by: James Garelick
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 41 mins
SONY Pictures

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Imagine you’ve managed to ask a beautiful woman to marry you and now you need to fill out your side of the wedding party. You call around but none of your friends, or people you thought were friends, want to commit. Who you gonna call?

A surprisingly touching and funny film, “The Wedding Ringer” is the story of Doug (Gad), who is set to marry the lovely Gretchen (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting). When he can’t find anyone to stand up with him the wedding planner (Ignacio Serricchio) points him in the direction of Jimmy Callahan (Hart) who, for a fee, will provide anything you need, from a best man (the package is called the gold bow tie) to a “Gold Tux,” which includes Best Man, multiple groomsmen and a bachelor party. Doug needs a Gold Tux. Jimmy agrees to supply it and recruits several of his friends with various skills (Jimmy feels that every “ringer” should have a distracting trick, be it the ability to talk backwards or having washboard abs to show off when necessary). But he stresses to Doug not to get too attached. Once the wedding is over he and the others are gone.

I must say I went into this movie expecting to hate it. I have not been a big supporter of Kevin Hart and expected another 90 mins of his screaming Chris Tucker impression. However, in “The Wedding Ringer,” he is quite funny and handles the role very well. This is due, in part, to the equally fun performance turned in by Josh Gad. Gad gives Doug a quiet sweetness to his character, one that slowly dissolves as he gains more courage from his new buddies. The script, co-written by director Garelick and Jay Lavender (the duo also collaborated on the 2006 Vince Vaughn/Jennifer Anniston comedy “The Break-Up”) is very witty and the supporting cast, which includes a former football player – the pride of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania – and veteran actor (and “White Shadow” star) Ken Howard. After a month or so of prestigious films looking for some Oscar love this film is a welcome Cineplex treat.

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Film Review “Selma”

Starring: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, and Carmen Ejogo
Directed By: Ava Duvernay
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 127 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

A curious thought popped into my head while I watched “Selma”, has there ever been a movie about the late, great, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? None came to mind and after doing a simple Internet search after the movie, it appears that no mainstream motion picture has attempted to tackle such an arduous task. And even though his life was only 39 years long, there’s so much storied history to attempt to adapt, it seems like an almost impossible feat to cherry pick the nuggets that are worth portraying. “Selma” does an admirable job finding the right event that parallels the present day struggles.

“Selma” places it’s microscope over 1965, dropping us in Selma, Alabama. The main flare up for controversy is voter registration. Anytime an African-American would attempt to register to vote, they were met insanely hard tests, economic/financial pressure, and of course, the looming threat of violence from residents and the Ku Klux Klan. While there is a civil rights movement, it’s very weak, quiet, and disorganized. Enter Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Oyelowo).

King’s presence gives a clearer focus to the angry groups of black people, which seemingly make up a decent percent of the town. The temptation of giving up or simply raising an angry fist to their oppressors is quelled by the soothing words of King. The scenes that work best is when King’s comforting a family mourning the loss of a loved one or withholding aggressive words in diplomatic discussions with President Lyndon Johnson.

Oyelowo gracefully handles King as best one could. Those famous words we all know from King (the “I Have a Dream” speech) are lacking from this movie, but in it’s place are some powerful, stirring calls for action and Oyelowo combines strength and determination while balancing humility. It’s a difficult task to come off so true to King’s persona, but Oyelowo does it. It helps that he has a fine cast surrounding him, including Tom Wilkinson, Tim Roth, and others who I am sure will have a future in Hollywood.

“Selma” would not have worked as a straight biopic, but works magnificently as a focus on grassroots activism. It does get a bit muddled when adding the subplot of King’s relationship with his wife. It also doesn’t help when it keeps cutting to gratuitous shots of Oprah Winfrey’s incredibly minor character. Of course when you’re one of the film’s producers, you can be on screen as much as you want. “Selma” is just a progressive step short of taking the stage with other grand movies, but I’m sure it’ll still gladly take a heaping plate of nominations.

As for it’s message, you’ll either get it or you won’t. And if you do get it, you’ll love it or you won’t. That’s perfectly fine though because whether you want to admit it or not, there’s still a big problem when it comes to equality and oppression. I’m not here to make a political statement or stand up on any soap box, but there’s something to be said about the powerful imagery featuring peaceful protesters being bashed with batons and chased down police in riot gear.

 

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, review, selma

Film Review “Inherent Vice”

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin and Katherine Waterston
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hours 28 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Paul Thomas Anderson’s seventh feature film is the perfect culmination of a visual and storytelling style that he has been honing to a fine point since his first film, “Hard Eight,” in 1996. “Inherent Vice,” based on the 2009 novel from reclusive author Thomas Pynchon, hits perfectly. With outstanding performances, great music, and stunning – yet unobtrusive – production design.

The only thing I can think of that can be thought of as negative, is that this movie MUST be viewed multiple times. There are layers upon layers, and so many things that are easily missed with a single viewing. This film is definitely not for a passive viewer. I have seen this film several times now and I can’t even say that I completely follow the story. But I trust that all the information is there.

Watching Paul Thomas Anderson make the switch from the 2.35:1 aspect ratio down to the 1.85:1 ratio has been strange; as I have always loved anamorphic widescreen. But Anderson has complete control of his film frame, and no longer has that angsty drive to move the camera constantly. He puts the camera exactly where it needs to be and just lets the actors perform. And perform they do.

Joaquin Phoenix gives another spectacular performance; as does his co-star, Katherine Waterston, who matches him perfectly. Waterston was unknown to me up to this point – even though she is the daughter of Sam Waterston – but she holds her own within this ensemble cast. Her character of Shasta Fay Hepworth is probably the least quirky of all the characters within this story, but she delivers a much-needed vulnerability.

While the story is set in 1970, it doesn’t feel like a period piece. It LOOKS like one, but doesn’t feel like one. The costumes, set decoration, hair styles, and all around general look of this film say 1970 but it doesn’t do it in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way. You are never distracted by the cars they drive, or the fact they use telephones with cords on them. “Inherent Vice” is a period piece with a contemporary feel. Which is a hard thing to pull off. It’s easy to lose a younger audience by showing them a time and technology they never knew.

With a running time of 148 minutes it would be easy to get scared off by the length, but this film is never slow. It runs the perfect line of fast-paced performances offset by long, continuous takes. There are at least two shots within this film that are over five minutes long. And they work!

“Inherent Vice” is an off-beat masterpiece. Its story is as real as the actor’s portraying the characters believe; and they make the audience believe. It is one of the only films I have seen this year that I feel has the potential to have multiple awards consideration. Lead actors, ensemble, score, adapted screenplay and directing. It is a solid film from every angle, and definitely, DEFINITELY worth seeing.

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Sarah Snook talks about her new film “Predestination”

Australian actress Sarah Snook starred in the horror film “Jessabelle” last year and stole the attention of Hollywood due to her performance. Her latest film “Predestination”, co-starring Ethan Hawke, features her in a major breakout role. If you get a chance you must see this film, which hits theaters on January 9th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Sarah to discuss the film and her transformation

Eric Schmitt: What interested you in the role in Predestination to begin with?
Sarah Snook: The main thing was really the challenge of acting as such an amazing character. You don’t really ever get to act as a man, if you’re a woman.

ES: What preparation went into playing the role of John?
SS: In the physical, I did some training to bulk up my muscular frame. It helped to get into a very masculine feel, testosterone driven. Everyday I would go to one of those “Pumping Iron” gyms, so I’d be surrounded by those testy (testosterone filled) men, and I’d be like “Yeah, brother! We’re one in the same!” Otherwise, I did a lot of research into transgender and how people adapt to that sort of lifestyle change.

ES: What about your voice? You went from a southern belle in “Jessabelle” to almost a city guy in John, how did you train for the voice acting?
SS: The did help a little by distending my voice in editing. I kinda wanted to look at movies like “Barfly” to study those types of down and out characters, get a gravely tone. It definitely helped with the pitch bending, though. It gave my voice my color. The difference between those two characters (Jessabelle and John) is really the fun part for me.

ES: It honestly took me a few minutes to even realize that it was you playing John. When I saw it, I was like “Whoa!”. How long did the make up take to transform you?
SS: It was a 3 hour make up job. It was mostly very fine, thin pieces – three or four layers to define my chin, stubble, a broken nose and earlobes. The earlobes were strange at first, but it lengthened my face.

ES: Did anyone mention to you, when you did go through the transformation, that you resembled a young Leonardo DiCaprio?
SS: (Laughs) Yeah, they did! It was also a random group of characters. “Hey, you look like-”.

ES: Did they take you off set to see how you would blend in as a man?
SS: (Laughs) No. No, I was too shy. There was one instance that was great – I was walking with the make-up artist to the set and I was walking ahead of the artist by maybe a meter or so. This group of girls walk past us and they looked about 18 or 19, three girls. They walked past us and giggled at the make-up artist “Oh my god – he’s so hot!” Then one of the girls said “Wait, who’s that other hot guy?!” (Laughs)

ES: That must have been very flattering!
SS: (Laughs) I don’t know about hot! I didn’t think I was necessarily a hot guy!

ES: The bar scenes with you and Ethan seemed very “organic”. How did you and Ethan develop such a natural looking relationship in front of the camera?
SS: We did rehearsal all through production, the two of us with Peter and Michael (Spierig). And also we started working on the weekends, Sundays we would get in the same room and make sure we were on the same page with our characters. With the bar scene, we did that in the 2nd or 3rd week of shooting. So by then, we had developed a pretty good relationship. The best part about the bar scene is that they shot it in one big sequence, which allowed Peter and Michael to just cut it up in the editing room. The whole thing was one scene – the bar, the pool table and the booth.

ES: How do you think the story will translate to audiences? Do you feel that audiences will see Predestination as a “complete” movie, and that they’ll be able to digest the content?
SS: I think overall, the story for me is what was great. It’s a very compelling script and a very compelling idea. It’s something that people can have a debate or dialogue about. All the questions that would come up about the characters and the storyline – audiences can actually engage it.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: film, predestination, sarah, snook, talks

Film Review “Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me”

Starring: Glen Campbell
Directed by: James Keach
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hr 56 mins
PCH Films

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“Who’s that?” Each time an image flickers on the screen the man watching the film asks the same question. With each questions comes the same answer… “that’s you.” Eventually, 75-year old Glen Campbell nods quietly and seems to understand. “OK,” he says. “I’ll be me.”

One of the greatest entertainers of the last century, Glen Campbell shocked fans in 2011 when he announced that he was battling Alzheimer’s disease. Not one to shy from a fight, Campbell not only decided to record one last album, “Ghost on the Canvas” but chose to embark on a three-week “goodbye” tour…one which lasted 151 shows! “I’ll Be Me” takes you along on that tour and shares with you the ups and downs of this most personal of illnesses.

When I was a kid, Glen Campbell was IT! An accomplished musician (he played on many records in the early 1960s, including hits by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin and the Monkees. In late 1964 he filled in for Brian Wilson when the Beach Boys went on tour and his masterful guitar playing can be heard on the bands’ greatest album, “Pet Sounds.” In 1967 he hit the top when he released the single “Gentle on My Mind,” following that up with songs like “Wichita Lineman,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and starring alongside John Wayne in “True Grit.” The 1970s brought him his own television series, “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour” and hits like “Southern Nights” and the song he is forever linked to, “Rhinestone Cowboy.” This is how I remembered Glen Campbell. Seeing him here, in excellent shape physically but slowed mentally is jarring. I’ll admit that I felt tears well up in my eyes watching him take in those old family home movies and not recognize himself.

The film is not all sadness. Shots of Campbell going through his normal day, talking like Donald Duck and singing familiar songs (ironically, one of the songs he remembers well is “I Remember You”). Sometimes he’s confused and sometimes he seems to understand what is happening to him. “I can still jump,” he says at one point, “I just can’t stay up as long.” With his loving wife Kim by his side, and three of his children in his band, Campbell’s tour is mostly successful. There are a few bumps in the road, like when the teleprompter (which shows Campbell the lyrics) stops working or when, like a young child who doesn’t understand, he complains about things that normally wouldn’t bother you or I, but there is also a sense of hope in the film. Musically, Campbell is still at the top of his game. He goes off on difficult guitar solos during the shows, and the skill needed to achieve this is there.

The film also contains testimonies from many of the people who have been part of or inspired by Campbell’s career. From songwriter Jimmy Webb to Vince Gill, from Sheryl Crow to Bill Clinton, from Blake Shelton to Paul McCartney, the list is overwhelming. There are also comments from fellow musicians like Kathy Mattea and Chad Smith (from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers) who have dealt with Alzheimer’s in their families. Director Keach places his cameras so that you feel like you are part of the film. You’re not eavesdropping on family conversations, you’re part of them. He’s been behind the camera for many years (when he’s not in front of it) and has proven that he has an amazing eye for telling story. And where Glen Campbell that story is not over. As he tells his family as the tour winds down, “I’m not done yet!”

 

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: campbell, film, glen, review
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