Film Review “Creed”

Starring: Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hrs 12 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

A group of boys gather around a couple of youngsters inside a juvenile facility. Suddenly the one surrounded takes charge, dropping his tormentor with one punch. You have to admit…the kids got it. So did his dad.

“Creed” tells the story of the son of the late Apollo Creed, who audiences last saw dying in the arms of Rocky Balboa after taking on the Russian boxing champion in “Rocky IV.” The young man with the lethal fists is one Adonis Johnson, who has been bouncing from juvie hall to foster home on and off since his mother died. Adonis has no idea who his father is until, shortly after his latest incident, he is introduced to Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), the widow of the former champ. She takes the young man in and encourages him to make something of himself.

When we meet the adult Adonis (Jordan), he is a successful young man who secretly boxes in Mexico. He is confident in his talents. So confident that, despite a recent promotion, he quits his job and heads to Philadelphia, intent on having a certain ex-boxer train him. That boxer is Rocky Balboa (Stallone). Rocky wants nothing to do with the young man, but we’re not sure if it’s because he’s genuinely not interested or if he harbors some guilt over the death of Apollo. Eventually the two get together and Adonis begins to make a name for himself. He also finds a girlfriend in upstairs neighbor Bianca (Tessa Thompson), an aspiring musician.

Things go well for all concerned until it is discovered who Adonis’ father really is. He is offered a shot at the title, but only if he fights under the name Creed. The fight is set. The bell has rung. Will he go the distance?

Fans of the “Rocky” series will embrace this film as a natural fit in the saga. There are enough references to previous films to make it so. However, even if you’ve never seen any of the previous films, you will find “Creed” entertaining, in part thanks to the great chemistry between Jordan and Stallone. As the story progresses both men learn more about each other, setting the scene for some emotional revelations. I’m not afraid to say that Stallone could earn some award consideration for his work here. Jordan, who was so good in his previous film with director Coogler, “Fruitvale Station,” has just the right swagger to keep you rooting for Adonis, no matter what the circumstances.

Technically the film is especially strong. Early fights are filmed without an edit – a single camera surrounds the fighters in the ring, giving the audience a unique look from inside the square circle. Coogler’s script borrows a little bit from the original “Rocky” (champ’s opponent can’t fight so a gimmick is used to set up the match, Rocky spouts some profound words of wisdom), but it mostly stands alone as an original story.

Whether you look at it as a continuation of the “Rocky” saga or take it in as a stand-alone film, “Creed” is a crowd pleaser!

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Film Review “The Good Dinosaur”

Starring the voices of: Jeffrey Wright and Frances McDormand
Directed by: Peter Sohn
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hr 50 mins
Walt Disney Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

65 million years ago a rogue meteor hit the earth, changing the world drastically. One of the big changes was the extinction of the dinosaurs. But what if that meteor had missed?

Meet the Apatosaurus family. Momma and Poppa welcome the arrival of three eggs and their contents. Soon, the family is complete with Libby, Buck and Arlo. These particular dinosaurs are farmers, and they’re bodies allow them the opportunity to act as both the plow and the sprinkler system. Brainy Libby helps out, as does brawny Buck. Sadly, tiny Arlo can only feed the chickens (or at least the prehistoric version of chickens) and help fill the silo with corn so the family can survive the winter. Things go well until, like most films, tragedy strikes and Arlo finds himself on his own. Cue the sad music.

From the PIXAR division of Disney, “The Good Dinosaur” is a visual treat for the eyes. From the ice covered mountains to the rushing river waters it is amazing the advances that have been made in computer generated animation. Like most Disney films, the hero soon finds himself in trouble, where he is rescued by a young boy that Arlo names “Spot.” The best way to describe Spot is to ask if you remember the Feral Kid from “The Road Warrior.” If so, you now have an image of what I’m talking about.

The film follows Arlo and Spot as they make their way back to Three Claw Mountain. Along the way they meet some colorful creatures, including a trio of T-rex’s led by Sam Elliott. The many characters are vividly rendered and all are memorable. And frightening. I have no idea how this film received a PG rating. There is death in and around the story, including a scene where a cute, saucer-eyed animal is suddenly gobbled down and then torn to shreds by a pair of dueling pterodactyls! If you’re taking children under the age of 7 prepare to dry their tears.

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Film Review “The Looking Glass”

Starring: Dorothy Tristan, Grace Tarnow and Jeff Puckett
Directed by: John D. Hancock
Not Rated
Running time: 1 hour 50 mins
First Run Features

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

A young girl loses her mother and is sent to live with her grandmother. A familiar plot in many a Lifetime movie. But in the talented hands of writer/star Dorothy Tristan and director John Hancock, “The Looking Glass” becomes so much more.

Julie (a very talented Tarnow, making her film debut) is un-aware that she and her grandmother, Karen (the still beautiful Tristan) share a love for performing. Karen, like Tristan herself, was once a talented actress and when she overhears Julie singing she helps her prepare to audition for a local musical production. As the two begin to bond, Julie begins to bury the grief she feels. No longer feeling alone in the world, she takes up with a local boy (Griffin Carlson) and learns to once again enjoy her life.

In his four decade career, director Hancock has always excelled in smaller, personal films. From “Bang the Drum Slowly” to the Nick Nolte prison drama “Weeds,” Hancock manages to give the characters meaning, bringing them to the forefront of the story. He achieves that again here. The quiet scenes between Julie and Karen a deeply moving and heartfelt. You almost feel as if you are eavesdropping on a personal conversation. Hancock is helped by a well-written screenplay by star Tristan. The storyline offers many opportunities to travel into “movie of the week” territory but Tristan refuses to take that easy route, instead giving the film real dialogue and situations.

On-screen, the talent abounds. Young Miss Tarnow proves herself an up-and-coming talent to keep an eye on. Matching her is Tristan who, after a successful acting career in the 70s, makes a return to the big screen after a three decade break. She hasn’t missed a beat. As the holiday season ascends upon us, I hope you find the time to take a trip through “The Looking Glass.” You will be entertained by what you find.

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Product Review: Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless Gaming Headset

If you are a gamer, one of the most important pieces of equipment besides the controller is your headset. If you are playing games that require precision sound that you need to make sure you have the best. Look no further to Logitech, this month they have released the G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless Gaming Headset, just in time for the holidays. Look no further, since this is no question, the best headset I have seen in 2015. Every year, the tech get better as does the headset and each year these companies are making impressing buyers with new features and no one does it better than Logitech.

Before reviewing this product, I was able to get on the phone with one of the key developers of this outstanding headset and got an inside look into its key features and unique abilities. What makes this headset better than others and worth taking a look at? Well, it features brand new Patent pending advanced Pro-G™ audio drivers which are only available in this headset. These are made with hybrid mesh materials deliver super performance and unprecedented audio quality. I was literally blown away by this one feature alone! Whether you are listening to music or playing a video game, this unit deliver both clean and accurate highs as well as a deep rich bass.

Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless Gaming Headset allows you to experience incredible 7.1 surround sound with Dolbyreg; or DTS Headphone:X Surround Sound. Of course you need to have Logitech Gaming Software to get 7.1 sound but it is totally worth it because you are able to create an outstanding in-game awareness, hearing every branch cracking and noise possible. Another benefit of this unit is that it simply supported all game platforms. One headset to rule them all! This works with PC, mobile, home theater devices, and game consoles, most important supporting BOTH PS4 and Xbox One.

One of the important questions that I had for the developer of the product when we spoke was about the how clear the communication was on the foldaway, noise-cancelling mic. Well as he explained and as it turned out it is absolutely crystal clear. Testing it out, I found that it was clearing that even my cell phone at times. The boom is removable as well which is cool if you don’t want it in your face or you can fold it back as well.

Listen if you are planning on wearing this headset for hours at a time also or even longer (if you have a few days off from work and no plans), you are going to need comfort. The G933 Artemis Spectrum is designed for long gaming sessions. It is extremely comfortable and relaxed on your head. It uses new sports mesh materials in the ear cups and headband are soft and breathable for maximum comfort. The over-the-ear ear cups designed to fit around most ears without applying pressure on soft tissues. My ears are very sensitive and hurt easily with headsets usually and I actually forgot that I was wearing it at one time during my testing. Plus if you like to keep clean, the ear cups can be removed from the headset and washed (but you know you will never use that).

For those that like customizing your lights and tabs, the G933 Artemis Spectrum has customizable lighting zones, including the light strip and logo. You are able to customize each zone and program them to different colors or effects as well as even have them synchronized. There is also no shortage in options, the adjustable RGB lighting lets you select from up to 16.8 million colors. I have never been huge with this feature but users that like syncing their equipment lights will love this.

Keeping with customization, you are able able to assign custom commands using Logitech Gaming Software on the three programmable G-keys. This will allow you to move around seamlessly between your gaming and media experience. Some of the custom controls you can play with are controls for each audio profiles, skipping to the next song, activating push-to-talk communication, in-game trigger instant command combinations, and more. You can also use the Logitech Gaming Software to program the audio equalizer and pre-set audio preferences for music, games and movies.

Whether you want to use this headset wired or wirelessly, you can choice either one. Even though it is wireless, you will get a lag-free experience on 2.4GHz wireless for up to 12 hours per charge, without lighting, or if not 8 hours, with default lighting. So honestly just expect to recharge this headset after every use because who is going to use default settings and use less than 8 hours if you got a good session going. If you don’t want to use wireless, the 3.5mm analog input on the headset allows you to use wired without using battery power. So if you are looking for a perfect gift this season, look no further.

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Film Review “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2”

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth
Directed By: Francis Lawrence
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 137 minutes
Lionsgate

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

It’s a sad day for diehard fans of the “Hunger Games” series, while people like me will remember it for its long drawn-out speeches about war and the long clarifying conversations about the plot after heroine wakes up after getting knocked out. The conclusion to the much beloved series doesn’t go out with a whimper, but it doesn’t go out on a high note either. The “Hunger Games” movies will end as they started, just alright; nothing spectacular.

“Mockingjay – Part 2” picks up right after the ending events of “Mockingjay – Part 1”. Peeta (Hutcherson) has been brainwashed by the Capitol and Katniss (Lawrence) is in shock that man she once began to develop feelings for expresses hate and displeasure to the mere sight of her. Meanwhile the resistance, made of all the Districts, is planning their final assault on the Capitol. They’re led by the suspicious President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore).

Coin plans to keep Katniss safe and out of harm’s way, mainly wielding Katniss as a propaganda piece, much like Katniss was in the first “Mockingjay” movie. That doesn’t sit well with Katniss who stows away, joining soldiers on the front line as they prepare for an invasion. Her ultimate goal for this final chapter is to kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland) with her own bow and arrow.

The real fun, a block by block journey through the heart of the Capitol while alluding deadly booby traps and fighting creatures, doesn’t come until we trudge through long bits of tediously familiar dialogue. The middle of “Mockingjay” should have come sooner, or at least began the movie. Teasing the inevitable action for half an hour is disingenuous for fans and viewers of the movies, adding to the complaint that the “Mockingjay” sequel is too long. While parts of “Mockingjay” work on a superbly entertaining level, too much of it feels like unnecessary filler.

The excessive length takes away from the main theme of the movie, which is fairly basic: war is hell. For being a somewhat anti-war movie, it seems to solve a lot of its problems through violent conflict and murder. The hell aspect of that statement gives viewers some of the series best emotional scenes. The mature content of how painful and heartbreaking war can be, isn’t explored enough. Its message about how difficult the civilian toll during war can be, on either side of the battle, is sandwiched between expositions, taking away from the gut punch it should be. For a series that prides itself off its adult themes, it seems to misjudge how to present its most interesting topic in its final movie.

Overall, I’m not disappointed that I watched these movies. At times I quite enjoyed them, and I think that the series has multiple, bold adult messages directed at an audience with a young, developing mind. Like the others, I have to praise the acting throughout. It’s the best of any young adult franchise, save for the “Harry Potter” series. At the end of the day though, “Harry Potter” handled the split of its final book into two movies, incredibly well, while “Hunger Games” overcompensated for how much content they had to stretch into four hours. “Hunger Games” is another instance where the story would have been much better off as one impactful final movie than two alright flicks.

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Film Review “Spotlight”

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams
Directed by: Tom McCarthy
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hours 8 mins
Open Road

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Boston. 1976. In a small police station we overhear a woman speaking with a man. In another room sits a priest. A young rookie remarks to his sergeant that what has happened will be hard to keep quiet. The senior officer remarks it won’t be a problem…no one will find out. “What about the arraignment,” the rookie asks? “What arraignment?”

A powerful look at how a team of reporters from the Boston Globe took on the Catholic Church in 2001, “Spotlight” is not only gripping but a great introduction to Journalism 101, making it easily the best “newspaper” film since “All the President’s Men.”

The story jumps to 2001, where new editor Marty Baron (Liev Schrieber) is brought to the newspaper from Miami to jump-start the paper’s performance. With fewer people turning to the paper for their news, and the Internet taking away a lot of the advertising dollars, it’s important to have a paper that people want to read. Among the various departments is the small, investigative unit known as SPOTLIGHT. Overseen by Walter “Robby” Robinson (Keaton), the unit is made up of a few reporters who often spend months investigating a single story. While working on an issue with the police department they are alerted to a story alleging rampant abuse of children by a local priest. Intrigued they begin investigating, slowly uncovering victims and learning that higher members of the Church conspired to keep things quiet. In order to get some necessary court documents they suggest going to court. The outrage is almost universal – “you’re going to SUE the CHURCH???”

Co-written by director McCarthy and Josh Singer (“The Fifth Estate”), the film, like the actual investigation, reveals secrets little by little, keeping you fully engrossed in the story. The script is helped by an amazing cast. Ruffalo seems to be Oscar-nomination bound here, and Keaton is equally strong. Supporting players, from McAdams to John Slattery to Len Cariou, also excel. Stanley Tucci does well as a rather un-orthodox attorney while Brian d’Arcy James rounds out the pack of reporters. Heck, even the smaller roles deserve a shout out. If there were an Oscar for ensemble work this film would grab it. Put it all together and “Spotlight” is one of the year’s best films!

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Film Review “The Night Before”

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie
Directed By: Jonathan Levine
Rated: R
Running Time: 101 minutes
Columbia Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Not since “Bad Santa” has a vulgar comedy elicited this much holiday joy. If you’re looking for something besides the network television claymation specials and the obligatory “A Christmas Story” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” showings on TV, “The Night Before” is a much welcome sight at the box office.

While Christmas is sweet like milk and cookies for most, the holidays are a spoiled milk time of year for Ethan (Gordon-Levitt). That’s because when he was younger, his parents passed away on Christmas Eve. There to help pick Ethan up that day were Isaac (Rogen) and Chris (Mackie). Like any good (or bad depending on how you view it) friend, they helped Ethan get over the tremendous loss with drugs and alcohol, and thus a tradition was born.

Every Christmas Eve, the three young wise men head out into New York City, do drugs, check out Christmas lights while high, get drunk, sing karaoke, and consume massive amounts of Chinese food. But something has evaded them, the Nutcracker Ball. It’s a mysterious event that takes place in a secret location one day a year, barely known amongst the general populous. Flash forward 14 years later, Isaac is preparing for his first child, Chris is dealing with football fame, and Ethan is dealing with another holiday tragedy. It’s time for one more drunken hurrah for the three, including some stolen tickets to the coveted Nutcracker Ball.

“The Night Before” spikes the eggnog and laces the mistletoe with hallucinogens, but it accomplishes that rare Christmas miracle, of making my Grinch heart grow three sizes. Most holiday movies feel unnecessarily cheesy with their forced warmth, but “The Night Before” has a genuine heart. A lot of that credit can go to Jonathan Levine, who struck pay dirt with Gordon-Levitt and Rogen before in “50/50”, another film that plucked the right heart strings.

What Levine’s movie tragically suffers from is an ADD direction. It feels a bit long as the script hurriedly goes from idea to another. Some of those ideas are a wonderfully constructed laugh riot and at other times those ideas seem like everyone was comfortable settling for a predictable chuckle. Rogen handles the bulk of comedy, while Gordon-Levitt handles the emotion, and Mackie completes the trio by being the bridge and glue between the two extremes.

The three are complemented by a slew of others. There are some shameless appearances by real life stars that feel more forced than natural. But the real gem of the movie is Michael Shannon. Shannon plays a prophetic drug dealer that crosses paths with the three and serves as a spiritual leader for the three, with pot of course. Jillian Bell does a great fill-in as Rogen’s pregnant wife and helps set-up some of the best jokes for Rogen to spike to the audience.

“The Night Before” is a familiar movie, but that’s because it enriches itself with an understanding of what makes a Christmas movie. It takes the plot devices from holiday stories like “A Christmas Carol” and others, but it adds its own flavor to them. Some are more obvious than others while some are clearly used to make that one person in the audience smile. “The Night Before” is a complimentary movie to the upcoming holidays, whether it be to laugh with friends and family or to alleviate the mounting stress we face.

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Book Review “Star Wars: The Force Inside”

“Star Wars: The Force Inside”
Author: Put Me In The Story
Hardcover: 40 pages

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In a galaxy far, far away, everyone must decide where their true allegiance lies. Are you Jedi or Sith? All the most powerful heroes and villains in the Star Wars universe are here to reveal “Star Wars: The Force Inside” First Yoda, Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia ask questions to guide you and help you become a Jedi Master. Then the dark side of the Force will try to sway you as you flip the book over and meet General Grievous, Darth Vader and a long list of other characters from the dark side.

Just in time for the holidays is the latest offering from Put Me In The Story. “Star Wars: The Force Inside” is a hardcover bound 40 page adventure book that puts the reader directly in the story. Through www.Putmeinthestory.com readers can put theirs or their loved ones name and photo directly in the story making for a truly unique gift giving experience. “The Force Inside” offers two different reading experiences which allows you to follow either the path of the Jedi or that of the Sith with corresponding characters guiding you on your journey. Though some of the name placement points seemed a bit generic the quality of the product more than made up for it as the books hardcover and brightly detailed glossy pages made for an experience that was very appealing to the eye. Each story is about 20 pages and introduces the reader to a number of characters from the “Star Wars” universe which for me was really fun as you didn’t know who or what to expect from page to page.

Though the book is probably best suited for early readers and up the variety of pictures offer an enjoyable experience for “Star Wars” fans of all ages. With a price tag of $39.99 your getting a quality made item sure to provide hours of fun making this a great addition to the list of any would be Jedi/Sith Lord.

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Film Review “The 33”

Starring: Antonio Banderas and Rodrigo Santoro
Directed by: Patricia Riggen
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hrs 27 mins
Warner Bros

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It was the major story on the news five years ago. Thirty-three workers trapped a half-mile below the earth in a gold mine in Chile. The world watched for sixty-nine days and cheered as the men were finally rescued. But what happened during that almost seven-weeks is the story of “The 33.”

August 5, 2010 started like most every day in the small town of Copiapo. A group of men, led by Mario (Banderas) heads to work in the local mine. Among the delegation is a man about to retire after 46-years and a new man starting what will be the rest of his life working below the earth. Despite warnings by the safety official (Lou Diamond Phillips), things are not up to code and, when an explosion rips through the mine, the men find themselves trapped. With only three days of food to survive on, the men wait for help to arrive. And wait. And wait. And wait.

Based on true events, and well balanced, the story of “The 33” may be a surprise to many who only know the basics of the event. While things seemed to be going swimmingly on television, it took an amazing amount of red-tape cutting to succeed. Because the world already knows the outcome, it’s this story that holds your attention as you root for the right things to be done.

Banderas is strong as the group’s leader, and the supporting cast of characters each manage to relate the direness of their situation. Diamond Phillips is also well cast as the safety officer. It’s a little under 700 miles from Argentina to Chile, so I guess that is why Bob Gunton was hired to play the Chilean president, though he seems to be channeling Juan Peron, who he played in “Evita.” And as much as I like Gabriel Byrne, I had to chuckle to myself as he tried to hide his Irish brogue with a Spanish accent. The film is well paced and director Riggen gives you the required feeling of claustrophobia needed. I should also note that this is the final film score by composer James Horner, who passed away earlier this year.

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Film Review “Room”

Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay and Joan Allen
Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 58 mins
A24 Films

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I can’t remember where I heard it, but I recall someone having a conversation and the subject of someone that lived in a remote village came up. The person appeared happy living his very simple life and the one converser commented that this guy’s life must be horrible, because he didn’t have any of the modern conveniences. The other replied that the fact he wasn’t aware of what he was missing is why he was so content. I’m paraphrasing here, of course, but in a nut-shell, this is the story of “Room.”

We meet Ma (Larson) and 5-year old Jack (an amazing Tremblay) as they get ready for the day. Ma makes breakfast while Jack watches television. As we watch them go about their day we notice that the scenery never changes. We later hear the fumbling of locks and an unseen male voice. This goes on for what seems like an eternity. Eventually we learn that many years ago Ma was kidnapped. She has been living in “room” for the past seven years, with only a small skylight in which to watch the time go by. But she has been planning. Planning for the day when she and Jack will be free. But when will that day come?

Emotionally exhausting, “Room” is a film that you will continue to think of long after you’ve left the theatre. Based on the best-selling book by Emma Donoghue, who also wrote the screenplay, the film is an acting tour-de-force for both Larson and young Mr. Tremblay, who should certainly be on the Oscar short list for their performances. Though the story sounds as if it was based on the tragic events that occurred in Cleveland it was actually inspired by the Fritzl case in Austria. No matter where the idea came from, the story is harrowing. Director Abrahamson makes it even more tragic by making the audience feel the claustrophobia. This continues throughout the film, even when circumstances change. To Jack, “room” is, at times, comforting. To me, “Room” is an emotional roller coaster that I’m still riding!

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Film Review “The Peanuts Movie”

Starring: Noah Schnap, Hadley Bill Miller and Bill Melendez
Directed by: Steve Martino
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 33 mins
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

For those of us from a certain time, the “Peanuts” comic strip is a definite part of our growing up. I collected the paperback books, read the daily comic strips and can proudly say that I am so old that I can remember watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” when it debuted! Five decades of memories are treated with the respect they deserve in the new film “The Peanuts Movie.”

As the film begins, the gang are celebrating a new snow fall, which signals a snow day. We gradually meet all of the familiar characters (Linus, Lucy, Sally and, of course, Snoopy). And we meet a new one when a moving truck shows up. The family consists of a mother and father and a pretty little red-headed girl. Cue the arrows to the heart – Charlie Brown is in love.

A production from the same group that made the “Ice Age” films, I have to give great credit to the filmmakers for keeping the look of the characters the same. Even though the animation is done via CGI, the way the characters move and interact is similar to the original hand-drawn films and television specials from the past. Each character is given their familiar traits (Lucy’s vainness, Schroeder’s piano playing, Linus and his blanket) and situations. Each character is given their due, almost as if the film was a true ensemble piece. The story is straight-forward but will be entertaining for both young and old viewers.

Sometimes when my wife and I go to Walmart we’ll go near the aisle that has the musical Snoopy figures. We have been known to press “on” occasionally and do the Snoopy dance in the middle of the store, much to the enjoyment of the other customers. Go see “The Peanuts Movie.” You’ll be doing the Snoopy dance up the aisle when it’s over!

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Film Review “Burnt”

Film review by Mike Smith
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller and Daniel Bruhl
Directed by: John Wells
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 41 mins
The Weinstein Company

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

A man stands behind a non-descript counter in a New Orleans restaurant. His hands are a blur as he shucks oysters. One by one by one. In a voice-over we learn that he was once a famous chef, whose substance abuse and diva attitude lost him his restaurant, his reputation and his dignity. His self-assigned penance. Shucking oysters. He stops, pulls out a notebook, and writes a number. He then takes off his apron and walks out the door. One million is enough.

Built around a strong performance by Cooper, “Burnt” is a story of redemption. Adam Jones (Cooper) finds his way from New Orleans to London, where he drops in on his former maître’ D (Bruhl), who is now running his father’s hotel. When they were a team in Paris, their restaurant earned two prestigious Michelin stars. Adam maintains that he can get three. After getting Adam to consent to see a therapist weekly, as well as submitting to random drug and alcohol tests, the two form a partnership. Adam spends his days visiting other restaurants, sampling the foods and recruiting from the respective kitchens. He also visits a restaurant owned by a former cooking colleague (Matthew Rhys), who is now the top dog on the restaurant scene. As Adam begins to achieve his goals, his adversary begins to flounder and soon it is a battle-royal in the kitchens. Both men learn lessons, many of them non-food related.

Six years ago, Bradley Cooper was best known as the handsome Phil from “The Hangover.” Since then he’s earned a Tony Award nomination for his role in “The Elephant Man” on Broadway and is currently on a streak of three consecutive Academy Award nominations, an achievement only done nine times previously by such talented actors as Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck, Richard Burton, Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. While I don’t think “Burnt” will bring another nomination, Cooper is superb in the role. His passion for food burns in his eyes. Joining him is Miller, who he recruits and soon makes his chief assistant, and Bruhl, whose character we soon learn has had a long time crush on Adam.

Director Wells keeps the film flowing smoothly and the scenes of food being prepared and served are like little visits to a museum. I’m not one for fancy dishes but even I started getting hungry. Every detail is brought out to be marveled at. If there is a film to compare it to it would be Jon Favreau’s “Chef” from last year. Well known fiery chef Gordon Ramsay served as an executive producer on the film so I have no doubt Cooper based his performance on him, one that is strong but not over the top. Like the food it highlights, “Burnt” is a film to savor. Save room for dessert!

 

 

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Film Review “Scouts Guide to the Apocalypse”

Film review by Jeremy Werner
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller and Joey Miller
Directed By: Christopher B. Landon
Rated: R
Running Time: 93 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

Among the four credited writers for “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse”, one must have known what they were doing. One of those writers must have grown up watching movies like “Dead Alive” and “Return of the Living Dead” on late Saturday nights. For every hilarious scene “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” conjures up, there’s at least two or three that don’t even nip at the funny bone.

Ben (Sheridan), Carter (L. Miller), Augie (J. Miller) are the last of a dying bunch, the scouts. Ben and Carter realize that the scouts are the lowest part of the social totem pole at high school. They can’t even get an AV geek to join their ranks. Augie however, lives and dies by the scout code. Ben and Carter are only in it because they’re still friends with Augie and they know it means a lot to him. So Ben and Carter decide to humor Augie for one more overnight in the woods.

Ben and Carter, hoping to salvage their adolescence, plan to sneak out during the overnight and head to a party across town. Meanwhile, an unexplained virus breaks out of a lab, and slowly seeps into town. Within that time frame of our three heroes going out for the night and Ben and Carter sneaking off, the townsfolk are turned into zombies. The build up is expected, but it still takes it sweet time before the carnage starts.

Once the carnage does start though, it seems a bit tame. There are some decent zombie kills, but nothing that hasn’t been done before. As for the jokes, they’re small hits or wide misses. A lot of jokes come too quickly to be enjoyed and those that linger are clearly taken out of someone’s better written script. While “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” is rowdy, it’s not rowdy enough for the full 93 minutes.

For every inspired moment of comedy or gore, there’s a really long waiting time for something to happen. It doesn’t have a strong enough character presence like “Zombieland” to carry the story. It’s hard to relate with teenagers who individually represent horny, courageous, and heartfelt. It’d work better if all three he had these qualities. There’s also a couple of weird loose ends that never go anywhere, like the fact that zombies will sing if they hear their favorite song.

“Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” may suffer from peak zombie in pop culture. We’ve nearly seen it all and while the title is cool, there’s not much else that we haven’t seen in other movies. For those looking from the bleak pessimism of “The Walking Dead” this weekend, “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” may come as a pleasant surprise. For seasoned horror and zombie fans, it’s disappointing this couldn’t have been more.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines, Film Reviews Tagged With: apocalypse, film, guide, review, scouts

Film Review “The Last Witch Hunter”

Starring: Vin Diesel, Elijah Wood and Michael Caine
Directed by: Breck Eisner
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 45 mins
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

Let me say right at the start that I am a big Vin Diesel fan. While the majority of his movies are not the greatest, there is something about him as a personality that makes you want to root for him. Here we find him making the rounds as an immortal witch hunter, protected and watched over by a certain faction of priests. Kaulder (Diesel) is officially known as a witch hunter, brokering the peace between bad witches and good humans. But when the peace is threatened, only Kaulder (and his partners in peace) can save the day.

The movie starts out in olden times, where a band of warriors, led by Kaulder decides to take out a coven of witches. Kaulder does the job but is cursed with eternal life by the witch queen he has just dispatched. Which takes us to modern times. Kaulder lives in a beautiful high rise apartment which is lavishly furnished. He also drives a flashy car. Good thing he’s keeping a low profile. He is about to watch the 36th priest who has protected him (Caine) retire and meet number 37 (Wood). It all unravels when #36 is found dead, which can only mean one thing…WITCHES! If only we knew someone that hunted them.

I’m tempted to say this movie blows and leave it at that but, dammit, I can’t. First off, it’s made by Summit, which gave us the “Twilight” series of films (sadly, the special effects utilized by the studio are still achingly bad). Second, the cast does try hard. And third…Vin Diesel and his screen presence. He’s not doing Shakespeare here, which is a good thing. Early in the film he must discuss the “ancient rooooons” he has been looking for. Things get better when Wood shares the screen, his wide-eyed young padawan getting serious while looking like a psychotic Chris Kattan. The special effects are poorly designed and the laughs are readily found, though probably not intentionally.

My advice: see it for Vin Diesel. If you need to, just pretend he’s driving around in a fast car! I’ve never seen the “First” Witch Hunter. Unfortunately, I did see the “Last” one!

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, hunter, review, witch

Film Review “Jem and the Holograms”

Starring: Aubrey Peeples, Stefanie Scott and Hayley Kiyoko
Directed By: Jon M. Chu
Rated: PG
Running Time: 118 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 Stars

I’m not the target audience for “Jem and the Holograms” and in fact, you may not be the target audience either. If you are under the age of 15, understand things like social media and Youtube, and like poppy rock music, then by all means go see “Jem and the Holograms”; you’ll love it. As for those hoping to relive their Generation X childhood or be reminded of those Saturday morning cartoon watching days in the late 1980’s, you’ll be disappointed.

“Jem and the Holograms” comes from director Jon M. Chu, who’s been stuck directing movies for niche audiences. Chu has two “Step Up” movies and a pair of Justin Bieber flicks under his belt and they aren’t necessarily fodder for the general populous. For those who are the clear target of Chu’s previous movies, they eat it up, but “Jem and the Holograms” is difficult. It seems to be caught between entertaining an audience with feelings of nostalgia and a millennial crowd that doesn’t have nostalgia yet.

Jerrica (Peeples) lives with her sister Kimber (Scott), two cousins and her Aunt Bailey (Molly Ringwald). Jerrica lost her father at a young age and only has fleeting memories left of him. She’s a shy, but talented girl who on a sporadic whim, records herself singing a tune she wrote. She immediately feels embarrassed that she threw on a wig along with thick pink eyeliner, and sang something personal under the moniker, Jem. She quickly asks the tech-savvy Kimber to delete it from their digital camera. Kimber secretly doesn’t.

Realizing Jerrica’s talent, Kimber uploads the video to Youtube. The acoustic, soulful song quickly garners millions of views, likes, and the attention of music industry leader, Erica Raymond (Juliette Lewis). In the digital age where there are no secrets; Raymond sees the marketability of a cultural mystery. Everyone wants to know who “Jem” is and Raymond is ready to market the hell out of that question.

At times, “Jem and the Holograms” is narratively confusing. It fluctuates between glossing over character building and expanding upon unnecessary plots. Honestly, the characters would be a lot more relatable or interesting if we knew more about them. It would also help if we knew the ballpark age of the girls. The quartet has no trouble dropping out of school to pursue a music contract without the consent of an adult or the input of their aunt, if they are in school. Sometimes it makes about as much sense as a Looney Tunes short. It’s one of those movies that you’re better off not applying logic to.

Chu’s direction feels lazy as he incorporates Youtube and Instagram videos to reflect the alleged tone of a scene or the feelings of our characters. There’s also a lot of cringe worthy scenes, including one where Jerrica glances too long at a naked, with nothing but a towel, manager by the name of Rio (Ryan Guzman), that’s in charge of watching the girls. It really becomes unsettling if you begin to wonder how old Jerrica is and how old Rio is since it looks like he wouldn’t be carded when ordering a beer at the bar. Like I said…you’re better off not thinking about it…or seeing this movie.

When “Jem and the Holograms” isn’t stumbling around at an embarrassing pace, there are some genuinely good moments. The music is pretty good considering the musicianship in this movie is a complete facade. Juliette Lewis chews enough scenery that I wondered if she was going to eat the screen. It also helps that it has a decent message about individualism and possibly teaches some of the younger viewers about unflinching acceptance for others who are just simply different. The only problem is that that message comes in by the end and doesn’t ring as loudly as the music.

Overall, “Jem and the Holograms” is a visually unoriginal mess that feels more like an insult to the TV show it’s based off than it does an honest reboot. Despite my trashing, it’s an alright movie for the young ones to see. And I’ll admit that the right eye, the right ideas, and the right director could have made a movie that’s worthy of regenerating interest in a 30 year old TV show. But it appears like the masterminds at Hasbro, who own Jem, realized the best way to cash in on old merchandise is a shiny new package without any fresh content.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, holograms, jem, review
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