Lately, Steven Spielberg has been moving away from action adventure stories and into the bio-pic territory. One could argue that this is because those get more Oscar buzz generated but it also could be because of directorial interest. Spielberg's latest film Bridge of Spies sees the famous director pair with the Joel and Ethan Coen ,writers of Fargo and The Big Lebowski, to bring to the screen the story of James B. Donovan and how he negotiated the trade of one Soviet spy for two Americans.
Tom Hanks plays the main character and he does a great job. I would compare his character to Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. Hanks's character has to defend alleged Soviet spy Rudolf Abel in court and even though he knows his client is a spy he believes that he should have his day in court and should be punished justly. Abel is not a mean spirited killer but he is not the most trustworthy man. Their relationship almost mirrors the relationship between Atticus and Tom Robinson. Atticus knew that Tom was going to be found guilty but he tried his hardest to get the jury to do the right thing and acquit Tom. But where the audience knew that Tom was innocent, the audience know that Rudolf is a spy for the Soviets. Keep in mind this was during the era of McCarthyism and the Red Scare. The Soviets were the enemies of Americans and anyone caught defending them would more than likely have their life threaten. Hank's character experiences that prejudice as his house is shot at in the night because he is defending a Soviet.
The film is also an interesting look at how the law worked outside the United States. East Germany has different views from its western counterpart. The prisoner negotiation was not an open and shut case. Donovan had to use his knowledge of persuasion and law in order to get both men free from their respective prisons.
Bridge of Spies may start out slow for some viewers but it starts to pick up speed once it gets to the prisoner negotiations. While not the action adventure movie Spielberg is known for, Bridge of Spies is another great film to add to Spielberg's already impressive resume.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Monday, October 26, 2015
Sicario Review
If I took away anything from Sicario it is that you do not want to piss off Benicio Del Toro's character Alejandro.
Sicario follows an FBI agent played by Emily Blunt. She is put on a task force that is led by Josh Brolin and Del Toro whose goal is to aid the fight in the war on drugs going on at the Arizona border. As she spends more time on the team she begins to question everything she believes in order to survive.
Del Toro plays Alejandro, an assassin with a past that is mysterious for most of the movie. But it is revealed in the films finale that (WARNING: SPOILER ALERT) Alejandro's purpose for joining the task force is to get revenge on a drug lord that beheaded his wife and pushed his daughter in a bed of acid. It is this revelation that puts Del Toro's character in a new perspective. In the beginning the audience could believe him as a stern assassin who cares nothing for no one. As the film progresses he starts to show some affection towards Blunt, saying that she reminds him of someone he loved. But his emotions flip as at times he can be cool and collective but other times he is a cold merciless killer.
If I could choose another film to compare this to it would be Nightcrawler. You are constantly deciding whether you support what the character is doing. The person does horrible things that no normal person would do, but they do it in order to achieve a goal that most people desire.
Sicario is an interesting drama and suspense movie. If you enjoyed something like Nightcrawler I would recommend this film.
Grade: A
Sicario follows an FBI agent played by Emily Blunt. She is put on a task force that is led by Josh Brolin and Del Toro whose goal is to aid the fight in the war on drugs going on at the Arizona border. As she spends more time on the team she begins to question everything she believes in order to survive.
Del Toro plays Alejandro, an assassin with a past that is mysterious for most of the movie. But it is revealed in the films finale that (WARNING: SPOILER ALERT) Alejandro's purpose for joining the task force is to get revenge on a drug lord that beheaded his wife and pushed his daughter in a bed of acid. It is this revelation that puts Del Toro's character in a new perspective. In the beginning the audience could believe him as a stern assassin who cares nothing for no one. As the film progresses he starts to show some affection towards Blunt, saying that she reminds him of someone he loved. But his emotions flip as at times he can be cool and collective but other times he is a cold merciless killer.
If I could choose another film to compare this to it would be Nightcrawler. You are constantly deciding whether you support what the character is doing. The person does horrible things that no normal person would do, but they do it in order to achieve a goal that most people desire.
Sicario is an interesting drama and suspense movie. If you enjoyed something like Nightcrawler I would recommend this film.
Grade: A
Crimson Peak Review
Guillermo Del Toro has always had a knack for using creatures in his movies, whether they are fighting giant robots in Pacific Rim or mystical creatures in Pans Labyrinth. So it would make sense that one day Del Toro would decide to dive into the horror genre and he does so with his latest film Crimson Peak.
Crimson Peak is about a young woman, played by Mia Wasikowska, who is swept away to a house on top of a red clay mountain by a handsome stranger, played by Tom Hiddleston. From there madness insues as our lead female is haunted by spirits in an attempt to uncover the mystery that lies in Crimson Peak.
As visual goes, the movie is stunning to look at when it gets to the house. It resembles a decaying Gothic feel to it that you would see in an Edgar Allen Poe poem. The ghosts have a unique look as well, a flesh-less spirit. One thing I notice in Del Toro's films is that the creatures, no matter how scary they look, are never the antagonists. The villain is usually human while the creature is sort of guide on the hero's journey. It falls into the "don't judge a book by its cover" and "man is evil" theme.
Del Toro's story telling is also unique to the horror genre. To paraphrase an interview, Del Toro said to get the ghost or creature out of the way first and then focus on the story and characters. At a time where the horror genre is being controlled by found footage films like the Paranormal Activity franchise its good to see a horror movie that goes back to its classic roots: An innocent female is brought to a scary house on a hill.
As the plot of this film goes, its not bad but it has its plot holes. (SPOILER ALERT) For example, why does Mia's character sees ghosts? If she can see the ghost of her mother, why can't she see her fathers spirit? What determines who becomes a ghost? Questions like that came to mind during the movie but were never addressed.
Crimson Peak is a welcomed addition to the horror genre but it comes with some flaws. It raises questions that are never answered but its visuals and characters are interesting enough to keep the viewer engaged.
Grade: B-
Crimson Peak is about a young woman, played by Mia Wasikowska, who is swept away to a house on top of a red clay mountain by a handsome stranger, played by Tom Hiddleston. From there madness insues as our lead female is haunted by spirits in an attempt to uncover the mystery that lies in Crimson Peak.
As visual goes, the movie is stunning to look at when it gets to the house. It resembles a decaying Gothic feel to it that you would see in an Edgar Allen Poe poem. The ghosts have a unique look as well, a flesh-less spirit. One thing I notice in Del Toro's films is that the creatures, no matter how scary they look, are never the antagonists. The villain is usually human while the creature is sort of guide on the hero's journey. It falls into the "don't judge a book by its cover" and "man is evil" theme.
Del Toro's story telling is also unique to the horror genre. To paraphrase an interview, Del Toro said to get the ghost or creature out of the way first and then focus on the story and characters. At a time where the horror genre is being controlled by found footage films like the Paranormal Activity franchise its good to see a horror movie that goes back to its classic roots: An innocent female is brought to a scary house on a hill.
As the plot of this film goes, its not bad but it has its plot holes. (SPOILER ALERT) For example, why does Mia's character sees ghosts? If she can see the ghost of her mother, why can't she see her fathers spirit? What determines who becomes a ghost? Questions like that came to mind during the movie but were never addressed.
Crimson Peak is a welcomed addition to the horror genre but it comes with some flaws. It raises questions that are never answered but its visuals and characters are interesting enough to keep the viewer engaged.
Grade: B-
Monday, October 5, 2015
The Martian Review
Ridley Scott's latest film The Martian sees Matt Damon play botanist astronaut Mark Watney who is stranded on Mars after being injured during a storm that forced his crew was to evacuate. Everyone believes that Watney is dead but once NASA finds out that Watney is still alive, the rescue is on to save Watney before he dies.
The Martian is following in the long line of space films released around the time of award season. 2014 had Christopher Nolan's space journey Interstellar and 2013 brought us the breathtaking 3D space survival film Gravity. But if I had to choose another film to compare The Martian to, I would choose Ron Howard's Apollo 13. While Ridley Scott's film does not fall into a space disaster film it shares the same premise: An astronaut has to get back home safely. Space provides filmmakers with a built in antagonist as it is unknowing and unforgiving. I'm also seeing that these space films are feelin long, at least to me.
Since CGI has improved, space looks more real than ever before. The effects in this film are good but for me it does not provide the experience as The Walk did. I'm sure Neil DeGrasse Tyson or some other space expert will go into detail about the inaccuracies in the film but as a casual movie goer I believed that Matt Damon was on Mars and his survival technique could work.
The film is not the Cast Away in space movie Gravity was, where it had one actor the whole movie, you meet the people that are helping Matt Damon get home. Jeff Daniel and Kristen Wiig, actors who are known for giving funny performances, give surprisingly dramatic performances. I was surprised that the actors could hold their own and be taken seriously in the movie. They get funny line here and there but they are serious characters. Michael Pena and Kate Mara, both coming off of superhero films, also give great performances. Donald Glover, famed rapper Childish Gambino, plays the odd yet talented astrodynamicist that provides the plan that helps Damon's character get off the desolate planet.
Space movies for me can be a little long for me and I felt that way when I saw this movie. But if you're into space drama and enjoy Matt Damon check it out, you will not be disappointed.
The Martian is following in the long line of space films released around the time of award season. 2014 had Christopher Nolan's space journey Interstellar and 2013 brought us the breathtaking 3D space survival film Gravity. But if I had to choose another film to compare The Martian to, I would choose Ron Howard's Apollo 13. While Ridley Scott's film does not fall into a space disaster film it shares the same premise: An astronaut has to get back home safely. Space provides filmmakers with a built in antagonist as it is unknowing and unforgiving. I'm also seeing that these space films are feelin long, at least to me.
Since CGI has improved, space looks more real than ever before. The effects in this film are good but for me it does not provide the experience as The Walk did. I'm sure Neil DeGrasse Tyson or some other space expert will go into detail about the inaccuracies in the film but as a casual movie goer I believed that Matt Damon was on Mars and his survival technique could work.
The film is not the Cast Away in space movie Gravity was, where it had one actor the whole movie, you meet the people that are helping Matt Damon get home. Jeff Daniel and Kristen Wiig, actors who are known for giving funny performances, give surprisingly dramatic performances. I was surprised that the actors could hold their own and be taken seriously in the movie. They get funny line here and there but they are serious characters. Michael Pena and Kate Mara, both coming off of superhero films, also give great performances. Donald Glover, famed rapper Childish Gambino, plays the odd yet talented astrodynamicist that provides the plan that helps Damon's character get off the desolate planet.
Space movies for me can be a little long for me and I felt that way when I saw this movie. But if you're into space drama and enjoy Matt Damon check it out, you will not be disappointed.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
The Walk Review
When I first saw that Robert Zemeckis, director of the classic Back to the Future franchise and award nominated film Flight, was going to direct a movie about Phillippe Pettit's walk between the Twin Towers I instantly knew I had to see it in IMAX 3D. It is one of the most breath taking experiences I have felt since Gravity came out a few years ago. I missed the chance to see that in an IMAX theater and I was not going to pass up that opportunity again. But before we get to the awe inspiring 3D lets get to the story.
Joseph Gordon Levitt plays Phillippe Petit, a French wire walker who is constantly looking for the perfect place to hang his wire. His skilled wire walking comes from the teachings of one Papa Rudy, played by Ben Kingsley. He hangs his wire between street lights, over ponds and even across the Notre Dame cathedral. During one of his performance's he meets a girl named Annie, played by Charlotte Le Bon. They start a relationship and Petit tells her that the perfect place to hang his wire would be between the unfinished World Trade towers in New York. After a few months, Petit and Annie go to New York and from their the film becomes a heist movie. Petit has to assemble a crew for his "coup" so that everything can go to plan. As the norm per heist movies, drama occurs and the crew is pushed to the limit to make the "coup" go as planned. Eventually everything is set up to where Petit can do his performance.
Once the wire walk begins the audience is transported to a whole new world. The IMAX 3D makes it look like you are up there with Petit as he attempts his life threating feat. This is the part where anyone afraid of heights should look away. There are some shots where you can see what is green screened in but then the shots that are good are mind blowing good. This is feat is not something you can half-ass. The minute the audience feels its fake, the movie loses its touch. But not with this movie. The World Trade walk scene is one of the most breathtaking scenes in the movie.
The movie is well acted and well directed. Levitt brings a combination of confidence and charm that makes you want to see this person achieve their goals. And while the film is about the walk in general, it is also a love letter to the World Trade Center towers. The feelings shared by Petit may echo the same feelings in certain audience members. Petit fell in love with the towers and would probably regard it as one of his favorite places. He even has a lifetime pass to go up to the observatory deck. A downside to the film is that some of the heist members may feel a little cliché to some but for me I found them to be enjoyable.
My final thoughts are go see this movie in IMAX while you still can. I stand by that it is the only way to really experience this movie. I expect to see this get a nod for an Academy Award but it is still early into award movie season and there are strong contenders like The Martian, Sicario, Hateful Eight and even Star Wars: The Force Awakens that may end up beating it at the awards.
Rating: A
Joseph Gordon Levitt plays Phillippe Petit, a French wire walker who is constantly looking for the perfect place to hang his wire. His skilled wire walking comes from the teachings of one Papa Rudy, played by Ben Kingsley. He hangs his wire between street lights, over ponds and even across the Notre Dame cathedral. During one of his performance's he meets a girl named Annie, played by Charlotte Le Bon. They start a relationship and Petit tells her that the perfect place to hang his wire would be between the unfinished World Trade towers in New York. After a few months, Petit and Annie go to New York and from their the film becomes a heist movie. Petit has to assemble a crew for his "coup" so that everything can go to plan. As the norm per heist movies, drama occurs and the crew is pushed to the limit to make the "coup" go as planned. Eventually everything is set up to where Petit can do his performance.
Once the wire walk begins the audience is transported to a whole new world. The IMAX 3D makes it look like you are up there with Petit as he attempts his life threating feat. This is the part where anyone afraid of heights should look away. There are some shots where you can see what is green screened in but then the shots that are good are mind blowing good. This is feat is not something you can half-ass. The minute the audience feels its fake, the movie loses its touch. But not with this movie. The World Trade walk scene is one of the most breathtaking scenes in the movie.
The movie is well acted and well directed. Levitt brings a combination of confidence and charm that makes you want to see this person achieve their goals. And while the film is about the walk in general, it is also a love letter to the World Trade Center towers. The feelings shared by Petit may echo the same feelings in certain audience members. Petit fell in love with the towers and would probably regard it as one of his favorite places. He even has a lifetime pass to go up to the observatory deck. A downside to the film is that some of the heist members may feel a little cliché to some but for me I found them to be enjoyable.
My final thoughts are go see this movie in IMAX while you still can. I stand by that it is the only way to really experience this movie. I expect to see this get a nod for an Academy Award but it is still early into award movie season and there are strong contenders like The Martian, Sicario, Hateful Eight and even Star Wars: The Force Awakens that may end up beating it at the awards.
Rating: A
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Fantastic Flop: comparing the Fantastic Four movies
By now most people are aware that new Fantastic Four movie is a critical and financial failure, but is it worse than the 2005 version? People have voiced their displeasure about the story and effects but why does the 2005 version get a pass? This question has been plaguing me for a while so I decided to compare the two Fantastic Four to see which team is truly fantastic based on 3 categories: Characters, story and villain.
Round 1: Best Characters
Both movies focus on the basic team: Mr.Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch and The Thing. Each team interacts well but for me I have to give the point to the new version. The old version of the team was kind of assholes. I feel what these characters are going through. They are young adults who are transformed by a cosmic events and are now being tested on by the government. It's a lot to take in. With the old version, the powers felt like an afterthought.
Round 2: Best Story
This is a tough one but I'm giving it to the old version. It followed the basic three act structure down to a point. The new versions story is all over the map.
Round 3: Best Doom
Doctor Doom, the teams main villain, has been under utilized in all Famtastic Four films. Both have the similarities like having an interest in Sue Storm, being a companion of Reed Richards (Mr. fantastic) and being involved with the project that gave the group their powers. The new film has him as an ex-employee of the Baxter Company turned hacker and is only returning because Sue will be a part of the project. During the experiment Doom is abandoned on a distant planet after Reed failed to save him when the planet the experiment was dealing with, stated erupting. His genetics are changed because of a powerful lava in the planet's core. When he returns he looks to not only kill Reed but everyone else involved with the project, except Sue of course. In the old version Doom is the owner of his own company and is engaged to Sue. He accompanies the group on a space voyage that gives them there powers. Once Sue re connects with Reed, Doom becomes jealous and vows to destroy Reed and his friends. Both have valid hatred for the team but I'm going with the new version because this Doom straight up kills people, showing he truly does not care for humanity after what happened to him. He is someone who I could see being a dictator of a country. The old Doom feels like a comic book villain but he'd doesn't have that hatred of humanity the new Doom has.
Both movies fail to capture the spirit of The Fantastic Four and by all means bad movies. But if I had toto choose I'd go with the new film. But seriously Fox, please give the rights back to Marvel. I would love to see a new MCU built of the team seeing as they are the original team of superheroes Marvel made. If you have a different opinion please comment
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Weekly Round Up: Straight Out of Compton and American Ultra
I'm doing something different this week. During the past week I saw two movies, the N.W.A. biopic Straight Out of Compton and the stoner action movie American Ultra. In order to prevent my fingers from falling off after all the typing I would have to do for a full review I'm going to sum up my thoughts on both films in short paragraphs. Lets start with Compton.
Out of the two movies, I would strongly recommend seeing Straight Out of Compton first. The movie is about the rise and fall of the rap group N.W.A., if you want to know what N.W.A. means please google it. Its main members, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre deal with the police brutality of the L.A.P.D., the complication of the music industry itself, and the dramas of their own personal life. If this was released in the fall it would fall into Oscar contender and I still believe that it is worth all the praise. It has one of the best performances done by Ice Cube's son, who is coincidentally playing his father. If you are interested in the story of N.W.A. and remember a time when rap was considered dangerous go see this movie. If your not into biopics or rap, I would recommend American Ultra.
American Ultra stars Jesse Eisenberg as stoner who is secretly a stealth agent for the American government. The government tries to eliminate him but his creator activates him and now he is a deadly weapon. He must also protect his girlfriend who is played by Kristen Stewart. Stewart gives one of her best performances, showing how far she has come in acting since her performance in the Twilight Saga. The action scenes are a lot of fun but once those end the movie kind of stops. If it followed the John Wick formula it would be a good action film. But for what we got, it's just decent.
Out of the two movies, I would strongly recommend seeing Straight Out of Compton first. The movie is about the rise and fall of the rap group N.W.A., if you want to know what N.W.A. means please google it. Its main members, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre deal with the police brutality of the L.A.P.D., the complication of the music industry itself, and the dramas of their own personal life. If this was released in the fall it would fall into Oscar contender and I still believe that it is worth all the praise. It has one of the best performances done by Ice Cube's son, who is coincidentally playing his father. If you are interested in the story of N.W.A. and remember a time when rap was considered dangerous go see this movie. If your not into biopics or rap, I would recommend American Ultra.
American Ultra stars Jesse Eisenberg as stoner who is secretly a stealth agent for the American government. The government tries to eliminate him but his creator activates him and now he is a deadly weapon. He must also protect his girlfriend who is played by Kristen Stewart. Stewart gives one of her best performances, showing how far she has come in acting since her performance in the Twilight Saga. The action scenes are a lot of fun but once those end the movie kind of stops. If it followed the John Wick formula it would be a good action film. But for what we got, it's just decent.
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