Macbeth: Box Office Review

He dares to become all that may become an actor; Who dares to act more is none. Michael Fassbender steps outside of the mainstream cinema zeitgeist and gives an emotional, raw and moving performance as Macbeth. There’s murder, madness and more in Shakespeare’s play about a man who is told by witches he shall become king. The movie chose a single theme and that is no man born of woman can kill Macbeth. This works very well for visual storytelling and allows the audience the pleasure of watching a king fall into a psychotic mental state that eventually leads to his death.

Director Justin Kurzel delivers one of the most glorious looking films I’ve seen. He didn’t just film the actors up close or from engaging angles, he used the entire landscape as a device for telling this story. Long sweeping camera angles that slowly zoom in on the characters and creating an entire world, not just a scene. Breathtaking is a word that I can use to describe the cinematography in Macbeth. The usage of smoke, clouds and color to add suspense and heighten emotions was splendid. Additionally, Justin doesn’t shy away from close ups. In one scene we are experiencing all the raw human emotion of the queen as the camera holds tight on her face while she monologues. As Lady Macbeth, Marion Cotillard delivers her lines while showing emotional changes with the realization of events occurring in her life and her kings. This might be one of the best looking films of the year. 

The extras in this film were also exceptional. When Macbeth is about to burn the family, including children, at the stake and the camera sweeps across his subjects you see terror, sadness, disgust and anger on the faces of all the actors who have zero speaking lines. Their faces provided all the emotion to let us know that the King is tyrannical and losing the loyalty of his countrymen. This was another device used to create a world that was rich and complex.

Michael Fassbender as Macbeth was one of the best performances of the year. Acting out Shakespeare is no easy task and to play a character who loses himself, goes insane and carries a bloodlust is a herculean task. Fassbender does it wonderfully. The paranoia, the rage, the madness, the psychotic is all present on screen and while it might be a challenge to follow the story as it’s spoken in old English, you can enjoy the visual aspect of story telling on screen with ease.

My only complaint regarding this film was the witches. They didn’t do anything for me with regards to the story. They appeared like poor peasant girls who looked stoned all the time. They didn’t have great mystery around them and often they would show up and disappear which made their appearances feel forced. I wanted more from their characters in all regards.

Macbeth is in Theaters now! I give this film all the toil and trouble a witch could brew if the witches actually looked like mystics. The actors are excellent, the cinematography exceptional and the story classic. If you can find this film in a theater near you I recommend a viewing. It might not be everyones cup of tea but the film is visually stunning and worth seeing on the big screen.

Comment below if you’ve already seen it and share your thoughts! Join in on the fun of movie watching and share this post with anyone who you feel would enjoy another one of my Box Office Reviews.

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Comic Book Review: The Shadow - Issue 4 - Dynamite

“The Shadow"  Issue #4

Written By: Cullen Bunn

Art By: Giovanni Timpano and Marco Lesko

The issue begins with the Shadow monologuing about a item he took from London in the last issue, and the author of that particular item, while making his way back to America. We then cut to Los Angeles, California, where the Shadow is attending a magicians show for high paying customers who enjoy grand spectacles. More dialogue confirms in the minds of the reader that the Shadow is a servant of justice and will stop at nothing to ensure that the guilty pay for their crimes. The Shadow makes his way back stage to discover who else is behind these recent criminal actions and he’s confronted by the Sandman once more. After a brief entanglement it’s revealed that they aren’t the only two there and it’s not looking good for the Shadow or the Sandman.

This issue was dialogue heavy which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You need some issues to explain more about what has and will be occurring in the series. This felt like that issue. While there is some enjoyable action towards the end the one aspect that I enjoyed the most was a two page spread showing the mind of a writer who composes stories from nightmares. The art work was unique and I was entranced. The panels used to tell the story were not typical squared off panels and it flowed so well across two pages. Excellent work on the art early in the issue.

The Sandman is becoming quite a complex villain as we move from issue to issue getting just a little bit more of his character with every encounter he has with the Shadow. I’m not fully convinced he’s as menacing as I feel we’re being led to believe. He feels like that one villain who talks too much, is a adequate fighter but escapes on some level of luck, similar to Bond villains. None the less, he’s proving to be a challenge to the Shadow and that keeps his character entertaining to read. 

Again, another $3.99 well spent. This series continues to build and build upon the detective type story with the golden age of Hollywood design. The Shadow and all characters present had some enjoyable dialogue this issue and I still look forward to reading the next issue. Who knows what evil lurks in the pages of the next issue? Only the Shadow knows… so stop by your local comic book shop and pick a copy up today. Oh, and tell them Maskerpiece Theatre sent you. 

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Box Office Review: Secret In Their Eyes

Abandon all hope moviegoers who enter a theater showing this film. The dark psychological crime drama that is "Secret In Their Eyes" starts with the chilling murder of a teenage girl. Within the first five minutes of this movie what soul you have will feel lost. The film does well enough to leave some of the murder to your imagination but depending on your imagination that might be worse than just showing it. There is little joy found at all in this dark tale and from beginning to end you journey further down the rabbit hole to encounter some of the worst aspects of humanity... and the movie was enjoyable even still.

Full kudos to director Billy Ray for his delivery of difficult and disturbing material. The performances he got from his all star cast was remarkable. The mental break down scene Jess (Julia Roberts) has when she finds her daughter murdered and left in a dumpster was impacting. Even how frantically she climbed into the dumpster and removed her gloves to feel her daughter while she suffered heartbreak and loss was powerful. You will believe every emotion you see on screen.

If Julia Roberts wasn't enough this film gives us Alfred Molina, Nicole Kidman and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It's an Oscar worthy cast and I don't believe the release of this film to start Oscar season was a mistake.  The characters are believable as only actors of this caliber can be. The characters are rich, calculated, emotional and provocative. There is not a single complaint from the performances I saw on screen. This movie is an acting delight.

The critiques I have for this film are more technical in the way the story was told and the way scenes were captured. The story is told in two time lines, simultaneously. One story is moving forward while the other is feeding us background information. For a while I thought I was on track but then realized I was no longer following the present but the past. I started to wonder if this method was intentionally confusing. If it wasn't meant to add confusion then it missed the mark. The other issue was how long it took to establish a shot. The camera would pan or zoom slowly as if to add tension but it felt slowly paced and tiresome. That being said, the surprise twist ending is well thought out and did in fact surprise me. So there's that.

"Secret In Their Eyes" is in Theaters now! I give this film all the Prozac necessary to keep it in theaters a little while longer. It's not a film for everyone but it's certainly acted well enough for anyone who enjoys topnotch performances. I recommend a theater viewing so Hollywood knows that even a choppy story, acted well, is worth being made with actors of this quality.

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Comic Book Review: The Shadow - Issue 3 - Dynamite

“The Shadow"  Issue #3

Written By: Cullen Bunn

Art By: Giovanni Timpano and Marco Lesko

The issue begins with the Shadow battling wild and mysterious beasts who have been released from their cages. After defeating the animals the Shadow finds Sandman in a room full of mutilated human bodies, seemingly dead, and the dialogue between characters tells us there’s more to Sandman than just being a hired hand to kill the Shadow. Furthermore, it’s revealed that there’s another secret society of magicians and in order to find out more about this war that is building the Shadow must travel to London. There he meets one of Houdini’s competing magicians and friend but their time together is cut short when Shadow discovers that she has been poisoned. 

This issue starts off with action and ends with murder. What a ride this issue was! The art work done for the room full of mutilated bodies was enjoyable. It’s not every day I read a comic that has bodies lying dead on the floor from being strangled but somehow the strangling hand was cut off. Also, what type of murderer pops out someones eyes and then lays them next to the head of the now presumably dead body? This issue pulled out all the stops for murder and mayhem. 

The dialogue between Shadow and Sandman was entertaining as well. We learn that Sandman is more methodical than originally thought and he’s not just a hit man, but more a calculated assassin of sorts. The writing also informs us that Shadow realizes his powers are being tested and that he needs to increase his abilities to become more powerful in order to stop the secret societies of magicians that are waging war on each other. 

This series will be staying at $3.99 it appears but I’ve accepted that and I still feel it’s worth it. I also still feel that even a dollar less would attract more readers who might not know anything about The Shadow. It’s worth the read if you’re into the 1940’s era detective crime and murder saga’s. It’s worth the read if you’re into magic also. Stop on by your local comic book shop and pick a copy up today. Oh, and tell them Maskerpiece Theatre sent you. 

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Comic Book Review: The Shadow - Issue 2 - Dynamite

"The Shadow"  Issue #2

Written By: Cullen Bunn

Art By: Giovanni Timpano and Marco Lesko

The issue begins with the Shadow in a graveyard speaking to the grave of Houdini who has been dead for 10 years. We cut to a shipping yard where the Society of United Magicians is seeking the aid of “Sandman” who brings with him boxes full of mysterious and powerful creatures. From we cut to the Shadow interrogating a man who tells us the back story on Houdini’s last great spell and it’s origins., why the Magicians want it and what it’s potential power is. 

“The Shadow” continues to entertain in this second issue. We find out how desperate the Society of United Magicians is and to what lengths they’ll consider to achieve their goal. The Shadow continues to build on his knowledge using his detective skills and interrogation methods that only he has at his disposal. The final pages reveal that there’s more danger in store for our hero and I can’t wait to read how the Shadow handles this threat. 

This issue was $3.99 but could’ve been $2 and still been just as enjoyable. I don’t feel the $4 price tag was unreasonable but this series could be less expensive and would probably reach more readers. “The Shadow” is a fun read and it’s sometimes campy delivery works well. I’m excited for read more in this series and want to see how far the magicians will go to achieve the knowledge that they seek. 

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Box Office Review: Black Mass

Murder, drugs, Jai Alai, the Irish, the Italians, Senators, the FBI, DEA, IRA, police, prostitutes, 1970's Boston, Miami and an incredible ensemble of talented actors all participating in the telling of real life crime lord James "Whitey" Bulger. If you're looking for a film that has everything from corruption to redemption this might be it.

It starts with Kevin Weeks (Jessie Plemons) stating, on the record, that he isn't an informant or rat and he is strictly doing business. This is important because it references to something later revealed in the film. From there the audience is thrown into the movie with story telling split between the "present day" and previous events. A story telling device that works to keep the plot moving and it allows the story to jump forward in time without missing a beat. The audience is introduced to topics and events and then we jump back to see them brilliantly acted out.

Johnny Depp's portrayal of "Whitey" Bulger, nefarious and ruthless crime lord, was chilling. The steady ease in which he delivers his lines only to then murder people leaves you believing everything on screen. His methods of murder change so keep your eyes open. Cold and determined, loyal to his family and childhood friends until the end, this character is developed and intriguing to watch.

In fact, every character was so believable that the audience should enjoy the film without being pulled out by poor acting or distractions. The only thing that seemed a bit off was the wispy soft voice and accent of Senator Billy Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch), Whitey's brother. The accent was believable however it was gentle in comparison to the other male counterparts in the film. A rough and tumble group of male actors who were either criminals or law enforcement, the audience was treated to men of determined spirits, be they just or unjust. This allowed for Billy Bulger to stand out as his speech was more subdued.

FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) was probably the performance of the film. The changes he shows from being a confident and smooth talking agent to the despair and panic as he sees the case unravelling was award worthy. Connolly had the largest arc in terms of character development. You could see the change not just in his mannerisms but in his expressions and ability to silver tongue his colleagues. If you had any trouble picking up on it there's a brief mention during a conversation with his wife to firmly establish his is the performance to watch.

Scott Cooper directed this film and he has an impressive list of films under his belt. His talents as a director are obvious as this film leaves little to question. The art, the clothes, the design of the houses, the cars, the attitudes are all reminiscent of a time now gone. He had a power house cast to work with and he delivered on getting the best performance from each actor.

This film is rated R for good reason. There's violence a plenty that leaves little to the imagination. The language is also stereotypical of what you'd expect Boston street thugs to sound like. If you enjoy gangster films you will not be disappointed.

"Black Mass" isn't a special effects driven movie but the actors are all so wonderful it warrants a theater screening. This might be the film that ushers in "Oscar Season" or it might be the warm up, it's that good. The tension that builds between Whitey and the FBI all the way into the finale is intense and once the film resolves you sit back, exhale and smile because you know what you just watched was a quality film.

I give it two thumbs up and encourage everyone to play "8 Degrees of Separation with Kevin Bacon" because he's also in this film.

If you've already seen it, please comment below and share your thoughts!

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Comic Book Review: The Fade Out - Issue 1 - Image Comics

“The Fade Out”  Issue #1

Written By: Ed Brubaker

Art By: Sean Phillips

Synopsis:

Charlie Parish, a Hollywood screenwriter, wakes up in a bathtub after an evening of revelry with the Los Angeles celebrities of 1948. Confused as to his whereabouts and how he arrived in a bathtub are all pieces to a smaller puzzle he’s about to discover.  Charlie is slowly piecing together the events of the previous evening when he stumbles upon a dead body in the room next to the restroom where he woke up. Scared and alone Charlie must decide who he can talk with about this discovery but more importantly he has to live with the fact he was inebriated and incapacitated in the room adjacent to where the murder took place.  Some dialogue occurs that details more specifically what occurred that evening before he blacked out and he meets with Phil Brodsky, head of studio security, to discuss matters further. Charlie leaves the meeting feeling better about the situation but shortly after makes a startling discovery that could make him person of interest number 1 to the police investigating the murder, if they ever find out. 

Opinion

I feel reading a well written period piece is always enjoyable. Add the drama and intrigue of a murder mystery to this post World War 2 Hollywood story and now you have a winning combination. The characters are written so well that even though we are meeting them for the first time in this story it feels like we have known them much longer. The art captures each emotion the characters express and feel so accurately that as I read the story I was completely swept away into this world being created. By the end of the issue when a startling discovery is made I couldn’t wait to read the second installment in this series and it didn’t take long for me to decide this will be a story that will be in my collection going forward. I also love the first page that gives you an introduction to each character important to the issue you are about to read. 

Two thumbs up with a wink and smile. 

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