Hell of High Water - Box Office Review

I will continue to say that genre isn’t as important as story. It doesn’t matter if the story is Fantasy, Action, Science Fiction or in this particular case, a Western as long as the story is good. Movie goers want a story that will allow them to experience feelings and take their minds to a make believe world for an hour and twenty minutes or more. So let’s take a look at my thoughts of “Hell or High Water” in this box office review…

This film is a modern day western with an attempt at adding a Robin Hood theme to it. I say attempt because the bank robbers aren’t giving the money to the poor, they’re just trying to creatively help their family using stolen money and established investment practices. The methods and tactics are well thought out and we are led to believe that people would be ok with bank robbery if they benefited from it because after all, banks are robbing the average man anyway. So in this story, I suppose, turn about is fair play, to a point. 

The cast in this film is dynamic. We have Jeff Bridges (who basically is playing the character he played in “True Grit”), Chris Pine and Ben Foster. The surprise performance for me was Chris Pine. I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy his performance but his character develops nicely throughout the film and by the end we are seeing a different man than when the film started which was exactly what needed to happen. Ben Foster I am a huge fan of. Most people don’t remember his name but they do remember his face. He’s an actor that everyone asks “Who?” then when they see his face usually respond with “Oh, I love that guy! He was in…(insert any number of films).” He has so far always elevated the enjoyment of the films he’s in that I’ve seen. He’s an incredible supporting actor that only makes those he’s sharing screen time with better. This film is no exception. He really helps bring out the best in Chris Pine and adds a new dimension to his character that we might not otherwise get to experience. Foster’s character knows exactly who he is and acts his part to excellence all the way to the end of the film. 

“Hell or High Water” is in theaters now! If you don’t mind some social commentary on the banking industry this film is definitely worth seeing on the big screen. If you hate banks you’ll appreciate this film even more and should probably see it twice just because. If you enjoy Westerns this is also a very entertaining modern version. It’s got some short comings in dialogue and some slower moments in the 2nd act but overall this was an enjoyable film.

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One Man's Soap Box: The Unwavering Belief In The MCU

"The Unwavering Belief In Marvel"

In the past few years two things happened, A really good X-Men film and less than acceptable Fantastic Four Movie were made. Worldwide at the box office these two films were at opposite ends of the spectrum. One succeeded while the other failed leaving a $500 mil difference between movies. At the time everyone blamed the quality of Fantastic Four….No argument from me, It sucked. However what was overlooked was the two Marvel movies based on lesser known characters which both ended up grossing as much or even more than the two Fox films.

How did two lesser known Comicbook properties beat the more popular properties in Fantastic Four and X-men? The answer is the Marvel production company.

For fun lets use Spiderman: Homecoming as an example. When Sony and Marvel where able to reach an agreement for Spidey to come to the MCU, it was met with an overwhelming amount of approval. This never surprised me, but what ultimately did was the reaction or commentary which followed. Anyone I’ve spoken to states it will be the best Spiderman film yet, articles I’ve read state the franchise will be saved. All due to the Idea that Marvel is now involved in making the movie.

From my perspective Marvel doesn’t make superior comicbook movies, example “Antman” at best it was a decent fun movie. However with it being attached to MCU its passed as being a better quality film than what it truly was. Try listing 5 of your favorite comic book movies, how many Marvel movies made the list? Did any solo outing make the list or was it both Avenger and Civilwar? My point being is we are more lenient for a MCU property than we are for any other Comicbook property out there. The reason being it has Marvel Attached to it.

I didn’t write this blog to trash the MCU, I’ve loved all of their movies. However, I have recently read to many blogs, seen to many article and talked with to many people who all will dismiss a good DC movie/TV Show, but still watch a Marvel movie of the same quality or less than and praise it. So before preaching about how Spiderman is safe now its with Marvel, remember one things, the company which brought you both Spiderman 3 and Amazing Spiderman 2 is still ultimately in charged and there is a good chance it won’t be better than Batman V Superman.

Stepping off my soap box now.

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Zoolander 2 - Box Office Review

Here's the thing, sometimes you decide that fast food is ok for dinner. The final meal of the day doesn't always have to be gourmet, home made or delivery. The same philosophy can be applied to the movie-going experience. "Zoolander 2" was the Taco Bell or Del Taco version of quality when it comes to a cinematic experience. I walked out of the theater feeling satisfied to the point my expectations were met and additionally regretful that my hard earned dollars were spent on such poor quality entertainment.

If you enjoyed the first one, which I still do, then there's plenty of familiar comedy that will have you chuckling out loud. There's also the plethora of celebrity cameo's that were peppered throughout the film. My favorite cameo was probably the Susan Boyle appearance. That was so unexpected and timed so well I did laugh out loud. Outside of that the movie wasn't paced well, the edits were choppy and the dialogue felt like something from a teen fiction novel. I really can't recommend this film to people but if you loved the initial offering you'll appreciate moments in the sequel. 

There was one silver lining to this oddly made film. Will Ferrell. Now, I know that sounds obvious but stay with me. His character was twisted and mentally deranged. This wasn't comedic. His character was actually a demented psychopath who has been plotting his revenge the entire time between films. The story for his character was also something of a brilliant criminal mastermind who is comfortable killing people and asserting his dominance to get what he wants, both mental and physical. His performance, storyline and acting actually captured my attention. Everything about his character elevated my enjoyment of the film. As soon as he arrives on screen the entire film felt like one ended and a new one began. Similar to how Josh Trank's Fantastic Four felt like two films, so did this. 

"Zoolander 2" is in theaters now! I refuse to give this film any acknowledgement beyond my review. It's really not that good. It's borderline offensive to people who are overweight. The majority of the jokes don't land well. Its timing suffers. Its dialogue is cheap and to think it took over a decade to make and this was the best they could do was disappointing. At the very least, Penelope Cruz looked smoking hot in a black bathing suit towards the end of the film. Unfortunately, you had to endure the entire film for that moment. See it in theaters if you want, but I'd recommend you wait for it to be on basic cable at 2 in the morning when you're so out of your mind you won't even notice how bad this movie is. And now Penelope Cruz, because Penelope Cruz.

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A New Years Message From Handsome J...

The year is almost over and what an enjoyable film reviewing ride it has been. So many terrific movies this year and a few duds. I’d argue that 2015 produced a majority of entertaining films. I didn’t start writing reviews for this website until about four months ago which leaves so many other films unaccounted for. This is in no way an indication they aren’t worth seeing. They are, I just wasn’t writing about them at the time. 

Below is a list of films that came out in 2015 and are ready for you to read, if you are so inclined. Each of the movies I saw in theaters and decided to write about for you. The goal is to provide you insight that might help you decide which films are worth your hard earned dollars and which can wait for Redbox. Additionally, I try to keep each review near 500 words. I do this specifically to ensure you have time to read them without it taking up no more than perhaps 5 minutes. I understand that all film is subjective, just like all art, but it’s my hope that you read these and appreciate the perspective I provide.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E, End of the Tour, Hitman Agent 47, Ant-Man, Black Mass, The Intern, The Visit, Sicario, Bridge of Spies, Hotel Transylvania, Crimson Peak, The Martian, Our Brand is Crisis, Spectre, Trumbo, The Peanuts Movie, The Night Before, Secret In Their Eyes, Creed, Krampus, Macbeth, Legend, The Good Dinosaur, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Sisters, The Big Short

2016 is almost here, possibly has arrived when you read this, and I’m excited about what Hollywood is distributing. Below are a few films I’m looking forward to in 2016 and I hope you have films you are excited to see as well! 

The Nice Guys, Captain America Civil War, Batman VS Superman, Deadpool, GhostBusters, X-Men Apocalypse, Dirty Grandpa, Kung Fu Panda 3, Assassins Creed, Zootopia, Star Trek Beyond, Rogue 1, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Suicide Squad, Jungle Book, Hail Caesar, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Zoolander 2, Barbershop the Next Cut, and my most anticipated film of 2016 is Doctor Strange. 

I hope you all continue to tell your friends and family what you enjoy here with Maskerpiece Theatre. Thank you again for your support folks. Here’s to 2016, being a movie junkie and reviewing film!

Cheers,

Handsome J

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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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The Man From A Box Office Bomb

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a spy/heist film directed by Guy Ritchie that tells a story where the CIA and KGB work together to acquire nuclear weapon technology from a mysterious new terror group trying to proliferate this technology. It stars Henry Cavill (Napolean Solo with the CIA) and Armie Hammer (Illya Kuryakin with the KGB) with Alicia Vikander (Gaby) & Elizabeth Debicki (Victoria).

The film starts off  with Solo (Cavill) locating Gaby (Alicia) and explaining the overall plot of the film. From there the film wastes no time by jumping to a car chase through the streets of Berlin with gun shots, cars being destroyed with Solo and Gaby also running and jumping their way across town to escape over the Berlin Wall while being chased by Illya (Hammer). From there the film takes the viewers on such a fun and entertaining trip through Europe in the 1960’s. The on screen chemistry between Cavill and Hammer is so enjoyable as Ritchie shows the audience how brain and brawn can work together to solve the problems currently facing the world during the Cold War era. Even during certain action sequences Ritchie allows some tongue in cheek humor to slide to the forefront giving the audience time to laugh a little while shots are being fired and the heroes are being pursued.

There's action, laughter & great music. The score & soundtrack are entertaining on their own right and only add to the fun and adventure happening on screen. Is it a little cliché and campy? Yes, at times, but the movie in general is just so much fun it adds to this film. After watching "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", one could get the feeling that the movie is self aware and attempts to capitalize on the humor and adventure present within the story.

The box office numbers were not spectacular for this film unfortunately. Timing the release two weeks away from the new Mission Impossible film was smart as folks would generally lean towards a Mission Impossible film because it's such an established property that typically delivers. Additionally, Tom Cruise will continue to draw in crowds of eager moviegoers who can't wait to see what new action stunt he's about to perform. Two week separation was an intelligent and strategic move for a competing spy film. However, the "Straight Outta Compton" film pulled incredible numbers for an opening weekend in August. The nostalgia factor and overall notoriety of the story certainly pulled viewers from "Man from UNCLE" since this story (Man From UNCLE) hasn't been popular since the 1960's on television. There really isn't much of a surprise as far as the box office numbers show but word of mouth might carry this enjoyable film into the $50-60 million spot, overall while in theaters. Unfortunately that might not be enough to get Hollywood onboard for a sequel. The estimated budget on "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."  was $75 million and opening weekend only pulled in approximately  $15 million, which as far as Hollywood is concerned, is a box office bomb. Now, maybe, the DVD and BLU-Ray sales will see some revenue but that isn't an indicator for how successful this film was while in theaters and probably won't justify a sequel which is, again, unfortunate.

In closing, Guy Ritchie delivers an enjoyable movie for everyone and if you have the time and money there's no reason to miss this while it's in theaters. If you prefer a matinee ticket that's less expensive or you wanna take your sweetheart out on a date, this is a fun movie for both occasions.

Two thumbs up!