Maskerpiece Theatre: movie reviews

Showing posts with label movie reviews. Show all posts

Friday, January 19, 2018

"Darkest Hour" - Movie Review

Germany is advancing its forces across Western Europe. Belgium is about to fall and the French are about to surrender. Concern is mounting in the United Kingdom that Hitler’s Nazi forces are positioning themselves to cross the divide and begin bombing runs on the Island. The fate of the Kingdom is looking grim and a newly appointed Prime Minister has the weight of Western Europe on his shoulders. So, does “The Darkest Hour” paint an accurate picture of Churchill’s life in this dark time or should we abandon this film? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

This is the third film in a years time that examines the events leading up to, beyond or singularly Dunkirk and World War 2. Two of the three films examine the appointment of Winston Churchill while the other examines what life on the beaches of Dunkirk must have been like during that time of war. All three films have a different approach to how the story is told but each enjoyable for that specific reason. I can say this as I have seen and reviewed all three films (Churchill, Dunkirk and Darkest Hour).

Gary Oldman deserves all the high praise he has received for his portrayal of Churchill. He delivers a performance that is a complete transformation into his role. Unlike the movie “Churchill” this film looks more at the human side of Winston and how its no simple task to be the voice of opposition as a leader whose leadership abilities are already in question before even having accepted the role of Prime Minister. It’s clear from the beginning that the parties and the King of England are all hesitant in the decision to bring Churchill to the valued and important role of Prime Minister. In fact, he is not their first choice in the decision to replace the current Prime Minister and they explain why. So we get a clear sense of who he is before we meet him and a glimpse at why he comes across as bullish or unflexable.

The supporting cast in this film does well enough to seem believable without overshadowing Oldman’s performance. Ben Mendelsohn as the King came across as determined, thoughtful and understanding. Lily James has once again delivered a performance that was enchanting. Her role as Churchill’s personal assistant was believable and the emotion that she delivers on screen added much to the moments she shares with Oldman. Overall, the roles that everyone had to play they did a fine job with. If any two actors stood out, it was Oldman and James.

“Darkest Hour” is playing in theaters now! I am definitely recommending a big screen viewing of this film. While you could easily skip this film until it’s available on DVD/BLU-Ray and get just as much from the story, you would miss out on the opportunity to talk about the importance of the story, Winston Churchill, and how well shot this movie was. Director Joe Wright did a great job slowing moving in and backing away from characters using just the right amount of speed on the camera. The color pallets used to help emphasize the mood of each scene was also very enjoyable. This is a dramatic story that looks at humans as fallible, passionate, determined, intelligent, caring and more. So much of the human experience is wrapped up in each of these characters as they contemplate what it would mean to surrender to the Nazi’s or fight until all lives have been lost. Go see this film!

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Thursday, January 18, 2018

"I, Tonya" - Movie Review

The 1990’s brought about quite a few memorable moments that have been etched in time. The beating of Rodney King and the Los Angeles riots that followed shortly after. O.J. Simpson being found not guilty by a jury of his peers. A draft dodger is elected President of the United States of America. And then there was the crippling of Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan. The world was shocked when a man smashed her leg with a baton for, at the time, unknown reasons. So, does “I, Tonya” deliver the answers to the question of why or do we score this film with zero’s across the board? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

The story examines the life of competitive figure skater Tonya Harding (played by Margot Robbie). We get to meet her devious and despicable mother (played by Allison Janney), her future husband/ex-husband (played by Sebastian Stan), his best friend Shawn (played by Paul Walter Hauser) and many other characters as the story of her life unfolds. The overall point of the film isn’t as simple as merely “this is what happened in Detroit in 1994.” It’s a layered look at the abusive lifestyle Tonya grew up in and how she views herself as a victim/survivor through it all. We get to hear from the people in her life during this time as well and how they perceived things. It also examines the events from the view point of a “journalist” named Martin Maddox (played by Bobby Cannavale). It’s this back forth exploration of people’s recollection of events and how they might or might not be similar to the story that we knew of (assuming you’re as old as I am or older) that really made this an engaging movie.

The performances given by Robbie and Janney are superb. There’s an entire close up on Robbie’s face as she’s getting ready to compete that shows incredible emotional range and believability. Janney plays the role of wicked mother to perfection and she seems to do it effortlessly. Finally, the big surprise for me was neither of those performance but Paul Walter Hauser. I am not overly familiar with his work and he plays the most calm, crazy and absurd character here. His character felt like something from a comedy but then you realize his character is actually based on a real life person who actually thinks and acts that way. His performance elevated the film to new heights. The mosaic of personalities was so rich that every second on screen felt like this insane comedy that was both disturbing and hilarious. Upon leaving the theater, I actually wondered if I was supposed to laugh as much as I did considering the topic of the film. However, this movie balances humor with insanity so well that I was completely satisfied with my time spent in the theater.

“I, Tonya” is in theaters now. I definitely recommend a big screen viewing only so that you enjoy all the shocking moments on screen in a room full of strangers who also love movies. This is an incredible story that looks at life from several vantage points and it does so brilliantly. I would honestly be surprised if this film isn’t up for consideration come the Academy Awards this year. Margot Robbie and Allison Janney are absolutely delivering some of the best performances in this film. I was completely overwhelmed by how much I enjoyed this movie, the cast of characters and how the story is delivered. I am definitely recommending you get out and see this film on the big screen. Check it out!

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

"Daddy's Home 2" - Review

The boys are back in town and they’re full of holiday cheer. Christmas is fast approaching and the dads, step dads and grandads are all coming together to make this Christmas one to be remembered. So, does “Daddy’s Home 2” deliver a festive and humorous Christmas tale or is this film being put on the naughty list? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

It’s been two years since “Daddy’s Home” and while the story leads us to believe there’s been some improvements or changes to the relationships between dad/step dad, it didn’t come across on screen. Dusty came across as someone who needs anger management because he seemed to be repressing anger instead of dealing with the issues. Brad felt more confident but only until an actual issue arises in which case he reverts back to who he was in the first film. So, in all, the two leads didn’t do much to show that any time had passed between stories. However, for the majority of the film they did get along better than the original.

The introduction of new characters wasn’t great either but I believe the writers weren’t focusing on the introduction of the grand fathers as much as they were trusting that we’d get to know their personalities as the movie unfolds. On a positive note, the on screen chemistry between Mel Gibson and John Lithgow was a delight. In fact, as I watched the story I wanted to see a spin off film of just those two. They are polar opposites in personality type and it worked when they were on screen together. We also get to see that by the end of the film, a spin off story might be possible. I’d be fine with a short feature of 30 minutes or less before “Daddy’s Home 3” if that gets made.

“Daddy’s Home 2” is in theaters now! This film has so much Christmas in it that if you want a comedic look at dude parenting in the modern world this might be a fun holiday movie to see in a room full of strangers. There’s plenty of Christmas movie tropes as well. Walking through forests for the perfect tree, Christmas light decorating gone wrong, and even a Christmas musical number at the end that talks about the meaning of… going to the movies at Christmas? Yup. That happens. A short Public Service Announcement about the importance of movie watching at Christmas. That aside, I had more than enough laughs and I was reminded of the importance of not allowing just anyone to adjust the thermostat. Check it out!

Friday, November 24, 2017

Justice League (spoiler) Review

It’s time to unite the seven or more accurately the 5 or 6 if we trust one hero won’t be dead the entire movie. At any rate, some of the biggest heroes that DC Comics and Warner Brothers has to offer are coming together on the big screen for the very first time. The production was troubled almost from the beginning as story after story appeared in the news signaling this long awaited film will be a disaster. So does “Justice League” offer up an entertaining story that will make fans of these characters happy or should these super friends have called in sick? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

The story is brief but written in such a way that, surprisingly, it offers the viewers a chance to think for themselves without being spoon fed every single detail. We get backstories on each of the heroes and we understand (at least I was able to) their motivation for joining together to stop the villain. We are shown brief moments of bonding between the heroes as they become familiar with each other. Also, each hero has a moment to showcase their special ability and what they bring to the team. Finally, we get back story on the villain, his henchmen (the Parademons), and his motivation for world conquest. Each of the main characters is given enough screen time separate from the team to show us who they are and the world they come from. It’s quick paced but it was enough to get the point across in my opinion. However, because of these facts, we don’t get much character development which is a mark against the film. It’s the necessary information only and it worked for me, surprisingly, even though I would’ve enjoyed a bit more on Cyborg & Flash.

The special effects and visual graphics in this movie are not great. They aren’t terrible either. Some moments, like Flash running so fast it looks slow motion, were done well I thought. The way Cyborgs body restructured itself depending on the situation or threat also looked believable. However, the end scene where the villain is defeated and a nuclear wasteland is suddenly transformed into a bizarre garden that looks like it was pulled from Tim Burton’s “Alice and Wonderland” movie was noticeably bad. Also, the big battle scene that takes place to describe who the villain is and why he’s on earth looked awful. However, in that scene we did get to see Amazons, Atlanteans, Humans, Greek Gods & a Green Lantern all fight together which was pretty nice for the comic fans like myself. The Green Lantern appearance was a great surprise and I loved that Easter egg. That alone though is not enough to save the film from the bad visual effects that are prevalent from almost beginning to end.

In all, this film felt like they envisioned 130% of the story and delivered 75-80% on screen. As I watched the plot unfold I felt like the writers had written back stories on back stories and then edited everything down to just a basic understanding of the overall concepts. I imagine the conversation sounding something along the lines of, “We have 5 hours of incredible story written down… here’s all of that in a tweet.” Ok, maybe that’s a gross exaggeration on my part but I do believe the story had so much more depth than what we get on screen. I’m curious to see the “Extended” edition once it’s available on BLU-Ray.

“Justice League” is in theaters now! I am going to recommend you see this on the big screen. It’s a quick paced, brief story, that delivers on the basic concept of bad guy fights good guys and loses. That is not to suggest the manner in which the villain is defeated is ordinary. One positive, if not my favorite, aspect of the movie was the clever method used by the writers to end this movie. After battling the Justice League (individually and collectively) it’s the bad guys own fear that sends him reeling back to his home planet surrounded by his minions who feed on fear. I loved the fact the good guys didn’t beat the larger and more powerful villain by sheer force & number. Instead, the villain beat himself. It was quite poetic. I definitely give credit for creative story telling and surprising us with an offbeat ending that definitely worked. Also, some of the humor in this movie really lands well. Go see this filmed stay for TWO post credit scenes!!

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Thursday, November 23, 2017

Murder On the Orient Express - Movie Review

The worlds greatest detective is about to enjoy a brief moment of rest aboard a train headed to London, or so he thinks. While on board a murder occurs and everyone is a suspect while Detective Hercule Poirot must solve the crime before it’s too late. Does “Murder on the Orient Express” deliver a thought provoking “whodunnit” mystery or does this story veer off on the wrong track? Let’s dive in and take a look in this SPOILER review.

This film asks a lot from the audience and gives little back in return. First, we’re asked to believe there’s a French version of Sherlock Holmes with a mustache that would’ve made Lemmy Kilmister jealous. Second, we’re asked to tolerate one bad foreign accent after another for almost 2 hours. Thirdly, we’re asked to give a Johnny Depp performance one more chance. Finally, we’re asked to care about a group of people we get to know almost nothing about until the third act of the film. It’s in the conclusion of the film we learn why everyone is important but by then it’s almost too late.

The overall story isn’t about a murder. It isn’t even about all the people in the movie. It’s actually about the detective and his method of solving crimes. This is a very important bit of information to have if you decide to watch this either at home or the theater. I will give credit to the fact they made this key element front and center at the very beginning of the film. I realized the story will revolve about Hercule Poirot and his ability to see things as they are and as they will become. This method of story telling was actually one of the highlights for me from beginning to end. It felt similar to the new “Sherlock Holmes” movies with Robert Downey Jr, however, this was more lighthearted.

Mostly, the talent in this film is all grade A talent, with the exception of Depp who is still struggling to find his voice in a role. Everyone plays their part well for the time they are on screen. As the film progresses we get a little bit more information about each character and their possible motivation for killing a man. However, we get to know so little about the people on the train it was difficult to invest any emotion or thought into them. It felt very surface level and thin and that was not what I was hoping for from this movie.

“Murder on the Orient Express” is in theaters now! There are so many other movies that are in theaters right now it’s difficult to recommend you spend your hard earned dollars or time on this particular story. I thought (at best) it’s an ok movie that doesn’t really go anywhere. However, the big reveal of everyone being guilty of murder was a surprise. Unfortunately, the moral of the movie felt like, if everyones guilty than nobody gets in the trouble. Poirot tells the murders that in order for him to stay silent about the crime they’ll need to kill him. They try but it was all a set up because he only wanted to see if they were capable of killing again, or if the murder they committed on the train was a one time deal. After he realizes they’re willing to try and kill again, he says goodbye and leaves the train at the next stop and let’s the murders get away. If you’re confused right now, I’m relaying the plot points of the movie accurately. Go see “Thor Ragnarok” instead of this movie.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

"Thor: Ragnarok" Movie Review

Ragnarok is the end of all things. It’s death. It’s destruction. It’s the finale. Now add Thor, Loki, Valkyrie, Odin, Hulk, Doctor Strange, the Grand Master, Surtur the Fire Demon and Hela the Goddess of Death with an abundance of humor and we get “Thor Ragnarok.” Does this third film in the “Thor” franchise live up to the Marvel brand name or should we send this film off to Valhalla? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

First, Taika Waititi directing this film was a special touch for the Marvel stable of films. Being known for his dry and sometimes literal comedy we most certainly were treated to many comedic moments from start to finish. I knew walking in to the theater that we’d be getting more comedy than we’re familiar with. Considering the films that came before have all been sprinkled with comedic moments this particular story went above and beyond the status quo. The entire story is peppered with Taika’s familiar style of comedy and I couldn’t have been happier. That being said, there were a few moments where I thought the jokes could’ve been pulled and, just like in “Doctor Strange”, we could’ve let the tension crescendo instead of grow, laugh, grow again. In “Doctor Strange” we get a dramatic build up towards the end only to be ruined by the cloak of levitation wiping his face. In “Thor Ragnarok” we get Bruce Banner accepting the fact he needs to become the Hulk in order to save countless lives. Instead of Bruce having a smooth transition from human to Hulk, we get a quick slap stick style joke that we could’ve done without. Also, When Thor is explaining to Valkyrie what heroes do, he didn’t need to be struck in the head with the bouncing ball. Overall, I was mostly pleased with how the majority of jokes landed.

The story was quick paced. This was one aspect of the film that caught me off guard, in a good way. The movie sets out to cover a lot of ground. First, where has Thor been since “Captain America Civil War” and where has Hulk been since “Avengers: Age of Ultron”? Also, what’s been happening with Loki and Odin? The amount of backstory this movie decided to cover was impressive and I’m glad they did. The story could’ve easily skipped over details but instead we get some back story and it makes sense. Thor has been out looking for infinity stones and while away realizes that something is amiss because the 9 realms are falling into chaos… which shouldn’t be happening because Odin should be keeping things in check. So we get back to Asgard to discover that Thor has defeated Surtur preventing Ragnarok and during that battle he’s made aware Loki is disguised as Odin. From there the story jumps forward and we’re off and running for this particular film. The brief moment we get to see Doctor Strange was fun however almost unnecessary. This very limited cameo did show us that the good Doctor has definitely been getting stronger and more skilled in magic but other than that, sadly, almost not necessary. The entire reason for that cameo is to tell Thor that Odin has chosen seclusion while he waits out his last few days.

The big reveal in this film is the continuing saga of secrets that Odin has kept from those closest to him. Here we are told that Hela, the goddess of death, is actually Thor and Loki’s older sister and rightful heir to the throne of Asgard. There has been no mention of a sister up to this film so that was a pretty big reveal. Her character was also deliciously evil and determined for all the right reasons. She was not simply the goddess of death. She was the rightful heir come to take her place on the throne and exact revenge for being locked away by her father after helping him take control of the 9 realms. She had incredible motivation for her actions which made her role and motivation captivating. Cate Blanchett is in the Top 5 villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and if you disagree I wonder about your taste in story and film.

The trilogy does end by showing that at the end of the day, brotherhood matters. In all, these films are about the relationship between Thor and Loki. That is the heart of these stories. For better or worse, these two are brothers and that makes for great story telling. Kenneth Branagh did a fantastic job in the first Thor film establishing an almost Shakespearean relationship in the house of Odin. This movie continues that theme and does well on how it builds upon it as we move towards “Avengers: Infinity War.” The short speech Odin gives his two sons in this movie is the heart of a father who sees his sons for what they are, what they can still become and what they can still achieve together. It’s this relationship that ultimately saves the day in this movie as well. We find out Odin’s plan and why he chose isolation and why he’s accepted Ragnarok as a reasonable solution. He knows that his death will unleash his daughter who, for the most part, is unstoppable. The only means of destroying her is to destroy Asgard and the only means of accomplishing that is to unleash Ragnarok. Absolutely brilliant storytelling even if it’s subtle in its delivery.

“Thor Ragnarok” is in theaters now! I thoroughly enjoyed this film and my time spent in the theater. It is not my favorite of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it’s definitely not my least favorite. This film takes you on a colorful, adrenaline fueled, science fiction adventure, full of laughs (some from adult/crude humor) with the continued theme on the importance of brotherhood. We get to see Thor accept the burden of leadership and become the ruler he was destined to become but in an unconventional way. Finally, Jeff Goldblum as “The Grandmaster” has to be experienced on the big screen in surround sound while he sings “It’s my birthday!” I hope we get to see him and Benicio Del Toro on screen together. This movie has two end credit sequences. So, you’ll want to stay for those. “Thor Ragnarok” is in your local movie theaters right now. Check this film out!

Saturday, October 21, 2017

The Foreigner - Movie Review

The trailer painted a picture of suffering, hurt, loss and revenge. We see a man hit rock bottom and then strike back at those who have the information about who killed his child. The visuals are dark and brooding. So, did the trailer provide an accurate look at the story of “The Foreigner” or is this just another action flick gone awry. Let’s take a look in this review.

Overall, the story was not what the trailer presented. Most online film pundits (myself included) were tweeting about how, simply based on the trailer, this film appeared to carry similar qualities to the “Taken” franchise. While that is partially accurate, this film examines the political workings of an organization that was responsible for the murder of many people, the IRA. In this story, we get more background, more character involvement and more dialogue from the government officials now holding office (formerly IRA) and the local authorities who monitor the acts of terrorism the film begins with. The overall plot, I felt, was not about revenge but a look at the continuous struggle of the Irish and the English.

The main story revolved around Pierce Brosnan’s character, his cohorts and how peace is better than war even though there is a war still brewing with new young terrorists. Then, laid on top of that story, we get Jackie Chan’s story. The structure felt similar to “Captain America: Civil War” because the Black Panther had a subplot that moved that entire film along, similar to Chan in this particular film. He’s a lead but his story sits atop the political/gangster story of Brosnan and company. We get a very detailed look at the Irish organized crime families and their higherarchy of power. We also get a glimpse into Chan’s background and what makes him so dangerous. It wasn’t evenly balanced and because of that I feel the trailer is misleading.

“The Foreigner” is in theaters now! While the trailer is not an accurate indicator for the story of this film it is still a very entertaining and worthwhile movie. The strategy game played between Brosnan and his fellow gangsters was entertaining and it kept me thinking about how each character was impacting the overall plot of the film. Jackie Chan is great in this role. He’s playing much darker character than I’m accustomed to and his portrayal of a father who is on the hunt for revenge is dark and determined. There were one or two points in the story where the momentum dragged but overall I was impressed with the movie. I definitely recommend you go out and see “The Foreigner” at your preferred local theater! Check this movie out!

Saturday, October 14, 2017

"Blade Runner 2049" - Review

The year is 1982 and “Blade Runner” (a science fiction film) arrives in theaters that for the next 35 years will be considered one of the best science fiction films of all time. The year is now 2017 and the follow up film arrives in theaters and some, not all, had the highest of expectations. So, does “Blade Runner 2049” deliver on the quality of its predecessor or is this a replicant that needs to be put down? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

I was not one of the people who had a special place in their hearts reserved for this film. I didn’t see the first film until this year when I purchased “Blade Runner” on BLU-Ray at my local used book store. That story celebrates everything that was the 1980’s and science fiction. Seeing it for the first time in 2017 I couldn’t help but see the movie as a period piece stuck forever in 1982. The story by itself is well written and constructed however the movie as a whole is 1982 at its very most 1982’ish. So walking into the theater to see this sequel I didn’t have the same expectation as many who were eagerly awaiting the arrival of this story.

The movie starts by acknowledging the fact that Replicants are a thing that’s not hidden in society which caught me off guard. I was pleased they jumped right into that because it allowed the story to progress forward into new territory not really analyzed in the first movie. I will say the story does feel a bit long in that we get to see a lot of emotion and epiphanies on screen. These moments are not brief and that makes the story drag at points which was unfortunate. However, as long as the movie felt it looked incredible. The colors, the lighting and use of shadows, the make up and the action all were spectacular. I was completely mesmerized by the cinemotography and I wouldn’t not be surprised if this film gets nominated for an Acadamy Award for Cinemotography. Rumors confirmed, folks. This is one of the best looking films I’ve seen all year.

The story deals with a philosophical examination regarding what it means to be alive and to be human. The story resolves itself like a crime noir/detective story. It’s methodical in its delivery however the pacing is slower than I felt necessary. We get multiple view points or arguments that look at what society is, what it could be, power struggles to maintain the status quo and the opposite. In all, this movie explores the question, “What does it mean to be alive?” As I just wrote, this revelation takes time to be revealed. It’s not until we find out that a replicant had a “natural” born child that the overall plot of the film is realized. It’s at this moment the opposing view points are pushed to the fore front and we are seated amidst a debate that also has some great action and science fiction visual flare. This debate, unfortunately, is not very captivating and because of that will be lost, I feel. The film rests mainly on the visual astheatic and actors performances. It falls short on an engaging story that should be both at the same time thought provoking and exciting. The potential for this film is much greater than the final product.

“Blade Runner 2049” is in theaters now. I definitely recommend you see this on the big screen. This movie looks spectacular and I truly believe it will be nominated for best Cinematography. The overall look warrants a big screen viewing but I will caution you against paying more than matinee prices for the time spent in the theater. It’s slower paced and does drag at times but it looks incredible while doing that. Check this film out!

Friday, October 13, 2017

"Battle of the Sexes" Review

There are certain studios that find their way by making smaller budget, almost indie, films with talented, well known, actors. In this particular case, Fox Searchlight Studios decided to tell the real life story of Tennis greats Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. It was a spectacle for everyone who saw it live. So, does “Battle of the Sexes” serve us a champions story or does it double fault its way in and out theaters. Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.

First, we can look at the cast for this film as diverse, in that, many of the faces I don’t recall seeing on screen together. Outside of that, I wasn’t overly wowed by any of the performances because I received the caliber of talent that I expected to receive from each actor. In general, I thought the acting in this film was the high point. Plus, it was nice to see Natalie Morales in the film because I enjoyed the performance she gave in the hit TV show “Parks and Rec.” Also, Sarah Silverman plays a great older jewish woman who has a smoking addiction and enjoys managing women’s tennis players.

The overall story I wasn’t familiar with despite its notoriety. All I knew was a dude and a lady were competing in a tennis match and the whole world was tuning in to watch. So, when I walked into the theater I was pretty open minded regarding the story that was about to be told. Curiously, the story wasn’t the story advertised. It was, in fact, only a small portion of the actual movie. The actual story revolves around Billie Jean King (played by Emma Stone) and her determination to be a pioneer for women’s rights, her love affair with her hair dresser, the divorce of her marriage and her eventual victory over the chauvinist Bobby Riggs (played by Steve Carell). I felt mislead once the credits started rolling because I was under the impression that I would be getting a sports movie. Instead, I was given a lesbian love affair with a strong feminist message that had sports peppered throughout until the very end of the film in which we see the famed event unfold. It felt like the final tennis match was just a metaphor for the entire pro feminist message in the film which makes the title “battle of the sexes” misleading, in my opinion. More appropriately, the title I feel should have been, “The Billie Jean King Story.” The film as a whole had more to do with her life than tennis (even though her life was tennis).

“Battle of the Sexes” is in theaters now! If you don’t mind two women making out on screen then you won’t be offended by this film. It’s a very well acted piece however you do need to keep in mind that it’s not about tennis. Tennis is the resolving plot point that, again, felt more like a metaphor than a resolution/conclusion. This is the Billie Jean King story and if you’re interested in her life, the struggles she went through and her love of tennis, I think you’ll appreciate that story. It does feel like a Hallmark or Lifetime film at points and it’s based on a true story that you might enjoy it during matinee prices.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Kingsman: The Golden Circle - Review

The news broke that Matthew Vaughn was coming back to write and direct the “Kingsman” sequel and that made movie fans everywhere happy. The first story had a fresh visual style to spy/action films with entertaining characters (both hero and villain) and it made enough money that another film only seemed logical. Did “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” live up to the magic of the first film or should we give this franchise its burn notice? Let’s dive and take a look in this review.

The important characters in this film were limited however there was no shortage of supporting characters. In fact, the majority of this film felt like an equal distribution of screen between most all of the actors. Also, the two main heroes, Eggsy and Merlin stay who they were in the first one without much, if any, development. We knew them in the last film and that’s who they are in this one. In general, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The James Bond franchise has been giving us the same character for over 50 years. Each new actor who has played Bond has given us just a little bit more each time but theres nothing dynamic with regard to character development for Bond. He’s Bond. He drinks Martini’s, kills bad guys and has sex with the hottest women on the planet. So, to not really explore who Eggsy and Merlin are isn’t terribly tragic. That being said, killing Merlin at the end of the film while he sang a John Denver song was a decision I didn’t agree with. I would’ve understood it had Eggsy survived and everyone else, including Harry, died and Eggsy had to go at it alone creating a brand new agency for Kingsman. That I would’ve understood. However, leaving Harry and Eggsy alive felt like they just rehashed the first storyline but changed main characters at the end. Harry dies and Merlin survives in the first one and then Merlin dies but Harry survives in the sequel. This felt lazy to me and I didn’t care much for it.

The villain, Poppy, in this film was a cartoon caricature. The idea behind her character was intriguing but not enough to keep my attention. It’s surprising how much I didn’t care for her character when I’m a fan of Julianne Moore’s acting. Her basic motivation was to create a drug empire and have it legalized by holding the world hostage until they comply. In order to achieve this, she has a chemical(s) in her drugs that quickly kill its users and only she has the cure. She felt like a villain from Saturday morning cartoons I grew up watching in the 80s in all honesty. It was over the top and unbelievable.

The violence was just as ridiculous as the original which was definitely a highlight for me personally. I enjoy the unbelievably wild fights and style of gun play this franchise uses. It’s definitely one of the things I look forward to the most when I watch these movies. I don’t need it to look believable I just want it to be fun and both films nailed that. However, I wasn’t a fan of the blatant “Sweeney Todd” rip off, twice, in the story. Two men walk into the restaurant to meet Poppy and she has one of the men thrown into a meat grinder to be made into raw ground meat. She then proceeds to use the man meat to make a burger, cook it and then serve it to the surviving guy who just watched everything unfold. Two mean are ground up in this film and I just sat in the theater scratching my head because all I could think of was the “meat pies” from “Sweeney Todd.” This, again, showed me lazy story telling and I was not impressed.

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is in theaters now! I’m not gonna recommend people see this movie in theaters. It’s not great but it’s entertaining. Plus, hearing Elton John swear like a sailor is a lot of fun. If you want to see this in theaters I’d recommend a matinee showing before noon so the price of admission is more affordable. If you can wait for Redbox or Netflix that is probably your best option. Channing Tatum and Jeff Bridges aren’t really in the film at all but this is the second film Tatum is in this year that highlights John Denver tunes. So if “Take Me Home Country Road” is your jam, then you’ll enjoy some of the soundtrack.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

"American Assassin" - Review

Terrorists attack a beach paradise while everyone is relaxing and enjoying their holiday. Many of the travelers don’t survive but one does and decides he’ll kill them all himself, for taking the life of his fiancee. So, does “American Assassin” live up to the action promised in the trailers or should we black bag this operation? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review…

The trailer does a great job of describing the film we’re about to watch. The plot is as simple as, guy loses fiancee to terrorists, guy wants revenge, guy gets revenge. This movie might have some of the most accurate trailers which was a positive. I walked into the theater with a certain expectation and that expectation was met, plus exceeded, slightly. The overall story is direct and to the point. We meet all the players in the film rather quickly and we get right into things. The writing doesn’t waste much time on building out characters because the team behind this story is trusting that we as an audience are smart enough to understand how an action movie works. So, yes, this movie follows the action movie tropes quite well. It makes no excuses for their blatant use of the cocky, arrogant lead who doesn’t play by the rules. The seasoned veteran who is head strong and unsure about the new guy but comes around eventually and more.

Overall, I thought the film was a popcorn devouring good time. The dialogue feels like people talking at each other, not with each other. It’s not conversational at all which I found troubling. However, it doesn’t detract from the story and it probably won’t draw your attention away from the action. The movie really embraces the fact it’s a fun end of summer action flick. It’s not surprising this was released in September as things are winding down from summer blockbusters and gearing up for Oscar movie season. When I walked out of the theater one of my first thoughts was, “This movie will crush on DVD and VOD.” I really see this film being celebrated around the office water coolers once it’s available for home streaming.

The majority of the time, this is a fist and feet action flick. That means, the action is believable because it’s gun fire, martial arts and boxing. There isn’t grand CGI action sequences like cars falling out of buildings, insane earthquakes toppling cities or tsunami’s giving downtowns a permanent bath. This is people getting kicked in the chest, punched in the face and critically shot, over and over. That being said, the ending felt incredibly out of place. The ending is nothing but a CGI chaos fest. The ending felt like it was ripped right out of a film from the early 2000’s. It’s an over-the-top CGI extravaganza. I couldn’t believe the spectacle. If I had to offer any critique to the story, rewrite the ending. It was absurd. Similar to the shock I had at the end of “Dark Knight Rises” when Batman sets an atomic bomb off in sky far from Gotham, I couldn’t believe what I witnessed in this film, only at the very end.

“American Assassin” is in theaters now! If you enjoy action flicks that will keep your eyes fixed on the screen while you shove handfuls of popcorn down your throat, this is a great movie for you. I had a fun time in the theater with this story. It didn’t pretend to be something it’s not and delivered on everything promised in the trailers. The story also sets up for a sequel and even if that doesn’t get green lit, this could very easily carry on as a graphic novel or video game franchise. I recommend you get out and see this film while it’s in theaters. Check it out!

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