Monthly Archives: September 2014

REVIEW: “The Spectacular Now”

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Spectacular poster

It’s rare to find a teen movie that actually treats teens like real people with real problems and real emotions. So often these films peddle juvenile humor and exaggerated stereotypes in place of stronger and meatier stories. That’s why it’s refreshing to find a movie like “The Spectacular Now”. This intelligent and nuanced coming-of-age story steers clear of cliches and gimmickry by respecting its characters and portraying their circumstances in a thoughtful and naturalistic way.

Miles Teller plays Sutter Keely, a popular and hard-partying high school senior. He has a hot girlfriend, a great personality, and no real ambition for the future. Sutter tells several people he lives in the now, not worrying about anything other than the moment. But that attitude proves to be destructive – something he can’t see through his fog of hedonism. His girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson) finally has enough and breaks up with him. He is warned by a concerned teacher that he may not have the grades to graduate. And his constant drinking becomes a growing concern. Sutter’s life “in the now” isn’t the happy, sunshiny place he projects. It’s just a facade to hide the truth of a troubled and conflicted life.

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Sutter’s life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Aimee (Shailene Woodley). She’s a shy and studious ‘good girl’ whose reserved lifestyle is in stark contrast to Sutter’s. The two opposites hit it off but it takes some time for their relationship to blossom. But several of Sutter’s issues get in the way – his ego, his ‘cool guy’ reputation, his fixation on old flame Cassidy, and his self-destructive behavior. We never really know how Sutter and Aimee’s relationship will turn out. The film doesn’t lay out a standard formulaic plot line and a big part of its success is the experience we have watching this authentic relationship play out.

The story is also helped by some nice performances by the two leads. Teller and Woodley have noticeably different acting styles yet they seem to gel nicely with these two characters. For Teller this film is wedged in between two run-of-the-mill raunchy comedies so I was pleasantly surprised at his work here. Woodley’s nice performance is no surprise. Her film debut in Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” received rave reviews and here she delivers another eye-catching performance. The supporting work is also uniformly good. Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and especially Kyle Chandler each have some strong screen time.

One of the interesting things about “The Spectacular Now” is how it employs several familiar plot points, but it treats each of them with a fresh and prudent sincerity. There are moments where you can guess how certain things will play out, but the film also steadily surprised me by not going the conventional route. More importantly it is all grounded in a realistic portrayal of these two teenaged characters which separates this film from the bulk of teen pictures we get. That alone is something I welcomed with opened arms.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

5 Phenomenal Mel Gibson Movies

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movie_theatre - Phenom 5

I think it’s safe to say that very few movie stars have seen their careers decline like that of Mel Gibson. I also think it’s safe to say that some of his past actions, framed or not, have been terrible. Personally I think Mel Gibson became a target and he doused fuel to the fire with some horrible behavior brought on by his alcoholism. But personal past conduct aside, I still think Gibson is a great actor and I really miss seeing him on the big screen. Today’s Phenomenal 5 is looking at some of Gibson’s best movies. If you think about it Gibson put out a lot of good films so I wouldn’t call this the definitive list. But there is no denying that these five Mel Gibson movies are absolutely phenomenal.

#5 – “Lethal Weapon”

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I have heard 1987’s “Lethal Weapon” called the quintessential action buddy movie. I think a good argument could be made for that. “Lethal Weapon” encapsulated almost everything that was great about the 80s action movie genre. But while the action was great, the movie excelled thanks to the great chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. The two played polar opposite characters but the actors played off of each other in perfect and sometimes chaotic harmony. “Lethal Weapon” had laughs, charisma, and some great action. Lots of fun.

#4 – “Braveheart”

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Mel Gibson made a lot great impressions both as an actor and director with his 1995 epic “Braveheart”. Huge in scope and ambition, “Braveheart” was a movie that was incredibly immersive. It was filled with beautiful landscapes and tremendous battle scenes. But it was also anchored by a fantastic personal story of William Wallace. Gibson would win the Oscar for Best Director but he also gave a tremendous lead performance. It’s definitely one of the actor’s best films.

#3 – “The Beaver”

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After his personal troubles many felt that Mel Gibson may never work again. But his close and dear friend Jodie Foster pushed for him to play the role of a mentally troubled husband and father in “The Beaver”. Gibson was absolutely amazing. He gives a genuine performance and it feels as if he’s pulling from real places in his life. “The Beaver” is a smaller movie but Gibson’s performance and great chemistry with his friend Foster is a joy to watch. Many people may have skipped or missed out on “The Beaver”. It’s a movie that deserves to be seen.

#2 – “The Road Warrior”

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It was Mel Gibson’s second stint as the post-apocalyptic rebel Mad Max that introduced me to the actor. Even with the host of great movies he has made since then, “The Road Warrior” continues to be one of my very favorites of his. He’s definitely not required to be the most emotionally layered character you’ll find. But there is such an undeniable toughness and charisma in his performance. Gibson has the snarl, the look, and the grit to sell the role. And then there is the great vehicular action sequences that are still awesome today.

#1 – “The Patriot”

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When you take “The Patriot” as a whole it may not be the most convincing movie. But in terms of cinematic storytelling I love it. Director Roland Emmerich has a very sketchy filmography, but this is far and away his best picture mainly because of Mel Gibson. Gibson is committed and charismatic and he gives us one of his most layered and emotionally complex characters. He also works so well with the assortment of great supporting characters. None are better than his spirited father/son relationship with Heath Ledger. Tons of drama, some great action, and a rich and sometimes heart-wrenching family story. I’m a big fan of this film.

So there are my Mel Gibson films. What say you? I would love to hear what you think I missed or what I got right. Just let me know in the comments section below.

REVIEW: “Escape Plan”

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ESCAPE PLAN MOVIE

Ever since the release of “The Expendables” in 2010 there has been a resurgence of 80s styled action pictures. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, the two biggest names from that once immensely popular genre, have returned to the big screen with a number of bullet-riddled movies. The two stars join together, bicep to bicep, to bring us the silly and implausible “Escape Plan”. But who would go to a Sly and Arnie movie looking for something with deeper meaning?

In many regards “Escape Plan” is big, dumb throwback fun. The entire premise is a bit goofy and writers Miles Chapman and Jason Keller trip over themselves in the telling of the story. But still, there is a nostalgic satisfaction that this movie provides. It hearkens back to ‘the good old days’ for these two stars. They have more gray hair, they’re slower, they need more camera trickery to make them appear like the big screen tough guys they once were. But both still have charisma and an air of confidence that makes this film fun even amid its occasional eye-rolling bad dialogue, gaping plot holes, and overall silly concept.

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The story goes like this: Stallone plays a fellow named Ray Breslin and he wrote the book on prison escapes and I mean that literally. He is the head of a security firm that evaluates the strengths of maximum security prisons. How does he do this? He develops a false identity, has himself placed in the prison, and then breaks out. Helping him in this odd but apparently lucrative business is his skittish business partner Lester (Vincent D’Onofrio), his trusted associate (and possible romantic interest) Abigail (Amy Ryan), and a computer hacker named Hush (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson).

One day Breslin and company are approached by a CIA operative (Caitriona Balfe) who wants him to test a top secret prison built for the worst criminals. It’s the mother of all prison breaks that comes with a healthy $10 million payday attached. Breslin decides the money is too good to pass up so he throws aside his standard safety protocols and allows himself to be captured, drugged, and transported to “The Tomb” (play ominous location music here). Once there he quickly learns he’s been set up and it will take the help of a surly fellow inmate named Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger) if he hopes to get out.

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Swedish director Mikael Håfström does a fairly good job of keeping things moving once it gets started and there are some interesting twists along the way. The Tomb itself is pretty neat with its honeycomb glass cells and intriguing secret. The guards wear black uniforms and cool futuristic masquerade ball masks (although I’m not sure why). Then there is Jim Caviezel who is a ton of fun as the soft speaking sadistic warden. His deliveries and mannerisms offer an entertaining variation of a fairly familiar character type. And while Stallone is in serious mode most of the time, Arnie gives the film some humor. Amid his sometimes corny dialogue and patented wooden line reading, he tosses out some pretty decent laughs.

All of that sounds good but unfortunately the problems I mentioned earlier do stand out. You’ll have to accept its absurdity and understand that there are several questions you’ll never get sufficient answers for. The storytelling is a little sloppy in places, the dialogue a bit cheesy, and it doesn’t have many of those big moments that we’re used to getting from these fellows. But I still give the film some credit. Stallone and Schwarzenegger aren’t spring chickens any more but the fact that they still have those big infectious action-packed personalities says something. And that’s a big reason they’re able to make this film work.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Bonnie and Clyde”

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BONNIE poster

The 1967 crime drama/biopic “Bonnie and Clyde” wasn’t the easiest movie to get made. There were numerous squabbles between the film’s producer and star Warren Beatty and Warner Brothers over everything from budget and shooting locations to the size of the film’s release. Once it did hit theaters it faced a new wave of controversies mainly aimed at the films depiction of violence. “Bonnie and Clyde” is said to be one of the first mainstream American films to use graphic violence therefore opening the doors for the waves of cinematic bloodshed that would follow. At the time some critics railed on the film, but it would go on to be a box office hit and it’s now viewed as a true motion picture classic.

As with many movies like this several liberties were taken for dramatic reasons. A number of people contributed to the script but David Newman and Robert Benton did most of the heavy lifting. Their script strips down the true Bonnie and Clyde story while still creating a vivid and absorbing tale. There is no backstory at all. The film opens with Faye Dunaway’s Bonnie Parker sultrily moving about her upstairs room when she notices Warren Beatty’s Clyde Barrow attempting to steal her mother’s car. She confronts him but after a brief conversation they are on the road and story of Bonnie and Clyde has begun.

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Now could the story have gone deeper into their backgrounds and motivations? Probably so, but I think the film gives us what’s necessary for the type of story it’s telling. We learn that Bonnie is a waitress who is unhappy with the seemingly meaningless life she lives. She waits tables, she gets occasional dates from passing truckers, then she goes home – rinse and repeat. But you also get the sense that she is wooed by Clyde’s charms and visions of grandeur. Of the two characters, Bonnie is the most intriguing. Throughout the film you get glimpses that she does want more in life. She has visions of what happiness should be yet she has no one to cling to but Clyde.

The two Depression-era outlaws take off on a crime spree that starts with a few smalltime holdups. They pickup a simpleton named C.W. Moss (Michael Pollard) and the three begin hitting banks. This is also when their crimes go from simple bank robberies to killing. Clyde’s brother Buck (Gene Hackman) and his shrill and reluctant wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) joins up with them and the Barrow gang is formed. Amazingly every one of the cast members I’ve mentioned so far received Academy award nominations for their performances. Interestingly enough, Parsons (in what may be the lesser performance of the group) was the only one to win. It’s worth noting that, while he didn’t get an Oscar nomination, Gene Wilder shows up in what is his feature film debut.

“Bonnie and Clyde” toys around with several other interesting themes. There are several well-placed jabs focused on how the media manipulates news stories for their own interests. This goes hand-in-hand with law enforcement who began attributing bank robberies and killings to Bonnie and Clyde even though they had nothing to do with them. This interesting little twist asks the question of who is more responsible for the pair’s dubious rise to fame? As a result their mythos grew larger and larger from town to town and much of that is due to what was being put out in the papers and by law enforcement.

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When writing about the film, the great Roger Ebert noted a particular scene where an upset Bonnie is walking through a wheat field and Clyde is chasing after her. The camera pulls back and gives us a longshot of the field just as a cloud is passing over the sun. In an eerie moment of foreboding, the cloud covers Bonnie and Clyde hinting at what lies ahead for them. This is the pre-CGI era and chances are it was a freak act of nature. Still it’s a tremendous example of Burnett Guffey’s brilliant Oscar-winning cinematography. The film looks amazing and I wasn’t surprised to read that it was influenced by the French New Wave. In fact one of my favorite directors Francois Truffaut was originally asked to direct the film but declined. Arthur Penn got the job and he incorporated that slick and stylish French influence.

“Bonnie and Clyde” was a cultural phenomenon upon its release and it has earned its ‘classic movie’ title. While the supporting cast is great, the cinematography is amazing, and the bluegrass score sets a perfect tone, it’s the two leads who anchor the film. Dunaway is skittish, hopeful, and beautiful and Beatty, an actor I can generally take or leave, is charismatic and completely believable. We buy into them from the start and that is why the journey we take with them is thrilling and unforgettable.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “10 Things I Hate About You”

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10 things poster

It’s rare to find a teen comedy that’s not only fun but smart. Most squander any potential they have by embracing every dopey cliche and incorporating every overused gag. “10 Things I Hate About You” is an interesting case. It definitely has its fair share of cliches and many of the character types have been used several times over. But at the same time the film is clever and infectiously charming. It’s such a likable movie and even after recently revisiting it after a few years I found myself once again having a great time with it.

Gil Junger directed this modern twist on Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew”. Junger never directed much other than sitcoms and that’s a little surprising. He manages this film well and keeps things moving at a nice pace. He was also blessed with a talented young cast. “10 Things I Hate About You” was the launching pad for the careers of Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. These three drive the main story which is sometimes a bit formulaic but it never ceases to be entertaining.

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Stiles plays the antisocial feminist outcast Kat. She’s constantly at odds with her popular sophomore socialite younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). Levitt plays Cameron, a new student in their school who is smitten with Bianca at first sight. Ledger plays another outcast who pretty much operates by his own rules. We also get a pompous jerk of a jock, a geek without a clue, and an overprotective but well-meaning father. Most of these are characters that we’ve seen in many other movies. You can’t help but notice it. Yet even with that and a few plot points that will feel very familiar, “10 Things” quickly attaches you to these characters and its hard not to care for them.

The movie has its fun moments and there are some interesting relationships at work. But it also deals truthfully with several real teen issues that I still respond too. The script dances through all of these things and rarely does a disservice to any of them. There are times where things just get silly and a bit absurd. A particular school detention scene and another one taking place in Kat’s literature class instantly comes to mind. These feel lame and fabricated and in some ways clash with the movie’s better moments. But these weaker lazy moments don’t define the film as a whole.

 

THINGS2And getting back to the performances, it doesn’t take you long to notice that Heath Ledger was a special actor. He was always known to bring an authenticity to every role and we definitely see it here. Even in the few occasions where the script trips up, Ledger never lets the scene go to waste. It is such a spirited and strong performance. I also liked Stiles here, an actress who I have always felt was generally underrated. Her character is a bit obvious but she has such a good chemistry with Ledger. And Gordon-Levitt is also a lot of fun. At first I thought I knew exactly what type of stereotypical character he was going to portray but he turned out considerably different.

“10 Things I Hate About You” is what’s called a teen comedy and that title alone deservedly gives you reason to pause. But while it may appear to be the traditional nonsense that we often get, it is actually a lot more. The characters, their personalities, and their situations are convincing and interesting. And even though we get occasional breezes of routine storylines, the film manages to do things a bit different and it never feels conventional. That’s why the movie always works for me regardless of how many times I have seen it.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Blue Caprice”

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BLUE CAPRICE POSTER

If you remember the Beltway sniper attacks in October of 2002 you remember the terror that it brought to the Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. areas. The sheer random nature of the killings made them all the more unsettling. “Blue Caprice” is the directorial debut of Alexandre Moors and it gets its name from the 1990 Chevrolet Caprice that killers John Allen Mohammed and John Lee Malvo used throughout their killing spree. It’s an impressive debut for Moors as he veers away from so many of the usual trappings that we sometimes get with pictures like this.

“Blue Caprice” puts its focus on the relationship between Mohammed and Malvo. It takes a few odd liberties with their stories, but it also effectively gets into their heads and tells things from their twisted points of view. It shows them first meeting in Antigua. Malvo is shown to be a lonely boy. Left alone by his mother, he is taken in by Mohammed who is first perceived to be a loving father of three. But we get hints that he is not what he seems. The film skips ahead to Mohammed and Malvo arriving in the Tacoma, Washington area. It’s here that the film peels back the layers of Mohammed’s insanity and Malvo’s emotionless violence.

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Moors does so much right with this film. It’s raw filmmaking which perfectly serves the story and the perspectives. It’s also undeniably atmospheric and the film maintains a cloud of chilling discomfort as we witness a slow mental collapse. Mohammed and Malvo are men fueled by hate and seeking to avenge their self-viewed victim status on the world around them. The entire film builds upon these two damaged psyches and the suspense burns hotter as we know exactly where their anger will end up taking them.

Another huge reason the film works so well are the two lead performances. Isaiah Washington is nothing short of brilliant in his depiction of Mohammed. He never goes too far or pushes the boundaries. He’s always in perfect sync with the film’s deliberate pace and steady tone. It’s a great performance. I also really liked Tequan Richmond as Malvo. It’s a more understated performance and it could be argued that he isn’t asked to do a lot. But Richmond tells so much of his character’s story in his silent moments. It also helps that he works extremely well with Washington.

“Blue Caprice” is a bit of a slow burn and that may turn off some people. Personally I think that works in the film’s favor. There are a couple of moments where I questioned the movie’s intention and I wanted more from the ending, but ultimately “Blue Caprice” succeeds because of its great direction, two strong central performances, and an atmosphere and tone that does the story justice. It grabbed me early on and never let me go.

VERDICT – 4 STARS