Category Archives: Movie Reviews – C

REVIEW: “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”

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CAP POSTER

It’s easy to get lost among the huge and larger than life Marvel movie properties such as Thor, Iron Man, and The Avengers. Such was the case with Captain America and his 2011 film “The First Avenger”. Now don’t misunderstand me, Cap’s first solo movie project was still a hit and it raked in just over $370 million at the box office. But it is rarely mentioned in the conversations about Marvel’s growing cinematic landscape. Personally I loved “The First Avenger” and its distinct and unique flavor. Well obviously its success means a second film will follow, but unlike many sequels Cap’s new chapter legitimately excited me.

“The Winter Soldier” was an amazing storyline that ran through the Captain America comics starting in 2005. It was written by Ed Brubaker and drawn by the amazing Steve Epting. The two developed an engrossing story that has become one of my favorite comic book storylines ever put to print. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely desperately wanted to adapt Brubaker’s story. They ended up taking key elements of it, added a few slick and interesting twists, and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” was born.

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The first Cap film carved out its own little spot among the Marvel movies. It took place predominantly in the past, namely during World War II. While those connections are still present, this film is a modern day story. Chris Evans reprises his straight-laced Steve Rogers persona. He is still very much a man from the past struggling to find his place in the modern world. Whether it’s technology and pop culture or the complex attitudes towards global crisis and geopolitics, Rogers often finds himself at odds with the situations around him. The film does take some time with that but ultimately this is an old-school action flick that hearkens back to the old espionage pictures of old.

Cap is still working for S.H.E.I.L.D. under director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and alongside Natasha (a.k.a. Black Widow) played by Scarlett Johansson. The relationships between these three characters remain compelling. The contrasts between Steve and Natasha are sharp and always evident. Natasha and Fury have a relationship shrouded in secrecy. Steve and Fury are on the same side but are often at odds over what is the right approach. All of these things are stressed more when S.H.E.I.L.D. is compromised by a rogue force led by a mysterious assassin known only as the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Several twists and turns follow, threats come around every corner, and the stakes shoot through the roof.

Director Joe Johnston did a fine job with the first film but I was blown away by what directors Anthony and Joe Russo give us in the sequel. The brothers, mostly know for their work in television, rarely take their feet off the accelerator yet they never let their film become a deluge of pointless, mind-numbing action. The battles always feel important and the consequences are dire. But they also look amazing. I can’t tell you how many times I shuffled in my seat with excitement over what I was seeing on the screen. The camera constantly grabs one beautiful angle or presents one breathtaking sweeping shot. It’s some of the best filmed action I have seen in years. And it’s also a case where the 3-D works pretty well. I wouldn’t go as far as to say you must see it in 3-D, but I certainly didn’t mind that I did.

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The action also goes back to days when we weren’t beholden to CGI. Now obviously there is plenty of CGI in this picture, but where it separates itself from most other Marvel movies is in its lack of dependence on the technology. Much of the action focuses on great hand-to-hand combat, some amazing high-speed chases, and a lot of classic-styled stunt work. The entire visual presentation is stunning and it matches or exceeds anything Marvel has done to this point.

But the looks of the film would amount to little if not for Markus and McFeely’s addictive story. They frame all of their action around cool spy movie and conspiracy thriller angles instead of the basic superhero formulas we are used to seeing. Equally surprising is the richness of character development which provides more depth to everyone on screen. Even more, the Winter Soldier is a fantastic villain. Not only is he incredibly cool and a perfect visual representation of his comic book counterpart, he also isn’t a faceless enemy. He may steal scenes with his physical presence, but he also brings a gravity to the situation that amps things up. The pacing is crisp, fluid, and never lulls. The tone is more serious, yet the sprinkles of humor are funny and well timed. It’s simply a well-oiled and well-conceived script that dramatically changes the landscape for upcoming Marvel films.

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Then there is the acting. Over time Evans has clearly gotten better as an actor and he completely embodies the role of Steve Rogers. Jackson and Johansson have also fallen right into their characters and their comfort level is obvious. It was great to see them both in bigger and more expanded roles. As I mentioned, Sebastian Stan is a scene stealer and my excitement level rose whenever he would appear. Also new to the franchise is Robert Redford who plays a S.H.E.I.L.D. senior head. Redford starred in a number of conspiracy films back in the 1970s so this is familiar territory for him. Anthony Mackie is also a lot of fun playing Sam Wilson who Cap fans know as Falcon. There were several other small supporting characters that caused my inner comic book fanboy to smile.

It may be easy for some people to dismiss this film but to do so would be criminal. Sure it’s a big, loud popcorn picture but I don’t mind that at all especially when the film is this exciting and entertaining. I was expecting big things from this movie, but I didn’t expect to be blown away by its craftsmanship and its storytelling. It takes what we love about superhero films, tosses in loads of bods to comic fans, and mixes it all with good old-fashioned filmmaking and the results are impeccable. I love this movie and it very well may be Marvel’s best film to date. More than that, It’s one of the most exhilarating action pictures I’ve seen in a long time.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”

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CAT POSTER

After a relatively slow start to his career, playwright Tennessee Williams struck gold with a series of hits that captivated audiences on both stage and big screen. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is one of those hits. The film adaptation is loaded with Williams’ signature sizzling dialogue and rich, complex characters. A brilliant cast including Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives, and Jack Carson spark this story of fractured relationships, family dysfunction, and the word of the day mendacity. It’s sharp, edgy, and chock full of fiery energy.

Williams’ play first hit Broadway in 1955 and it would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The film opened in 1958 and was a big success. Richard Brooks co-wrote and directed the adaptation which (as was usually the case) slightly dulled the edges of the play in order to adhere to the Motion Picture Code. Williams didn’t like the changes, so much so that he often pointed people away from the film version. Many of his plays took from his own tumultuous and contentious life making them deeply personal but sometimes turgid and overblown. Judging the movie on its own merits, I find Brooks’ version to be overflowing with great scenes, a perfectly captured setting, and dialogue that pierces with shards of realism.

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With the exception of two brief scenes the entire story takes place on a huge family estate in the Mississippi Delta. It places us with the Pollitt family, an assortment of deeply flawed and sometimes contemptible people each with more emotional baggage than any world traveler. The family patriarch is Big Daddy (Ives) who may be struggling with some life-threatening health issues. His two sons and potential heirs each have their own problems. Brick (Newman) is a raging alcoholic who hobbles around on a crutch after breaking his ankle pulling a drunken stunt. His relationship with his wife Maggie (Taylor) is as stormy as the Deep South weather. The other son Cooper (Carson in what turned out to be his final role) is more interested in his inheritance. Spurred on by his manipulative wife Mae (Madeleine Sherwood), Cooper is the quintessential brown-noser who hopes to be first in line for his daddy’s fortune.

There are so many complicated family dynamics at work. Brick and Maggie have a cold and bitter relationship that stems from harbored anger and pain. There is clear animosity between the brothers which is often fueled by their boisterous wives. There is also a disconnect between a wealthy and success-driven father and the two sons that simply wanted his love. All of these conflicts and others are woven together to create the stinging, vitriolic fabric that makes up the story. Amazingly the various family angles never conflict and there is almost a twisted poetic quality to the various contentions and quarrels.

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The story is fantastic but it’s the cast who makes it simmer. Elizabeth Taylor was never more beautiful and her sultry natural beauty and Southern charm is ever-present. Paul Newman is perfect as the angry and closed-off Brick. Surprisingly he was not the first choice. Robert Mitchum, Montgomery Clift, and even Elvis Presley all turned down the role. Carson plays a character type that he was well known for and Sherwood is convincing as the hateful and conniving Mae. But I haven’t even mentioned Judith Anderson who plays Big Daddy’s wife Big Mamma (of course). She lives in a delusional bubble where she pretends everything with her family is okay. Anderson is wonderful and many times she is the glue that binds the various fits of dysfunction we see.

Brimming with Southern personality, big but fitting performances, and a script with a bite, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is as mesmerizing today as it was over 50 years ago. Perhaps some of the edge is missing from the Broadway production, but I found it to be a delight. It’s a beautiful cinematic creation that still proudly shows its stage show roots. And it only gets better when you consider the phenomenal cast lead by Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman. For some it falls short of a more popular Tennessee Williams adaption “A Streetcar Named Desire”. For me this film stands right there with it.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Call”

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the-call-posterI have to say I wasn’t expecting very much from “The Call”. It looked basic and clichéd and the thought of Halle Berry teaming up with WWE wrestling’s movie production branch just wasn’t that appealing. Well now I have seen it and “The Call” is certainly basic and clichéd. But despite its flaws it is a movie that manages to remain entertaining throughout. There is just enough tension and just enough suspense to keep you invested. Unfortunately the eye-rolling ending almost undoes everything the film does right.

Berry plays a Los Angeles 911 operator. For me this was one of the strongest parts of the film. I may be wrong, but I don’t remember a movie ever looking at this side of the phone. We’ve had plenty of movies where we hear the 911 operator on the other end of the phone. In “The Call” we see the operators in their environment. The movie calls the place “the hive” and Berry plays a veteran operator named Jordan Turner. Berry is surprisingly convincing as she handles a variety of different calls. In fact the entire setting was well conceived and pretty fascinating.

But after a botched 911 call involving a kidnapped young girl ends tragically, the pressure drives Jordan away from the operating chair. She becomes a trainer of new operators but conveniently ends up taking over a call involving a very similar situation. A teen named Casey Welson (Abigail Breslin) is kidnapped from a local mall and she connects with Jordan via a cell phone hidden in her pocket. The rest of the film follows Jordan’s attempt to get information from Casey while the police rush to save her before things end badly.

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“The Call” yanks several familiar elements from many thrillers we’ve already seen. It certainly doesn’t do anything new. Yet it is competently made and it’s aware that the pacing and intensity is essential to keeping the audience involved. It doesn’t waste a lot of time developing characters or throwing in too much unneeded backstory. Director Brad Anderson seems to know that he needs to keep his audience fixated on the intensity and suspense and if the pacing lulls there isn’t anything under the surface. For the most part Anderson pulls it off. The movie kept my attention all the way through and it deserves credit for that. It doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not and it succeeds as a whole.

But it’s certainly not a perfect film and as it reaches its climax things begin to run off the rails. First, you can’t help but notice some of the corny dialogue particularly when the script tries to add a little personality to the characters. There are also several of those head-scratching moments where the action of the characters simply doesn’t make sense. And then there is the ending. I’ve alluded to it twice already and I certainly don’t want to give away any spoilers, but the film goes in the direction that seems odd and frankly absurd. The big conclusion is so silly and nonsensical. It’s meant to be empowering but it leaves so many obvious holes and glaring question marks. All I could do was shake my head and wonder who came up with that ludicrous idea. It’s that bad.

And that’s disappointing. I say that because “The Call” surprised me. Not because of its depth or originality, but because it managed to entertain while tossing out some fairly good edge-of-your-seat suspense. Even with its flaws I was having a good time, at least until the end. Perhaps the filmmakers have something else in mind but I can’t help but think you could end a movie like this in a better way. Regardless, I will give it credit for being better than I expected. In fact, I guess I would say I was entertained.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

REVIEW: “Captain Phillips”

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CAPTAIN POSTER

It has been praised by critics as a thrilling movie and berated by former crew members as grossly inaccurate. “Captain Phillips” has hit the theaters and there has been no shortage of fun things to read about it. Prior to seeing it, several things about the movie attracted my interest. First, I was interested in seeing what director Paul Greengrass would bring to the story. He’s a director that I have a love/hate relationship with. Second, this looked like a role that could equal a comeback of sorts for Tom Hanks.

“Captain Phillips” is a biopic taken from the book “A Captain’s Duty”. It follows the story of Richard Phillips, the captain of the Maersk Alabama which was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. Tom Hanks plays the title character who tries to get himself and his crew to safety after pirates board his container ship while crossing the Indian Ocean. The film doesn’t waste much time in terms of setup. It quickly gets to the meat and potatoes of the story which is the boarding of the Alabama by pirates and the attempted rescue of Captain Phillips and his crew.

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This story seems perfect for the conventional Hollywood big budget treatment. But to my surprise “Captain Phillips” steers clear of those trappings. Billy Ray’s smart and calculated script focuses on what’s important. While Greengrass’ direction ratchets up the intensity and always maintains a sense of urgency, it’s Ray’s writing that keeps us thoroughly invested in Captain Phillips and his plight. There is a time just past the midway point where I felt a sequence was drawing out further than necessary, but as a whole this is real ‘edge of your seat’ stuff.

But make no mistake, Tom Hanks is the real driving force. Hanks was once the king of the Hollywood hill but it could be said that he hasn’t had a great attention-grabbing performance since 2002 and “Road to Perdition”. His work in “Captain Phillips” clearly ends that streak. His performance here is in line with some of the best work of his career. He captures the bravery and heroism of the character while also grounding him by showing the sheer terror he experiences. And his final scene moved me so much and it alone may have cemented this as my favorite performance of the year.

I also have to mention the performance of Barkhad Abdi. This first time Somali-born actor plays Muse, the leader of the Somali hijackers. We first see Muse at his village where he and other fishermen are ordered by soldiers of a local warlord to hijack some passing ships. There is clearly an intent to evoke a thread of sympathy for Muse and his circumstances. Overall it worked dramatically although it was never that convincing. But back to Abdi, it’s clear he’s not a seasoned actor but he’s exactly what his role called for. His demeanor, his expressions, his broken English – it all works to make his character completely convincing. It’s a really good performance.

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There are so many things I enjoyed about this film. Watching Captain Phillips and Muse as they try to read and measure each other is fascinating. The two share so many fantastic scenes. The direction from Paul Greengrass is very effective despite his patented hyperactive camera. He keeps your heart racing and leaves you emotionally spent. The military’s arrival adds a whole new dynamic to the story. It’s exhilarating and never devolves into an action movie cliché. And then of course there is the towering performance from Tom Hanks. He’s back to his finest form and this is clearly Oscar worthy work.

In a movie year filled with mediocrity, it’s great to see a film like “Captain Phillips”. Yes Greengrass makes his usual political points that are too on the nose and the slightly sympathetic portrayal of the pirates does feel a bit contrived. But these things aren’t nearly as blatant or distracting as in some of his past efforts. It’s a smart and effective thriller that keeps itself within reasonable bounds. I don’t know how much truth is in the movie, but I do know it really works on a cinematic level. I also know it’s one of the best films I’ve seen this year.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Cloverfield”

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Whenever I’ve heard people talk about the movie “Cloverfield” they usual use words such as “disappointing” or “mediocre”. In light of that my expectations for the film were pretty tepid. But “Cloverfield” had something else working against it. I’m not a fan of the handheld ‘found footage’ technique that at one point had become wildly popular. For me it only works in small doses and more often than not it turns out to be a liability. So here we are, five years after the film’s release and I’m giving it a shot.

I have to say that as a whole there’s not a lot to “Cloverfield”. It’s very cut-and-dry. It takes no real chances. It has practically no depth to it at all. Yet it’s completely honest. It’s committed to its simple but clear vision. It nicely captures that 1950’s sci-fi B-movie vibe. Most importantly I was with it from the opening government archives “credits” all the way through to its rip-roaring finale. Is it the greatest thing since sliced bread? No. But I enjoyed it a heck of a lot more than I anticipated.

As I mentioned, “Cloverfield” is filmed using the ‘found footage’ method which means that weak stomachs may end up a but queasy. It starts off calm enough. The first 15 minutes or so of its tight 85 minute runtime is spent at a party introducing us to the central characters. Rob (Michael Stahl-David) is preparing to move to Japan. His brother Jason (Mike Vogel) his girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas) plan the surprise going away party in their New York City apartment. “Hud” (T.J. Miller) is tasked with “documenting” the party on video. And then there’s Beth (Odette Yustman), a girl that Rob has a tricky romantic relationship with. That’s really all you need to know about any of these characters and we get it all in the first few minutes of the film.

The movie picks up when the party is interrupted by a huge tremor. The first reaction is that it’s an earthquake but we quickly learn that’s not the case. I won’t go into heavy detail but let me just say that the huge old school creature feature fan in me was pretty excited. I think this is where the movie fell short for some people. This is clearly a classic tip of the hat to the big monster pictures of the mid to late 1950’s mixed with a popular modern filmmaking technique. Your enjoyment of “Cloverfield” will probably depend on how much that interests you or how much of it you can buy into.

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Director Matt Reaves and writer Drew Goddard borrow from several older movies. My favorite are the television
newscasts taken straight from George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead”. It’s here that we and the characters first learn about the deadly threat facing New York City. Things only get worse as the filmmakers throw us right down into the middle of the city in chaos. We’re take along with our main characters in what turns out to be a survival horror/science fiction. It’s simple but it’s at times exhilarating and it’s clever in its execution. The special effects are a blast and we get them in carefully measured doses. I also thought the performances were serviceable with the exception of T.J. Miller whose line reading is never all that convincing. He has an occasionally funny line but he’s mainly just your run-of-the-mill doofus.

There are a few other things that keep this from being a full-blown gem. There isn’t one hint of explanation in terms of the creature’s origin or makeup. It simply pops up downtown and the rest is catastrophic history. Now this was clearly intentional and it wasn’t a huge deal for me. But I still couldn’t help wanting to know more about this threat. Also, while the hand-held camera was more effective than in most films that have employed it, it’s still not my first choice for how I want to watch a movie. It’s also worth noting that “Cloverfield” was a really fun experience the first time through but it doesn’t seem to be the kind of movie that would have near the same effect the next time around.

Yet still I have to say I was surprised with this movie. I don’t agree with the common criticisms and I found myself thoroughly entertained. With its short running time it doesn’t overstay its welcome and it’s never misleading or pretentious. Sure it has some throw-away characters and you never get as much information as you would like. But it’s still a fun and well-made return to the monster movie genre that I still love to this day. In other words it delivered for me. I’m not saying it will have a long-lasting impact, but for 85 minutes I was glued to the screen and I soaked up every bit of what I was seeing.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Conjuring”

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CONJURING POSTER

There have been so many subpar horror movies in recent years. There have been a handful of passable to decent horror pictures yet nothing in recent memory that did anything to really strengthen the outlook for the genre. In other words the horror movie genre is desperate for some smart and original features. Then along comes “The Conjuring”, a movie that might not be the bold, groundbreaking film that the genre needs, but it’s certainly a good movie and a pleasant surprise.

“The Conjuring” is based on the true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson), a husband and wife team of paranormal investigators, and their encounter with the Perron family. Set in 1971 (the year I was born), the movie has a very good sense of time and setting. The outfits, automobiles, and handful of songs are all spot on. Even the intricacies of the characters seem carefully written with the time period in mind. The main characters are the Warren’s. After a very unique and unsettling career, they now spend their time giving lectures on their experiences with demonology and paranormal activity.

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We are also introduced to the Perron family. Tell me if you’ve heard this before. Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) and his wife Carolyn (Lili Taylor) along with their five daughters move to rural Rhode Island after buying a two-story farmhouse. The family begins to experience strange, frightening, and unexplainable things. Wouldn’t you know it, the house turns out to have a troubling history which triggers the haunting of the Perron family. Carolyn catches the Warren’s after a lecture and convinces them to help find out what’s going on in their house.

The movie is really broken up into two halves. During the first half we spend a lot of time with the Perron family. The story is very deliberate in allowing us to get to know the family and in its revealing of the haunting. In several ways this works to the movie’s advantage but I have to admit I eventually was ready for it to move along. The second half follows the Warren’s work to help the Perron’s identify and deal with the terror. This is where the film really picked up and I quickly found myself thoroughly involved.

A lot of the film’s success can be credited to director James Wan. There is a level of tension and discomfort from the opening to the end credits and I say that positively. Clever techniques and strategies end up paying off. For example his use of scaling camera shots and creative angles work really well. And even though he uses standard stuff such as slamming doors, flickering lights, and creaky wooden floors, it’s pretty effective in its implementation. Sparse music, creepy makeup effects, and a reliability on psychological horror over gore are other sure positives.

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And I have to give props to the two lead performances. The routinely underappreciated Patrick Wilson is excellent here. He falls right into the part and you never sense anything disingenuous about his performance. And I’ve said before that I am a huge fan of Vera Farmiga. This is a different role for her but once again she’s fantastic. Both Wilson and Farmiga are clearly 100% committed and it shows. There’s no winking at the camera or throwing away lines. Both are huge reasons the movie worked for me overall.

It’s hard to say that “The Conjuring” brings something new to the table. There are tastes of everything from “The Amityville Horror” to “Paranormal Activity”. Yet there’s something strikingly fresh about it even though it spends the entire time in familiar territory. “The Conjuring” has turned into a surprise hit this summer but I didn’t put much stock into that. As someone a little tired of the bland, run-of-the-mill “horror” we get today, I was a bit skeptical. But I love being surprised and this film did that for me. It has its flaws and it’s easy to pick it apart. But I had too much fun to waste my time doing that.

VERDICT – 4 STARS