Category Archives: Movie Reviews – L

“LOCKOUT” – 3 STARS

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I grew up watching those 1980’s and early 90’s tough guy action movies. During that time, the action genre was immensely popular. For years those movies made one-man-armies and cheesy one-liners commonplace. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t fun and I wouldn’t hesitate calling some of them personal favorites. “Lockout” takes a lot of its inspiration from those 80’s action flicks and it unashamedly tries to recreate the tone and feel of those films. Because of that, the movie could be an immediate turn-off for those who didn’t care for the genre or a disappointment for those who don’t get what the film is aiming for. I found it to be a fun piece of popcorn entertainment despite its few noticable shortcomings.

“Lockout” doesn’t pretend to be earth-shattering or ground-breaking by any means. It’s very straightforward in its presentation and even the trailer seemed patterned after those from the 80’s. Several elements of the story are fairly familiar but with a futuristic, sci-fi angle. Guy Pearce bulks up to play a government operative named Snow. He’s an irreverent, wise-cracking loose cannon who finds himself framed for a crime he didn’t commit (stop me if you’ve heard this before). Meanwhile Emilie Warnock (Maggie Grace), the U.S. President’s daughter, is visiting an orbital space prison known as MS ONE on a humanitarian fact-finding mission. But while there, the prisoners revolt and take charge of the space station. Snow is asked to go in and rescue the President’s daughter in exchange for his freedom. Of course he agrees but with his own ulterior motives.

The story moves at a pretty fluid pace and at 95 minutes it’s pretty compact and doesn’t drag things out. In many ways Snow is your prototypical tough-guy. He’s tough as nails, has a bad attitude, and fires off more one-liners than bullets. Clearly he’s written to take wise-cracking to the extreme but it’s a little overdone. In fact, it’s almost as if Snow is completely incapable of carrying on a normal conversation. One the flip side, this isn’t a movie centered around stimulating conversation and several of Snow’s quips are quite funny. But it also makes him an incredibly one-dimensional character.

The movie is chock full of CGI and special effects. Some of the effects are well done and they do a lot to create a believable sci-fi environment. But there are also several examples where they look more like a video game than a movie. Before the movie started, the trailer for Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” was shown and the difference in the special effects between the two is staggering. But to be fair, “Prometheus” has about five times the budget and “Lockout” just tried to make due with what it had. The action scenes are pretty well done even though so much of it happens off-screen. This was clearly done in order to obtain a PG-13 rating. But in a way it subverts the tough and gritty look of the film and takes away an edge that would have made the movie better in my opinion.

I’m a big fan of Guy Pearce. When it comes to movie roles he has a pretty diverse resume, but I haven’t seen him play a character quite like this. It doesn’t take long to figure out his approach to Snow. Pearce is clearly having fun with the role and his performance is quite good. I never felt Pearce let’s Snow become just a caricature and in several instances he elevates the material. Maggie Grace does a decent job although she’s not quite on Pearce’s level. The movie is helped by some really good smaller supporting performances. It’s funny to say about this type of movie, but the acting really rises above the story in many places.

“Lockout” is getting hammered by critics and I find that to be no surprise. This is another example of some critics not measuring the film by what its trying to be. Now I’m not saying “Lockout” is incredible filmmaking or a new classic. It clearly has it’s issues that do drag it down a bit. The special effects aren’t the best and the action is sometimes pruned to the point of being ineffective. But I still found it to be an entertaining sci-fi B movie led by a really, really fun performance from Pearce. “Lockout” won’t win any awards but for the most part it accomplishes what it intends to.

REVIEW: “La Vie en rose”

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3

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Edith Piaf was a brilliant young singer who had a life filled with joy and tragedy. She was born in the Belleville district in Paris, France and survived a difficult childhood to become one of France’s most beloved singers and a national icon. But her life was a constant struggle even in light of her huge success. “La Vie en rose” is a French biopic about the life of Edith Piaf from director and co-writer Olivier Dahan. Marion Cotillard stars as Piaf and delivers a brilliant performance that earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. This was also significant in that it was the first time an Oscar was given for a French language performance.

The story of “La Vie en rose” is told in a very unconventional way. There’s no straightforward chronological narrative. The movie jumps back and forth between different periods of Piaf’s life. Sometimes this storytelling method works while other times it seems to shift between time with no cause or reason. There’s one particular tragic event that happens early in Piaf’s life but we never know anything about it until close to the end of the film. There’s no real structural reason that would cause it to be incorporated into the story at that time but nonetheless it is. I’m assuming the non-linear approach was an attempt to make it feel more unique and different from other biopics. This isn’t a bad approach but I still would have preferred a more straightaway mode of storytelling.

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While the movie does frantically hop around, it does keep most of her childhood together at the start of the film. It’s very effective in conveying the reasons for her lifetime of trouble. The film shows how she was abandoned by her parents. We see how she is raised for several years in a Normandy brothel. We also see her spending time confined to a struggling traveling circus with her father. As a teenager she’s forced to sing on the streets to survive until she is discovered by the owner of a small nightclub. All of these things lay the groundwork for what was a complicated and often times hard life and her personal hardships often times overshadowed her incredible talent.

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One of the main reasons to see “La Vie en rose” is for Marion Cotillard’s wonderful and mesmerizing performance. Cotillard spent a lot of time listening to, watching, and studying interviews by Edith Piaf and it really pays off. She completely loses herself in the role and at times she’s almost unrecognizable. The story required Cotillard to play Piaf at different ages and in different stages of health. I was amazed watching her capture the energy and exuberance of a young 18-year old girl as well as the frailty and emptiness of a 47-year old on her death bed who looks twenty years older than she really is. Cotillard’s Oscar win is completely justified and she takes this role of a lifetime and makes it unforgettable.

The life of Edith Piaf was filled personal highs and devastating lows. “La Vie en rose” shows it to us through it’s truly enthralling and heart-breaking presentation. It captures the special spirit of this larger-than-life personality which makes watching her troubled life unfold all the more painful. It does require an unnecessarily high level of concentration due to the fractured narrative which really adds nothing to the film. And while it still uses some of the same conventions that we’ve seen in other biopics, its still a powerful story. This isn’t a flawless film but I found myself totally involved right from the very start.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “The Last of the Mohicans”

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James Fenimore Cooper’s novel “The Last of the Mohicans” was first adapted for the big screen in 1912. Other versions of the story appeared at theaters in 1936 and 1963. But then in 1992 Michael Mann delivered not only the best version of the classic story but also one of the most well-crafted and cinematic period piece films you’ll find. Mann gives us a gritty frontier action picture placed in a beautiful yet worn-torn setting. But an equally strong component of the film is the passionate love story interwoven throughout the picture. It’s a romance that never feels tacked on or disingenuous. In fact, it fuels much of what drives the narrative all the way to its powerful final 10 minutes.

The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Nathaniel Hawkeye, adopted white son of Chingachgook (Russell Means). Joined by Uncas (Eric Schweig), Chingachgook’s only blood son, the three find themselves involved in The French and Indian War that they are desperately trying to avoid. After tracking a Huron war party the three rescue Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Joghi May) Munro, daughters of a British Colonel stationed at Fort William Henry. Realizing more Hurons will be coming, they agree to lead the daughters and Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) to the fort. From there relationships develop, jealousy and deception is revealed, and the horrors of a new kind of war take center stage.

The casting is proven good by some truly wonderful performances throughout the movie. Lewis is fantastic as Nathaniel and his onscreen chemistry with Stowe is quite good. Their romance feels genuine even though it feels a little hurried. Lewis is also good in the action sequences as is Schweig and Means. The action is beautifully shot and choreographed and the three actors have absolutely no trouble selling it. Also fun to watch is the great Wes Studi as Magua, a twisted Huron warrior who wants to kill as many “grey hairs” as possible. Everyone is good in the film and even the smaller performances ting with authenticity.

This film version isn’t ardently faithful to Cooper’s novel but in many ways it’s an improvement on it. Mann and co-writer Christopher Crowe put together an energetic and fast-paced adaptation. It ruggedly portrays the demanding and taxing frontier life and sharply contrasts that with the aristocratic, prim and proper attitudes of the English and French. It’s that monarchist arrogance and sense of entitlement that meets the sharp and violent reality of the frontier. It also doesn’t shy away from giving the action a gritty and sometimes bloody presentation. But with the exception of one particular scene, the violence never feels gratuitous. Instead it feels like an accurate representation of what that crude and sometimes brutal combat would be like.

I also have to mention how wonderful the movie looks. I mentioned how beautifully shot the action sequences are but the same could be said for the entire picture. Filmed in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, the movie features so many scenes of natural beauty that it’s impossible not to be drawn in. The gorgeous locations mixed with Dante Spinotti’s stunning cinematography gives the setting an uncharted and untouched look. And it’s impossible not to be impressed by his clever camera angles and perfectly executed long shots that give so many scenes an undeniable cinematic flare.

And speaking of presentation, I have to mention the incredible score by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman. Of all of the movie scores I have heard, and there are plenty of great ones out there, none has added as much to a film or effected me more that Jones’ and Edelman’s work here. From the percussion-driven music during the battle at Fort William Henry to the emotional period string arrangement playing during the finale, every note hits perfectly. But most importantly, the score adds to the mood and tone of almost every scene.

Michael Mann’s “The Last of the Mohicans” is an example of wonderful filmmaking from title to credits. Some may not respond as strongly to its straightforward storytelling or its occasionally intense violence. But I love it’s fast and fluid pacing, realistic frontier depiction, and heartfelt romance. The performances are great throughout led by more strong work Daniel Day-Lewis. It’s also a technical achievement featuring stunning visuals, remarkable sound, and a soundtrack that still moves me to this day. This is a unique historical period film that has a feel all its own. It won me over when I first saw it in the theater in 1992 and it’s one of the few movies that I can watch again today anytime or anywhere.

VERDICT – 5 STARS

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5STAR K&M

“LAST NIGHT” – 2 1/2 STARS

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“Last Night” is more of a relationship drama than a romance movie. First time director Massy Tadjedin also wrote this story of a seemingly happily married couple whose relationship will be tested during a 24 hour period apart. It’s a story that does supply some good moments and asks some good questions. But it also lacks the life and energy needed to sell these characters and it’s never quite as provocative as it tries to be.

Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington play Joanna and Michael Reed. The couple are working on their third year of marriage and seem to have found their place in New York City. But Joanna becomes jealous when she sees Michael spending a suspiciously large amount of time with a beautiful colleague of his (Eva Mendes) at a company party. At home, later that night, we see the couple argue over this but make up in time for Michael to head off on a brief business trip in Philadelphia. While he’s gone Joanna runs into old flame Alex (Guillaume Canet) who she agrees to meet for a drink later. Meanwhile Michael finds himself tempted in Philly by the same colleague that stirred his wife’s jealousy.

The movie evolves into a will-they-or-won’t-they-cheat narrative driven by the lead characters’ insistence on putting themselves into the worst possible situations. Granted, we the audience are meant to suspect that this allegedly happy marriage is really built on a weak foundation which is exposed by their behavior. But I kept shaking my head wondering why anyone would continue to put themselves in such positions to fall unless they just weren’t very nice people. And that’s an issue I had with “Last Night”, none of the main characters are all that likeable and in a story like this it’s nice to have someone to root for.

The film does keep a certain level of intrigue as both Joanna and Michael repel the temptations they face only to put themselves back in the line of fire. I was genuinely interested in whether or not the couple could weather the storm and resist what could potentially destroy their marriage. But my interest wasn’t sparked by any direct connection to the characters. In fact, it’s really hard to connect to these characters. Knightley certainly gives the best performance in the film but even she is let down in spots by the material most notably with this past relationship with Alex. It just doesn’t sell. I actually like Sam Worthington but he seems out of his element here. He sometimes comes across as wooden and emotionless which can hinder a story like this..

“Last Night” has good intentions. Massy Tadjedin does ask good questions about jealousy, devotion, and marriage. It’s seems to make the good point that strong marriages aren’t built on weak foundations and even what looks like a good relationship can crumble if it’s not intended to be. But unfortunately the movie doesn’t give us the characters we need to really emotionally invest in this type of story. We get hints of genuineness and there are some scenes that feel true. But it also sometimes feels lifeless and mundane. “Last Night” is a nice first effort from Tadjedin who gets some things right. But a character-driven film requires characters and we just don’t get consistent ones here.