Category Archives: Movie Reviews – P

REVIEW: “The Place Beyond the Pines”

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PLACE Poster

The title may make it sound like a high-minded ethereal exercise, but “The Place Beyond the Pines” is actually an ambitious movie that is one part cautionary tale and one part complex family drama. The film reunites its star Ryan Gosling with director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance who previously worked together on “Blue Valentine”. This is certainly a different kind of movie with many more layers and a much broader vision. That doesn’t always equal a better movie but in this case Cianfrance definitely takes a step up and his new film almost reaches the lofty heights it aims for.

“The Place Beyond the Pines” can basically be broken down into three parts. First we meet a motorcycle stunt performer named Luke Glanton (Gosling). He’s a tattooed, chain-smoking loner who goes town to town with a traveling carnival. During an annual stop in upstate New York Luke learns he has fathered a child with a local waitress named Romina (Eva Mendes). He decides to quit the carnival and stick around hoping to take care of son, but with no money or job that becomes difficult. He strikes up a friendship with Robin (Ben Mendelsohn) a local mechanic with an affection for robbing banks. A few bad choices later and Luke finds himself in a pretty tough spot.

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Luke’s story connects to that of a young local police officer named Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper). The second part of the film focuses on Avery after he is injured in the line of duty. He struggles with the actions that led to his injury and the “hero” tag that he has been given. As he recovers he fights to stay connected to his wife and young son. He also faces a battle between his moral conscious and some shady goings-on by his friends on the police force.

The third part of the film jumps ahead 15 years but to tell anything else about it would be doing a disservice to the viewer. Suffice it to say this is a film about two men, two families, two fathers, and two sons whose lives are veritably intertwined. The three segments each have their own unique tone and feel to them yet the connection between all three is always there. This was a bold approach to storytelling and I certainly can appreciate Cianfrance’s ambition. But the risk would only work if all three segments were equally good and unfortunately that’s not the case.

My favorite of the three “chapters” (for lack of a better word) was the first one which focused on Gosling’s character. This was a good surprise for me because unlike many people I’m not sold on him as an actor. We get a lot of his normal routine here – brooding, emotionless stares, and a lot of mumbling. But it actually fits a lot better with this character and Gosling does throw in a few variations that we rarely get from him. The story is compelling and features a gritty realism. I loved Mendelsohn here and Mendes is very good as well.

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I also liked the second act which focused on Bradley Cooper’s character. It’s drastically different but deeply connected to what we’ve already seen. The contrasts in the lives of these two men are jarring yet there are similarities which I will let you sort out for yourselves. It’s during this chapter that the film does begin to slow down a bit but it still maintains a strong dramatic pull. But the final act tries to be a little too clever and the contrivances that are employed are all too obvious. There are parts of the final third that do work but as a whole the story becomes less interesting and it’s here that I began to feel the trudge of the movie’s 140 minute running time.

So what do I make of “The Place Beyond the Pines”? Ultimately it was a better movie than I anticipated but not one that fully meets its own high expectations. The camerawork is fantastic and the performances are solid across the board. Also, I never begrudge a filmmaker from making bold choices, but I don’t feel Cianfrance quite knew when to pull back the reins. In the end the film felt a little too cocky and indulgent for its own good. While that brought the movie down a bit it certainly didn’t undo the good qualities that we see particularly in the first two acts.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Purge”

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PUrge Poster

We all have traditions that we look forward to each year: Christmas, Mothers Day, birthdays, opening day of the baseball season, the Purge. Well, at least that’s how it is in 2022 America. What is the Purge you ask? It’s an annual 12 hour government sanctioned period where all crime (murder, rape, anything) is legal. This cathartic release of personal angst and pent up emotion is said to be the reason for the low poverty levels and crime rates. Perfectly reasonable thinking, right?

The yearly Purge is the centerpiece for this horror/thriller written and directed by James DeMonaco. Therefore your ability to buy into it will undoubtedly effect your perception of the film. Personally I found the central conceit to be absurd and while I tried to backburner it I never could quite get over the nuttiness of the idea. I’ll admit there was a slight draw to the concept and if DeMonaco had spent time developing a background it may have been intriguing. Instead it comes across as a gimmick for some typical bloody violence mixed with a sloppy and heavy-handed political statement.

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In terms of story, James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) and his family live in an upper class Los Angeles suburb. James made his fortune exploiting the Purge by selling high priced security systems. The film starts mere hours before the Purge is set to begin. Sandin arrives at his lavish home, wishes his neighbors a “safe night”, has dinner with his family, and prepares to lock down his fortress for the next 12 hours. But obviously they don’t spend a quite uneventful night in their home. A series of events, regardless of how random and illogical, turn their night upside down and they find out they aren’t as secure as they thought.

“The Purge” seems to be constantly straining to generate tension and scares. Most of its horror devices are taken from a number of different movies you’ve seen before. Now and then they turn out to be effective. For example later in the film a group of masked preppies show up and terrorize the Sandins. It’s something that will be very familiar to horror fans and the group plays into the tactless class warfare statement the film is preaching. Yet I’ll admit I found them to be very creepy at times.

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But there are also moments where DeMonaco’s direction completely undermines the scene. There’s a sequence where James and his wife Mary (Lena Headey) are searching for a man in their darkened house. The scene features the routine shadowed hallways, flashlights, and sudden mysterious sounds. This might have been effective except for the fact that DeMonaco already revealed that the man is hiding in a closet. Therefore these designed scare scenes have absolutely no effect. There are several clumsy missed opportunities like this that pop up throughout the picture.

The film has other flaws including a fairly predictable outcome and random nonsensical behavior from some of the characters. But despite these gripes, “The Purge” is never boring and it does create some frights and intensity that works. It doesn’t do enough to cover the silliness of its main concept and there isn’t an ounce of subtlety with DeMonaco’s political preachiness. I think there is a pretty intriguing movie here somewhere, but the glaring problems restrict it to being a middle-of-the-road and ultimately forgettable experience.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Philomena”

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PHILOMENA POSTER

When making a movie based on an emotionally-charged true story there are certain obstacles and temptations that filmmakers must avoid. Time after time we’ve seen movies succumb to dizzying melodrama and cheap emotional tugs. Actors and actresses sometimes go big which can drown out the true heart of their characters. But some films get it right. They balance grounded emotion with smart and crisp storytelling. For the most part “Philomena” is one of the films that gets it right.

“Philomena” tells the touching true story of Philomena Lee and her search to find her son after 50 years of separation. The unquenchable Judi Dench plays this mother who is haunted by thoughts and visions of her long-lost son which drives her to find him. Her daughter introduces her to a journalist named Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) in hopes that he will investigate and tell her remarkable but heartbreaking story. But he’s not without baggage. He was recently unfairly fired from a government position and his journalism career is floundering. He thinks a human interest story is beneath him but he takes it and hoping of getting back on track.

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We learn Philomena’s story along with Martin. Through flashbacks we see that a young Philomena was left at a convent in Ireland by her father after she becomes pregnant. Later on the sisters force her to work seven days a week in a hot laundry room as some sort of twisted act of penance. They allow her and other mothers to see their children once a day but then, without the mother’s consent, they give the children up for adoption. This is what happened to her son. Philomena and Martin’s search begins at the convent and eventually takes them to the United States.

While this is a story of a mother searching for son, it’s also about two very different individuals who form an unlikely friendship. Along the way they have many fascinating conversations that pull the curtain back and reveal more about them. For example Martin is sour and cynical while Philomena is gentle and optimistic. There are also reoccurring discussions on faith. Martin sees faith and the belief in God as pointless. Philomena finds strength in her faith and it permeates every part of her being. Their discussions never fall into sermonizing. They feel natural and believable.

Steve Coogan is mostly known for his comedic work but this is unquestionably a serious role. There is some good humor in the film which works really well, but most of it comes at Philomena’s expense. Coogan mostly plays everything straight and he is fantastic. I’ve often overlooked and underappreciated Steve Coogan as an actor. This performance makes me a true believer. And as expected Dench is amazing. She is such a wonderful actress and she works with an effortless brilliance. In this film she tells more in a close-up expression than some can say with two pages of dialogue. Needless to say her Oscar nomination is well deserved.

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Unfortunately Philomena isn’t criticism proof. Despite all of its strengths, there are moments where the script stumbles or Stephen Frears’ direction undermines the great performances. Most of the film’s emotion is earned, but there are tearjerker moments that feel a bit staged. The script also tosses in some glaring ham-fisted political jabs. They come out of the blue without an ounce of smarts or subtlety behind them. These quibbles may not seem major but they are a distraction.

Still “Philomena” is quite the story. While several dramatic liberties were taken with the actual true account, most of them help make this a better film. There are a few missteps and personally there are several films I would rather see get a Best Picture Oscar nomination. But “Philomena” features two sparkling performances and enough humor and heart to win me over.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Pacific Rim”

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Despite all of the giant creatures, mammoth sized robots, and city crushing showdowns seen in its trailers, I wouldn’t allow myself to get too excited about “Pacific Rim”. I mean even with the much beloved director Guillermo del Toro in charge I still found ample reasons to be skeptical. I mean we are talking about giant monsters versus giant robots right? Yet I knew I would be seeing it. My 11 year old son was all onboard and my deep affection for those great sci-fi creature features of the 1950’s kept the film in the back of my mind.

Lets be honest, “Pacific Rim” is based on a pretty absurd concept. It’s also loaded with all of the ingredients for a ridiculous and corny picture. But the big surprise is that Guillermo del Toro is completely aware of it from the start. He embraces it, mocks it, and plays with it. That’s a huge reason that “Pacific Rim” is such a fun ride.

Storywise there’s really nothing here that you haven’t seen before. The script pulls parts from everything from “Independence Day” to “Top Gun” and it employs a number of the summer popcorn movie cliches that we see every year. Many of the characters are carbon copied from other films and their stories play out exactly as you would expect. It’s big and loud and there isn’t an ounce of subtlety anywhere in the movie.

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But now that I have that stuff out of the way let me tell you why “Pacific Rim” is such a good film. I mentioned how del Torro plays with this familiar material. He makes this his own sandbox and builds a wildly entertaining experience regardless of it familiarity. His love for those wonderful big monster pictures is evident in this story of skyscraper sized creatures from beneath the Pacific Ocean. After major cities from around the globe fall to the devastating beasts known as Kaiju (a Japanese word meaning “strange creature”), the world comes together to create a line of defense. That defense is in the form of Jaegers, huge robots manned by two pilots connected via something akin to a Vulcan mind meld.

Idris Elba, an actor I really like, plays Stacker Pentecost (don’t you love that name?). He’s the commanding officer of the operation. Charlie Hunnan plays the risk-taking Raleigh who’s called back into service after a past tragedy. Rinko Kikuchi plays a very capable potential pilot whose shrouded in mystery. We even get Ron Perlman, a del Toro favorite, as a slimy black market seller of creature parts. Yes, it’s as strange as it sounds but Perlman has a blast with it. There are also several other good characters sprinkled throughout the story who are surprisingly well fleshed out and a lot of fun.

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Contrary to what you may think, this isn’t just a constant barrage of beast versus machine combat. Del Toro spends a lot of time unwrapping these characters which was surprisingly effective. In fact the entire middle portion of the movie gets away from the action and spends its time setting up relationships and building its characters. Most of the time this worked but honestly the movie did spin its wheels a little here. I felt it took a tad to much time away from the Jaegers and I was pretty happy when they were back in the picture. But I don’t want to downplay what he does with the characters. They are so much more well-rounded that I would imagine.

Still, the real meat and potatoes of “Pacific Rim” are the robots, monsters, and the enormous action set pieces surrounding them. And let me just say they look spectacular. The geek boy in me was giddy with pleasure whenever del Toro’s creations took center stage. The near flawless CGI is really something to behold. Clearly there is a ton of it, sometimes with full sequences of nothing put computer generated effects. But it looks so amazing and del Toro’s imagination shown in his creations is loads of fun. And even as preposterous as the whole thing was, I had absolutely no problem buying into all.

So what can I say? “Pacific Rim” really surprised me. Just like many others, I feared this could be just another of those mind-numbing “Transformers” films. Boy was I wrong. It’s good science fiction and it’s good storytelling. More importantly to me it’s a wonderful hearken back to an old genre of movies that I’m still crazy about. The 1950’s sci-fi creature features are movies that many modern moviegoers aren’t familiar with. Personally I love them and “Pacific Rim” shows me del Toro does too. Hats off to him.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

“Premium Rush” – 2 STARS

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premium_rush_posterI really like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and its been fun watching him deservedly bloom into a full-fledged movie star. I’m a huge fan of Michael Shannon and I firmly believe he’s one of the most underappreciated actors in film today. So these two coming together to star in a movie together should be pretty great, right? Well not exactly. “Premium Rush” isn’t a terrible movie by any stretch but it’s also far from being a great one. In fact if you measure the thrilling and entertaining moments against its several flaws, the result is a painfully average film with little to no staying power.

JGL plays Wilee, an energetic free spirit who skipped the bar exam to go to work as a New York City bicycle courier. He flies through the city at breakneck speeds, weaving through traffic and pedestrians on his brakeless bike, for small pay but a huge adrenaline rush. Apparently there is an entire subculture of bicycle couriers who are competitive but who party together and stand up for each other. Wilee’s ex-girlfriend Vanessa (Dania Ramirez) is also a courier as is Manny (Wolé Parks), his chief rival for both jobs and Vanessa.

Things turn bad for Wilee after he’s given what seems to be an easy pickup and delivery. The envelope, given to him by Vanessa’s roommate Nima (Jaime Chung), ends up containing a ticket worth $50,000. Corrupt cop and gambling addict Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) gets wind of the envelope and sets out to intercept it. After getting in deep with the Chinese mob and some loan sharks, Monday is willing to do anything to pay off his debts. He chases Wilee through New York City using his badge as a weapon to get the money.

Ok, I have to admit I had a hard time buying into a lot of this. First off, the grungy bicycle messenger community never interested me at all. Sure it was different but it didn’t even come across as believable. It’s laughable how many laws they break yet they’re able to stay in business. Wilee himself runs red lights, causes car accidents, hurts pedestrians, resists arrest, steals a police vehicle. I could go on but I suppose there is a good reason why they get away with it. The police are some of the most idiotic bumblers I’ve ever seen in a movie. There ineptitude is crucial to moving the story along but that doesn’t make it any less ridiculous.

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There were also issues I had with the characters and some of the performances. JGL is solid as always even though the material gets a little goofy. For example, his character has a corny time-stopping biker ESP ability that allows him to stop time and see all the available routes around a highly congested area. The first time it’s used it’s pretty cool, but after the fifth time I was shaking my head. Then there are the flimsy supporting characters and performances specifically from his fellow bikers. Ramirez ranges from flat to over-the-top. Chung is wooden and seems to resort to line reading instead of acting. Then there’s Parks’ role, a common cookie-cutter character except this time he rides a bike. Perhaps the best work comes from Michael Shannon, an actor whose got ‘off your rocker’ down perfectly. But I even felt his performance was too big and showy. But I don’t put that squarely on him.

But enough of the bad. “Premium Rush” features many hair-raising scenes of bikes zipping in, out, and over New York City traffic at insane speeds. What’s really impressive is that it’s said that most of the footage is real riding and not CGI. In fact, while filming JGL was injured after slamming his bike into the back of a taxi and being thrown into the rear window. There’s an actual shot of his injury shown during the end credits. Some incredible camerawork captures all this with great technique. I also appreciate how the movie doesn’t overextend the material. The film runs a tight and concise 90 minutes which is perfect for the story it’s telling.

As I mentioned earlier, “Premium Rush” isn’t a terrible movie even though my review may make it sound otherwise. It’s impossible not to love the bike scenes as well as the way the camera captures New York City. Unfortunately the movie is plagued by mediocre performances, paper-thin characters, and an overload of head-scratching silliness. Regardless of how exciting the movie can sometimes be, it just doesn’t have enough pop to overcome its flaws. That’s a shame because I was expecting a lot more and there is a better movie lying somewhere underneath the shortcomings.

REVIEW: “The People vs. George Lucas” (2010)

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There is a great statement midway through the 2010 documentary The People vs. George Lucas – “Fandom is born out of a mix of fascination and frustration”. That statement gets to the heart of what this film is all about. George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise has arguably the most rabidly passionate and vocal fan bases in all of geekdom. Now don’t misunderstand me, that’s not intended to be an insult. I’m right there with them, although admittedly to a lesser degree. I don’t dress up in Star Wars garb or buy every new toy with the Star Wars name attached. But in the interest of full disclosure (and in an attempt to show my credentials) I do have a box of about 20 unopened action figures tucked away in my closet and I still love the Star Wars expanded universe graphic novels. I know what bantha poodoo is and I can easily identify Poggle the Lesser. In other words, I can relate to these crazed fans who have loved Star Wars since their childhood.

Director Alexandre Philippe documentary is a look at the strong love/hate relationship that these dedicated Star Wars fans have with George Lucas. Throughout the years Lucas has flaunted his creative control of his Star Wars franchise in ways that has infuriated hardcore fans. Philippe doesn’t intend to take sides as he tackles the bigger question of whether Star Wars belongs solely in the hands of its creator or does it in a very real and personal way belong to the people. The film features interviews with directors, film students, critics, bloggers, and more all sharing a bond as die-hard Star Wars enthusiasts. Lucas isn’t interviewed but we do get archived footage of other interviews he’s done in the past.

A small case is made for creator rights but for the most part this is about fans voicing their displeasure and their personal frustrations with Lucas’s decisions in regard to Star Wars. The film gives them a forum to voice their anger while also showing the audience how serious this is for some people. Many of the interviewers berate Lucas particularly for his ironclad hold on Star Wars. There’s also a very damning section that talks about Lucas’s staunch opposition to the colorization of black and white films and how it relates to his seemingly bitter opposition to releasing the original three Star Wars films unenhanced. Yet the movie also shows where Lucas has opened Star Wars up to fans in some key areas. It also makes a great case for how he continues to touch the lives of today’s kids through the films just as he did when we were kids in the early 80s.

All of that being said, I still find that in a slick way this was more about the fans than it was about George Lucas. We hear from a woman who lost her husband and her child because of her Star Wars addiction. We hear people using the phrase “raped my childhood” to describe how they feel about Lucas and the new trilogy. Even as a Star Wars fan, I feel Philippe takes a provocative but subtle look at Star Wars fandom from the inside. It’s one part critique and another part explanation. It exposes over-the-top obsessions while also explaining how this amazing, groundbreaking franchise is rooted in our childhood and has changed many of our lives.

Now I wouldn’t be a proper Star Wars fan if I didn’t throw in my two cents worth. I didn’t hate the prequels. In fact there’s a lot I liked about them and I hold the position that you can always disregard them. But I strongly disagree with Lucas’s decision to keep the unaltered original trilogy from being sold. I dislike much of his tinkering with three films that will always be some of my favorites of all time. There’s no logic or reason behind his decision and it certainly frustrates me. But it doesn’t extinguish the magic of Star Wars. I can still watch the movies and be just as engaged as I was as a young boy sitting in the theaters. I can thank George Lucas for that and that’s something you can’t take away from him. This documentary touches on some of these things. It may seem like it’s taking a side but if you look a little deeper under the surface I think you’ll find a much broader critique that makes for a very appealing film, especially for Star Wars fans.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS