There has been a bunch of buzz about this new Jennifer Aniston flick called Cake. Many were calling for her to get an Oscar nomination for this, which she did not. More on that in a minute.
Cake is a heavy duty drama about a California woman named Claire (Aniston). She is in chronic back and leg pain from an accident. She is also physically scarred on her face and body, and as we learn, her mind too. She is horribly addicted to pain killers and goes to great lengths to get the drugs she wants, when she wants them.
She is battling about every kind of terrible demon that one can. She in short is a total mess, and not really any of it, at it's root, is her fault. How she is dealing with them though does become her fault. She is insanely self-destructive and seems mired in self pity and self loathing. There are people that are in her life that want better for her, but they are unsuccessful. So, can she fined it in herself to make it on her own? And what really happened in the first place? That is Cake.
There was a loud shout when Aniston was not given a Oscar nomination. But they are wrong. True, this is a nice performance, but that's it. Yes, this is very, very different than anything she has ever done before and this is a gritty, dramatic performance. But simply because it is very different, doesn't make it award worthy. The Academy got this one right. She is very good, but not one of five best performances of the year in her category.
As for Cake, this is a hard as nails movie that is not easy movie going. But this movie will really speak to many who have someone in their life who is battling things larger than themselves. It dares to take you inside the mind of those who are addicted, broken, and suicidal. This is in limited release, and you may have to drive to find it. And this is clearly not for everyone.
Cake. Very tough stuff.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - Paddington
It has taken a long time, but Paddington Bear has finally come to the movies for the family. And he's right on time!
Paddington Bear is from a series of books written for kids starting in the late 1950's. Plus, there were tons of toys, and about everything Paddington you could by, and now here he is at the movies. Paddington the movie, is a wonderful little family movie that is simply a story about finding a home, going home, and family.
Quickly in our story, little Paddington has to leave the forests of Peru, and travels to London as he was instructed by his own family. There he hopes to find the explorer that discovered the bears Peru 40 years earlier and live with him. But instead, Paddington finds a very nice young family named the Browns. Turns out they need the clumsy, and trouble-finding Paddington as much as he needs them. All the while, Paddington is being chased by the local taxidermist (Nicole Kidman), so she can add him to her collection.
Paddington is simply the kind of family movie that I wish Hollywood would make more of. Of course Paddington himself is computer generated, and inserted into a live action movie with real sets and actors. This is not animated with huge production numbers and dancing and the rest of the classic formula that is old and tired. Paddington is fresh, and fun. They have created a wonderfully fun little character that is voiced amazingly by Ben Whishaw. Paddington is a very polite and gentle soul who is fun to root for, and easy to forgive when he causes havoc with the Browns.
Paddington. About the perfect modern family movie.
Paddington Bear is from a series of books written for kids starting in the late 1950's. Plus, there were tons of toys, and about everything Paddington you could by, and now here he is at the movies. Paddington the movie, is a wonderful little family movie that is simply a story about finding a home, going home, and family.
Quickly in our story, little Paddington has to leave the forests of Peru, and travels to London as he was instructed by his own family. There he hopes to find the explorer that discovered the bears Peru 40 years earlier and live with him. But instead, Paddington finds a very nice young family named the Browns. Turns out they need the clumsy, and trouble-finding Paddington as much as he needs them. All the while, Paddington is being chased by the local taxidermist (Nicole Kidman), so she can add him to her collection.
Paddington is simply the kind of family movie that I wish Hollywood would make more of. Of course Paddington himself is computer generated, and inserted into a live action movie with real sets and actors. This is not animated with huge production numbers and dancing and the rest of the classic formula that is old and tired. Paddington is fresh, and fun. They have created a wonderfully fun little character that is voiced amazingly by Ben Whishaw. Paddington is a very polite and gentle soul who is fun to root for, and easy to forgive when he causes havoc with the Browns.
Paddington. About the perfect modern family movie.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - Mortdecai
Is the shine finally coming off the Johnny Depp weird character bandwagon? It would seem so after the new Mortdecai this weekend.
Depp has made a great living out of playing strange, and way-out-there characters over a number of years. And many of them memorable, fun and some really, really well done. This is not among them. And it could be that we've just seen him do this stuff a few too may times. To some, this is a cheap Peter Sellers imitation of this signature Inspector Clouseau character of the 1960's and 70's, and they would be right. Just not anywhere near as original.
Mortdecai is a comedy about a quirky art dealer/detective named Charlie Mortdecai (Depp). He is from London, and after swindling countless people is bad art deals, he is commissioned at virtually no pay by the British Government to recover a priceless painting that had been stolen. It is somewhere out there on the world black market, and he has to track it down, or face the consequences of an 8 million dollar tax debt. This takes way too may tosses and turns to explain effectively here. But in short, this overall story is a mess.
This has a seemingly great cast, with Gwenyth Paltrow as his wife, and Ewan Mcgregor as the British agent who makes him take the case. The supporting cast is fine, and all seems to be in order, except for one thing. This is just not written very well. This is intended as a British parody of sorts, and strives for the charm of a quirky independent flick. Everyone doing their best British accents, and mannerisms, but in the end this is just not very funny.
There are though some really funny physical comedy sight gags that did have the theater laughing from time to time. Problem is, you have to wade through endless dialogue that at times is so tedious you are looking at your watch to see how far we have yet to go. Depp is stretching here and he just can't pull this off effectively. A few moments of real fun, draped in between long stretches of nothing, is simply not a great night at the movies.
Mortdecai. There's a reason that a Johnny Depp movie has been buried this deep in the middle of mid January movie purgatory.
Depp has made a great living out of playing strange, and way-out-there characters over a number of years. And many of them memorable, fun and some really, really well done. This is not among them. And it could be that we've just seen him do this stuff a few too may times. To some, this is a cheap Peter Sellers imitation of this signature Inspector Clouseau character of the 1960's and 70's, and they would be right. Just not anywhere near as original.
Mortdecai is a comedy about a quirky art dealer/detective named Charlie Mortdecai (Depp). He is from London, and after swindling countless people is bad art deals, he is commissioned at virtually no pay by the British Government to recover a priceless painting that had been stolen. It is somewhere out there on the world black market, and he has to track it down, or face the consequences of an 8 million dollar tax debt. This takes way too may tosses and turns to explain effectively here. But in short, this overall story is a mess.
This has a seemingly great cast, with Gwenyth Paltrow as his wife, and Ewan Mcgregor as the British agent who makes him take the case. The supporting cast is fine, and all seems to be in order, except for one thing. This is just not written very well. This is intended as a British parody of sorts, and strives for the charm of a quirky independent flick. Everyone doing their best British accents, and mannerisms, but in the end this is just not very funny.
There are though some really funny physical comedy sight gags that did have the theater laughing from time to time. Problem is, you have to wade through endless dialogue that at times is so tedious you are looking at your watch to see how far we have yet to go. Depp is stretching here and he just can't pull this off effectively. A few moments of real fun, draped in between long stretches of nothing, is simply not a great night at the movies.
Mortdecai. There's a reason that a Johnny Depp movie has been buried this deep in the middle of mid January movie purgatory.
Friday, January 23, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - The Boy Next Door
For some reason Jennifer Lopez decided to produce, and star in this horrible derailment of a movie, The Boy Next Door.
There is a rumored interesting back story on this movie. Word is, it was filmed in only 25 days and came in at about 4 million to make. Unheard of today, where the average budget is about 40 million or so. This movies story was inspired too by some high profile cases nationally where female teachers have affairs with their students in high school.
Let's recap this nonsense. Claire (Lopez) is a high school classic literature teacher. She is married to Garrett (John Corbett), but they are separated because of his lying, cheating ways. They have a son named Kevin who is a nice kid, but is bullied at the same school where Claire teaches. There's this new kid that moves in next door to Claire named Noah (Ryan Guzman). He seems like a nice kid, but he's not.
Noah is almost 20, has not finished high school so he's back in Claire's school to finish up after the death of his parents. He's a handsome kid, who has his sights on the jilted Claire. Then one rainy, stormy night, after Claire has a few glasses of wine, they end up sleeping together in Noah's uncles house. Of course, this is a huge problem on so many levels, not the least of which is that Noah is a nut job who becomes this horrible stalker goof as Claire comes to her senses when the sun comes up and she tells him it all was a mistake.
So the stalking is on. Noah starts causing all kind of serious trouble from the small to the amazingly illegal. He even tries to kill all of the rivals involved, and goes completely off the deep end, because he can't have Claire. And much of this is laughable, and most of this is predictable and all of this is terrible. With all this, no one thinks to call the cops- not even once. Also, we are supposed to believe that Lopez is a jilted, low self-esteemed, lonely wife. On film, this just doesn't work.
This is so bad, it can't even qualify as "so bad it's good." Sometimes bad is just bad. The writing on this is amateurish at best and the acting has no chance. This all looks like it was filmed in 1 or 2 takes. This is supposed to be similar to Fatal Attraction, or Enough, but this is light years away from those. Being honest there is not one element of this that is good. This is a great example of a mid-January thriller movie. This is the frozen bastion of movie releases, and they stick junk like this out there when people have nothing else to to.
But, interestingly enough, this will more than likely be very profitable. With it's microscopic budget and Jennifer Lopez in her underwear, and a young hunk shirtless for much of this, it won't take long to get all of its cash back. And long before it even goes to streaming, DVD and eventually cable. But please take some advice from a friend, don't pay for this. Don't stream this in 90 days. If you must, wait a couple years and some night you'll see this edited on TNT, right after Law And Order.
The Boy Next Door. There's bad, then there's this. Could be the final nail in J-Lo's movie starring career.
There is a rumored interesting back story on this movie. Word is, it was filmed in only 25 days and came in at about 4 million to make. Unheard of today, where the average budget is about 40 million or so. This movies story was inspired too by some high profile cases nationally where female teachers have affairs with their students in high school.
Let's recap this nonsense. Claire (Lopez) is a high school classic literature teacher. She is married to Garrett (John Corbett), but they are separated because of his lying, cheating ways. They have a son named Kevin who is a nice kid, but is bullied at the same school where Claire teaches. There's this new kid that moves in next door to Claire named Noah (Ryan Guzman). He seems like a nice kid, but he's not.
Noah is almost 20, has not finished high school so he's back in Claire's school to finish up after the death of his parents. He's a handsome kid, who has his sights on the jilted Claire. Then one rainy, stormy night, after Claire has a few glasses of wine, they end up sleeping together in Noah's uncles house. Of course, this is a huge problem on so many levels, not the least of which is that Noah is a nut job who becomes this horrible stalker goof as Claire comes to her senses when the sun comes up and she tells him it all was a mistake.
So the stalking is on. Noah starts causing all kind of serious trouble from the small to the amazingly illegal. He even tries to kill all of the rivals involved, and goes completely off the deep end, because he can't have Claire. And much of this is laughable, and most of this is predictable and all of this is terrible. With all this, no one thinks to call the cops- not even once. Also, we are supposed to believe that Lopez is a jilted, low self-esteemed, lonely wife. On film, this just doesn't work.
This is so bad, it can't even qualify as "so bad it's good." Sometimes bad is just bad. The writing on this is amateurish at best and the acting has no chance. This all looks like it was filmed in 1 or 2 takes. This is supposed to be similar to Fatal Attraction, or Enough, but this is light years away from those. Being honest there is not one element of this that is good. This is a great example of a mid-January thriller movie. This is the frozen bastion of movie releases, and they stick junk like this out there when people have nothing else to to.
But, interestingly enough, this will more than likely be very profitable. With it's microscopic budget and Jennifer Lopez in her underwear, and a young hunk shirtless for much of this, it won't take long to get all of its cash back. And long before it even goes to streaming, DVD and eventually cable. But please take some advice from a friend, don't pay for this. Don't stream this in 90 days. If you must, wait a couple years and some night you'll see this edited on TNT, right after Law And Order.
The Boy Next Door. There's bad, then there's this. Could be the final nail in J-Lo's movie starring career.
Monday, January 19, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - Blackhat
Oh boy! The new "thriller" Blackhat is out this week, and we are not better for it.
Blackhat is an ill- advised computer hacker movie that in the end, is a huge waste of money, effort, and time. When will Hollywood figure it out that movies that are made about computers and anything related to them are just not very interesting to watch on screen? They try here to make this exciting by sprinkling in some action, but it doesn't work.
Blackhat is the story of a computer hacker who is very skilled, and his first act of terrorism is setting off an attack on a nuclear power plant in China. He is successful. Then his next target are Soy Futures on the stock market. What?? Yes, that's true, and he makes a ton of money by hacking into Wall Street and causing a Soy panic. So the American government is very nervous and they decide to work with the Chinese to try to find this guy. And they need to hire the best hacker they know. I guy in jail named Hathaway (Liam Hemsworth) to try to break this guys code and bring him in.
But who is our villain? What does he want? And why is he doing all of this? Who is his beef with? Well, we never really find out. And that is the main and horrible flaw in this piece of junk. In fact, we really don't even see him till almost 2 hours into this 2 plus hour bore rest. How is it possible that someone decides to make a movie about international disasters with this super hacker, and they can't even be bothered to invent a villain that we can hate? James Bond has made a half century legacy on that very premise. But these clowns can't be bothered with such things. There is no one to hate or be afraid of and that just kills this.
Instead, they show Hathaway and his team chasing their tails for 2 hours. And we get to watch Hathaway start sleeping with his Chinese counterpart, and the sister of his college roommate who is also working on the case. What?? All the while the U.S. Government working with them are over-matched and non cooperative for the most part.
This is so full of holes, and absolute ridiculousness that a few words here can't do it justice. This is also a movie that gets worse every minute the projector is running. And at the 2 hour mark you realize that you still have some distance to go, it's tough not to walk out. This is boring, and just downright bad.
Blackhat. What was anyone connected with this thinking? Awful!
Blackhat is an ill- advised computer hacker movie that in the end, is a huge waste of money, effort, and time. When will Hollywood figure it out that movies that are made about computers and anything related to them are just not very interesting to watch on screen? They try here to make this exciting by sprinkling in some action, but it doesn't work.
Blackhat is the story of a computer hacker who is very skilled, and his first act of terrorism is setting off an attack on a nuclear power plant in China. He is successful. Then his next target are Soy Futures on the stock market. What?? Yes, that's true, and he makes a ton of money by hacking into Wall Street and causing a Soy panic. So the American government is very nervous and they decide to work with the Chinese to try to find this guy. And they need to hire the best hacker they know. I guy in jail named Hathaway (Liam Hemsworth) to try to break this guys code and bring him in.
But who is our villain? What does he want? And why is he doing all of this? Who is his beef with? Well, we never really find out. And that is the main and horrible flaw in this piece of junk. In fact, we really don't even see him till almost 2 hours into this 2 plus hour bore rest. How is it possible that someone decides to make a movie about international disasters with this super hacker, and they can't even be bothered to invent a villain that we can hate? James Bond has made a half century legacy on that very premise. But these clowns can't be bothered with such things. There is no one to hate or be afraid of and that just kills this.
Instead, they show Hathaway and his team chasing their tails for 2 hours. And we get to watch Hathaway start sleeping with his Chinese counterpart, and the sister of his college roommate who is also working on the case. What?? All the while the U.S. Government working with them are over-matched and non cooperative for the most part.
This is so full of holes, and absolute ridiculousness that a few words here can't do it justice. This is also a movie that gets worse every minute the projector is running. And at the 2 hour mark you realize that you still have some distance to go, it's tough not to walk out. This is boring, and just downright bad.
Blackhat. What was anyone connected with this thinking? Awful!
Sunday, January 18, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - The Wedding Ringer
Funny men Kevin Hart and Josh Gad star in the new comedy, The Wedding Ringer new this week.
This is a great example of a really good idea that could have, and should have been a whole lot better. Don't get me wrong, there are some good laughs here and actually some really fun and heartfelt moments too. But a few key sell-out moments, and ill-advised scenes take this from really pretty good, to simply OK.
This is the story of Doug (Gad). He is a goofy, 30 something awkward rich young professional that has inherited his fathers business after his death. He falls in love with Gretchen (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) and they are going to get married. Problem is, Doug does not have any friends, and needs a best man, and 7 groomsmen for this huge wedding that is being planned. And Gretchen does not know this fact.
So Doug learns of Jimmy (Hart), who runs a business called Best Man Inc. For a huge fee, he becomes your best man complete with a wedding party and no one is the wiser. In short, it's all a big lie. So Doug hires Jimmy and the laughs are on. Can they pull this off, and is Gretchen really the one? And is it a good idea that Jimmy and Doug even met?
This particular movie, is a far better idea than is executed here. This could have been really funny from start to finish, but the temptation to be like all other modern comedies is just too great. But yes, there are laugh out loud moments here. This movie will be loved by many of the patrons, and killed by the critics nationally. But if you watch this closely, you can see the potential here, and feel a bit sad that in the end, it comes down to this product.
There are good moments in this, where Gad, and Hart have really good chemistry, and those are the movies best. They seem an unlikely pair on screen and that adds to the fun. Gad is a pretty funny guy, and embraces this role as the privileged underdog. And Hart is who he is. Although here I did not find him as fatiguing as usual. As funny as he is and can be, to me his act can get old quick. But here not so much - or I am getting desensitized to his act.
But, a ridiculous muddy football scene that comes out of nowhere and goes nowhere was a real bad idea. Also, a bachelor party scene that could have been funny, sells out to 7th grade humor, and as shocking as it is supposed to be, it doesn't really work. And there are few other rough patches, that if this was thought out a bit longer, could have been a surprisingly good flick, with the new faces and original idea.
The Wedding Ringer. A pretty good time, that could have been a really great time.
This is a great example of a really good idea that could have, and should have been a whole lot better. Don't get me wrong, there are some good laughs here and actually some really fun and heartfelt moments too. But a few key sell-out moments, and ill-advised scenes take this from really pretty good, to simply OK.
This is the story of Doug (Gad). He is a goofy, 30 something awkward rich young professional that has inherited his fathers business after his death. He falls in love with Gretchen (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) and they are going to get married. Problem is, Doug does not have any friends, and needs a best man, and 7 groomsmen for this huge wedding that is being planned. And Gretchen does not know this fact.
So Doug learns of Jimmy (Hart), who runs a business called Best Man Inc. For a huge fee, he becomes your best man complete with a wedding party and no one is the wiser. In short, it's all a big lie. So Doug hires Jimmy and the laughs are on. Can they pull this off, and is Gretchen really the one? And is it a good idea that Jimmy and Doug even met?
This particular movie, is a far better idea than is executed here. This could have been really funny from start to finish, but the temptation to be like all other modern comedies is just too great. But yes, there are laugh out loud moments here. This movie will be loved by many of the patrons, and killed by the critics nationally. But if you watch this closely, you can see the potential here, and feel a bit sad that in the end, it comes down to this product.
There are good moments in this, where Gad, and Hart have really good chemistry, and those are the movies best. They seem an unlikely pair on screen and that adds to the fun. Gad is a pretty funny guy, and embraces this role as the privileged underdog. And Hart is who he is. Although here I did not find him as fatiguing as usual. As funny as he is and can be, to me his act can get old quick. But here not so much - or I am getting desensitized to his act.
But, a ridiculous muddy football scene that comes out of nowhere and goes nowhere was a real bad idea. Also, a bachelor party scene that could have been funny, sells out to 7th grade humor, and as shocking as it is supposed to be, it doesn't really work. And there are few other rough patches, that if this was thought out a bit longer, could have been a surprisingly good flick, with the new faces and original idea.
The Wedding Ringer. A pretty good time, that could have been a really great time.
Friday, January 16, 2015
The Five Best Movies of 2014
Another year has come and gone, and now it's time to give extreme props to the Five Best Movies of 2014. Last year was another year where animation and superheroes dominated the box office and the actual theater space. Seems there were more IMAX, 3D and special screen movies than ever. As a result some of the great movies waited for wide release till late in the year. And others simply were lost in the hype of the blockbusters.
Again though, it was a year that was phenomenal for small movies. In fact like 2013, they were some of the best movies of the year. I saw about 150 movies last year, and you'll notice that my list again this year is going to look far different than many national year end lists. I think that gives credence the local critic, we can't all agree on all movies, and I don't believe that nationals do either. So let's go. There will also be some honorable mentions.
The Five Best Movies of 2014
1/ American Sniper - This movie is amazing. Clint Eastwood directs, Bradley Cooper acts,
and the story is compelling beyond belief. Modern "war" movies have taken a
hard turn to "real." Characters that are well developed and ones you have not
met before. This true story is one all should know. Eastwood makes great
movies and Cooper is Hollywood's best leading man right now. Incredible.
Both should win the Oscar. A story worth learning about.
2/ Chef - One of the more original and one of the more entertaining movies in a long time. What
a great, and quirky little movie about a chef, and his crazy life on the job and off. One of the
best scripts of the year, brought to life with an all-star cast. Funny, dramatic, real, relevant,
and one of the real feel good movies of the past 20 years. Simply great. Stream this if you
missed this.
3/ Begin Again - Another small movie that gets tons of originality points here. Story of a down and
out music business guy who doesn't know the biz has passed him by. But he gets
one last chance with a new female singer at recording greatness. Mark Ruffalo,
Keira Knightley, Hailee Steinfeld, and Adam Levine star. The original music is
really great and the story is same. Knightley is amazing here. Stream this as well,
will not disappoint.
4/ The Drop - James Gandolfini, Tom Hardy and Noomi Repace star in another movie that got
little play. Gandolfini in his last role. Movie about the dirty work of organized crime
in today's contemporary world, but brought down to a personal level. This movie is
brilliantly acted, and the story is original and strong. This movie also looks great in
every regard. Stream this as well. Great movie.
5/ St. Vincent - How great is this little movie? Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts
and a great supporting cast in a story that keeps you glued from start to finish. This
is relevant, and spot on in its topicality. You never stop learning about our main
characters, and the acting and directing are amazing here. This is funny, sad,
and moving all at the same time. Stream this. Terrific!
Honorable Mentions
Birdman - The "continuous shot" movie technique is incredibly innovative and effective. Could win
a Best Director Oscar. This movie has 9 Oscar nominations.
Boyhood - Golden Globe winner. Filmed over 13 years with the same cast. Insanely original idea.
This too could win a number of Oscars, including Best Picture, as Hollywood loves this.
Foxcatcher - Great movie and Steve Carell would win the Oscar in any other year, but Bradley
Cooper will win this year. True story you don't know and all performances are great.
A Most Wanted Man - Philip Seymour Hoffman's final movie, and the best performance of his
career. If you like political thrillers, stream this intensely good movie.
The Imitation Game - This movie looks great and tells another true story from WWII you don't
know. Benedict Cumberbatch is great. Keira Knightley again is fantastic
she should win the Oscar for this. What a year she had.
There they are, the Five Best Movies of 2014. Also check out my list of the Five Worst Movies, Five Most Surprising and Five Most Disappointing movies of the past year.
scott@wqmx.com
Again though, it was a year that was phenomenal for small movies. In fact like 2013, they were some of the best movies of the year. I saw about 150 movies last year, and you'll notice that my list again this year is going to look far different than many national year end lists. I think that gives credence the local critic, we can't all agree on all movies, and I don't believe that nationals do either. So let's go. There will also be some honorable mentions.
The Five Best Movies of 2014
1/ American Sniper - This movie is amazing. Clint Eastwood directs, Bradley Cooper acts,
and the story is compelling beyond belief. Modern "war" movies have taken a
hard turn to "real." Characters that are well developed and ones you have not
met before. This true story is one all should know. Eastwood makes great
movies and Cooper is Hollywood's best leading man right now. Incredible.
Both should win the Oscar. A story worth learning about.
2/ Chef - One of the more original and one of the more entertaining movies in a long time. What
a great, and quirky little movie about a chef, and his crazy life on the job and off. One of the
best scripts of the year, brought to life with an all-star cast. Funny, dramatic, real, relevant,
and one of the real feel good movies of the past 20 years. Simply great. Stream this if you
missed this.
3/ Begin Again - Another small movie that gets tons of originality points here. Story of a down and
out music business guy who doesn't know the biz has passed him by. But he gets
one last chance with a new female singer at recording greatness. Mark Ruffalo,
Keira Knightley, Hailee Steinfeld, and Adam Levine star. The original music is
really great and the story is same. Knightley is amazing here. Stream this as well,
will not disappoint.
4/ The Drop - James Gandolfini, Tom Hardy and Noomi Repace star in another movie that got
little play. Gandolfini in his last role. Movie about the dirty work of organized crime
in today's contemporary world, but brought down to a personal level. This movie is
brilliantly acted, and the story is original and strong. This movie also looks great in
every regard. Stream this as well. Great movie.
5/ St. Vincent - How great is this little movie? Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts
and a great supporting cast in a story that keeps you glued from start to finish. This
is relevant, and spot on in its topicality. You never stop learning about our main
characters, and the acting and directing are amazing here. This is funny, sad,
and moving all at the same time. Stream this. Terrific!
Honorable Mentions
Birdman - The "continuous shot" movie technique is incredibly innovative and effective. Could win
a Best Director Oscar. This movie has 9 Oscar nominations.
Boyhood - Golden Globe winner. Filmed over 13 years with the same cast. Insanely original idea.
This too could win a number of Oscars, including Best Picture, as Hollywood loves this.
Foxcatcher - Great movie and Steve Carell would win the Oscar in any other year, but Bradley
Cooper will win this year. True story you don't know and all performances are great.
A Most Wanted Man - Philip Seymour Hoffman's final movie, and the best performance of his
career. If you like political thrillers, stream this intensely good movie.
The Imitation Game - This movie looks great and tells another true story from WWII you don't
know. Benedict Cumberbatch is great. Keira Knightley again is fantastic
she should win the Oscar for this. What a year she had.
There they are, the Five Best Movies of 2014. Also check out my list of the Five Worst Movies, Five Most Surprising and Five Most Disappointing movies of the past year.
scott@wqmx.com
MOVIE REVIEW - American Sniper
Here comes the best movie of 2014. And it has been worth the wait locally, the Clint Eastwood directed American Sniper true story of the late Chris Kyle.
Bradley Cooper stars as Kyle, who has gone down in history as the sniper with the most enemy kills ever. A Navy Seal with an amazing sense of duty, country and selflessness. This movie is based on Kyles book, and the recollections of his widow, Teah. Yes, this is the story of an American hero, but it does tell the entire story, as Kyle is a hero, and incredibly flawed all at the same time.
In this new era of war setting movies, this is on par with The Hurt Locker (Oscar winner Best Picture), and Zero Dark Thirty (Oscar nominated Best Picture). These incredible movies have all been set in the war in the Middle East, but they really are more the stories of the people and how the war effects them, their families and eventually all of us. All of these movies are amazing, and this one is a step above even them.
Kyle is from Texas, and he joins the military late in life compared to most. He becomes a Seal, and eventually an amazingly skilled sniper that protects Marines on the streets of Iraq, as they go from house to house looking for wanted terrorists. He registers over 160 kills, and earns the title of "Legend." He becomes the most wanted man in Iraq by the terrorists who know of his prowess. But all of this is not without a price. Clearly Kyle is a sufferer of PTSD, as he has a very difficult time blending back in with his wife, life and young children.
His sense of duty is so strong, he needs to find another way to help in the fight, even after his days in the service are over. But how? Also, can he save his marriage, and his family, and is he a danger to himself or others. These are the questions of American Sniper.
Cooper is fantastic in his performance, and should win the Oscar for this. This is a large role, where he really became Kyle. He gained 40 pounds to look like him, and he does. Cooper spent much time with Kyles widow, learning all he could about Kyle, and brings him to life in an uncanny fashion. The performance is authentic, and real and about as good as any one person in any role in recent memory.
Eastwood's direction is superb as this movie looks great, tells a hard-to-tell story. The backdrops are spot on, and everyone looks incredibly comfortable in this movie. The casting is perfect from start to finish. This is violent but not overly so, as it deals with men under immense pressure in battle and out. This is dramatic, exciting, compelling and downright great. American Sniper does not glorify the war, or demonize anyone.
It shows the war through the eyes of Kyle and the way he saw it. It shows that war is not always what we think it is. Eastwood humanizes war here through the incredibly well defined characters much as he did when he directed and won the Oscar for Best Picture for Unforgiven 20 some years ago. He showed us then The Old West was not glorified, but an ugly tough place and broke the mold on westerns forever. And the same goes here with war. It also shows part of what these guys do that none of us can even imagine, and there's guys doing it right now as we read and write this.
American Sniper. Brilliantly told, filmed, written and acted. This is the best movie of 2014.
Bradley Cooper stars as Kyle, who has gone down in history as the sniper with the most enemy kills ever. A Navy Seal with an amazing sense of duty, country and selflessness. This movie is based on Kyles book, and the recollections of his widow, Teah. Yes, this is the story of an American hero, but it does tell the entire story, as Kyle is a hero, and incredibly flawed all at the same time.
In this new era of war setting movies, this is on par with The Hurt Locker (Oscar winner Best Picture), and Zero Dark Thirty (Oscar nominated Best Picture). These incredible movies have all been set in the war in the Middle East, but they really are more the stories of the people and how the war effects them, their families and eventually all of us. All of these movies are amazing, and this one is a step above even them.
Kyle is from Texas, and he joins the military late in life compared to most. He becomes a Seal, and eventually an amazingly skilled sniper that protects Marines on the streets of Iraq, as they go from house to house looking for wanted terrorists. He registers over 160 kills, and earns the title of "Legend." He becomes the most wanted man in Iraq by the terrorists who know of his prowess. But all of this is not without a price. Clearly Kyle is a sufferer of PTSD, as he has a very difficult time blending back in with his wife, life and young children.
His sense of duty is so strong, he needs to find another way to help in the fight, even after his days in the service are over. But how? Also, can he save his marriage, and his family, and is he a danger to himself or others. These are the questions of American Sniper.
Cooper is fantastic in his performance, and should win the Oscar for this. This is a large role, where he really became Kyle. He gained 40 pounds to look like him, and he does. Cooper spent much time with Kyles widow, learning all he could about Kyle, and brings him to life in an uncanny fashion. The performance is authentic, and real and about as good as any one person in any role in recent memory.
Eastwood's direction is superb as this movie looks great, tells a hard-to-tell story. The backdrops are spot on, and everyone looks incredibly comfortable in this movie. The casting is perfect from start to finish. This is violent but not overly so, as it deals with men under immense pressure in battle and out. This is dramatic, exciting, compelling and downright great. American Sniper does not glorify the war, or demonize anyone.
It shows the war through the eyes of Kyle and the way he saw it. It shows that war is not always what we think it is. Eastwood humanizes war here through the incredibly well defined characters much as he did when he directed and won the Oscar for Best Picture for Unforgiven 20 some years ago. He showed us then The Old West was not glorified, but an ugly tough place and broke the mold on westerns forever. And the same goes here with war. It also shows part of what these guys do that none of us can even imagine, and there's guys doing it right now as we read and write this.
American Sniper. Brilliantly told, filmed, written and acted. This is the best movie of 2014.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - Selma
The critically acclaimed, Selma is out in wide release this week, and it does not disappoint.
Selma is a historical look at a segment of Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy in 1965 three years before his death. It focuses on his crusade at that moment in getting Black Americans the right to vote. Even though the law was passed, millions of African Americans still were being denied the right to vote, primarily in the deep south. This is the story of King lobbying, and fighting for change from the White House to ensure the law would be enforced.
It all culminated in in early 1965 with the 50 mile walk from Selma Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama in the face of tremendous prejudice. That feeling was expressed without mercy from the local law enforcement, and even the Alabama Governors office to prevent the historic walk from happening by any means necessary. Mostly the means were extremely violent against unarmed and peaceful marchers and protesters.
This is a real grown up movie that takes a tough stomach to watch much of it. It is hard to believe of course in the grand scheme of things this was not all that long ago, and what was happening in some parts of this country were pretty tough to watch. This movie does a very nice job though of showing the worst of America at the time, and the best. This movie does rely on you to have some historical knowledge of the times as it does not spell it all out for you directly. This movie certainly will get people interested in the times and the subject.
Yes, there are horrible scenes of extreme police brutality and long moments of tough to take prejudice. But without question the movies best and most powerful moments are the ones where King (David Oyelowo) is giving immensely moving speeches as we really get to know King other than just clips on the History Channel. Oyelowo is simply terrific as King. Plus, they show King for who he really was as a man outside the Civil Rights movement, and inside the walls of his own home.
They also show is relationship with President Lyndon Johnson (Tom Wilkinson), and that makes for great theater too. They do a great job in showing the various perspectives both men were coming from during a very turbulent time in our nations recent history. Wilkinson is great as LBJ, and you can feel the respect, and the tension between the two men.
Selma. Command performances, a very solid and moving movie.
Selma is a historical look at a segment of Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy in 1965 three years before his death. It focuses on his crusade at that moment in getting Black Americans the right to vote. Even though the law was passed, millions of African Americans still were being denied the right to vote, primarily in the deep south. This is the story of King lobbying, and fighting for change from the White House to ensure the law would be enforced.
It all culminated in in early 1965 with the 50 mile walk from Selma Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama in the face of tremendous prejudice. That feeling was expressed without mercy from the local law enforcement, and even the Alabama Governors office to prevent the historic walk from happening by any means necessary. Mostly the means were extremely violent against unarmed and peaceful marchers and protesters.
This is a real grown up movie that takes a tough stomach to watch much of it. It is hard to believe of course in the grand scheme of things this was not all that long ago, and what was happening in some parts of this country were pretty tough to watch. This movie does a very nice job though of showing the worst of America at the time, and the best. This movie does rely on you to have some historical knowledge of the times as it does not spell it all out for you directly. This movie certainly will get people interested in the times and the subject.
Yes, there are horrible scenes of extreme police brutality and long moments of tough to take prejudice. But without question the movies best and most powerful moments are the ones where King (David Oyelowo) is giving immensely moving speeches as we really get to know King other than just clips on the History Channel. Oyelowo is simply terrific as King. Plus, they show King for who he really was as a man outside the Civil Rights movement, and inside the walls of his own home.
They also show is relationship with President Lyndon Johnson (Tom Wilkinson), and that makes for great theater too. They do a great job in showing the various perspectives both men were coming from during a very turbulent time in our nations recent history. Wilkinson is great as LBJ, and you can feel the respect, and the tension between the two men.
Selma. Command performances, a very solid and moving movie.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - Taken 3
Here comes the poster child movie for one that critics are slamming without mercy, and audiences are loving.
Taken 3, continues the story of ex-special ops and OCD hero Brian Mills (Liam Neeson) and his family. The original Taken was a really fun, tidy thrill ride that we all loved. Behind all of its bells and whistles, it was a father moving Heaven and Earth to save his daughter from kidnappers. Taken 2, was not as good, as we had to relive his wife AND daughter being taken again. And the end result was the same, strike another one for the good guys.
Taken 3, is a bit of a stretch, but it again is a dad protecting his daughter. But this time there are some new wrinkles. Brian's ex-wife (Famke Janssen) is murdered, and the whole thing is set up to make it look like Brian did it. So he is on the run, trying to find the killer, and trying to protect his daughter (Maggie Grace) from the same fate. All the while, he is being chased by the Los Angeles cops for the murder. There are plenty of huge action and chase scenes, and much of this is hard to swallow, as a ton of silliness is blended in. There was plenty in the first two, but now we may be getting weary of it. It just looks a bit more obvious here.
But a great choice was the casting of Forest Whitaker as the lead investigator chasing Brian. Whitaker makes any movie better, even a marginal one. This movie, (although not in the same class at all) takes on The Fugitive's formula. A sympathetic, innocent hero on the run from a dogged, smart and really great character developed here by Whitaker. You like both characters and are a bit conflicted on who to cheer for, actually wishing them both the best. The formula got The Fugitive tons of Oscar nominations and a win for Tommy Lee Jones who played the colorful cop. There will be no Oscars here.
This is an easy target for critics to hammer away on for tons of reasons, most of them apt. But it's mid-January, and we need a little silly and mindless action to get us through it. I think everyone needs just to take a deep breath and remember they can't all change cinematic history. There is an attempt to freshen this a bit, but over all it is just an action movie, nothing special. This does miss some of the drama of the first one especially. Neeson is asked here to basically be an action hero, and not a great actor as he was in the original. And that's a huge problem. This is far more concerned with smash-em-up than act-em-up, and that's a shame.
To this series credit, it does look like it may be over. Plus, Neeson may be a bit too old to redo this role in two years. He has lost an edge or two. Also, this series has maintained a PG-13 rating throughout with minimal harsh language and although violent, not graphic or bloody. And that is well done.
Taken 3. It is what it is. Let's hope this series takes itself off into the sunset before it screws it all up and destroys the original premise.
Taken 3, continues the story of ex-special ops and OCD hero Brian Mills (Liam Neeson) and his family. The original Taken was a really fun, tidy thrill ride that we all loved. Behind all of its bells and whistles, it was a father moving Heaven and Earth to save his daughter from kidnappers. Taken 2, was not as good, as we had to relive his wife AND daughter being taken again. And the end result was the same, strike another one for the good guys.
Taken 3, is a bit of a stretch, but it again is a dad protecting his daughter. But this time there are some new wrinkles. Brian's ex-wife (Famke Janssen) is murdered, and the whole thing is set up to make it look like Brian did it. So he is on the run, trying to find the killer, and trying to protect his daughter (Maggie Grace) from the same fate. All the while, he is being chased by the Los Angeles cops for the murder. There are plenty of huge action and chase scenes, and much of this is hard to swallow, as a ton of silliness is blended in. There was plenty in the first two, but now we may be getting weary of it. It just looks a bit more obvious here.
But a great choice was the casting of Forest Whitaker as the lead investigator chasing Brian. Whitaker makes any movie better, even a marginal one. This movie, (although not in the same class at all) takes on The Fugitive's formula. A sympathetic, innocent hero on the run from a dogged, smart and really great character developed here by Whitaker. You like both characters and are a bit conflicted on who to cheer for, actually wishing them both the best. The formula got The Fugitive tons of Oscar nominations and a win for Tommy Lee Jones who played the colorful cop. There will be no Oscars here.
This is an easy target for critics to hammer away on for tons of reasons, most of them apt. But it's mid-January, and we need a little silly and mindless action to get us through it. I think everyone needs just to take a deep breath and remember they can't all change cinematic history. There is an attempt to freshen this a bit, but over all it is just an action movie, nothing special. This does miss some of the drama of the first one especially. Neeson is asked here to basically be an action hero, and not a great actor as he was in the original. And that's a huge problem. This is far more concerned with smash-em-up than act-em-up, and that's a shame.
To this series credit, it does look like it may be over. Plus, Neeson may be a bit too old to redo this role in two years. He has lost an edge or two. Also, this series has maintained a PG-13 rating throughout with minimal harsh language and although violent, not graphic or bloody. And that is well done.
Taken 3. It is what it is. Let's hope this series takes itself off into the sunset before it screws it all up and destroys the original premise.
Monday, January 5, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - The Woman In Black 2
Someone explain to me why on earth do they make sequels to flicks that were really no big deal in the first place. Usher in The Woman In Black 2: Angel Of Death.
Funny thing is, the original was not a gigantic hit but was a rather interesting movie, and a cut above the rest of this genre. Even Daniel Radcliffe was in the first movie, but he waved this one off. The original had a cool look, and a jolt or two. This one just looks cool.
This takes place in 1941 England, where a bunch of orphaned kids from WWII end up with some school teachers in the British countryside, away from the bombing in London. While there at this empty mansion they start being "haunted" by mysterious ghosts (The woman in black). This is supposed to be scary, but it's not. At all.
The teachers are trying to protect the children, and there are a couple of side plots that make no sense and you don't care about. And the reason is simple. There is nothing compelling about this movie at all. This movie just lays there and basically falls asleep. And you might too. A jumble of predictable attempted scary things, but you are way ahead of it. You see all of them coming and it's nothing you have not seen 50 times before in various other movies. Bumps ad bangs and shadows. Stop it! Imagination please?
There is a nice young actress in this movie, Phoebe Fox, and she is a refreshing face on screen as the main character and one of the young teachers. And this movie has a nice look, as it travels us back to the early 40's. I will say this movie is visually pretty well done, as was the first. But nice sets, props, and costuming doesn't a movie make. This simply isn't anything that is really interesting or exciting here.
The Woman In Black 2:Angel Of Death. DOA.
Funny thing is, the original was not a gigantic hit but was a rather interesting movie, and a cut above the rest of this genre. Even Daniel Radcliffe was in the first movie, but he waved this one off. The original had a cool look, and a jolt or two. This one just looks cool.
This takes place in 1941 England, where a bunch of orphaned kids from WWII end up with some school teachers in the British countryside, away from the bombing in London. While there at this empty mansion they start being "haunted" by mysterious ghosts (The woman in black). This is supposed to be scary, but it's not. At all.
The teachers are trying to protect the children, and there are a couple of side plots that make no sense and you don't care about. And the reason is simple. There is nothing compelling about this movie at all. This movie just lays there and basically falls asleep. And you might too. A jumble of predictable attempted scary things, but you are way ahead of it. You see all of them coming and it's nothing you have not seen 50 times before in various other movies. Bumps ad bangs and shadows. Stop it! Imagination please?
There is a nice young actress in this movie, Phoebe Fox, and she is a refreshing face on screen as the main character and one of the young teachers. And this movie has a nice look, as it travels us back to the early 40's. I will say this movie is visually pretty well done, as was the first. But nice sets, props, and costuming doesn't a movie make. This simply isn't anything that is really interesting or exciting here.
The Woman In Black 2:Angel Of Death. DOA.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
LOCAL GOLF - Dewsweepers Five Favorite Courses of 2014
Golf season for the Dewsweepers ended suddenly this fall. We play Sunday mornings of course, and chronicle our rounds and local courses here weekly.
This fall the weather was not good on many of our fall Sundays, and then the cold came in for good. But, we still played a ton of great local courses and it's only fitting we dish out some deserved kudos here. These are our Five Favorite Courses we played this season. This is not a "best of" list. These are the courses we enjoyed the most for many reasons. We play courses all over from Sandusky to
Willoughy, to Canton, to Eastern Portage County.
Should be noted all courses we played, and there were a ton, were all in great shape and all local superintendents should be proud of their courses, during another challenging weather year for them.
I will also link you back to our original review so you can learn about the courses in case you have never played there. So from the Dewsweepers Joe Red. Tex, Beef and Wynn....
The Dewsweepers Top Five Favorite Courses for 2014
1/ Sugar Bush - What a great track we played for the first time this season in Portage County. We
played this early in the year and on this day it was a bit wet, but we loved this
course. Very challenging, great character. We will play this at least twice this year.
2/ Manikiki - Simply a great course in the MetroParks in Willoughby. This is an old school course
with a rich history, and a great rate to boot for the quality of course it is. Simply a
gorgeous place to play, worth the drive. Second year on this list.
3/ Shale Creek - In Medina. This was right up there with the great places we played. And this could
have been the toughest course we played all year. And the day we played it was
early in the season and windy. Fabulous place. Play it.
4/ Thunderbird Hills South - In Huron. One of the best kept secrets in the area. Second year on this
list. Young course part of a 36 hole complex that is fabulous and getting better every
year. Worth the drive. Play the North and the South, would make a great trip.
5/ Maplecrest - Near Kent is one of the fun places we play. It is not a long course, but a shotmakers
course. Fun to play and you can score if you are hitting the ball straight. Old and
mature. Wonderful and quaint place to play.
5/ (Tie) Brookledge - Cuyahoga Falls. For a city owned course, this place is terrific! Amazing
shape and a great staff. If you have never played this place, you should. Challenging and
wonderful. Country club quality for a public course.
Courses to keep an eye on in 2015
Cossett Creek - (Formerly Brunswick Hills) Brunswick. New attitude and major improvements
there. Exciting to see, and this could be a great place to play soon. Still work to do
but they are on their way.
Hickory Nut - Columbia Station. The improvements to this course over the past couple years are
amazing. This is really coming along, and is improving all the time in every way.
In few more seasons, this place could be incredible.
Springvale - North Olmsted. This place is in the middle of a major renovation from top to bottom.
The course, though simply designed was in AMAZING shape this summer. This was
the surprise of the season for us. Great place!
There the are! Look for the Dewsweepers Sunday Morning Golf Course Reviews this spring right here! Hopefully starting in March!
scott@wqmx.com
This fall the weather was not good on many of our fall Sundays, and then the cold came in for good. But, we still played a ton of great local courses and it's only fitting we dish out some deserved kudos here. These are our Five Favorite Courses we played this season. This is not a "best of" list. These are the courses we enjoyed the most for many reasons. We play courses all over from Sandusky to
Willoughy, to Canton, to Eastern Portage County.
Should be noted all courses we played, and there were a ton, were all in great shape and all local superintendents should be proud of their courses, during another challenging weather year for them.
I will also link you back to our original review so you can learn about the courses in case you have never played there. So from the Dewsweepers Joe Red. Tex, Beef and Wynn....
The Dewsweepers Top Five Favorite Courses for 2014
1/ Sugar Bush - What a great track we played for the first time this season in Portage County. We
played this early in the year and on this day it was a bit wet, but we loved this
course. Very challenging, great character. We will play this at least twice this year.
2/ Manikiki - Simply a great course in the MetroParks in Willoughby. This is an old school course
with a rich history, and a great rate to boot for the quality of course it is. Simply a
gorgeous place to play, worth the drive. Second year on this list.
3/ Shale Creek - In Medina. This was right up there with the great places we played. And this could
have been the toughest course we played all year. And the day we played it was
early in the season and windy. Fabulous place. Play it.
4/ Thunderbird Hills South - In Huron. One of the best kept secrets in the area. Second year on this
list. Young course part of a 36 hole complex that is fabulous and getting better every
year. Worth the drive. Play the North and the South, would make a great trip.
5/ Maplecrest - Near Kent is one of the fun places we play. It is not a long course, but a shotmakers
course. Fun to play and you can score if you are hitting the ball straight. Old and
mature. Wonderful and quaint place to play.
5/ (Tie) Brookledge - Cuyahoga Falls. For a city owned course, this place is terrific! Amazing
shape and a great staff. If you have never played this place, you should. Challenging and
wonderful. Country club quality for a public course.
Courses to keep an eye on in 2015
Cossett Creek - (Formerly Brunswick Hills) Brunswick. New attitude and major improvements
there. Exciting to see, and this could be a great place to play soon. Still work to do
but they are on their way.
Hickory Nut - Columbia Station. The improvements to this course over the past couple years are
amazing. This is really coming along, and is improving all the time in every way.
In few more seasons, this place could be incredible.
Springvale - North Olmsted. This place is in the middle of a major renovation from top to bottom.
The course, though simply designed was in AMAZING shape this summer. This was
the surprise of the season for us. Great place!
There the are! Look for the Dewsweepers Sunday Morning Golf Course Reviews this spring right here! Hopefully starting in March!
scott@wqmx.com
Saturday, January 3, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - The Imitation Game
Here comes a movie that is being reviewed very well, is good, and in the grand scheme of things no one is going to see.
The Imitation Game is out and is pretty darn good. This is in limited release and is worth the drive to find it. I call this kind of movie a "film" (in good fun). This is a period art piece that looks great, tells a story you don't know, and through it all, finds relevance in today's world and for today's movie goer. If it were just given the chance.
This is the true story of a man named Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch). He was a late-20's genius mathematician in England during WWII. He and a small team were charged with trying to decode the unbreakable code known as "Enigma" the Nazi's were using most effectively for communication. Enigma was so sophisticated at the time, that it could be used every single day, in the open and its encryption was so advanced the Allies were helpless against it. It was a huge reason the early days of the war were going so poorly for the Allies in Europe. What Turing had to do was invent a machine that could be used to combat the Enigma machine - and hopefully win the war. So he invented the first computer. - In the 1940's - True.
That is the basic story. But it shows his troubled relationship with virtually everyone in the world. Turing is deeply conflicted in his entire life and has issues far beyond just the task at hand. He is a complicated man, who finds it very difficult to achieve happiness or peace. He does develop a friendship with fellow genius and team mate, Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley). She helps guide him through the endless pitfalls and difficulty that he encounters, both on a personal level and in dealing with team mates and even the British government itself. He also has deep secrets he must keep quiet as well.
This movie looks amazingly authentic. The sets, costumes, hair, makeup, and overall presentation is simply perfect as it transports us back to WWII. Cumberbatch is terrific in this large role that will certainly gain him an Oscar nomination. Knightley too, not only will be nominated, but could very well win Best Supporting Actress, as she is nothing short of sensational. She is rapidly becoming one of Hollywood's best and most believable actors.
The Imitation Game. Much to like here. Very, very good. One of the years ten best movies.
The Imitation Game is out and is pretty darn good. This is in limited release and is worth the drive to find it. I call this kind of movie a "film" (in good fun). This is a period art piece that looks great, tells a story you don't know, and through it all, finds relevance in today's world and for today's movie goer. If it were just given the chance.
This is the true story of a man named Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch). He was a late-20's genius mathematician in England during WWII. He and a small team were charged with trying to decode the unbreakable code known as "Enigma" the Nazi's were using most effectively for communication. Enigma was so sophisticated at the time, that it could be used every single day, in the open and its encryption was so advanced the Allies were helpless against it. It was a huge reason the early days of the war were going so poorly for the Allies in Europe. What Turing had to do was invent a machine that could be used to combat the Enigma machine - and hopefully win the war. So he invented the first computer. - In the 1940's - True.
That is the basic story. But it shows his troubled relationship with virtually everyone in the world. Turing is deeply conflicted in his entire life and has issues far beyond just the task at hand. He is a complicated man, who finds it very difficult to achieve happiness or peace. He does develop a friendship with fellow genius and team mate, Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley). She helps guide him through the endless pitfalls and difficulty that he encounters, both on a personal level and in dealing with team mates and even the British government itself. He also has deep secrets he must keep quiet as well.
This movie looks amazingly authentic. The sets, costumes, hair, makeup, and overall presentation is simply perfect as it transports us back to WWII. Cumberbatch is terrific in this large role that will certainly gain him an Oscar nomination. Knightley too, not only will be nominated, but could very well win Best Supporting Actress, as she is nothing short of sensational. She is rapidly becoming one of Hollywood's best and most believable actors.
The Imitation Game. Much to like here. Very, very good. One of the years ten best movies.
Friday, January 2, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW - Birdman
To say that the new Micheal Keaton dark comedy, drama Birdman is in very limited release would be generous. It has gotten very little local play, and is being reviewed as one of the years best movies.
I won't go that far, but Birdman is amazingly smart and original on so many levels, I can see why the Hollywood community has been sufficiently seduced by it. This has a big cast, an original premise, and is made in a way you really haven't seen before. In addition to Keaton there is Edward Norton Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, and Zach Galifianakis. All of whom you have not seen before on screen in a movie playing characters like this. In essence, they all had to reinvent themselves for this movie.
This is the fictional story of Riggan Thomson (Keaton). He is an actor now about 60, who is desperately trying to become relevant again. He played a superhero character some 25 years ago named Birdman in a series of movies. He made three then walked away. He made a ton of cash, but felt like he wasn't doing good and meaningful acting. So he is now on Broadway trying to open a play that he has adapted from a 70 year old book. A drama about love. And he is finding roadblocks all along the way.
He's going broke doing it. He has lost his marriage, and his daughter is recently out of rehab. He's terrified of being a failure. He's paranoid about his image, his critics, and the whole deal in general. Plus, he's hearing voices in his head from the past. In short he's a mess. Will his play be a success? That is Birdman in a few sentences, but it is so much more.
The making of this movie is the real star of it. It is totally groundbreaking as it is shot in one seemingly continuous take. There is no evidence of any hard editing, or any editing at all. The camera follows our characters from scene to scene seamlessly, and this is extraordinary film making in a technical sense. You've never really seen anything like this, and this scores huge originality points there. The soundtrack, when used, is basically a light drum solo that gives this a real independent feel. And again adds to its originality.
This is wonderfully, and tragically funny with all of our stars giving really command performances. Galifianakis will hardly be recognized as this is a thousand miles from The Hangover. He is funny, and pretty darn good. Keaton is great as the complicated Riggan, and the rest of the cast really stands up well.
This also is great parody of the live theater business, and Broadway in general. It lampoons the actors and the business at large in a straight forward, honest, but not vicious way that is really funny. It also takes to task the whole Superhero genre of movie making, with many references to the fact that these animated and computer generated movies are not art at all, simply mass appeal drivel that mindless patrons support. All of this ironic too, with Keaton of course being an ex-Batman from 25 years ago.
Birdman. Some are calling it the best movie of the year, I will not. But this is insanely original, fun, and really, really well done. Very good.
I won't go that far, but Birdman is amazingly smart and original on so many levels, I can see why the Hollywood community has been sufficiently seduced by it. This has a big cast, an original premise, and is made in a way you really haven't seen before. In addition to Keaton there is Edward Norton Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, and Zach Galifianakis. All of whom you have not seen before on screen in a movie playing characters like this. In essence, they all had to reinvent themselves for this movie.
This is the fictional story of Riggan Thomson (Keaton). He is an actor now about 60, who is desperately trying to become relevant again. He played a superhero character some 25 years ago named Birdman in a series of movies. He made three then walked away. He made a ton of cash, but felt like he wasn't doing good and meaningful acting. So he is now on Broadway trying to open a play that he has adapted from a 70 year old book. A drama about love. And he is finding roadblocks all along the way.
He's going broke doing it. He has lost his marriage, and his daughter is recently out of rehab. He's terrified of being a failure. He's paranoid about his image, his critics, and the whole deal in general. Plus, he's hearing voices in his head from the past. In short he's a mess. Will his play be a success? That is Birdman in a few sentences, but it is so much more.
The making of this movie is the real star of it. It is totally groundbreaking as it is shot in one seemingly continuous take. There is no evidence of any hard editing, or any editing at all. The camera follows our characters from scene to scene seamlessly, and this is extraordinary film making in a technical sense. You've never really seen anything like this, and this scores huge originality points there. The soundtrack, when used, is basically a light drum solo that gives this a real independent feel. And again adds to its originality.
This is wonderfully, and tragically funny with all of our stars giving really command performances. Galifianakis will hardly be recognized as this is a thousand miles from The Hangover. He is funny, and pretty darn good. Keaton is great as the complicated Riggan, and the rest of the cast really stands up well.
This also is great parody of the live theater business, and Broadway in general. It lampoons the actors and the business at large in a straight forward, honest, but not vicious way that is really funny. It also takes to task the whole Superhero genre of movie making, with many references to the fact that these animated and computer generated movies are not art at all, simply mass appeal drivel that mindless patrons support. All of this ironic too, with Keaton of course being an ex-Batman from 25 years ago.
Birdman. Some are calling it the best movie of the year, I will not. But this is insanely original, fun, and really, really well done. Very good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
