Category: Movie Reviews

Wheelman: A Frank Grillo and Joe Carnahan joint

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Frank Grillo and Joe Carnahan teaming up for the action adventure flick Wheelman may not be the Beatles getting back on a stage together but it’s pretty damn close.

Back in 2012 when Carnahan’s The Grey was released, Grillo was just beginning to surge into the mindsets of moviegoers. He had just wowed them with Warrior and would rock them with his small and pivotal role in End of Watch later that summer. Carnahan’s ode to dangerous men fighting wolves and themselves in the brutal cold resonated with me on several levels, and reminded me of how gifted of a filmmaker Carnahan was.

No matter how many movies I see, Carnahan’s Narc never leaves my head when I think of expertly well done cop films. Ray Liotta playing this desperate misguided and stricken detective trying to make one thing right no matter how much wrong it involved. Joe is one of those directors that won’t work just to work. He wants the film to be personal and unlike anything you’ve seen before. That’s why he left certain big level projects. It’s his way or it’s no way. I respect that in a land of performers who aspire for mediocrity if it promises them a paycheck.

Grillo is your natural drop of action authenticity and has enthralled a legion of fans for years. An actor with more flavors than people give him credit for(just shut up and watch DirecTV’s Kingdom) and his performance in The Grey often gets overlooked because of some giant called Liam Neeson and the wolves these men had to starve off. Grillo’s John Diaz wasn’t a good man, but he wanted to move closer to that way of life in his final moments. Here, Grillo goes toe to toe with Neeson.

So when I heard Grillo and Carnahan were getting together for Wheelman, an action flick written and directed by Jeremy Rush, I was pumped. With these two guys, it doesn’t matter what the material is. If they are laying their hands on it, the script must be juicy and the probability for asskicking success has to be high. They’ve waited five years to work together again and it could lead to more collaboration, via Joe’s twitter account.

Wheelman is about a getaway driver who gets betrayed by his crew and must do whatever it takes to save his wife and kid. Simplistic, to the point and ready to thrill. Grillo and Carnahan aren’t trying to share some space on the podium at the Oscars here. They want to entertain the shit out of you because that lasts longer than a shiny trophy. They have no delusions of grandeur saved with their films. Their work is the kind you keep hearing about and eventually check out only to be blown away. The film also represents Grillo’s first foray in producing.

Wheelman should debut sometime in 2016 and in the mean time, you can catch Grillo lacing up his gloves all over Hollywood this year. After knocking Captain America around in Civil War, he will reenter Kingdom’s Navy Street as Alvey Kulina, the maker of men and inner turmoil in the world of MMA. He will reprise his role of Sergeant Leo Barnes in July’s Purge: Election Year as well as starring in Beyond Skyline and Stephanie later this year. Carnahan wrote and directed a few episodes of State of Affairs in 2014-15 and is prepping Bad Boys 3 for launch here this summer.

Wheelman will be known as when Frank Grillo and Joe Carnahan got back together and started their Hollywood domination plot. Get involved in this now.

Skip Kevin Costner’s Criminal

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You’ll spend a fair amount of time watching Criminal wondering how director Ariel Vromen was able to assemble such a star studded cast for a script that lacks polish, smarts, creativity or any true captivating quality. Who owed who money or a favor? How did this film get made with so many big names?

Summit Entertainment

Hey, there’s Kevin Costner, brooding and grunting loudly while beating up all sorts of people, good and bad. There’s Gary Oldman, playing a CIA honcho in London who needs to locate a computer wizard turned spy, played by Michael Pitt. Tommy Lee Jones is a scientist/doctor who can transplant DNA from one brain to another. Ryan Reynolds, fresh off Deadpool, drops in for a quick bite. Alice Eve and Gal Gadot class up the joint to the best of their ability without a role carrying any weight or worth. The only face that fits in is legendary C-movie martial arts star Scott Adkins.

Adkins should be in Costner’s role and the rest of the film’s cast should be filled with people you couldn’t name with a gun to your head. Instead, the stars all show up and try to shine up a movie that isn’t that smart or entertaining enough to salvage the 10 dollar ticket charge.

For a movie that is all about brainy matter and information, it’s endlessly stupid and incoherent. I can handle a good dose of action. Just own up to what it is you are doing and going for. Criminal acts serious, looks serious, and moves slow.

It’s a thrill in some scenes to see the ageless Costner take down bad guys and sprinkle some wit and much needed humor around his punches and kicks. If there was more of that and less grunting and screaming, this film could have worked. I’m not sure what the late screenwriter Douglas Cook was going for, but the end result doesn’t add up in any film addict’s skull.

For Reynolds, this is two movies that revolve around transplanting a mind to a different body. Last year, it was Ben Kingsley in Self-less and now it’s Criminal. Both film will be bombs and should be avoided.

You want to see Costner unplugged. Check out Mr. Brooks. You want to see Oldman chew scenery for a good reason. Check out The Professional. You want to see Jones play calm, old, and wise. Watch No Country For Old Men. There’s nothing to see here but a supreme waste of talent.

The trailer was intriguing but there’s a reason a preview is only 2 minutes long. Sometimes it’s a message in disguise saying, “This is more compelling than the two hour finished product.”

Unknown ObjectA renegade Costner can’t save a brain dead Criminal. Skip it.

Quartet: A movie Meme would have loved

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My late grandmother, Meme, never let her age get in the way of living, because she knew as long as you had passion in your life, a young heart would never die.   She would fit right in with the old rebels in this heartwarming story, where old bodies run away from the horrors of old age and find comfort in the grace of the production of musical harmony.

Dustin Hoffman makes his directorial debut with Quartet, a movie that warms the heart right up in the cold bone of winter with this spicy concoction of drama, comedy and musicianship.  A celebration of the soul and a reminder that age is only a number with a measure of stock that depends on our own choices.  This film is a delight to take part in and is goodwill ambassador for elderly people who feel like their youthful abilities have departed. (more…)

Demolition: A Jake Gyllenhaal gem

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Moviegoers deserve more films like Jake Gyllenhaal’s latest, Demolition. A movie made for the sake of good storytelling and not just to make a buck.

Unlike Batman v. Superman (which cost $275 million to make), Demolition probably cost less than $30 million to produce. This movie was made for the soul and asks a lot of uncomfortable, yet brutal questions. It is familiar looking, yet different when you start to turn the pages during its 100 minute running time.

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Director Jean-Marc Vallee doesn’t mess around when he picks up a camera these days. He directed Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club, where both actors walked home with Oscars. He directed Reese Witherspoon in Wild, where she scored a Best Actress nomination and career renewal. Gyllenhaal’s career didn’t need saving, but he is a marvel here as Davis Mitchell, a man who changes in ways you wouldn’t imagine after his wife dies in a car accident.  (more…)

Margin Call: Better than The Big Short

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Margin Call was a painfully disturbing film that hung around inside your head for days. The cast was uniformly excellent, especially Stanley Tucci, who only had 3 scenes but nailed each one.

Lionsgate Entertainment

His rant about the number of years he saved in people’s lives by building a large bridge was legendary and must of flattened the crew on set that day. Spacey, Irons, Bettany, Quinto and Baker are all very good. This film doesn’t pick a side on the financial crisis. It just paints the walls with the blood shed that day mentally and physically. This script and direction plays like a David Mamet play, Glengarry Glen Ross 2 for example. Powerful piece of movie magic that expertly combines star power and gritty storytelling.

There was no one party to blame that day, so why point a finger. Irons chief of the firm coming in and telling Spacey’s soldier on the front line, “This has been happening since the beginning of civilization. We overextend ourselves, regroup and keep on spending. Its the way of the land.” I am definitely watching this again and a third time just to soak in the magic. This is a film that reminds you how important original ideas are in Hollywood. Fuck 3D and a remake. Give me a story with blood hanging from the page. (more…)

Seeking A Friend At The End of The World: Unlikely gem

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Seeking a Friend For the End of the World is a movie about love in the most unlikely place. A story for old school romantics who need a little hope given back to them is the idea here.  I am not spoiling anything to tell you at the heart of Lorene Scafaria’s tale lay a fearless romance. The good thing is, this is the anti-romantic comedy.   There are no happy endings predicted in the first 10 minutes at the end of this train ride.

 

Alfa Films

What is found here instead is a  useful insight into time wasted in a life, the power of forgiveness, the brightness of the world and the healing power of love.  Dodge is a man who finds out the world is ending right at the same moment his wife leaves him.  He has been left by many women, things, opportunities and has sacrificed    Dodge needs something and finds it in Penny, a fellow soul worth saving yet needing a sense of connection. (more…)

Why 2016 is the year of Frank Grillo

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2016 is shaping up to be the year of Frank Grillo. Maybe you’ve heard of him. Maybe you haven’t. To many, he is that guy. To others, he is one of the best action stars in Hollywood. To me, he’s THE cinematic action hero and let me tell you why.

People ask me all the time why I tweet, share, and write about Frank Grillo so much. Instead of just saying, “it’s my page why the fuck not!”, I indulge in their comments. Things like “why write about him he doesn’t care about you” to “Are you being paid for this?” come to me and I laugh. They don’t get it. It would be easier for them if I showed this kind of admiration for a Justin Bieber, Lebron James or another famous face. Why Grillo? Let me tell you. (more…)

Killer Joe: Dynamic McConaughey

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Killer Joe is the first movie to make you think Oscar worthy in 2012. While other films have came close and/or scored, this is a movie that demands to be seen. A different kind of entertainment that quite frankly needs to find more production in Hollywood.

LD Distribution

Here is the story of Chris(Emile Hirsch), who finds himself 6,000 dollars in debt to a group of people you don’t want to owe money to. Under immense pressure, he contacts Joe Cooper(Matthew McConaughney) to complete a job. That job involves murder and the collection of an insurance policy. Chris’ father Ansel(Thomas Haden Church) and stepmother Charlene(Gina Gershon) are involved. Dottie(Juno Temple) is the prize possession that lures Joe into the deal. From here on out, the madness grows right along with the sharp charm of William Friedkin’s dark thriller.

Killer Joe will change the way you look at McConaughey. Playing a unique man of many skills, McConaughey is a revelation and reminds you there is a fine actor behind the good southern looks. This is the performance of the year. Memorable performances arrive when you know no other actor could have played that role as good as the one on screen in front of your eyes. McConaughey owns a movie with a great cast doing solid work. He is the reason to watch the movie. A true Oscar worthy performance. (more…)

Searching for Sugar Man: Music lover dream

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Searching for Sugar Man is a music lover’s delight and covers a tale any true storyteller can appreciate.  The story starts surrounds a pair of South Africans, one a passionate music lover and the other a journalist, chronicling their wild goose chase across the world searching for a voice without a trace.  The voice belonged to the mysterious music prodigy Rodriguez, a folk singer who popped up in the early 1970’s and caused a frenzy in Detroit before disappearing.

Sony Picture Classics

Director Bendjelloul adds vivid illustrations and comics of the existence and journey of Rodriguez while the seekers do the hunting and we follow along like anxious children awaiting results of the two men’s search.  From Detroit music producers to regular working class people to officials and journalists in South Africa, the tale spans generations and many music lovers as they declare their love for a musician who nearly faded away for good–but was found with some hard detective work constructed out of passion for a musical voice that couldn’t be forgotten. (more…)

End of Watch: Best cop film since Heat

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End Of Watch is one of the best movies of the year.  I’m a sucker for movies about cops, especially gritty buddy cops stories, but this movie blew me away and sailed through the roof of expectation.  A powerfully done crime epic about the brutally violent streets of South Central L.A. where cops put their lives on the line every time they go on watch.

Open Road Films

This movie is so authentic, the tension and close encounters of these police officers crawls up inside your chest and system and doesn’t care to leave.  Ayer, pulling writer and director duty here, doesn’t spare the viewer a single barbaric image.   Taylor and Zavala are two police officers who ride through districts full of plain criminals, drug dealers, gangbangers and full blown killers.   They see, deal with, and fight against IT ALL.  Gyllenhaal and Pena spent 5 months on ride alongs in L.A. and spent more time together developing a friendship that seems life long on the big screen.

Watching these two young men bicker, joke around, work together and contemplate the next stage of their life or day never feels or looks like two actors playing roles.  The acting is so brilliant that we forget these are actors playing make believe.   (more…)