Category: Movie Reviews

“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” Is Refreshing Cinema

January 5, 2014 · 2 Comments ·

Since a colleague of mine wrote an official review for the film on my site, film-addict.com, I get to come here and dish my take on the film. There will be no rating, info or trailer. Just the plot and my take on a new film. A Dose of Buffa movie special if you will. My review of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

SETUP-Walter Mitty works as a negatives collector at LIFE Magazine(framed after the real life TIME) and the magazine is shutting down it’s publishing department and pumping out one last print version. The cover will come from war photographer(Sean Penn) and Mitty can’t find the negative required for it. This guy is a daydreamer and gets lost in moments thinking about sudden great adventures that he has thrown himself into. Suddenly, he is in one of his classic adventure moments but this time it’s real. On a trip that takes him from Greenland to Iceland to The Himalayas, Mitty finally is the adventure.

MY TAKE-Ben Stiller dares you to dream with his latest feature and reminds this film addict why I love the movies in the first place. When we enter the theater, we have little clue of what awaits us or what this experience will do to our day or whether it will have an effect on our lives. That is the visceral punch of filmmaking; Leaving a dent on someone’s soul inside two hours.

With The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Stiller knocks this one out of the park and takes us on an amazing experience for 2 hours.

This movie is a special experience for many reasons. Stiller was born to play Mitty, an insecure dreamer who can’t say the right thing in front of the woman he loves or get the guts to live wild again. I am not a huge fan of the actor, often because I think he could be doing more with his talent. Greenberg and The Cable Guy showed me what he can do when challenged and this is material made for him. He will make his kids comedies and box office hits, but this film feels personal to me and I can guess it was f or him. Stiller produced and directed the tale with a stellar script from Steven Conrad, and it’s adapted from a short story by James Thurber. The role calls for the eccentric wackiness that Stiller can perform with ease. He doesn’t give an Oscar worthy performance here, but it’s a very good one and serves as the grounding agent for this head in the clouds tale.

The production isn’t pigeon holed into one genre and keeps the story moving at all times. Mitty doesn’t slow down and never stays trapped in one area of interest, and that adds to the experience. Action, comedy, drama, romance and fantasy enter the whiskey bottle that this film is developed in and the result is quite invigorating. There are hilarious homages to The Curse of Benjamin Button and The Matrix. The object of Mitty is to entertain while wrapping the viewer up in that nostalgia that is missing from far too many movies who take themselves so seriously that it drains out the fun.

The cast is great all the way to the bottom of the barrel. Sean Penn makes for a larger than life photographer who shoots erupting volcanoes while hanging off the edge of a charter plane and the actor’s persona fits the role. Shirley Maclaine gives a lovely performance as Mitty’s warm and caring mother, and this marks her first film work in years. Kathryn Hahn is her usual lovable wacky self here as the sister who doesn’t seem to be paying attention. Kristen Wiig’s performance in a film is appealing to me for the first time, as she adds just enough whimsical quirk to the object of Mitty’s affection. Patton Oswalt and Adam Scott are fine in smaller roles. The steal of the film and the role I won’t forget is the boozing helicopter pilot in Greenland played by newcomer Olafur Darri Olafsson. His interactions with Stiller are hilarious and catapult the film.

A scene involving a woman playing an acoustic guitar, a man running into a helicopter and a David Bowie’s song is one of the best I’ve seen all year. Mitty is full of those wildly unforgettable moments.

The soundtrack is electric and full of classics and unheard gems, like “Wake Up” from Arcade Fire and “Dirty Paws” from Of Monsters and Men. In a movie that is framed about the images in our life and how we shape ourselves in them, music is the water that these characters move around in.

As a kid, I spent a decent amount of time daydreaming and getting lost for a few minutes. These days, I still find myself walking into a store and creating this adventure in my head where I am the hero. Creative people do this and never stop because it keeps life fresh when the days run bland. Stiller’s Mitty teaches us that it’s okay to dream as long as you take the required adventures in life. A movie that reminds us the best dreams are the ones we actually play out in real life after a soundcheck in our head. Don’t leave it all in your head.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty may not be the perfect film for award circuits, but it was the perfect experience for me. A 31 year old daydreamer who loves movies that take him away from that dark seat in a movie theater to a place that energizes his soul. The best parts of Mitty are the quiet dramatic moments mixed with the feel good elements of the plot. There’s an adventurous kid in every one of us, but it’s our job to let them come out and play. Go see this movie. If you let it in, the result will be one of the best experiences you will ever have at the movies.

For more movie news, reviews and sophisticated take on the world of cinema, head over to my site, film-addict.com. I hope you enjoyed this Dose of Buffa special movie review.

Christian Bale: Renegade Actor

January 1, 2014 · Leave a comment ·

Calling Christian Bale amazing doesn’t explain half of his talent. The man is a true chameleon and doesn’t waste movie roles or our time. If Daniel Day Lewis worked more often, you would have an idea of what Bale brings to the big screen every time he appears on it or teases you in a trailer.

This month, Bale carries two different movies in two very different roles.

In Out of the Furnace, he is Russell Baze, a blue collar factory worker who has to take the law into his own hands when his brother goes missing in the dangerous mountains of New Jersey.

In American Hustle, he brings a real con man to life as Irving Rosenfeld, part of the legendary Abscam FBI sting operation. Based purely on physical appearance, Bale is instantly transformative. As Baze, he isn’t razor thin but skinny and fit to play the role. In Hustle, he is overweight, rocks a comb-over and hunches down in his walk to fit the role. This isn’t director instruction. This is Bale taking a role to another level all by himself. Working with directors like Scott Cooper and David O. Russell most certainly helps an actor’s methods, but Bale is the kind of performer who grabs a movie by the throat and takes it in another direction completely.

His film career started with a headlining role in the fantasy flick 1987’s Mio and The Land of Faraway. He had roles in Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun and Henry V in 1987 as well, making a decent splash into film after a cereal commercial in 1983. His role in Empire of the Sun brought him a special award from the National Board of Review for a performance by a juvenile.

The 1990’s saw Bale slowly work his way into bigger roles on a more consistent basis. Roles in Little Women, Swing Kids and voice work in Pocahontas gave the actor a versatile array of performances.

However, it was in 2000 that Bale’s career took a turn for the great when he played Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Playing the maniacal businessman who turned into a serial killer by night, Bale went through every range of emotional and introduced comedy to true terror. A scene where he plays a Huey Lewis tune as he prepares to ax a guy in his apartment is truly classic.

After turning in solid bad guy work in the remake of Shaft, Bale turned in fine work in the cult favorite action flick Equilibrium, the drama Laurel Canyon and the dragon slaying feature, Reign of Fire. In 2004, Bale lost over 60 pounds to play the lost soul of factory worker Trevor Reznik in Brad Anderson’s The Machinist. This was the first real time an actor had lost that considerable amount of weight only to have to put it all back on for his role.

That next role turned out to be a career changer and a franchise that would turn Bale from a credible actor into a legitimate superstar and world class actor. That movie was Batman Begins, the first of three Bat films with director Christopher Nolan. Together, the actor and director reshaped the persona of Batman and turned it into something else. Nolan’s tale was a darker venture than previous Batman trips and he needed the right actor to ride that wave with him. Bale met him at the door of innovation and took it further than any actor could have taken the legendary role.

This set off a string of powerful and versatile work that made Bale the actor he is today. He wasn’t waiting any longer to take Hollywood by storm. By starring in a blockbuster relaunching of a long heralded hero, he had the green light to get the other roles. He made The Prestige with Nolan and Hugh Jackman.

He made two dark films in David Ayer’s Harsh Times and Werner Herzog’s Rescue Dawn. These were great performances in overlooked films. Bale went to the depths of hell in each and took fellow thespians to school on how to follow up a summer blockbuster role.

In 2007, Bale teamed up with Russell Crowe and director James Mangold to remake 3:10 to Yuma, and revamped the expectations for a cold blooded western. His role was a heartbreaking rendition of the family man just trying to do right. His work with Crowe was tremendous.

The Dark Knight, in 2008, registered as the second film in the Batman journey with Nolan, and Bale took the role further than before. His duel with Heath Ledger’s Joker will go down as the one of the best screen showdowns every made. Often overlooked due to Ledger’s genre defying work, Bale was strong and powerful in his own right.

In 2009, Bale made a couple big budget films with Michael Mann(Public Enemies) and McG(Terminator Salvation) and neither worked on a complete level, and left Bale with the reputation of being a hothead.

The misfires didn’t stop him from turning in a truly Oscar winning performance as the real life trainer of Mickey Ward, Dicky Eklund, in The Fighter in 2010 in his first film with O. Russell. In 2011, he made Flowers of War with Yimou Zhang, returning to a similar setting as Empire of the Sun. This prepped another killer chapter of films from the Welsh actor as he completed the final chapter of the Batman series, The Dark Knight Rises, with Nolan in 2012 and fired back to back winter shots of greatness in this season’s two films.

People often forget this is the same guy who went and visited the victims and families of the Aurora residents affected by the Dark Knight Rises shootings. He also visited victims of the Boston Marathon bombing earlier this year while filming for American Hustle. While intense on set, Bale is a good man off it even though he doesn’t admire the publicity side of the business.

As he turns 40 in January and preps two films with Terrence Winter(Knight of Cups and an untitled project) as well as a 1910 action drama called The Creed of Violence with first time writer/director Todd Field, Bale also takes on the role of Moses in Ridley Scott’s Exodus with Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul and Ridley favorite Sigourney Weaver.

The guy simply doesn’t stop producing great roles. He won’t make a crappy romantic comedy or phone in a performance. Bale is the real deal and one of the best actors working today. His work isn’t defined by physical transformation alone. There is a necessity towards a craft that drives this man. He is an actor that deserves every bit of accolades that come his way.

___

Dan Buffa is the co-creator, administrator and writer for the movie website, film-addict.com. He also writes for the local blog United Cardinal Bloggers in addition to Arch City Sports and also writes for his personal blog, http://www.doseofbuffa.com. He is a STL born and raised writer with a need to inform and the ability to pound out 1,000-1,500 word pieces with ease. When he isn’t writing or drinking coffee, he is spending time with his wife and son in South City. Follow him at @buffa82 on Twitter and reach him for thoughts, comments and general feedback at buffa82@gmail.com.

The Wolf of Wall Street is Scorsese At His Best

December 30, 2013 · 1 Comment ·

For more movie news, reviews and sophisticated take on the world of cinema, head over to my site, film-addict.com. I hope you enjoyed this Dose of Buffa special movie review.

“Multimillionaire by 26. Convict by 36.”

SETUP-Name any legendary Scorsese flick and it features a narration that creates the spine of the film. The Wolf of Wall Street follows that to the tee here with Leonardo DiCaprio providing the life lesson of stock broker shark maniac Jordan Belfort, a real life tycoon who bleed money from regular folk and corporations for years before going up in a puff of macho smoke. Here, I provide my take on a movie that I carried great expectations to, and left feeling transported.

MY TAKE-Scorsese’s latest is a wildly intoxicating true story that gains relevance due to the involvement of Belfort with the film and to the truly electric performances from the cast. One of the least mentioned strengths of Marty’s movies are the veins of brutally funny comedy that run through them. He hasn’t fully explored it since his earlier work, but in the Wolf, he puts it on the center stage for us to admire and get lost in. This is a 3 hour drug induced bender that you will get swallowed up by. While it isn’t for the faint of heart, Wolf takes you on a thrill ride that has humor, balls, guts, and brains. In order to clearly break the brilliance of this film down level by level, I will provide you with a list of reasons why this film is worth seeing over other worthy contenders such as American Hustle, Out of the Furnace and Inside Llewyn Davis.

1.)The performance of leading man Leonardo DiCaprio. There isn’t a smarter actor working in the business at the moment. Since 2002, the man hasn’t missed a beat and by his side the entire time has been Scorsese. The duo are a match made in storytelling heaven, and this marks their finest collaboration. It beats The Departed based solely on the true story behind the madness. And DiCaprio takes the filthy role and runs with it. As great as the entire cast is, the film belongs to DiCaprio at all times. This character isn’t unlike some of his previous work, but has signature blends of crazy all to his own. Leo’s magic is sitting there on screen without any prosthetic or supreme weight loss and becoming these characters in front of our eyes nearly by osmosis. It’s a spectacular performance and one that should garner an Oscar nomination. He has given nothing but amazing performances since the first Scorsese film he did(Gangs of New York) and the risk, stakes and expectations keep climbing and it’s almost as if DiCaprio has to keep doing this to make it worthwhile. Belfort is a decrepit law breaking drug addict bastard, but DiCaprio keeps your attention with the depth at which he travels to bring the man’s world wind life back to the big stage. He also handles narrating duties as good as if not better than Ray Liotta did in Goodfellas. You never know where he is going next or how he will get there, but the actor has us hooked, like the drugs Belfort spends 85 percent of the film snorting up his nose or tossing down his throat. It’s ballsy, go for broke and completely insane. And it’s awesome.

2.)Scorsese and his magic. If it isn’t the mad as hell stock broker depiction, it’s the majestic confidence that he works with from behind the camera. An attention to detail filmmaking freak, you can feel and hear Marty all over this flick. Watching the broker scenes, it’s like watching lions fighting over raw meat in a den. If Mad Men turned regular ad men into rock stars of the 1960’s, Scorsese paints these brokers as the kings of the 1980’s and 90’s. He picks the right music, stages the scene just right, and isn’t afraid to be a little more outrageous than the source material. He is a legend because he directs like one and doesn’t waste our time.

3.)Jonah Hill will be nominated for his work here as Belfort’s second in command and clinically insane Donnie Azoff. A well known comedy guy, Hill is an underrated actor, even after nabbing a nomination for Moneyball. His work here involves a darker brand of comedy than he has ever done and he handles it like a pro. Wearing fake teeth, working a NYC accent and walking with the abbreviated confidence of an awkwardly built made man, Hill fully inhabits the troubled Azoff, who was also on set to help with the prep for the character.

4.)Terrence Winter deserves the Oscar for adapted screenplay. There are so many sequences that are award worthy. From the speeches of Belfort, to a Quaalude induced scene of hilarity involving DiCaprio and Hill that will get anybody laughing to a tense faceoff between DiCaprio and co-star Kyle Chandler. Winter, head writer on The Sopranos and creator/writer of Boardwalk Empire, knows this territory very well. Bad men doing evil deeds and painting their lives with the riches they steal and covet. It’s a mad world and Winter is made to write about it. He and Scorsese worked hard to bring Boardwalk back to life, and they soak themselves in Belfort’s tale to get it right. Winter’s script is fantastic and deserves attention.

5.)Matthew McConaughey keeps his unbeatable streak alive here with a brief yet pivotal and completely hilarious part as Belfort’s mentor and Darth Vader father like escort to the dark side, Mark Hanna. In three scenes, McConaughey makes a strong attempt at stealing the film but he takes all of his scenes, including one atop a skyscraper where he lays down the jungle like tactics of brokerage to the wet behind the ears yet ambitious Jordan. McConaughey has become so adept at tweaking his Southern charm just enough to give his characters a little more of an edge. If he is nominated for this and Dallas Buyers Club, I won’t dispute it because of what he is able to accomplish in such little screen time. DiCaprio and Hill are amazing but have the entire 3 hours to roll around in it. MM spends about 8 minutes here and floors you. Well done, and just keep on working there Lone Star.

6.)Jon Bernthal deserves more work. His supporting work here as a key pawn in the Belfort enterprise is funny, terrifying, real, and most of all, memorable. Kudos to him for pulling it off. He did his best to pick up dead weight material in this month’s Grudge Match and helped enliven the tale of Los Angeles gangsters on TNT’s Mob City, but here he is in his comfort zone playing a man whose testosterone count was only outran by his loyalty.

7.)The soundtrack is electric, with the multiple genres being worked into the film but blues and rock as the usual dominating sounds in a Scorsese film. Only Quentin Tarantino laces his film with more fitting music.

8.)As noted, the involvement of Belfort and others here helps the plot and makes sure the book doesn’t get lost in the film. There’s real teeth to this story because of the time period Belfort dominated and the effect he had on the world of stock after his fall. I strongly suggest picking up the book this film is taken from and giving it a few reads. Love or hate the guy, but respect the fact that he is a self made man and successfully(at least to certain degree) beat the system until his own greed swallowed him whole.

9.)The breakout star here is the lovely Margot Robbie, an Australian actress who rocks a Brooklyn accent and steals a few scenes of her own on tenacity and looks alone. Scorsese always installs his films with a strong female character and playing Belfort’s main lady here, Robbie burns a hole in your memory with her oatmeal skin and painful beauty and impresses you with her ability to hold her own opposite DiCaprio at the top of his game. A scene near the end of the film where everything starts to come loose sees the actress go through the entire range of human emotion and it’s sight to see. Her work isn’t Oscar worthy, but it’s worth remembering.

10.)The film isn’t without a few flaws. The length does wear on you at times and a few cuts could have been made. The excess of the drug usage was probably real but it also gets kind of old by the 2 hour mark. These little kinks don’t leave a dent in this Wolf’s armor. There aren’t a lot of characters to feel fond of in this flick but if there is one it is Chandler’s FBI agent, who gets a nice ode in the last couple of scenes. Scorsese doesn’t pull any punches here and it doesn’t always work. However, the film is still a brilliant must watch thrill ride that will have you laughing at the depravity of these characters and thinking about it afterwards because it really did happen and the end of the film circles right back to the beginning in fine fashion.

Photo Credit-(collider.com)

The Wolf of Wall Street is filmmaking at a grand level, and I expect all involved to be nominated. Whatever flaws it carries are outdone by the fearless work of Scorsese, DiCaprio, Hill, MM, and Winter. This filmmaking at a high level and the rare 3 hour film that can be enjoyed on multiple trips to the theater. Some stories are tailored towards a certain filmmaker and crew. Wolf reminds you why even movies about the most criminally flawed and depraved people can still create magic if they fall into the right hands. With Scorsese and DiCaprio on board, The Wolf of Wall Street is a wild trip worth taking.

For more Film-Addict movie reviews, go this page. http://film-addict.com/news-and-reviews/a-dose-of-buffa

For Landon Burris’ take on Wolf, check it out here. http://film-addict.com/news-and-reviews/a-dose-of-buffa/item/2299-the-wolf-of-wall-street

____

Inside Llewyn Davis Film Review

December 23, 2013 · 2 Comments ·

QUICK SETUP-The film takes you through a week in the life of troubled folk singer Llewyn Davis in Greenwich Village and across the states as he attempts to make it big or at least hold onto what he holds sacred. A guitar and a sad song. Directed by the Coen Brothers and starring Oscar Issac. This film carries Academy Award talk but is it really worth it? Read on and find out.

MY TAKE-Listen up, the reason to see this film is Oscar Isaac and his amazing performance as Llewyn, a man torn apart by loss and a lack of confidence from the powers that be that decide on the music that gets boosted out into the mainstream. Issac does all of his own singing, and doesn’t hide behind that ability alone. He crawls inside the body of this character and lives in it for a couple hours. This is one of those classic disappearing acts. Part of the execution comes from the unknown status that still manages to follow Issac around the film world. He has shared small roles in films like 10 Years, Drive and The Bourne Legacy but this ladies and gentlemen is his coming out party. It’s a performance that is worthy of…wait for it…an Oscar nomination.

This isn’t an easy character to play, and I am not talking about the ability to sit in a chair on a stage and pour your heart through a folky tale. Isaac transcends what is usually expected of an actor in a leading role with singing involved. You become to know him as this character and his character follows you through a movie that has a few problems and isn’t Oscar worthy itself. The biggest problem in the man’s life happens to be himself and his urgency to become somebody that doesn’t resemble a fleck of the person he once was.

Originally part of a duo that was cut short by tragedy, Llewyn struggles to get ahead, finds himself in constant trouble and carve a place for himself. His manager feels so bad for him that he offers his own coat for Davis in the freezing coat and the singer refuses. It’s almost like he is still performing but doing it while dead inside. He drags a boat full of misery to each show. It’s a tough act to play and Issac nails it.

That said, the Coen’s always find ways to make their entire film ultimately problematic for me. I haven’t loved one of their films since Fargo or Miller’s Crossing. Yes, I was one of the critics who didn’t adore True Grit or No Country for Old Men and only found O’ Brother Where Art Thou? occasionally humorous. They write wonderful characters and dialogue that feels real but the way they wrap up their stories and the little nuances they add to the films never feels right. The storytelling structure of this film has a little hitch to it that in my opinion wasn’t needed. The story could have been told straight and it wasn’t and you can decide for yourself it was alright.

The supporting cast is stacked well but not as good as some make them out to be. John Goodman’s crabby jazz guy is funny for a few minutes but comes off as a caricature. Goodman is a pro but here I was annoyed by his character. The lovers of his performance don’t need to worry because it will be nominated for an Oscar. it’s the exact kind of scenery chewing role that they love once a year. Garrett Hedlund and Justin Timberlake are capable supporting actors but are barely seen or heard from. Carey Mulligan is effective with brutally blunt dialogue but is lost for half the film. I wanted more of her story with Davis and I wasn’t pleased with her demotion in the second half of the film. A mother type to Llewyn that may have slept with the guy and may be carrying his child, Mulligan’s authoritative and dakrly funny performance was brilliant.

The Coen’s direction and writing haven’t properly synced together in a film for me in a long time. They either do one very well or falter somewhere. I can never leave their film completely raving. Miller’s Crossing had suspense, comedy, drama, romance and a flair that couldn’t be taught. Same for Fargo, a dark comedic thriller with unforgettable performances with a punctuation at the end. Those films had teeth. This film has potential but doesn’t sizzle in the end. Whether it is said or not, that is always the idea for an Oscar caliber film. Thrill me or get out of my head.

Inside Llewyn Davis has a great soundtrack and a fantastic star making performance from Isaac but it left me feeling like I saw an incomplete film. That may have been the Coen’s idea of a great movie, but it didn’t end up being mine. I felt like something was missing and think they added an extra scene at the end just so they could pat themselves on the back. For me, it doesn’t work and leaves a gaping hole in the center of a story that had potential.

The songs, as mentioned above, are killer. Marcus Mumford(From Mumford and Sons) worked on the film and Mulligan and Timberlake perform songs as well. The film could have been a broken hearted folk musical and maybe been better. Hearing Isaac sing “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me” and a solo version of Bob Dylan’s “Fare Thee Well(Dink’s Song) cuts right into the heart of what this song wanted to be about. The two songs bookend the film and while they add a flavor most films crave, the overall finish of this film is lacking.

Inside Llewyn Davis is worth seeing for Isaac’s award worthy performance and the music but is denied greatness by the uneven and insufficient direction from the Coens.

*For more movie news, reviews and sophisticated take on the world of cinema, head over to my site, film-addict.com. I hope you enjoyed this Dose of Buffa special movie review.

Bonus Material-Here is Isaac singing “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTirIqel_k4

Anchorman 2 Disappoints

December 22, 2013December 22, 2013 · Leave a comment ·

Plot-The legendary news team from San Diego reassembles in New York City for a new 24/7 news format yet find themselves battling the same old problems from before.

Expectations Going Into the Movie-Look the first film is a classic to me. I can recite line for line from the film and have watched it at least 45 times in full. Going into this film I wasn’t expecting anything near it as far as greatness, fresh appeal and comical sync. I simply wanted a funny movie. A movie that would make me laugh and urge others to go laugh this weekend. Expecting the same thing from a sequel that came with the original is lunacy. So what did I think of this movie….

Buffa’s Review-Anchorman 2 is an utter disappointment. This will come as sadness to a legion of Ron Burgundy fanatics. Walking into this movie, expecting something special and grand, I was left feeling like a customer who came to see a seasoned comedian and was given flat jokes instead.

You ever been to a comedy show expecting a good time only to hear crickets? Tonight’s film left me cold and isolated. People around me were laughing hysterically at this story line that beamed like a shiny new skyscraper in 2004. Burgundy and the gang were doing 24/7 news and what was shaped up to be a raucous affair didn’t feel right from the start.

The jokes felt forced, old, tired and hung low for seconds after being told. The story was an old fashioned news history lesson about doing it unconventionally. Ferrell squeezed as much as he could out of a script that he co-wrote with McKay that seemed to bring nothing fresh to the table. Rudd and Koechner went through the motions. Carell’s brain dead Brick became repetitive by the 45 minute mark and his relationship with Kristen Wiig’s similarly lost soul went nowhere. The film, right at two hours, felt like 3 hours of sound checks.

This is what happens to sequels sometimes. Any measure of expectations can leave a viewer feeling slighted. I was onboard for a sequel since the last one left theaters and after tonight I can tell you they should have left it alone. McKay, Ferrell and the gang are game as any comedy team in show business but they can’t save this thing from ridiculousland(sure that’s not really a place but I may invent it for sad eyed sequels).

The film will make money. People will pour out of it laughing. They will tell themselves all those black jokes, sexual references and dirty humor is good stuff. Here is the problem. Leave that film and a day later give me 2-3 quotes from it. I have nothing memorable to share with you here. At one point in this film, Ron Burgundy helps raise a baby shark. He has problems masturbating and the team gets into another guest star studded brawl. It all feels tired, old and flat.

In the latest Rolling Stone Magazine (with Ferrell on the cover), McKay is quoted as saying there was once a 5 hour version of the film. There are paragraphs about him and Ferrell doing hilarious improv sessions on set. Reading it and seeing some of the jokes in print form, they jump off the page and I couldn’t wait to hear them in the film. Guess what? They never made it in. Three or four solid one liners about ejaculation were never heard. A couple other potent lines about what men dream about also never saw the final cut. Apparently, there was enough footage for two movies. Well, let’s see the other footage.

McKay compared his roster of jokes to players on a team. If one didn’t work, another would be put in its place. I left the movie wondering if this film was one giant horrible editing job. Did we see the wrong movie? Was there a better edit in there somewhere? Sometimes film fans are left to wonder what could have been and if an editor simply made a bad call out of desperation of making a worthy sequel to a film that is probably quoted word for word by priests in private.

I need a glass of scotch myself tonight. I need something wicked to wash away the taste of this unworthy sequel that may be worth a rental to the millions of film fans that aren’t Anchorman fanatics. I was left disappointed.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues isn’t sheep’s wool. It isn’t as lovely as the lamp Brick coveted years ago. It isn’t as good as a brown bag lunch or a flute solo. It simply isn’t worth your hard earned time and money. As Luke Wilson’s news anchor said in the original, this is rigoddamndiculous!

For more reviews and film-addict prose, check out my official site, http://www.film-addict.com.

Find out what my film-addict colleague Landon Burris thought of the film right here, http://film-addict.com/news-and-reviews/a-dose-of-buffa/item/2292-anchorman-2-burris-take

Thanks for reading!

Oldboy: Two Different Takes and Perspectives

December 18, 2013 · Leave a comment ·

Good morning ladies and gents,

This morning, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues arrived in theaters and you can find my review at http://film-addict.com/news-and-reviews/a-dose-of-buffa

Let’s just say I wasn’t impressed, needed scotch afterwards and was let down by a team of comedians that left me quoting their movie for the past 9 years. I didn’t go in wanting the world but at least a load of laughs. If you see a great band in concert and get crap instead, you complain. I will post that review here on Friday but it is a click away today. This is the film I’m talking about today….

Today, I am posting dual takes on a movie currently in theaters called OLDBOY. I will do something new today. I will present two different takes of the film and they come from with additional details. I will give my review of the film as well as present my film-addict colleague Landon Burris’ review of the film. Here is the catch. The movie was a remake of a 2003 Japanese film and while Burris saw the original, I did not. I will watch it soon. So you have a critic who saw the remake first and a critic who is seeing the remake after the original. Interesting, right?

QUICK SETUP-Why would someone who has held you locked in a box for 20 years suddenly let you go to exact your revenge? That is the basis of this remake of the Chan-wook Park 2003 Korean thriller.

MY TAKE-Spike Lee’s Oldboy is demented in the best way and immediately had this film-addict thinking about David Fincher’s Seven when I left the theater. It’s an inventive piece of work and stands as one of the most brilliant thriller mysteries I have seen in a long time.

Let’s get something straight. I haven’t seen Park’s original yet. I wanted to give Lee the benefit of the doubt and check his remake out before steering myself towards the original. Do me a favor before you see this film, put the original to the side and simply enjoy the brilliance of Lee’s execution of material that would scare off a dozen other A-List directors.

This isn’t sensitive material. This is lurid, dirt sexy, bare knuckle brutal intensity and introspective storytelling that Park started 10 years ago and Josh Brolin and a perfect cast bring back to life here.

The film displays a new style of revenge that is more intricate than imagined and reminds everyone in the viewing audience that it can exist in any of us. There are more than one kind of retribution in this world and Oldboy teaches you that here. The template to take a crooked edge in your soul and smooth it out with justice was what brought Lee to this material and you can see how much of a fire it has lit under him. For years, Lee hasn’t been this assured or this tight of a filmmaker in my opinion. As Fast Eddie Felson once told another pool player, “I’m hungry again and you bled that back into me,” Lee seems to have a new tank of gas to work with here and I thank Park for that.

The action is not for the faint of heart but it’s so blunt that it will get your attention one way or another. Hammers sticking out heads, tongues ripped from heads and the most original brand of torture I have seen in quite some time. Every human frailty is shown in the treatment of Brolin’s captive and suddenly freed avenger. Imagine if you were locked in a room for 20 years without knowing why.

The thing that makes this movie come together is how easy you read the misery on the faces of the characters. The minute you see Brolin, you are reminded of how great and underrated of an actor he is. This isn’t an easy to role to play. Brolin’s Joe goes through every single human emotion in just under two hours and the toll is evident. Walking around like a mixed up of a young Lee Marvin and Steve McQueen, Brolin is utterly convincing as a man cut off from normal ways of operating and hell bent on answers. His physical transformation is amazing but it’s willingness to go down the rabbit hole here that is most impressive. Joe isn’t the world’s most likeable human being, but we follow him here because of Brolin’s rugged portrayal. While the depravity of his character’s decision making isn’t common, you can relate to his trek.

Copley is so gifted of an actor that he can slip into any character’s skin. Say hello to the new Hollywood chameleon folks. Playing the string puller of the operation at hand, Copley isn’t just a bad man but something far more tragic. He nails every single line and shows how many shades of grey lie in decades of scorn. The truly sexy Olsen adds just enough mystery and warmth to her role and Jackson gets to command the screen for a few scenes with his usual blend of humor, anger and menace. Imperioli does what he does best, playing low seedy greasy guys who instantly stick in your memory for all the wrong reasons. The entire cast is so well engineered that you can tell Lee handpicked every one of them because he didn’t want to mess this mission up.

Oldboy is a fine slice of pulpy entertainment that contains more depth than expected. While the violence is as brutal as anything on film this year, Lee never forgets where the soul of this enterprise lies and that is reminding us that no matter how much we deny it, there is a sinister deadliness lurking in our bodies at all times. Every decision reverberates through an entire life and stays as close to our trail as a black cat. This movie is something else and I credit Lee, Brolin, and Copley for truly taking us all the way into the decrepit nature of human frailty.

Buffa Rating-4/5

BURRIS’ TAKE–OldBoy is the kind of film that makes cinema feel fresh again. Its lurid subject matter and ambiguous ending are not the kinds of things that find their way into American cineplexes, which is indeed why film connoisseurs often are looking to other nations, including wook-Park’s native Korea, for something fresh.

That being said Spike Lee’s new remake of OldBoy is about as fresh as last week’s leftovers for the initiated. While Lee, with star Josh Brolin in the lead role as Joe Doucett, certainly mixes up some scenes and plot details from the original, nothing he does truly surprises. In fact, the new film’s ending is much tidier and straightforward than the original’s which takes away from what made the first film so refreshing.

Lee doesn’t completely drop the ball however, Josh Brolin is every bit as good as Choi Minosik was in the first film, and is certainly the film’s biggest strength. The film’s first half, which shows Joe’s drunken scumbag ways and imprisonment, is incredibly well done and even improves on the original in some ways. Viewers feel bad for Dae-Su, but Joe is a nearly irredeemable person which makes his transformation that much more powerful.

Once Joe is unleashed on the world, the film’s quality quickly goes down the drain. The movie often feels like it’s just going through the motions. There are still some impressive sequences however, and one wonders how Spike Lee’s reportedly three hour original cut would stack up against the 104 minute product that made it to screen.

BURRIS’ REMAKE RATING-3/5

BURRIS’ ORIGINAL RATING-5/5

If you care to read Landon’s take of the original, go to his piece right here.

http://film-addict.com/news-reviews/daily-dose/item/2275-now-then-oldboy

Otherwise, have a good day and choose wisely at the cinema. Wasted time is as useful as a chewy steak with braces.

*Reach me at buffa82@gmail.com or @buffa82 on Twitter for feedback, thoughts and comments.

Appreciating Woody Harrelson

December 8, 2013 · Leave a comment ·

Here is something I posted on Film-Addict last night. A spotlight on the work of Harrelson, an actor truly on a hot streak. Check it out. If you like it, spread it across the email boards, social media waves and to your friends homes. If it reminds you of that bad take out food you ordered last night, delete it immediately. I aim to dazzle your minds for a brief moment and leave you wanting more. I don’t want to tear open a wound in your stomach and have you reaching for the pepto bismol. Read on folks.

He has come a long way since playing Woody Boyd on Cheers for 9 years, but Woody Harrelson is slowly becoming one of the most versatile actors in the business. He can play comedy, do the action, perform the drama or combine all three into a performance. He is currently on fire and I am here to tell you what he has been up to.

He is currently gracing screens as two very different characters. In The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Harrelson is Haymitch, the alcoholic wise man who once won the Games and now tutors Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen. Opening today, Woody plays the menacing Harlan DeGroate, an underground fight/drug kingpin deep in the dangerous mountains of New Jersey facing down a pair of brothers in Out Of The Furnace. From tending Ted Danson’s bar to facing down Christian Bale’s justice, here is how Woody did it.

This certainly isn’t the first time that we have seen Woody’s fearless versatility. A-list directors have gotten their dose of Woody. He was nominated for an Oscar for playing Larry Flynt in 1996’s The People Versus Larry Flynt, directed by Gus Van Sant. He was the poster boy for derangement in Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers. He played a small yet key role in Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line and co-starred with Billy Crudup in Stephen Frears’ The Hi-Lo Country. Harrelson flashed his comedic abilities with White Men Can’t Jump and Kingpin as well, showing the many flavors to his ability.

In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Woody flailed a bit. Whether it was a lack of good scripts or a willingness to see what the rabbit hole of comedy looked like, he peeked his head down a little too low. With failed endeavors like Scorched, Play It To The Bone, Anger Management, She Hate Me, After The Sunset, and The Big White, one started to wonder what was left for Harrelson. Then, he teamed up with Charlize Theron for a little film called North Country in 2005. Playing Theron’s lawyer in a fictionalized account of the first prominent sexual harassment, Woody got back on top in what started a series of solid supporting roles.

In my opinion, that is Woody’s repertoire. Taking a supporting role, stealing a few scenes and coming out holding a fair share of the viewer’s attention, Woody got back to working with Hollywood first class filmmakers. In 2006-2007, Woody turned in a series of small yet vital roles in Richard Linklaker’s A Scanner Darkly, Robert Altman’s A Prairie Home Companion and The Coen Brothers’ No Country For Old Men.

In 2009, his career hit a new high with the unexpected success of Ruben Fleisher’s comedic take on the zombie genre, Zombieland. Starring with a young Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg, Harrelson was in his wheelhouse, playing a gun toting Dale Earnhardt loving dead man walking killing machine. He was the best part about the movie and that included a Bill Murray cameo.

Doing his classic bob and weave into different genres, Woody portrayed a military officer in charge of informing families of fallen soldiers in The Messenger. Sharing the screen with Ben Foster, Harrelson was quietly devastating as Captain Tony Stone.

In 2011, Woody went to the bottom of the dark side pit as a maniacal cop in Rampart. Take Denzel’s dirty cop from Training Day and spin him a few times and you had Officer David Douglas Brown, a racist corrupt homicidal cop in the days of the Rodney King cultural breakdown. It was a mesmerizing performance and one that reminded you what the actor was capable of.

He hasn’t slowed down a bit. In 2012, he starred in the first installment of the Hunger Games, reteamed with Eisenberg in Now You See Me, played a key cog in the Sarah Palin HBO film Game Change and played a hilarious gangster in Seven Psychopaths.

This year, he followed with Catching Fire and Out of The Furnace. Watching him go 100 percent pure evil in Cooper’s Furnace is a revelation to behold. While some may call it scenery chewing, I saw his performance was wildly unpredictable and entertaining. There was a pain behind his villain, a need to own every soul who came into his presence that was rooted in a jealousy of anyone who seemed tougher or better than him. Woody’s performance was one you couldn’t get enough of that when it started to come to an end, the movie lost a little of the spark. That’s how far he has come.

He is becoming more selective and keeping his eye on the prize. While the Academy hasn’t awarded him yet, The Golden Globes and Emmy Awards may come calling. Reteaming with his Edtv co-star Matthew McConaughey in HBO’s highly ambitious detective noir drama series, True Detectives, the TV series more promises deep and darker thinking Woody.

The thing that amazes me with Woody, 52, is how easily he can slip into the darker roles after playing lighter ones. Few actors can do that. Harrelson built his early career on comedy, so it’s in his system and shows up in nearly all of his performances. However, when it comes to characters full of depravity and inner demons, Woody is one of the go to guys right now. His arsenal is a peculiar yet sharply fastened one. Wildly unpredictable with a Southern twinkle in its eye.

Check out Harrelson in theaters in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire or Out of The Furnace.

Care to share some thoughts, throw me some feedback at buffa82@gmail.com.

Read more about the world of film at my site, http://www.film-addict.com

A Few Words With Frank Grillo

November 30, 2013 · 4 Comments ·

“First movie I saw with my pop. Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds. I said “I wanna be that guy””-Frank Grillo

On his twitter page, Frank Grillo plainly states, “I’ll fight any superhero with my bare hands.” That’s the essence of the gifted actor and tells you all a movie loving soul needs to know about this underrated performer. He is blunt, worthy of your attention and a lot more than “a face of film” in my opinion. Grillo is a born and bred New Yorker just hitting the age of 50 this year and he hasn’t lost an ounce of will. The statement could be blindly tied to his role as Crossbones in the next summer’s Marvel sequel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

However, when taken on its own, the Twitter bio can be placed on top of Grillo’s entire career. He’s a fighter in this game of filmmaking and always will be. Grillo takes on Jason Statham in this week’s Homefront and I had to chance to ask him some questions about his trade craft.

While his first role was a bit role in a 1993 film called Deadly Rivals, I remember him hitting my vision in 2002’s Minority Report playing an officer colliding with Tom Cruise’s runaway cop. That is signature Grillo. Bashing skulls with the pretty boy movie stars and leaving a dent in your mind long after the credits roll. In 2011’s Warrior, Grillo played a MMA trainer who brought Joel Edgerton’s professor back to the land of hand to hand combat warriors. You didn’t catch his face on the poster, but that isn’t the point. The point is the performance Grillo turned in that caught critic’s and fan’s attention. To an actor, it’s all about the work.

When I call him a character actor, Grillo respectfully disagrees and lays it out firmly but fair. “I’m not a character actor. Who is really? Ernest Borgnine, I guess. I’m an actor. I’ve been leading on TV and in film. You need to understand the business to understand who’s the guy and who supports. It’s not a meritocracy. A Character actor is an old term for an actor who plays the same character.” Again, this is blunt response and not an actor being rude. I respect Grillo for bringing it straight with me and not phoning in the answer.

When I ask him how much time he gives to a script to hook him, he says it usually happens quickly. “First ten pages and I’m in or out. It’s a gut thing or a money thing. If the script’s good, I’ll do anything.” Too many actors languish on scripts until they force themselves to do it or do so at the request of their agent. Grillo sounds like an actor who takes his career and puts it in his own hands. There is an old school grace about him that flickers throughout his words. He leaves the B.S. to other actors.

Grillo continues on the idea of the label of character actor being overused. “It all has a lot to do w international value. Those guys are brilliant. But don’t necessarily have a lot of drawing power. Not a meritocracy.” He sounds like a guy who knows what he has to do and will just keep fighting his way through juicy roles.

I asked him who is the biggest badass he has ever faced on film and his answer is unequivocally quick. “(Liam) Neeson. Hands down.” Grillo and Neeson shared the screen in the outstanding and underrated film The Grey, directed by Joe Carnahan. There is hope that Carnahan and Grillo will remake a Charles Bronson film someday if funding comes through.

What is up next for Grillo? A lot of versatile film fare. In 2014 he has Demonic with Mario Bello. Captain America: Winter Soldier. Big Sky with Kyra Sedgewick and Bella Thorne. A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island with Minnie Driver and John Lequizamo, Ed Westwick, Mary McCormack as well as a Direct TV series called Navy St., which Grillo compares to Warrior.

My favorite Grillo scene is clear cut. He is magnetic in every role he takes but his role as Sarge in End of Watch involved a scene at a cop’s wedding where Grillo’s weary and wise cop tells this group of soldiers about this incident with a partner. He tells these young men how this guy took a bullet for him and that the bullet “was mine and he took it.” Grillo says it was “last minute” and it plays in parts during the wedding scene but it’s one of the lasting images I took from that film and I rated it my top movie of 2012. Grillo was a big reason for that. He was so good as Sarge you would have thought he wore that badge for years.

That’s why Grillo calls himself simply an actor. That is what he does and he does it very well. I implore you to check out this man’s work and get to know his name as well as his face. He has big things ahead of him and while fighting superheroes may be involved, I personally think something a lot better awaits Grillo.

After answering these questions the day before Thanksgiving, Grillo says thank you and that my work here on him is much appreciated. Trust me, Mr. Grillo, for this film-addict, the pleasure is all mine and it will stay that way as long as he keeps working.

Signature Frank Grillo Films–The Grey, End of Watch, Warrior, Homefront, Pride and Glory, Disconnect, Prison Break, and a brief stint on The Shield.

Connect with Grillo on Twitter at his handle, @FrankGrillo.

Written By Dan Buffa

Film-Addict Co-Creator/Writer

@buffa82 on Twitter

Reach me at buffa82@gmail.com

(Getting to talk to Frank happened on a whim. Truly, out of nowhere. I praised his work in a tweet on Tuesday and he replied in gratitude and I asked him about a quick interview and he complied. This interview was done over Twitter direct message. A way that Twitter is powering my passionate career as well as many others. The global ground of opportunity.)

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Movie Review

November 22, 2013 · Leave a comment ·

Fact-I didn’t see The Hunger Games last year until after it had been in theaters for 2 weeks. Film-Addict wasn’t up and running yet and slowly but surely I was in the process of losing my job. There was no urgency for me to run and catch it with the crazy crowds that had read the books that the films are based on. Once I saw it, I left very impressed and moved by what I saw. It was the first film I reviewed for my site. The signature touch behind these films lies in the moral compass spinning inside the story. A young woman doing whatever it takes to keep her family safe and keep her world(District 12) in check. Allow me to throw a hypothetical at the crowd still deciding if they should continue reading this.

Imagine if you were placed into an arena where you had to not only survive but kill several people close to your age and in the same desperate situation. Imagine if this wasn’t your choice and if you refused, your little sister or brother would go in your place. Think Darwin’s Natural Selection with a more sinister vibe.

The best thing I can say about the sequel to the Hunger Games, Catching Fire is that it lives up to the high hopes I had walking into it and when I left, I only wanted more of it and right away. Furthermore, here are 12(staying with the heroine’s district) thoughts I took away from this film and that you should consider when picking a film this weekend.

1. Jennifer Lawrence’s star power and versatility. If there is one thing that powers these films, it’s Lawrence, the two time Oscar nominee and owner of a Best Actress Oscar. She is so convincing at Katniss Everdeen, our heroine, that you forget you are watching an actress and you get sucked into this horrible yet honorable predicament. There’s a sizzling confidence to the way she tackles this role that Twilight fans can only wish Kristen Stewart owned an ounce of. Lawrence is the heart and soul of the franchise and makes it tick.

2. A tip of the cap to director Francis Lawrence. A veteran action director(the underrated Constantine and I Am Legend), Lawrence took over for Gary Ross after the first film and deftly puts his stamp on this film. His work here reminds me of the Will Smith science fiction film listed earlier but in this particular film Lawrence shows more free will in the storytelling process. With Legend, he created this post apocalyptic world built around Smith’s lone survivor. The best parts of those films were the depravity on display and the soulfulness of his protagonist’s fight. He portrays the same thing here with Katniss, only in a heightened environment and ideal spectacle. He proves that he is right at home in big budget action films with a pulse.

3. Woody Harrelson is an actor to admire and appreciate at the moment. The comic actor who served drinks on Cheers has come a long way in the past 6 years and his roles in 2013 will bring that all to bear for the movie world. Harrelson’s work as the mentor and voice inside Katniss’ head says more about wisdom than it does about action and that lends the film a gravity it desires. The actor is in a comfort zone while taking the most unpredictable jobs but here he is so smooth and effortlessly authoritative that you rarely think of the parts he once played.

4. The special effects are solid and lend a futuristic flair to the story. When blockbusters are done right, the effects don’t overwhelm the story but give the eyes plenty of candy to enjoy with the pathos. That is the case with Catching Fire. You can tell there is a bigger budget at work so the effects are given a boost. During the action scenes, you can only guess which is real and which is computer generated but they lend a hand to the tale instead of taking control away from the actors.

5. I am not sure who Sam Claflin is or what he has done but his role here as Finnick is very well played and will only evolve further as the franchise moves forward. When you first see him, the perception of him sits in one spot but changes by the time you reach the end and that is a credit to the unpredictable flavor of his performance.

6. The rest of the cast is aces. Elizabeth Banks deserves credit for her role as Effie Trinket. What looked like a gimmick in the first part of The Hunger Games has fully evolved into a multi-faceted role that blends unfortunate, a wise knowledge of the times and a hilarious vibe whenever she is around. I think of her as the ultimate assistant to the chaos. Banks doesn’t just disappear into makeup. She makes it her own. Stanley Tucci spends some time on the same street as Banks in taking a hammy looking scenery chewing role and making it engaging, funny and well rounded. Playing the game show host Caesar Flickerman, Tucci hides the acknowledgement of his role in the Games with a ridiculous laugh that never gets old. With so many characters in this series, it’s what they don’t say with their mouth but what they hide in their eyes. Lenny Kravitz lends the role of designer Cinna a cool that can’t be taught in any acting school. A character you want to see more of. Jena Malone offers up a different take to her fans that have come to expect a certain personality in her roles. Her character is downright naughty and has a mischievous vibe.

7. Co-star Willow Shields is right on with her statement from our interview on Monday. This film appeals to all ages. Teenagers, young adults, middle aged folks and the senior crowd. While the action can be relentless and the suspense intense at times, the story grounds it all and keeps you following these characters. The whole family can appreciate this movie that doesn’t overload on blood but instead keeps the emphasis on story.

8. Josh Hutcherson climbs out of his puppy pajamas from the first film and gets a lot more to do in the sequel. His Peeta is in an unfortunate situation. He earned the love of Katniss in the first film but finds himself wondering if it was grown or manufactured. You don’t quite know where his character is heading but you want to follow the knight along into the deadly games.

9. I still have a problem buying Liam Hemsworth in any film so he provides me with the only dilemma here and keeps this film from being perfect. The younger brother of Chris, Liam oozes a masculinity that doesn’t ring true with his character. The first two films haven’t given him much more than a handful of scenes and while they don’t require much, Hemsworth hasn’t impressed me much with his portrayal of a man who will play a bigger role in the last 2 films. He just doesn’t convince me here, but that’s my take of him in all his roles.

10. The screenplay, which Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt adapted from Suzanne Collins’ book, is very well laid out and leaves the audience hanging on a tasty cliff as the credits roll. At first glance, that can be taken as a cheat but when you think about it the execution here fits in perfectly with the franchise’s direction. At the end of Catching Fire is where the match is lit and the rest of the story blasts into full power. When you think of the title of this chapter, it fits perfectly. If you have been waiting for the turning point, the end of this film presents it and the writing is crisp and supports the forward moving tale.

11. Philip Seymour Hoffman is what I expected him to be. A fine addition to an already superb cast. His character carries an aura of mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. Donald Sutherland is his usual strong self and that’s no surprise. Jeffrey Wright’s small role is effective and adds another silver bullet to this wildly crafty actor’s resume. These guys are accomplished pros.

12. What’s most impressive about the overall production of this sequel? The fast pace and the way 146 minutes moves like a cheetah. There isn’t a single moment in this film where you get bored or look at your watch begging for time travel. Catching Fire takes off quick and wastes little time moving forward. A hybrid of an action film and drama, this sequel qualifies as one of the most thought provoking blockbusters I have seen in a while. It delivers the action and romance you come to expect, but has a poignancy to its proceedings that elevates it. And there’s also the wicked sharp talent called Jennifer Lawrence.

I urge you to see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. It’s a fast paced, well acted and poignant look at the future we all hope we never face but can at least be entertained by this Thanksgiving. If my 12 thoughts don’t persuade you to see the film, they at least provide you with an idea of what to expect. One of the best things about writing a review is I get to unfold my take in more detail. I hope this helped. I will be seeing this again and buying the third book to read because I can’t possibly wait 2 years to get my resolution.

There’s my biggest form of an endorsement. Being a busy job seeker, family man and avid writer, I don’t find time to read many books these days. This film’s brilliant execution puts me in a bookstore really quick needing to get the next chapter of Collins’ tale.

Thanks for reading and see you all next time,

Dan L. Buffa

@buffa82 on Twitter

buffa82@gmail.com for feedback and responses.

Movie Review-12 Years A Slave

November 13, 2013 · Leave a comment ·

Here I am again folks, to deliver a film-addict review special. One of my film-addict colleagues, Landon Burris, gave this film the highest rating possible(5/5) and after seeing it, I find it hard to disagree with him. 12 Years a Slave isn’t just a movie. It’s an experience and one that will haunt your thoughts after you leave the theater. Any film about slavery is powerful, but director Steve McQueen(remember this brave filmmaker’s name) puts a fresh spin on the tragic period.

PLOT-Based on a true story, this is the story of a free black man named Solomon Northup living in New York with his family and making a fine living who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Stripped of his identity as well as his soul, Northup is forced into a life he never saw coming and the rest is tragic history.

Buffa’s Take-This film is as powerful as it gets and will command attention at the Oscars. I went in with a clear head and loving life as we know it, but when I left the film I felt like holding onto what I have a little tighter. This story will rock your senses and remind you what is sacred, privileged and not a given in this world. What if everything you had was suddenly taken from you based on the color of your skin and your placing in society? McQueen and star Chiwetel Ejiofor team up for this masterpiece and don’t hold any punches when it comes to telling the full story of Northup.

A long time brilliant character actor and occasional leading man, British wonder Ejiofor is outstanding as Northup and gives a performance that asks for nothing in return and doesn’t attempt to manipulate your emotions. It’s just a plain old great piece of work and a convincing portrayal of an ordinary good man trapped in hell on earth. Slowly, the strong minded Northup comes undone and Ejiofor doesn’t spare you anything with his performance. Fighting back tears, hiding his identity through a rugged tyranny overseen by Edwin Epps(the never better Michael Fassbender, holding the hot hand right now) and simply surviving. Ejiofor takes you for this ride and doesn’t let you go, even when he isn’t in the scene. His soulful performance looms over the entire film.

Fassbender, who blew my mind in McQueen’s previous film Shame, is also worthy of Oscar attention as Epps, the pure evil slave owner who tests our leading man in every possible way. The only thing more hated back then than a black human being was a smart brave black human being and the collision of minds of Northup and Epps is mesmerizing. Fassbender is ridiculously versatile and shows off his menace here. For a man who played a sex addict, a lawyer, a young Magneto and now this, The Irish-German bred actor is on the heels of Hollywood domination. In order to play that role right, Fassbender has to reach down to a depth that most actors simply don’t own. Both actors are more than Oscar worthy. They are memorable and transcendent.

The rest of the supporting cast makes great use of their minimal screen time. The white hot British actor Benedict Cumberbatch(Star Trek Into Darkness, BBC’s Sherlock Holmes) carries an aura of broken nobility in his scenes as a slave owner who takes a liking to Solomon. Paul Giamatti and Paul Dano redefine blunt sinister behavior, with Giamatti displaying a special disdain in a role lasting no more than 5 minutes. Lupita Nyon’g is sensational as a fellow slave who connects with Solomon. Sarah Paulson is the feminine batch of evil that soaks up a part of every scene she is in. Brad Pitt, who co-produced the film, has two scenes that resonate due to the restraint he brings to his role. The cast is marvelous and easily the best ensemble of the year.

McQueen doesn’t overpower you narrative and lets the simplicity of Northup’s torturous situation play out slowly. The man is an artist at the grave human details of the hard life and puts his camera to fine use here. The cinematography is heart wrenching. Hans Zimmer’s score is eloquent and slow moving instead of overbearing. Everything works so well in this film that it seems like a documentary style history lesson.

After you watch this film, you will leave the theater and appreciate the free air you breathe. 12 Years A Slave reminds you what slavery did to millions and how evil of a head it grew during its reign. Freedom is the greatest thing in this world and you will be hard pressed to find another film that deals with the subject better. 12 Years A Slave isn’t just one of the best films of the year. It’s one of the best films I have seen in the last 10 years. It demands your attention.

Thanks for reading and come back next time for the Dose of Buffa Film-Addict Review special!

Photo Credit-Blogs/Indiewire