Tag: Movie Reviews

Hacksaw Ridge: Mel Gibson’s redemption song 

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Desmond Doss(Andrew Garfield) didn’t want to be a hero, but his upbringing and religious beliefs put him on a path of life preservation. The first conscientious objector to win the Medal of Honor, Doss earned that prestigious honor by saving 75 lives during one of the most deadly battles in World War II.

It’s a tale that deserved cinematic treatment and required the right director to spin it just right. Enter banished actor/director Mel Gibson.


In a way, Gibson and Doss needed each other. They also needed an actor like Garfield to bring this legendary character to life. The trio hit a home run together.

Gibson hasn’t graced mainstream movie theater screens much lately. Outside of the Sylvester Stallone fun bag mash-up sequel Expendables 3, Gibson hasn’t been able to break through and there’s a reason everybody knows. Right or wrong, the tale of World War II hero Doss will bring the talented yet controversial actor back into the light and for good reason. Hacksaw Ridge is one of the best movies of 2016 and reminded me of Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan.

Doss’ tale wasn’t an easy one to tell, and more than likely the reason for the long walk to the cinema. The battle atop the infamous ridge in Okinawa isn’t fertile ground for most filmmakers. You either go there or you don’t go there. All in or nothing. There is no middle ground with World War II flicks. The carnage and brutality of war during those battles wasn’t as prevalent as the unique heroics that the conscientious objector fought inside himself.

Doss’ religious beliefs kept him from using a weapon, but they didn’t save him from a rough childhood. The son of an alcoholic World War I veteran(Hugo Weaving) who did his best to steer his kids away from enlisting, Doss didn’t feel right sitting at home while others around him fought and either died or were badly injured. Before he heads off, Doss met and fell in love with Dorothy(Teresa Palmer), and this woman gives him extra purpose to serve his country and come home.

A bulk of the first hour is spent with Doss in boot camp, where his beliefs are less than well received by his fighting peers. Soldiers like Smitty(Luke Bracey, almost making us forget the Point Break remake) misjudge his stance as cowardice instead of religious stubbornness. Sergeant Howell(Vince Vaughn, sliding nicely back into drama) and Captain Glover(Sam Worthington) don’t know what to do with him.

After initial hesitation, Doss and company are sent off to war and that is where Gibson’s skills as a director are on full display. After using a subtle approach in establishing Doss’ upbringing and purpose, the director switches to full throttle action mode in the battle scenes. When the soldiers climb the ill fated rope to the top of the ridge, the shock and horror is reminiscent of Spielberg’s Normandy Beach rush. Bullets flying through heads, explosions cutting bodies in half, and the hysteria and sudden blast of war will sear your eyes in stretches. It is the only way to properly tell Doss’ story.

He ran into this madness without a weapon to protect him and if ever was a movie for the times, it’s Hacksaw Ridge. In a modern world full of unnecessary violence and despair, Gibson shows you a guy who decided to do things the hard way yet saved more lives than anybody with a gun ever could. The powerful aspects of this film won’t leave you alone.

Gibson, torn apart for his obscene religious rant, may acquit himself by placing a heroic character who did these good deeds because he was driven by his own religion and its values. Something tells me the filmmaker gravitated towards this tale for a reason. As I noted earlier, the story and the film needed each other.

Garfield is the real deal here. The 33 year old actor has dazzled filmgoers in Social Network, Never Let Me Go, and the recent 99 Homes but Doss brings out the best in his abilities. Playing Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider Man films helps him command the screen for two plus hours, and shows what kind of chops this young man has in store as he ages gracefully on the big screen. It took the right amount of heart, charisma, restraint, and bravado to bring Desmond T. Doss to the big screen, and Garfield is brilliant here. Without him, Gibson’s film is blind deer in the woods.

Hacksaw Ridge isn’t pretty and it doesn’t play nice. It will knock you down and horrify you at times. The sights and sounds probably won’t leave your mind for quite some time. What Gibson and Garfield do is show you what true courage looks like in the face of insurmountable odds.

Desmond T. Doss isn’t just the hero World War II needed. He’s the war hero 2016 needs to remember.

Come award time, Gibson and Garfield deserve recognition for their execution here.

Captain Fantastic: One of the best films of 2016

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Is it better to be sheltered from the storm or released into the wild at birth? Writer/Director Matt Ross(you know him Silicon Valley and Big Love) gets that theory wet like a sponge and throws it against the wall in one of 2016’s most unexpected cinematic pleasures. Captain Fantastic will make you think and explore the idea of when innocence should end. It’s also brilliantly odd, inventive, and easily one of the best films I’ve seen in 2016. Good luck getting this film out of your head.

With the help of Viggo Mortenson(first film in years) and an expertly chosen cast of kids and teens, Captain Fantastic explores what it would be like to raise your family on nothing but the great outdoors. Instead of a cell phone game of candy crush or Pokemon, your oldest son would fully understand the complex music of famous conductors and recite poetry. Instead of playing with action figures, your eight year old would be able to dish her take on the Bill of Rights. A family outing would include hunting and killing a deer and engaging in a morning class of yoga and cross fit.

 

Mortenson’s Ben has raised his kids up tough and gruff in the beautiful outdoor land of the Pacific Northwest. Along with his wife, they have created a life for themselves off the grid and without the need for electronics. A knife is a kid’s favorite tablet in Ross’ world and the film creates a quirky exercise when a tragedy forces the family to join the “other world” for a funeral.

Unknown Object

Ross’ film will make you uncomfortable while making your mind divulge into deep thought about the way a child should be raised. He injects provocative theories on modern society and what triggers a child’s growth. Ross gives every voice a chance to speak in this film. Mortenson’s ideals are challenged when he is confronted with a “conventional practitioner” in his sister in law(Kathryn Hahn). When he is confronted by his father in law(Frank Langhella) for an injury to a child, the father is challenged in a completely different way. (more…)

‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ is perfect summer movie diversion

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There are certain films that you just don’t see coming. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is one of those cinematic adventures that sweeps you right off your feet in the best way because it comes out of nowhere. It is also the emergence of young star Julian Dennison.

What’s it all about? A simple story about a couple outsiders drifting into the great outdoors in hopes of finding something worth living for. Add in a crazy counselor, some police, and a fair mix of comedy and drama and you have a quiet summer gem. Adapted from Barry Crump’s novel, writer/director Taika Waititi(who delivered the indie darling, What We Do in The Shadows) crafts a film that suits a teenager or their grandfather.

Remember Sam O’Neil? The Jurassic Park actor barely works these days but picks up the right speed of wise knowledge here playing Hector, the foster uncle of the young rebellious Ricky(Dennison). When Hector and Bella(Rima Te Wiata) adopt Ricky, they are warned that he “burns things, hits things, does bad things” and is a general nuisance to society. A modern Dennis The Menace. Is there a chance he could just be a kid who has been passed from home to home and just needs the right family to settle down? Without getting heavy, the film has a poetic stroke about the misconception of foster children. (more…)

‘Weiner’ documentary reviews raw side of politics

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When in doubt, politicians shouldn’t tweet pictures of their body or text women other than their spouse. New York congressman Anthony Weiner is a living testament to that and the focus of Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s documentary, “Weiner”, about his ill-fated 2013 New York mayoral run.

Documentaries are at their best when they present a topic you know little to nothing about and suddenly make that topic explode in front of your eyes. By the end of the movie, you are craving more material and needing to know more about the subject. Before I turned on “Weiner”, I knew little about this man. By the end, I couldn’t wait to hear more or see where he was at. This is a riveting and brutally honest look at a smart man undone by painfully poor decision making. I’m not sure anyone beats Weiner in the smartest dumb politician race.

IFC Films

When we first see Weiner, he is standing up for 9/11 rescue workers in the Barack Obama health care bill that wished to stop paying those heroic men and women. Weiner is a fast talking New Yorker who stormed into politics with a vengeance only to set his own career on fire. Remember the five minutes he got in front of Congress and basically lit a Will McAvoy like forest fire in that room by calling out Republicans for turning their back on the real heroes. He was riding high until he had to step down after a picture tweeted out of his account of his crotch burned everything he built to the ground. The worst thing about it was he lied at first and then admitted later. (more…)

‘The Nice Guys’ isn’t worth your money

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Walking into Shane Black’s new comedy detective flick, Nice Guys, I was ready for a wise cracking, hip, and easy going experience. An unofficial sequel to his 2005 sneaky hit Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The quiet beginning of the Robert Downey Jr. comeback was unexpectedly witty and hilarious, hitting all the right notes. Unfortunately, Nice Guys doesn’t hit any of its marks. It is silly, pretentious, and forgettable.

Ryan Gosling is a former cop turned private investigator who happens to be on the same case as tough guy freelance knockaround enforcer Russell Crowe and when they collide, the initial confrontation is funny. Gosling is the hapless victim and Crowe beats him up. Before two scenes can pass, the two are working the case together, looking for a missing girl who may or may not be a porn star. A State attorney(Kim Basinger) may be involved and there are others at stake as well, including Gosling’s character’s daughter.

What you see here is what you have seen in several other films. You saw it in Black’s Lethal Weapon script and the aforementioned Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Two opposites thrown together to work a case, grind each others gears, and eventually find a way to solve the case with a lot of dead bodies being dropped along the way. There’s nothing new here.  (more…)

The Intouchables: A movie for Meme

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The Intouchables reminds you how great movies can make you feel leaving the theater.  This movie reminded me of my late grandmother, Henrietta Bulus.   She loved French cinema films because they presented you with simple stories that taught you so many subtle truths about life and its quiet virtues.  French cinema is the opposite of Hollywood blockbusters, and the timing of this film’s release perfectly coincides with the madness of the theater shaking sprints of the big budget superhero alien fighting action adventures that will fill the multiplexes this weekend.  This is a simple movie with layers of poignant knowledge.

 

The Weinstein Company

The Intouchables carries the task of a sweet little vineyard, presenting the touching story of two men from completely different backgrounds that see their paths collide which produces the most unlikely of friendships.  (more…)

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…)