You’ll Float Too (It, 2017)

When I heard they were making an “It” movie…I thought this would be a bad idea. It is a decent sized novel. Steven King horror novels have a pretty painful track record on film. and tended to find more success in the genre of the TV Mini-series. And we already had an It mini-series back in 1990. Tim Curry pretty much defined the look of Pennywise in that series.

So, to say I went in with low expectations is an understatement.

It is the tale of a group of friends in the town of Derry who learn of an evil force in their town. Derry has a sordid history, and grownups and children alike just disappear. After Bill’s younger brother Georgie disappears while playing in the rain, he becomes obsessed with discovering what happened to Georgie. As he and his friends have frightening encounters with a demonic clown, they band together to try and stop it.

Is it a scary movie? Yeah, it delivers some solid scares along with a real creepy vibe. The new design of Pennywise is brilliantly unnerving. Add to that a bone chilling performance by actor Bill Skarsgård. It is a visually rich fright-fest.

But what really makes It highly effective? It’s kids. These kids are a solid set of actors who can create sympathy, frustration and inspiration. When Bill delivers a speech about why they need to enter the creepy house? You kind of want to enter the house with him. Richie provides a whole lot of comic relief (played by Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard) who constantly makes bad sex jokes and raises his hand for high fives that never arrive. Sophia Lillis imbues Bev with a kindness that makes it clear why the boys start to have a crush on her. These kids have some rotten lots in lives. Overbearing parents, abusive parents…and bullies. Vicious bullies.

It is not really about stopping a monster clown. It is about overcoming childhood fears, finding strength and help in your friends. And simply growing up.

It manages to be one of those rare things… a really good Stephen King horror movie.

September 9, 2017 0

Round and Round (The Circle, 2017)

The Circle asks the question: What if Google Were an Evil All Seeing Corporation?

(And somebody responds… “IF??”)

Emma Watson is Mae, a young woman who dreams of being more than another faceless customer service rep. Her friend gets her an interview with the Tech Company “The Circle”. She is overwhelmed at first, they seem to know things about her life that she had not informed them of. But as her star rises, she becomes drawn in by the very likeable and charismatic Bailey. Bailey is the “ideal” CEO. Personable, treats everyone as equally important, regardless of status in the company…he charms Mae into overlooking her concerns as the Circle’s influence grows.

It cannot last, of course. There are people, even within the company, who believe there is a darker and seedier underside (unsurprisingly, they are correct). After a tragedy, Mae finds herself at a crossroads.

The Circle is established very well early on as “This could be the coolest place to work!” But it early on starts to drop hints of creepiness. Mae’s transition from sweet but overwhelmed to complicit in the organization’s overreach is well handled. And Hanks just turns on his “I Am Tom Hanks” charm to make Bailey someone you cannot help but like.

The problem for the film is that it spends so much time on build up, it feels like it gets resolved in about six minutes. They beat the corruption in a sentence. It feels like the final act should have been developed a bit more.

August 6, 2017 0

Filed Away (Hidden Figures, 2017)

Hidden Figures tells a story I suspect few Americans were aware of. The women of NASA in the sixties. Or to be more precise, the black women of NASA. Hidden Figures explores the real story of three NASA “Computers”. In the sixties, people were doing all the calculating that would eventually be taken over by computers. And this film brings to light Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. All three were firsts in their field.

The film shows their struggles and triumphs, with terrific performances from the leads. The film is heavy, joyful, heartbreaking and of course, inspirational. This is not to say there are not some things one could take issue with. One of the recurring issues for Katherine is running across the NASA campus to find a Colored Bathroom. This does deliver an entertaining payoff towards the end of the film, as well as a great “standing up against the establishment” sequence. But in reality, Katherine simply used the only women’s room in the building. And when informed she should not use that bathroom? She shrugged and kept using it. It was Mary who had to make the run for the bathroom.

Also, the white characters (outside of John Glenn) are complete fabrications. Costner’s Al Harrison is the tough but fair white guy who seems oblivious to the color of Katherine’s skin. Jim Parson’s Paul Stafford and Kirsten Dunst’s Vivian Mitchell are there to represent specific racial attitudes of the time. However, when watching the film, it had not occurred to me, as all three characters are nicely fleshed out.

Hidden Figures is a terrific film that I recommend. It is a story that needed to be told, and both challenges and inspires.

Also, more movies with Janelle Monáe please.

February 1, 2017 0

The Process in Chaos (Patriots Day, 2017)

Peter Berg’s Patriots day is one of those films where going in, it may feel a bit like a “Rah Rah America!” exercise in propaganda. And while, to a certain extent, it may very well be, it is also one of Berg’s better efforts.

Patriots Day is the story of the Boston Marathon bombing and the manhunt that ensued for the Tsarnaev brothers. The film is most effective in how it is not about “one guy” in all of it. Mark Wahlberg’s Tommy Saunders is our eyes for much of the film, but it takes detours to give us insights into the people impacted who were not part of the manhunt. And this works very nicely, even if, at the beginning, it feels a bit like “Why are we meeting this person?”

This leads to one of the most powerful aspects of the film. It captures the absolute chaos of those couple of days. The intense search for leads o catch the brothers, the desperation of the brothers to escape, the evil that they were willing to for their “cause”. The horror of the people hurt in the bombing trying to find loved ones they have been separated. This is all extremely well done.

The one moment to take me out of the film, however, was what felt like a mini-documentary in which the actual people spoke on camera. I get that it may be a tribute…but it really felt like Berg did not trust the audience to have the “correct mindset” exiting the film. It also distracted me because there is no interview or mention of Tommy Saunders and his wife. This is because they do not exist. They are a combination of people. Had there been no “Here are the real people” moment, this would not have stood out so glaringly for men.

However, this is really a minor issue for an otherwise strong film.

January 31, 2017 0

Prison Without Prison Bars (Prisoners, 2013)

In this compelling, but bleak, tale Hugh Jackman is Keller Dover. His Daughter and her friend have disappeared and he is working aggressively to find them. As he feels the police are not working hard enough, he opts to kidnap the lead suspect. He tortures the young man, Alex, who is mentally about ten. And the deeper it all goes, he becomes more and more obsessed.

But there becomes question on whether Alex is truly guilty. The downward spiral of Keller as Detective Loki tries to solve the kidnapping is frightening. He becomes that thing he is seeking to stop. The film ends on a truly dark note.

Visually, it is every bit as colorless and gloomy as it’s story. You hope for a resolution and finding Dover’s daughter and her friend. And yet, even the resolution of the film has a futility. This is not to say it is a bad film. But you don’t walk out with a sense of hope, that is for sure.

November 24, 2016 0

We Belong To The Night (Nightcrawler, 2014)

Jake Gyllenhaal is lowlife Louis Bloom. He makes his living stealing and pawning stuff. He is also not above harming people to get out of situations. One night he discovers Joe Loder…a camera man who patrols the night for accidents, murders and other tragedies so he can sell the footage to television news. This ends up to be a perfect job for Louis.

A lot of films are about an arc…a good character being corrupted…a corrupt character finding redemption. That is not this film. Louis is soulless, lacking any compassion. This serves him well as he starts excelling at the exploitation of people’s pain and suffering. Gyllenhaal is intense and frightening in the role. He is a sociopath, filming the suffering of even people in his own life. The footage is what matters, not the people.

In spite of the darkness of Louis, this film makes it hard to look away and draws you in, hoping for that moment where Louis might show a spark of humanity. But Louis is cruelly satisfied with who he is. Nightcrawler is a good and effective film, but also unrelentingly dark.

November 23, 2016 2

Fear of Growing Up (The Edge of Seventeen, 2016)

The Edge of Seventeen opens…well, over-dramatically. Nadine sits before her teacher, telling him she plans to kill herself. She simply felt an adult should know. The response is…unexpected. This leads to a recounting of Nadine’s life. She has always felt in the shadow of her brother. Kids in school were mean to her. She met her best and only friend in second grade. And then, one night her family is ripped apart.

The film has a slew of cliches. The seemingly indifferent teacher who secretly cares about his student. Nadine is misunderstood by her cold and distant brother and her flaky mother. She swoons for an over romanticized boy. She has a good friend who is totally into her, yet she is uninterested in. And yet…

This movie does it all so very, very well. Nadine is, at times, absolutely insufferable. She is traumatized by the idea of her best friend Krista dating her brother that she cuts Krista off. She shares with her brother a moment after their father died she saw him weeping…and turns it into a knife to stab him with.

But Nadine is also painfully sympathetic. Her heartache is real. She is self absorbed not because she is a narcissist who thinks she is special. Maybe I am a sap. Maybe it is because these characters connect for me on an emotional level. I have walked in friend Erwin’s shows. A cartoonist longing for the attention of someone who does not seem interested. And one of the things I like about the character is, he never whines about the “Friendzone”. The idea of just being friends does not repulse him. He still wants to be her friend. There is one scene where he is embarrassed and hurt, yet it is understandable. And he takes being mocked in stride. I also understand the feelings Nadine expresses about herself. Looking and the mirror and hating yourself. Nadine and Erwin actually embody my early years quite well.

The performances are fully engaging. The snarky interplay between Nadine and Mr. Bruner is nicely played. All the performances fit exactly what the story needs. The story does not justify Nadine’s negative traits, but rather bring her towards expanding her world. This is the directorial debut of Kelly Fremon Craig, who has a whopping previous two credits. She also wrote the film and has woven a heartfelt exploration of growing up and facing the seemingly insurmountable hammer blows life can throw at you.

November 22, 2016 0

Food and Family (Chef, 2014)

Jon Favreau’s directorial career has managed a fair number of big budget hits. He set the tome for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the first two Iron Man films, and earlier this year wowed viewers with the Jungle Book. After the failure of Cowboy’s and Aliens, Favreau directed a string of episodes of high concept TV shows before returning to the screen with Chef.

Favreau plays Carl Casper. Carl is a gifted Chef who was a rising star. But he finds himself feeling trapped, unable to truly work his creative juices. His boss does not share his culinary aspirations. He wants Carl to stick the script they have had for years.

Karl is struggling personally, trying to be a dedicated father, who is also not really over his Ex-Wife. They have a friendly relationship, and she is actually very supportive of him. But she also wants him so be better at being in their son’s life.

When they find out that a renowned food critic is coming to town Carl and his boss have an argument over what to serve…and the meal Carl is forced to make is panned by the critic. Carl has a meltdown that goes viral. Karl’s son introduces him to Twitter…which turns out to be a bad idea in that time. Carl lacks the emotional strength to not lash out at every insult.

Karl finds himself so humbled that he finally caves in to the suggestion of his wife to buy a food cart from her ex-husband (the guy who came after Carl). What follows is an emotional journey for Carl and his son. With the help of his chef friend Martin, they revamp the food truck and travel back home serving Cuban sandwiches. Carl shares his favorite foods along the way with his son as they bond.

Chef is a delightful film that touches the heart (and stomach, I was totally hungry by the end of the film). Favreau’s both frustrating and yet likeable. You want him to figure it all out, to get out of his rut. To reconnect with his son. Repair the damage done to his relationships. Emjay Anthony is terrific as son Percy. He and Favreau connect wonderfully. This is a really terrific little film, I genuinely loved and recommend Chef.

November 20, 2016 0

Green Room Serenade (Green Room, 2016)

Green Room is one of Anton Yelchin’s final films. The story is simple. Pat and his friends are in a punk band. When their show falls through, they get a new gig in a remote club. They discover it is a Neo-Nazi bar. When they stumble upon a terrible crime, it is a fight for survival.

Once things start, the film is unrelentingly intense as the band fights for survival, along with a young woman who may or may not be on there side. The film is full of surprises and the performances are great. Yelchin’s performance as Pat (who starts out a quiet and peaceable young man then forced to fight) is solidly sympathetic. The absolute stand out is Patrick Stewart. As the head of the Neo-Nazi group, Darcy, he is unnervingly menacing. I am used to the kindly and wise characters Stewart has played for over two decades. None of that is here. He is cruel, manipulative and lethally skilled.

Imogen Poot’s plays Amber as a mystery. Is she trying to help the band, or is she actually devoted to Darcy and his crew?

The film takes many twists and turns, constantly giving you hope for success only to have it taken away in a shocking moment. Writer/Director Jeremy Saulnier shows a real understanding for creating tension. His first feature film, Murder Party was an amusing horror/comedy about a lonely guy invited to a costume party that turns out to be a a group of psychopaths who invite people to hunt and kill. Using a similar premise of innocents trapped by psychopaths, he trades in humor for intensity.

Green Room is a tense and exciting thriller that keeps the viewer engaged right up to the end.

October 1, 2016 0

Feel Something (The Fundamentals of Caring, 2016)

The film opens with the laughter of a child, both endearing and mysterious. We meet Ben (Paul Rudd) who is going through a rough patch. What little we know is that his wife wants a divorce and he is now seeking work as a caregiver. Quiet and seeming lost, he applies to work with Trevor (Craig Roberts), a young man with a form of Muscular Dystrophy. He is caustic with a dark sense of humor. But he picks Ben to be his caregiver. Ben and Trevor have an evening where they spar angrily, Ben upset with Trevor’s games. When he starts to apologize to Trevor’s mother, she reveals that Trevor asked about a road trip with Ben. At first, Elsa (Jennifer Ehle) is certain her son should not go. But she relents, and that is when both Ben and Trevor find their lives altered.

This is not an original tale, and there are many a road story following people learning important lessons. And yet, I found the film worked quite well. Paul Rudd is charming as always, and Craig Roberts gives a rough edge while still being likable as Trevor. Selena Gomez’s Dot is a likable (foul mouthed) performance. The film is the story of wounded people finding they cannot be fixed by each other…but they can forge a path of healing together. Mainly through passing standing up.

The film manages plenty of humor and is heartfelt. Rudd’s Ben has been dealing with tremendous heartbreak and his relationships with Trevor, Dot and Peaches (picked up later in their trip, played by Megan Ferguson) are unintentionally redemptive. I confess, I can be more than a bit of a sap. That can color a film for me. I enjoyed the performances and storytelling. Along with that, the film has an effective alternative folk soundtrack featuring mainly indie artists.

All in all, I found The Fundamentals of Caring to be an emotionally satisfying watch with uplifting performances.

July 11, 2016 0