Soul to Soul (Fallen, 1998)

Homicide Detective John Hobbs is witnessing the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Reese goes from mocking everyone to terror, claiming innocence as he dies. Not long after, killings bearing the mark of Reese begin to occur. Is it a copycat? Something more sinister?

In fact, as Hobbs tries to put all the pieces together, he finds himself pulled into a world of angels and demons and possession. He discovers that Reese was a host to an ancient evil that has survived…and can be anyone…and it seems to have a fondness for torturing Hobbs.

The film is directed by Gregory Hoblit, who had directed the film Primal Fear just two years. Like that film, this one works within a clever conceit to surprise the viewer in the end.

It is full of terrific actors to support Washington, including John Goodman and late James Gandolfini. The conceit of the story allows for a lot of suspense throughout, as Washington is never sure who he is dealing with. The audience is never left in the dark, as the film has Demon Vision, where we can see things through the eyes of the demonic entity.

I really enjoy Fallen and feel it is a bit underrated. It works effective as a thriller with a solid creepy vibe.

October 18, 2018 0

Bombshells (Atomic Blonde, 2017)

Based on the graphic novel the Coldest City is a spy thriller set days before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Lorraine Broughton is a highly skilled British spy on a mission to collect a dossier that could expose countless deep undercover spies. The problem is, determining who she can trust. Her contact in East Berlin, David Percival, has “gone native” in the punk scene. He is working to get a Russian nicknamed Spyglass to freedom in exchange for the information.

Told in a flashback format, we have Lorraine presenting her story to her MI6 boss and a CIA Representative (John Goodman). The film gives you a warning of the fight ahead of Lorraine by introducing us to her after her mission is over…she is severely bruised and covered in cuts. And this is an important thing to understand…

The promotional material would have you think this is just a kick ass action hero type of film. There have been comparisons to James Bond, but this is a very surface comparison. Atomic Blonde is far grittier and the action much more brutal. This is an action packed espionage film, not an action movie.

This is not a criticism of the film, it is quite a good espionage film with plenty of uncertainty as to how certain aspects will play out. Theron’s Broughton is tough and blunt, refusing to quit. Along with the cast, the film’s 80’s soundtrack is very much a character in this film. Chase and fight sequences are set to the likes of Bowie, New Order and Siouxsie & the Banshees with great effectiveness.

Atomic Blonde is a strong and dark thriller full of twists and turns.

August 4, 2017 0

The Bigger They Come (Kong: Skull Island, 2017)

King Kong and variations on the Giant Ape concept are older than even Godzilla. Kong: Skull Island has opted to not re-tell the story of King Kong. Instead, this is a new story. Not new in the sense of it completely new territory. You have the mismatched band of explorers arriving on Skull Island, encountering monsters and natives.

The film opens in 1944 where an American and Japanese pilot crash land on Skull Island. They fight until they stumble on a frightening sight that changes everything for them. The film jumps to 1973, with soldiers about to leave Vietnam. They are brought in by the mysterious Monarch company as a military escort on a top secret mission to visit and explore a newly discovered island. The company has also brought along an award winning anti-war photojournalist and a tracker to help then go through the wilderness.

Of course, the mission goes very wrong. Hope that does not spoil anything.

Really, the film sets everything up at a fast pace. They give you what you need to know without giving the film a chance to get boring. And unlike previous Kong film outings, the filmmakers introduce us to Kong very quickly. No hiding him, just Kong smashing helicopters.

The characters are engaging to various degrees, though John C. Reilly is the strongest and most memorable. Samuel L. Jackson is…well, Samuel L. Jackson. I found myself liking Hiddleston’s James Conrad and Brie Larson’s Mason Weaver…but I must admit, most of what separates the characters is who is performing them. You also know which soldiers are “important” because they get a lot of set up, while most of the soldiers are just “people to die”. Of course, they also give Jackson his motive for wanting to destroy King Kong.

But the truth is, I found Kong Skull Island a lot of fun. Yes, the post credit scene confirms that Legendary has plans of a “Giant Monster-verse”…and Kong Skull Island serves the purpose, in part, to set it all up (It is supposedly connected to 2014’s Godzilla film as well, with the tie being the Monarch organization). But I did a far better job of still telling it’s own story than some other attempts to create a shared universe franchise.

Really, Kong Skull Island is no game changer, but it is a lot of fun. Visually, it is good, and the digital monsters look great. The cast is great and make for an overall very entertaining film.

March 11, 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

The Animals Went In Two by Two (Evan Almighty, 2007)

Bruce Almighty was a hit, and the studio wanted a sequel. The most admirable thing Tom Shadyac and his crew did? They avoided doing a total retread. They told Bruce’s story, and they did not want to just make a total formula sequel.

In some ways, this film owes more to the Oh God Franchise than the first film. This one has a focus set on Evan getting a mission from God. And it borrows heavily from movies like the Santa Clause. Evan does not just get a Noah-like mission, he grows instant beards. Animals flock to him. He has to build a really big boat.

Carrell was a standout performer by then, and they opted to follow Evan Baxter and his family. While Freeman is back in the Mercy Seat, the film’s option to look at how the personal can impact the bigger picture never quite comes together as effectively as the first film.

In addition, the original story of Noah is one of judgement and punishment on a grand scale. But while I appreciate the environmental conservation message the film tries to convey, Evan is not trying to stop an immediate extinction level threat, and the stakes that should be there simply are not. By being a bit more bigger picture, the film fails to hold up as effectively as the previous film which stayed local and personal.

November 6, 2015 0