Congrats to the filmmakers & cast of BIRDMAN. It is a quirky, amusing comedy that earned 4-stars from MFR. Review will be forthcoming.
Tag Archives: 2014
Maleficent
| Distributor: Walt Disney Studios |
| Year: 2014 |
| MPAA: PG |
| Content: AC, V |
| Genres: FAN/FAM/DRA |
| Technical: 2.40:1 (HD) |
| Runtime: 97 mins. |
| Country: USA |
| Language: English |
| Budget: $180M |
CAST
Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Sam Riley, Brenton Thwaites, Kenneth Cranham & Hannah New
CREDITS
Director: Robert Stromberg; Screenwriter: Linda Woolverton; Producer: Joe Roth; Director Of Photography: Dean Semler; Production Designers: Gary Freeman & Dylan Cole; Editors: Chris Lebenzon & Richard Pearson; Costume Designer: Anna B. Sheppard; Music Composer: James Newton Howard
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
Maleficent is a young faerie who lives in the magical forest realm known as The Moors. She falls in love with human boy Stefan, but their respective kingdoms are at war. Years later, Maleficent (Jolie) defeats the forces of King Henry (Cranham)—to which he decrees that any man who can destroy Maleficent will earn his kingdom as prize. Ambitious and cunning, the grown Stefan (Copley) rendezvous with Maleficent under the pretense of courtship and drugs her. He steals her magical wings (without killing her) as proof of her death and eventually becomes King.
Enraged, Maleficent magically reworks the Moors into a kingdom of Darkness and converts a human man, Diaval (Riley), into a raven for nefarious purposes. The bird informs her that King Stefan has married Henry’s daughter Leila (New) and that they now have a daughter, Princess Aurora. At the christening, Maleficent appears and curses the child to everlasting sleep on her 16th birthday by cutting herself on a spinning wheel. Only a kiss from Aurora’s true love will set her free. To protect his child, Stefan sends her into the woods with three pixies—pink Knotgrass (Stauntion), green Thistlewit (Temple) & blue Fittle (Mannville)—until the Princess turns 16.
Despite early distaste for the baby Aurora, Maleficent becomes quite fond of her as the years pass. Now almost 16, Aurora (Fanning) is a beautiful and vibrant young woman who thinks of Maleficent as her faerie godmother. She meets the strapping young Prince Phillip (Thwaites) and becomes smitten. Maleficent wants to revoke her curse—but cannot, as Destiny has a way of playing things out for the Princess, Maleficent and Stefan.
THE (mini) REVIEW
Directly based on the classic villainess of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty (1959), Maleficent is a big-budget, handsomely-produced endeavor that stumbles though a clunky narrative, some bad casting (Ms. Jolie aside) and dull direction courtesy of first time helmer and Oscar®-winning VFX maven Robert Stromberg (back-to-back winner for James Cameron’s Avatar [2009] and Tim Buton’s Alice In Wonderland [2010]. I was expecting a spectacle of fantasy on par with the recent (and superior) Snow White & The Huntsman (2012)—directed with more panache by Rupert Sanders. Instead, we get what is essentially a rape drama cloaked in Disney brand melancholia. WTF? Did Lars von Trier kidnap the entire production?
Part of the blame lies in the ambivalent screenplay written by Disney veteran scribe Linda Woolverston (Beauty And The Beast, The Lion King, Alice In Wonderland)—which she adapted not only from the ’59 Disney classic, but also from Franco-Anglo “Sleeping Beauty” stories dating back to the 1600s. What is the point of building up Maleficent as a nasty character if you’re merely going to turn her character arc in a complete 180º turn towards syrupy benevolence? And the aforementioned rape drama (young Maleficent’s wings are clipped after she’s been roofied by her supposed love, Stefan) inserted into the story? Not very appropriate for a Disney family flick, wouldn’t you say?
The other part of the blame falls on director Robert Stromberg’s head. No offense, but VFX folks don’t always make good directors (though editors usually do)—and Maleficent is treated as one big VFX & marketing bonanza instead of a potentially terrifying and fulfilling fairy tale that seems to lurk just below the story’s surface. As I understand it, Stromberg received uncredited help from veteran director John Lee Hancock (2002’s The Rookie, 2004’s The Alamo, Saving Mr. Banks) and probably learned how to direct a big-budget movie in the process.
Regarding the cast, the lovely Angelina Jolie steals the movie as Maleficent—decked out in hot black leather and slinking her way through the role she was born to play. Yummy. The only thing missing was a black leather whip to complete the wicked ensemble…but then again, this is a Disney picture, right? The rest of the cast—with the exception of young Thwaites (vapid) and Copley (miscast)—turn in good performances, with Riley earning props as the half-man/half-raven lackey character with a conscious.
Production values for this $180 million (boxofficemojo.com) epic are top-shelf across the board—and really the movie’s saving grace. The entire production was shot at the famed Pinewood Studios near London, England—with exterior forest sequences lensed in the bucolic region of Buckinghamshire. Kudos must go to first-time production designers Gary Freeman (Art Director for Sunshine, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, 47 Ronin) & Dylan Cole (Concept Artist for Alice In Wonderland, TRON: Legacy, Oz The Great And Powerful) for creating the gorgeous sets (40 in all) and bringing the faerie kingdom The Moors to life.
Veteran Aussie cinematographer Dean Semler (Oscar®-winner for Dances With Wolves; also lensed The Road Warrior, Waterworld, Apocalypto, 2012) furnishes the movie with a handsome HD-widescreen palette of deep blacks, earthy greens and the occasional candlelight orange—courtesy of the ARRI® Alexa Plus camera system fitted with PANAVISION® Primo® lenses (giving the imagery a robust look). However, given the accolades I’ve just heaped on the cinematography, I am still disappointed that Semler and his director opted for the HD package instead of the tried-and-true 35mm film option. By shooting Maleficent on film, they would have captured the surreal/otherworldly schema of fairy tale movies—such as Alex Thomson’s masterful lensing of Excalibur (1981; dir: John Boorman) and Legend (1985; dir: Ridley Scott). But, as it stands with the HD process, at least those Primo lenses spiff up the proceedings in this movie.
I though that master make-up artist Rick Baker’s design of Maleficent’s features are terrific—and it should be, considering he’s won 7 Oscars® (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000711/awards?ref_=nm_awd) over the years. The make-up complements Maleficent’s aforementioned hot leather visage courtesy of veteran costume designer Anna B. Sheppard (Schindler’s List, Inglorious Basterds, Captain America: The First Avenger), along with the other visual tropes of medieval/fantasy costumery.
Smooth editing by veteran cutters Chris Lebenzon (Top Gun, Batman Returns, Alice In Wonderland, Dark Shadows) & Richard Pearson (Bowfinger, Men In Black II, The Bourne Supremacy, Quantum Of Solace) compliment a robust score by prolific composer James Newton Howard (Pretty Woman, Waterworld, I Am Legend, The Hunger Games Saga).
It is apparent that the technical aspects of Maleficent far outweigh its narrative virtues—which is a darn shame. This movie could have become a modern masterpiece of fairy tale storytelling—dark, decisive and encapsulated with its own intrinsic grandeur. Instead, we are given a dark story that Disney and the filmmakers water down for mass consumption. I’m pretty sure that Maleficent herself would whip me for saying so (bedazzled in that hot black leather ensemble, of course). Yep, I can only hope…
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1587310/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maleficent_(film)
Official Site: http://movies.disney.com/maleficent
Edge Of Tomorrow
| Distributor: Warner Bros. |
| Year: 2014 |
| MPAA: PG-13 |
| Content: AC, AL, V |
| Genres: SCI / THR / FAN |
| Technical: 2.40:1 (35mm) |
| Runtime: 113 mins. |
| Country: USA |
| Language: English |
| Budget: $178M |
CAST
Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Paxton, Jonas Armstrong, Tony Way, Kick Gurry, Franz Drameh, Dragomir Mrsic, Charlotte Riley, Masayoshi Haneda, Terence Maynard & Noah Taylor
CREDITS
Director: Doug Liman; Screenwriters: Christopher McQuarrie & Jez Butterworth; Producers: Erwin Stoff, Tom Lassally, Jeffrey Silver, Gregory Jacobs & Jason Hoffs; Director Of Photography: Dion Beebe; Production Designer: Oliver Scholl; Editor: James Herbert; Costume Designer: Kate Hawley; Music Composer: Christophe Beck
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
In the Future, an alien race called Mimics attack the Earth and has taken over Europe. Brash PR-officer Major William Cage (Cruise) is sent to London where he is instructed by United Defense Forces General Brigham (Gleeson) to cover the upcoming Operation Downfall battle—where UDF forces storm the beaches of France to repel the Mimics. Cage makes the fatal error of trying to blackmail Brigham out of sending him. He is arrested, demoted and plopped onto the front lines under the command of tough Master Sergeant Farell (Paxton) and his J-Squad team. Inexperienced at warfare and weaponry, Cage manages to kill an Alpha-Mimic before dying (courtesy of doused Mimic blood) in a losing battle.
Instead of staying dead, Cage wakes up the same previous day and repeats it—stuck in a temporal time-loop thanks to the dousing of Mimic blood. Despite countless repeats and warnings to Farell & J-Squad, Cage continues to die on that beach. He meets Special Forces war hero Sgt. Rita Vrataski (Blunt) and convinces her of his dilemma as she too was doused with Mimic blood. She trains him for battle each “reboot” as they both plan a way to stop the loop—as well as defeat the Mimics in the process.
THE (mini) REVIEW
Starship Troopers (1997) meets Groundhog Day (1993) may best describe EDGE OF TOMORROW, a fantastic and deft motion picture that delivers its promise of star power (Cruise), genre thrills, cyberpunk aesthetics and top-shelf VFX—mixed with a strong, visual storytelling conceit courtesy of director Doug Liman (Go, The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Jumper, Fair Game) who is abetted by a smart screenplay written by credited screenwriters Christopher McQuarrie (Oscar®-winner for The Usual Suspects; also wrote The Way Of The Gun, Valkyrie, Jack Reacher) and scribe-brother team Jez (Birthday Girl, The Last Legion, Fair Game, Get On Up) & John-Henry (Fair Game, Get On Up) Butterworth, with some script-doctoring by genre veteran Simon Kinberg (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days Of Future Past).
Based on the Japanese graphic novel All You Need Is Kill (2004) by author Hirsoshi Sakurazaka, the finished screenplay turns out to be smart, exciting and energetic. What could have been a frustrating exercise in trite repetitiveness instead amounts to a growth of knowledge on the characters’ part (à la the very brilliant and aforementioned Groundhog Day). My only complaint (actually the complaint that most critics have) is the movie’s Third Act denouement. Without going into great detail (after all, see the friggin’ movie yourself!), we get a Hollywood ending that feels rather forced—a sort-of left turn from what has come before. A classic deus ex machina, if you will.
Yet (and overall), EDGE OF TOMORROW works, thanks to a director Doug Liman’s visual acumen and dexterity. Famously known for maverick filmmaking ethos, Liman nonetheless outputs a big studio picture with a guerilla-style techniques and full confidence of his cast and crew. He is abetted greatly by propulsive and intuitive cutting by editor James Herbert (Revolver, Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows, Gangster Squad)—who manages to invigorate the loop montages with energy and a total lack of déjà vu. This is intelligent editing at its best.
Speaking of a confident cast—here is eternal youth Tom Cruise—now past 50 and still kicking ass! The late Baby Boomer/early Generation-X actor again brings it to his role of a snarky yes man who goes through a very delineated character arc (kudos script) and emerges a hero. To say that EDGE OF TOMORROW is Cruise’s best leading man work in years is just stating the obvious.
Also worthy of praise is his co-star Emily Blunt—exhibiting strength and femininity in what is dubbed (per the screenplay) the “Full Metal Bitch” role. Blunt’s Rita Vrataski imbues the Cameron-esque tough chick ethos (Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor or Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley) with Roger Corman’s sex appeal heroine (pick a movie of his as your own comparison). Hey, this woman can fight alongside me any day! The rest of the cast is fine—especially the great Bill Paxton as the rough Sarge. Extrapolatively-speaking, had his wise-ass Pvt. Hudson character from Aliens (1986) survived and matured into a battle-hardened warrior—it would be as Master Sgt. Farrell. Go figure!
Production values for this $178 million (boxofficemojo.com) epic are top-shelf across the board. EDGE OF TOMORROW was filmed entirely in England at the famous Leavesden Studios (home of the Harry Potter movies and now owned by Warner Bros.) and at the famed Trafalgar Square in London. Per the production notes, this production marks the first time ever that non-government or non-military helicopters were allowed to land there. Damned impressive.
First up in technical accolades is the robust 35mm PANAVISION®/anamorphic lensing courtesy of veteran Aussie cinematographer Dion Beebe (Oscar®-winner for Memoirs Of A Geisha; also shot Chicago, Miami Vice, Collateral, Gangster Squad). EDGE OF TOMORROW was shot on good-old fashioned celluloid utilizing the workhorse Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2 and smaller Arriflex 235 camera systems. The result? A handsome combination of Cameron-esque industrial photography mixed with a realistic synergy of VFX/SFX (credited to 11 houses—the alien Mimics certainly evoke the Starship Troopers bugs) and visual texture.
Another shout-out goes to veteran German production designer Oliver Scholl (director Roland Emmerich’s Moon 44, Independence Day & Godzilla; also designed Liman’s Jumper)—delivering an appropriately futuristic/cyberpunk/ military design ethos again inspired (perhaps intentionally or unintentionally) by James Cameron’s Aliens. He too is abetted by the aforementioned military ethos by costume designer Kate Hawley (Pacific Rim, additional design work on The Hobbit series)—who worked with School in designing and creating the war exoskeletons used by the cast during the battle sequences. Veteran Québécois Composer Christophe Beck (The Hangover I-III, Runner Runner, R.I.P.D., Frozen) earns merit with an appropriately bombastic martial score
All told, EDGE OF TOMORROW is a cut above other recent science-fiction movies—and a great notch in Tom Cruise’s filmography belt. The only downside is a weak, forced ending that limits my rating to a mere 4-stars. I’m sure that Tom’s crying all the way to the bank…
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1631867/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_of_Tomorrow_(film)
Official Site: http://www.edgeoftomorrowmovie.com
A Million Ways To Die In The West
| Distributor: Universal Pictures |
| Year: 2014 |
| MPAA: R |
| Content: AC, AL, V |
| Genres: WES / COM |
| Technical: 2.35:1 (HD) |
| Runtime: 116 mins. |
| Country: USA |
| Language: English |
| Budget: $40M |
CAST
Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Silverman, Wes Studi, Rex Linn & Liam Neeson; cameos: Alex Borstein, Ralph Garman, Amick Byram, Dennis Haskins, Christopher Lloyd, Gilbert Gottfried, Ewan MacGregor, John Michael Higgins, Ryan Reynolds & Jamie Foxx
CREDITS
Director: Seth MacFarlane; Screenwriters: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild; Producers: Scott Stuber & Jason Clark; Director Of Photography: Michael Barrett; Production Designer: Stephen Lineweaver; Editor: Jeff Freeman; Costume Designer: Cindy Evans; Music Composer: Joel McNeely
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
1882: Old Stump, Arizona. The wild, Wild West is a dangerous place—especially for the milquetoast sheep farmer Albert Stark (MacFarlane)—who just lost his snooty girlfriend Louise (Seyfried)–after chickening out of a duel—to debonair mustache store proprietor Foy (Harris). Deciding to leave Old Stump for San Francisco, he is convinced to stay by his best friend Edward (Ribisi) and his prostitute girlfriend Ruth (Silverman)—who won’t sleep with Edward till they are properly married!
Elsewhere, dastardly bandit Clinch Leatherwood (Neeson) sends his beautiful wife Anna (Theron) into Old Stump while he and his goons hide out from the law. Albert ends up saving her life during a ballroom brawl—thus developing a friendship that eventually deepens. Especially when she (a crack shot) trains Albert to shoot guns when he challenges Foy to a duel in a misguided effort to win Louise back. Albert will need all the training he can get when Clinch finally rolls into town…
THE (mini) REVIEW
Family Guy über-meister Seth MacFarlane’s comedic western A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST is amusing, but ultimately fails to transcend classic genre movies like Ted Post’s Hang ‘Em High (1968) and Mel Brook’s masterpiece Blazing Saddles (1974). I bring those films up because—per MacFarlane (via the production notes)—those were among two movies that inspired he and his merry band of writers (Family Guy alumni Sulkin & Wild). Apparently, so did moustaches and songs about them (thanks, Stephen Foster!).
Saddled (excuse the pun) with a dormant genre (the Western—although it got a workout in last year’s entertaining-but-painful misfire The Tonto Movie—err, The Lone Ranger) and more clichés than a tumbleweed kegger, MILLION WAYS goes for broke in a pedestrian screenplay where most of the best jokes are shown in the freakin’ trailer! Sad, as he (and the others) is responsible for not only TV’s randy Family Guy, but also the hysterical Ted (2012). I give MacFarlane credit for trying to skewer this most American of genres—but Brooks did it better—as did director Burt Kennedy before him with the James Garner classics Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) & Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971).
To be fair, MILLION WAYS has plenty of throwaway R-rated gags—and a terrific mid-movie dance number (thanks again, Stephen Foster!) and MacFarlane the director certainly knows where to place the camera—and how to get what he wants out of his game cast. I loved the stunning Charlize Theron—bringing moxie and empathy to her role. Neil Patrick Harris continues to amuse in his role as the fey Foy (tongue-twister anyone?) while Ribisi continues his quirky character shtick. He is abetted by comedienne Sarah Silverman—charmingly less annoying here than usual. The lovely Amanda Seyfried plays a rather unpleasant character—begging the question: why would the nice Albert want to stay with such a bitch?
And what can I say about Liam Neeson? Taking time out from shooting Eurotrash villains, the imposing Neeson gets to play a real bad guy (with a Northern Ireland accent, natch—research your Family Guy history to see why). Throw in plenty of great cameos—see above—and there is some hope left for a decent time-filler. MacFarlane’s one casting mistake: putting himself in the main role (shades of the multi-hyphenate Charles Chaplin, perhaps?). His smirking, self-aware, hipster, character pulls us out of the story proper, and thanks to that great voice of his—reminds me that Peter Griffith & Brian are still with us…even in the Old West!
Production values on this $40 million production (boxofficemojo.com) are solid across the board—and the movie’s equalizer. MILLION WAYS was produced in New Mexico and benefits from terrific (but surprisingly clean) genre sets courtesy of production designer Stephen J. Lineweaver (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Jerry Maguire, Blades Of Glory, Ted) and old-school cowboy leather & old-style lace costumes by veteran designer Cindy Evans (Memento, Along Came Polly, Red Riding Hood, Savages). Smooth cutting is courtesy of veteran editor Jeff Freeman (The Craft, Cruel Intentions, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Ted)—though this comedy probably wears out its welcome after 100 minutes or so. And I also enjoyed the rousing genre score by veteran composer Joel McNeely (Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale, Soldier, Virus).
MILLION WAYS was lensed digitally (via the Sony CineAlta PMW-F55 camera system) by veteran cinematographer Michael Barrett (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, You Don’t Mess With The Zohan, Zookeeper, Ted). The movie exhibits clean, HD-widescreen lensing that takes advantage of plenty of daytime exteriors (the Sun—ya beautiful key light, you…). My only problem here is that the filmmakers (who wanted to do an homage to the classic Westerns) chose to shoot digitally instead of on 35mm film. Why?
Film would have given this movie much more texture and (at the very least) have earned more accolades in the technical facets. Not convinced? Well, the two greatest non-Sergio Leone Westerns since John Ford hung up his spurs & megaphone (his last Western was 1964’s Cheyenne Autumn) are the aforementioned Blazing Saddles (1974) and the Kevin Jarre/Kurt Russell/George P. Cosmatos masterpiece Tombstone (1993). Know what they have in common? Both were filmed on 35mm film using the PANAVISION® scope format; see how handsome those films came out? Exactly.
All told, MILLION WAYS falls a bit flat…earning amused groans and eye rolls instead of belly-busting guffaws. It’s amazing how farting cowboys and politically incorrect attitudes were funnier back in the 1970s than they are today. But then again, that other movie had Harvey Korman and company. Here, we’re left stroking our collective moustaches and wondering what could have been—wait, never mind that shit…here comes Mongo!!
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2557490/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Million_Ways_to_Die_in_the_West
Official Site: http://www.amillionways.com
X-Men: Days Of Future Past
| Distributor: 20th Century Fox |
| Year: 2014 |
| MPAA: PG-13 |
| Content: AC, AL, V |
| Genres: SCI / ADV / FAN |
| Technical: 2.40:1 (HD) |
| Runtime: 131 mins. |
| Country: USA |
| Language: English |
| Budget: $200M |
CAST
Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Nicholas Hoult, Omar Sy, Shawn Ashmore, Evan Peters, Daniel Cudmore, Lucas Till, Fan Bingbing, Booboo Stewart, Josh Helman, Evan Jonigkeit & Adan Canto; cameos by Famke Janssen, James Marsden & Kelsey Grammer
CREDITS
Director: Bryan Singer; Screenwriter: Simon Kinberg; Producers: Lauren Schuler Donner, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg & Hutch Parker; Director Of Photography: Newton Thomas Sigel; Production Designer: John Myhre; Editor/Music Composer: John Ottman; Costume Designer: Louise Mingenbach
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
In the darkness of the future 2023, mutants have all been but wiped out by the Sentinels—government-created robots—with the exception of Wolverine (Jackman), Storm (Berry), Professor Xavier (Stewart), old nemesis Magneto (McKellen), Kitty Pryde (Page) and a few of the younger generation mutants. Hiding out in China, they are about to be destroyed when Xavier convinces Kitty to telepathically send Wolverine back to 1973—where his younger self will hook up with younger Xavier (McAvoy) and Magneto (Fassbender) to stop Mystique (Lawrence) from killing Dr. Bolivar Trask (Dinklage). The assassination will instigate the creation of his Sentinel Program and cause the future apocalypse.
Back in 1973, Wolverine encounters a drunk, broken Xavier and loyal friend Beast (Hoult) and convinces them to bust Magneto out of the Pentagon’s prison with the help of mutant Quicksilver (Peters) if they are to save the future—but the cunning Magneto may have devastating plans of his own…
THE (mini) REVIEW
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST is a solid entry (the 7th) in that other Marvel film series—and the first to feature original director Bryan Singer (X-Men, X2: X-Men United, The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns, Valkyrie) back at the helm since 2003—more on that in a moment. Eschewing bombastic spectacle for a surprisingly intimate point-of-focus yarn, the movie respects the history, characters and the stories while providing top-notch production/technical values and a big cast of familiar faces & characters.
Written in a compressed style by genre veteran Simon Kinberg (2004’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, X-Men: The Last Stand, Sherlock Holmes) and based on the 1981 comic book series Uncanny X-Men (issues #141-142) titled Days Of Future Past by Chris Claremont & John Byrne—the movie version juggles many characters, of which some roles are severely truncated in the theatrical release. Understandably, with so many X-Men characters and a movie that needs to run under a certain amount of time, plotlines and characters get snipped.
Also, a sense of internal logic and plotholes (per the other canon films) begin to tug at the organic fiver of DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. But they really do not interfere in the overall entertainment quotient, as least in my opinion—but remember (and full disclosure): I never read the comics. Feel free to scour the internet (or fist-fight those other wacky comic book geeks) to understand and analyze the internal logic & plotholes.
I must give credit to Singer for maintaining and respecting the story—it shines through in this movie. Under his helm, it DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (solemn, yet entertaining) is just as terrific as its immediate predecessor X-Men: First Class (2011)—directed by Matthew Vaughn, who retains a story credit along with Kinberg and First Class co-writer Jane Goldman. Singer is, of course, abetted by his grand cast—led by the versatile Hugh Jackman as the mercurial Wolverine.
It’s amusing to note how the most popular X-Men character (and the actor himself) has become the poster boy for the franchise. Still, Jackman excels in a part that he was born to play. Top scores are also in order for McAvoy & Fassbender as the young mutant frenemies—while veteran actors (and best buds) Stewart & McKellen buoy those actors’ performances the necessary gravitas to flesh out these inimitable characters. What suffers in comparison, however is the limited time given to the other actors—hello Halle Berry, Anna Paquin and Ellen Page! Nice extended cameos, but still…
On the flipside, young actors Nicholas Hoult (dignified) and Evan Peters (anarchic) almost walk away with the picture. Even Peter Dinklage exudes quiet, sinister resonance as the Frankenstein-esque creator of the robot apocalypse. And Jennifer Lawrence? A great actress who seems weirdly-removed in her role as Mystique—here the unwitting catalyst of what transpires—but seems to pop in and out of the movie as if she was still shooting those Hunger Games movies at the same time. Just sayin’…
Production values for this $200 million production (boxofficemojo.com) are top-shelf across the board. DAYS OF FUTURE PAST was lensed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada—both on location and in studio soundstages. Credit veteran production designer John Myhre (Oscar®-winner for Chicago & Memoirs Of A Geisha; also did X-Men, Dreamgirls & Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) and his crew for coming up with a versatile mise-en-scène spanning 50 years—including the White House, the monastery in China and about another 40 set pieces.
Abetting the production design is handsome HD-widescreen 3-D lensing by Singer’s usual cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel (X-Men, X2: X-Men United, The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns). Utilizing the ARRI Alexa M & ARRI Alexa XT Plus camera systems for stereoscopic principal photography shooting, Sigel has created a striking dichotomy of the 2023 future (clean, industrial) and the 1970’s past (warmer earth tones). The pièce de résistance is the use of the Phantom v642 Broadcast camera for the movie’s best sequence (Quicksilver’s freeing of Magneto in the Pentagon prison)—which was shot at over 3000fps for an incredible slow-motion ride! Very well done indeed.
Veteran editor/composer (and Singer associate) John Ottman (X2: X-Men United, The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns, Valkyrie) does double duty here, showcasing sharp cutting between time periods as well as providing a robust score that energizes the DAYS OF FUTURE PAST proceedings. And finally, another Singer associate, costume designer Louise Mingenbach (X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns) dazzles with the X-Men costumery as well as the sight of shaggy hairdos, mutton-chop sideburns and plenty o’ polyester for us ‘70s fans.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877832/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Men:_Days_of_Future_Past
Official Site: http://www.x-menmovies.com
Blended
| Distributor: Warner Bros. |
| Year: 2014 |
| MPAA: PG-13 |
| Content: AC, AL, V |
| Genres: COM / ROM |
| Technical: 1.85:1 (HD) |
| Runtime: 117 mins. |
| Country: USA |
| Language: English |
| Budget: $40M |
CAST
Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Nealon, Terry Crews, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Bella Thorne, Joel McHale, Abdoulaye N’Gom, Jessica Lowe, Braxton Beckham, Emma Fuhrman, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Kyle Red Silverstein, Shaquille O’Neal & Dan Patrick
CREDITS
Director: Frank Coraci; Screenwriters: Ivan Menchell & Clare Sera; Producers: Mike Karz, Adam Sandler & Jack Giarraputo; Director Of Photography: Julio Macat; Production Designer: Perry Andelin Blake; Editor: Tom Costain; Costume Designer: Christine Wada; Music Composer: Rupert Gregson-Williams
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
After a terrible blind date, widower/father Jim Friedman (Sandler) and widow/mother Lauren Reynolds (Barrymore) vow to never speak again—until a chance opportunity to travel to South Africa for a family vacation throws the pair—along with his three daughters and her two sons—into a delightful and blending vacation that lions, tigers, ex-husbands (McHale), a horny American couple (Nealon & Lowe), a sage resort host (N’Gom), an overhyped resort singer (Crews) and Fate itself cannot get in the way of blossoming love. Ah, the Circle of Life…
THE (mini) REVIEW
BLENDED may not be the greatest comedy—or even Adam Sandler comedy—but it sure tickles the funny bone. Maligned (a tad unfairly) by both the critics and movie-going public, the movie (comedic, goofy, heartfelt, well-produced) is nonetheless a pleasant surprise.
The uneven-but-amusing screenplay was written by former performance artists-turned-screenwriters Ivan Menchell & Clare Sera—and probably reworked by Sandler’s Happy Madison gang for public consumption. Directed with an eye for physical humor shtick (if not highbrow comedy) by fellow NYU-alum/Sandler chum Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Click), BLENDED rolls along with a large cast of mostly familiar faces and plenty of on-camera mugging—yes, I’m looking at you Terry Crews!
Sandler & Barrymore reteam for yet a third movie (very much in the Tracy-Hepburn vein) though I do find it interesting that—in the intertwining years between The Wedding Singer 1998), 50 First Dates (2004) and now BLENDED (2014)—both actors have matured and produced children of their own, thus giving their performances as parents a naturalistic sheen. Supporting cast members do what they’re paid to do.
Production values for this relatively inexpensive $40 million (boxofficemojo.com) movie are solid across the board. Stateside, BLENDED was shot in Georgia while the remaining majority of principal photography was lensed at the famed Sun City resort in South Africa (some may even still label it the “infamous” resort of Apartheid South Africa of yore—do your research on the internet for those answers or ask an old-timer like me who was around during those years).
However, under the guidance of veteran Happy Madison production designer Perry Andelin Blake (The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Click, Grown Ups), the Sun City mise-en-scène is lavish, inviting and pleasing to the eye. So is the HD photography (via the Arri Alexa XT camera system) of veteran Argentine cinematographer Julio Macat (Home Alone 1-3, Wedding Crashers, Pitch Perfect). I love the lensing dichotomy of Stateside (clean imagery; verdant color palette) vs. South Africa (still clean imagery; warm aurum & earth tone palettes).
Still not a fan of HD cinematography in narrative filmmaking—but I cannot complain about the hard work and results put into the movie by Macat and his crew. Finally, crisp editing by recent Sandler cutter Tom Costain and pleasant African-based score by recent Sandler composer Rupert Gregson-Williams (both of whom worked on Grown Ups, Just Go With It, Grown Ups 2) round out the technical facets.
All told, while BLENDED is no masterpiece of Preston Sturges comedy proportions, it is not the evil misfire that other critics have been labeling it (I’ll reserve that for the painful review of Sandler’s 2011 bomb Jack & Jill…ughhh). Still, it’s nice to see Sandler & Barrymore back together on the big screen, even if the wildlife gets in the way!
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1086772/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blended_(film)
Official Site: http://www.blendedmovie.com
Million Dollar Arm
|
MPAA/ Content
PG (AC) |
Distributor
Walt Disney Pictures [2014] |
Technical
2.35:1 35mm HD |
Genres
DRA SPO BIO |
Runtime
124 mins. |
Cntry./Lang.
USA [English/ Hindi] |
Budget
$25M |
CAST
Jon Hamm, Aasif Mandvi, Bill Paxton, Madhur Mittal, Suraj Sharma, Lake Bell, Pitobash, Darshan Jariwala, Tzi Ma & Alan Arkin
CREDITS
Director: Craig Gillespie; Screenwriter: Tom McCarthy; Producers: Mark Ciardi, Gordon Gray & Joe Roth; Director Of Photography: Gyula Pados; Production Designer: Barry Robison; Editor: Tatiana S. Riegel; Costume Designer: Kristen Leigh Mann; Music Composer: A.R. Rahman
THE SYNOPSIS
Los Angeles, 2007: Sports über-agent J.B. Bernstein (Hamm) and his partner Ash Vasudevan (Mandvi) are struggling to launch their new agency but cannot attain new clients. Depressed one night, JB flips channels on TV and comes across a talent competition and a cricket game—when he is suddenly inspired to search for talent in India! With Ash on board, they convince wealthy investor Mr. Chang (Ma) to invest in their new concept: Million Dollar Arm.
JB heads to India to recruit a pair of young men to pitch for professional baseball teams. He is aided by the benignly avuncular Vivek (Jariwala), a local guide; enthusiastic young coach Amit Rohan (Tripathy); and cranky, retired pro scout Ray Poitevint (Arkin). Travelling across India, they scout thousands of young hopefuls and narrow the contestants down to two potentials: Rinku Singh (Sharma) and Dinesh Patel (Mittal)…young men who have no knowledge of baseball, but the heart to give it their all.
Back in L.A., Million Dollar Arm gains traction when famed USC pitching coach Dr. Tom House (Paxton) is hired to train the boys within a tight 3-month window. Having to take in Rinku, Dinesh & Amit (who is now their interpreter) into his home when they are booted out of their hotel, JB must learn to open his heart to the boys and see them as more than just clients. He gets some much-needed guidance from pretty resident doctor/tenant Brenda Fenwick (Bell) in both humility and romance. He’ll need it, as they face insurmountable odds at turning the two boys into professional baseball players.
THE CRITIQUE
Swiiiiiiing batter batter batter swiiiiiiing batter!! Sprinkled with a healthy dose of curry spice, MILLION DOLLAR ARM is a charming and gentle baseball fable based on true events. The Jerry Maguire (1996)-meets-Slumdog Millionaire (2008) hybrid is very much a Disney product (though originally set up at Sony’s Columbia Pictures) in execution & result—and that’s not a bad thing. It is safe, heartfelt and inspiring…and quite vanilla with a dash of cinnamon added!
Based on the amazing true story of sport agent J.B. Bernstein (who has represented sports icons Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith & Barry Bonds) and his creation & stewardship of a reality-TV show called Million Dollar Arm (with the help of his partners Ash Vasudevan & financier William Chang), the movie version does a good job of hewing close to many of the facts—courtesy of a straight-forward screenplay by fellow Jerseyite Tom McCarthy (The Station Agent, Win Win, Up). Per the production notes, the screenwriter actually spent two weeks in India doing the research on Bernstein’s MDA endeavors. Again, due diligence in capturing the real people and a taste of Indian culture goes a long way—though true dramatic conflict suffers in the process. For more on the reel vs. real conundrum, check out the MILLION DOLLAR ARM page at the History Vs. Hollywood website.
Directed with earnest proclivity by Craig Gillespie (Mr. Woodcock, Lars And The Real Girl, 2011’s Fright Night), it is indeed a well-oiled production. He is abetted by a solid cast led by Jon Hamm (a natural leading man), Asif Mandvi (amusing), Bill Paxton (taciturn but gentle), Lake Bell (brains & beauty) and the great Alan Arkin—playing the craggly, cranky mentor-type he can do in his sleep. Oh wait—he sleeps throughout half the picture!
The Indian cast is also on par, with nice turns by Mittal (heartfelt), Sharma (earnest), Tripathy (energetic) and Jariwala (charmingly benign). Per the production notes, Mittal and Sharma had no baseball experience—so they (just like their characters) were put through accelerated baseball training programs before production commenced. One of their first pitching coaches? The real Dinesh Patel himself.
Production values for this low/midrange, $25 million production (boxofficemojo.com) are actually top-shelf across the board. Principal photography began in India and lasted for three weeks as the crew traveled to different locations—up to and including the Mumbai metroplex and Agra—home to the Taj Mahal. Back in the USA, location shooting included Los Angeles, CA (where the majority of the movie takes place) as well as in Atlanta, GA—which stood in for most of the L.A. sequences in the 2nd half of principal photography. Can’t beat that Georgia tax credit!
MILLION DOLLAR ARM exhibits a pleasant widescreen-lensing schema courtesy of veteran Hungarian cinematographer Gyula Pados (Basic Instinct 2, Evening, Predators, Metallica: Through The Never). Interestingly (and per American Cinematographer), the decision was made to shoot the Indian sequences on film via the Super 35mm format (using the ARRICAM Studio & ARRICAM Lite as well as the ARRI 235 & 435 camera packages) while the US-based sequences on HD digital via the ARRI Alexa XT & ARRI Studio XT camera packages. Metaphorically, it works—as the contrast in lensing formats mirrors the contrasts of nations/cultures/norms of India and the USA. The former lensing schema is realized by a palette of earthy browns and greens via 35mm film’s robust qualities while the latter’s delineated HD qualities showcase both the modern facets of the big city (Los Angeles) as well as the hard, business-like facets of the sports world and all that it entails. At least that’s what I gleaned from the cinematography!
Smooth cutting by veteran editor Tatiana S. Riegel (The Million Dollar Hotel, Lars And The Real Girl, 2011’s Fright Night, Bad Words), dichotomous East/West production design by veteran Californian Barry Robison (October Sky, Hidalgo, Wedding Crashers, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), dichotomous East/West costume design by Kriston Leigh Mann (The Pacifier, Lars And The Real Girl, TV’s Parks And Recreation) and a handsome/dichotomous East/West score by veteran Indian composer A.R. Rahman (Oscar®-winner for Slumdog Millionaire; also scored 127 Hours, Elizabeth: The Golden Age). Notice all the dichotomy MILLION DOLLAR ARM has to offer!!
THE BOTTOM LINE
With plenty of gentle charm and spirit, MILLION DOLLAR ARM is a feel-good movie that scores a base hit. While it won’t earn the accolades reserved for the masterpiece baseball movies of yore, this one certainly merits a spot in the dugout. It’s nice to see that a biographical movie based on real events hews closely to what really transpired—at least I won’t have to sit through the seventh-inning stretch (read: hokey TV documentary) on this one! Heyyyy swiiiiiiing batttttttttter!!
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1647668/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Dollar_Arm
Official Site: http://movies.disney.com/million-dollar-arm
Godzilla (2014)
|
MPAA/Content
PG-13 (AC, AL, V) |
Distributor
Warner Bros. [2014] |
Technical
2.35:1 HD |
Genres
SCI THR |
Runtime
123 mins. |
Cntry./Lang.
USA [English] |
Budget
$160M |
CAST
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Carson Bolde, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Richard T. Jones, Victor Rasuk & Patrick Sabongui
CREDITS
Director: Gareth Edwards; Screenwriter: Max Borenstein; Producers: Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent & Brian Rogers; Director Of Photography: Seamus McGarvey; Production Designer: Owen Paterson; Editor: Bob Ducsay; Costume Designer: Sharen Davis; Music Composer: Alexandre Desplat
THE SYNOPSIS
1950s: The US military tests atomic bombs in the Pacific, known as Project Monarch. 1999: Project Monarch scientists Drs. Ishiro Serizawa (Watanabe) & Vivienne Graham (Hawkins) investigate a colossal MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) skeleton in a collapsed Philippine mine, where two egg pods are discovered. One has hatched and something has crawled out of it, headed to the sea…
In Japan, increased seismic activities near the Janjira Nuclear Power Plant alarms nuclear physicist Dr. Joe Brody (Cranston) and his wife Dr. Sandra Brody (Binoche), who leave their young son Ford at school when a near-meltdown occurs. Sandra and her crew die while averting disaster and Joe is devastated—convinced that it was not earthquakes that caused this…
2014: An adult Ford (Taylor-Johnson) is a Navy Lieutenant (Bomb Disposal Unit) living in San Francisco with his nurse wife Elle (Olsen) and their young son Sam. He is called to Japan when his father is arrested for trespassing in the Janjira exclusion zone. To placate his conspiracy-prone father, Ford sneaks back into his old home with Joe to gather more data.
Joe’s suspicions of the 1999 seismic events are confirmed by Drs. Serizawa & Graham—who confess that they have captured/imprisoned a large male winged MUTO…which promptly escapes and destroys the facility, killing scores of people—including Joe. Ford joins Serizawa & Graham aboard the USS Saratoga—where they are briefed by Admiral William Stenz (Strathairn) that the MUTO is heading east to the USA, feeding on nuclear power sources for energy.
Turns out another MUTO is following it: Godzilla…an alpha predator lizard over 300ft. high! Project Monarch’s attempts to eradicate Godzilla in the 1950s atomic bomb tests forced the creature into the ocean depths. Godzilla has returned to eliminate the MUTOs—as a female has been discovered trashing Las Vegas. Apparently, the male & female MUTOs are in the mood for love—and only Godzilla can prevent that in a massive showdown in the City By The Bay…
THE CRITIQUE
Celebrating 60 years of cinematic mayhem, the popular and beloved Lizard King is back! And with all due respect to the late, great Jim Morrison, I’m referring (of course) to GODZILLA. Yep, he back and he’s bad—but in a good way! While I’m not a fan of reboots, this series certainly deserved it—especially after that disappointing 1998 version courtesy of director Roland Emmerich & producer Dean Devlin (Independence Day, Stargate)…ya know, where Ferris Bueller himself takes on ‘Zilla after skipping school.
As envisioned by newbie screenwriter Max Borenstein, this latest incarnation of the Toho Studios kaiju mainstay creates an aura of mystery and misdirection as Godzilla is mentioned in reverent tones—but does not appear on-screen for until 60 minutes or so into the movie. There have been some complaints by fans and critics regarding this, but I liken it to Bruce The Shark’s full-on entrance late into Jaws (1975) or the scary Xenomorph late Act II reveal in Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979). Granted, BTS broke down enough to cause headaches during the infamous production shoot, but old ‘Zilla (a total CGI creation) earns his way onto the screen with an anticipatory roar and a real sense of terror (more on the VFX later). The screenwriter also touches upon the timeless theme of Man Vs. Nature—and that mankind is truly not the alpha predator on Planet Earth. That honor goes to the Count Of Monte Disco…ME!! But I digress…
I’m glad that British director Gareth Edwards (Monsters) resisted the temptation to show his hand early into the proceedings. Restraint is a rare virtue in the Cinema of Today—but I for one enjoyed the build-up. Earning a shot at helming a big-budget Hollywood movie, Edwards proves that he has the talent to emulate the late, great king of disaster movies himself: Irwin Allen (producer of The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno & producer/director of The Swarm) while upping the ante on a global scale. Under Edwards’ auspices, GODZILLA is presented in a serious manner —thereby ensuring that ‘Zilla is taken verrrry seriously. It works.
His handling of the actors is as good as can be within the limited parameters of Borenstein’s script—this being one of its drawbacks. The human characters are basically reactionary beings to the kaiju mayhem occurring around them… unfortunately an occupational hazard for Shakespeare-minded thespians and fans of actor-first types of movies. Still, the assembled cast does a perfectly fine job of acting scared—with shout-outs going to Bryan Cranston (a terrific character actor), Ken Watanabe (another terrific actor) and one of my favorites: David Strathairn, as the pragmatic Navy Admiral surprisingly without a secret agenda or Gen. Jack D. Ripper tendencies. Lead actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson (of the Kick Ass movies) may not be the obvious choice for the action dude role (Mark Wahlberg comes to mind, though he’s busy helping the Transformers this summer), but I’ll give him a pass since he bulked up for the role.
Production values for this massive $160 million (boxofficemojo.com) motion picture endeavor are top-shelf across the board. Principal photography was done in Vancouver, Canada—which doubled for San Francisco and a few other locations in the movie. Location work was also done in Hawaii, Las Vegas, San Diego & Tokyo, Japan with extensive VFX doing the rest of the heavy lifting. It’s also worth noting that the US Army & Navy gave their full support for this production with the use of their vessels and manpower.
GODZILLA looks fantastic from a lensing aspect, courtesy of veteran Irish cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (The Hours, Sahara, World Trade Center, The Avengers). Though shot on HD video utilizing the workhorse ARRI® Alexa Plus 4:3 camera system, McGarvey had the foresight to use PANAVISION® C-Series lenses—older glasses that give movies the widescreen look of the ‘70s & ‘80s. This one looks like it was captured on film, accentuating reds, greens & blacks like those epics of yore. Very nicely done indeed!
Abetting the terrific lensing is slick editing by veteran cutter—and Miami’s own—Bob Ducsay (Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, Van Helsing & G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra); handsome production design by Australian native—and Wachowski Siblings favorite—Owen Paterson (The Matrix Trilogy, V For Vendetta, Speed Racer)–capturing the East-West aesthetics in perfect synergy; and a voluminous score by veteran French composer Alexandre Desplat (Syriana, The Queen, The King’s Speech, Argo) that combines bombastic score music with Japanese instruments and the use of the late Hungarian composer György Ligeti’s haunting Requiem (excerpt) during the exciting/terrifying HALO jump sequence that was also used in the movie’s fantastic trailer. Again, the little aspects that bump up the movie’s cachet.
In closing, I must mention GODZILLA’s terrific VFX schema (collaborated by 9 different FX houses) including a CGI San Francisco and old ‘Zilla himself—created to stand over 300ft. high and packing some density. Looks like the Lizard King has been hitting McD’s for some late-night grub! Seriously, the monster FX easily equal those of the fantastic (though perhaps underrated) Guillermo Del Toro kaiju-fest Pacific Rim (2013)—where those monsters & robots were rendered to look and feel like real, towering beings. When ‘Zilla roars in the one, you will believe that he is real!!
THE BOTTOM LINE
The rebooted GODZILLA roars into the Cinema’s modern epoch in a classy, entertaining endeavor ripe with terrific VFX, handsome production values and a good cast who must overcome the fact that they are second-fodder to the Lizard King himself. Beats the 1998 version by many ‘Zilla strides!!
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0831387/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla_(2014_film)
Official Site: http://www.godzillamovie.com
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
|
MPAA/Content PG-13 (AC, AL, V) |
Distributor
Columbia Pics. [2014] |
Technical
2.35:1 35mm |
Genres
FAN ADV SCI |
Runtime
142 mins. |
Cntry./Lang.
USA [English] |
Budget $200M |
CAST
Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Colm Feore, Felicity Jones, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field, Embeth Davidtz, Campbell Scott, Marton Csokas, Louis Cancelmi, Max Charles, B.J. Novak, Michael Massee & Denis Leary
CREDITS
Director: Mark Webb; Screenwriters: Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner; Producers: Avi Arad & Matt Tolmach; Director Of Photography: Dan Mindel; Production Designer: Mark Friedberg; Editor: Pietro Scalia; Costume Designer: Deborah L. Scott; Music Composers: Hans Zimmer and The Magnificent Six Featuring Pharrell Williams and Johnny Marr
THE SYNOPSIS
NYC. Running late for his high school graduation, Spider-Man—aka Peter Parker (Garfield)—foils the theft of radioactive vials by Russian criminal Aleksei Sytsevich (Giamatti). A call from his girlfriend/valedictorian Gwen Stacy (Stone) prompts Spidey to quickly foil Aleksei after saving the life of Max Dillon (Foxx)—a brilliant, introverted OsCorp electrical engineer who idolizes the web-slinger. After the graduation—attended by Aunt May (Field)—Peter breaks up with Gwen as he promised her father, Capt. Stacy (Leary) before his death. Seeing Stacy’s ghost everywhere reminds Peter that being Spider-Man can cause much pain to his daughter.
Elsewhere, the dying OsCorp CEO Dr. Norman Osborne (Cooper) is visited by his estranged son Harry (DeHaan), whom he informs will eventually die of the same hereditary disease. Before passing, Norman hands him a computer key to access all OsCorp files in an effort to beat this disease. Hearing of Osborn’s death, Peter visits his childhood friend to reconnect. Peter’s deceased scientist parents Richard (Scott) & Mary (Davidtz) worked for Norman Osborn, so the history is there; as is the mystery behind their deaths…
Harry humiliates the OsCorp Board—including VP Donald Menken (Feore)—and takes control to explore his father’s scientific projects…one of which involves harvesting energy from genetically enhanced electric eels. Max discovers them when he accidentally falls into a water tank during routine repairs. The eels bite him, causing their energy to mutate Max into a human electrical generator! Stumbling over to Time Square, the cops and Spidey appear when he reacts with hostile force. Spidey subdues Max—who promises revenge as the cops take him away…
Menken has Harry expelled from OsCorp, blaming the new CEO for a cover-up of Max’s “death”. Harry begs Spider-Man to do a blood transfusion in an effort to cure Harry’s disease, but Spidey vetoes the notion…fearing that the side effects may be too dangerous to his friend. Enraged, Harry vows revenge and breaks into the Ravencroft Institute to free Electro. Sneaking into OsCorp, they kill Menken and access—with help of Harry’s loyal assistant Felicia (Jones)—the top secret advanced weaponry and armor suits that his father had designed and built. Vials of genetically altered spiders that made Peter Spider-Man are also there. Harry ingests a vial but mutates into something green and scary…
Having been accepted to England’s Oxford University, Gwen informs Peter that she is leaving New York. Realizing how much he loves her, Peter decides to go with her. Before they can head for the airport, however, Electro has knocked out most of the power grids in the city as Harry commandeers his father’s green armor suit and glider machine to cause mischief. A final battle is brewing as Peter/Spidey and Gwen take on the villains, but victory comes at a cost…
THE CRITIQUE
As far as sequels go, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is enjoyable superhero entertainment that won’t tax the brain. It is an ambitious continuation to the preceding The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)—itself a “reboot” (ugh…I hate that word) of the popular Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007) starring Tobey Maguire, himself a descent actor who did a nice job sling those CGI webs around CGI New York City.
While the new Spidey movies lack the dark Wagnerian scope of Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece Batman/Dark Knight trilogy (2005-2012), the snark of the well-oiled Iron-Man series (2008-Present) or the operatic chaos of the infinitely expanding X-Men saga (2000-Present—including spin-offs and origin movies), they do feature an immensely likable (but wise-ass) teenage superhero we can all relate to…almost. Most of our heads lack the prominent spiky pompadour adorning the head of the current Spidey, Andrew Garfield. Just saying…
The newest Spidey movie was written by prolific scribe team Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner (the three men responsible for TV’s Alias & Fringe; Kurtzman & Orici are also responsible for writing such movies as Mission: Impossible III, Transformers & Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen, Star Trek [2009] & Star Trek Into Darkness) —and I can only say that they stuffed everything into this one except the kitchen sink (which was probably shattered during the epic battle in The Avengers movie, a MARVEL movie like this one).
One of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 screenplay’s glaring problems is the lack of focus. Why do these movies insist on throwing in 300 freakin’ name villains into one movie? Batman Forever (1995), a fun movie in its own right, did the same thing. Pick a villain! The Green Goblin is Spider-Man’s scariest foe—go with it!! Here, they throw in Electro and The Rhino (to almost no effect) and leave GG to pick up the pieces. I can only assume that GG will return in the next movie, but I cannot focus on that one right now. Is it me? Just saying…
Another issue is throwing in a prologue involving a sub-plot involving Peter Parker’s deceased parents and their involvement with OsCorp. While I understand that it is probably essential to the overall multi-movie arc, this one seems thrown in just because. On the other hand, the Sally Field/Aunt May character gets some mileage out of this plot element during her BIG SCENE. Add in the likable romance between Peter and Gwen—and their amiable personalities—and the screenplay earns back some of its points.
Speaking of the cast, the likable Andrew Garfield reprises his role as Spidey, bringing charm and humility to a role that also requires him to be a New Yawk wise-ass—so much so that my Queens-born/bred actor friend Matthew found his interpretation to be a tad excessive. Three hours of arguing about it with dear Matt confirms (to me anyway) that Garfield is right on the money. Then again, I’m Jersey-born/bred…so wise-ass is a natural prerequisite for growing up in the NYC metropolitan area! Just saying…
Bringing balance to the fore is the lovely Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. Smart, spunky, hot—wow, I’m jealous of Spidey—the young lass holds up her end of the chemistry quotient with Andy. Sally Field, one of the great actresses of her generation, does her part to bring stability to the Parker household—even earning her own aforementioned BIG SCENE.
The villains on the other hand…meh. I was intrigued with Jamie Foxx’s casting as Electro, but was disappointed with his interpretation. Same with Dane DeHaan, an interesting actor who was a much better antagonist in the underrated sci-fi thriller Chronicle (2012). So much attention is given to Foxx’s Electro and Feore’s villainous Menken (another great character actor who can always play a heavy)—among other matters—that DeHaan’s conversion into the new Green Goblin is so anti-climactic. Again, an issue with the screenplay more than the actors involved.
In fact, the only villain that I really liked was the underused Paul Giamatti as the Russian criminal Aleksei Sytsevich, aka The Rhino. We only see him causing bedlam at the beginning and then suiting up as The Rhino at the end to take on Spider-Man. Giamatti is a talented actor who gives it his all here—and I’ll assume that we’ll see him again in one of the forthcoming sequels. But still, why add him in at all? Just saying…
Part of the blame goes to director Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man, 500 Days Of Summer) for not streamlining the screenplay more. Really—did the theatrical cut of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 need to be 142 minutes? That’s 18 minutes shorter than it took for the Titanic to sink way back in 1912! Still, it’s not bad news for Webb, whose strength as the director of this movie is in the human aspects of the story (Peter & Gwen; Aunt May & Peter; etc.). Also, Webb manages to helm the complete package with a growing sense of craft and entertainment value—because let’s face it: this isn’t the visually-operatic retelling of a Dostoyevsky novel or the existential tomes of Kierkegaard. It’s Spider-friggin’-Man…entertain me without giving me a headache!! Comparing Part 1 to Part 2, the latter is more ambitious while the former is better focused. I’m not sure if director Marc Webb is returning for Part 3 (and he should, for the sake of parity)—but I’m pretty sure that he’ll hit his stride—as will the series.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 earns top marks for production values for the estimated $200+ million endeavor (imdb.com). The film was shot entirely in New York State, with a majority of the production occurring within the New York City area—with the exception of an extended chase sequence filmed in Rochester, NY. It has been said that this movie is the largest production ever filmed in New York State.
Wait, did I say “filmed”? Yes! Lensed on 35mm film in the classic PANAVISION® scope format by ace South African cinematographer Dan Mindel (Spy Game, Star Trek [2009], Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek Into Darkness), this movie looks fantastic. I say this with amazement because Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man was shot in HD by veteran cinematographer John Schwartzman (Armageddon, Seabiscuit, The Green Hornet) and the look of the two movies cannot be more different. Not to knock Schwartzman—he’s one of my favorite cinematographers—but Mindel actually convinced Webb to go for the film/anamorphic package—and to terrific results. I am so very happy to see that film is not yet on its way to the morgue.
Unnecessarily-long running time excluded, the movie’s cutting is an exercise in elegance by veteran Sicilian editor Pietro Scalia (Oscar®-winner for JFK & Black Hawk Down; also cut Ridley Scott’s Hannibal, Gladiator, American Gangster, The Counselor). And speaking of elegant, the musical score by Hans Zimmer (Oscar®-winner for The Lion King; also composed Ridley Scott’s Black Rain, Gladiator, Hannibal, Matchstick Men as well as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy) with The Magnificent Six supergroup earns kudos as well. To read more about them, click here.
I’d also like to extol the grandiose production design by New Yawker Mark Friedberg (The Ice Storm, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, Across The Universe, Noah)—who beside creating a cool lair design within OsCorp—actually created a great mock-up of Times Square for the Electro vs. Spider-Man sequence—aided in VFX by the artisans at Sony Picture Imageworks. Easily the best set-piece in the movie, one day of shooting on location in the real Times Square—in addition to capturing all visual references for later studio work (per the production notes)—gets props for intricate detail orientation.
The cool Electro VFX make-up was designed by prolific house KNB EFX Group while the new Spidey costume was designed by veteran Deborah L. Scott Oscar®-winner for Titanic; also costumed Back To The Future, 2000’s The Patriot, Transformers 1-3) in an effort to harken the MARVEL comic book incarnation’s original design—including the white eyepieces…heretofore never done for any Spider-Man movie.
THE BOTTOM LINE
With everything but the kitchen sink thrown in, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 manages to score as overall entertainment—but sputters in its individual minutiae (unfocused screenplay, excessive villains, etc.)—hence the ½ star reduction. However, a strong cast, handsome production values, nifty VFX and that classic New York state-of-mind vibe slings this flick forward into the future with the next movie already on the horizon. You keep slinging, Spidey baby…just saying!!
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1872181/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Spider-Man_2
Official Site: http://www.theamazingspiderman.com/site/
The Other Woman
|
MPAA/Content PG-13 (AC, AL, MV) |
Distributor
20th Century Fox [2014] |
Technical
2.35:1 35mm |
Genres
COM ROM |
Runtime
109 mins. |
Cntry./Lang.
USA [English] |
Budget $40M |
CAST
Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nicky Minaj, Taylor Kinney & Don Johnson
CREDITS
Director: Nick Cassavetes; Screenwriters: Melissa Stack; Producer: Julie Yorn; Director Of Photography: Robert Fraisse; Production Designer: Dan Davis; Editors: Jim Flynn & Alan Heim; Costume Designers: Patricia Field & Paolo Nieddu; Music Composer: Aaron Zigman
THE SYNOPSIS
New York City. Beautiful and successful lawyer Carly Whitten (Diaz) starts dating dreamy entrepreneur Mark (Coster-Waldau). Months later, Mark cancels a date with Carly to attend to a plumbing problem in his Connecticut home. Taking the advice of her “Man About Town” father Frank (Johnson), Carly sneaks up to Connecticut to surprise Mark. Opening the door is an older woman named Kate (Mann)—who is Mark’s wife! Oops.
Horrified, Carly breaks up with Mark, as she does not like to date married men. A few days later, a depressed Kate appears at Carly’s job and her apartment—seeking the younger woman’s guidance. The two bicker, but eventually bond. Especially when they both discover that Mark is dating a third girl: pretty blonde Amber (Upton). The ladies follow her to the beach, where Amber is staying with Frank. Kate and Carly shack up with Kate’s hunky brother Phil (Kinney)—who happens to own a home on the same beach. Carly is smitten with him, by the way.
After Carly and Kate explain the scenario to a crestfallen Amber, the three ladies decide to get even with Mark—first by pulling pranks on him—and then delving deeper into his business dealings that reveal a shady character at work. Mark heads to the Bahamas, where he has yet another woman on tap and does some money laundering also—all in Kate’s name, as she signed papers unknowingly giving him power-of-attorney on their business dealings. To stop him, the three ladies go to the Bahamas and concoct a plan to put Mark out of business for good.
THE CRITIQUE
There’s an old English expression that states “Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned”. Having learned this first-hand on several occasions throughout the many eons I have lived, I can assure you, dear reader, that the quote is very (very) accurate. I’ve also learned that scorned women can be placated by various means of bribery: flowers; cocktails; fine dining (i.e. no drive-thru); shopping—on your dime, that is; good makeup sex; vacations—again, on your dime; etc. And I say placated because, let’s face it: one stupid mistake and you’ll never live it down. Ever.
Which brings me to the cute but forced scorned women comedy THE OTHER WOMAN, where having testicles may be a liability (see previous paragraph). This one is a total chick flick from beginning to end—of which I have no problem with—if it were really as raunchy as it wants to be. Written by newcomer Melissa Stack, the movie features relatable characters in its three XX chromosome leads with clearly delineated personalities.
Per the production notes, the screenwriter claims she was inspired by French sex comedies. Magnifique! But many of those movies were quite ribald/randy in their execution, as the French—and Europeans in general—lack our puritanical DNA in their storytelling tropes. Stack’s screenplay simply lacks the (excuse the expression, ladies) cojones to be ribald, randy or raunchy. By the way, she never did name any of those movies, though I’ll simply assume that one of them was probably Francois Truffaut’s charming The Man Who Loved Women (1977). Yes, yes: not only is Youssef tres handsome and tres charming, but worldly as well…
Part of the blame lies in the safe, mainstream approach handled by director Nick Cassavetes (She’s So Lovely, John Q, Alpha Dog, The Notebook)—yes, the son of famed actor-director John Cassavetes & actress Gena Rowlands. To be fair, the XY chromosome helmer was surrounded by female key personnel while making this movie—so, his softer side probably manifested/embedded itself into the movie’s organic fabric. But why oh why? Lest we forget, Cassavetes was the same dude who played the evil Packard Walsh in the cult movie The Wraith (1985)— a cruel bastard at best!!
But I digress…
What I want to get across is that THE OTHER WOMAN lacks the anarchic nature of those terrific Blake Edwards movies of yore: 10 (1979), S.O.B. (1981), his ill-received remake of The Man Who Loved Women (1983) & Skin Deep (1989). One thing about Edwards (a filmmaking hero of mine): he understood Cinema and he embraced the need & value of raunchy taboos in the sex comedy sub-genre. I wish that Cassavetes & Stack embraced this notion and given us a ribald, R-rated sex comedy that would have stood out from the safe and mainstream (and corporate) comedic movies that are churned out today. God, I miss the ‘70s & ‘80s!!
On the plus side, however, we are presented with three beautiful actresses who also prove that they have the comedic chops to sail this safe, mainstream & corporate comedy regardless through shark-less waters. Cameron Diaz (a.k.a. my ‘90s crush), Lesie Mann (a.k.a. Mrs. Judd Apatow) & Kate Upton (a.k.a. one of my future wives) also have the chemistry to pull it off—especially that Kate Upton (…grrrrrrrr), so lovely to look at on the big screen!
To boot, screenwriter Melissa Stack and director Cassavetes do the smart thing and bestow each woman with individual virtues: Diaz’s Carly is smart, tough—but not a total bitch lacking a moral compass; Mann’s Kate is the cuckqueaned housewife who possesses a loyal streak to match her heretofore surreptitious business cunning; and Upton’s Amber turns out to be not a raging, mean-spirited harpy, but a sweet, sensitive young woman whose loyalty and devotion act as the glue that keeps the trifecta together. And she’s freakin hot!! (…Grrrrrrrr) Oh—and rapper/singer/songwriter Nicky Minaj pops up as the soothsayer in lovely wigs and pumps.
The male actors in THE OTHER WOMAN—personified by handsome Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (HBO’s Game Of Thrones), handsome All-American Taylor Kinney (TV’s Chicago Fire) and still-handsome Don “Miami Vice” Johnson—act as, respectively: shady plot catalyst with great fashion sense and $300,000 cars; amiable love interest for Diaz’s character—the kind of guy that cooks a gourmet dinner for his gal and buys her “that thing” she covets…you know the type (ME!); and the worldly father who dates hot young chicks and slugs ex-boyfriends…well, just because!
Production values on this $40 million (boxofficemojo.com) endeavor are top-notch, though the non-VFX/non-tent pole movie begs the question: where the hell did all that money go to (besides salaries)? Hair spray and wardrobe? Read on…*
The production takes advantage of generous tax breaks by filming 90% of the movie in New York City, Long Island’s The Hamptons & Westchester County (subbing for Connecticut). While the remaining 10% was filmed on location in Nassau, The Bahamas. I swear, Manhattan hasn’t looked this glossy and sexy since one of those Sex In The City flicks—ya know…where everyone’s beautiful and wealthy and employed and happy! Movie bullshit magic indeed.
THE OTHER WOMAN’s glossy and sexy look is courtesy of veteran French cinematographer Robert Fraisse (Seven Years In Tibet, Ronin, Alpha Dog, The Notebook)—who shot the movie on 35mm film (!) using the ARRICAM LT camera package combined with Hawk Anamorphic Lenses. What it means in layman’s terms is that we are presented with handsome photography and high-quality optics so as to really appreciate the magic of NYC, the tropical aqua-paradise of The Bahamas and the wonder that is Kate Upton (…grrrrrrrr). Man, I’m perspiring as I write this.
Abetting Fraisse is handsome production design by Canadian Dan Davis (The Ref, Michael, You’ve Got Mail, TV’s 666 Park Avenue)—creating the types of modern apartments and office spaces that most of us would kill to have. The smooth editing schema is courtesy of veteran Bronx-bred cutter Alan Heim (Oscar®-winner for 1979’s All That Jazz; also cut Cassavetes’ Alpha Dog, The Notebook & My Sister’s Keeper) and recent Cassavetes cutter Jim Flynn (My Sister’s Keeper, Yellow). Professional all the way.
* I’m going to assume that much of that aforementioned $40 million budget also went to the high-end name wardrobe put together by costume designers Patricia Field (the legendary fashionista who designed costumes for HBO’s Sex & The City and movies such as The Devil Wears Prada and Sex In The City 1 & 2) and Paolo Nieddu—earning his first CD credit after working under Field in the fashion world and some of her aforementioned movie ventures.
Encapsulating the cool, chic, downtown Manhattan couture, the costume designers created or combined designers and labels specifically for each woman: Carly/Cameron Diaz (Antonio Berardi, Martin Grant, Tom Ford, Rick Owens); Kate/Leslie Mann (Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, Lily Pulitzer, J. Crew, Red Valentino, Pucci); and Amber/Kate Upton (…grrrrrrrr—I mean: a Maila Mills bikini… Grrrrrrrr). Even Nicky Minaj’s Lydia gets to wear Gucci, Roland Mouret, Versace, Herve Leger, Proenza Schoeler, McQueen. Just don’t ask me what the guys wore—as I could care less!
THE BOTTOM LINE
THE OTHER WOMAN is a glossy, girlie revenge movie that capitalizes on the photogenics and chemistry of its lovely female leads (especially you, Kate Upton…grrrrrrrr). A mediocre screenplay is at least bolstered by strong production values and beautiful NYC/Bahamas locations—but falls a tad short of its ribald potential, thanks to a tame PG-13 mentality. Still, I’d see it all over again if Kate were cuddled up next to me. That means something…right? …Grrrrrrrr.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2203939/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Other_Woman_(2014_film)
Official Site: http://theotherwomanmovie.com
MoonStar Film Reviews 
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