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 16^th 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

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 2^nd 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

Last Vegas

MPAA/Content  PG-13 [AC, AL, MV]

Distributor  CBS Films [2013]

Technical  HD  2.35:1

Genres  COM DRA

Runtime 104 mins.

Country  USA

Budget  $28M

 

CAST

Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, Mary Steenburgen, Jerry Ferrara, Romany Malco, Roger Bart, Joanna Gleason, Michael Ealy & Bre Blair; cameos by 50 Cent & Redfoo

 

CREDITS

Director: Jon Turteltaub; Screenwriters: Dan Fogelman; Producers: Amy Baer, Joseph Drake & Lawrence Mark; Director Of Photography: David Hennings; Production Designer: David J. Bomba; Editor: David Rennie; Costume Designer: Dayna Pink; Music Composer: Mark Mothersbaugh

 

THE SYNOPSIS

Brooklyn, NY; the 1950s.  Billy, Paddy, Archie & Sam are rambunctious kids and best friends known as The Flatbush Four.  Modern day: spread across the country with lives of their own, The Flatbush Four are no more.

Billy (Douglas) is a successful Malibu lawyer who proposes to his young girlfriend Lisa (Blair).  Retired blue collar Paddy (De Niro) is a cranky widower who refuses to leave his Brooklyn home.  Twice-divorced retired Air Force man Archie (Freeman), recovering from a mild stroke, lives with his overprotective son and his family in Englewood, NJ.  Accountant Sam (Kline) and his wife Miriam (Gleason) live in a retirement community in Naples, Florida—though Sam really hates it.

Billy calls Archie and Sam to announce the news—and the men decide to celebrate in Las Vegas as gift to Billy for his lifelong generosity to them.  They trick Paddy into coming—as he stopped talking to Billy years ago for not coming to his wife’s funeral.  After some bickering, a cease-fire is declared and they head off to their modest hotel—which is closed for renovations.

Billy has his assistant book them into the luxurious ARIA—which Archie pays for after winning $100k at the blackjack tables!  A penthouse suite and personal host Lonnie (Malco) are given to the guys and their Vegas vacation begins.  Along the way, they befriend a drag queen performer named Maurice (Bart) and a former tax attorney-turned-lounge singer named Diana (Steenburgen)—who takes a liking to both Paddy and Billy.

The Flatbush Four’s swanky penthouse pad becomes Ground Zero for Vegas partying, where the men reconnect; Paddy pimp-slaps a young turk (Ferrrara) into indentured servitude; Lonnie comes to respect his elder charges; Archie parties like there’s no tomorrow while Sam puts the moves on hot young chicks (after Miriam encourages him pre-trip, of course).  Paddy and Billy’s problems will get resolved too.  But will Billy go through his wedding to the much younger Lisa—or is Diana the one for him?

 

THE CRITIQUE

LAST VEGAS, an amusing—but harmless—Baby Boomer comedy, wants to be the raunchier Hangover Series’ granduncle…but merely comes off as raunchy-lite (and please hold the salt).  If anything, the movie can at least boast that all five of its principal actors are Oscar^®-winners.  That’s something, right?

Written by Dan Fogelberg (Cars, Fred Claus, The Guilt Trip), the screenplay manages to project (just about) every human emotion while maintaining a feckless, status quo veneer.  The comedy is about four aging Baby Boomers who make one last go of the new/young/modern Vegas—it has heart…but where are its balls?  Writing a more ribald tale to secure an R-rating would have made this movie more fun and rowdy.

And yes: a re-imagining of The Hangover (2009) for the Post-WWII crowd may not have been original—but it would have had the balls needed to pull it off.  Remember, Baby Boomers can still lay claim to the greatest bachelor party movie of the 20^th Century: Bachelor Party (1984).  Now that was a funny, funny movie.

At least LAST VEGAS is helmed with a sure hand by veteran director Jon Turteltaub (3 Ninjas, Phenomenon, Instinct, The Kid, National Treasure series)—whose movies I rather enjoy.  His work may not stand out—screaming AUTEUR! AUTEUR! AUTEUR! from the top of the Luxor pyramid—but being a steady hand amidst this distinguished cast cannot hurt either.  Under Turteltaub’s stewardship, the movie exhibits gloss, class and heart.

The game cast gives the characters some energy and individuality.  I am a fan of each actor’s talents & filmographies and can say that each has their moment or two during the course of this movie.  Any limitations in characterization (and there are some) are purely based on how they were written.  I must say that the standouts in this one (aside from the gold-bling cast) are Roger Bart (as a drag queen) and young Jerry Ferrara—holding his own against De Niro and company.

Production values for this modestly-budgeted $28 million movie are solid across the board.  LAST VEGAS was shot in and around Las Vegas (of course) & Atlanta, GA—which stood in for Brooklyn, NY; Englewood, NJ; Naples, FL; and (amazingly) Malibu, CA.  Kudos to veteran Production Designer David J. Bomba (Secondhand Lions, Walk The Line, Race To Witch Mountain) for also recreating the ARIA Resort & Casino interiors including the centerpiece SkySuite penthouse room where the boys stay.

LAST VEGAS features glossy HD-widescreen lensing by veteran cinematographer David Hennings (Blue Crush, You Again, Horrible Bosses)—capturing the colorful Vegas settings using the versatile ARRI^® ALEXA camera system.  The camerawork is abetted by a smooth cutting schema courtesy of veteran editor David Rennie (The Kid, Race To Witch Mountain, You Again, 22 Jump Street) and music by DEVO’s own Mark Mothersbaugh (Rushmore, The Life Aquatic With Steven Zissou, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street).

 

THE BOTTOM LINE 

Playing very much like The Hangover Series’ randy-but-cuddly-but-toothless granduncle, LAST VEGAS entertains yet fails to live up to the advertising hype.  Still, the game cast, solid technical facets and seductive Vegas setting sell themselves very easily.  I can proudly say that this is a Sin City movie that even my mother can watch…when she gets back from Atlantic City, that is.

 

 

 

 

IMDB:                    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204975/

Wikipedia:             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Vegas

Official Site:          http://www.lastvegasmovie.com

The Fifth Estate

 

MPAA/Content R [AC, AL, MV]

Distributor Touchstone Pics.   (2013)

Technical HD 2.35:1

Genres  DRA THR HIS

Runtime 128 mins.

Country US UK

Budget $28M

 

CAST

Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Anthony Mackie, David Thewlis, Moritz Bleibtreu, Alicia Vikander, Peter Capaldi, Carice van Houten, Dan Stevens, Stanley Tucci & Laura Linney

 

CREDITS

Director: Bill Condon; Screenwriter: Josh SInger; Producers: Steve Golin & Michael Sugar; Director Of Photography: Tobias A. Schilesser; Production Designer: Mark Tildesley; Editor: Virginia Katz; Costume Designer: Shay Cunliffe; Music Composer: Carter Burwell

 

THE SYNOPSIS

In 2007, idealistic German journalist Daniel Dormsheit-Berg (Brühl) hooks up with one Julian Assange (Cumberbatch)—a strange, paranoid Australian hacker/computer wiz and founder of the online oracle WikiLeaks (a website dedicated to releasing information being withheld from the world public).

The men set about making WikiLeaks an internet sensation by divulging secret info on various European banks and their greedy hierarchies—thus causing scandal and governmental investigations to ensue. Some time later, Assange and Daniel team up with The Guardian brass—including investigative reporter Nick Davies (Thewlis), editor Alan Rusbridger (Capaldi) and deputy editor Ian Katz (Stevens)—to collude the WikiLeaks info…therefore bringing credibility to the website. Germany’s Der Speigel and the USA’s New York Times soon join in.

By 2010, Assange has managed to alienate Daniel and his staff—especially when he has the Bradley Manning affair leaked—thus irritating not only his own circle by rashly opening Pandora’s Box before confirming the facts—but also drawing the ire of the US Government. Their response is to send Under Secretary Of State Sarah Shaw (Linney), White House Deputy National Security Advisor Sam Coulson (Mackie) and Deputy Secretary Of State For Political Affairs James Boswell (Tucci) out after Assange and his WiklLeaks team to shut them down.

It is by this point that Daniel has left WikiLeaks and begins to undermine all that the Svengali-like Assange has attempted —claiming that his pursuit of the Truth is on a different path that Julian’s. He later writes a book on his WikiLeaks experiences. Assange denies all allegations and threatens to sue—from the comfort of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he currently dwells in political asylum due to sexual abuse allegations lobbed at him in Sweden.

 

THE CRITIQUE 

Full confession: until I heard that THE FIFTH ESTATE was coming out as a motion picture, I had never even heard of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, the Bradley Manning incident, nor of Daniel Dormsheit-Berg’s book “Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World’s Most Dangerous Website”—of which this movie is primarily based on. And I know what you’re going to say:

A good-looking stud with an inherent and intelligent writing style; a didactic finger on Cinema’s pulse; a charming way with women and police officers—but man, that Youssef is completely out of touch with the socio-political schema and the impact that the internet (yea, The Fifth Estate, if you will) has on the moral complexities of a changing, raging world.

Yes, to everything. Guilty. As. Charged. Excuse me if I have never heard of this WikiLeaks stuff until recently. I’m so busy screening movies to make you readers happy that the other aspects of my life are left by the wayside…waiting for freakin’ Godot like the rest of ‘em.  SO CUT ME SOME SLACK!!!!

(Breathe… [Omm] Breathe… [Omm] Breathe… [Omm])

But seriously: I had to do some 4^th Quarter research to fully comprehend what WikiLeaks and the ensuing scandals were about before screening this flick. (Hey, how ‘bout that Internet, huh?! More than just kittens and porn, it turns out.) And you know what I realized? I don’t care! This stuff is a drop in the proverbial bucket of Life—and we all keep moving. Still, they went ahead and made a movie about WikiLeaks, so I guess I’d better get to it…

As aforementioned, the screenplay written by TV scribe Josh Singer (The West Wing, Fringe) is based on Dormsheit-Berg’s book “Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World’s Most Dangerous Website” and David Leigh & Luke Harding’s “WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War On Secrecy”. The screenplay is decently written but unfocused, and comes off more as a MFTV project that tries to evoke the big screen politico-thrillers of yore like The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Parallax View (1974), 3 Days Of The Condor (1975), All The President’s Men (1976) and The Insider (1999).

Notice that (with the exception of the first and the last) these movies were made at the zenith of the Watergate 1970s, post-Vietnam/pre-disco catharsis. Back then, information leaks were a BIG deal because getting access to that classified info was pretty much impossible. Hell, we (as a society) are still dealing with the declassification and dissemination of the JFK assassination in 1963! Today—with the advent of technology, the Internet and information overload—nothing is a surprise or much of a big deal to the larger masses. Now news is already old news by the next click of your mouse…

Conversely, THE FIFTH ESTATE is well directed by the talented Bill Condon (Gods And Monsters, Kinsey, Dreamgirls, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Parts 1 & 2)—a filmmaker whose movies I happen to admire. Having to take some shaky scripted material and turning it into a feature takes skill. But the question for Condon to his writer and producers should have been: “Is this a docu-drama or a techno-thriller?” The movie tries to be both—but comes up an HTTP link short on either end.

Acting-wise, the omni-present British acting sensation Humperdinck Snapperbatch steals the show as the enigmatic Julian Assange in this, his 130^th movie of 2013. Surely I jest. Benedict Cumberbatch only appeared in 6 feature films this year (!) and gives a rather interesting performance (replete with wigs, false teeth & contact lenses) on a personality who comes off as a serious cyber-sociopath. Of course, the real Assange (who actually communicated with B.C. during the shoot) claims that the books based on him and WikiLeaks are biased and slanted—but that’s for history to decide. Cumberbatch brings intensity, resolve and focus (in an unfocused movie, sadly) to the role.

The other pillar in THE FIFTH ESTATE is up-and-coming German-Spanish actor Daniel Brühl—who all-but-stole Ron Howard’s Rush in his other 2013 movie and fared better in that one as Formula One racer Niki Lauda. Here, Brühl portrays the aforementioned Daniel Dormsheit-Berg very much as a combination of the audience surrogate and the put-upon journalist whose conscience gets the better of him. Not sure how it all really played out in real life, but Brühl is a good enough actor that we are comfortable with his character imbuing the movie’s moral compass. The rest of the cast (all familiar faces) bring their game to the proverbial table, with English character actor David Thewlis as the standout.

Production values for this modestly-budgeted $28 million (boxofficemojo.com) movie is solid across the board. It was shot across Europe in locations as varied as Belgium, Germany & Iceland and in the African nation of Kenya. What THE FIFTH ESTATE lacks in writing surely makes up in its technical and mise-en-scène facets.

Credit the appropriately cold and sterile HD-widescreen lensing to ace German cinematographer Tobias A. Schliessler (The Rundown, Dreamgirls, Battleship, Lone Survivor)—another favorite lenser of mine. The movie, bathed in metallic gray and computer green palettes (and utilizing the versatile ARRI Alexa Studio & ARRI Alexa Plus camera packages), evokes the notion of being inside cyberspace and the thrill that the dissemination of information via the Internet must feel like visually. Though I am still a film advocate, I do appreciate the use of the HD format to tell this story.

A complicated cutting schema by Condon’s long-time editor Virginia Katz (Gods And Monsters, Kinsey, Dreamgirls, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Parts 1 & 2); appropriately techie-and-grunge-production design by veteran Englishman Mark Tildesley (28 Days Later, The Constant Gardener, 28 Weeks Later, Trance); and techno-based score by the talented Coen Brothers (Raising Arizona, Miller’s Crossing, The Big Lebowski, No Country For Old Men) & Condon (Gods And Monsters, Kinsey, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Parts 1 & 2) composer Carter Burwell add that extra moonstar to the overall rating score.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

As a dramatic thriller, THE FIFTH ESTATE lacks the gravitas that its cinematic forebearers so easily imbued back in the day. That being said, a good cast (especially Humperdinck Snapperbatch—er, sorry: Benedict Cumberbatch) and better craftsmen behind the lens still put on an acceptable show. Since this WikiLeaks business is so old hat in our internet-based, “gotta have the news NOW” world—the movie’s raison d’être and impact has lessened to an afterthought. Such is the cold, fickle world we live in—ooh…look what’s on YouTube now…

 

 

 

IMDB:                   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837703/

Wikipedia:             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fifth_Estate_(film)

Official Site:          http://www.thefifthestatemovie.com

 

 

The Counselor

 

MPAA/Content  R [AC, AL, N, SV]

Distributor  20th Century Fox

Technical  HD  2.35:1

Genres  CRI DRA THR

Runtime  117 mins.

Country  USA UK

Budget  $25M

 

CAST

Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem, Brad Pitt, Bruno Ganz, Rosie Perez, Sam Spruell, Toby Kebbell, Édgar Ramierez, Rubén Blades, Natalie Dormer, Goran Visnjic, John Leguizamo, Emma Rigby & Dean Norris

 

CREDITS

Director: Ridley Scott; Screenwriter: Cormac McCarthy; Producers: Ridley Scott, Nick Wechsler, Steve Schwartz & Paula Mae Schwartz; Director Of Photography: Dariusz Wolski; Production Designer: Arthur Max; Editor: Pietro Scalia; Costume Designer: Janty Yates; Music Composer: Daniel Pemberton

 

THE SYNOPSIS 

Counselor (Fassbender) enjoys a Texas morning romp in the sack with his lovely girlfriend Laura (Cruz). Later, he attends a party at the house of the wealthy-but-shady drug kingpin Reiner (Bardem) and his girlfriend Malkina (Diaz) to discuss getting into the dangerous but lucrative drug business with the Mexican Cartel. Reiner advises against it—but the Counselor is ambitious.

Reiner sets up a meeting with another shady dude, Westray (Pitt)—who also advises the Counselor to stay clear of this business. No dice. To get the ball rolling, Counselor visits one of his clients, Ruth (Perez), currently serving time in jail. She asks that he bails out her biker son “The Geen Hornet” after he is arrested for speeding.

Turns out that Hornet is a valued cartel member heading towards the pick-up spot where a sewage truck loaded with drugs is waiting. He never makes it to the spot as a criminal named “The Wireman” (Spruell)—hired by the scheming Malkina—kills him on the highway. Sadly, Westray later informs the Counselor that the Cartel has implicated him as the one responsible for having Hornet killed and the drugs stolen.

What follows is a series of crosses-and-double-crosses when Reiner is killed by Cartel members as they try to capture him. The Counselor tries to flee with Laura after Westray disappears—but she is captured by the Cartel. Death and tragedy follow the Counselor as Malkina pulls the strings on he, Westray and The Cartel.

THE CRITIQUE

THE COUNSELOR is a real disappointment. There…I said it straight-up. It is hard for me to say, as the movie was directed by one of my all-time favorite directors: Sir Ridley Scott. Swear to God—the man is my idol. As a film scholar and filmmaker, I am a Scott acolyte true and true. So why has he made his worst movie since the underwhelming Matchstick Men (2003)? And don’t even get me started on the disappointment that Prometheus (2012) was…

But I digress. The movie was written directly for the screen by lauded Pulitzer Prize-winning author and playwright Cormac McCarthy (whose books All The Pretty Horses, The Road and No Country For Old Men became film adaptations themselves—with the latter winning the Best Picture Oscar^® of 2007). What should have been a terse, sinewy thriller turns out to be a dull, talky exercise in cold indifference. Zzzzzzzz… Cormac, I respect you as an author—but please, leave the screenwriting to those more qualified! See how well No Country For Old Men turned out? Oh—and by the way: read his Pulitzer Prize-winning The Road; it is a masterpiece slice of post-apocalyptic Americana.

Back to Sir Ridley, who directs THE COUNSELOR with little of the style and cinematic effervescence that he has practically patented in his many years of helming classics such as Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Gladiator (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001) and countless others that are milestones in Cinema. Here, his auteur presence is so non-descript that it is really mind-boggling.

Sir Ridley’s director brother Tony Scott (the helmer of such classics as Top Gun, True Romance, Crimson Tide & Man On Fire) died during this movie’s production—which has since been dedicated to his memory. We lost a great filmmaker when Tony died—and Ridley surely felt the same (more so, he lost a brother)…so the idea & theme of Death must’ve hung in the air while making a movie about death. Still, this flick suffers from a dead script.

For such a bad movie, there sure is a cast of familiar faces abounding. I’m a big fan of Fassbender (underwhelming in a role that Christian Bale could have probably done better), Bardem (overwhelming in his über-producer Brian Grazer-style hairdo), Pitt (taciturn and sleazy), Cruz (radiant as always) & Diaz (see below)—but I get the funny feeling that some or all of these actors have been miscast. As I understand it, Diaz took the role after Angelina Jolie turned it down—which is weird, as I could see Jolie totally sodomizing a Ferrari more that I can Diaz.

Oops, did I give away a totally surreal part of the movie? Yes, you read right: Cameron Diaz f**ks a car to orgasm (hers, I mean) while the Bardem character watches in erotic horror. I would have watched the sequence again (several times) to make certain of what I was seeing—but there is no rewind button at the movie theater. Well, there’s always YouTube.

Production values on this relatively low-budget $25 million (boxofficemojo.com) movie are solid across the board.  THE COUNSELOR was shot in the USA, United Kingdom & Spain—the latter two standing in, respectively, for Southwestern USA and Mexico. Kudos to long-time Scott production designer Arthur Max (Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Kingdom Of Heaven, Prometheus) for pulling it off.

THE COUNSELOR was lensed by veteran Polish cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (The Crow, Crimson Tide, Pirates Of The Caribbean series, Prometheus)—one of my favorite cameramen. I’ll say this: the HD-widescreen photography (captured utilizing the terrific RED Epic camera system) is one of the few pluses here. Wolski’s lensing captures the warmth of the desert as well as the cold, sterile ambience of the Counselor’s home and the ultra-modern gleam of modern London. Nicely done, indeed.

The imagery is abetted by a solid cutting schema courtesy of Scott’s long-time editor Pietro Scalia (Oscar^®-winner for JFK & Black Hawk Down; also edited Gladiator, Black Hawk Down & Prometheus) and colorful costume design by another long-time Scott artisan Janty Yates (Oscar^®-winner for Gladiator; also clothed Kingdom Of Heaven, American Gangster & Prometheus). As you can see, the technical categories are the only redeeming factors here—hence the 2-star rating instead of my original 1.5-star evaluation.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

In a rare case of the doldrums, Ridley Scott’s THE COUNSELOR underperforms as a movie—and that is a crime! Even with the cache of the Ridley Scott directing, a large cast of famous faces peppered across the screen, strong production values and exotic locations to boot…this one is DOA as a thriller and as a character study. As a viewer, I’d sue—but then my own counselor would simply declare that I saw this movie of my own volition.

Verdict: GUILTY…for sucking!! The sentence has already been handed out: FAILURE AT THE BOX OFFICE. Case closed.

 

 

 

IMDB:                    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2193215/

Wikipedia:             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Counselor

Official Site:          http://www.thecounselormovie.com

Runner Runner

MPAA/Content R [AC, AL, SV]

Distributor 20th Century Fox

Technical 35mm 2.35:1

Genres THR CRI DRA

Runtime 91 mins.

Country USA

Budget $30M

 

CAST

Justin Timberlake, Gemma Arterton, Ben Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Oliver Cooper, Ben Schwartz & John Heard

 

CREDITS

Director: Brad Furman; Screenwriters: Brian Koppelman & David Levien; Producers: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, David Levien, Michael Shamberg & Stacey Sher; Director Of Photography: Mauro Fiore; Production Designer: Charisse Cardenas; Editor: Jeff McEvoy; Costume Designer: Sophie De Rakoff; Music Composer: Christophe Beck

 

THE SYNOPSIS

Former Wall Street wiz-turned-Princeton grad student Richie Furst (Timberlake) pays for tuition by referring other students to online gambling sites for a percentage.  After the Dean threatens expulsion, Richie attempts to raise the cash by competing in a popular online gambling site and loses all of his money by nefarious means.

Refuting the gaming system via statistical analysis, Richie goes to Costa Rica and confronts its slickster owner, Ivan Block (Affleck).  The shrewd, flamboyant bad guy takes a shine to Richie and offers him a job as his #2 man.  Over time, Richie is sucked into Block’s ribald lifestyle—even starting a relationship with Block’s COO Rebecca Shafran (Arterton).  He even gets his college buddies Andrew (Cooper) and Craig (Schwartz) to come on board as system programmers.

An FBI Agent Shavers (Mackie) corrals Richie into turning on Block—since the FBI has no jurisdiction in Costa Rica.  Richie tries to leave the country, but is arrested on Shavers’ behest.  Turns out Block has figured out what the FBI is up to and invites Richie’s father Harry (Heard)—himself a broke gambler—as Block’s “guest.”

Richie realizes the depths of Block’s greed and avarice when his buddy Craig leaves and Andrew is nearly beaten to death when he discovers that Block is running a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme via the online gambling system.  In the end, Richie corrals the local authorities with bribes and gets the help he needs from Rebecca, who is on the level.  They all indulge in Richie’s plot to get Block.

 

THE CRITIQUE

The seedy, illogical world of gambling has long been a movie staple.  Now that we’re in the 21^st Century, and the internet has become the new casino, RUNNER RUNNER strolls in to try and cash some chips while scoring a free stay in moviegoers’ hearts.  However, the (cinema) house folds…as this one turns out to be a disappointing fink!

It’s a shame too, as the movie was written by veteran screenwriting team Brian Koppelman & David Levien (Ocean’s Thirteen, Runaway Jury, Knockaround Guys, Rounders)—obviously no strangers to this illicit world.  Per the production notes:

According to the American Gaming Association and leading gambling research firm H2 Gambling Capital, Americans spent $2.6 billion on illegal online gambling websites in 2012.  In fact, Americans generate nearly 10 percent of the current $33 billion worldwide online gambling market, despite the fact that the U.S. government is doing everything in its power to crack down on illegal operators.  Illegal gambling websites operate in the shadows. They are not regulated by the United States government and lack consumer protections against cheating, money laundering and underage gambling. And they do little to promote responsible gaming.

The point being, given the pedigree of RUNNER RUNNER’s scribes—combined with this new wrinkle of internet gambling being the impetus, I would have expected a taut thriller that exposed this tawdry microcosm.  Say goodbye to OTB…hello couch-potato casino!  But, not exactly.  Oh, and by the way: the title refers to a favorable denouement for the gambler’s hand in a Texas Hold ‘Em card game.  Or something like that…

Directed with basic competency by up-and-coming director Brad Furman (2011’s terrific The Lincoln Lawyer), the movie does not suffer from star wattage.  Singer-turned-thespian Justin Timberlake is a likable cad who possesses some credible acting chops while the lovely Gemma Arteton plays the femme fatale-turned-bad/good girl with some class.  And she’s sexy.  Even Anthony Mackie comes across like he could be a semi-believable FBI prick.

No, the problem (sadly) lies with the movie’s villain, Ivan Block—as portrayed by Oscar^®-winning screenwriter (1997’s Good Will Hunting) and producer (2013’s excellent Argo) Ben Affleck—currently in a career-renaissance that hits a mild speed bump in this feckless flick.  Affleck—tall, handsome, affable, manly chin—is too nicey-nice to give Block the much-needed malice that a good character actor like a young Terence Stamp (scary) or reliable French baddie Vincent Cassel (scarier) could’ve done with the role.  I’m just saying…

Production values for this $30 million budget (boxofficemojo.com) movie are its saving grace.  RUNNER RUNNER was filmed (on film!) in Puerto Rico—standing in for Costa Rica.

Credit Italian cinematographer Mauro Fiore (Oscar^®-winner for 2010’s Avatar; also shot Real Steel, 2005’s The Island, Training Day) for the handsome, widescreen lensing (via the popular Super 35 film format) of the aforementioned cast and locations while veteran editor Jeff McEvoy (Swing Vote, The Lincoln Lawyer, Underworld: Awakening) keeps things running (pun intended) with a slim—and easily digestible—91-minute runtime.

I also want to call out veteran Production Designer Charisse Cardenas (The Lincoln Lawyer, Gone) for creating glossy, exotic sets that showcase Ivan Block’s slick lifestyle—reminding me that I’ll probably never get to live such an opulent lifestyle.  Although, you never know.  I like the houses, cars, bikini-clad women and cash—but can do without the crime, crocodiles and moral ambiguity.

As I said earlier, RUNNER RUNNER fails to live up to the hype brought forth by the exciting trailers and hype.  Now that the deck is stacked, the cards all dealt and the chips gone—I can only think that the only people to lose out in the end are the poor gamblers—er, movie patrons—who paid for their movie tickets.  Luckily, I get in with a wink, a smile and my own chubby chin…as I slip in under the theater screen.  Eat that Ivan Block!!

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

RUNNER RUNNER barely makes it out of the starting gate in this handsomely-filmed, but ultimately tepid tale of greed, palm trees and Ben Affleck’s manly chin.  A game cast tries to make it work—but we know who’s working the room and who’s only cashing in their chips.  Good thing I didn’t bet the (movie) house on this one…

 

 

IMDB:                   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2364841/

Wikipedia:             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runner_Runner_(film)

Official Site:          http://www.runnerrunnermovie.com

Rush (2013)

MPAA/Content R [AC, AL, V]

Distributor Universal Pictures

Technical HD 2.40:1

Genres DRA SPO HIS

Runtime 122 mins.

Country USA UK

Budget $38M

 

CAST

Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara & Pierfrancesco Favino

 

CREDITS

Director: Ron Howard;  Screenwriter: Peter Morgan;  Producers: Andrew Eaton, Eric Fellner, Brian Oliver, Peter Morgan, Brian Grazer & Ron Howard;  Director Of Photography: Anthony Dod Mantle;  Production Designer: Mark Digby;  Editors: Dan Hanley & Mike Hill;  Costume Designer: Julian Day;  Music Composer: Hans Zimmer

 

THE SYNOPSIS

England, 1970.  A fierce rivalry is born between Formula Three racers James Hunt (Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Brühl) when the flamboyant English racer beats out the focused, calculating Austrian.  By the start of the 1976 Formula One season, the rivalry has reached epic proportions—on the course as well as off.

Hunt has married supermodel Suzy Miller (Wilde)—although divorce is now imminent, thanks to Hunt’s wandering eye and excesses—and her dalliances with actor Richard Burton.  Lauda, the 1975 Grand Champion, has married socialite Marlene Knaus (Lara)—and maintains stability in his professional life, winning races (like the Spanish Grand Prix) as well losing them to Hunt.

Near-tragedy occurs during the German Grand Prix when, during a torrential downpour of rain, a suspension arm in Lauda’s car breaks—causing a severe crash and burn.  Lauda is pulled out of the wreckage alive, but burned.  The only thing he focuses on his healing so that he may re-enter the races.  Hunt wins most of them—further enraging Lauda into competing in the Italian Grand Prix.  Both men fail to win that one.

Throughout the remaining races (16 in all)—and culminating in the Japanese Grand Prix—Lauda and Hunt form a grudging respect for one another.  Hunt has the balls and Lauda has the brains.  The rainy day in Japan proves that Hunt is a winner (top racer of 1976) and Lauda is wise enough to retire from racing—realizing that he already is a champion.

POSTSCRIPT: James Hunt—who retired in 1979 and became a race broadcaster—unexpectedly died of a heart attack in 1993.  It is said that Niki Lauda—who himself became a successful entrepreneur on the racecourse as well as outside of it—was saddened by Hunt’s death, as he considered the Englishman a real friend.

 

THE CRITIQUE

Following in the footsteps of great racecar movie of yore (e.g. 1966’s Grand Prix, 1969’s Winning, 1971’s Le Mans, 1990’s Days Of Thunder), RUSH breathes new life into the sports sub-genre by powering its way into a great finish thanks to top-notch talent in front of—and behind—the wheel and camera!

Based on true events and people—and using the exciting & tumultuous 1976 Formula One Season as its literary impetus (a time when sex was safe and racing was dangerous)—the movie was written by prolific British screenwriter Peter Morgan (The Last King Of Scotland, The Queen, Frost/Nixon)—who infuses RUSH with an intelligent structure and an equal sense of dichotomy (Hunt vs. Lauda… masters of their domain).  The exploits of these drivers were exciting enough in real life—and here is no exception, as Morgan’s story flows in naturalistic fashion toward its checkered flag denouement.  For more on the real story, check out this great article at the HISTORY VS. HOLLYWOOD website.

Directed with balls and visual acumen by the great Ron Howard (Oscar^®-winner for A Beautiful Mind; also helmed The Da Vinci Code, Apollo 13, Splash), the movie is a clinic in how to make a sports themed motion picture that kicks ass.  Growing up and watching Howard as he went from a decent actor (1973’s American Graffiti, TV’s Happy Days) to a budding director (the aforementioned films) of various genres has been a treat.  Speeding through Oliver Stone territory, Howard’s handling of RUSH further impresses on me that ol’ Ronnie can do anything.  It doesn’t hurt that he (and Morgan) consulted the real Niki Lauda on the finer points of the sport, the rivalry and the 1976 F1 season.  Hence, the naturalism of the movie’s flow of energy.  Which brings me to the next lap…acting.

The actors bring the right amount of charisma, knowledge, brains, balls and photogenics—all of which make this movie an easy watch.  Portraying the tall, blonde English racer/playboy James Hunt is the tall, blonde Australian hunk Chris Hemsworth—better known by his other signature role, Thor (“hunk” being the adjective that both my girlfriend & sister refer to him as, by the way).  As in the feted Marvel Universe, Hemsworth shines brightly as the late, flamboyant racer—although as I understand it, the real Hunt’s persona was even more amplified that Hemsworth portrays him as.  Still, it is a great role for a young actor who will continue to progress through roles in the future—hammer or no hammer!

On the flipside is talented German/Spaniard Daniel Brühl—embodying the intelligent, driven Niki Lauda, so much so that the real Lauda has publicly stated his appreciation in the portrayal.  If Hemsworth is the sexy, robust spirit of the RUSHverse, than Brühl is its brains and moral compass.  To make Lauda a cold, rather unlikable character who eventually earns not just Hunt’s respect—but ours as well, is saying something about Brühl’s performance.  Between this role and his other one in the solid The Fifth Estate, young Daniel is another developing talent to watch for.

In smaller, but pivotal roles are the women of RUSH—embodied by the lovely actress Olivia Wilde as the brief Mrs. Hunt, real-life model Suzy Miller—who divorced Hunt to marry the great Richard Burton (to be portrayed in cameo by Russell Crowe, but that never materialized) and Romanian-German actress Alexandra Maria Lara as the future Mrs. Lauda, socialite/model Marlene Knaus.  Both actresses bring needed estrogen to the testosterone party—with Lara coming off more sympathetic as Lauda’s “stand-by-my-man” paramour than the shallow, carnal relationship the Hunts may have had.  Still, I just like looking at Olivia Wilde—so it’s all good!

Production values for the modestly-budgeted $38 million movie (boxofficemojo.com) are top-shelf across the board.  It was shot in England and Germany—standing in for those venues, as well as Spain

Kudos are in order for veteran British cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (Oscar^®-winner for Slumdog Millionaire; also lensed 28 Days Later, Dredd & Trance) for his superlative widescreen HD-lensing schema (using the ARRI Alexa Plus camera system)—mixing ‘70s-style photography (courtesy of trusty old Cooke lenses) with edgy, faded palettes for the various race sequences.  While I am impressed with the lensing schema, it does bother me that film was not used in this production—as it would have perfectly encapsulated the time period.  All told, however, 9 different camera systems were used for the production.  For a complete list, check out the IMDB Technical Specifications page here.

Also due for some kudos are Ron Howard’s long-time editing team of Daniel P. Hanley & Mike Hill (both Oscar^®-winners for Apollo 13; also cut Howard’s movies since 1982!)—whose kinetic cutting underscores the intensity of the F1 races while juxtapositioning smoother editing in non-race sequences.  The editing truly does amplify the racing in conjunction with the sound editing & mixing elements.  A nice job indeed.

Per the production notes, Production Designer Mark Digby (Slumdog Millionaire, The American, Dredd) worked with limited resources in creating the various racing tracks in the different nation venues.  Basically, he (and the production) had use of one or two tracks that were dressed accordingly.  Using classic photos and video/film footage of the actual races, Digby (and crew) were able to create individual venues that each had its own character.

The appropriate period costuming rings true—courtesy of designer Julian Day (Salmon Fishing In Yemen, Diana)—while veteran composer Hans Zimmer’s (Oscar^®-winner for The Lion King; also scored Howard’s The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons & Frost/Nixon) bombastic score pumps up the energy splayed on screen.

As aforementioned, RUSH is an exciting motion picture.  My words resonate for one reason: I am totally not a fan of car racing!  The event bores me—hey, here’s a thought: why not put land mines in the track to spice up things ala Death Race 2000 (1975)…but that’s just my twisted Jersey humor.  Seriously, the Formula races definitely possess a sexy, Continental factor that NASCAR cannot replicate—and this movie shows us why.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

As far as racing movies go, RUSH ranks as one of the best.  Strong direction, terrific cinematography, kinetic editing, energetic race choreography and good acting elevates this sports movie way above the mundane.  The checkered flag comes down proudly on this winner!

 

IMDB:                    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979320/

Wikipedia:             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_(2013_film)

Official Site:          N/A

Prisoners

MPAA/Content R [AC, AL, SV]

Distributor Warner Bros.

Technical HD 1.85:1

Genres DRA CRI THR

Runtime 153 mins.

Country USA

Budget $46M

 

CAST

Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, Paul Dano, Dylan Minnette, Zoë Soul, Erin Gerasimovich, Kyla-Drew Simmons, Wayne Duvall & Len Cariou

 

CREDITS

Director: Denis Villeneuve;  Screenwriter: Aaron Guzikowski;  Producers: Broderick Johnson, Kira Davis, Andrew A. Kosove & Adam Kolbrenner;  Director Of Photography: Roger A. Deakins;  Production Designer: Patrice Vermette;  Editors: Joel Cox & Gary D. Roach;  Costume Designer: Renée April;  Music Composer: Jóhann Jóhannsson

 

THE SYNOPSIS

Keller Dover (Jackman) is a hardworking-but-struggling-carpenter and loving family man to his wife Grace (Bello) and his son Ralph (Minnette) & daughter Anna (Gerasimovich).  Thanksgiving dinner finds the Dovers visiting their neighbors, The Birches: Franklin (Howard), wife Nancy (Davis), elder daughter Eliza (Soul) & younger daughter Joy (Drew-Simmons).

Complications occur when Anna and Joy go missing.  Hours later, the police arrive, with the taciturn but determined Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) leading the case.  An RV that was spotted in the neighborhood earlier is searched and its owner, simple-minded Alex Jones (Dano), arrested on suspicion of kidnapping.  But without any evidence or proof of life (or death), Loki must release Alex to his Aunt Holly (Leo).

Keller, driven by blind rage, kidnaps the young man and chains him to a pipe in Keller’s abandoned building.  He brings Franklin in and the men torture Alex.  Days and weeks go by, but a bloodied Alex refuses to talk.  Loki, alerted by Holly (Leo) as to his disappearance, suspects that Keller is holding him hostage.

A break in the case occurs when another young man, Bob Taylor (Dastmalchian), confesses to the kidnappings.  He then kills himself while in police custody—leaving no conclusive evidence of his crimes.  Keller is not convinced that Taylor did it—especially when Joy is discovered drugged, but alive.  She informs Keller that he was already near them when he went to Holly’s house to discuss Alex.

Keller approaches Holly for answers at her house—and she shoots him in the leg.  Turns out Holly has a few dark secrets—and they involve kidnapping children, like Alex and Bob were long ago.  Holly imprisons Keller in the same underground pit where she held the girls.  Who knew that the Face of Evil could seem so normal?

Loki appears—having already found Alex barely alive at Keller’s building–and having come to the same conclusion as Keller.  A bloody confrontation occurs that ends badly.

 

THE CRITIQUE

Wow.  Like a punch to la panza, PRISONERS leaves its mark on the viewer.  Especially this viewer—someone who has always held some trepidation about watching these types of movies.  When I was a kid, I always wondered what would happen if I were ever kidnapped…

I now realize that I was such a precocious little bastard that the kidnappers would have: 1) simply returned me to my house within 20 minutes… 2) kicked me out of the proverbial white van (what is it with kidnappers & terrorists and white vans?)… and 3) given my parents ransom money to KEEP me.  Yeah, that’s about right.  But I digress back to the movie review…

Written in taut fashion by newbie scribe Aaron Guzikowski (Contraband), PRISONERS is a serious movie whose title has several meanings.  It is helmed with exacting manipulation by Quebeçois director Denis Villeneuve (Enemy)—coaxing terrific performances from his cast and utilizing the tight cutting schema of his editors Joel Cox (Clint Eastwood’s cutter and Oscar^®-winner for 1992’s Unforgiven; also cut J. Edgar, Flags Of Our Fathers, Sudden Impact) & Gary D. Roach (J. Edgar, Gran Torino, Invictus) to ratchet up the tension.  This dude has a future in Hollywood, that’s for sure.  And the editors?  They’re already brilliant.

The always-dependable Hugh Jackman brings gravitas to his Keller Dover role.  Bringing out the violent dark side of an honest, blue-collar family man is something that he’s up to.  Hey, this dude can act (and sing, dance and do whatever the hell else he freakin’ wants!).  But sorry ladies—he keeps his shirt on in this one.

One thing I wonder about is if the screenwriter purposely named his character “Dover”—whose etymology (by a quick search on the internet) refers to not just a port in England, but also the river that leads to it.  Could the name be reference to Keller’s emotional states in the movie… calm or turbulent as a river?  And the root word of his last name is “Dove”—meaning peaceful?  A peaceful man who travels the turbulent rivers of life?  Just some random thoughts…

Also of note is the other half of the top billing, Jake Gyllenhaal as the intrepid Detective Loki—who also brings a different intensity as another person (under the auspices of the Law) trying to find the missing children.  But his name throws me for a loop: Loki.  In Norse myth (and the Thor/Avenger movies personified by British actor Tom Hiddleston), Loki is the God of Mischief.  How does that relate to Gyllenhaal’s character—who is, if anything, quite pedantic in his investigative methods.  Beats the hell out of me—but Jake’s a good actor and he and Jackman have great tension rapport, so I’ll just leave it at that!

The supporting cast is also top-notch—with the standouts being Paul Dano (a chameleonic actor if there ever was one) as the kidnapper-or-victim Alex Jones and Oscar^®-winner Melissa Leo (for 2010’s The Fighter) as Aunt Holly with the dark secrets.  Bello, Howard and Davis do their parts well—but register less than the former two thespians.

Production values on the $46 million production (boxofficemojo.com) are solid across the board.  The Pennsylvania-set movie was actually shot in what has to be the dreariest parts of Georgia.

Actually, most of the “dreary” part must be credited to brilliant, veteran British cinematographer Roger A. Deakins (Skyfall, No Country For Old Men, The Big Lebowski, The Shawshank Redemption)—for properly conveying (in dreary blues and muted grays) this grim mood via his use of HD lensing with the ARRI Alexa Plus camera system.  A codicil to this kudo must also go to fellow Quebeçois Production Designer Patrice Vermette (Enemy, The Young Victoria)—for creating “normal” environs that are both vanilla and dreary (yes, that word again).

PRISONERS is reminiscent of a kidnapping yarn that would have starred Charles Bronson back in the day.  You know that his mustache alone would have made Dano’s character sing like a canary!  Seriously, this movie works on all levels.  Even the ambivalent, non-Hollywood ending works—much to the chagrin of regular moviegoers.  But it does show that not everything in Life has a happy ending—or does it?  The movie might end with salvation…we can only hope.  Either way…kudos to all in front of—and behind—the camera.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE 

One of (if not) the grimmest movie of 2013, PRISONERS is a harrowing yarn made palatable by terrific casting, strong direction and taut screenwriting that does not go the typical Hollywood route.  Buoyed by all-around talent, this one could make a decent run come awards season.  But don’t chain me to a pipe if it doesn’t come to pass!

 

 

 

IMDB:                    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392214/

Wikipedia:             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoners_(2013_film)

Official Site:          http://prisonersmovie.warnerbros.com

Don Jon

MPAA/Content R [AC, N, SC, SL]

Distributor Relativity Media

Technical 35mm 2.35:1

Genres COM ROM DRA

Runtime 90 mins.

Country USA

Budget $6M

 

CAST

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Brie Larson, Rob Brown, Jeremy Luke & Paul Ben-Victor; cameos by Anne Hathaway, Channing Tatum, Meagan Good & Cuba Gooding Jr.

 

CREDITS

Director/Screenwriter: Joseph Gordon-Levitt; Producer: Ram Bergman; Director Of Photography: Thomas Kloss;  Production Designer: Meghan C. Rogers; Editor: Lauren Zuckerman; Costume Designer: Leah Katznelson; Music Composer: Nathan Johnson

 

THE SYNOPSIS

In the alien realm known as New Jersey, life is good for young Jon Martello Jr. aka “Don Jon” (Gordon-Levitt): family, church, working out, his pad, clubbing with his boys Bobby (Brown) & Danny (Luke); sweating up the sheets with a revolving door of sexy chicks—and most of all, indulging in internet porn for some masturbatory enlightenment.

One fateful club night, Jon meets the sexy Barbara (Johansson)—who isn’t falling for Jon’s charms.  Bemused and bewitched by this minx, Jon courts her in a very non-“Don Jon” manner, as follows: romantic meals with wine, flowers & candles; watching chick flicks together; meeting Jon’s family: football fanatic papa Jon Sr. (Danza), practical mama Angela (Headley) and insightful younger sister Monica (Larson); attending college courses so that Jon can improve his career pathway; and most importantly: NO INTERNET PORN!

To the delight of his family (who like Barbara) and the detriment of his boys, Jon does his best to be the man that Barbara wants him to be.  He even helps out a troubled older woman/classmate, Esther (Moore), who catches him watching porn on his phone—and doesn’t judge.  Barbara catches him watching porn again (and again) and promptly leaves him.

Jon tries to go back to his pre-Barbara days by hanging with the boys and hitting on girls—but something has changed.  One night, after class, he and Esther have sex in her car.  It is only later, at her place—does Jon learn about Esther’s pain: her family was killed in a car accident a year ago…and now she must put her life back together.

Jon eventually comes to realize that he likes being with Esther as their friendship grows into something more meaningful.  He meets up with Barbara one last time—and she unconsciously confirms that she is not right for him.  It is the same sentiment that Monica tells Jon, as she is the insightful Martello.  Jon is now happy in his new life with Esther, a sexy broad herself.

 

THE CRITIQUE

Watching actor/writer/director Joseph Gordon Levitt’s amusing DON JON reminds me of my own wayward Jersey youth of the late ‘80s & early ‘90s.  It makes me miss my Cavariccis, overly-gelled hairdo, techno music, 3:00AM White Castle runs, Manhattan clubs like Limelight, Bacchus & Webster Hall and that bittersweet odor of Hai Karate cologne (yes…even I wore it).  Ahh, those were the days of high adventure…

Back then, Jersey dudes were real dudes.  We wore our shirts—and our politically-incorrect attitudes—as exposed as Tony Montana’s chest hairs.  Chicks had high hair (at least 3 feet high and risin’) and didn’t use Krav Maga to put us in the emergency room if we tried to get some.  MTV’s Jersey Shore?  Fuhgeddaboudit…me and my boys did it first!  Now comes along DON JON to remind me of what is loooooong gone.  Sigh.  I think I’ll just sit in the corner in my over-40 stupor and ponder hara-kiri with a butter knife while I post it on YouTube.

[Getta here!!  I’m still young, still Jersey and still friggin’ studly!  But I digress to this review…]

Kudos are in order for actor/writer/director JGL—who, in his feature-filmmaking debut, presents a fresh, amusing and heartfelt story with absolute zero pretense in the presentation and execution.  While the screenplay and its structure are not perfect, it does imbue the energy of a young stud who finally meets his match.  That it takes a sharp turn into sentimentality (and thus revealing a heart under all of the Jersey posturing) is part of DON JON’s organic fabric.

Acting-wise, JGL sells it—up to a point.  Remember, I’m a Jersey guy… so to be represented on screen by a (talented) actor from Southern California can give one cause for pause.  BUT…for the most part, JGL does a fine job emulating some of the mooks I grew up with.  Better still (and I’m sure JGL would vaunt this) is his supporting cast members, with Moore & Danza getting top props.

Even big stars like Anne Hathaway, Channing Tatum, Meagan Good & Cuba Gooding Jr. show up in amusing cameos in the chick flicks within this flick.  By the way: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that talents (and beauty) of Miss Scarlett Johansson in the Girl Friday role—specifically written by JGL for her.  Man, I’m in love…

Production values for this $6 million production (boxofficemojo.com) are solid across the board.  It was filmed in Hackensack, NJ and Los Angeles, CA.  And yes, I did recognize some of the Jersey locations as places I have been to.

DON JON was shot on Super 35mm film (actual film!) by veteran Austrian cinematographer Thomas Kloss (Pontiac Moon, Showtime, 2011’s Conan The Barbarian)—whose widescreen lensing accentuates interpersonal relationships quite nicely.  Throw in some thoughtful cutting by veteran editor Lauren Zuckerman (S.F.W., The Deep End, Bee Season), Jersey-appropriate production design by Meghan C. Rogers (Thunderstruck, 2014’s The Signal) and Jersey-appropriate costuming by Leah Katznelson (The Sitter, 21 Jump Street, Enough Said)—and it all meshes.

If I had anything negative to say about DON JON, it would be that the story is a tad over-simplistic and the film’s denouement—while charming and heartfelt—does not fit Jon’s characterization at heart… i.e., once a Jersey hound, always a Jersey hound.  I should know… I am one!!  Still, this movie is delightful and well-produced.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE 

Fuhgeddaboudit…DON JON is a terrific directorial debut for actor/screenwriter Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Amusing, adorable, crass (in our Joisey kinda way)—yet surprisingly touching in all the right places—this one’s a winner.  The cast, buoyed by a naturalistic (more than realistic) screenplay, is top-notch as well.  This movie makes me want to whip out my Cavaricci pants & Hai Karate cologne and hit Da Shore… just like I used to way back when!  Hey, fuhgeddaboudit!!

IMDB:                    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2229499/

Wikipedia:             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Jon

Official Site:          http://donjonmovie.tumblr.com

The Grandmaster

 

MPAA/Content PG-13 [AC, V]

Distributor The Weinstein Co.

Technical 35mm 2.35:1

Genres BIO MAR DRA

Runtime 108 mins.

Countries Hong Kong / China

Budget $38M

 

CAST

Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Zhao Benshan, Song Hye-Kyo, Wang Qingxiang & Yuen Wo Ping

 

CREDITS

Director: Wong Kar-Wai;  Screenwriters: Zou Jingzhi, Xu Haofeng & Wong Kar-wai;  Producers: Wong Kar-wai & Jacky Pang Yee Wah;  Director Of Photography: Philippe Le Sourd;  Production Designers: William Chang Suk Ping & Alfred Yau Wai Ming;  Editor/Costume Designer: William Chang Suk Ping;  Music Composers: Shigeru Umebayashi & Nathaniel Mechaly

 

THE SYNOPSIS

Yip (Ip) Man (Leung) is a famous and well-respected Wing Chun master who reflects on his interesting-but-often-turbulent life.  China, 1930s: When not worrying about the advent of the Japanese Imperial Forces into his homeland, Ip is constantly challenged to fight against other martial artists and their schools.  Enjoying a privileged life with his lovely wife Cheung Wing-sing (Hye-kyo) and students that worship him, Ip earns everyone’s respect.

Things change when a league of Northern China Martial Artists—headed by respected Grandmaster Gong Yutian (Wang Qingxiang)—arrives to challenge the Southern-style Ip Man, selected by his Society as their representative.  Ip beats the Northerners handily and earns Gong’s respect.  His skilled daughter Gong Er (Ziyi) refuses to give in and challenges Ip to another fight.  She wins on a technicality—but they develop a special bond that transcends the coming turbulent years of war, alienation and separation.  Ip Man loses everything during World War II and leans on his martial arts discipline to carry him through it all.

Years later, Ip lives in Hong Kong and has established the best school in the region.  He takes on as a student a rebellious child actor named Lee Jun Fan—who went by his given name Bruce Lee.

 

THE CRITIQUE

Not to be confused with the 2008 film Ip Man (starring Donnie Yen), the handsomely-mounted THE GRANDMASTER is also based on the interesting-but-turbulent life of martial arts master Yip Man (1893-1972) (referred to in China colloquially as Ip Man).  The film is co-produced, co-written & directed by Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai (Chungking Express, Happy Together, In The Mood For Love, 2046)—who shows reverence for his subject matter, mastery of the technical aspects of production and an appreciation for his talented group of thespians.

Speaking of which, Hong Kong Cinema staple Tony Leung brings humanity and veritas to the role of Sifu Yip while the very lovely and talented Zhang Ziyi also impresses as the lover that would never be and a fierce fighter that would always be.  As I understand it, Leung broke an arm practicing Wing Chun for the role.  Now that’s method training!

Production values for the $38 million production (WikiPedia.org)—filmed entirely in China—are top-shelf across the board.  I especially loved the handsome, widescreen-lensing (on film!) by French cinematographer Phillipe Le Sourd (A Good Year, Seven Pounds)—encapsulating the China of yesteryear with lovely earth tones and soft blues/grays.

To get an idea of what I am saying about the mise-en-scène, check out the opening fight sequence in the pouring rain; it is a perfect melding of cinematography, fight choreography, sound FX and crisp editing—courtesy of Wong’s regular cutter William Chang Suk Ping (Chungking Express, Happy Together, In The Mood For Love, 2046).  To save money, Mr. Chang also doubles as Wong’s production designer—and it is a credit, as the film’s scenic/artistic design is reminiscent of the gorgeous sets used during the golden days of Shaw Bros. movies.  Gosh darn lovely!!

The main issue I have with this version of THE GRANDMASTER (a truncated 108 mins.—as opposed to the original 130-minute runtime…and I’m not blaming the editor, here) is that The Weinstein Company (in their marketing schema) posit this film as a martial arts extravaganza; and while there is some dynamite martial arts choreography present—courtesy of choreography maven Yuen Wo Ping (Drunken Master, The Matrix Trilogy, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill: Vols. 1& 2)—the reality is that THE GRANDMASTER hews more towards a biographical story (like 1987’s The Last Emperor…minus the epic sweep).

I’m okay with it, personally—as a martial artist who dabbled in Southern-style Fu Jow Pai, among other systems—and a casual student of Chinese History, this stuff fascinates me to no end.  However, while its cultural and martial arts mores have deep meaning in China—the film’s more esoteric aspects will be probably lost on most American moviegoers…who will expect plenty of Kung-Fu fighting based on the trailers and marketing campaign employed by TWC.

Another case in point: historically, and in the ads, Ip Man is touted as being Bruce Lee’s teacher—yet it is presented in the film as a mere footnote.  I would have loved to have seen the remaining 15 minutes or so devoted to the training of the once and future King of Martial Arts—who came to Ip Man as a talented-but rambunctious teen.  A missed opportunity, indeed.  Still, THE GRANDMASTER is lyrical filmmaking at work.  I’d love to see the entire version to compare it to what I write about here.  Thank goodness for blu-ray!!

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

THE GRANDMASTER is a handsomely-mounted production based on one of the Kung Fu Collective’s most revered masters.  The film’s more cultural and esoteric aspects will be lost on most American moviegoers…who will expect plenty of Kung Fu fighting.  What homegrown audiences get instead is a truncated biographical story with awesome martial arts on display.  Well-directed, well-acted—and possessing august mise-en-scène to boot—this one rises above standard chop-socky exploitation.

 

IMDB:                    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1462900/

Wikipedia:             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grandmaster_%28film%29

Official Site:          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grandmaster_%28film%29