Category Archives: Liev Schreiber

2021 Films, Adam McKay, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Jonah Hill, Liev Schreiber, Mark Rylance, Meryl Streep, Paul Guilfoyle, Satire, Science Fiction

Don’t Look Up-2021

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Don’t Look Up-2021

Director-Adam McKay

Starring-Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep

Scott’s Review #1,220

Reviewed January 16, 2022

Grade: A

In the times of the Covid pandemic, ‘water cooler’ films have ceased to exist. Once, employees would gather around the water cooler to discuss a current film or television show. These days, with many working from home this activity has waned.

Too bad, because Don’t Look Up (2021) is one of those films.

It was not on my radar until a flurry of scuttlebutt and controversy brought the film to the forefront of my mind and many others. Super topical and mired in irony, everyone should see it, but those who need to won’t.

It’s a brazen and in-your-face look at how science and facts are dismissed by some who can’t see the forest for the trees, or in this case, a giant comet speeding towards planet Earth. In the year 2021, with controversy over Covid preventing mask-wearing and preventative vaccinations, Don’t Look Up portrays those as simply stupid.

As they are.

Those viewers who are conspiracy theorists, Trump supporters, or I daresay even too self-absorbed to look past their own lives are the ones who should see the film the most. You will be mocked and used as fodder for the entertainment of the more intelligent species of human beings.

But, perhaps learn a thing or two?

Led by director Adam McKay, famous for satirical works such as 2015’s The Big Short, he satirizes the current state of worldly affairs masterfully, using political comparisons and the world-weary science versus non-science approach.

McKay also writes and produces.

He enlists an all-star cast who were chomping at the bit to be part of his relevant and brilliant project. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Mark Ryland, and Cate Blanchett are just a handful of participating stars.

Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) is an astronomy graduate student who along with her professor Doctor Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) makes a discovery of a comet on a collision course with Earth. It is expected to arrive within six months and destroy most of the planet.

They are shocked and dismayed when their attempts to get anyone to pay any attention are hijacked by the media and the President of the United States of America, President Orlean (Streep). Instead, folks in high power attempt to use the ‘story’ for either ratings or political gain.

With the help of Doctor Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan), Kate and Randall embark on a media tour that takes them to the airwaves of The Daily Rip, an upbeat morning show hosted by Brie (Cate Blanchett) and Jack (Tyler Perry). While Randall embarks on an affair with Brie, the scientists attempt to gain the attention of the social media-obsessed public before it’s too late.

As the title states, just look up?!

President Orlean and her psychopathic son and Chief of Staff, Jason (Jonah Hill), are patterned after former President Donald J. Trump and his son. Their nastiness and dismissive attitude, only thinking of personal gain are despicable.

Hysterically and satisfying, they each get their proper comeuppance.

Orlean’s demise at the end of the film is particularly satisfying. Stay post-credits for this treat.

Don’t Look Up is not a conventional film- it’s better than that. Its special sauce is its powerful message and reassurance for viewers to not take good old-fashioned common sense for granted. Despite the naysayers, the use of one’s brain is a valuable commodity.

The urgency of the matter is not meant to be taken for granted but there is enough comedy elements to classify it as such- a dark comedy.

DiCaprio is terrific in the lead role. Nervous and having difficulty expressing himself, his frustration is felt as he tries to warn the world of impending doom. The actor can play any character and it’s great seeing him add a sexy, middle-aged nerd to his repertoire.

Lawrence is a killer. Her character has no filter and is known to burst into rage making her lash-out scenes pleasing. Kate will call an idiot an idiot. Her outburst at the President is a particularly terrific scene.

Despite the laughter, Don’t Look Up (2021) sends a dire message. It mirrors the current times and what trouble we are in. The grim final sequence when Randall, Kate, and family sit around the dinner table enjoying a Thanksgiving-style meal is also a reminder to keep loved ones close and treasure every moment.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score

2018 Films, Animated, Best Animated Feature Oscar Winners, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber, Lily Tomlin, Super Hero, Zoë Kravitz

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse-2018

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse-2018

Director-Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Bob Persichetti

Voices-Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Lily Tomlin

Scott’s Review #881

Reviewed March 30, 2019

Grade: B+

There have been many film versions of Spider-Man.

To my recollection, the first series came in three installments and was directed by Sam Raimi: Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Spider-Man 3 (2007) with Toby Maguire in the title role. These were the good, old, days.

Andrew Garfield took over in 2012 and 2014 to mixed reviews before the super-hero was merged into Captain America and The Avengers films as well as one or two additional solo outings. This is where I lose track.

Finally, through all the incarnations comes the very first computer-animated film based on the Marvel Comics character.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) was an enormous box-office success as well as a critical success winning the coveted Best Animated Feature Oscar. My choice would have been for the dark and sarcastic Isle of Dogs, but the former has impressive merits and grand animation that are astounding to the eyes.

Towards the climax, the film teeters into the familiar and predictable territory from a story perspective though admittedly the super-hero and animated genre is not my most cherished.

Miles Morales is a Brooklyn teenager, bright, energetic, and likened to your average city kid. His father, Jefferson Davis, is a muscled policeman who is no fan of Spider-Man, the heroic masked man who prevents city crime outshining the cops daily.

While close to his father, Miles is much more connected to his uncle, Aaron Davis, despite his father and uncle having a distant relationship.

When Miles is bitten by a hungry spider he immediately begins exhibiting Spider-Man-like abilities and stumbles upon others with similar stories.

The teen meets super-villain Wilson Frisk, (a not-so-subtle Donald Trump parody if ever I saw one) who is intent on accessing a parallel universe to retrieve his deceased wife and son. Events involving a USB drive and the “real” Spider-Man, Peter Parker, also living in a parallel universe come into play.

The overly complex story is not the best part of the experience and I began losing interest in the how’s and why’s especially when compared to the escapist and marvelous super-cool animations.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse deserves some great praise for making the film’s central character ethnically mixed (Hispanic and Black), never done before in franchise history.

This diversity, evident in Black Panther (2018) is all the rage now in the super-hero genre along with gender equality in a once deemed “guy’s movie” slogan.

This is a delight to witness with hopefully even more of a slant towards richer diversity. Are Asian, gay, or physically impaired character’s coming next?

The film looks amazing with creative and slick modern animation and graphics across the board that never wavers throughout the entire nearly two-hour running time, lengthy for an animated feature.

Styled and bright the film’s most brazen appeal is with its colors and shapes and sizes. The metropolitan New York City is a treat to witness as the creators not only focus on Manhattan, but on Queens and Brooklyn, boroughs were too often forgotten in favor of the glitz and bustle of Manhattan.

The clever re-titling of FedEx trucks to Red Ex is worthy of mention.

With a glitzy look, fast-paced action, and interesting villains, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) is an impressive feat and a deep-dive into the possibilities of incorporating more of the super-hero and animated genres.

This is around the corner due to the critical, audience, and awards notice that surrounds this film. If only the story contained more twists and turns and less standard genre-pleasing qualities, the possibilities would be endless.

Oscar Nominations: Best Animated Feature Film (won)

2018 Films, Animated, Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber

Isle of Dogs-2018

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Isle of Dogs-2018

Director-Wes Anderson

Voices-Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton

Scott’s Review #831

Reviewed November 15, 2018

Grade: B+

Anybody familiar with a Wes Anderson production knows what they are in store for and Isle of Dogs (2018) is par for the course.

With zany narratives and fantastic art direction, the film has a familiar stamp. Most resembling his other notable stop-motion film, Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Isle of Dogs offers what is to be expected- an intelligent and odd project by a visionary creative mind.

Anderson provides the film with a timely, corrupt Government type message that strongly resonates in 2018. In this way Isle of Dogs, while animated, is so much more than a cookie-cutter story or a wholesome film for kids.

This is a show of bravery by the director to focus on corruption prevalent in today’s world and the fight for justice by ordinary people living under authoritarian control.

Set in dystopian Japan, a recent outbreak of canine flu causes corrupt Mayor Kobayashi to banish all dogs from society to the vast wasteland of Trash Island where they will live out their days with other ostracized canines.

A brave twelve-year-old boy named Atari, who happens to be the mayor’s nephew, steals a plane and crash lands on the island to rescue his beloved dog, Spots.

With help from a pack of dogs led by a former stray named Chief, the group sets out to find Spots and ultimately expose the government conspiracy. Obstacles abound as the mayor has sent a robot dog to return Atari and make mincemeat of any dog in its path.

Meanwhile, a professor is on the cusp of discovering a serum as an outspoken American exchange student, Tracy Walker, investigates the conspiracy.

Isle of Dogs is incredibly original and offers bravura visuals. From the lush and bright Japanese culture to the tired and haggard look of many of the dogs living on the island, the film is a treat for the eyes. The shimmering richness of the city is elegant and feels alive and powerful.

What I admire most about the film is the creativity and the blast of left-of-center story-telling, blowing away most animated offerings of today.

Many contain a robust helping of “cute”, which can turn off a mature viewer. With a target audience of the tween age, what is in it for adults? To sit there with a youngster and pretend to be jovial?

Isle of Dogs is not the crowd-pleaser, it is better than that. Anderson crafts a serious and timely message begging to be absorbed by the careful viewer.

Assuredly, Anderson cannot escape providing a subtle allegory on an evil leader stirring the pot against the most helpless in our society. This point, especially in the tumultuous United States is timely and well thought out. Could this be why an American character (Tracy) was added?

As dynamic as Anderson’s creativity is, the story in Isle of Dogs does not always embrace the viewer and the jarring dialogue is tough to follow.

Standard in his films, the pacing is strange, the conversations between characters are odd, and the film lacks a truly welcoming or warm quality.

Therefore, the film is not an easy watch. And the dogs all speaking English rather than Japanese, with American accents, simply must be overlooked.

Critics and detractors of Wes Anderson need not see Isle of Dogs (2018) as they will be in store for typical Anderson fare. In addition, those seeking a standard mainstream animated feature will be disappointed.

Those with a more open-minded approach to cinema will revel in the stunning look the film achieves and the powerful message bubbling under the surface.

Oscar Nominations: Best Animated Feature Film, Best Original Score

1996 Films, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Drew Barrymore, Frances Lee McCain, Henry Winkler, Horror, Liev Schreiber, Linda Blair, Matthew Lillard, Neve Campbell, Patrick Lussier, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, Slasher, Wes Craven

Scream-1996

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Scream-1996

Director Wes Craven

Starring Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, David Arquette

Scott’s Review #710

Reviewed January 5, 2018

Grade: A-

Wes Craven’s 1996 film Scream is a piece that greatly assisted in bringing the horror genre back into relevance after a long drought throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s when horror films suffered from both over-saturation and cliche-riddled messes.

Thanks to Scream, creativity and plot twists and turns returned to the forefront of good horror films, and a clever film was birthed.

Fast-forward to 2018, the film does suffer a bit from a dated 1990s look but is still great fun to watch and a treat for all classic horror buffs as the references to classic greats are endless.

The film is sectioned off nicely and gets underway quickly  (in the best sequence of the film) as Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore)  receives a flirtatious phone call while making popcorn, from a man asking her to name her favorite horror film.

The friendly game quickly turns vicious as the caller threatens to kill her boyfriend should she answer a question incorrectly.

In a clever twist (think 1960s Psycho!) Casey and her boyfriend meet deadly fates and the opening credits begin to roll.

Given the huge star, Barrymore was in 1996, this twist was all the more shocking and attention-grabbing.

The remainder of the film centers around Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), a popular California high school student, as she is pursued by an attacker known only as “Ghostface”, who dons a creepy costume and terrorizes victims via phone calls.

The small town, led by police officer Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and bitchy newswoman Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), is determined to unmask the killer and figure out his or her motivations.

Sidney’s boyfriend, Billy (Skeet Ulrich), and other friends are along for the ride as a possible connected sub-plot involving Sidney’s deceased mother is introduced.

A romance between Dewey and Gale is also broached.

Scream is an enormous treat for fans of the horror genre as numerous references (and film clips!) of classics such as 1978’s Halloween abound throughout the film.

Other references to Friday the 13th, Prom Night, and A Nightmare On Elm Street appear during the film.

Writer, Kevin Williamson, a horror enthusiast, must have had a ball writing the screenplay that would become Scream.

In 1996, the mega-success of the film successfully not only jump-started the entire genre but also introduced younger fans of Scream to classics that were perhaps their parent’s generation and got them interested in the films.

Classic horror films are not only referenced during the film but also explained, mostly by the supporting character of Jamie, the nerdy kid who works at the video store and adores horror films.

A sequence in which he explains several “rules” of the horror genre is superlative, creative, and just great fun. He tells the teenagers at a party that anyone who drinks, has sex, or says “I will be right back”, is doomed to suffer a violent fate.

This clever writing makes Scream enormous fun to watch.

The climax of Scream is quite surprising in itself and the “great reveal” of the murderer (s) is also intelligent writing and quite the surprise. Several red herrings are produced along the way, casting suspicion on other characters who may or may not be the killers.

A small gripe of the writing is the motivations of the murderers- when the explanation is given for their killing spree, the reasoning is a bit convoluted and hard to fathom, but this is horror, and suspension of disbelief is always a necessity.

Scream is best remembered for giving the horror genre a good, hard kick in the seat of the pants and shaking all of the elements up a bit while preserving the core ideals of a good slasher film (suspense, a whodunit, and good solid kills).

Scream (1996) was followed by several sequels, some achieving better successes than others. In 2018 the film may not be quite as fresh as it once was, but is still a solid watch and memorable for relaunching a genre.

2010 Films, Action, Angelina Jolie, Corey Stoll, Liev Schreiber, Phillip Noyce, Thriller

Salt-2010

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Salt-2010

Director Phillip Noyce

Starring Angelina Jolie

Scott’s Review #522

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Reviewed November 20, 2016

Grade: B+

Salt (2010) is a very good, fast-paced, political thriller starring Angelina Jolie as a woman accused of being a Russian sleeper agent, who must go on the run to clear her name, all the while being chased by officials attempting to accost her.

The film offers nothing that has not been seen countless times before in movies like this, but seeing Jolie in a role typically played by a male (the role was originally written for Tom Cruise), is cool and makes the film unique in itself.

She is great in the role.

There are some twists and surprises along the way that keep the viewer on edge- numerous action and car chase scenes abound and will keep the action flick viewer quite pleased.

It is quite fast-paced and very big budget.

On the downside, I couldn’t help but think are they making movies about the United States vs. Russia again?

They are, but I could not help but enjoy it for what it was.

Oscar Nominations: Best Sound Mixing

2015 Films, Drama, Liev Schreiber, Michael B. Jordan, Phylicia Rashad, Ryan Coogler, Sports, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson

Creed-2015

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Creed-2015

Director Ryan Coogler

Starring Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan

Scott’s Review #495

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Reviewed October 16, 2016

Grade: C+

Creed (2015) will please die-hard fans (and there are legions) of the Rocky (1976) franchise, eager for a trip down memory lane to revisit Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky Balboa”.

For those yearning for a slice of nostalgia and a harkening back to when the first Rocky was released, Creed will be a crowd-pleaser. For others expecting something new or innovative the story will not be as satisfying.

The film is predictable with all of the expected elements of a sports film.

Instead of Rocky Balboa being the main attraction, he is now a senior citizen and long since retired, now owning a modest Italian restaurant in Philadelphia, the action centers on a young fighter, the bastard child of Apollo Creed, Rocky’s nemesis turned friend from the first few installments.

Adonis Johnson Creed (played by up-and-coming star Michael B. Jordan) is his name and before being rescued from a group home (he has a temper and fights a lot, naturally) by Apollo’s wife (Phylicia Rashad) he does not know fighting is truly in his blood.

Determined to make it big in the boxing world, he moves to Philadelphia and convinces Rocky Balboa to train him.

Along the way, he meets a love interest, Bianca (played by Tessa Thompson), a musician.

The main positives are the nods to history and a few sentimental moments throughout the film. How wonderful to see Rocky Balboa again. It’s like catching up with an old friend we have not seen for years.

We learn that sadly, Paulie and Adrian (Rocky’s brother-in-law and wife) have long since died and a sweet moment shows Rocky visiting their side-by-side graves, pulling up a chair, and reading the newspaper to them.

Rocky’s son has moved far away so Rocky is left a lonely man, and Apollo’s son revives a father figure element within Rocky.

Also nice are some flashback scenes to the earlier Rocky films and we see portions of Rocky’s and Apollo’s fights. The plethora of external Philadelphia scenes does bring authenticity and familiarity to the film and this is a wise decision, instead of too many interior scenes in a studio.

Otherwise, the film is largely a miss.

The formulaic, predictability must have been intentional to make Creed an ode to fans and a film that is easy to watch.  We are served the many “inspirational” training scenes as Adonis trains and trains for the big match, with an arrogant, loud, Londoner, with an equally unlikable coach.

The “good vs. bad” mentality that the film develops is contrived and completely plot-driven. It makes Adonis that much more likable and gives him the rooting factor.

This occurs time and time again in sports films. Why not make both fighters nice guys?

But, of course, the film also gives Adonis a temper to ensure that he appeals to the testosterone-driven fans expecting such.

Phylicia Rashad and Tessa Thompson are stock characters. We get the standard reaction shots from both as they wince along with the blows that Adonis receives, and Rashad gets an unintentionally comic moment. When Adonis lands a flattening blow on his opponent, she proudly professes “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”.

Interesting to note, however, is the clever decision to make Bianca suffer from progressive hearing loss. Having her handicapped gives her nice humanity, though once the fight scenes begin this is never mentioned again.

A standard boxing film with the expected elements- testosterone, brutal fighting, sentimentality for good measure, and dutiful female characters with little substance, Creed (2015) is a guy’s movie, basic and predictable, with a little edge and lots of machismo.

However, it does capitalize on the Rocky franchise and offers a nice little nod to the past. Otherwise, it is a rather forgettable film with a mediocre story.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actor-Sylvester Stallone

1996 Films, Allison Janney, Campbell Scott, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, Isabella Rossellini, Liev Schreiber, Minnie Driver, Peter McRobbie, Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub

Big Night-1996

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Big Night-1996

Director Stanley Tucci, Campbell Scott

Starring Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub

Scott’s Review #300

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Reviewed December 16, 2015

Grade: B+

Big Night (1996) is a sweet, whimsical little film that is a food lover’s dream come true since that is the focal point of the story with more than one dish being prepared on-screen giving it realism.

It centers on the restaurant business and, specifically, how two brothers struggle to keep their failing restaurant afloat through their love and passion for food.

The story tells of two Italian immigrant brothers, Primo and Secondo, played by Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci, respectively.

The time is the 1950s and they reside in blue-collar New Jersey. Times are tough for them as they try to succeed in the difficult restaurant business- they specialize in Italian food of course.

Secondo is a playboy of sorts- suave and handsome, he dates Phyllis (Minnie Driver) while galavanting with a sophisticated older woman named Gabriela, the wife of a competitor.

Primo, on the other hand, is quiet, and serious, yet an all-star chef. The food he prepares is wonderful and his talent is evident.

But how can they market themselves to be successful?

At this point, their restaurant is dying and they risk being reduced to returning to Italy or eke out a meager existence working for someone else.

An idea is announced to have a celebrity singer (Louis Prima) perform for a one-night extravaganza at their restaurant, where they will make the meal of their lives and impress the town, thus achieving success.

The film is charming and my favorite parts are on the “big night”. As the duo prepared the liquor order and shopped for flowers and other decorations in preparation, the mood and spirit left me with a warm feeling.

What a sense of togetherness Primo and Secondo, along with friends, felt to achieve this challenging goal. Inevitably, there is tension between the brothers, and between Secondo and Phyllis, but truthfully, these are merely sub-plots, and the heart of the film is in the food.

The scenes that take place in the kitchen left my mouth watering. As Secondo prepares a baked pasta dish (Timpano), the meal oozes with love and tastiness. The entire story arc is grand and magnificent.

The group of diners revels in the dining room of the restaurant enjoying spirits and dancing the night away. By morning everyone is full and drunk, both with love and alcohol, but most are happy. They get merry as they eat the night away.

I could almost taste the main course!

A subplot that works for me is the burgeoning romance between reserved Primo and equally reserved flower shop owner, Ann. Both very timid, they finally muster the courage to admit their feelings for each other while enjoying (what else?) wine and food- what better way to begin a romance?

The tenderness and chemistry between these two are very innocent and captivated me while watching the film.

The final scene of the brothers making an omelet is also wonderful and a fitting way to stress togetherness and perseverance, which is what the small film is really about.

For lovers of food, Big Night (1996) is a shining moment.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Male Lead-Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci, Best First Screenplay (won), Best First Feature

2015 Films, Best Feature- Independent Spirit Award Winners, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Billy Crudup, Biography, Brian d'Arcy James, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, John Slattery, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Paul Guilfoyle, Rachel McAdams, Richard Jenkins, Stanley Tucci, Tom McCarthy

Spotlight-2015

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Spotlight-2015

Director Thomas McCarthy

Starring Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams

Scott’s Review #294

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Reviewed December 9, 2015

Grade: B+

Spotlight (2015) is a film with an important story to tell.

A telling of true events that occurred within the Catholic Archdiocese for ages, Spotlight’s focus is specifically on the Boston scandals, as a team of reporters working for the Boston Globe uncovered and exposed a multitude of child molestation cases committed by priests.

They were subsequently covered up, leaving victims paid off to keep quiet. The number of proven cases in Boston alone is staggering.

Starring are a plethora of talents including Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams, who lead the pack.

They make up the “Spotlight” team at the newspaper,  an investigative unit that works on special stories as they arise.

Their new boss, Marty Baron (ironically a Jewish man), played compellingly by Liev Schrieber, takes over as head of the department. He quizzically asks why the story is not already a priority. Suddenly it is a hot-burner issue and the film delves into an investigation to uncover the facts.

Spotlight is a minimalist film. There is nothing cinematically unique or razzle-dazzle about it, but somehow that is okay.

In some aspects, the film reminds me of the 1975 thriller All The Presidents Men, starring Dustin Hoffman.

For instance, the bleak, bare news rooms-sterile in their look, are similar- cubicle after cubicle,  harsh lighting, and generic conference rooms.

This is the filmmaker’s intent.

Also, the fast, energetic pacing, successfully emitting the tight deadlines newspaper folks face, transfers perfectly on film.

The sexual abuse scandal is a cold, harsh reality and the film introduces several victims, who, now as adults, are forever scarred. Some attend support groups, some take drugs, one is sadly not “all there”. Another, now a gay man, was singled out by a priest during a vulnerable period in the then-young boy’s, life.

It is a heartbreaking reality that many victims in the film are based on real cases.

Let’s focus on Schrieber’s character for a minute.  He gives such an understated yet compelling performance there is a risk it will wind up being overlooked. He calmly, yet passionately initiates the case. It is not a showy performance and subdued but a compelling one if enough attention is paid to it. He is a standout.

Unfortunately, the film does not delve much into the defense (if any) of the Catholic church. Did they do anything but deny the allegations? Why were the victims paid off? Not much is noted from the church’s point of view.

In real life, the Catholic church did hide the abuse that transpired for decades.

A slight negative is that the film does not delve into the characters’ personal lives.

Michael Keaton’s character, Robby Robinson, is arguably the lead character, spearheading the case,  though very little is known about him.

Is he married? happily? Yes, he is a workaholic, but what else?

Ruffalo’s Michael Rezendes is separated from his wife, but little is known to the reasons.

Finally, McAdam’s Sacha is probably the most fleshed-out. She is happily married, close with her religious grandmother, and hurt by the scandal. But we do not know her in-depth either.

I found myself wanting to know more about these people.

All in all, Spotlight (2015) is a superior film deserving of the recognition it is receiving. Intense, gritty, and filled with honesty, it is a story that needed to be told and has been told well.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture (won), Best Director-Tom McCarthy, Best Supporting Actor-Mark Ruffalo, Best Supporting Actress-Rachel McAdams, Best Original Screenplay (won), Best Film Editing

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 5 wins-Best Feature (won), Best Director-Tom McCarthy (won), Best Screenplay (won), Best Editing (won), Robert Altman Award (won)

2013 Films, Alan Rickman, Biography, Colman Domingo, Cuba Gooding Jr., David Oyelowo, Drama, Forest Whitaker, Historical Drama, James Marsden, Jane Fonda, John Cusack, Lee Daniels, Lenny Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, Mariah Carey, Minka Kelly, Oprah Winfrey, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard, Vanessa Redgrave

Lee Daniels’ The Butler-2013

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Lee Daniels’ The Butler-2013

Director Lee Daniels

Starring Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey

Scott’s Review #81

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Reviewed June 30, 2014

Grade: A

Director, Lee Daniels, is a recent favorite of mine (Precious-2009, The Paperboy-2012) and his latest The Butler (2013) is an excellent, true story, undertaking.

While the trailer looked appealing, I was concerned that the film might be overwrought or have a Hollywood sappiness.

While it’s a Hollywood film, it is also a powerful, emotional experience.

The viewer is taken on a journey from 1926 through the current president from the viewpoint of White House butler Cecil Gaines (Whitaker), who serves several presidents and is privy to the goings-on in the White House.

He is played by Forest Whitaker and his boozy, troubled wife is played by Oprah Winfrey.

Both give tremendous performances.

The Butler is a political journey through time and I love the authenticity of each decade from the sets to the costumes to the hairstyles.

The casting of the Presidents is curious (Robin Williams as Eisenhower and John Cusack as Nixon), but works nonetheless.

The rivalry between Cecil Gaines and his rebellious son is quite interesting as the viewer sides with each individual at different times.

The film is more emotional than I anticipated and much of the audience was teary during scenes of heartbreak and triumph.

I feel The Butler (2013) is a must-see for everyone.