2013 Films, Drama, Emmanuelle Seigner, French, International, International Drama, Mathieu Amalric, Roman Polanski

Venus in Fur-2013

August 23, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Venus in Fur-2013

Director Roman Polanski

Starring Emmanuelle Seigner, Mathieu Amalric

Scott’s Review #270

Reviewed August 23, 2015

Grade: C

Venus in Fur is a French-language film from 2013, directed by the enormously talented Roman Polanski, and based on the American play by David Ives.

Interesting to note that Ives’s play is itself based on a novel by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch entitled Venus in Furs.

Polanski’s film adaptation is a filmed play and takes place entirely within the walls of a theater, except for the opening shot, as the camera pans inside the doorway of the theater as if the audience were the eyes of an approaching theater-goer.

The subject matter is quite adult- sadomasochism and dominance, though there is little nudity, and is not perverse in any way.

The story surrounds Thomas, a stressed-out writer-director of a new play set to open soon in Paris. Finishing touches must be handled as well as casting the lead actress!

His play is an adaptation of Venus in Furs and a frustrated Thomas is on the phone complaining about an unsuccessful day attempting to cast the lead role of Wanda.

A disheveled actress named Vanda wanders into the theater and attempts to convince Thomas to let her read for the part, which she desperately wants.

Initially, Thomas is turned off by Vanda as she is dressed slutty and is on the middle-aged side and, in his mind, wrong for the part. When she finally does convince him to let her read for the part, she becomes Wanda and a strong, bizarre, sadomasochistic, attraction develops between the pair as they run lines together.

Roman Polanski might very well rank within my Top 10 favorite directors of all time list (Rosemary’s Baby-1968, is one of my favorite films), but this work disappointed me.

Containing a cast of only two characters, I found the story to be limiting and became tedious as the story developed. It was tough to distinguish when Thomas and Vanda were in character and when they were expressing their true selves and I did not find either particularly likable.

This may have been intentional, but confusing and dull nonetheless.

The sexual-fetish subject matter is prevalent, but not in a tasteless way. The initial roles reverse as Vanda goes from a whimpering, pleading actress needing some work to a dominatrix, who obtains control over Thomas, who in essence becomes her slave.

Thomas begins as a powerful director with an ego and ends up catering to Vanda’s every whim. They develop a deep emotional connection that they simultaneously realize.

The main issue was not feeling much connection towards either character. I detected no chemistry between them. The dominant soon becomes submissive, but who cares when you are invested in neither character?

On the plus side, I loved the basic theater set. This instantly reminded me fondly of my college days and rehearsing/performing in a theater similar to the one in Venus in Fur, complete with the rustic red audience seats and the moody ambiance of the theater.

Venus in Fur (2013) has an interesting premise as people immerse themselves in the roles they play, but a disappointing film, especially coming from one of the greats.

Whatever the exact reasons, the film did not work for me. Interesting premise, but ultimately failed for me.

2014 Films, Alan Rickman, British, Drama, Jennifer Ehle, Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Period Drama, Romantic Drama, Stanley Tucci

A Little Chaos-2014

August 22, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

A Little Chaos-2014

Director Alan Rickman

Starring Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts

Scott’s Review #269

Reviewed August 22, 2015

Grade: B-

A Little Chaos (2014) is a difficult film to review. The film does not kick into high gear, or much of gear until the final thirty minutes or so as the drama hits a crescendo and past events are suddenly explained.

At this point, it becomes a very entertaining film.

Until then, it is largely a bore and slow-paced.

Starring Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman, who also directs the film, A Little Chaos is a good film with beautiful period piece costumes to marvel over, and feels great, but misses the mark with a lack of balancing the momentum throughout the length of the film.

It is also largely fictionalized, making the viewing less enjoyable.

A period drama set at the gorgeous Versailles in France, the period in the late 1600s when King Louis XIV of France is in power and lives on the illustrious estate.

Landscaper, Andre Le Notre, hires unconventional gardener Sabine (Winslet) to create one of the gardens.

Sabine is progressive and does not live in the past. Rather, she has ideas for creating a unique pattern. Sabine is instructed to incorporate a wonderful fountain within the garden. She faces hostility from staff members for simply being a woman and they refuse to work for her.

Others admire her creativity.

As the plot unfolds, Sabine has romantic feelings for Andre, a man trapped in a loveless marriage with Francoise, and they begin a tender courtship.

Sabine is haunted by the past and frequently hears cries in her dreams. The audience does not know what her past life was, only that she is widowed.

The final act of the film brings everything together nicely. We learn about Sabine’s past and her suggested dalliance with Andre comes to fruition.

After the film, I was left thinking how exceptional it was, but then remembered the majority of it had dragged.

The themes of A Little Chaos are class systems, feminism, and societal views. At first, snubbed by some for being a commoner, Sabine slowly is accepted by the royal figures, including the King himself, whom Sabrine humorously mistakes for the gardener at one point.

Ideally, it would have been lovely if a woman had been hired to create the garden.

Sadly, events do not happen this way but is someone’s fantasy.

A Little Chaos (2014) has great potential and looks beautiful- my main complaint is for most of the film nothing happens.

Also disappointing is that the film was not filmed at the historical Versailles, nor was it even shot in France. Every exterior scene was filmed in England.

This is not a deal-breaker, but some genuineness would have been nice. Another major detraction is that Sabine De Barra is not even a real-life figure, but rather is fictionalized- sort of how the past should have been but wasn’t really.

Having been a real person would have made the film more interesting. What is the investment?

From an acting standpoint, the film succeeds. Winslet, a highly talented actress, is well cast and the chemistry between her and Matthias Schoenaerts is palpable. Both actors are believable in their roles.

Stanley Tucci, typically great in whatever he appears in, plays Phillippe, a silly, slightly effeminate Duke who does more to annoy than to amuse and is a trivial character.

Throughout my viewing of the film, I kept thinking of it as the type of film that should be liked because it looks great, but something was missing.

The royal drama, sexual dalliances, and antics were fun, but I felt like the film could have been much more than it ended up being.

2014 Films, Drama, Fabrizio Rongione, French, International, International Drama, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, Marion Cotillard

Two Days, One Night-2014

August 21, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Two Days, One Night- 2014

Director Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne

Starring Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione

Scott’s Review #268

Reviewed August 21, 2015

Grade: B

Two Days, One Night (2014) is a French-language drama starring the wonderful and highly talented Marion Cotillard, who received an Academy Award nomination in 2015 for this role and is the main draw.

I never tire of viewing any of her film performances, however, I felt the film itself lacked something special. Adequate, but below the standards I was expecting given the award recognition.

The film is good, with an interesting tale of morality, but becomes redundant as it goes along.

Sandra, played by Cotillard, is a working-class woman living in an industrial town in Belgium. She works in a factory and struggles to make ends meet with her supportive husband, Manu. They have two young children.

It is revealed early on that Sandra has a history of suffering from depression and has recently been forced to take a leave of absence from her job due to her struggles.

Now recovered, she is ready to resume normalcy but her boss forces a vote among her sixteen colleagues who decide to either save her job or eliminate her position, thereupon each will receive a hefty bonus.

Sandra and a co-worker she feels close with, convinced the boss to allow an anonymous vote the following Monday, leaving Sandra with one weekend to convince the others to save her job.

The conflict is that during Sandra’s absence, the department was able to run successfully so why is she needed?

The plot has an interesting moral concept. Will people sacrifice personal gain to assist someone else? The fact that Sandra is a kind woman makes the decision seem easy. However, many of her colleagues struggle to put food on the table for their families and could use any extra wages manageable.

The audience is on the side of Sandra and her equally kind husband, who continually talks her out of giving up and instead encourages her to spend the weekend convincing the others to vote for her come Monday morning.

The weak point is that it contains one basic formulaic story and does not branch into anything more. The plot is simple but I expected a bit more from this film.

The action takes place throughout one weekend and the entire plot is that of Sandra traversing the town looking for colleagues to persuade them to vote for her. Most of the people she encounters are sympathetic and, if they cannot help her, they empathize with her.

Soon, we get that she needs their votes. It becomes the same scene over and over.

The character of Manu is undeveloped. We learn nothing about him except he is a devoted husband and father, but what about his feelings? How did he deal with Sandra’s depression? Strangely, many co-workers Sandra looks for are not home at the time, requiring her to go to the park, the laundromat, or the pub to track them down.

I question the authenticity of the story.

Sandra’s boss has the power to pit colleagues against each other (supposedly approved by management) and to assume the destiny of one employee.

There is no Human Resources department mentioned throughout the story until almost the final scene when a manager appears, and it is never explained why the boss can get away with this. There is also no mention of a union, which in factory work is common.

Furthermore, Sandra and Manu never mention consulting an attorney- yes, they are poor, but surely a conversation might have occurred.

The title also does not make sense- Two Days, One Night- the film begins on a Friday and ends on a Monday morning. What does the title mean?

Two Days, One Night (2014) is a film featuring an honest performance from a talented actress (Cotillard), but a tad bit slow and tedious at times, and repeats similar scenes over again.

The film is a nice, simple, quiet story, but nothing spectacular.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Marion Cotillard

2015 Films, A.B. Stone, Comedy, Corin Nemec, Horror, Horror-Comedy, Lowest Rated Films, Made for Television, Robert Englund, Skye Lourie, Yancy Butler

Lake Placid vs. Anaconda- 2015

August 16, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Lake Placid vs. Anaconda- 2015

Director A.B. White

Starring Robert Englund

Scott’s Review #267

Reviewed August 16, 2015

Grade: D

To say that Lake Placid vs. Anaconda (2015) is a bad film is being generous. It is poorly made, written, and acted.

Containing every horror and comedy cliché in the book, it is not a film to take seriously and is best watched late at night amongst adult spirits.

The premise is ludicrous, the acting way overdone, and all characters are “types” and one-dimensional.

Having seen the original Lake Placid (1999) and Anaconda (1999) films (and they were not so great themselves), I was unaware that this is the fifth film for both franchises and is a crossover.

Premiering on the Syfy network in mid-2015, it is a made-for-television feature, and the lack of any real gore is apparent for this reason.

Robert Englund and Yancy Butler, stars of other franchise installments, make return appearances. Sadly, this one has no Betty White or Jennifer Lopez (stars of the original Lake Placid and Anaconda, respectively).

Lake Placid vs. Anaconda is not trying to be great or necessarily art, but rather an idiotic late-night experience. I did not rate the film a solid ‘F’ since it knew what it was and did not try to take itself too seriously, which I respect at least.

The story begins in the middle of the woods near Clear Lake, Maine, as an illegal experiment occurs inside a truck. The serum is being illegally extracted from a sedated crocodile to sell to a giant corporation for profit.

Jim Bickerman (played by horror legend Englund) has been paid handsomely to provide information for the plot to happen.

A villainous corporate schemer is on hand to oversee the events. Inevitably, something goes wrong and the crocodile wakes up and gets loose, encountering large anacondas, also on the loose.

From this point, we are introduced to other inane characters that round out the film, including a group of bitchy sorority sisters on their way to Clear Lake presumably to pledge and party, and Sheriff Reba (Yancy Butler) and her bumbling team of police officers.

Also integral to the story is one of the sorority sisters (Bethany) fathers, Will, who attempts to help Sheriff Reba rescue everyone from the killer reptiles.

Side stories include the laugh-out-loud pledge attempts by some of the sorority wannabees (one is forced to dig a hole in the sand large enough for her to hide in within twenty minutes), a friendship between the only two sensible girls, Bethany and Margot, a high leveled female executive intent on capturing the serum for riches, and a burgeoning romance between Reba and Will.

Silly personified, the film is meant to be goofy and the actors play their roles as they are foolishly written. There is not a shred of realism to the film and none of the characters have any depth.

The worst offender from a character standpoint is humorously my favorite. Tiffani is the comically vicious sorority queen. With her constant berating of the new pledges, she regularly demands that they get in the water and swim for her entertainment.

Ultimately, the girls are attacked by the crocodile in the water, allowing for multiple camera shots of the girls swimming underwater while scantily clad.

Is this a 1980s low-budget horror throwback? When the crocodile emerges to land the remaining girls flee for safety.

In a hilarious scene, Tiffani and one of her minions are cornered by the vicious crocodile. The minion asks what they should do and Tiffani replies with, “I have an idea”, and promptly pushes the minion towards the crocodile where she is chewed to bits allowing Tiffani to escape.

Later, predictably, Tiffani receives her comeuppance.

I find myself perplexed as to why this film was even made. With a shoestring budget, dated CGI effects, little blood, and a silly plot one assumes that the franchise’s predecessors were similar ventures.

Laced with one dumb scene after another and tough to take seriously, Lake Placid vs. Anaconda (2015) is as poor filmmaking as they come, but certainly to be taken with a grain of salt and enjoyed for its campy badness.

Horror-comedy for a boozy Saturday night.

2014 Films, Carrie Fisher, David Cronenberg, Drama, John Cusack, Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Olivia Williams, Robert Pattinson, Satire

Maps to the Stars-2014

August 14, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Maps to the Stars- 2014

Director David Cronenberg

Starring Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska

Scott’s Review #266

Reviewed August 14, 2015

Grade: A-

Maps to the Stars (2014) is a bizarre, unpleasant, film that is as dark and perverse as provocative and fascinating to observe and ponder.

It is more like an independent art film than a blockbuster Hollywood project and was made by an arguably mainstream director, David Cronenberg (Crash-1996, The Fly-1986), I am surprised it was able to be made on a large scale budget due to the negative portrayal of actors and celebrity types, specifically, troublesome starlet and child star.

One must be wary of biting the hand that feeds.

Maps to the Stars is a film where almost all the central characters are unlikable- difficult, unstable, self-absorbed, or all of the above.

The subject matter is ugly but fascinating to me.

The wealthy and glamorous are interesting and, at times the film is like a Greek tragedy containing Shakespearean elements- think Romeo and Juliet in an incestuous way times two. One must watch this film to see what I mean.

Hint- it contains the ick factor.

The plot centers on a Hollywood family, where the son is a famous child star and the primary breadwinner. They are the Weiss family- all struggling to either find success or hang on to it, all the while each of them is neurotic.

The father, Dr. Samuel Weiss, played by John Cusack, is a TV psychologist, hired by Havannah Legrand (Julianne Moore), a highly self-centered, aging actress, struggling to land a coveted role-playing her mother.

Her mother was a young actress in her day, who tragically died in a fire. Havannah despises her due to claimed childhood abuse.

Cristina Weiss (Olivia Williams) is Samuel’s wife. This controlling, ambitious woman strives to get the most money out of her son Benjie, a Justin Bieber-type character with a troubled streak.

Rounding out the family is Agatha Weiss, a troubled teenager, sent away for years after giving her brother pills and setting her parents’ house on fire. Though not directly related to Weiss’s, Havannah, and the limo driver, Jerome Fontana (Robert Pattinson) become heavily involved with the family as events transpire.

It reminded me of a myriad of other influential film directors in peculiar ways. I noticed elements of David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (1992), for instance, in a dark clever mood and the obvious setting of Los Angeles- even the score is similar during parts of the film, as the moody monotone sounds played in the background.

The Ice Storm (1997), American Beauty (1999), and Magnolia (1997) also sprang to mind in their dark and strange worlds (Magnolia) and the inclusion of the dysfunctional family element (The Ice Storm and American Beauty).

Furthermore, to a lesser extent, I saw some Robert Altman ingrained in Maps to the Stars. These aspects are an enormous reason why I loved the film so much.

A prevalent theme throughout Maps to the Stars is one of burning- a victim of burning, a fire set, a character setting oneself on fire. Some characters see dead people. Havannah regularly sees her dead mother. Benjie sees a young girl whom he visited in the hospital before she died, her last wish of meeting the big star.

She suffered from non-Hodgkins lymphoma, who he foolishly thought had AIDS. He sees her in visions and tries to strangle her, instead of strangling an innocent living person.

The film is a weird trip, and the viewer will be dreading an oncoming dark moment.

When Benjie carelessly plays with a gun that he assumes is unloaded we know trouble will occur. He is showing off at an actor friend’s party along with equally obnoxious starlets while talking about poop, all selfish and wanting to party.

When Havannah belittles Agatha, her assistant, we see Agatha’s past anger come back into play as she slowly unravels with rage- Havannah is unaware of Agatha’s knowledge of her betrayal.

One small gripe is the continued use of gross toilet talk in multiple scenes including a raunchy discussion of a fan buying a well-known actor’s waste for thousands of dollars. What was Cronenberg’s motivation for this?

This was a silly, tasteless, unnecessary element of an otherwise great film.

Maps of the Stars (2014) is dirty and ugly but is also a quirky treasure about bad people in Hollywood. Unpleasant characters whom I could not take my eyes off of.

A brilliant film that delves into Hollywood shallowness and madness and does it in a daring, twisted, wonderful, sort of way.

2015 Films, Jason Bateman, Joel Edgerton, P. J. Byrne, Rebecca Hall, Thriller, Wendell Pierce

The Gift-2015

August 9, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Gift-2015

Director Joel Edgerton

Starring Jason Bateman, Joel Edgerton

Scott’s Review #264

Reviewed August 9, 2015

Grade: A-

The Gift (2015) is a throwback to the type of psychological thriller made famous by Fatal Attraction in 1987 and similar films throughout their heyday into the 1990s.

An unstable psycho threatens a happy couple.

Interestingly, The Gift is similar in genre to a film also released in 2015, The Boy Next Door. The Gift is worlds superior to that film and contains surprises, frights, twists, and turns that I pleasantly did not see coming.

The film is not predictable which is refreshing in this particular genre.

Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall star as Simon and Robyn, a successful young couple who have relocated from Chicago to sunny California, near Simon’s childhood hometown, to begin a new life with the intent of starting a family.

They soon run into a man named Gordo, played by actor/director Joel Edgerton, a high school chum of Simon’s from twenty years ago whom Simon barely remembers. Simon and Gordo plan to re-connect over dinner, but the audience can sense that something is not right with Gordo.

As Simon, Gordo, and Robyn get to know each other again, Gordo begins leaving pleasant little gifts on Simon and Robyn’s doorstep as well as showing up at their house unannounced, which is particularly unnerving to Robyn as she is home alone all day long. Simon is consumed with his new career and possible promotion.

Interestingly, their home is located in a secluded area.

The film soon reveals that Gordo was nicknamed “Gordo the Weirdo” in high school and that an incident involving Gordo occurred, though nobody seems to remember the exact circumstances.

Perhaps they choose not to remember?

The vagueness of this situation is appealing because the audience is sure that these circumstances will be revealed later in the story and play a large part in the climax, which it does.

We also learn that another incident took place with Robyn in Chicago and that she suffered a miscarriage. She does not drink and avoids pills. Could she be unstable, imagining things, or overly cautious?

It is revealed that she does not handle stress well.

A wonderful aspect of The Gift is its surprise factor. As the plot twists and turns, I switched alliances and wondered who the villain was. Gordo? Simon? Robyn?

Edgerton (along with a great acting performance) compellingly directed the film and was undoubtedly influenced by Alfred Hitchcock.

The camera angles and score are excellent in establishing the correct level of tension at just the right moment. In more than a few scenes the audience knows something will jump out at the screen, so there is anticipation, but when and how it will happen is a surprise.

Many scenes are when Robyn is alone, during the day thank goodness, and she hears a noise or notices the water running. These scenes are traditional fare in horror or the thriller genre but are well done in The Gift.

Simon is an interesting character. Sophisticated, educated, and with a high-level executive job, he has a strange fear of monkeys.

The past is a common theme of the film- past events encase the three lead characters leading to conflict and ultimately these events come back to haunt them. Most of Simon’s friends are unlikable and appear interested in style over substance. They seem drawn to Simon more for his success than because they care about him.

This contradicts his wife’s character. Robyn is down-to-earth, and kind, and does not place as much stock in wealth and achievements as she does with personality and being a kind individual. She and Simon bicker and disagree about Gordo and their conflict increases.

It is not often in films anymore that one is truly frightened and “jumps out of your seat”, but two intense scenes, one involving a dog, and the other a shower, made me jump, and the hairs on my arm stand on end. Everyone in the audience gasped together.

Now that is fun!

The only negatives in The Gift are continuity issues and the suspension of disbelief in some scenes. Without giving anything away, how is Gordo able to do some things he can do?

The Gift (2015) is an old-fashioned thriller with excellent acting, compelling characters, and a wonderful debut for Edgerton in the director’s chair.

The film will leave the viewer pondering moral questions, and relating to each of the three main characters.

1967 Films, Action, Angie Dickinson, Carroll O'Connor, Crime Drama, Drama, John Boorman, John Vernon, Keenan Wynn, Lee Marvin, Lloyd Bochner, Mob

Point Blank-1967

August 8, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Point Blank-1967

Director John Boorman

Starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson

Scott’s Review #263

Reviewed August 8, 2015

Grade: B+

Directed by John Boorman, (later made famous for the masterpiece Deliverance in 1972), and based on the novel The Hunter, by Donald E. Westlake, Point Blank (1967) is a tense crime drama starring Lee Marvin as a man seeking revenge on those who have wronged him.

A criminal himself and involved in the mob world of deals and drugs, he is double-crossed by his partner, who takes off with his wife.

A relatively obscure film, Point Blank features obvious influences from the classics it preceded (The Getaway, 1972; Chinatown, 1974; The French Connection, 1971; and Dirty Harry, 1971) and contains some dynamic camera work and art direction.

In its day, it must have been quite a groundbreaking film.

The film begins muddled a confusing, catching the viewer off guard. We know nothing about any of the characters, who are suddenly introduced via flashbacks, interlaced with present and future scenes, so that chaos and tension fill the story immediately.

We know that someone has stabbed someone in the back, but we do not understand why or who the players are.

The film is set partly on deserted Alcatraz Island (the meeting point for a money drop, which we later learn), then moves to Los Angeles. Early on, we realize that Marvin’s character (Walker) has been tricked, shot, and left for dead by his partner Mal (John Vernon), who takes off with Walker’s share of cash…and his troubled wife Lynne.

Hell-bent on seeking revenge (and his money) on Mal and his wife (Lynne), he attempts to track the duo down using any means necessary, leading to the introduction of pivotal and mysterious characters such as Lynne’s sister Chris (played by Angie Dickinson), and Crime Organization leaders Carter and Brewster (played by Lloyd Bochner and Carroll O’Connor, respectively).

With little blood or overt violence, the film instead uses tense action scenes and a great style, and is told in a non-linear way.

One favorite scene involves Walker taking a new car for a test drive and interrogating the salesman for information. As he terrorizes the salesman, he repeatedly slams the vehicle into a pole using the car’s reverse and drive gears, increasing in intensity with each attempt by the salesman to avoid answering Walker’s questions.

Two other scenes that stand out and deserve mention are as follows: when a naked villain is nonchalantly tossed from a penthouse apartment to his death on the street, and subsequently becomes wedged under a passing car, the scene is as startling as it is well shot, especially considering the year was 1967.

In another scene, Lynne is at the beauty salon having her makeup and hair done by a stylist. Her face is captured in the mirror, and the camera shows a dozen or so images of the mirror layered on top of one another.

This looks great, inventive, and is a good example of some superlative camera shots that occur throughout the film.

A few interesting tidbits that I pondered following the film. Was the elevator scene containing Angie Dickinson (almost meaningless to Point Blank) the inspiration for the famous elevator scene from the 1980s Dressed to Kill?

Only Dressed to Kill’s director, Brian De Palma, would know the answer to that question.

How interesting to see Carroll O’Connor (later universally famous for portraying TV’s “Archie Bunker”) as a crime lord. Even though Point Blank was made before All in the Family premiered, it was tough to find him believable in this role.

Finally, I loved the scenes set high atop Los Angeles, in a gorgeous high-rise apartment- the sophisticated living room furniture arrangement and colors are great visual treats.

Taut, intense, and engaging, though admittedly a plot not always made crystal clear nor easy to follow, the film came along at a time when edgier, more experimental films were beginning to be released, which makes Point Blank (1967) a groundbreaking and influential film that undoubtedly helped bring about other crime dramas to follow.

2015 Films, Callum Keith Rennie, Dakota Johnson, Drama, Eloise Mumford, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Marcia Gay Harden, Romantic Drama, Sam Taylor-Johnson

Fifty Shades of Grey-2015

August 5, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Fifty Shades of Grey-2015

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson

Starring Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson

Scott’s Review #262

Reviewed August 5, 2015

Grade: B-

To quote a humorous phrase I once coined years ago, when I decided to give in and see Fifty Shades of Grey (2015), despite negative reviews, “I was not expecting Citizen Kane” fit perfectly with this film as I pondered my review after the conclusion.

Based on the titillating book series by author E.L. James, the film is sudsy, steamy, and poorly acted. However, something is charming and sexy about the badness of it.

It’s not a terrible film, but the negatives outweigh the positives.

Dakota Johnson, daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and granddaughter of Hollywood royalty Tippi Hedren plays a shy literature student named Anastasia Steele.

She is pretty and grounded and meets and becomes enamored with a twenty-seven-year-old billionaire named Christian Grey after driving to Seattle to interview him for a sick friend.

The chemistry between the two is palpable and an instant romance ensues.

Christian courts Anastasia mercilessly, becoming somewhat controlling, and she is willing to be his “victim” as she adores his attention.

As the two get to know each other better, it is revealed that Christian is “dominant” and desires Anastasia to sign a contract, becoming his “submissive” and “belonging” to him. Anastasia is conflicted by this notion.

She loves Christian but wants a traditional romance with flowers and chocolates, something Christian has admitted he does not do.

I confess to having gotten caught up in the kinky romanticism of it.

The film has a smoldering, dreamlike style. The scenes in the “playroom” are hot and the film does its best to make the entire production erotic, but not going so far as to make it pure smut.

Boy meets girl, girl falls head over heels, boy conquers girl.

The film makes sure to portray Anastasia and Grey as complete opposites. He is wealthy, sophisticated, calm, cool, and collected while she is a struggling, naive girl ripe for the picking.

Perhaps this was part of her appeal to Grey.

The acting is not great, especially on the part of Johnson.

I did not find Jamie Dornan (Grey) to be so bad and he is likable enough to me. For the most part, the character of Anastasia irritates me, and I find her quite unlikeable.

Anastasia becomes enamored with Christian, allows herself to be pursued, showered with gifts, considers, then more or less accepts his offer to be his “submissive”, then gets furious and dumps him.

Huh?

Fifty Shades of Grey is told from a female point of view as evidenced by the marketing and the strategic opening on Valentine’s Day weekend.

I sense that the character of Anastasia is made to be sympathetic while Grey is drawn to be the cad and the bad character.

A brief backstory is mentioned as to what turned him into a dominant male who likes to have females submit to his desires coupled with his lack of desire for any affection, but this was not too deeply explored.

The film does not want the audience to really “get him” or delve too deep into the psychological reasons, instead of going for the kinkiness and the female side of the story.

A poorly structured film that made a ton of money and will undoubtedly spawn at least another sequel, Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) is a guilty pleasure and one I shamefully confess to having somewhat enjoyed.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Song-“Earned It”

2014 Films, Billy Bob Thornton, David Dobkin, Denis O'Hare, Drama, Grace Zabriskie, Ian Nelson, Jeremy Strong, Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio

The Judge-2014

August 2, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Judge-2014

Director David Dobkin

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall

Scott’s Review #261

Reviewed August 2, 2015

Grade: B+

The Judge (2014) is a formulaic, courtroom drama that we have all seen many times before, but I found the film rather enjoyable.

The main reason for this is the casting of Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall in the pivotal central roles. The two actors play estranged father and son.

The clichés are numerous, but with excellent acting, the story feels fresh, fun, and compelling, if not innovative. As seen by only a few, The Judge was on my radar only because of Duvall’s Oscar nomination for his role.

Hank Palmer (Downey Jr.) is a big-shot attorney from Chicago. Highly successful, he is selfish, driven, and a downright prick. Going through a messy divorce with his gorgeous, athletic wife, he has a close bond with his daughter, despite not being home very often.

Suddenly, Hank’s mother dies tragically and he must return to small-town Carlinville, Indiana, a place he despises, not simply because the town is in the sticks, but because he has bad memories.

When he arrives he reconnects with his two brothers and his father (Duvall), the local judge. While staying at the family house, Hank once again butts heads with his father and runs into an old girlfriend (Vera Farmiga), who now owns the local diner.

On his way out of town for good, Hank is asked to defend his father when he is arrested and charged with murder.

The Judge is a family drama that contains suspense and a few twists.

The film reminds me of a slew of 1990s-era courtroom dramas based on John Grisham novels (A Time to Kill, The Client, The Firm) so I expected a bland, dated film.

I love the chemistry between Downey Jr. and Duvall, which I think is the most successful aspect of the film, and the family-style drama with numerous trials and tribulations thrown in.

Hank is smarmy and ruthless, but has a humorous side and tells it like it is. I smiled at his wry wit.

Judge Parker is equally stubborn and the battles are wonderful to watch. Conversely, the film also has tender bonding moments between the two men, which are sentimental and warm. As one man takes care of the other during sickness it is a tender and heartbreaking scene.

An interesting aspect is the small-town sense of community of Indiana, which I found charming. Everyone gravitates towards the cute diner in the center of town owned by Hank’s high school sweetheart. There is a nice wholesome, small-town appeal to the entire film.

I half expected a county fair or apple pie baking scene to be added.

The film feels wholesome and comfortable- a slick, mainstream drama. Movie comfort food if you will.

The relationships among the three brothers- Hank, Glen- a middle-aged man regretting never having moved from Carlinville, and Dale, a sweet-natured autistic man, determined to one day become a filmmaker, are interesting.

They are so different but stick together bicker, and bond. Similar to real-life families.

The negatives are that the courtroom scenes sometimes go on too long and the film brings nothing new or exciting to cinema and plays it safe throughout.

Still, I was pleasantly surprised to be treated to a film above mediocrity but not a reinvention of the wheel.

To be seen for simmering acting by the entire cast and especially film stalwarts, Duvall and Downey Jr, who bring life and wit to an otherwise traditional film.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actor-Robert Duvall

2014 Films, Angelina Jolie, Biography, Coen Brothers, Domhnall Gleeson, Drama, Finn Wittrock, Garrett Hedlund, Jack O'Connell, John Magaro, Sports, War

Unbroken-2014

August 1, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Unbroken-2014

Director Angelina Jolie

Starring Jack O’Connell, Garrett Hedlund, Domhnall Gleeson

Scott’s Review #260

Reviewed August 1, 2015

Grade: B

Unbroken (2014) tells the true story of Olympic athlete Louis Zamperini, a runner during the World War II period, who was also serving in the military during this tumultuous time in history.

His story is one of bravery, courage, and endurance, as he survives a hellish experience in a Japanese prisoner of war camp after having crashed in the Pacific Ocean, stranded for forty-seven days as if that were not enough to break a man.

Mainstream Hollywood fare to the hilt, this film is surprisingly directed by Angelina Jolie (a woman) and written by the Coen brothers, the latter usually emitting less traditional and more quirky fare than this film.

Jolie directs what is arguably a “guys movie” that contains very few women in the cast, and the ones who do appear are either loving mothers or giggling schoolgirl types, so the big names associated with Unbroken surprise me.

I would have taken this work as a Clint Eastwood film.

Unbroken, expected to receive several Oscar nominations, was shut out of the major categories.

Visually, Unbroken is slick, glossy, and shot very well- it looks perfect. The cinematography, sound effects, and costumes look great.

The cast of good-looking young men looks handsome even while battered and bruised and half-starved. While in a way this is a compliment, it is also not one. Unbroken lacks any grittiness and plays it quite safe. Even the scenes of abuse and beatings lack an edge to them.

This is not to say that the film is not good. It is good.

I found myself inspired by the lead character of Louis, played by Jack O’Connell, for his resilience during his ordeals. O’Connell gives a very good performance as his motto, “If I can take it, I can make it” is repeated throughout, and who will not cheer at his accomplishments?

Zamperini, who has traditional Italian parents having relocated to the United States, is strict but fair. Louis’s older brother, Peter, is his best friend and is the person who has the most faith in him. At first, Louis is on the verge of becoming a punk, in trouble with the law, if not for the interference of his brother, who gets him interested in the sport of running.

As the years go by and war erupts, Louis embarks on a tour of duty in the military and his plane crashes in the water providing yet another test of courage and stamina. Louis is strong and always the leader of the group he is intertwined with.

The scenes of the three survivors stranded on the raft for days become slightly tedious, but perhaps this is the intention, as they eat raw fish and raw birds to survive. Much of the remaining action is set in two Japanese war camps as Louis (and others) struggle to survive until the massive war has ended- they do not know if they will live or die.

The central antagonist- a vicious Japanese sergeant named “Bird”, perplexed me. Blatantly targeting Louis and administering cruel beatings and heaping tests of strength upon Louis, presumably out of jealousy because Louis was an Olympic athlete, why did Bird not simply kill him?

His motivations were also odd- In one scene, Bird tearfully tells Louis that he knew they would be friends from the beginning and seems to admire him. Bird’s father, going by a photo, seems a hard, mean man. Is this why Bird is so vicious? Bird’s character is not well thought out.

Also, every single Japanese character is portrayed in a very negative light, which sadly is common in war movies. Surely, despite being a war, there had to have been a few Japanese people who were not cruel.

Character development and depth are not a strong suit of this film.

Unbroken is a good, solid, war drama with an inspiring message of triumph, faith, and determination.

Indeed, it is a positive message to viewers of all ages.

The abuse/torture scenes are tough to watch, but the result is a feel-good story.

The snippets of the real Louis Zamperini are wonderful to watch.

Oscar Nominations: Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Cinematography

1975 Films, Art, Ian Hendry, Jack Nicholson, Michelangelo Antonioni, Thriller

The Passenger-1975

July 19, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Passenger-1975

Director Michelangelo Antonioni

Starring Jack Nicholson, Maria Schneider

Scott’s Review #259

Reviewed July 19, 2015

Grade: A

A true art film in every sense of the word, The Passenger (1975) is a thinking man’s film, not for those content to munch on popcorn and escape the day’s stressors, but rather, custom-made for a film fan willing to ponder the meaning of the film, revel in the slow pace, and appreciate the film as an art form.

The Passenger is tough to “get” throughout most of its over two-hour running time, but its complexities are also its most beautiful characteristics. To say that the film will leave the viewer with questions is quite an understatement, but is pleasing to analyze and come up with conclusions of meaning.

Michelangelo Antonioni directed this film and is well-known for directing Blowup and Zabriskie Point, neither of which I have seen as of this writing.

Jack Nicholson stars as a journalist named David Locke, who is on location in Africa (specifically the Sahara desert in Chad). David’s assignment is to produce a documentary film. While there he mysteriously assumes the identity of a businessman named Robertson, who he finds dead in his hotel room.

This task is easy because David and Robertson look very much alike. As events unfold, it becomes clear that Robertson is involved in arms dealings and smuggling matters related to the ongoing civil unrest within the country.

Flashbacks reveal David’s former life, including his friendship with the businessman, and his relationship with his wife, Rachel, and these scenes are mixed in with the current action until they become more linear with each other.

The film is complex, to say the least. The initial scene when David spontaneously decides to switch identities is excellent. We wonder, what are David’s motivations and what is the appeal of him taking over another man’s life? Who is the man? Why is David so unhappy in his own life?

The film succeeds immeasurably as the plot is not simply told to the audience like so many other mainstream films. Events seem genuine and not forced for plot purposes.

In the current time, whereabouts in London, Rachel sadly mourns the assumed “death” of her husband David, though we learn that Rachel has secrets of her own she has been hiding and suffers from tremendous guilt.

To further complicate matters for everyone, she is attempting to find the businessman, since she has learned that he was the last person to see her husband alive. Also mixed into the story is a mysterious young woman whom David meets when the story moves to Barcelona, Spain.

What makes The Passenger so compelling to me is its intricacies- story as well as camera styles. The seven-minute-long shot towards the end is brilliant filmmaking and the climax is quietly intense.

The camera’s focus is on a hotel room, switches to the parking lot, and returns to the hotel room. I was transfixed by the character of David enormously, struggling to empathize with him, while all the while enjoying an intelligent character study mixed in with a story of political intrigue.

I do not confess to understanding everything about The Passenger and will surely need more viewings to make more sense of it all, but the film fascinates me.

In a time of mediocre films, how refreshing to stumble upon a forgotten relic from 1975 and have a renewed appreciation for film as an art form.

2015 Films, Bill Camp, Bill Pohlad, Biography, Drama, Elizabeth Banks, Independent, Independent Drama, John Cusack, Musical, Musical Drama, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti

Love and Mercy-2015

July 17, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Love and Mercy-2015

Director Bill Pohlad

Starring John Cusack, Paul Dano

Scott’s Review #258

Reviewed July 17, 2015

Grade: B+

The life and times of the Beach Boys’ famous and troubled lead singer, Brian Wilson, is finally played out on the big screen (apparently many attempts were made to make a film) as Love and Mercy (2015) chronicles his difficult upbringing, unrivaled success, and his interesting life in later years.

He suffered from schizophrenia, traveled down a paranoid, nervous path, and was manipulated by a family friend who served as his doctor and main caregiver.

Thankfully, he weathered the storm due to his future wife, and remarkably still performs and entertains in 2015.

His musical career began in the 1960s.

The biopic features many well-known Beach Boys tunes to hum along to and be entertained by. It’s not a happy film nor a downer either.

It’s somewhere in the middle of the two and the life story of a rock star.

There is a risk in this. If the film is too sentimental it will fail. Love and Mercy do it correctly.

The film is not a sing-along, trip-down-memory lane film for lighthearted film fans. Rather, it is dark, murky, and troubling at times (the psychedelic scene when a young Brian is imagining different voices and noises in his head is rather frightening).

Wilson is played by two actors, first in the 1960s and later in the 1980s.

Paul Dano stars as a young Wilson in the early stages of his career, filled with passion for life, art, music, and talent beyond belief, but clearly in the onset stages of paranoia, thanks to his critical father. He is a demanding, angry man, possibly envious of Brian’s talents as a songwriter, who always wanted more from Brian.

Wilson’s father managed Brian and his brothers success but at a huge cost, and was ready to bail when the “next big thing” came along.

Miraculously, through conflict with his father and other members, Wilson completed the Beach Boys masterpiece, Pet Sounds, a groundbreaking album from the late 1960s. The film shows the struggles faced to achieve this success.

In later years John Cusack takes over the role of Brian. By this point in his life, he is damaged and he is a full-blown neurotic, insecure, and dependent on his psychotherapist, Dr. Landy, brilliantly played by Paul Giamatti.

Landy has control of Wilson’s assets and will destroy anyone who interferes in this.

The scenes in which he screams at and berates a drugged-out Brian Wilson to create music are tough to stomach. When Wilson romances their future wife Melinda Ledbetter, played by Elizabeth Banks, she ultimately saves his life as she is determined to rescue Brian from the wicked abuse and adjust the toxic levels of medications he was kept on.

I left the movie theater unsure of the factual accuracy and pondered the following questions.

Did Brian’s wife swoop into his life and “save” him as neatly as the film explains? How instrumental was the maid in this process? Was the Wilson brothers’ father as much a monster as the movie portrayed him? Was Giamatti’s vicious psychotherapist role true to life or were the aspects of Love and Mercy embellished ever so slightly for moviemaking magic?

One wonders, but from a film perspective, Love and Mercy (2015) works well as a work that takes risks, does not go for softness or niceness, and gives a character study that is quite admirable.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Supporting Male-Paul Dano

2014 Films, Adriana Barraza, Anna Kendrick, Chris Messina, Daniel Barnz, Drama, Felicity Huffman, Jennifer Aniston, Sam Worthington, William H. Macy

Cake-2014

July 14, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Cake-2014

Director Daniel Barnz

Starring Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Barraza

Scott’s Review #257

Reviewed July 14, 2015

Grade: B+

Cake (2014) is a film about a woman suffering from chronic physical pain and depression that she constantly battles after a terrible accident that she was involved in.

Jennifer Aniston gives a wonderful performance as Claire Simmons, a grumpy, sarcastic, bitter victim of unimaginable loss. Aniston’s performance is the best part by far.

It is interesting to note that Aniston Executive produced this film.

Similarly and somewhat sadly, Reese Witherspoon had to produce her own 2014 film (Wild) centered on a female role for both women to showcase their powerful acting chops. Too few films about women are made these days unless female star power is used, which is too bad.

Claire has been through hell and back.

As the story opens, Claire sits angrily in a support group filled with other women with problems. One of the women, Nina, (played by Anna Kendrick) has just jumped off of a freeway overpass to her death—a giant photo of her glares jarringly at the other women.

When Claire prods about the details of the death and uses sarcastic tones, she is politely asked not to return to the group by the lead counselor, Annette, (played by Felicity Huffman).

Claire returns to her well-maintained Los Angeles home and the audience is introduced to her well-meaning housekeeper and confidant, Silvana, played by Adriana Barraza. Barraza herself gives a powerful performance.

Nina appears throughout the remainder of the film in visions as Clare debates suicide.

Let me discuss Jennifer Aniston’s performance in particular. I thought it was amazing and she was shamefully overlooked for an Oscar nomination.

She was superior to at least a couple of the other Best Actress nominees from 2014 (Felicity Jones immediately comes to mind as one).

Her character of Claire starts as a bit of a shrew but gradually becomes quite sympathetic as the story becomes layered and the audience gets to know what makes her tick.

We do not know how she came to be in her predicament initially. We know she was in a terrible accident, but it slowly takes time for all of the details to emerge. We only know she is in pain and angry. Claire’s relationship with Silvana is an interesting one.

They spar, Claire takes Silvana for granted at times, but throughout the film, a close friendship emerges between the women. In a touching scene, they hold hands as they sleep.

Two scenes in particular are heartbreaking and honest. A man played by William H. Macy emerges on the doorsteps of Claire’s house and she is engulfed in rage at his appearance.

The power that Aniston emits in this scene is unrivaled. In another scene she sees a portrait hanging on her living room fireplace mantle given by a friend- she bursts into tears and sobs emotionally. At this point, the plot makes more sense and we feel Claire’s raw pain.

The subject matter of depression and suicide is not a cheery one, and Cake delves deeply into this territory. The film is a bit of a downer, slow, and, at moments, drags a bit, and teeters on the verge of a lifetime television movie (yikes!), but MUCH better than that thanks to Aniston’s compelling portrayal.

With a lesser actress, the film might have felt watered down and safe.

Some light moments fail. For instance, when Claire “blackmails” Annette and bribes her with vodka for the address of Nina, this seems very trivial and silly.

Thanks in large part to a gripping performance by one of Hollywood’s underrated talents, Cake (2014) takes a film on the border of being one-dimensional to a grander level of dynamic acting by its leading lady.

A supporting cast of similar talents helps the film rise above the mediocrity it may have been if served by lesser casting choices.

1965 Films, Bette Davis, British, British Horror, Hammer Horror, Horror, Jill Bennett, Seth Holt, Thriller, Wendy Craig

The Nanny-1965

July 11, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Nanny-1965

Director Seth Holt

Starring Bette Davis

Scott’s Review #256

Reviewed July 11, 2015

Grade: B

The Nanny is a 1965 Hammer productions thriller starring legendary film icon Bette Davis as a mysterious nanny caring for a ten-year-old boy named Joey.

Joey has recently been released from a mental institution and returned home to resume everyday life, but has he been “cured”?

There is obvious tension between Joey and Nanny, but the audience doesn’t know what that tension is precisely. Why do they dislike each other? Why is Joey afraid of her?

As the plot unfolds, the suspense and tensions thicken as various events occur and Joey’s parents and Aunt Pen are further fleshed out. Past events are revisited, and the story becomes thrilling.

At one point, long before Joey’s return home, his younger sister has drowned, and the circumstances are vague. It has devastated the family, including Nanny. Joey has been blamed for her death, though he insists that Nanny is the culprit.

Nobody except the neighbor girl believes Joey, and the audience wonders who to believe and who to root for: Joey or Nanny. Davis, like Nanny, brings a warmness to her character, but is she sincere? Is it an act? Is Joey a sweet boy or maniacal?

These questions race through the audience’s minds as the film progresses. When Virginia, the mother, eats tainted food, the obvious conclusion is that the Nanny poisoned it since she prepared it. But why? Did she do this?

As the plot is slowly explained, there are a few chills, though the ending is not too surprising.

Any film starring Bette Davis is a treasure, though admittedly, it is not her finest work. Still, her finest work is challenging to match.

The Nanny is a good film, though not great. It is shot in black and white, which is a nice touch for a thriller.

The main reason to watch Davis’s performance is that it is always mesmerizing. Traditionally playing gruff, mean, or bitchy parts (especially in her later years), The Nanny allows Davis to play a sympathetic role.

She is seemingly sweet, proper, well-organized, and a perfect nanny on paper.

The role of Virginia, played by Wendy Craig, is a bit too neurotic and slightly over-acted. She is rather one-note as the fretting mother worried about her son. The character of the father is also a bit one-dimensional.

The Nanny is more of a classic thriller from the 1960s that is often lumped together with some of Bette Davis’s other films around the same period (Dead Ringer-1964, Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte-1964, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? -1966), and are in large part superior to The Nanny. As a stand-alone, it is a decent film.

2014 Films, Benicio del Toro, Comedy, Crime Drama, Dark Comedy, Drama, Eric Roberts, Film noir, Hong Chau, Jeannie Berlin, Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Katherine Waterston, Martin Short, Maya Rudolph, Owen Wilson, Paul Thomas Anderson, Peter McRobbie, Reese Witherspoon

Inherent Vice-2014

July 7, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Inherent Vice-2014

Director Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin

Scott’s Review #255

Reviewed July 7, 2015

Grade: A-

Inherent Vice (2014) is a bizarre detective film noir-type experience, set in 1970 Los Angeles.

Directed by the superb Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights-1997 and Magnolia-1999), the film has weirdness and incoherence that is a marvel to experience.

Fans of a straightforward plot will not be thrilled with this film, but for fans of Anderson, this will not disappoint. It has a complex plot, but the payoff is grand and a thinking man’s film.

The protagonist is Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix), a stoner private detective, contacted by his mysterious ex-girlfriend Shasta. She is worried about attempts by her boyfriend’s ex-wife and new lover to kidnap him and have him committed.

Mickey, Shasta’s boyfriend, is a wealthy real-estate developer.

Doc is also hired by two other people- one a former heroin addict looking for her missing husband, and the other a former convict looking for a prison mate who owes him money and is a former henchman of Mickey’s.

All of the stories intersect and such oddities as a peculiar massage parlor and a ship named the Golden Fang come into play throughout.

The intersecting stories lead to the revelation of a drug ring. I had little idea what was happening but was still enthralled by it.

There is an unpredictability surrounding Inherent Vice that is so pleasing and captivating. Joaquin Phoenix is compelling as Doc, a damaged character whose past is unclear.

When Doc is, by all accounts, framed for the murder of a convict and interrogated by the police, we wonder what history he has with them and what led him to branch out on his own as a private investigator.

Detective “Bigfoot” Bjornsen, wonderfully played by Josh Brolin, is a rival of Doc’s, though it is unclear why. “Bigfoot” is frequently seen with chocolate-covered phallic objects in his mouth and is married to a severe, overbearing woman.

Most characters are peculiar and have strange nuances, yet are never fully fleshed out, instead of remaining curious and thought-provoking.

Reese Witherspoon, Benicio Del Torro, and Owen Wilson appear in small yet pivotal roles.

Quite reminiscent of Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974) and Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye (1973), in both the California setting and the plodding, slow-paced, magnificent storytelling, Inherent Vice is a confusing gem, but by all means a gem worth seeing and reveling among the intrigue.

Just don’t try to make too much sense of it all.

Oscar Nominations: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Robert Altman Award (won)

2015 Films, Bailey Chase, Ian Nelson, Jennifer Lopez, John Corbett, Kristin Chenoweth, Rob Cohen, Ryan Guzman, Thriller

The Boy Next Door-2015

July 5, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Boy Next Door-2015

Director Rob Cohen

Starring Jennifer Lopez

Scott’s Review #254

Reviewed July 5, 2015

Grade: C-

A steamy direct rip-off of the 1987 classic film Fatal Attraction, The Boy Next Door (2015) is a mainstream thriller starring Jennifer Lopez as a separated suburban Mom raising her son alone.

One day a handsome young man, Noah (Ryan Guzman), moves in next door. He makes friends with her son and develops an unhealthy obsession with her.

The film is your basic thrill ride with some jumps mixed in but predictable as they come and is safe mainstream fare.

Claire Peterson (Lopez) lives a cozy suburban existence with her socially awkward teenage son Kevin (Ian Nelson) and works as a literature teacher at the local high school.

She lives a modest yet successful life.

Her estranged husband Garrett (John Corbett) has cheated on her with his secretary.

One day a hunky twenty-year-old neighbor, Noah, moves in, takes a shine to Kevin and an attraction develops between Noah and Claire, despite him being half her age. The audience knows that there is something off.

The inevitable happens, a lonely Claire winds up in bed with Noah after a disastrous blind double date with her friend and confidant Vicky (Kristin Chenoweth), also the vice-principal of Claire’s school.

The sex scenes are titillating and sensual with lots of skin.

I went into my viewing not expecting an invigorating or thought-provoking film and was not disappointed.

The film is lightweight, predictable, and has a lifetime television movie feel. The acting is not great and the setups are seen a mile away. When Claire and Noah meet there is instant chemistry between them but there is also a sinister quality to Noah that the audience is aware of.

There is no doubt he will make trouble for Claire.

As we progress we become aware that Noah has a temper, another setup for things to come. If he feels wronged he strikes back. Once Claire realizes their passionate night was a mistake, Noah becomes obsessed with and vengeful of Claire and everyone around her.

The plot is filled with one implausibility after another. I could list silly nuances for hours, but here are a few that immediately come to mind.

I do not buy Jennifer Lopez as an intelligent, sophisticated, literature genius (despite the film hysterically having her wear nerdy glasses) nor the good-looking Ryan Guzman (Noah) as a scholarly expert in literature either.

This is done to construct the plot with no believability whatsoever.

Throughout the film, Noah can do whatever he wants, somehow hacking into Claire’s computer, arranging for printouts of his liaison with her to fly endlessly from the ceilings, tampering with brakes, and seamlessly splicing Claire’s voice into conversations.

The entire film is ridiculous and unbelievable, but, again, it’s what I expected it to be.

The ending surprised me abruptly with no cliffhanger or hint at a sequel as is common with thrillers. Perhaps the filmmakers had low expectations for audience turnout.

One jarring point is that Jennifer Lopez, clearly Latina, plays a character in a suburban neighborhood, named Claire Peterson. Nowhere is her Latina heritage mentioned. The character is about as white as you can get.

A dumb, entertaining ninety minutes of escapism, The Boy Next Door is not a good film (2015) but fun. Some thrilling moments, some fun to kick back relax, and take it for what it is.

It is comparable to a McDonald’s hamburger, you know what you will get and expect nothing more.

1981 Films, Horror, Horror-Comedy

An American Werewolf in London-1981

July 2, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

An American Werewolf in London-1981

Director John Landis

Starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne

Scott’s Review #253

Reviewed July 2, 2015

Grade: B

A melding together of British-American horror and comedy, An American Werewolf in London (1981) provides entertainment while also being a campy and silly comedy.

While two American buddies, Jack and David, traverse the countryside of England with backpacks in tow, a spring break jaunt of sorts, one is viciously attacked and killed by a strange werewolf setting off a series of strange occurrences that play out over the remainder of the film.

From this point, the film is told from the perspective of one of the males as the other appears to him in visions warning of his inevitable demise into a werewolf.

An American Werewolf in London does not intend to mock the genre of horror but is certainly campy and over-the-top.

Despite cult classic accolades being thrust upon the film which I respect, it is not among my favorites.

I would have preferred it tilt more towards the horror classification rather than the comedy because it comes across as some sort of a spoof as the main characters overact.

The film has a silly quality to it. It is light fare instead of dark or morbid and even the kills are meant to be fun, not horrific. In a way, it is almost cheesy and that is not a compliment.

This is not to say that the film is completely subpar. It is decent, but not very believable and I think that is a distraction and a missed opportunity.

However, my favorite characteristics of this film are the makeup/special effects and the musical score which features such fitting treats as “Moondance”, “Bad Moon Rising”, and “Blue Moon”.

Sense an intelligent theme? The makeup, especially during the reanimation sequences is creative and still impressive today considering the film was made in 1981.

Besides, the best scene of the film is undoubtedly the “Slaughtered Lamb” scene when Jack and David stumble upon the aptly named pub filled with interesting, blue-collar-looking locales.

When one of the tourists inquires about a mysterious five-pointed star on the wall the pub dwellers become angry and cold leading the young men to be confused and intrigued.

This scene is filled with interest and I only wish the pub characters had more of a chance to shine as they seem benevolent and filled with potential backstory.

I would have enjoyed learning more about the history of these folks.

Sadly, the focus is by and large on Jack and David and a poorly constructed love interest- Nurse Alex Price, who is not to be taken at all seriously and played for one-dimensional laughs.

A lighthearted, sort of fun late-night flick, An American Werewolf in London is a cult film, though I would not agree with the cult classic distinction.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Makeup (won)

1967 Films, Catherine Deneuve, Fantasy, Françoise Dorléac, French, Gene Kelly, George Chakiris, International, International Fantasy, International Musical, Jacques Demy, Jacques Perrin, Michel Piccoli, Musical

The Young Girls of Rochefort-1967

June 30, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Young Girls of Rochefort-1967

Director Jacques Demy

Starring Catherine Deneuve, George Chakiris

Scott’s Review #252

Reviewed June 30, 2015

Grade: B

The Young Girls of Rochefort (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) is a musical fantasy set in a small French town outside of Paris.

The story focuses on a pair of gorgeous twin sisters, Delphine and Solange, played by real-life sisters Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac, who yearn to escape their small town for the bright lights of Paris and hope for romance.

The twins can have any man they want, but enjoy the thrill and excitement of conquests and being chased and sought after by seemingly all available French men. They spend their spare time discussing and fretting over various loves.

The film is so French and pure musical fantasy, and logic is not the primary focus. Much of it does not make much sense, in fact, nor does it need to. It is pure fantasy.

The film excels by being dreamlike, bright, and sunny. The vivid, bursting colors and lovely sets enhance the film’s look.

In particular, the coffee shop set is a dream. All the central characters gravitate to the café for drinks, gossip, and song and dance.

A great deal of the action takes place here, which is a significant plus to the film.

The Young Girls of Rochefort, made in 1967, is very state-of-the-art in terms of art direction and color.

The loose plot, which is not at all a reason to watch this film, is silly. The twins, longing for love, meet several men, all possible suitors, but their true motivation is to get out of Rochefort and find genuine excitement in the big city of Paris.

One cannot help but realize that the men are a means to an end for the girls.

The heartfelt part of the story belongs to that of the twins’ mother, Yvonne, who also longs for love. Yvonne runs the café and still pines for a long-lost love whom she jilted because of a funny last name. She now regrets her decision, and the audience is rooting for her to find happiness.

She is a wholesome character, whereas Delphine and Solange are selfish and are attempting to further their careers as musical artists.

My main criticism of the film is casting Gene Kelly as one of the sisters’ love interests. Far too old and well past his prime at this point, the casting doesn’t work. Yes, he is a fantastic dancer, but the age is too great to be believable.

In the end, the main reason to watch The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) is to escape, let loose, and enjoy a bright, cheery, fantasy film.

Certainly not to be analyzed, the film succeeds in providing good escapist, cultured French fare.

Oscar Nominations: Best Score of a Musical Picture- Original or Adaptation

2014 Films, Angelina Jolie, Disney, Elle Fanning, Fantasy, Imelda Staunton, Janet McTeer, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Robert Stromberg

Maleficent-2014

June 27, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Maleficent-2014

Director Robert Stromberg

Starring Angelina Jolie

Scott’s Review #251

Reviewed June 27, 2015

Grade: C+

Maleficent (2014) is an updated re-telling of the classic fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty” told from the perspective of Maleficent, the evil godmother, who in this version, it is revealed, was not always.

She is rather sympathetic towards the beginning of the film.

Later in life, becoming the antagonist, she begins life in a world of goodness, wonder, and hope until she is duped by a young man she loves and turns wicked with hatred and revenge.

The casting of Angelina Jolie as Maleficent is excellent and the main reason to watch the film.

Also worth noting is the wonderful, creative art direction and costumes that look gothic and interesting.

Otherwise, the film meanders a bit, is slightly watered down, and contains a sappy Disney-style love story. The story itself is the weakest part of Maleficent.

Maleficent, protector of the fairies in the magical land of the Moors, as a young girl is betrayed and is NOT a villain. Her male suitor (Stefan) is someone she trusts, loves, and respects, is then duped and has her wings stolen by him.

He becomes the King of the neighboring land of humans, vastly different from the peaceful world that Maleficent lives in.

These events lead her to devastation followed by revenge as she places a vicious sleeping curse on Stefan’s firstborn, Aurora.

Jolie is wickedly delicious in this role- the sultry, pouty looks, and those eyes! She plays scorned, revenge-driven to the hilt without being too over the top as lesser actresses would have.

As the actress ages, she is beginning to take on more character, villainous parts rather than sexy bad girls or heroines and I am all for that. It gives the actress something meaty to sink her teeth into. Her dark costumes perfectly give the character an edge.

The art direction is magical and the difference between the two lands is distinctive. The beauty of the Moors with gushing streams, mountains, and flowers contrasts with the stark nature of the human world.

The fairies symbolize peace and freedom with a life filled with treasures, whereas the human kingdom symbolizes ambition, greed, and coldness. The tiny fairies flittering around add zest and life to the film.

The silly love story, though is not believable nor compelling to me, especially the latter film romance between Stefan’s daughter- Aurora, and her wealthy suitor Phillip. They seem manufactured to be together without having a chance to get to know each other.

This seems contrived and produced to add something young to the story.

On a storytelling note, Maleficent’s sleeping curse is set to transpire on Aurora’s sixteenth birthday when she pricks her finger on a spindle and falls into a deep sleep that can only be remedied by love’s true kiss.

Why does he send Aurora away to live in hiding when she is a newborn? Doesn’t he have sixteen years to enjoy her?

The film then dwindles to the inevitable battle finale with lots of movement and fire and a stand-off between Maleficent and Stefan that is dull and predictable.

Overall, the first half of Maleficent (2014) is the better part and the performance of Angelina Jolie is wonderful.

Oscar Nominations: Best Costume Design

2013 Films, Cory Krueckeberg, Documentary, LGBTQ+ Documentary, LGBTQ+ Films, Matthew Camp, Tanner Cohen

Getting Go-The Go Doc Project-2013

June 23, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Getting Go- The Go Doc Project-2013

Director Cory Krueckeberg

Starring Tanner Cohen, Matthew Camp

Scott’s Review #250

Reviewed June 23, 2015

Grade: C

Getting Go- The Go Doc Project (2013) is a small-budget documentary that focuses on a shy, awkwardly gay college student named Doc, who is completing his thesis project by filming a documentary surrounding an online crush he has developed, via porn, on a New York City exotic dancer named Go.

When Doc finally contacts Go and inevitably meets him, the filming of Go’s life begins. From this point a relationship forms, but at what price and what will the turnabout be?

The film is okay but is surprisingly dull as it develops and begins to quickly drag towards the predictable conclusion.

The underlying themes of this documentary are loneliness and obsession from two differing perspectives. Doc, the boring, lonely college student is enamored by the gorgeous, buff, seemingly independent Go.

As the two get to know each other, more is revealed about Go, his life past and present, his hopes, dreams, and fears. Doc is also psychologically explored and the two form an unlikely bond.

The film succeeds in teaching the audience that there is more to a dancer than his body and more to a nerd than his brain. Both are complex individuals.

The first half of the feature is fairly interesting. The initial courage that Doc musters up to contact and ultimately meet Go is admirable and I enjoyed seeing what transpired next.

Will Go be receptive to Doc or callously treat him as another enamored gay man?

When Go agrees to be filmed and his life story is slowly revealed, I feel sympathy for him and am intrigued to learn more about him.

What was his family life like? Was he abused or victimized as a child, I wondered?

Getting Go- The Go Doc Project loosely explores matters like this, though no supporting characters are introduced. Go and Doc and their budding relationship are the only focus.

The film then plods for the final forty-five minutes with an uninteresting love story that is fairly lacking in the suspense department. Are we to believe the pair will live happily ever after? Not a chance.

Unfortunately, the acting is not great either, especially on the part of Go, played by Matthew Camp. Tanner Cohen is a bit better and the more interesting character of the two, with more depth. He is not comfortable with himself, his body, or even with being gay.

However, at this age (early twenties) one wonders if the character would even be comfortable with girls had he been made to be straight.

The main problem with the film is that the two are mismatched. Even though they develop a fondness for each other, the audience is aware that this will not last.

Props to the filmmakers for trying something a bit different. In the end, Getting Go- The Go Doc Project (2013) starts well, meanders, and ultimately stalls, but tries hard to present a different type of story and that is not so bad.

2014 Films, Adventure, Bill Pohlad, Biography, Drama, Gaby Hoffmann, Jean-Marc Vallée, Laura Dern, Reese Witherspoon, Thomas Sadoski

Wild-2014

June 21, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Wild-2014

Director Jean-Marc Vallee

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern

Scott’s Review #249

Reviewed June 21, 2015

Grade: B+

Wild (2014) is a personal story of a young woman’s 1995 challenge to hike the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest trail as a form of therapy for her divorce and her recovery from drug addiction.

The film stars Reese Witherspoon in a thoughtful biography of a real-life figure, Cheryl Strayed, and is adapted from a novel entitled Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Trail.

The film depicts Cheryl’s struggles to survive in the remote area of northern California through various weather patterns, and her interesting encounters with strangers.

The film is a showcase for Witherspoon as she takes center stage, appearing in almost every frame of the film.

Her producing the project undoubtedly has something to do with this. Regardless, it is a winning turn for Witherspoon as she is excellent. She portrays the role with vigor, emotional rawness, and vulnerability, which comes across on-screen.

She deserved her Oscar nomination for this part.

What sets her apart from other actresses who may have gotten this part is that Witherspoon is a small woman, which makes her physical struggles to commandeer trails and wilderness while hauling a large backpack containing her necessities, believable.

Shot using many flashbacks of Cheryl’s life before the enormous hike, we are introduced to the character of Cheryl and her challenging life before. We know that she is a recovering addict, but we do not know what led to these events.

Living in Minneapolis, she is very close to her mother Bobbi, played by Laura Dern, who tragically dies. This leads to a path of destructive behavior for Cheryl and ultimately to her divorce from her husband Paul, who periodically sends Cheryl care packages along her journey.

The bond that Cheryl shares with her mother, a struggling woman herself, is deep. Bobbi has difficulties raising a family and striving to improve her education and life and this is explored during the flashback scenes featuring Cheryl as a teenager.

I love the encounters Cheryl faces along the trail and feel it adds depth to the film.

Few and far between are these gems of interchange since she is mostly alone with nature, and the characters are interesting. Alone in the dark and desperate for a meal, she flags down a farmer named Frank.

At first, it appears Frank may be dangerous and wielding a gun so Cheryl is wary as she goes home with him for dinner.

Happily, Frank is married to a kindhearted woman named Annette, and the three of them enjoy a lovely feast. Later, she encounters a young boy whose mother has died. They bond as the boy sings a song that his mother used to sing to him, and when the boy leaves, Cheryl sobs in emotion for her mother.

These small snippets of real-life conversations and togetherness make the film feel happy and we root for Cheryl to accomplish her enormous feat.

Thanks to a bravura performance by Witherspoon, Wild (2014) is much more than a woman surviving on her own in the wilderness. It is encased in quiet emotion and understated supporting performances that give layers to a human story.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Reese Witherspoon, Best Supporting Actress-Laura Dern

2014 Films, Alessandro Nivola, André Holland, Ava DuVernay, Carmen Ejogo, Colman Domingo, Common, Cuba Gooding Jr., David Oyelowo, Drama, Dylan Baker, Giovanni Ribisi, Historical Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, Jeremy Strong, LaKeith Stanfield, Martin Sheen, Niecy Nash, Oprah Winfrey, Stephan James, Stephen Root, Tessa Thompson, Tim Roth, Tom Wilkinson, Wendell Pierce

Selma-2014

June 19, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Selma-2014

Director Ava DuVernay

Starring David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo

Scott’s Review #248

Reviewed June 19, 2015

Grade: A-

An Oscar-nominated factual feast, set in the mid-1960s during the Civil Rights movement, Selma (2014) is a re-telling of the life and times of Martin Luther King Jr. and the struggles that black Americans endured during a tumultuous period in history.

The film includes dealings with then-President Lyndon B. Johnson and the famous and important 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights march, which led to the signing of the pivotal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

This film reminded me quite a bit of 2013’s The Butler in subject matter and style-ironic since Lee Daniels was slated to direct and instead signed on for The Butler.

Both feature a charismatic and intelligent black man struggling with racial matters.

Despite being an independent undertaking, it is glossy, polished, and reflective of the time. Both The Butler and Selma boast a huge cast, and historical political figures, in a tumultuous era in history.

Selma features a bevy of real-life figures from George Wallis to President Johnson to the obvious leader of the Civil Rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr., and his wife, Coretta Scott King, and the casting is very well thought out.

Tim Roth, David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, and Carmen Ejogo portray their roles professionally and passionately. None of the above received Oscar nominations and I am okay with that.

I did not feel that any were definite standouts from a crowded field of talent, though perhaps Ejogo could have been in the running with her understated though compelling performance.

The drama surrounding the lack of expected Oscar nominations is not shared by me. The truth is, the film was included in the Best Picture category and won Best Song.

While an emotional and compelling film, neither is it a masterpiece nor will change the art of cinema, though I must stress it is good.

I find Selma to be an important film- a look back on history and the shame and humiliation placed on blacks who attempted to obtain voting rights. A heartbreaking scene depicts a determined woman (played by Oprah Winfrey) being denied this right by a cold and racist authority figure as she is asked impossible and tricky questions to prove her patriotism, which of course, she cannot possibly answer correctly.

Yes, the film is directed by a black, female director (Ava DuVernay) and yes, one might argue that it has a black point of view. However, the film successfully sympathetically portrays several white characters and avoids the assumption that all white people were racist in this period.

Let’s face it- racism still exists, especially in the South, and in the 1960s even more so. I did not find the message in black people vs. white people’s terms, but rather as a humanistic struggle for rights.

And the struggles continue as the film makes abundantly clear in the message of the film.

While King was a life changer to the black people of the United States, his life was abruptly cut short in his prime. One wonders how much more good this man could have achieved.

The song “Glory” is an emotional, powerful number, especially during the marching and subsequent slaughter scenes highly emotional and effective.

And who will not become teary-eyed as the innocent marchers are beaten and treated like cattle, simply for taking a stand? One will gasp at the senseless bombing scene that rocks a building and takes four innocent little girls’ lives away with it.

Selma successfully transplanted me to a time before my time and made me appreciate and capture the positive and negative experiences of a race of people not long ago.

This film inspires and moves me and teaches me what a movement occurred in 1965.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Original Song-“Glory” (won)

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Director-Ava DuVernay, Best Male Lead-David Oyelowo, Best Supporting Female-Carmen Ejogo, Best Cinematography

2014 Films, Australian, Essie Davis, Horror, Jennifer Kent

The Babadook-2014

June 14, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Babadook-2014

Director Jennifer Kent

Starring Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman

Scott’s Review #247

Reviewed June 14, 2015

Grade: B

The Babadook (2014) is an Australian (English language) psychological horror film that tells the story of a mysterious, haunted book, that torments its owner or owners.

Touted as one of the scariest films of 2014 I kindly beg to differ, though admittedly the film does contain some genuine frights and jumps.

What has happened to the horror genre where frightening films have not been made since the 1970s?

Exceptions like The Conjuring (2008) must be mentioned.

The Babadook attempts to be scary without CGI or any extravagant effects but has a classic feel.

Amelia, the mother in the story, has tragically lost her husband, Oskar, in a terrible car crash on the way to the hospital to give birth to her son Samuel. Now six years old, Samuel begins to exhibit signs of psychological problems as he becomes terrified of an imaginary monster.

After a child’s book, Mr. Babadook mysteriously appears in their home and Amelia reads it to Samuel, even stranger events occur throughout their house.

The film has remnants of The Sixth Sense (1999)- a loner, bullied kid is haunted and a disbelieving single Mom touting along as a ghost story or who is alive or dead questions are explored.

The father, Oskar, is instrumental in the storytelling. Because of this, the viewer is often confused throughout, but that is not necessarily a knock on The Babadook.

It is not exactly clear to me if Amelia is the central character or if that honor belongs to Samuel- the interesting part of the film is the relationship between mother and son.

The Babadook is a scary story. Can a book come to life and haunt? So says the film and that is worth thinking about.

In horror, there can be some ridiculous premise that is so unrealistic it cannot even be fathomed.

Where the film suffers in my view is that it is not that scary. Having something jump out at you or some other surprise is nice, but where is the terror? The exact motivations of the book also remain unclear.

I admire The Babadook for attempting to bring back old-school horror to modern audiences and telling a solid, haunting story.

However, the film did not quite measure up to the hype surrounding it.

The great film reviews are a bit much as I do not believe The Babadook (2014) is quite on the level of one of the scariest films ever made.

2014 Films, Ann Dowd, Bill Murray, Chris O'Dowd, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, Jaeden Martell, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Terrence Howard, Theodore Melfi

St. Vincent-2014

June 5, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

St. Vincent-2014

Director Theodore Melfi

Starring Bill Murray, Naomi Watts, Melissa McCarthy

Scott’s Review #246

Reviewed June 5, 2015

Grade: B-

St. Vincent (2014) succeeds only due to the charming, funny appeal of its star Bill Murray, who fronts this cute, mainstream comedy.

Set in blue-collar Brooklyn, New York, it tells the story of a curmudgeonly old man (the title character, Vincent), who befriends a lonely young boy named Oliver, new to the neighborhood.

Mixed in with the cast of characters are Oliver’s struggling mother Maggie (played by Melissa McCarthy) and Vincent’s pregnant, stripper girlfriend, Daka, played by Naomi Watts.

I found intrigue in how we get to know Vincent first and then watch him evolve from a grumpy, cutting old man to a begrudging babysitter of the neighbor boy while clashing with Maggie and fighting with Daka.

Murray returns to comic wit using his now-legendary flawless dry, sarcastic humor and perfect timing and displays much of that in St. Vincent. Throughout all of this Vincent remains brutally honest with his snarky remarks (mainly aimed at Maggie) yet heartwarming and I love this aspect of the film.

Thanks to Murray, Vincent is lovable, making the film, which with lesser talent, would be overly sentimental

As the film progresses we see Vincent’s struggles- his wife suffers from Alzheimer’s, and he is indebted to bookies (primarily Terence Howard- in a bit of a throwaway role).

The film staggers with some predictability issues and is formulaic and easy to predict a warm finale.

Of course, in true form, Vincent is a Vietnam vet who drinks and gambles and is angry at the world, but has a heart of gold so, despite being temperamental, the audience falls in love with him (patriotism helps).

The character contains every cliche in the book. A mean old man- who rises to new heights and becomes a nice grandfather figure to a bullied boy is what this film is going for.

The bullying of Oliver is also contrived- during one scene Oliver, after being picked on once again by the prominent bully, flies into a seething rage and breaks the bully’s nose.

The audience is supposed to buy that the waif-ish, shy kid triumphs over the bully. If only life were that simple. Inevitably, after both serve after-school detention, they bond over bathroom cleaning and become best friends.

Who did not see that coming?

In addition, most of the characters are one-note.

Naomi Watts is a sexy, and aging Russian (not sure I bought that accent) stripper with a soft spot- she comes across as uptight but is caring- another cliche.

Melissa McCarthy is a hard-working, soon-to-be divorcee, trying to raise her kid right- one-dimensional. Even Vincent is seemingly tough as nails, but of course, has a soft spot for the neighbor kid.

The casting of Watts, McCarthy, and Howard is okay, and I surmise the film was going for casting “name” actors, but these parts might have been played by unknowns and had the same effect.

The gem is Murray.

Murray effortlessly breathes life into a character who otherwise would have been as dull as dishwater. I found the writing the weakest point of the film.

A major incident brings the cast together united as one (yawn). The film closes with the family all happily eating dinner together. I do not see this as a spoiler as this ending can be seen a mile away.

Despite the flaws and sentimentality of the film, it is admittedly sweet, and humorous at times, and sends a nice message to the audience- be kind to one another and help each other get through life.

Without Bill Murray, this film would have been completely bland and unlikeable.

St. Vincent (2014) is a feel-good film that is perhaps too feel-good.

2014 Films, Anna Kendrick, Billy Magnussen, Chris Pine, Christine Baranski, Disney, Emily Blunt, Fantasy, James Corden, Jon Bernthal, Meryl Streep, Musical, Rob Marshall, Tracey Ullman

Into the Woods-2014

May 8, 2015 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Into the Woods-2014

Director Rob Marshall

Starring Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep

Scott’s Review #241

Reviewed May 8, 2015

Grade: B

Based on the stage production of the same name, Into the Woods (2014) is a feature-length Disney film that incorporates several different fairy tales into the main story.

The film is a fantasy musical with numerous songs performed by the cast, featuring a large ensemble of seasoned actors.

The classic fairy tales are modern versions of Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Cinderella.

The action mainly revolves around a baker and his wife (James Cordon and Emily Blunt) who are sad and lonely because they cannot conceive a child due to a long-ago curse put upon the baker’s family by a witch- played by Meryl Streep.

Circumstances surrounding the baker’s father caused the once beautiful witch to be turned ugly. The witch offers a bargain to the baker and his wife- if they bring her four items (a white cow, a red cape, yellow hair, and a gold slipper) for a special potion, she will lift the curse, enabling them to conceive a child and live happily ever after.

This prompts the couple into the dark forest to obtain the requested items. From this point, the couple intersects with other characters from the fairy tales as they all question various aspects of their lives.

There are subsequent stories- the witch is Rapunzel’s adoptive mother and keeps her locked in a tower to prevent her from being hurt by the world.

Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) escapes her taunting stepsisters and attends a ball only to flee when noticed by the handsome prince (Chris Pine).

Jack attempts to sell beans to provide food for his mother- and Little Red Riding Hood brings sweets to her Grandmother but is confronted by the Big, Bad, Wolf (Johnny Depp), a strange Woman Giant is stomping through the forest searching for Jack.

All these stories revolve around the baker and his wife’s efforts to retrieve the witch’s requests.

The production and art direction in the film is great. I love the dark, gloomy forest, which translates so well on the screen and gives the magical effect of a mysterious, secret forest.

I enjoyed the songs quite a bit- especially the catchy “Into the Woods”. However, some of the songs are quite one-dimensional and bland and not discernible from each other, let alone memorable.

The duet of the Prince’s, “Agony” is silly and useless to the plot, with gyrations, and dance moves.

Meryl Streep- dynamic in anything she appears in again steals the show as the vile witch turns beautiful at the end. She has a fantastic solo number mid-story, entitled “Stay with Me”.

One drawback I found with the film is, at times it drags a bit and I was not sold on the casting of Anna Kendrick as Cinderella. Something about her performance was lacking, perhaps she was not as sympathetic or convincing as another actress might have been.

Also, I would have enjoyed seeing Johnny Depp as the Wolf be more prominently featured and a larger role for the Woman Giant. As integral as she is to the plot, it was tough to get a clear glimpse of her face let alone anything more substantial.

An entertaining feast of fairy tales immersed in one film, Into the Woods (2014) has some compelling moments but lost opportunities that bring it far from the reaches of a masterpiece level.

A solid film, but not a great film.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actress-Meryl Streep, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design

Welcome to my blog!1,505 reviews posted so far! I'm Scott Segrell and I reside in Stamford, CT. My site features hundreds of film reviews I have written since I launched the site in 2014. I hope you enjoy reading my latest reviews or searching for your own favorites to see if we agree. Please see my featured films of the month, and don't forget to utilize the tags and category links.