Current Film Catch Up

September 8, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

I just thought I would give you a few quick thoughts of some current releases.

Bridget Jones’s Baby-

It ended up being far funnier than I ever could have anticipated. The plot is stupid but I laughed a lot- particularly whenever a news anchor Bridget worked with named Miranda was on screen. She was hilarious. Renee Zellweger looks a little different but it wasn’t as distracting as I feared it would be. It includes nods to the first two films (love first film, hate second) without making them obnoxious or overbearing Mostly it is charming and very funny.

Overall Grade- A-

Sully-

Terrific film from Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks about the Miracle on the Hudson when a plane had to make a water landing in 2009. Tom Hanks is the main reason this movie works so well. There is something about him you trust and you want to see him vindicated. It can be a bit by-the-numbers and repetitive but I found it engaging at the same time. I personally don’t think it is as good as American Sniper but it is less controversial and more easily digestible. Has some interesting things to say about media and our need for heroes.

Overall Grade- A-

Southside with You-

I’m a conservative but I found things to like about this film of Barack and Michele Obama’s first date. The script is well done and it feels authentic to the people we know. There was one moment where I felt the writers couldn’t help but worship their favorite president but for the most part it kept away from that kind of thing. If you are looking for a date movie this would be a good choice. And yes it is possible to like a movie about a democratic president and be a conservative…

Overall Grade- B

Light Between Oceans-

Based on the popular novel, Light Between Oceans is exactly the movie I thought it would be. I went into it expecting a period tearjerker with good acting and that’s what I got. For a movie like this to work you need the couple to have good chemistry and that’s certainly true here with Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender working so well together. The film looks beautiful by cinematographer Adam Arkapaw. I could look at those ocean shots all day! The melodrama is thick and certain plot developments I didn’t think made sense but if you like tearjerkers this is a decent one. Also, if you are a mother I think you will find it a lot more tragic.

Overall Grade- B

Space Dogs: Adventure to the Moon-

This Russian import is the kind of film that is very easy to tear apart. The animation is bad and the dubbing is even worse. I don’t think a single line of dialogue matched up with the mouth movements on the screen. However, I did think there was something to the nutty plot of space dogs that entertained me more than lazy efforts like Ice Age 5. Sure Ice Age 5 is better executed but I’d personally prefer Space Dogs over it.

Overall Grade- D

Nine Lives-

You watch it and just wonder how in the world did this get made? I want to see the documentary about the making of Nine Lives. Barry Sonnenfield, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Christopher Walken all fantastic talents behind a talking cat movie? The strangest part is he’s actually not a bad Dad. He loves his family and is anxious to get his daughter the right present. He buys her a cat even though he hates them. Most kids should be so lucky to have such a Dad! It was a fun ‘so bad it’s good’ watch but really when they can’t get the meowing right in a cat movie that’s a bad thing.

Overall Grade- F acknowledging it has so bad it’s good enjoyment

Other films I’ve caught up on:

Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World- Werner Herzog documentary about the internet. Not his best but he’s engaging enough to make it a fun watch. Overall Grade- B+

The Fits- Some will hate this indie because it is kind of half a story but I didn’t mind just getting a piece of what was going on. About a girl who joins a dance troupe and they start getting seizures. Royalty Hightower joins the list of great child actors for 2016. Overall Grade- B-

Weiner- Fascinating documentary about the mayoral campaign of disgraced congressman Anthony Weiner. More about a marriage than anything else. What a complete narcissist! Overall Grade- A

Dough- Interesting relationship between a Jewish baker and his Muslim employee gets lost in a dopey plot about marijuana and the mob. Overall Grade- C+

The Mermaid– If you can get over some of the horrible special effects it’s a creative story from China about a Mermaid who cuts her fins so she can go on land and convince an executive to stop polluting. It can be quite funny. Overall Grade- B-

The Lobster- I know everyone is drooling over this movie but I found it kind of frustrating. It makes the same points about love, loneliness and companionship over and over again and the performances are all intentionally flat and one-note. I couldn’t bond with the characters and by the last 30 minutes I had enough of the entire experiment. Clever premise but frustrating execution Overall Grade- C

So there you have it! Have you seen any of these films? What did you think of them?

Hell or High Water Review

September 8, 2016September 8, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

I realized today that I hadn’t posted a review on the blog for a little bit. Sorry about that. I guess I have been favoring the youtube channel without realizing it. I usually try and keep it pretty even. I am trying to get to 1,000 subs on my youtube channel so if you haven’t checked it out give it a look.

Well, let’s talk about a film I have not reviewed on my channel- the western heist movie Hell or High Water. This is isn’t my favorite kind of movie but I can’t deny that it is basically perfectly executed.

I have not seen any other films by David Mackenzie but he does a tremendous job capturing a sense of place and tone and getting you to root for both the good guys and the bad guys.

The film is about 2 brothers, Toby and Tanner who are robbing small banks in current day Texas in order to get enough money to pay off a lien on their mother’s property following her death. Oil has been discovered on the land and they have a small amount of time to pay the debt or the bank will take the land.

Toby, played by Chris Pine, wants to make life better for his estranged sons and Tanner, played by Ben Foster, is recently released from prison after killing their abusive father.

Jeff Bridges is fantastic as Marcus a nearly-retired sheriff looking into the robberies with his partner Alberto. Marcus is a little bit racist but there is always something about him that you like. He gives Alberto a very hard time about his Native American and Mexican background but you know all along he loves his partner. Gil Birmingham is so good as Alberto.

Toby has planned out the heists masterfully well but Tanner is a bit of a lug so things don’t go completely to plan. This draws the viewer in and helps it not feel predictable. Plus, all 4 of the leads feel like real people who could actually exist and talk and act the way they do.

I don’t want to give much away but it is so well paced without a wasted scene. Ben Foster makes me almost want to forgive him for Warcraft he’s so good as the crazy stupid of the two brothers. Chris Pine feels authentic and real in the role of Toby who at times you want to smack because he knows better. It all works. It seems like the way things might actually go down in small town Texas with everything from the waitresses to the cars feeling right.

I guess if I was going to fault the film some of the things the sheriff doesn’t look into with the lien on the boys property seemed a little puzzling. With them robbing banks and the bank being kind of the true villain of the film it wouldn’t have been hard to figure out the boys motivations, but it’s a small quibble in a very tight script.

This is an R rated film mostly for language with some violence and sensuality. Hell or High Water won’t be for everyone but if you want to watch an extremely well made, acted and written movie it shouldn’t be missed.

Overall Grade- A

Movies I Saw in August

September 3, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

I did a youtube video today where I went over all the films I saw in August. I think you guys will enjoy it. I covered some of these on this blog but not all of them so check it out.

Rest of 2016 Animation Preview

September 1, 2016September 1, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

So far I think 2016 has been another stellar year for animation. There have been some amazing indie animated films like April and the Extraordinary World and Phantom Boy and stellar mainstream fare like Zootopia and Kubo and the Two Strings. Then there are really lovely films like Finding Dory Only Yesterday and Kung fu Panda 3.

There have been some bumps in the year but let’s not focus on them. What I wanted to do for you is give a calendar of the animated films for the rest of the year. It’s easy to be looking for the big name films but the smaller gems can be some of the best of the year so keep an eye out for them. I tried to be as thorough as possible but if I have missed anything let me know!

Sept 9- The Wild Life– it looks poorly rendered and weak but I’m trying to be optimistic. I hope they will do something entertaining with the minimal budget. The 3D on the trailer is terrible so I don’t recommend seeing it in 3D.

Sept 23- Storks- The trailers for this film have been all over the place. I have no idea what kind of movie it is and am not expecting much. I hope it will be a pleasant surprise. They are advertising as ‘from the creators of the Lego Movie’ but the writer is different and that has me concerned.

Sept 30- Long Way North- Friends overseas have been talking up this Danish animated film. Director Remi Chaye worked on Secret of the Kells and I like idea of Sophie’s adventure in the arctic. The animation looks stunning and refreshing!

Oct- Miss Hokusai- Based on a manga this film looks stunning. It is about an artist that has to sell her paintings under her father’s name. That dynamic between her and her father and the art looks very compelling

Oct 19- My Life as a Zucchini- Already Switzerland’s submission for best foreign film. Done great on the festival circuit. It looks adorable about a boy in a foster home who has to learn to get along with other children and deal with loss of his mother.

Oct 26- Ethel and Ernest- This is a hand drawn animated film based on a graphic novel about a family in London. I love Brenda Blethyn and Jim Broadbent as the lead vocals and it should be great to see them voice a couple that grows from 1920-1970s. The hand drawn animation looks lovely so I’m looking forward to it.

Nov 4- Trolls- The teaser for this film got it on the wrong track but I actually liked the full trailer. It looks bright and colorful with likable characters. It could totally suck but I’m hopeful. It still seems like a strange project for Dreamworks to attempt. The music makes me the most nervous about it but I hope it is a fun little movie

Nov 18- The Red Turtle- A European/Studio Ghibli film with no dialogue about a man on an island fighting a giant turtle? Sign me up! I’ve heard nothing but great things!

Nov 23- Moana- My most anticipated film of 2016 and nothing I’ve seen has dampened my enthusiasm. The story, music, Polynesian setting and design of Moana all look great.

Dec 21- Sing- The plot looks really tired but I didn’t hate the trailer. I like how diverse the contestants are- different ages, lifestyles, situations. Particularly Rosie, as a frazzled homemaker intrigues me. I hope they do interesting things with those characters and it isn’t just cliches

Unknown Release Date-

Revengeance- Independent animator Bill Plympton gives us his 8th feature film about a female bounty hunter named Lana who is at war with a man named Deathface. It doesn’t look like it has the heart of his Cheatin’ but I might see it. His Hitler’s Folly experiment was a disaster but I’m willing to keep an open mind for an artist like Plympton. This may be only released to his kickstarter backers this year and then 2017 to mass public. Not sure on a release date.

Girl Without Hands- I couldn’t find when GKIDS is releasing this but it is based on the Grimm Brothers tale of a man who makes a deal with the devil and it costs his daughter great pain. It debuted at Cannes and reviews said it is “minimalist but artistically complex” and “each shimmering frame is composed of multiple layers of diverse drawing and painting techniques and washes of color combined with 2D computer animation.” That’s enough to get my interest!

Can we just take a second and give GKIDS a round of applause. They are responsible for distributing 4 of these releases and have already had 3 tremendous offerings this year. As excited I am for a film like Moana, I am equally excited for these amazing independent animated films. What a great, rich time to be an animation fan!

So I hope you will put these films on your radar and give a few of the smaller offerings a shot. Let your local theater know you want to see them. That’s what I do. I’ve actually developed a relationship with my local independent theater and when I see a trailer for a film that looks interesting I let them know. If they don’t come by you look for them on VOD and DVD. It’s worth it!

Also try and keep an open mind about films like Storks, Trolls and The Wild Life. Sure we can point out their flaws, but I find very few films are truly rant worthy and when they are they have deserved it because I was rooting for them.

What say you? Are you excited for these films? What smaller films intrigue you the most?

Morgan Review

August 25, 2016August 25, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

Sometimes it pays to go out of your comfort zone. Other times- not so much. I got free screener tickets to the horror/thriller Morgan and my brother and I decided to give it a shot. It is directed by Ridley Scott’s son Luke and I was hoping it would be like last year’s Ex-Machina that I really enjoyed. Unfortunately Morgan pales in comparison and was a pretty lame film.

Morgan stars Kate Mara as Lee a business executive sent to research ‘the asset’ at a facility designing the next AI. After the dopiness of Jurassic World I am suspect of the term ‘asset’ in any film. When Lee arrives she finds out that the asset named Morgan has attacked a caregiver and she is going to research why.

Morgan is played by Anya Taylor Joy and she is no Alicia Vikander. The movie keeps us at a distance from her and you are never sure what the movie is trying to say about humanity or life like you were with Ex-Machina. There is no care in the script to bond Morgan with Lee. We are merely told she is ‘friends’ with the staff but we never really see that relationship play out.

Paul Giamatti then comes in as a psychiatrist who is evaluating Morgan. To say his behavior is non-sensical is an understatement. He seems to not be aware that she has just attacked a woman and he eggs Morgan on for no real reason.

All this would be fine if it was surprising or I cared more about the characters, which I didn’t. The big twist at the end you see coming a mile away. Also the characters have skills that come out of the blue and that make the story make no sense.

Honestly I fell asleep twice and my brother had to elbow me awake. Never a good sign on a movie. I’m pretty easy to spook so if I wasn’t scared that’s saying something. My brother is very familiar with the horror genre and he liked it even less than I did.

So basically for Morgan you get one part predictable story, one part characters I don’t care about and one part boredom and you have your mediocre thriller. Too bad but I guess Ridley’s stardust didn’t rub off on his son (or maybe he was watching during Exodus: God’s and Kings. Peeuw!).

As far as content grade it is pretty bloody and there is a little bit of language.

Overall Grade- D-

Phantom Boy Review

August 24, 2016August 24, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

It is a great time to be an animation fan! Not only are major studios producing tremendous work like Zootopia, Kubo and the Two Strings and Finding Dory but smaller indy films are there to dazzle us! We already had April and the Extraordinary World earlier in the year and today I want to talk about Phantom Boy. From the creators of A Cat in Paris (which I love), Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol give us a lovely little 2D animated film with tons of humor and heart.

Like I said, I love A Cat in Paris, and while I don’t think Phantom Boy is quite as good as that film it is still a very enjoyable effort. It may even be the best superhero movie of 2016!

Instead of Paris this time Gagnol and Felicioli have taken us to New York for a story that is also a mystery full of film noir, cubism inspired art design. It is such a beautiful film to look at.

In New York there is a boy named Leo who is very sick.

But Leo like all superheroes has a special ability. He can float out of his body passing through walls and flying through the city of New York. This is freeing for him as it is his only respite from his sickbed. You feel a sense of calmness and lightness of being when Leo leaves his body. It’s hard on his body to leave but worth it because of the freedom he experiencces.

At the hospital Leo meets a cop named Alex who is recovering from an incident he had with a mob boss known as The Man with the Broken Face. Leo gets to know Alex and eventually offers his superpower to help track down Broken Face. This is important because Alex’s boss won’t listen to any of his ideas or intuition about the case. Leo can be the invisible spy in the investigation!

Broken Face isn’t the most original villain as far as concept. He’s pretty much your typical Dick Tracy type mob boss but his unusual design makes up for that.

Broken Face is also not as scary as the mob boss in A Cat in Paris. He’s more silly here but the comedy worked. I laughed quite a bit. I particularly liked anything to do with Broken Face’s dog and his needing to feed and take care of him. You never think about Marlon Brando walking his dog in The Godfather after all! Ha!

His goons are also very funny as they drive Broken Face crazy with their ineptitude.

The final character is a woman named Mary who is a journalist who works with Leo and Alex in the investigation. She is probably the character that gets in the most peril for the investigation as she can leave the hospital in her normal body. She’s strong but not too brave.

I think the main difference between A Cat in Paris and Phantom Boy is the character development. I really felt for the Mother in Cat and the twist with the burglar worked for me. The characters didn’t behave the way I thought they would. Also, like I said, the mob boss there was a lot more menacing than Broken Face is here, but he still has his scary moments. However, the characters in Phantom Boy are still good. I really liked the bond that grows between Alex and Leo. It felt like a genuine friendship. With Leo being sick it definitely pulls at the heartstrings a bit and Broken Face with his goons made me laugh.

As you can tell from the images Phantom Boy is gorgeous to look at and at under 90 minutes I don’t think anyone will be bored. The reason Leo’s story works when many superhero stories haven’t this year is there is heart behind his powers. He wants freedom from his hospital bed and the power is a result of that yearning. It’s not for ego or some burden. Quite the reverse actually. It’s a gift that frees him from his unhappy life at the hospital and it just so happens it can be useful in taking down a bad man. Shouldn’t more superhero movies be like that? I certainly think so!

The US dubbing is also great featuring Fred Armisen, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jared Padalecki, Marcus D’angelo, Melissa Disney and Dana Snyder. It feels seamless and I don’t think someone would know it has been dubbed if they weren’t aware of it.

If you can find Phantom Boy at a theater near you check it out. If not, put it on your must watch list when it comes out on DVD. It’s funny, sweet and beautiful to look at. Something the entire family can enjoy watching together that doesn’t try to teach a message or sermonize but just tell a good superhero story about an 11 year old who is the Phantom Boy!

Overall Grade- A-

Ben-Hur 1959 and 2016

August 22, 2016April 18, 2019 | Rachel's Reviews

Hi friends! I just wanted to quickly share with you my videos on the 1959 classic and current version of Ben-Hur. The video above has both reviews in it, but let me summarize my thoughts.

Ben-Hur (1959)

Based on the popular novel, Ben-Hur tells the story of Jewish Judah Ben-Hur and his Roman friend Messala. The two friends become estranged when an accident occurs and Messala fails to come to the defense of his friend. Judah becomes vengeful towards Messala and his family suffers greatly under Roman rule. Eventually Judah escapes from a prisoner’s ship and races Messala in the famous chariot race. The death of Christ on the cross comes and Judah experiences the miracle of redemption and is able to let go of his hatred.

This is certainly an epic movie, perhaps the most epic ever made. It took me two days to watch it but I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing. Charlton Heston is great as Judah as is the rest of the cast and I found the characters compelling enough to sustain the narrative. Each part of Judah’s journey feels important to the story. It’s in some way’s more like a miniseries more than a movie.

Because we have spent time with these characters and know them so well the more melodramatic moments work and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the film. It’s definitely a classic for a reason. Oh and the chariot race still holds up. Amazing!

Overall Grade- A

Ben-Hur (2016)

Despite what some may say this is not a total train wreck. If I was an average movie-goer who didn’t analyze films so much I would probably be entertained by the film. It’s well made and the acting is good all around.

The problem is I’m not an average moviegoer so the problems are more apparent to me especially when comparing it to the 1959 classic. My main problem is story changes they make which lessen the power of the narrative. For example, they make Judah marry Esther, which makes her role in covering up the leprosy of his Mother and Sister non-existent. The entire plot point of the leprosy is an after-thought here when it is so moving in the original.

Also they lessen Messala’s ruthless choices. It’s complicated but in the original Messala has a choice to betray his friend and he does it because he knows betraying a friend will strike fear in hearts of the Jewish people. In here he does it because Judah disobeys a technicality. It’s not as strong; therefore, making Judah’s desire for revenge not as strong.

Also they use a ton of shaky cam which I hated. Still, the chariot scene isn’t half bad and like I said the performances are pretty good.

Because of the weakened story elements the ending is a big problem. They have the cleansing rain like in the original but that’s enough for them. They have to make everything hunky dory and that annoyed me. It’s too bad really because it actually had potential to be a good remake.

Overall Grade- C-

Kubo and the Two Strings Review (Masterpiece)

August 18, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

Yesterday I got the chance to see the new film from Laika Animation Studios called Kubo and the Two Strings. Here is my youtube review that I made after seeing it:

2016 has been a very strong year for animation in my opinion. Zootopia, Finding Dory, Little Prince, Only Yesterday, April and the Extraordinary World, Kung fu Panda 3 are all special releases. No we get Kubo and the Two Strings and it may be the best yet. What an amazing animated stop motion adventure. It took my breath away but I was also engaged in the story and loved the lead character, Kubo.

The film tells the story of Kubo who is a little boy with magical powers. He can make origami paper come alive and tell stories. He even at one point is able to build an entire boat with his paper. Each day he tells stories to the villagers but he only has one problem- he can never think of good endings to the story.

His Mother is a sickly woman who he has to care for. He has to cook for her and even feed her she is so weak. However, his Mother warns him to not be out after dark or he will be in great danger. Unfortunately one night he ends up outside and spirits begin calling for him “Kubo, Kubo, they call”. As he follows them he ends up on adventure to get the armor of his father that will protect him and his Mother.

Along the way he meets a monkey and a beetle who help him on his journey. One thing I liked is I was never sure where they were headed or what the next step was going to be. This is not like Lord of the Rings where the clear goal is Mordor and the destruction of the ring. Without a clear roadmap the film was very unpredictable and surprising.

The dialogue is also very well done. Monkey and Beetle are funny together and have a lot of sarcastic jabs at each other without being too modern or hip. In fact, Kubo is probably too old-fashioned for its own good. It would probably be easier to market if it had the wise cracking modern sidekick like Mushu in Mulan.

Nevertheless, I loved the characters, especially Kubo. Much like Judy Hopps in Zootopia this year, there was an earnestness and sincerity to Kubo that won me over immediately. He is blind in one eye but that eye is expressive and his smile made me very happy. I wanted him to be happy. I was rooting for him to succeed, which is probably the greatest compliment I can give to a character. He was brave and strong but felt real and vulnerable at the same time.

Do I even need to say the visuals are stunning? Yes, the visuals are stunning! There were so many moments when you can’t believe it is stop motion. The character movements are so fluid and the fast paced movements and lush landscapes are like something I haven’t seen before. It is without a doubt the greatest looking stop motion animated film I’ve ever seen.

It also has a great emotional reach. There are moments that will make you smile, laugh, cry and get a little scared. I don’t think it is too scary for most kids but maybe if they aren’t able to handle darker Disney villains like Maleficent than it isn’t for them. My theater was full of kids and they were totally engaged (unlike so many animated films I’ve seen in last few years because with the good comes the bad too…).

Mostly the film just has a huge heart that wins you over to the story, characters and world-building. I loved it and I fully intend on doing a detailed spoiler review once I get to see it more than once like I have done with Zootopia and Inside Out.

Unfortunately, it looks like this film is pegging to open at 12 million this weekend. That is so discouraging. It really is a masterpiece. I don’t want to live in a world where The Angry Birds Movie does better than Kubo and the Two Strings and yet there it is. What’s wrong with America?

Please let’s prove these prognosticators wrong! Go see this film. Take your family. Take your friends. It’s great for all ages. It’s great for all interest levels. It’s a great movie. You don’t want to be the one who missed 2016’s masterpiece do you? See Kubo and the Two Strings. It’s that special.

I wouldn’t recommend the 3D as it didn’t do much to enhance the experience. Just see it in 2D and enjoy a truly special animated adventure.

Overall Grade- A+

Hunt for the Wilderpeople Review

August 16, 2016 | Rachel's Reviews

Recently I had the chance to see Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows, a mockumentary about vampires. If there is anything that is more tired than mockumentaries and vampires I don’t know what it is. Even so, I laughed my head off. So I was pretty excited going into Waititi’s latest film Hunt for the Wilderpeople. I saw it tonight and I loved it but I really didn’t laugh that much. It felt like more of a drama to me with moments of humor.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople reminded me a little bit of last years Walk in the Woods but with a better script. Both are about people escaping modern world into the woods for several months, following their journeys.

To be more specific, it’s a pretty simple story. A child named Ricky is taken in as a foster child by a couple in New Zealand. Then tragedy occurs and Ricky and his foster Dad or “Uncle Hec” as he’s called go on the run into the bush escaping the law. They meet eccentric characters and face challenges as they are pursued by child protection officers and others seeking a reward.

There are funny moments with the dialogue and some of the crazy people they meet but like I said I was more chuckling than roaring with laughter. But I really liked these characters and I liked seeing them grow and change together. It was sweet and heart-warming. I like that they never really softened them up that much. You saw growth but it felt natural and believable instead of cornball material it could have been.

The performances from Julian Dennison as Ricky and Sam Neill as Uncle Hec are wonderful and they have chemistry despite not getting along at first. They were people I was rooting for and wanted to see them succeed.

It’s also a beautiful movie with cinematography that will make you want to go to New Zealand! I also really liked the score and other music used.

If you are looking for a film that will make you smile with likable characters than Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a good choice. I really enjoyed it. I just thought it was more of a drama than a comedy, but that’s not a bad thing.

Overall Grade- B+

Here’s the trailer