Ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstance.

     For any American with a conscience memory of November 22, 1963, the events of that tragic day are shared in the collective consciousness.  But then again for each and every American the memories and emotions of that day are different.   Especially the feelings and what the day was like in the morning and how it fell apart in the split second it takes to fire a bullet.  Parkland hospital is where the the mortally wounded President was rushed in an effort to save his life.  And perhaps the hope of an entire generation.  The hospital staff is the centerpiece of Parkland and a very new take on a story that's been told and retold from just about every point of view.  The film also tells us the stories of others who were there but may have never heard of. "Parkland" begins with the hospital staff arriving to work on that fateful day.  The ensemble cast is packed with great actors.   Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden plays the Head Nurse at Parkland hospital with understated reserve.  She doesn't have many lines but you can almost read her mind by looking at her face.  It's like peering into her heart. Paul Giamatti plays Abraham Zapruder, who is excited for the chance to see President Kennedy in person, and decides to use his brand new camera to film the motorcade.  He ended up shooting the most famous film in history.  He is filled with excitement as the President approaches his location near the grassy knoll.  His elation is instantly turned to horror when he realizes that he just filmed the murder of Kennedy.  Powerful stuff, and Giamatti plays it perfectly.  Lee Harvey Oswalds brother, mother, and Billy Bob Thornton as a secret service agent take their turns.  Thornton is an perfectly cast as Secret Service Agent Forrest Sorrels.  A man who feels personally responsible for not preventing the assassination.  But for me the most engaging scenes are in the hospital.  The staff, like on any other work day, chatting, gossiping, doing work, and excited about the President visiting Dallas.  Next thing they know Kennedy is being wheeled in on a gurney and everyone is fighting for his life. Extremely powerful and engaging to watch.  I could not even imagine.  The weak point in the film is the use of actors to portray Oswald and the Kennedy's.  These people are so much larger than life it is nearly impossible to do them justice.  And for a film with the title "Parkland", not really needed.  I am a history buff and have done much research into the Kennedy assassination.  Yet I found this film to be well crafted, engaging, informative, and in the end: Entertaining.  This is a good date movie if your date likes the History Channel or anything to do with history.  Otherwise, wait for the DVD.  Don't get me wrong I am glad I went and loved this movie.  I just don't think it will be for everyone.

I give this movie a grade of: B- 

In space no one can hear you scream.

     "Gravity", starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, opens today in wide release.  The buzz and accolades this film is garnering makes this the must see film so far this year.  The movie is offered in 2D, 3D, and 3D Imax.  I recommend viewing this film in the 3D process, preferably Imax.  The movie opens with a long shot of planet earth from outer space.  It is a nod to "2001 A Space Odyssey"  and the shot looks all too familiar.  I think paying homage is a good thing. As we slowly move in, a tiny dot of light keeps growing until we realize it is the Space Shuttle, whose crew is doing maintenance on the Hubble Telescope.  Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a biomedical engineer, who is trouble shooting electronics while attached to the robotic arm.  Meanwhile Matt Kowalski, played by Clooney, is a veteran astronaut, on his last mission before retirement.  So, as Stone works on the telescope, Matt tools around the Shuttle on a Space Walk.  He keeps mentioning that he will fall short of the record for space walking by an hour.  Soon all hell breaks loose and we find them in a battle to stay alive.                             Unlike most "space" films there are no aliens, villians, death rays, worm holes, or other staples of the genre.  Instead they are battling against the deadly vastness of space.  Really scary stuff because it is real.  While watching Bullock spin aimlessly I was reminded of the tag line from "Alien"  which was, "In space no one can hear you scream".  "Gravity" is most certainly a stunning achievement in film making.  Don't just take my word for it.  James Cameron, director of "Titanic" and "Avatar", said this of "Gravity":  " I think it is the best space photography ever done, I think it's the best space film ever done, and it's the movie I've been hungry to see for an awful long time."  Certainly high praise from a man who knows a thing or two about film and film making. 
     I could go on and on about the wonder and beauty of this film.  Like "2001 A Space Odyssey", "Gravity" blasts the senses with visuals never before seen in film, with a realism to match.  But at the heart of this film is Bullock, stretching her acting chops, and making it all seem so effortless.  I will say right now, she is a shoo in for an Oscar nomination with a good chance to win.  She carries this movie squarely on her shoulders and through most of the film she is on her own.  Clooney is good but he is more of a character actor in a supporting role.  George Clooney, character actor? Yeah right.  Though "Gravity" takes place in outer space in the final analysis it is a human story.  About how we deal with our own mortality, and the triumph of the human spirit.  This would be an excellent date movie.  Tell your date they remind you of either Clooney of Bullock.  They might buy it.
This movie is a solid A. 

Sleeper Hit of the Summer

     "The World's End" opens today, which I was fortunate enough to see at the U.S. premire about a month ago.  It was attended by the director Edgar Wright and two of the stars, Simon Peg, and Nick Frost.  They first teamed up for 2004's zombie/comedy, "Shaun of the Dead".  The plot is a mixture of zombies, a society that is crumbling,  edgy humor, and a protagonist who is so self involved he doesn't seem to notice people are turning into zombies all around him.  "Sean of the Dead" quickly became a cult classic.  The second installment of this envisioned trilogy came in 2007 with the release of "Hot Fuzz".  Starring Pegg and Frost, with Wright once again at the helm.  I asked Edgar about the Trilogy aspect of these films and he told me that rather than being three films carrying a narrative with the same characters through out, this trilogy has the stars playing different characters with certain themes that bind the three films together.  One of those things is Cornetto's which I assume is the English equivalent of Corn Nuts.  Cornetto's turn up in all three films so this is known as the "Cornetto trilogy".  
     This brings us to this third installment, "The World's End".  It is a bittersweet look at six friends from high school who now, twenty years later, are being rounded up to finish an epic pub crawl, begun in their youth, but never finished.  The "golden mile" consists of twelve pints at twelve pubs in one night. The leader of the pack is the kind of guy everyone knows, 38 going on 18.  Gary King, played by Pegg, was the leader of the clique in high school but somehow never realized his potential after graduation. As a matter of fact, twenty years has changed him little.  Where his high school mates have matured into men and achieved success, King has somehow made all the bad choices that has kept him trapped in a teenage mindset.  Funny stuff to be sure.  Like the corporatization of the pubs in England.  Every pub they go to looks like the one before.  Old betrayals and jealousies bubble to the surface as these old drinking buddies work their way through the golden mile.  About halfway through this movie, the science fiction aspect takes hold, and it shifts into high gear.  Robots, aliens, space ships, and total annihilation lifts "The World's End" to a level not many films can achieve.  I loved this movie and I dare say it is going to be the sleeper hit of the summer.  If you like comedy you will love this movie.  If you like sci/fi you will love this movie.  I could go on about the plot but why ruin it for you?  No spoilers here.  This would be a good date movie.  A little something for everyone.
I give "The World"s End" a solid A

Deja vu all over again.

     Have you ever seen an ad for a movie that made you really excited to see the film because it looked too good to miss?  Then when you actually go to the movie it turns out the the film doesn't quite live up to the hype?  Sure you have, it's happened to all of us.  It's lucky that you have me to steer you in the right direction when it comes to cinema from Hollywood blockbusters, indie films, documentaries, or anything in between.  Such is the sequel to the 2010 sleeper hit "Red", creatively titled "Red 2"!  I never did see the original but I was suckered into seeing this film with a slick advertising campaign promising action film staples of car chases, gun play, more chases, beautiful women, foot chases, explosions and the like.   "Red 2" reunites Bruce Willis, John Malkkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, and Helen Mirren from the original "Red".  Then beefs up the cast with Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and a bad ass kung fu assassin, Asian dude, who could have been lifted right out of a John Woo movie.  Only this isn't a John Woo movie.  
     Now don't get me wrong, "Red 2" is a good film, and loads of fun to be sure.  But given the all star cast I expected this movie to be so much more.  Like a non-stop laugh fest from the moment the opening credits fade.  Sorry to report this isn't the case.   I may be nitpicking but with this cast, "Red 2" could have been something of a cult movie.  Instead we are given a rewarmed film that seems all too familiar.  This is because you won't see anything here you haven't already seen before in other films.  As a result, nothing very surprising happens, and the plot line becomes very predictable.  I feel the middle aged Mary-Louise Parker is completely miscast.  Ms. Parker is now 47.  If you double that, it is clear she is in the middle of life, and AARP accepts members who are 50.  I've got nothing against older women at all.  Love em.   What I do have a problem with, is having to watch her pretend to be a woman/child who wears school girl skirts, and delivers all her lines as though she were still playing Nancy Botwin on "Weeds".  Please!!!  Stop already!  There are lots of chuckles and some very funny bits.  As an action movie "Red 2" totally works.  The shame is how, given all its parts, the movie never comes close to it's potential.  If you want to see this film I say go.  Just go with no expectations, and suspend any beliefs.  Better yet, just don't think at all.  
"Red 2"  is a good date movie.  
I give it a grade of a solid B.

Man of Steel is a Supermovie !!

     Action movies based on comic book characters have been around a long time.  But ever since the original Superman opened in 1978 to great financial success, what was once a novel idea, has become an entire genre.  Today some of the most entertaining and thrilling movies every year are based on comic book superheros.  I could write a column on why I think these types of films consistently earn higher box office than other films but I digress.  I need to sing the praises of "Man of Steel".  Opening in wide release this weekend around the country. 

     Comic book superheros, or even characters as dull as "Archie", possess a special relationship with their legions of fans.  Having a built in audience is nice but along with it comes great expectations from said fans.  This brings us to "Man of Steel", the latest installment in the Superman franchise.  This movie is what is called a reboot of the entire storyline.  "Superman Returns" was released in 2006 and earned only 400 million in worldwide box office.  Warner Bros. expected the film to earn 500 million so in their eyes the movie was somewhat of a flop.  What to do if your franchise has an entry that flops?  In football parlance you would punt.  Hollywood just reboots the entire series by starting over from square one.  For long time fans this can be very risky.  We all know the back story of Superman.  Will the fans really want to retrace the story line from the get go?  There are many approaches that can be taken and the "Man of Steel" does it's job perfectly.

     The new approach is to focus a lot more attention on the doomed world of Krypton in ways never shown before.  The film makes clear the issues that led to the painful decision to send baby Kal-El to planet earth.  Particular attention is paid to the trials and tribulations he faces as he adapts and find his place in this alien world.  What we see is a young Clark Kent who is a very tortured soul.  The relationship between him and his father, played beautifully by Kevin Costner, is in the end heart wrenching.  His relationship with his mother, played wonderfully by Diane Lane, elevates her character far beyond anything achieved in previous films.  It shows where much of Superman's humanity comes from.  Dad provided his moral and philosophical compass while Mom nurtured his kind heart.  Sort of the way real life should be, right?  I loved the way they updated and expanded the story line.  More amazing is they remained true to the Superman mythology that has been previously established.  No small feat indeed.  The result is astounding. The story has been elevated to a Shakespearean level.  That may seem like a over the top statement but I kid you not.  I found myself teary eyed often.  They have kicked this franchise up more than a notch.  Probably two or three.

     I would be remiss in not mentioning the special effects.  I feel a little sheepish in saying that the effects in this movie are simply the best I have ever seen.  Mind blowing eye candy is about the only way I can describe them.  Sometimes CGI can look a little grainy of faked.  Everything here is seamless.  The technological level of these special effects has given the film a very slick and polished but organic look.  The more I think about "Man of Steel" the more I love about it.  I viewed this film in 3D and I would recommend that process.  I think the effects would be more, well, effective when seen that way.  Dare I say, this is the best superhero movie of all time?  That is a bold statement I know, but this film operates on so many different levels,  it's greatness can't be denied.  I have no problems with a reboot.  Sometimes that is just what the doctor ordered.   "Man of Steel" is a great movie, take a date, go by yourself, heck see it twice.

I give "Man of Steel" a grade of A+ 

                                                                                        

For The Star Trek Generation

 

 

     The original television series, Star Trek, aired only 3 years before being cancelled in 1969 due to poor ratings.  Yet the series developed such a cult following in reruns that Paramount studios decided to reboot the series in film beginning with the 1979 release of "Star Trek: The Movie".  It was a full ten years since original series left the air but hard core "Trekkies" , including me,  could hardly wait.  Since then there hasn't been a time you couldn't see Star Trek in film or on television in one of it's many incarnations.  Opening today in wide release, "Star Trek: Into Darkness" is the twelfth installment in this, the longest running film franchise of all time. Fans of Star Trek are legion and know the mythology established as though it were a religion.  As such, story lines, plots, histories between films should fit together seamlessly or the fans will spot discrepancies almost immediately. 

     Into Darkness is the follow up to the 2009 release simply titled Star Trek, which introduced a completely new cast who play all the principals of the original series in an earlier time frame.  A bit of a prequel if you will.  This approach is a bit risky because the true fan knows these characters as though they are real people.  No small testament to the acting of the original cast in the television series and later in a half dozen films.  Even though Star Trek is technically science fiction, the story lines are by and large character driven.  I think that is what makes this franchise so timeless.  Each character has their own personality traits and over time we come to know each one.  Star Trek introduces us to a young James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, Bones and all the rest.  What really makes it special is that we get to see how each character develops as a young cadet into the fully functioning crew member we all remember from the original series.  The cast was perfectly picked, especially Mr. Spock.  The intonation of his voice, the look on his face, it all fits together perfectly.  Into Darkness picks up where Star Trek left off.

     Now for the movie itself.  Into Darkness is a rip roaring thrill fest.  From the opening moments to the final scenes there is hardly a chance to catch your breath.  Sometimes there is so much going on at once that it is easy to forget exactly what is going on.  Don't worry, if you wait a few minutes all will be made clear once again.  There are revelations, and references to previous films and television series'.  Heck there is even a tribble!  (The furry little creature comically featured in one of the most popular episodes from the original series: The Trouble With Tribbles)  All of which adds up to a great time for the true Star Trek buff and for those who may not know anything about Star Trek at all.  (is that even possible?)  This is truly a stand alone film so it isn't necessary to be a die hard fan.  You will enjoy the film regardless.  The villain in this movie is much like a terrorist in the world today.  Any great science fiction film requires a great villain.  Into Darkness does not disappoint and when the true nature of the identity of the villain is revealed: it's an "oh I get it now" moment.  It is just so refreshing when all the pieces fall together and we as audience members are treated like we have a brain.  I could go on and on about this film but I just don't want to give too much of the plot away.  I will say this: if you are a Star Trek fanatic you will LOVE this movie.  If you are a science fiction/action movie fan you will LOVE this movie.  If you want to have fun you will LOVE this movie.  If you aren't any of these things you will like this movie.  What does Into Darkness have in it?  It has lots of chases, space battles, phasers firing, explosions, people being sucked into outer space, references to the Star Trek mythology, romance, a tribble, and a lot of humor of course. In case you haven't figured it out yet.  I LOVED this movie. 

Star Trek: Into Darkness is a great date movie and I give it a grade of.....A

Gatsby: the first Great Film of 2013

     Stanley Kubrick, one of my favorite directors once said of "The Shining", that he wanted to create a film that would be like "watching a dream".  If that film was a dream it was a nightmare!  Baz Luhrmanns'  "The Great Gatsby" is like watching a beautiful dream.  Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the same name, "The Great Gatsby" has been turned into a movie no less than four times.  The most memorable being the 1974 release starring Robert Redford in the title role.  The film was very successful and makes one wonder why in the world would one more movie even be necessary.  This film takes the story to new heights with the Luhrmann treatment.
    Baz Luhrmann is also one of my favorite directors.  He is a love it or leave it type, whose films the critics either love or hate. His signature is gaudy, over the top productions, bursting with color,  and soundtracks updated with contemporary music reworked to fit the period of the film.  I find this very amusing.  There is no middle ground here.  His 2001 release of "Moulin Rouge!"  is a case in point.  I myself loved the over the top nature of his direction and bought the DVD as soon as it became available.  But there were plenty of people who hated it.  Gatsby delivers the Luhrmann treatment in spades although I am sure it will have plenty of detractors.  According to the "Rotten Tomato"  roughly half of all critics give this a positive review and half....not so much.  But what do critics know anyway?  (The Rotten Tomato is a great website dedicated to compiling statistics on reviews for all films.  A great research tool or a way to kill a couple hours.  Check it out.)  I find him to be one of the most unique and creative film makers of our day.  His films bring a new meaning to the term "eye candy".
     So what about the movie?  This is a great movie and the first best film of 2013.  The story is set in the rip roaring twenties.  A time of intense debauchery and general all around craziness.  You thinks the '60s and '70s were loose?  Take a look at the twenties.  Sorry, I digress.  If I were to boil the plot down to one theme I would say it is about a mysterious wealthy man who yearns for a lost love.  Isn't it terrible when falling in love defines a person, even years after the relationship has ended?  I hate it when that happens.  
     Nick Carraway, played by Tobey Maguire of Spiderman fame, is an erstwhile writer, who lands in a sanitarium for being a morbid alcoholic.  Many people who partied hearty in the 1920's ended up like that or worse.  Carraway relates the story as a remembrance of the most "remarkable" person he has ever met.  While he tells the story it comes to life before our eyes on the big screen.  But in a dream-like effect rather that a literal one.  When people think back on life there is a tendency  to romanticize our memories.  That's just human nature, and his respect and affection for Gatsby is clear right from the start.  Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jay Gatsby with much aplomb turning in what I consider an Oscar worthy performance.  Yes you heard it here first.  Leo will be nominated for his portrayal.  It will be a crime if he isn't.  Now that DiCaprio has finally grown into a mature man and no longer the pretty boy his acting chops are coming to the fore.  And an excellent actor he is.  He creates a three dimensional character that I think anyone would like to know.  Sinfully handsome, cool as a cucumber, and internally a tortured soul, Gatsby is a complex and conflicted character.  Oozing a smooth charm and ease that hides inner demons, Jay Gatsby is one of American literatures' classic characters.   DeCaprios performance is a slam dunk.  I never want to give too much away in my reviews but the major demon is a lost love, Daisey Buchanan, played by Carey Mulligan.
The beautiful Mulligan plays Daisy with style and grace.  It is easy to see why Gatsby is haunted by her.  
     Everything about Gatsby is beautiful.  The people, the costumes, the sets, and the telling of the story.  Of course conflicts arise and subplots abound but at the core is Gatsby yearning for the love he lost five years prior.  Oh yes, the music for this film is also great.  In keeping with the Luhrmann effect the soundtrack is updated with new original music by contemporary musicians.  Gotye, Jay Z, Beyonce Knowles, Florence + the Machine and others make contributions to the soundtrack.  If you haven't figured it out yet......I loved "The Great Gatsby".  
This would make an excellent date movie.
I give "The Great Gatsby" a grade of a solid: A