The D Train - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

The D Train  

Starring Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, and Russell Posner

Directed by Andrew Mogel, Jarrad Paul

Rated R

Run Time: 97 minutes

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Opens May 8th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

The D Train is fueled by its affable nature and surprisingly impactful emotional weight, even if its story remains too whimsical and light to elevate much further. Still, Jack Black and James Marsden excel as the two leads, providing a twist on the buddy friendship comedy and turning their characters into sharp realizations of introspective men. Black has been struggling to find his comedic identity lately, excelling in films like Bernie and borderline embarrassing himself with cameos in films like Sex Tape. This, however, is the type of role in which he thrives, as he is allowed to play a man with many unlikable qualities yet a generally amicable personality. It always feels like he's boiling underneath his smiling surface. Marsden, who always seems to fill the role of smarmy business man or kind-hearted nerd, plays the washed-up celebrity of sorts, a role that feels tailor-made for his abilities. The roles are perfectly placed, but the writing is lacking when it needs to hit the hardest. Instead of becoming an acutely observant comedy, it settles for a chuckle-worthy, good-hearted sense of self.

The film focuses on Dan Landsman (Jack Black), the head of a high school reunion committee that takes his work a bit too seriously. He's an uptight family man that cannot seem to make friends or crack a solid joke; he often sees his committee colleagues going out to drinks after he asks them if they'd like to do so. His life is boring and, perhaps more gravely, he is boring. His work outside of the committee is even more bland, as his boss, Bill Shurmur (Jeffrey Tambor), lives in the Stone Age in regards to technology. Yet Dan finds an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past and realize himself after his shortcomings in high school and present day. He sees his old drama "buddy," Oliver Lawless (James Marsden), starring in a Banana Boat commercial that feels straight out of Baywatch. If he can get this supposed star to show up at the reunion, maybe that'll convince everyone else to come, and the get-together will be a smash hit. But Dan has to travel to Los Angeles to convince Oliver that it's worthwhile, and the two party hard and rekindle their "friendship," as Dan sees it, even when a wild night complicates things between the two of them.

Much of the film's tensions and conflict spring from that inciting incident, which is admittedly inventive and troublesome. The writer-directors Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel have a strong sense of narrative momentum, even as the film begins to repeat some of its core ideas near its conclusion. The conflict, however dated it may seem, actually arises from these characters and their perpetual sense of loneliness and lack of fulfillment. Black and Marsden complement each other exceptionally well, with some of the funniest moments in the movie emerging from their back-and-forth banter. The shining light of the film is Jeffrey Tambor, who plays an outdated boss with a strong sense of self that attempts to acclimate to a technologically changing world, based on the recommendations by Dan. Sure enough, things get complicated when Dan lies to his boss and the actions have serious repercussions, leading to Tambor's strong sense of understated comedy and genuine human compassion. Dan faces brutal moments of despair in the aftermath of his lying and manipulation of others; it's rare to see a comedy have a character get struck that hard. But The D Train settles for a familiarly optimistic ending and loses sight of its laughs near the conclusion, making the film a slightly affecting comedy backed by strong performances.

Maggie - Movie Review by Michael Clawson

Maggie  

Starring Abigail Breslin, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joely Richardson

Directed by Henry Hobson

From Lionsgate

Rated PG-13

95 minutes

By Michael Clawson of Terminal Volume

The zombie is an ironic metaphor for, of all things, the zombie genre: it shambles forward, meat decaying off its bones, teeth falling from its mouth, unable to die, its only mission to consume. You can shoot it and delay its momentum, but it just keeps coming back for more.

After every iteration of zombie cross-pollination — zombie comedy (Shaun of the Dead), Zombie rom-com (Warm Bodies), zombie sci-fi (The Last Days on Mars), zombie suburban drama (Fido) — and an increasingly manipulative zombie soap opera on television (The Walking Dead), we must certainly be approaching a zombie zenith. After all, how many zombie movies, shows, comics and video games do we really need?

“One more, please,” begs Henry Hobson’s directorial debut Maggie, a largely unique zombie movie with something to say in an overplayed and babbling genre.

The film plays out in whispers, sighs and reserved mumbles. It’s quiet and contemplative, the kind of movie that doesn’t feel rushed when it looks out a window to wonder. It’s been months, or maybe years, since a zombie uprising has been quelled. Survivors are picking up the pieces and rebuilding, but infected still pop up now and again. They aren’t called zombies — no, they are carriers of a fatal disease called the necroambulist plague —  and are treated humanely, more like terminal cancer patients than a horror villain.

The bad ones, the run-of-the-mill walking dead, are killed outright, but the infected who are still conscious and articulate are granted small doses of humanity. They’re allowed to return home, be near their families, eat and drink regular food, and put their affairs in order before the virus’ two-week incubation period gives way to full-blown braaaaaaains cravings. Before patients “turn” they are encouraged to voluntarily enter a quarantine center where they will be housed and later euthanized, or a family member can end it all for them. “I would use that,” the family doctor says, pointing at a shotgun.

This is the world that we enter as we meet Wade, a father of three somewhere in the Midwest. The state of Wade’s world is explained in an overly helpful NPR story — if All Things Considered is still around, then things probably didn’t get that bad. Wade’s teen daughter, Maggie, has been bitten and he’s bringing her home to the family farm. No one is really trying to process Maggie’s fate; it all feels so raw, so they ignore it. They cook and make dinner, she uses a swingset in the yard, she goes to a party … life is mostly normal, except this bite and its putrefying aftermath that represents Maggie’s future.

I haven’t yet told you the stars of the movie, and that is intentional. Maggie is played by Abigail Breslin, the young child actress from Little Miss Sunshine and, as luck would have it, Zombieland, who is making waves now as an adult. Wade is played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in what might be the most unique role of his career. He holds a gun, but only shoots it offscreen. He’s involved in two fights, and is roundly defeated in one of them. And he doesn’t have a single one-liner. Where other movies are built around this abstract idea of AHNOLD, Maggie casts the former California governor as a regular guy doing mostly regular things. And you know what? It works. By no means is this prestige acting, but it’s a serious role that requires him to act and not stunt. I was continuously surprised by his performance and his pairing with Breslin, who also does a fine job with the minimalist material.

Maggie is original as a zombie movie and a Schwarzenegger flick, but it occasionally loses its way. There’s a bit with a roaming fox that goes on with little reward, and some of the visual payoffs look like hand-me-downs from The Walking Dead. In one of the film’s only zombie fights, Wade wanders through a deserted gas station, past a bloody mattress, through buzzing flies and into a dark hallway to use the bathroom. Of course there’s a zombie by the toilet that he has to fight off, but why didn’t he read the clues? More importantly, how did he even survive the original zombie plague with instincts like this?

These deficiencies are made up for with Hobson’s careful directing, which (mostly) avoids cheap jump scares and rapid edits for a deliberate, more cerebral story about a father and a daughter as they comprehend the limits of their love. The music is mellow and evocative, the colors are cold and desaturated, the editing is straightforward and direct, and the performances are flat but also realistic — Hobson takes into account what’s already been done in the zombie genre and goes out of his way to tell a different kind of story. And it’s pretty good.

So maybe the genre isn’t altogether dead.

Bravetown - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

Bravetown  

Starring Josh Duhamel, Lucas Till, Maria Bello, Laura Dern, and Katrina Norman

Directed by Daniel Duran

Rated R

Run Time: 112 minutes

Genre: Drama

Opens May 8th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

Bravetown is hopelessly derivative and narratively flat, with a general feeling that the filmmakers borrowed elements from every other starting-over-my-life drama ever made. Centering on a young DJ who overdoses on drugs and decides to reform his life by living with his father, the film attempts to modernize an overly familiar, relatively ancient story by showcasing how much the youngin's like the new music. Alas, the film attempts to utilize well-established actors but never finds a sense of self or reformed message. Rather, it weaves together jingoistic ideas about the military and paints everything as one-dimensional, including the supposedly exciting dance competition at the heart of the film's plot. That's right, this movie has dance scenes that feel straight out of Step Up. They're admittedly entertaining, but only carry the horizontal narrative so far. Daniel Duran's directorial debut is visually compelling, showing his potential behind the camera, but the script carries a stench of repetition that never lets up.

The film focuses on Josh (Lucas Till), a boy raised in a troubled home by an alcoholic mother (Maria Bello). He works as a DJ at night, indulging in ecstasy and other illicit drugs when given the chance. After an overdose puts him in the hospital, his mother sends him off to live in a rural town with his father. He's also sent to a psychiatrist, Alex (Josh Duhamel), that is supposed to help him get through his drug addiction but all they end up doing is watching soccer and eating pizza. Alex, like many in the town, used to fight in the military, and their town prides itself (as we realize very late in the film, mind you) on military pride and honor. Josh meets Kerry (Katrina Norman), a dancer at his new high school that can never seem to choose the appropriate music for their admittedly strong dancing talents. Sure enough, Josh is a DJ, so he can make them some sick beats to help win a very important competition. If this seems like a subplot that does not really pertain to the overarching story, you'd be correct. Nonetheless, a romance builds between the two while Kerry's mother (Laura Dern) cannot get over her son's death while serving his country.

It's a wonder how a film with this level of talent can be so dramatically boring. While it contains marketable stars, talented women like Dern and Bello are subjected to thankless, nagging maternal roles that feel like the most conventional trappings for middle-aged women in the film industry. It's troubling how consistently inept female roles can be in these dramas centered on teenage boys. Till, in the lead role, mostly looks depressed about his character's decisions and angsty regarding his parents' divorce. The dialogue he's given doesn't bode well either, with a particular scene feeling like nails on a chalkboard. The two love interests talk and then, out of nowhere, she starts to bother him about why he doesn't talk to his dad, and the conversation has the intelligence of a dog running around in a circle going after its tail. Bravetown simply wastes its talents on the off-chance that it will connect with military families dealing with the loss of a loved one. That's a commendable story considering its dramatic implications, yet the narrative should be less pandering and one-dimensional. It's one of the many frustrating misfires in the film, a true slog with a cloud of pretension hanging over its proceedings.

Avengers: Age of Ultron - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Avengers: Age of Ultron  

Director: Joss Whedon

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Cobie Smulders, Paul Bettany, and James Spader

141 Minutes

PG-13

Marvel Studios

The Marvel cinematic universe continues to grow. A comic-book fan’s dream is being shaped and molded into a collection of films that will continue well into the future. The team of The Avengers returns, led again on creative fronts by Joss Whedon, and the result is as expected, the film is an action-packed, clever and funny summer blockbuster.  With added heroes and bigger baddies, the film bursts at the seams with characters and exhausting and exhilarating action. While the thrill of seeing all these heroes on screen together wears off after a few scenes, Whedon adds his patented touches and makes the cluttered narrative connect and the characters shine bright throughout. Still, where the first Avengers film seemed to hit on many notes, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” misses in some places.

The film begins with The Avengers assembled and fighting together against the last of Hydra’s forces. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) are back and ready. The scientists are working on a secret project that gets foiled by the Avengers but not before two genetically altered twins, Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), plant a seed in the mind of Tony Stark. The twins have a past tarnished by Stark and the weapons his company employed before he became Ironman. Stark has an idea to build a safety net A.I. program that takes charge of threats before harm befalls humanity, the program is called Ultron. After a night of celebration The Avengers meet Ultron (voiced by James Spader), embedded into one of Stark’s assisting robots, who threatens the death of The Avengers and ultimately the world.

Joss Whedon has this wonderful quality of building characters with genuine personality and emotion. Though with so many characters battling for quality time on the screen, some of the characters are left with fleeting moments of minor worth. Though the heroes that are given time are exceptionally composed. Hawkeye is given a much-needed backstory that humanizes the film by making him the character envied because of his personal life, white picket fence and all. We also see Hulk and Black Widow battle the turmoil of a budding relationship, both willing but reluctant because of what their past has produced and what their futures hold. This human quality is provided to all The Avengers but some aren’t given this kind of specific care. Still, you can feel Whedon’s familiar touch throughout the narrative; his humor and sensitivity make the breaks in action have substance, like a scene where the witty banter to challenge the worthiness to lift Thor’s hammer is immediately disrupted by a life threatening situation. In this moment, and many others throughout, Whedon is in control.

Unfortunately the clutter of new characters disrupts some of the tone in the final act. A character is forcefully introduced and awkwardly placed in the middle of the chemistry of the team that just enlisted Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch minutes before. The finale feels very much like the first film, substituting alien for robotic hordes. The narrative also makes leaps that are somewhat disjointed in order to wrap things up and prepare for the future of the franchise. Still, in the capable hands of Whedon and the cast, all who clearly have a firm grasp on the characters, these flaws feel so minor it’s very easy to overlook and just sit back and enjoy the delightful ride.

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” is an entertaining film amidst some minor complaints. Whedon evokes some interesting sentiments about heroes and the extent of their roles both personally and in times of conflict. While the villain Ultron isn’t as memorable as Loki in the first film, Whedon still composes the film with wonderful moments that will undoubtedly satisfy. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” may not be as good as the first film but it doesn’t hurt the entertainment factor.

Monte’s Rating

3.75 out of 5.00

The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

The Avengers: Age of Ultron  

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, and James Spader

Directed by Joss Whedon

Rated PG-13

Run Time: 141 minutes

Genre: Action/Adventure

Opens May 1st

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

The Avengers: Age of Ultron begins with an action-packed sequence and never lets its foot off the gas, speeding through its narrative with the typical excitement and wit associated with the Marvel universe. The primary reason for that, and why it works, is Joss Whedon, the returning auteur who picks up where he left off in 2012's The Avengers. As writer-director, Whedon has maintained his creative control in terms of developing characters and keeping their trademark banter, yet he seems attached to the responsibilities that Marvel wants the franchise to carry in order to set up its future films. That involves a lot of asides that allude to Thanos, the Black Panther, the upcoming Civil War, and other additions to the growing batch of Avengers. While they do grow naturally from Ultron as a a villain and allow the narrative to tie together many of its previously established ideas, it also makes the film a little less spontaneous than the first, and more mechanical. It's still an incredibly enjoyable ride though, filled with humor, a ton of action, and a good heart.

The story picks up with the usual ragtag group of heroes: Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), all fighting the bad guys around the world. They start by fighting off the lingering Hydra threat in a world post Winter Soldier, in this case involving the super-powered twins Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). They believe that the Avengers are evil because of Tony Stark's actions in the past manufacturing weaponry, and ultimately side with Hydra. Meanwhile, Tony Stark believes that the world needs better developments in security to ensure Earth is protected from destruction, so he returns to a past venture to create artificial intelligence in the form of a machine. In this case, that is Ultron (voiced by James Spader), a computer program that grows into something far more corrupt than Tony intended. This leads to a disjointed Avengers, who question why Tony would create such a dangerous program that gains remarkable sentience and, instead of opting to protect the world, decides that killing all humans is the only means by which the Earth can be saved.

If this sounds like a familiar conflict, it's because seemingly all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films involve a malevolent force attempting to destroy the world. That's practically the tagline for every superhero film. Yet somehow, Age of Ultron feels decidedly realized in its representation of its villain as a creation of good intentions. Tony Stark, played once again fittingly by Downey Jr., is embattled because he can see no end in sight to the madness that pervades their everyday life as world-savers. When the opportunity arises to create a true A.I., it's too promising to pass up. This has been an increasingly prominent theme in modern filmmaking, as artificial intelligence grows increasingly possible with the level of computing power and storage our world has. That grounds the latest Avengers in a semblance of reality, even if its superheroes are seemingly indestructible. I mean, when the film introduces a machine has been developed to actually build tissue for anyone that is wounded, can it seem realistic for any of the non-immortal Avengers to be killed?

These films, though, aren't built on that widespread external struggle with mortality. Rather, they are built on the inner conflict within all of the shadowed pasts of these characters. Age of Ultron provides us with the most striking looks at the personal lives of Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow's real-life persona) and Clint Barton (Hawkeye's). It's remarkable, considering every other character has had their respective solo efforts and these are the first true looks at their lives that we've seen. It pays off well. Johansson and Renner are particularly great here, an obvious growth from the first Avengers. Whedon, in addition to making those characters pop more than ever, has created a film that's surprisingly funny and understanding of its characters. Jokes derive from the characters, not necessarily from situations, and that makes for dynamic dialogue. The action, notably in IMAX 3D, moves well and doesn't feel difficult to follow; it's cognizant of what needs to be seen, and the context of what is happening makes every scene feel impactful. There are a few notable tangents that lull the film in its second act, which slow the otherwise belligerently paced caper. For a film in a universe that has set up a ton of future explorations, it's nice to see The Avengers: Age of Ultron tell its own powerful story.

Adult Beginners - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

Adult Beginners  

Starring Rose Byrne, Nick Kroll, Bobby Cannavale, Joel McHale, and Jane Krakowski

Directed by Ross Katz

Rated R

Run Time: 92 minutes

Genre: Comedy

Opens May 1st

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

Nick Kroll and Rose Byrne are talented comedic actors, but they can only save Adult Beginners so much. The film, focusing on a techie whose business collapses in the wake of an industrial meltdown, should feel more timely and considerate of its social implications. Instead, it opts for an overly familiar story of a fish-out-of-water entering his stable sibling's life, messing with their seemingly idyllic family unit. The aftermath is a comedy that's too light on laughs and a drama that's too easy on its characters. It walks that fine line that many mumblecore films attempt to balance well; the Duplass brothers as producers here should know that, considering their beautiful film Jeff, Who Lives at Home. That film, too, uses established, if not world-renowned, comedic stars and showcases them as prime examples for analyzing human simplicity and the struggles of everyday twentysomethings. The characters are older here, the conflict feels mostly contrived and derivative, and the comedy has bouts but never finds a consistent groove.

The film focuses on Jake (Nick Kroll), an entrepreneur that aims to introduce a device that is more affordable and revolutionary than Google Glass. His commercial is decidedly cheap-looking yet his product appears ready to launch in style. His business partner, Hudson (Joel McHale), is a long-time friend who breaks the news on the night of the launch party that the manufacturer is going to be pulling out. While this could seem recoverable, it was posted on a tech website, making the news catastrophically bad for the company and investors. Jake's life feels ruined. So he travels to visit his sister, Justine (Rose Byrne), whom he hasn't seen in years, and wants to crash there for as long as possible. In his case, that means a few months until he sorts things out and lets the situation blow over with all of his friends. He's also dirt poor and finds a source of income from his sister and her husband, Danny (Bobby Cannavale): babysitting their son as opposed to spending money on daycare. The plan, while admittedly far-fetched considering Jake's partying and inconsiderate ways, ends up forming a bond that grows strained as characters find out secrets about each other and such.

The title refers to an adult beginners class for swimming that the siblings hope will finally teach them, considering Justine's son is starting to learn. If that sounds thematically confusing, it's because it never really seems to mesh appropriately with the story being investigated. The established actors here are capable of elevating the film, particularly Byrne and Cannavale. Byrne showed how much of a comedic force she was in Bridesmaids, and stands to shine again in this summer's Spy. Cannavale was phenomenal most recently on Boardwalk Empire, but also in a small, affecting role in Danny Collins. Yet their characters become involved in clichéd conflicts that feel like they could belong in any other small drama. Kroll, on the other hand, shows most of his (talented) sarcastic, prick-heavy ways that he's balanced on Kroll Show and even guest stints on Parks & Recreation. The comedy they bring, along with the three writers and director Ross Katz, only produce middling chuckles and occasionally inspired bits. The rest feel strained, along with the vaguely sketched characters. Adult Beginners brims with potential, but never moves past its conventional set-up.

White God - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

White God   

Director: Kornél Mundruczó

Starring: Zsófia Psotta, Sándor Zsótér, Lili Horváth, and Lili Monori

121 Minutes

Rated R

Opening at FilmBar

Dog is man’s best friend. They are loyal, obedient, with a love unbounded. These are sentiments that could describe the furry canine friend sitting at your feet while you are reading this review. In Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó’s film “White God” they are spot-on feelings for the first half of the film. The enduring trust and love between a young girl named Lili and her dog Hagen display the interactions that dog lovers know well. However, once the two are separated and Hagen is left to his own survival on the mean streets, the corruption and hate that fills the world in “White God” consumes Hagen and forces retaliation. The film is very much about the imposing and superior approach that humans have over animals, specifically in matters of mistreatment. Mundruczó mixes genres to make “White God” come to stunning life, finishing the film with one of the most impressive animal spectacles of recent memory.

Lili and Hagen are inseparable. Companions that support each other in ways each will never completely understand. Lili is living with her father for a short time. A state official informs Lili’s father that there is a hefty tax for dogs that aren’t purebred. Not wanting to pay the tax Lili’s father abandons Hagen in the middle of the street in the city. Hagen, proven faithful, is trusting to all the wrong people. However, in this city, it seems that most humans are the wrong kind of people. Hagen is abused, forced into dogfighting by a cruel master. Hagen escapes but is caught and sent to the dog pound, though with a damaged temperament and serious wound, his fate is sealed. Faced with death, Hagen escapes with nothing more than retaliation on his mind.

The narrative involves a simple setup but there are other themes that peek through and offer some interesting points for thought. The commentary about the mistreatment of mixed bred dogs and the correlation to the rising frustrations and injustices scene in society is the strongest point.  It’s a story about power and how it has been utilized to abuse and restrain. It’s also a story about the taking of power and the choices associated with how this responsibility should be utilized. Yes, this is a story about a dog, but it is obvious that the writer was striving for larger perspectives.

The film transitions with an unexpected turn, changing “White God” from a dramatic film into a horror film. It’s a daring twist but the director clearly understands how genre functions, implementing characterized traits like stalking perspectives and dark figures moving in the shadows to establish the atmosphere. What strongly assists this change is the fact that the director utilized real dogs, two hundred plus trained dogs that sprint through the streets, jump over obstacles, and make a formation that is similar to a army tactical stance. It’s stunning filmmaking that displays the creativity employed by the director. What is somewhat unfortunate is that this grand and bold event of animal uprising doesn’t take advantage of the event from a photography perspective. Many of the scenes are still composed with shaky camera work or a stationary “point and shot” style. This may in part be an unavoidable obstacle because of the amount of choreography needed for the trained animals during the scene. Regardless of this minor creative choice, the finale is enthralling, sad, and beautiful.

“White God” is a brutal film at times, one that could split animal lovers over the difficult scenes the dogs are placed in. The story is simplistic with a genre twist that changes it from a touching drama about a young girl and her dog into a brutal commentary about animal abuse and finally into a gory revenge filled horror film. It’s unlike any animal film you will likely see produced in America.

Monte’s Rating

4.00 out of 5.00

Ex Machina - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Ex Machina  

Director: Alex Garland

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Alicia Vikander

108 Minutes

Rated R

Ava is a robot with exceptional artificial intelligence. She is beautiful, intelligent, emotional, affected, and curious. She is also the trapped subject of scientific analysis, the caged bird that when released will change everything about the world that we know. Good science fiction always asks difficult questions, most of the time without an easy to explain answer. While the structure of science fiction films can become overwhelmed by special effects and unnecessary spectacle, these films are still completely amusing in ways that similar films, like action films, are not. It’s the fascination with theory and how well a sci-fi film can support a hypothesis. Director Alex Garland builds a methodical structure with an intelligent narrative, one that focuses on relationships between men and women, the advancing world and how it connects with progressing technology, and the trappings and limitations of science. “Ex Machina” is a welcome addition to the list of exceptional science fiction films.

Nathan (Oscar Isaac) is a reclusive mogul who invented the world’s foremost search engine. Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is a programmer who wins an invitation to meet and work with Nathan on his private research compound. After being dropped off by a helicopter and venturing through a forest, Caleb arrives at a door and is greeted by a computer. Once inside Caleb meets with the egocentric Nathan who discusses all aspects of science, religion, and art with Caleb. These discussions are all in preparation for Caleb to meet Ava (Alicia Vikander), a robot whose fabricated skeleton is accommodated by a human face. Caleb is to conduct a test to determine whether he can identify Ava as a computer. Ava is intrigued by the new visitor and begins to conduct her own tests on Caleb.

Alex Garland wrote and directed the film; his measured pacing in the script shapes and molds some great scenes of tension but also surprisingly some touching emotional moments. The characters are constantly changing, affected by the people and situations around them. Whether Ava who continually learns and adapts, Caleb who is pulled into different allegiances, or Nathan who is constantly embattled by his own intelligence and isolation, Garland exhibits a keen eye for character development and utilizes all these elements to make the narrative mysterious, suspenseful, sad, and insightful. Garland also uses the characters to to ask important questions that add depth to the story but are also simply offered to spark the viewers own reasoning. It's what good writing should do.

While the film doesn’t lean on special effects, it does utilize it in nearly every scene with Ava. The composition of her robot and human attributes are outstandingly rendered and intricately constructed, this deign is also used to provide depth to the character. Ava’s body is fashioned with a metallic mesh but her face, hands, and feet are covered with skin. This allows the character to portray emotion through her face, express feelings of anger and tenderness with her hands, and show direction and motivation with her feet. It’s a well-conceived design that contributes to the ambiguous objectives that Ava presents as the film progresses.  Actress Alicia Vikander gives a confident and sensitive portrayal as Ava, a true breakout performance.

Oscar Isaac is terrific as the ego-driven inventor Nathan, who is always gleefully a step ahead of everyone. Isaac does the best work when Nathan’s weaknesses overcome him, moments that lead to dancing and intellectual sparing matches with Caleb and sometimes himself. Domhnall Gleeson is also good as Caleb. Whether his fanboy-like admiration of Nathan or his easily manipulated emotional attachment to Ava, Gleeson does a great job of transitioning from susceptibly trusting to questioningly suspicious.

Alex Garland, who started his career as a novelist and screenwriter, makes an impressive directorial debut.  “Ex Machina” is an exceptional film on many levels, but perhaps the most admirable quality exists in the questions it proposes and the answers it allows the viewer to contemplate.

Monte’s Rating

4.50 out of 5.00

Ex Machina - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

Ex Machina  

Starring Domnhall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, and Oscar Isaac

Directed by Alex Garland

Rated R

Run Time: 108 minutes

Genre: Science Fiction

Opens April 24th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

Science fiction is rarely as thought-provoking and well-acted as Ex Machina, an outstanding entry in the genre that thematically challenges and excites. The sci-fi genre has been anemic in cinema as of late: despite bold mainstream efforts like Interstellar and the occasional surprises like Moon and Source Code, there remain few impactful films that want to attack real-world issues with force and gravitas. Here, the message of monitoring our search history and using it for ulterior motives is latched onto with tenacity for narrative momentum. What could happen if the man behind such a powerful creation, in the vein of a twisted Steve Jobs or Larry Page, decided to use everyone's search history as a means of creating truly artificial intelligence? That's the moral, ethical, and scientific dilemma at the heart of Alex Garland's directorial debut, a fiercely fought film with a central issue that wages between the three lead characters, all played terrifically by the up-and-coming stars inhabiting their roles. The film is always gripping, mysterious, and ends with another foreboding sign of how humanity can corrupt just about anything.

The film opens with Caleb (Domnhall Gleeson), a 26-year old programmer at the world's largest Internet company. Eerily resembling Google, his work involves coding that guides a person's searches based on their browser history, building an online profile that continues to grow more accurate over time. Caleb wins an internal lottery at the company that involves an exclusive retreat to the CEO's house in an undisclosed, far away location that can only be reached by a helicopter. That reclusive man is Nathan (Oscar Isaac), a genius that indulges in healthy workouts and excessive drinking. You know, two things that go together like hair and carrots. Nathan has not just seemingly chosen Caleb at random; rather, he knows Caleb is one of his smartest employees and wants to see if he can identify true A.I. on his own. The subject is Ava (Alicia Vikander), a robot that has been gifted with a prosthetic face and the ability to feel and supposedly think for herself. There are questions regarding how she is sentient: is it reactionary, or does she actually generate feelings on her own without help from Caleb's questioning or his emotions? The "Turing" test performed by the central characters feels timely considering the popularity of last year's The Imitation Game, as well as the relevancy of search engines being used as a form of intelligence.

Writer-director Alex Garland makes a startlingly cognizant, relevant piece of social commentary that is suspenseful and gripping. He previously wrote Danny Boyle's Sunshine, 2012's Dredd remake, and the masterpiece Never Let Me Go. His talents find their way to words here once more, as his characters are vividly drawn and the performances sing from the script. There are some remarkable scenes in the film that hint at the true nature of Nathan: one where he scolds a non-English speaking servant at the dinner table, another where he sits drunk in a dark room observing Caleb, and one late in the film (which I won't discuss) that proves just how much of a cat-and-mouse game the film becomes. There's a masterful sense of suspense, particularly as the A.I. that is at stake can shake the foundation of the world as we know it. Gleeson's performance is surprising in the lead; not overblown, simply subdued and understated, perhaps too much so. Maybe that's to counter the complete coolness that Isaac exudes as Nathan. There are simply no other up-and-coming actors as talented as Isaac, and he is phenomenal here. His performance reminds me of a young Brando and, oddly enough, an older version of the actor as Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now.

That brings us to Vikander. She's been an outstanding actress in films like A Royal Affair (a criminally underrated romance with Mads Mikkelsen), Anna Karenina (where she plays a young lover that remains the best part of that adaptation), and even the dismissed The Fifth Estate (where she plays a thankless role, but shines when the script allows it). She has the challenge of playing a robot that is much smarter than a normal computer chip, speaking with clarity and the ability to spew sarcasm and condescension. It's subtle, but Garland writes the role with intelligence. Fitting, considering how artificial it supposedly is. There's a remarkably funny conversation in the middle of the film surrounding her physical features, namely why Nathan decides to impose upon her the sexual features of a normal human being. That leads to some telling moments that provide more insight into just how Nathan has been building his A.I., and what it entails in the long-term. The film builds to a glorious conclusion, one that promises just as much as it pays off. It's rare to find a science-fiction film with this grand sense of loneliness and the descent into madness that inventions can spark; the technological themes that pervade our modern culture are expertly handled as well. Ex Machina may well stand as a sci-fi classic years from now, as a great embodiment of our heavily-monitored culture.

The Age of Adaline - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

The Age of Adaline  

Starring Blake Lively, Harrison Ford, Michiel Huisman, Ellen Burstyn, Amanda Crew, Kathy Baker

Directed by Lee Toland Krieger

Rated PG-13

Run Time: 110 minutes

Genre: Romance

Opens April 24th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

The Age of Adaline fits almost every romantic trope imaginable, albeit under the guise of a timeless story not bound by the confines of time. If that sounds cheesy or hackneyed, it's because the film is just as much so, but it wears those derivatives on its sleeve without regret. There's a sense of being fundamentally assured throughout director Lee Toland Krieger's film, with confident, surprisingly moving performances from Blake Lively and Harrison Ford. Logic isn't important when it comes to laying out the film's central premise, regarding a woman that has failed to age for the past eight decades, but once we get past that far-fetched conceit, the film works on surprising dramatic heft. She's a woman that refuses to love when it almost always costs her; doesn't that sound familiar? The script features the usual clichéd central romance and its blossoming and downfall, but it works here, particularly as the character's maturity emerges through her actions. While conventional in practically every sense, Adaline knows how to weave an impactful story.

The story follows Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively), a normal baby born in the early 1900s in San Francisco, that suddenly found her life changed after a horrible auto accident. It led to her car falling into a lake, being struck by lightning, and causing her life to begin again with her cells ceasing to age after that moment. As the narrator discusses, it's a genetic trait that becomes understood in the year 2035, so of course they don't know why it's happening now! Adaline still attempts to live her life normally, giving birth to a daughter, Flemming (played in present day by Ellen Burstyn), while her husband unfortunately passes away during a construction accident on the Golden Gate Bridge. Adaline vows to never fall into a relationship again, nor will she ever tell her secret to anyone but her daughter, causing her to run around for most of her life, claiming different identities and avoiding the grasps of the FBI, amongst others, who believe she is a unique case. Jump to present day and she meets Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman), a persistent man that wants to understand Adaline despite her having no interest. Eventually, feelings develop and Adaline meets William (Harrison Ford), Ellis's father, who seems to know that something is peculiar about Adaline.

Upon Ford's introduction, the film establishes narrative purpose and emotional power. Before that moment, much of the film is doled out as exposition from the omniscient narrator or through conventional pieces of dialogue where men hit on Adaline and she refuses any advances. It's a mostly one-dimensional romance until William emerges; then, the film absolutely thrives. There are delicate, impassioned moments with Ford that stands as his finest acting in the past two decades; considering the films he has starred in, that may not sound like much, but it's a tremendously affecting performance. This is also the best work Lively has done on the big screen, making a character that could feel old-fashioned and archaic feel raw and (pardon the pun) alive. The Age of Adaline relies too heavily on implausibility and character instability to make a complete effect, with too many "big" romantic moments overpowering the delicate second act that makes the film a highly gripping romance. Nonetheless, the above performances and Huisman's effective turn make the film engaging past its inherent predictability.

Cloud of Sils Maria - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

Clouds of Sils Maria  

Starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloe Grace Moretz, Lars Eidinger, Johnny Flynn

Directed by Olivier Assayas

Rated R

Run Time: 124 minutes

Genre: Drama

Opens April 24th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

Clouds of Sils Maria slowly matures into its own confident work, backed by two exceptional lead performances. Juliette Binoche plays the main protagonist as a woman marked by a battle with her own past, while Kristen Stewart plays her young assistant that manages not only her daily tasks, but also her emotional distress and personal struggles. They form a striking friendship that informs the film's confusingly dazzling narrative, one that navigates artistry and its influence on one's personal life as well as their professional evolution. The dialogue is the most challenging part of the film: scenes that feel like genuine arguments between characters turn out to be characters rehearsing from a script, while others scream authenticity despite the expectation that they’ll turn out to be fake. Writer-director Olivier Assayas infuses the film with a keen, touching eye at the aging spotlight for women in acting, drawing on obvious inspirations like Mulholland Dr. and Syencdoche, New York. While Clouds of Sils Maria does not reach those levels of profound realization, it observes the life of its protagonists keenly and with gentility. Binoche and Stewart are sensational.

The film focuses on Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche, best known to American actors for her recent appearances in Godzilla and Words and Pictures), an aging actress that has not found proper roles in a world that dismisses women of a certain age. She struggles with offers for films that she has no interest in, mainly blockbusters that favor special effects over story and could care less about avoiding clichés if it still meant making a big chunk of change. She’s not wrong, but she also sounds like the typical elder complaining about the new age materials. Nonetheless, she is offered a role in a reboot of a play that catapulted her career twenty years earlier, this time taking on the older role while a troublesome, talented young actress named Jo-Ann Ellis (Chloe Grace Moretz) steps into her old shoes. Maria’s assistant, Valentine (Kristen Stewart), is overwhelmed with demands for Maria to speak at a late playwright’s event, in addition to Maria’s needy nature and her desire for perfection in her work.

Assayas directs the film with delicacy, often lingering on characters for their full emotional reactions. Stewart is the subject of many of these moments, reacting to Maria’s insecurities as she externalizes them onto Valentine’s dialogue and makes her feel like she’s being insulted. It makes for some riveting scenes, even if they sometimes feel forced from Maria; perhaps that’s intentional considering Maria’s fragility. Both women like to get drunk, a lot, and smoke as if their lungs can’t stand fresh air. They also combat each other often in their words, with Valentine often defending Jo-Ann’s wild public antics while Maria cannot stand her personality and how little she seems to care for the craft. There’s a sense of high class surrounding stage acting that is undoubtedly an old blood feel, but it also testifies to the personal connection Maria feels with her character. The on-stage persona, after all, commits suicide at the end of the play. Does Maria have the same fate? That mirroring of art and life is one of the many affecting traits of Clouds of Sils Maria, and helps the film triumph over its occasional dramatic hiccups.

True Story - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

True Story  

Director: Rupert Goold

Starring: Jonah Hill, James Franco, and Felicity Jones

There are always two sides to every story. The back and forth, cat and mouse, discussions between a suspected murderer and a discredited journalist takes focus in director Rupert Goold’s “True Story”, which also happens to be based on a true story. The truth lies somewhere in between the two men throughout the majority of the film, with analysis focusing on the unusual bond between the two and how each uses the other to discover reason behind the choices that have come to define them. What is unfortunate is that these thought-provoking insights are simply lost amongst a script that never explores the depths of the characters or the inherent drama that exists between them.

Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) is a highly regarded New York Times investigative reporter whose reputation is targeted after writing an article with fabricated truths. Finkel retreats to Montana with his girlfriend Jill (Felicity Jones) and begins to pick up the pieces of his now tarnished career. Finkel can’t find work until a terrible crime connects him with a murderer named Christian Longo (James Franco) who is accused of killing his entire family and then utilizing Finkel’s name as an alias while on the run.

Finkel at one point in the film tells a group of mourning family members that every person deserves to have their story told. It’s one of the more interesting comments in the film, one that displays Finkel’s misguided ambition and continued trouble with the truth while also portraying the persuasive power that Longo holds over Finkel. Is it all a guise or could Longo be telling the truth? This question concerning Longo’s ambiguous character is proposed early on though unfortunately doesn’t so much as hint at the answer than it does paint it on billboard for everyone to see. This lack of subtlety becomes a major problem for this narrative that is trying to build a mystery between the two men. When the answers aren’t being easily revealed the insightful questions, like the one that looks at the difficult moral choice for the somewhat arrogant Finkel, are merely touched upon. Better execution could have offered a change in the dynamic between the characters for greater dramatic effect.

Jonah Hill is a good actor though many of his skills are underutilized here. His character starts arrogant, then apologetic, and then fascinated, and Hill displays those attributes with ease but many times within the story these come off as heavy-handed and not necessarily assistive to the emotional tone of the moment. James Franco has an even tougher time playing the confusing suspect, while his soft mannerisms add a creepy quality the role is ultimately relinquished to glares and stares and strained monologues. Felicity Jones is left to fill in the gaps when Hill and Franco aren’t sitting across from each other. She isn’t given much but she makes the most of the opportunities provided.

Still, apart from the flaws, “True Story” attempts to do something different than what is often seen within the true crime genre. By focusing on these two men struggling with different aspects of the truth, the film touches on the beginnings of a refreshing filmmaking approach with interesting questions. It’s unfortunate that these questions aren't always satisfyingly explored.

Monte’s Rating

2.50 out of 5.00

Unfriended - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

Unfriended  

Starring Heather Sossaman, Matthew Bohrer, Courtney Halverson, Shelley Hennig, and Moses Jacob Storm

Directed by Leo Gabriadze

Rated R

Run Time: 82 minutes

Genre: Horror

Opens April 17th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

Unfriended is a deceptively smart horror tale about bullying in a cyber age. Told exclusively through a computer screen and mostly through interactions on Skype and Facebook, the film could have fallen into a trap of feeling socially forced or irrelevant; instead, its scares are smart, economical, and altogether rewarding. There's an urgency that never lets up, particularly as characters are killed off at an alarming rate and in typical slasher form. Perhaps most surprising, though, is the film's delightful sense of self, as its humor ensures the film doesn't become too heavy-handed even as it deals with undeniably chilling themes of cyberbullying and suicide. Writer Nelson Graves and director Leo Gabriadze have crafted a narrative filled with twisted archetypes of normal horror characters, making the film a slightly refreshing and self-aware tale in a modern age. Running a scant 81 minutes, it breezes through all of its scares while letting them simmer enough for impact.

The film focuses on Blaire (Shelley Hennig), who starts off watching a suicide video on LiveLeak. It happens to be of one of her closest friends, Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman), who took her own life one year ago from this date. Blaire calls up her boyfriend, and then talks with her friends through a Skype group chat. Yet they each start to receive mysterious messages from Laura's online accounts. Assuming someone has hacked into the accounts and wants to torment them (it's probably just an Internet troll, they say; oh, how wrong they are), they don't take the threats seriously. When one of them mysteriously gets disconnected and appears to have committed suicide, the threats feel more real. They cannot leave the chat because if any of them do, they die. Laura's supernatural presence carries through all of their devices, asking them to make up for the sins of their past and admit to everything they did that led to her emotional ruin. Blaire, the supposed good girl, has her own secrets that Laura senses, and neither will rest until they come to terms with one another.

Meta narratives are the new black now, and rightfully so; with recent successes like The Cabin in the Woods and You're Next, the horror genre has proven ripe for social commentary as well as in need of drastic innovation. Here, the story takes what admittedly sounds like a tacky, cheap premise (let's have the entire story take place on a computer screen!) and makes it a necessary adventure in the modern era. It's technologically savvy and cognizant of how the Internet has changed the way we interact with one another; these characters feel deeply lonely when they are not talking to each other either through video chat or messages, and that feels cold and empty. The characters are a strange highlight of the film: what could be boring life forces are actually slight variations of the traditional Slut, Stoner, Virginal Good Girl, Aggressively Dumb Man, and Unidentifiable Love Interest. They have names but why should we even mention them? The film's thematic impact feels slightly lessened in its middle when the story focuses on kills, but the ending is surprisingly impactful and reminds me of another bully-minded release from 2015, A Girl Like Her. Unfriended doesn't necessarily reinvent the wheel, but it makes the ride efficiently entertaining.

An Interview with director Dan Fogelman

by Michael Clawson

Writer Dan Fogelman, known largely for his Disney scripts — including Tangled, the Cars franchise and Bolt — was tucked in a back corner of the Phoenix Film Festival premiere party. No one recognized him. The luxury of being a screenwriter.

He’s in Phoenix not just for his screenwriting, though: he’s directed his first film, Danny Collins, from a script he wrote, and the film kicked off the annual festival. I caught up with him to chat about the film just 30 minutes before Danny Collins’ Phoenix premiere.

Phoenix Film Festival: Tell me about the film. I know a little about it, but I’d love to hear how you describe it.

It’s a redemption story. It’s based on real story about a guy named Steve Tilston. I came across his story on the Internet. He had done an interview as an 18-, 19-year-old guy where he said he was worried about what fame and fortune might do to his music, and if he became famous what it might do to is art and how it might corrupt it. Cut to 40 years later, and he’s in his 60s and he gets a knock on the door and someone telling him that John lennon had read that interview and he had written him a letter that he had never heard of until that moment. The letter was advising him, cautioning him and gave guidance, and then had John Lennon’s home phone number. Steve didn’t get this letter until his 60s, long after Lennon was killed. And that was the inspiration for this redemption story.

PFF: How did the letter get lost?

It’s a complicated thing, and we took some liberties with this part of the movie, but the letter was sent to the musician in care of the magazine. It’s not that the letter was stolen, but that it was just rerouted the wrong way. It didn’t come back around until many decades later.

PFF: Amazing cast: Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Christopher Plummer, Jennifer Garner and Bobby Cannavale. Had any of them met Lennon?

Pacino had met him a couple of times. Once or twice. He’s been telling stories lately about walking the streets of New York City and running into Lennon. He knows Yoko a little. al only really knew him tangentially At the premiere, I heard that Yoko had left a letter for Al . I don’t know what it said, though. One can only imagine. I’m not sure if Christopher Plummer had — I’m going to his Hollwyood Walk of Fame ceremony tomorrow morning in LA.

PFF: If Yoko did write a letter, someone should lose it for 30 years or so and then give it him.

Exactly. There’s a line in the movie where Annette Bening asks how that letter makes him feel, and he says, “You know what I think, I wish he would have sent that to my house so I wouldn’t have lived a bullshit life for 40 years.” That’s basically the story of the film.

PFF: Bobby Cannavale is great in everything he’s in.

The film is a gentle, sweet and sentimental — hopefully not tipping over into sentimentality — but the film makes people feel good. And Bobby is perfect in the film. I’m a very harsh critic of my own stuff, and I‘ve watched this movie more than any human being should be forced to watch a movie, but every time Bobby is on the screen he’s perfect. He’s an exceptional actor, but also a very normal guy. For whatever reason, maybe because of his theater works, it’s taken people a long time to find him. But that has made him very balanced. I think he’s on the edge of some very incredible things.

PFF: I interviewed him for Station Agent early in his career, and he was amazing. I’m glad he’s in more things these days.

Bobby says what he thinks. We package ourselves in this day and age. He doesn’t package himself. He’s a real guy. He’s happiest on the stage, and he’s good at it. He doesn’t really care about all this stuff, yet he’s a TV star, theater star and film star.

PFF: Speaking of the cast, Al Pacino seems to only get better with age. He could easily slip into parody at this point, but he can still get lost in performances.

It’s great to hear you say that, because a lot of people like to talk about the big over-the-top performances, but it’s not fair at all to him. Look at his body of work over the last 10 years. While there hasn’t necessarily been a blockbuster film, he’s still done incredible work on Broadway, on HBO, in films. He’s not a guy trying to make the almighty buck. He’s an actor and he’s 75 years old and he’s acting his ass off. It was amazing to work with him. I’ve been five years with Al, and it doesn’t get any better than that.

PFF: That sounds like a great title for a movie: Five Years With Al.

He’s nuts in the all the ways you want him to be nuts. And he’s a great guy. He’s great here as Danny Collins.

PFF: How was it directing your first film?

It is different, and more responsibility. When you write a script, it could be best movie in the world or a real piece of shit. At some point the film leaves my hands and it goes to someone else. But when you’re the director it’s your job to make that script into the film. On this particular film, and I say this genuinely, any fault of the movie is my own. I’m very proud of the film. I got to make the movie I wanted to make as a director and a screenwriter. There other directors who would have made a worse film, or better film, or even just a different film, but I felt like I wanted to tell this story the way I wanted to tell it and I got that opportunity.

PFF: And now you’re here in Arizona opening it.

My fiancee went to Arizona State University, and I’ve traveled through Arizona many times. We opened the film last week in New York and Los Angeles, and then it rolls out much wider in a couple more weeks. But it’s exciting to be showing the film now because people don’t know the film. They’re walking into something they largely haven’t heard of. I’ve worked on lots of movies, and I know when I’m working on a bad one, and I genuinely think this is a good one, and it’s exciting to be in a room with 300 or 400 people who have no clue what’s going to happen. This film is a commercial and populist film and an accessible film that I know this room of people are going to love. When people don’t know anything about a movie the movie can really sweep them away.

PFF: I have a niece, I imagine everyone does, who would go crazy if they knew I was interview someone who had anything to do with Tangled. Does it surprise you that movies still have the power to transcend everything that came before them?

Yeah, it’s always a little surreal to see films take off the way they do. My friends [Glenn Ficarra and John Requa] directed Crazy Stupid Love and I wrote it. We knew as we finished it that people would attach to it in a different way. I felt that way when I saw Tangled for the first time. There are certain ones. You make movies every year or so when you do what I do, but you can just feel it when they lock in a certain way. Tangled locks in for little girls and families. Cars did the same thing. And Crazy Stupid Love. And I think Danny Collins will too for a certain audience.

The Longest Ride - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

The Longest Ride  

Starring Scott Eastwood, Britt Robertson, Alan Alda, Oona Chaplin, and Jack Huston

Directed by George Tillman Jr.

Rated PG-13

Run Time: 128 minutes

Genre: Romance

Opens April 10th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

The Longest Ride is, indeed, a long ride, lasting over two hours and spanning over 70 years in narrative time. It's an overly familiar, highly derivative, and predictably overblown romance. The story follows two different romances spanning multiple generations, a storyline that should feel familiar to anyone that knows a Nicholas Sparks novel. His books are much the same every time they are adapted to film form; I'm starting to grow concerned as to whether The Notebook is actually a great romance or if its surprising lead actors made the film feel more unique than it actually was. Nonetheless, Sparks' latest film adaptations, including the gloriously nonsensical The Lucky One, have the emotional sense of a stunted teenager, making their dialogue increasingly dumbfounding in just how little they understand about human interaction. That concept grows tired here as the story falls into self-seriousness and genuinely believes it's a worthwhile love story, feeling like another unnecessary romance without anything of substance to say.

The story follows a fledgling young couple, including Sophia (Britt Robertson), a fraternity girl that has an internship lined up after college at an art gallery in New York. It's what she's been wanting to do for her whole life, ever since her immigrant family (yes, this blonde art student with an American accent has lived through the difficulties of an immigrant life, so her struggle is real) moved to the United States when she was a kid. She meets a young bull rider named Luke (Scott Eastwood), a rambunctious sort that wants to be the best of his kind in the world but has to deal with a potentially life-threatening injury. His return from that harrowing incident a year later leads to the two love birds finding each other, and their story crosses the path of a dying war veteran, Ira (Alan Alda). Ira tells the lovers a story of his younger self (played by Boardwalk Empire's Jack Huston) falling in love with Jewish immigrant Ruth (Oona Chaplin), and their story as he returns from World War II and must deal with his presumed PTSD and her obsession with art and wanting a family. The stories are simplistic and straightforward, without much time to catch one's breath in between jumps in time.

Look, every audience member knows what they are seeing when they step into a Nicholas Sparks film. It's the same type of romance, spanning multiple generations, usually, and involving some type of ailment/disease that causes a main character to die. Yet they continue to sell because they are often filled with breakthrough performances from the leads. While Robertson and Eastwood are not remarkable actors, they infuse the roles with life and compassion, even if they sometimes feel like they are delivering lines like robots attempting to feel for the first time. Director George Tillman Jr. does not add to or take away from the film; one can only do so much with an incompetent script. There's no semblance of a grander story at stake, nor is there a strong driving force behind the battle of the two lead lovers, particularly as it becomes apparent that they will find a happy ending even if their stubbornness should not warrant such a result. Perhaps surprisingly, despite their stubbornness, the characters are ultimately good people, which makes discrediting the film all the more challenging. The story, though, feels like a poorly woven retelling of Sparks' other better works, forcing the 128-minute ride to end with a thud on the ground.

Insurgent - Movie Review by Michael Clawson

Insurgent Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Octavia Spencer, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q

Director: Neil Burger, Robert Schwentke

by Michael Clawson of Terminal Volume

If you ever find yourself at a hotel at the same time as a tax seminar for accountants, pop your head into a conference room and listen to the table banter, and then marvel: “This would make a great movie!”

The writers of The Divergent Series had a similar “eureka!” moment when they waded through the murky melodrama of Veronica Roth’s young adult novels, about teens obsessing over dialogue so inane that nearly every word is meaningless without some kind of long-lost decoder ring. “Dauntless is conspiring with Abagnation. Erudite and Candor are helpless. Not even Amity can do anything.” “We need a full-blooded Divergent to open the box.” “The Factionless are in the war with us against Abagnation.” You could find more interesting dialogue in a parts manual for a 1998 Tercel.

We descend further down the rabbit hole of mindless plot points with Insurgent, the sequel to last year’s ambitiously wrecked Divergent. Recall from the first movie, a dystopian future world is broken down into five factions: Erudite, Amity, Dauntless, Abagnation and Candor. There is no reason for the factions, except the big reason: teens like reading about characters being separated into groups. It’s why there is a Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter books, districts in the Hunger Games, tiers of professions in last year’s stupendous Giver, and all the pouty-faced beast races in Twilight.

Amid the five factions are the occasional Divergent, a person whose very soul can’t be classified into any faction. Villain Jeanine (Kate Winslet) can’t stand Divergents — something about how band geeks just aren’t allowed to sit at the lunch table with cheerleaders and football players — so she wages a violent war against the factions that shelter them. The star Divergent is Tris (Shailene Woodley), who’s the Neo of this absurdly designed Matrix.

Tris runs around with a Lost Boys-like gang of other Divergents and faction turncoats — including two ex-boyfriends: Ansel Elgort from The Fault in Our Stars, and Miles Teller from The Spectacular Now — without a coherent plan except to kill Jeanine, who believes in the faction system so tremendously that there is nothing the film can do to justify her passionate devotion.

Yeesh, this movie! It just goes nowhere and does nothing. So much time and energy is spent convincing us that these factions are important, or not important at all, that the charade can’t sustain itself for a whole movie. We visit the Amish hippies of Amity, who are so cheerful you want to sock them. Later, Tris and company board a train full of Factionless, who are proto-punk hooligans with bad haircuts. In one particularly awful segment, Tris and her current boyfriend Four (Theo James) are captured by Candor, whose motto is apparently “Truthiness Forever.” Candor bigwigs inject them with a truth serum, which reveals at least one truth: even with all barriers removed from their thoughts, these are boring people.

The biggest problem is that everyone’s motivations are absolutely confounding. It feels like the film is marching toward an abolishment of the factions, but why and for what purpose? Most people in factions seem to like their factions, so what reason would they have to join Tris and fight the oppressive system? And Jeanine only wants martial law, which is movie code for “I’ll do whatever I want,” an act that will allow her to preserve the faction system for no other reason than “just because.”

The film does end on a high note, with Tris confronting five simulated challenges within a mysterious box found in the rubble of her parents’ home. The box promises to hold secrets that are important to the plot, and it lives up to those promises. If only this box would have played a more significant role earlier in the film.

Although the movie looks great — some of the special effects, especially in the mystery box, are awesome — and has a talented cast, Insurgent can never break out of its broken premise, to which every character, every plot point and every syllable of atrocious dialogue bows in idolatrous worship.

'71 - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

'71  

Starring Jack O'Connell, Sam Reid, Sean Harris, Richard Dormer, Paul Anderson, and Charlie Murphy

Directed by Yann Demange

Rated R

Run Time: 99 minutes

Genre: War Drama

Opens March 13th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

'71 is a brutal and uncompromising work powered by a fantastic lead performance from up-and-comer Jack O'Connell. Centering on a rarely-discussed topic in film, the story navigates the tumultuous time in the 1970s and 1980s when the IRA (Irish Republican Army) was part of a religious and political divide between the UK and Ireland. Pro-UK supporters were traditionally Protestants while pro-independence individuals were predominantly Catholics backed by the IRA. This led to chaotic violence and endless debates surrounding citizens' rights and the independence of a hopeful-to-be nation. That allows for conflict to constantly simmer underneath the narrative while British soldiers trained to control the population, ensuring riots or other organized demonstrations do not lead to any death. That moment leads to the film's inciting incident where O'Connell's Gary gets caught in the crossfires and must abandon his post in order to survive. Very few films demonstrate the callousness and savagery behind most acts of violence, and '71 tackles those moments with profound regret. It's a masterful film.

Gary is a young man thrown into the mix of the British military, going through extensive training before being dispatched to Belfast in Northern Ireland. Their job is not exactly the most glamorous work: holding firm as rioters move through their own city in hopes of claiming it as their own, citing Irish independence as their motivation. It's brutal for Gary and his company to stand with arms locked as people spit in their faces and simply want to be their own population; it's gradually depicted in a compassionate light, even if their actions are particularly vile in these moments. When the people continue to push and force Gary and his men to give in for a short while, a young boy grabs a soldier's gun and runs off in the distance. Gary chases him down, attempts to take the gun back, and gets beaten up by two older men who are part of the resistance. When another soldier attempts to come to the aid, they are held up by the violent men before one comes over and shoots Gary's comrade in the head. Gary runs for his life, abandoning his post, and falls into a world that terrifies him and feels unrecognizable.

The British-Irish conflict is shown as its own circle of hell. Vile actions run rampant but they all hold significant impact because of their historical grounding and the film's savage depiction of war. There's nothing that will make you feel gung-ho about fighting for your country, particularly when Gary is forced to fight against the citizens that he is supposedly protecting. O'Connell's performance is brave and remarkable, even if it feels familiar to his work in 2014's Unbroken. So far, with those and Starred Up, he's stormed onto the scene as a strong physical and mental presence. He reminds me of a young Ernest Borgnine. Gregory Burke's screenplay explores the mindset of every side of the ethnographic argument during these harrowing times, which aids the emotional wallop of the film wonderfully. Director Yann Demange doesn't shy away from the horrifying moments: a surprise bombing, a brutal wound, and a gunshot to the head are shown in their entirety and treated as matters of the time and place, with no need to justify. '71 is ultimately deeply powerful, cutting to the gruesome core of war and examining it through the lens of a man caught at a moral crossroads.

Cinderella - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

Cinderella  

Starring Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter, Nonso Anozie, and Stellan Skarsgård

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Rated PG

Run Time: 112 minutes

Genre: Family/Adventure

Opens March 13th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella is classical and vibrant, a remarkable adaptation of the timeless fairy tale. I remained skeptical about a live-action adaptation of one of the most famous Disney animations until the first act ended, after which I was enthralled. Branagh brings the film faithfully to life while seamlessly infusing it with the ever-present themes of mortality and love. Tack on a more empowered hero than expected and the story brings forth the sense of wonder and enchantment that so few films for children lack nowadays. The emotional depth packed by the film is enforced by the talented actors rounding out the ensemble, with Ben Chaplin and Derek Jacobi providing compassionate father figures that mold and form the two lovers at the heart of the film. The standout, though, is Cate Blanchett, a woman whose foul stench from her soul emanates through the screen into the theater; after playing powerful figures throughout her career, whether evil or magical, she transforms into a bonafide villain with a sharpened tongue and cruel laugh. The ensemble makes Cinderella a tender and vivacious adventure.

For those unfamiliar with the legendary fairy tale, the story of Ella (Lily James) begins with the mournful death of her mother (Hayley Atwell). Her father (Ben Chaplin) works as a tradesman of sorts, traveling to neighboring lands and supporting the family to live in the house his family has owned for over 200 years. Lo and behold, his loneliness begins to dominate his personal life and he seeks out a fellow wealthy widow that needs help, and the two marry. Ella's new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) is a vile woman that uses the young woman as a servant around the house, which grows overwhelming after her father's death leaves her alone with the wretched matriarch. Her new stepsisters, Drisella (Sophie McShera) and Anastasia (Holliday Grainger), are nightmarishly materialistic and idiotic, forming a trifecta of awfulness with which Ella must cope. They assign her the name "Cinderella" because she wakes up one morning with ash from the fireplace on her face; this only happened because her attic dwelling was too cold and she needed warmth. Her life begins to look peachy, though, when she runs into "Kit" (Richard Madden), whom she later finds out to be Prince Charming.

The rest of the story is legend and familiar lore, yet that never hinders the film's impact. It's not a greatest hits compilation of the famous moments in hopes of earning a quick buck; Branagh makes the film feel isolated from the traditional Disney manufacturing line and in a realm of classical, old-fashioned storytelling. Down-to-earth and heartfelt are not terms usually assigned to fairy tales, but Cinderella warrants them. Chris Weitz's screenplay understands how to develop characters and give the audience context, assuming they know nothing about the story and filling in all of the necessary moments for emotional impact. A strange and brief Helena Bonham Carter appearance as the Fairy Godmother is not only inspired casting, but a wonderful dose of magic in a tale that otherwise feels grounded. James is exceptional in the lead, even if her corset-controlled figure sends an unnecessarily bad message about body image for young girls. Outside of that glaring issue, the film empowers Cinderella, particularly as her name becomes the form of emotional power that helps her grow into her own woman. Cinderella is a terrific Disney entry that shows promise for the future of live-action adaptations of their classics.

The Salvation - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

The Salvation  

Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Eric Cantona, and Jonathan Pryce

Directed by Kristian Levring

Rated R

Run Time: 92 minutes

Genre: Western

Opens March 13th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

The Salvation underutilizes the cool, mysterious presence of Mads Mikkelsen in a role seemingly unfit for the Danish export. He plays a Western hero of conventional sorts, marked by the tragic deaths of his family members as he seeks retribution and survival in a desolate landscape. The film comes from director Kristian Levring, who has not made a film since 2008, and he takes co-writing credits here with Anders Thomas Jensen. His absence from the screen potentially explains a disjointed narrative with undefined characters and clichéd motivations; characters are not so much defined by their actions as they are by their grander Western archetypes of old lore. A terrific supporting cast is mostly filler in these roles and the narrative wallows in violence far too much for my taste; instead of using exciting set pieces, the film instead opts for brutal acts of savagery that start to lose impact as they become pervasive. Tack on a non-speaking female role from Eva Green (the metaphor for feminine oppression in Western films is glaringly obvious) and the film feels like opportunities elbowing each other without breaking free.

The film centers on Jon (Mads Mikkelsen), a Danish immigrant who has worked seven years in the United States in hopes of settling himself for his family to move with him. When his wife and son arrive, they make plans for their future here: getting settled, Jon teaching his young boy how to hunt the following morning, etc. Something bad is bound to happen. On a joint wagon that is disrupted by two men who kick a friendly couple off their paid ride, Jon cannot stop the savages from threatening his wife and child. His wife is subjected to sexual assault while his son has a gun pointed at his head; the men ask Jon to jump off or they will kill both of his loved ones, and he's left with no choice. He jumps. He then runs after the wagon all night before discovering his wife and son dead, and he kills the two men responsible. Yet now, with Jon's loss of his family and all hope gone, a wild man named Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) wants to avenge his brother (one of the rapists/child killers), pursuing Jon without remorse. Madelaine (Eva Green) is Delarue's silent, submissive partner that wields wealthy but no power, aiming for a way out of her situation.

After Jon exacts his revenge, the film grinds to a momentous halt. The narrative propulsion from the admittedly drastic inciting incident should infuse the story with life and emotion. Instead, it feels oddly cold and distant. I think that's a fault in the casting of Mikkelsen, one of the best actors emerging in the business today; after his most recent roles in The Hunt and television's Hannibal, he's proven to be a man that can handle emotional turmoil and cold composure. Yet this role is drastically unrewarding for Mikkelsen, never crafting him as sympathetic so much as pitiful. The characters surrounding him are greedy and kill-first, a horrible mixture of individuals showing the West as a disgusting cesspool of ethnic violence and morbidity. That doesn't seem fitting. The desire for characters to move even farther West and acquire land could have made for a more compelling film, and recent Westerns like The Homesman and the remake of 3:10 to Yuma are drastically better, thematically similar films. The Salvation doesn't feel like it salvages much, except for a remarkably small population of depressed individuals.

Champs - Movie Review by Michael Clawson

Champs

Opening at FilmBar

by Michael Clawson of Terminal Volume

Bert Marcus’ boxing documentary Champs has a broad vision of the history of boxing and its cultural presence, but then, like many discussions about boxing, becomes laser-focused on two people and the one event that shaped the sport’s last golden era.

The boxers are, of course, Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, and the event is, of course, that one time Iron Mike chomped on Holyfield’s ear. It’s funny how that one nibble is ground zero for so much of boxing’s modern relevance. It just steamrolls everything else in its path; even Muhammad Ali is a footnote.

This isn’t a criticism of this beautifully shot and carefully written documentary, just an observation of Champs’ meandering from grand history to petty soap opera. What’s even more curious, and this is criticism, is how the film tells the story of a third character, reformed prison boxer Bernard Hopkins, but largely neglects him in favor of the more famous fighters. I found myself wanting to watch an entire movie just on Hopkins, without all of Champs’ rehashing of the Tyson/Holyfield drama.

Champs begins with an array of talking heads — Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Ron Howard and many others — praising boxing’s philosophical implications: man-versus-man, man-versus-self, a refuge for poor inner-city kids, “an escape from violence through violence,” … on and on with an array of metaphors. They say it’s a perfect sport, which is what the talking heads always say in these kinds of sports documentaries.

We eventually meet Bernard, who falls in with the wrong people and ends up in prison. He takes up boxing behind bars and before long he’s the best fighter at a string of prisons. Later, after he gets out, he goes on a stunning winning streak and then devotes the rest of his career to responsibly promoting young boxers. These chapters of his life are carved up into the larger narrative of the Tyson and Holyfield fights throughout the ’80s and ’90s.

Even people who know nothing of boxing know of Tyson and Holyfield. These are old stories, but they are given refreshingly new life in Marcus’ film. Both men are interviewed extensively, and both appear to be wiser than they once were. Tyson, a convicted rapist, even cries, in a scene that is genuinely heartbreaking. Holyfield is much more likable, especially when the film covers his 1984 Olympic controversy, in which a woefully misguided referee disqualifies him as he clobbers his way to gold. He eventually won the bronze, although everyone acknowledges Holyfield as the gold medalist.

And then there’s the chomp heard ‘round the world. I remember this 1997 fight. I was in high school at the time, and it was endlessly debated who was the stronger fighter, a debate that is still being waged today by many boxing fans. Holyfield would later forgive Tyson, an act that director Spike Lee is still surprised by: “A piece of his ear is gone forever,” he says.

The stories of Tyson and Holyfield always felt interrupted as they were happening so many years ago. Now that both men are older, and are at peace over their roles in each other’s lives, their respective stories have some closure. And looking at the whole thing from beginning to end, you realize how Dickensian it all is: poor kids rising up amid the struggle of sport and personality, fighting with themselves more than each other, confronting their bad decisions, owning their mistakes and pushing forward past fame. Both men are shown in their prime, in sprawling mansions with Rolls Royces, white tigers and swimming pools as big as lakes. Today they live modest lives in the suburbs with pickup trucks and Ikea furniture.

Champs has a number of dead-end ideas, including segments about the prevalence of black fighters coming from inner-city ghettos, the role of concussions and repeated brain trauma, the need for federal regulation, the role of money and power. These are interesting ideas with no conclusions. Before the film can say anything relevant about these issues it drops them and switches topics.

The photography, though, is wonderful. Subtle re-enactments, slow-mo footage of training sessions, examinations of boxing neighborhoods, and lots of historical footage fill the air between the interviewers.

One scene really stuck out for me: Tyson, in the throes of despair, finally realizes how little and insignificant he is. “The world is bigger than me,” he says, which should be the mantra for every fighter.