Race - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Race’ is a bronze-worthy film about a solid gold hero  

Directed by: Stephen Hopkins

Starring:  Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis, Shanice Banton, Jeremy Irons, William Hurt

“Race” (2016) – The 2016 Summer Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro are less than six months away, and an unknown group of future Olympic legends will earn gold.   Eighty years ago, an American legend earned gold in the most precarious of settings.  Under the brooding uprising of the Nazi Party, Berlin hosted the 1936 Olympics during a religiously and racially-oppressive time, but Jesse Owens spoiled Hitler’s Aryan celebration and – in the process - became one of the most beloved United States athletes of all-time.

In “Race”, director Stephen Hopkins guides Owens’ story, beginning with his time at Ohio State University through his famous moments in Germany in a memorable – but flawed - biopic which attempts to cover a few layers, including racial tensions on international and individual levels.  Not all of the movie’s threads completely work, but Stephan James is good as Owens.  He delivers a believable performance by showcasing the sprinter’s strong moral center, athletic gifts and battle with racial hostility long before he competed in Europe.   Even though Columbus, Ohio sits above the Mason-Dixon Line, Ohio State football players verbally hit Owens below the belt with numerous, eye-opening ethnic slurs, but his sometimes cantankerous coach Larry Snyder – nicely played by Jason Sudeikis – helps defend and support him.

The narrative places pressure on itself as well, as the movie volleys between Owens’ personal journey and the larger ramifications of the host country’s political beliefs.  With an impressive supporting cast, including acting heavyweights Jeremy Irons and William Hurt, they cover America’s internal struggle to send an Olympic squad to the 1936 games.  “Race” brings some visibility to the difficult decision to boycott or not boycott the Olympics and introduces Avery Brundage (Irons) as an interesting, key player in that choice.

Cinematographer Peter Levy made good decisions by successfully suspending our disbelief and pulling us into a magical time warp of the 1930s, when - during the Great Depression - magic was in short supply.  The movie’s most stunning visual - by a mile - is Owens’ entrance into Berlin’s Olympic Stadium in which thousands of spectators deliver a collective Nazi salute to Hitler with a very famous aircraft floating overhead.   Admittedly, however, some of the stadium scenes shot from above look a bit cartoonish via CGI, whether the structures sit in Ann Arbor, Columbus or Berlin.   The opening scene, actually, in which Owens jogs in a modest Cleveland neighborhood, looks terribly fake as well, but these are smaller quibbles.

At the end of the day, “Race” is about Owens, and the film works best in a couple key places.   First, any semi-student of history knows the overall race outcomes, but the film explores the drama behind them, including the bond between German jumper Carl ‘Luz’ Long (David Kross) and Owens.  Interestingly enough, since Owens ran short races, the on-screen capture of his events sometimes do not completely translate into a celebratory, cinematic way.  He finishes his races within a small number of seconds, and unfortunately, the drama sometimes does not take root.

Coach Synder and Owens’ relationship does take root, and Sudeikis and James share terrific rapport and deliver the most meaningful human relationship within the picture.  One could easily argue that Owens’ marriage to Ruth (Shanice Banton) is the most important, but the film never deeply dives into their connection.  The movie also covers Joseph Goebbels’ conflicts with filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl (Carice van Houten) and Brundage.  The additional themes attempt to bring a broader scope to the film but do feel unnecessary.  The added stories seem to hover outside the lanes in this bronze medal-worthy movie about an important, gold medal-winning hero.   (2.5/4 stars)

Risen - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Risen  

Director: Kevin Reynolds

Starring: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, and Cliff Curtis

In my college religion class the instructor once showed representations of biblical stories and characters in mainstream media, after a slew of images from film and television productions the instructor turned the television off and declared, “They will never get it right”.  Biblical stories have seen few successes and many failures. Movies like the epic “The Ten Commandments” and the standout “The Passion of the Christ” find much of their influence and direction from the bible, staying fairly accurate to the biblical presentation along the way. Still, it’s a very difficult sort of film to make; one that walks the fine line of portraying religious truth or taking advantage of the freedom of dramatic interpretation. “Risen” tries to live in both worlds, offering a story of Jesus that starts moments after he was crucified and adding an outlook from a character not represented in the bible. Unfortunately this proves a constant hindrance to the structure of the narrative even when it garners some good moments; this makes “Risen” only a commendable attempt of mixing source material with original ideas.

Yeshua (Cliff Curtis), the Hebrew name of Jesus, has been crucified, his body still hanging upon the cross. Pilate (Peter Firth), who ordered the crucifixion, is struggling with the possible political ramifications of killing a man many claimed to be the Messiah. Pilate calls upon his tribune Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) to expedite the process and make sure Yeshua, who proclaimed he would rise from death after three days, is actually dead.

From this starting point the film shifts gears into a sort of biblical crime procedural as the body of Yeshua vanishes from the tomb, which was sealed personally by Clavius. It’s an interesting change of pace, introducing a new angle with a new character to accommodate the story found in the bible. The script, written by Paul Aiello and Kevin Reynolds, builds nicely during this portion even though it never strays too far away from the source material. Those familiar with the bible story know exactly what is to come, but seeing it from the perspective of a character not in the literature offers a dramatic touch that works quite well in certain scenes within the film, unfortunately this doesn’t consistently happen.

Clavius is a non-believer, a soldier who trusts in what he can see and easily comprehend. Adding this character to the structure of the story provides a contrast of faith versus disbelief, especially when it comes to believing the direction of a man who Clavius witnessed dying. But this only works initially because of the clunky arrangement of the script and the poor dialog that evokes unwanted laughter in moments when the story is aiming for enlightenment. Joseph Fiennes may seem like a good choice as Clavius but he never completely fit the emotional composition of the character, the over stoic soldier type that Mr. Fiennes portrays never seems to connect the sentiment that he is truly affected by the divine experience.

“Risen” tells the recognizable biblical story through the eyes of a new perspective, implementing a clever narrative design that regrettably never completely hides the many lingering deficiencies within the script. While the film should find approval from the faith-based community it may not have the intervening effect, a clear aim of the film, which it does for the Roman solider Clavius.

Monte’s Rating

2.75 out of 5.00

How to Be Single - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

How To Be Single  

Director: Christian Ditter

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Alison Brie, Nicholas Braun, Anders Holm, and Damon Wayans Jr.

The red hearts are everywhere, the flowers are ready to be delivered, and the chocolates are available in vast assortments. For those not in a romantic relationship this upcoming Valentine’s Day weekend, prepare for every possible reminder that you are single. Call up your single friends and cast those Valentine’s Day worries aside because “How To Be Single” will give you a reason to go to the movies. Whether or not this film will provide the desired distractions is completely up to you. “How To Be Single” is a romantic comedy, offering quite a few funny moments, that barely escapes the trappings that have faltered many like it before.

Alice (Dakota Johnson) is a newcomer to New York City, just graduated and taking a break from her college boyfriend to find her identity as a single person. Alice is introduced to singlehood by Robin (Rebel Wilson), a bawdy and promiscuous partier who breaks down the rules of hookups and offers quick remedies for hangovers. Alice lives with her sister Meg (Leslie Mann), a self-absorbed obstetrician who doesn’t want a relationship but wants a baby. Add an indulgent womanizing bartender (Anders Holm) and a statistic focused Internet dater (Alison Brie) and the rugged roads on the journey to a relationship city are set.

Focusing a narrative on interweaving stories has potential to shorthand character development or general cohesiveness along the way. For the most part “How To Be Single” avoids these trappings, instead utilizing the familiar conventions to take advantage of a well-timed joke. However, it still falters when needing to wrap everything up nicely with a bow or when in the process of deciding how much the female characters should stand on their own two feet instead of relying on men to influence their resolution. The film pushes the two-hour mark, which is noticeable in the third act when the film slows to a crawl as the women and accompanying men conclude their stories. Leading up to this point you can feel the film slowly unraveling as confusions of being a single person in the big city and the woes of establishing a relationship are portrayed initially funny and amusing only to become repetitiously tedious.

Dakota Johnson leads the group and is the tie that holds the film together. Ms. Johnson’s naïve and innocent character composition allows her journey of maturation to feel more substantial than it otherwise would have been. Rebel Wilson is utilized in the same way audiences have seen her before, foul mouthed and looking to have a good time. It would have been a welcome design to see her character traverse the relationship spectrum like the other characters; instead she consistently plays the same note over and over. Leslie Mann also plays another variation of past characters, but like Ms. Wilson she is good at making the most out of the familiar role.

“How To Be Single” is an average romantic comedy, but that’s saying quite a bit considering the recent quality of these sort of films. The cast keeps the film on track and the narrative does a decent job of keeping the laughs, awkwardness, and sincere qualities consistent. It may not be as sweet as Valentine’s Day candy but it will suit those looking for a tame date movie or those seeking a reason to skip the greeting card company’s favorite day.

Monte’s Rating

2.75 out of 5.00

Deadpool - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Deadpool  

Director: Tim Miller

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Ed Skrein, Morena Baccarin, Gina Carano, and T.J. Miller

20^th Century Fox

100 Minutes

He wears a mask, but he’s not Batman. He wears a red suit, but he’s not Spiderman. He has regenerative powers, but he’s not Wolverine. He is Deadpool. You know that guy that we’ve all encountered at some point in our lives, the guy that says whatever he wants, is charming yet a jerk at the same time, can make the entire room laugh without so much as a hint of effort, that’s Deadpool. The comic book world knows him best as “the Merc with the Mouth”. Actor Ryan Reynolds has been lobbying for a standalone Deadpool movie for some time, it wasn’t until the Internet caught glimpse of some leaked test footage that the clamor began. First time director Tim Miller helms “Deadpool” and impressively crafts a film that is a mix of near perfect comic self-awareness, gruesome violence, and vulgarity that matches much of the tone that defines the character. On top of all of this, Ryan Reynolds was made to play this role and he completely owns the film.

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a former Special Forces operative working as a mercenary; he is a smart aleck with a soft side for helping those who can’t help themselves. Wade meets Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and falls in love; everything is going good until he finds out that he has terminal cancer. Looking for a cure Wade is lead to an experimental treatment, one that basically tortures him, disfigures him, and turns him into a reluctant superhero seeking simple revenge.

The narrative is structured through a series of flashbacks, basically an origin story woven into an action sequence. While this method has potential in creating some pacing issues, Mr. Miller does a fine job of keeping the film moving with purpose, keeping everything quick, and utilizing the time to play out the best scenarios in each scene. Everything within this film is completely self-aware; it understands the world of the superhero films that have already been established but also the reality of the people starring in the films. I don’t want to spoil the fun by revealing too much of this aspect, but when the “sexiest man alive” cover featuring Ryan Reynolds floats across the screen you know you’re in for a good time. Mr. Miller keeps this aspect consistently amusing throughout most of the film, though it is slightly overdone especially when the film needs to find its footing in the finale.

Ryan Reynolds does a fantastic job of utilizing his natural charm to find a comfortable balance between being comically self-deprecating and wittily brash.  The performance is very similar to some of Mr. Reynolds early work in films like “Van Wilder” and “Waiting…”. The supporting cast is good as well; T.J. Miller is a great sidekick of sorts to Deadpool and Morena Baccarin builds a sexually charged dynamic with Mr. Reynolds as the perfect love interest for this kind of film. Unfortunately the villains aren’t as good. Ed Skrein plays Ajax, a mutant villain who never seems to be a significant match for Deadpool. Mr. Skrein is overshadowed in most of the scenes, though this is not the fault of Mr. Skrein’s performance but rather an issue with the script that never seems too concerned with building a proper foe for Deadpool.

The action is violent and bloody here, a definite surprise for those only familiar with “The Avengers” or “X-Men” films. It’s a comedic roast of the identity that accompanies superhero films, an interesting direction that doesn’t fall into the family-friendly formula that Marvel has typified with their summer blockbusters. “Deadpool” is a hard R-rated film targeted for mature viewers and fans; it’s a welcome addition to the superhero catalog.  “Deadpool” is bound to become a franchise of its own; this introduction is a great foundation for the future. It’s funny, gory, and completely self-aware…the Deadpool that fans have been waiting for.

Monte’s Rating

4.25 out of 5.00

Zoolander 2 - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Zoolander 2’ tries too hard to be dumb  

Directed by: Ben Stiller

Starring:  Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Penelope Cruz

“Zoolander 2” (2016) - “Stupid is as stupid does.”  - Forrest Gump

“Life will throw everything in your path, and then it will throw the kitchen sink.”  - Andre Agassi

Admittedly, I am probably the only movie critic in America who never saw “Zoolander” (2001).  I really do not own a good reason for missing it, but I am keenly aware of its basic premise and viewed a portion of the infamous “gas station scene” on YouTube’s WatchMojo.com.   That and three dollars will buy me a Grande Americano at Starbucks!  Luckily, the opening of “Zoolander 2” provided a montage of news clips from 2001 to 2016 which offered some needed background on our hero and brought the audience up-to-date regarding the last 15 years of Derek Zoolander’s (Ben Stiller) life.

Without revealing many details, CPS estranged Derek from his son, and the spikey-haired, male model decided to go into hiding and become a “hermit crab”.   His crab days found an end, however, when fashion icon Alexanya Atoz (Kristen Wiig) calls Derek and his (former) best friend Hansel (Owen Wilson) to the runway, and both models find themselves in the public eye again.  Meanwhile, someone has been murdering the world’s biggest popstars, and Interpol agent Valentina (Penelope Cruz) asks Derek to help solve the series of crimes, while he also tries to connect with his son.

The premise makes perfect sense, right?   Well, the movie’s threads certainly do not seem the least bit plausible, but that is not the point, as director Ben Stiller throws every ridiculous gag, cameo, running joke, surprise, and the kitchen sink into this sequel.   Indeed, the over-the-top narratives are purposely-filled with bizarre visuals, circumstances and conversations, and many of the ideas do spawn belly laughs.  For example, a famous Saturday Night Live alum’s face is cinematically placed on an 11-year-old’s body, only for the sole purpose of showing off a weird onscreen image, and later, the film “treats” us to a flashback of Derek’s “Aqua Vitae” commercial which will haunt your soul with its warped Greek mythology and highly sexual references.

Many of these creative flybys do work – and keep a consistent tone - within the construct of the haphazard narrative but become tiresome by the beginning of the film’s third act.   The fashion criminal Mugatu (Will Ferrell) makes a return, and while he spouts off nonsensical utterances regarding his evil plan – while surrounded by molten lava - I waited for sharks with lasers – carrying Dr. Evil – to arrive on the frustrating scene. Like the character in the title, the movie is purposely stupid, but some key movie ingredients do not have to be.  First of all, the main storyline – concerning Derek Jr. (Cyrus Arnold) - truly does not make any sense, and the script does not really give Arnold anything interesting to do.  Cruz’s talents are wasted as well, as she plays her Interpol role straight with no curves with one exception: the story asks her to show off her “curves”.   The movie does bathe in a liberal use of cameos, and many of them (which I will not reveal) are effective, but again, by the time the third act rolls around, the last barrage of celebrity appearances just feels like lazy filmmaking.

On the plus-side, the comedic chemistry between Stiller and Wilson is spot-on and several of their combative and friendly sequences are well-written.  As spoken by a rock legend (another cameo) in the movie, male models are just like rock stars minus talent and intelligence, and Stiller and Wilson play up their characters’ inherent dense nature to the stratosphere.   I certainly laughed in many places in “Zoolander 2” while I also wished for a smarter movie.  (2/4 stars)

Where to Invade Next - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Moore’s ‘Where to Invade Next’ leads a thoughtful, educational offensive  

Directed and narrated by:  Michael Moore

“Where to Invade Next” (2016) - In one of the most politically-divisive times in United States history, Michael Moore is arguably the nation’s most polarizing filmmaker.  The man certainly garners opposing reactions from the two “pillars” of American political beliefs, but love him or hate him, there is no denying that Moore makes smart and thought-provoking documentaries.   Walking into “Where to Invade Next”, I naturally believed that his latest movie was about the military-industrial complex and the trillions of dollars in war machine money spent since WWII.   After about five minutes of screen time, however, one discovers that “Where to Invade Next” carries a very different premise which is pleasant and eye-opening but also simultaneously discouraging and encouraging.

Lest anyone feels disappointed that the word, “invade” in the film’s title is false advertising, because Moore himself actually invades a serious of European countries (and one from Northern Africa) to listen and to take one great idea from each nation to bring back to the U.S. in order to make America a happier place.   Although barking against military spending is a thorny concept worth exploring, this movie’s dive into ingenious ideas from other countries brings a welcome and warm experience to the screen.  The unfortunate byproduct – at least to American audiences - is that these great solutions to complex issues are simply not operating in the U.S. today.

The narrative works like “Sicko” (2007) – a film which compares health care from other countries to the U.S. system - except rather than solely focusing on one issue, Moore explores a multitude of topics including schooling, vacation time and the role of women in the work place.    By simply walking into a school, a corporate headquarters or (in one case) a presidential office, he – armed with an American flag and a camouflaged Detroit Tigers baseball cap – interviews leaders and regular folks from different countries to hilarious and revealing effects.

For instance, we meet an attractive - but financially ordinary – 30-something, Italian couple.   They seem genuinely happy, and Moore asks about their vacations (or holidays), and they explain that they enjoy eight weeks every year, plus national holidays.  In addition, the pair casually mentions that they are paid for an extra month of wages – a 13^th month - in December, so they can afford to go away on holiday.  That’s right.  Eight weeks of vacation plus an extra month of pay!  Next, Moore meets Dukati CEO Claudio Domenicali, and he embraces long vacations for his Italian employees.  He explains - from a corporate strategy perspective - that happy workers are also more productive workers.

The film then travels from country to country, as Moore listens to ingenious, out-of-the-box ideas, plants his trusty American flag and promises to take these “ways of doing things” back to the U.S.   Now, the concepts are coming from (mainly) socialist European nations, so the chances that the U.S. will implement them on a wide scale are remote, but each visit certainly offers good food for thought.

“Where to Invade Next” successfully stirs disbelief and wonder for the audience, as we see other communities that discovered smarter ways to live. In addition, the picture also captures plenty of humor while Moore presents his interviewees’ reactions to how Americans live.   To great comedic effect, several times, the same general look of astonishment appears on the faces of our friends from Italy, Germany, etc., and Moore cleverly continues to leave his camera running to further engage their general bewilderment in silence.   Hence, the amazement of this new knowledge falls in both directions: onto the audience and the foreign hosts.

Although the documentary fills the theatre with so many good ideas, it sometimes does lecture, but mainly it attempts to just inform.  As Moore states that the United States was “born out of genocide and built on the backs of slaves”, he presents a series of thoughts which could improve our country, and the origin of most of the presented foreign ideas will surprise you.   Perhaps, the end-results of “Where to Invade Next” will leave Michael Moore as a much less polarizing figure.  Then again, this is 2016, an election year.  (3/4 stars)

Hail, Caesar! - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Hail, Caesar!  

Director: Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, and Fisher Stevens

Universal Pictures

105 Minutes

The Coen Brothers film catalog is a mix of stories of people searching and struggling to find their place and purpose in this world. Whether the opportunity of two gym employees to escape the restrictions of their lives in “Burn After Reading” or the decision of a married couple to steal a child to finally make their family dreams come true in “Raising Arizona”, it’s easy to see that these two directors like to watch their conflicted characters trudge through the cruel decisions and landscapes of life. And there is arguably none more cruel an environment than the journey through Hollywood, a character on its own and skewered once already by the artistic siblings in their film “Barton Fink”. “Hail, Caesar!” falls in the same place as the films mentioned already, a none-to-serious measure of wit and style that cleverly pokes fun of the Hollywood system while providing some memorable characters to walk through the fire and flames on their own journey.

Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is a film studio executive working in Hollywood in the 1950’s. Eddie’s job with Capitol Pictures is maintaining film schedules and working with the talent for the numerous productions operating simultaneous at the studio, but his primary job is making problems disappear before they happen. On this particular day in the life of Eddie Mannix his headaches come one right after another, like preventing scandals from making their appearance on the front page of the gossip column, keeping directors happy and unaware with their production concerns, or finding kidnapped star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) before the their expensive religious epic crumbles.

The Coen Brothers build an impressive aesthetic quality here, commanding an atmosphere that feels and operates like a vintage Hollywood production complete with a variety of genres on display in the 1950’s. There is a highly choreographed water acrobatics scene featuring Scarlett Johansson, a strutting horse and singing cowboy moment with a scene stealing Alden Ehrenreich, and a big budget epic in the vein of “Ben-Hur” featuring George Clooney in full sword and sandal attire. But most memorable is a dancing sailor number featuring the talents of Channing Tatum. These are all amusing scenes that just sort of happen throughout the film, it’s not surprising though considering the Coen Brothers penchant for randomness. The cast is impeccable here, most playing their moments with a quirky seriousness that completely works for the film.

The narrative operates with many moving parts, loosely holding focus on a primary theme while feeling frequently like a bunch of short stories strung together with characters vying for their small piece of screen time. While this may not be too far off from the early Hollywood style of filmmaking, here it makes the film function more sporadic than coherent. Still, it’s strange that throughout a majority of the film this clutter of storylines never seems to play as distracting but instead composes a sly playfulness and off kilter comedic quality that showcases the motion-picture industry with all its self-imposed prestige and self-inflicted flaws. The primary story, a kidnapping plot, brings about a mysterious organization called “The Future” which allows the Coen Brothers opportunity to find their unorthodox stride late in the film.

The film belongs to Josh Brolin who always seems at his best and most comfortable in the care of the Coen Brothers. His character Eddie Mannix again falls in line with the theme of characters trying to find their place and purpose in this world, as he must choose between what is easy and what is right. It’s a simple premise played on multiple levels with numerous characters amidst an exercise of style and humor. “Hail, Caesar!” is a seemingly unrestrained effort from two of cinemas most unique voices.

Monte’s Rating

3.75 out of 5.00

The Choice - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Walker and Palmer’s likeability vs. familiar clichés make ‘The Choice’ a hard one  

Directed by:  Ross Katz

Starring:  Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, Tom Wilkinson, Tom Welling, Maggie Smith

“The Choice”  (2016) – Wrightsville Beach, NC is a sparkling, little community and complete with blue skies, boat rides, lush green lawns, barbeques, and friendly neighbors.   It carries a real Bedford Falls (the town in “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)) feel, but with much nicer weather.   Travis (Benjamin Walker) enjoys all that Wrightsville has to offer, as he celebrates his bachelorhood with the aforementioned boat rides, barbeques and friendly neighbors in the specific form of attractive women.   Travis is quite the ladies’ man, but he falls hard for his brand-new, next-door neighbor, Gabby (Teresa Palmer), who is a smart and beautiful doctor completing her residency at a nearby hospital.

Director Ross Katz provides a sweet and light environment in a film adaptation of the 2007 Nicholas Sparks novel, and it seems to bathe in confectionary sugar and place pleasant ornaments around the leading couple, Travis and Gabby.   For example, Travis’ friends are a collection of good-looking young people with bright smiles, 6-packs of beer and steaks for the grill.  Supportive family members also lend their cheerful help, and brand new puppies even make an appearance.  Fun times do not only appear in Travis’ backyard, as the nearby county fair contains a plethora of sights, sounds and opportunities to win plush stuffed animals.  Even a random motorcycle ride on a rain-soaked, country road offers an opportunity for potential romance.  When I think about it, Bedford Falls does not hold a candle to Wrightsville.  Pack my bags, because I’m moving!

With a massive effort to make the film’s setting an agreeable one, it certainly delivers good vibes for the audience, even for the most curmudgeon-like among us.   On the other hand, the movie connects because of Walker and Palmer and their on-screen chemistry.   The two bring instant likeability to Travis and Gabby and win over the audience’s affections for their affections.   Travis might be proudly single, but he also has a southern and respectful charm with just enough humor and playfulness, while Gabby offers classic good looks, a sharp intellect and a feisty independence.   The characters and the actors match very well and successfully convey a relationship in deep need of pursuing.

Now, regardless of the movie’s good, organic feelings, “The Choice” conversely becomes tremendously populated with love story clichés.   Not to walk through all of them, but here are a few:

Gabby’s boyfriend, Ryan (Tom Welling), needs to leave town for a few weeks at nearly the same time that she moves in next door to Travis.   Travis’ perceptive sister (Maggie Grace) repeatedly warns him that he “is in so much trouble”, and when the Travis-Gabby-Ryan conflict hits some high notes, Ryan, of course, punches out our hero.

The movie simply feels very, very familiar.  It also feels rushed, because it’s a tricky business to capture the essence of a book’s love story in just under two hours.   Interestingly enough, Sparks said in a recent interview that he is currently writing for a 10-episode show for HBO.  I believe a longer medium would be better place for his material, as the story will have time to develop and grow, instead of shoehorning it within a feature film.

Well, despite the deliberately-sweetened small town affects with all the love story boxes properly checked, the movie does emotionally grab you, and the main two reasons are Benjamin Walker and Teresa Palmer.   Some smaller reasons are nice supporting performances by Welling, Grace and Tom Wilkinson.   No, “The Choice” does not break any new barriers in the genre and in fact, recycles heaps of old material, but it does offer a taste of life in Wrightsville Beach, and it’s not a bad place to stay for 1 hour and 51 minutes.  (2/4 stars)

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ brings life to a crazy genre  

Directed by: Burr Steers

Starring:  Lily James, Sam Riley, Douglas Booth, Charles Dance, Jack Huston, Matt Smith

“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” (2016) - Four years ago, Hollywood released “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”.  If you have not seen it, yes, the movie is as ridiculous as the title suggests.   Even with a bright cast and some fun action sequences, watching the 16^th President of the United States slaying the undead not only does not suspend one’s disbelief, this movie pulls back the curtain and gives it a front row seat.

Well, except I should mention one colleague actually (and seriously) asked me if “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” was based upon a true story, but I digress.

After the lingering effects of the previously mentioned film, I surely felt a bit skeptical about “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”.   Admittedly, I am lukewarm to both genres (Jane Austen and zombies) and combining them seems a bit like cinematic déjà vu from my previous experience in 2012, but I am happy to report that this movie does surprise and is an entertaining flick.   Set in the 1800s, England is ravaged by zombies, and as the narrator puts it, the French were probably behind it.  Writer/director Burr Steers is the man behind this film, as he cleverly plays up a Jane Austin-like world in which mothers spend every waking moment desperately trying to marry off their daughters, formal dances are important social gatherings of the highest order, invitations for tea are always welcomed, and yes, a looming, murderous threat of the undead is ever-present.

For the Bennet family, they maintain a happy and comfortable abode in safe quarters behind the Great Barrier - built in 1710 around London - and raised four girls who are now are women at marrying ages.   The Bennet women are great catches, as they are knowledgeable about worldly events and completely well-mannered and dressed, but they are also trained in martial arts for the sole purpose of killing zombies.  A couple of the film’s funniest and most surreal moments are when all the girls simultaneously draw their swords or point their rifles, like an 18^th Century cry for Girl Power!

Elizabeth (Lily James) is “2^nd most beautiful” Bennet (according to her mother), but she is the fiercest.   Curiously, when Col. Darcy (Sam Riley) first glances at Elizabeth, he remarks that she looks “tolerable”, but once he sees her fight, he falls in love instantly.  The problem for Darcy is a woman never forgets, and Elizabeth still hears the word “tolerable” from his lips and keeps her distance.   The movie frolics with their love/hate relationship throughout the runtime while also dealing with the zombie war.

The zombie infection somehow sneaks inside the Great Barrier, and Col. Darcy, Elizabeth, and many others chop, stomp, slash, and smash the undead with the efficiency of a pour of tea at 3 p.m. sharp.   The other threat, however, is a legion of zombies outside the Great Barrier who begin to mobilize, and the only standing bridge between humans and the undead (the Hingham Bridge) may soon be under siege.

From a cinematic perspective, the blend of 19^th Century British pleasantries and hand-to-hand zombie combat works beautifully and feels oddly natural.  Much credit goes to Seth Grahame-Smith’s original material and Steers’ screenplay.  All of the characters in this alternative universe refrain from playfully winking to the audience, and their collective conviction brings a welcomed and intended comedic effect to the concept’s silliness.  The end result is the writing and performances do suspend our disbelief which was a key element missing in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”.   The movie’s humor is not only implied but directly written into the script as well with the Bennet girls’ cousin, Mr. Collins (Matt Smith), becoming the butt of many jokes.

While this movie-blend experiment organically succeeds, the film falls short from a functional perspective.   The narrative itself gets a little confusing between Col. Darcy and a potential antagonist named George Wickham (Jack Huston).   Darcy and Wickham each explained their backstory quarrel a couple times – and despite listening very closely – I could not quite understand why they disliked one another.  Unfortunately, their disagreement from many moons ago is a main thread of the story, but I also could not follow exactly where the characters physically existed during much of the film either.   As mentioned earlier, the Great Barrier keeps the zombies out, but sometimes our heroes were in No-Man’s Zombie-Land in a place called the In-Between, and other times they traveled back to safe harbors.  Despite the occasional on-screen presence of a map, I was a bit lost.

From a pure horror movie viewpoint, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” was not particularly scary either.   Although our living 19^th Century friends were routinely placed in danger, I never felt a fraction of the tension they experienced on-screen.  Maybe that’s not the point, because rather than becoming frightened, I spent the entire time transfixed on an effective film mash-up.  Sure, I hope that “Andrew Johnson: Vampire Hunter” does not see the light of day, but “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2” could be fun.  (3/4 stars)

An interview with Nicholas Sparks by Jeff Mitchell

Interview – Novelist Nicholas Sparks, a producer of “The Choice” (2016)  

Novelist Nicholas Sparks made a choice to stop by Phoenix and talk about “The Choice” (2016), a new film based upon his 2007 novel with the same title.   Benjamin Walker and Teresa Palmer star in this love story, and Nicholas is also a producer of this cinematic project.   He sat down and spoke with the Phoenix Film Festival and three other critics/journalists during a group interview and discussed lots of topics, including the on-screen chemistry with the lead characters, elements of his personality and personal experiences within his novels and whether or not men routinely ask him for advice about women.  “The Choice” opens on Friday, Feb. 5^th.

PFF:   Now that you are a producer for some of your movies, what is like seeing your stories from a producer’s point of view? 

NS:  It is a lot of fun.  I love the fact that viewers are going to (experience) the story that I can conceived (in a new way).   I had my chance to tell the story the way I wanted it in the novel, but let’s see what someone else does with my story.  Who are we going to cast?  How do we frame this?  What elements do we keep, and what do we change to capture the whole spirit of the story and characters?  So, for me, it’s just a wonderful way to experience a story in a different medium.

PFF:  You have been doing this a long time, and I still find it refreshing - after all of these years - that you continue to offer love stories from a man’s perspective.   Do men often approach you and ask for advice about women?

NS:  No.  In fact, I do not know if that has ever happened before.  How about that?  I am not recognized by men.  I am not recognized by women sometimes but never by men.  I am seldom recognized at all.  In the history of my career, as far as I know, outside of my hometown, I have probably been recognized less than a dozen times.   There was a lady sitting next to me on the plane reading my book, and she didn’t recognize me.

PFF:  Travis (Walker) and Gabby (Palmer) had such great on-screen chemistry.   How did you go about bringing the characters to life?

NS:  First, we cast people who we thought were immensely talented, and then during the casting process, we looked for chemistry checks.  Do they seem to get along?  Do they seem to be friends?  Teresa is one of those personalities that draws everyone in, and so does Ben, in fact.  So, what they had was just magnetic, even in the reads.   When we put them on-screen, you (see) them on the big picture, and it just really comes across as being incredible. 

PFF:  Travis’ relationship with his sister Stephanie (Maggie Grace) was very entertaining.   Is there something in your personal life that you drew from for these siblings? 

NS:  I was very close to my siblings growing up, and I am still incredibly close to my brother.  We actually took a trip around the world, and I wrote a nonfiction book about (the experience) called “Three Weeks with My Brother” (2004).    I was close with my sister too, but she passed away with a brain tumor about 16 years ago.   So, the relationship between Travis and Stephanie was very much inspired with the relationship I had with my siblings.   I had parents that stressed the fact that your siblings will always be around.  Friends will come and go, but your family is there forever.  In many ways, they are the people that you can tell anything to, and they still keep coming back.

PFF:  We talked about the casting earlier, and I enjoyed the supporting actors as well, such as Tom Wilkinson and Tom Welling.  Now, did anyone make any jokes on set about Ben stealing Superman’s girlfriend?  (Welling played Superman in TV’s “Smallville” (2001 – 2011)) 

NS:  There were no particular jokes about that, but we (wanted) all of those (supporting) characters to have arcs.   The father (Wilkinson) had an arc.   The sister had an arc, and because they all had arcs, we asked (the actors) to do various things emotionally.  We wanted (the actors) to be very comfortable, really experimenting, pressing themselves, going out on a limb, and really allowing the characters to evoke emotions in the viewer in a real way.  We did that by having (the making of the movie) become a family setting.  When we were filming the backyard barbeque scene, it was almost as though (we looked at each other and said), “Are we actually filming?  It feels like we are having a (real) backyard barbeque.”  Dogs are running around.  There are kids over there.  The sun is beautiful.  It’s warm.  You are wearing shorts and cooking on the grill.  We couldn’t believe that we were working.

PFF:  Have you ever thought about writing a screenplay and producing a movie yourself? 

NS:  Sure I have, and I have chosen to do that in television.  I think that’s because television is more similar to novels, because there is more opportunity to tell a specific story.  For instance, I am currently writing a pilot for HBO, and they will give me 10 episodes to tell a full story.

PFF:  Trauma is involved in many of your novels.   Do you think trauma makes your stories better? 

NS:  I write in a very distinct genre, and it’s really called a love story as distinguished from a romance novel.  A romance novel is really about romantic fantasy, and it’s really supposed to allow the reader to escape into a world.  When you go through (the story’s) conflicts, you pretty much know that the couple is going to get together in the end.   That’s what romance novels are about.  That’s why (people) read them, and it’s certainly a wonderful genre.  This is a love story, and it’s a little bit different.  It is not necessarily romantic fantasy, although there are romantic elements.  The purpose is to move the reader or viewer through all of the emotions of life to make it feel real.  You might call it romantic realism versus romantic fantasy.   That realism requires that the reader or viewer feels all of the emotions of life, because otherwise, something is missing.  The simple fact of life is everyone goes through tragedy.  There’s not one of us that will escape scot-free.   We have characters that feel real.  They go through emotions that feel real.  They allow you as a reader or viewer to live someone else’s life, but to feel like it was a full life.  You got it all, even though it was just a snippet of a point in time.  

PFF:  Do you want write in a different genre?

NS:  No, I don’t.  I am very happy with the kind of novels that I write.  One of the wonderful things about (love stories) is I am able to pull elements from all sorts of other genres and build them into my novels.  For instance, “See Me” (2015) is my latest novel.  It’s a love story, but somewhere around the halfway point, it starts devolving into a very twisty, mystery thriller.  Part of the fun of that novel is the tension increases, and (the reader) is not even sure what’s going on.  The reader is as confused as the characters.   So, I can put elements of mystery into my novels.  I put elements of the supernatural in “Save Haven” (2010).  I’ve done epic, sweeping stories like “The Longest Ride” (2013).  So, all of these elements that are particular to various genres, I am able to put them into mine. 

PFF:  Have you or are you now writing with a specific actor in mind?  

NS:  The only time I did that was for “The Last Song” (2010) (with) Miley Cyrus (as the lead character), and that’s because I wrote with Disney on the project. 

PFF:  How much of yourself do you put into your characters?

NS:  Depending upon the story, some have elements from me.   Well, of course, I am the writer, so I guess everything is (from me) in one sense, and specific aspects of my personality (fall into the story).   If a character likes to run, well, that is because I like to jog.  Sometimes though, you write to what you inspire to be or something familiar to you.   With Travis, I was trying to capture my brother.  Travis was a character inspired by my brother who was this great bachelor.   He lived “the life” for 10 years before he got married and was really very good at living the bachelor life.  So, Travis was more of capturing my brother or the flavor of him, than it was about capturing me.  So you put bits and pieces of yourself here and there when it’s necessary, and you put bits and pieces of other people or your imagination into others. 

PFF:  Religion became part of the narrative of “The Choice”.  In the backstory, the film explains how Travis pulled away from his faith as a teenager.  Do you think after the movie ended, Travis would go back to his faith?  

NS:  I think it would be difficult for Travis not to go back to his faith, but of course, that’s just my opinion on the matter.   Religion was not an element within the novel.  This was an element that came about in the film.   Ben Walker might be a better person to ask to give his version of the character.

PFF:  When watching “The Choice”, I thought of another film for a very different reason.   In “45 Years” (2015), the husband – during his 45^th wedding anniversary said that all of the big decisions or choices are made when we are young.  He seemed to carry a very defeatist attitude towards life, but I’d like to think that we make life-changing choices every day.   What do you think?

NS:  Of course.  (Now), there is some validity (to that character’s statement).  When you are young is usually when you choose your career.  You might choose a partner or a spouse.  You decide whether or not to have children.  If you are a woman and all of a sudden, you are 50 and never had children, you cannot bear children (any longer).  You might be able to adopt, but you cannot bear them.  Some choices by the nature of time itself (are made) when you are young, however, there are always major choices one can make.  There is always the kind of life that you want to live and the new struggles or new sufferings that you are willing to experience to get that.   You want to climb Mt. Everest?  Sure, some have done that in their 70s.  Alright, do you want to do all of that suffering, all of that training?  Are you willing?  Do you really want to climb Everest?  That would be a choice, and it’s possible. 

The Finest Hours - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Finest Hours’ somehow loses track of its emotional core  

Directed by:  Craig Gillespie

Starring:  Chris Pine, Holliday Grainger, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana

“The Finest Hours” – Chris Pine landed the role of a lifetime as Captain James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” (2009) reboot.    For millions of Trekkies, Pine is a 23^rd Century hero, but in “The Finest Hours”, he plays a real-life one from the 20^th Century, U.S. Coast Guard Officer Bernie Webber.  Bernie led one of the most dramatic rescues in U.S. Coast Guard history near Cape Cod, MA on Feb. 18, 1952, and the film recreates the events from that fateful, wintery day.

Contrasting the massively dangerous events in the nearby ocean, director Craig Gillespie also intertwines Bernie’s budding relationship with his new girlfriend/fiancé Miriam (Holliday Grainger) into the narrative. Bernie and Miriam’s first encounter is sweet, nice and feels appropriate for a much more innocent time.   For example, Bernie worries he picked out the wrong shirt for their date and seems infinitely nervous about meeting Miriam for the first time.  Pine and Grainger deliver the cautious courtship with humor, awkwardness and chemistry, and they make it extremely easy to like this young couple.

Their relationship cannot be all smiles though, because Bernie’s job is occasionally dangerous, and on Feb. 17, he embarks on a journey in treacherous waters to save the crew from the SS Pendleton.  The violent storm literally cuts the Pendleton in half, and the crew’s lives will surely be lost without any immediate, outside help.   Bernie and a three-man crew of his own offer their assistance, albeit in a 30-foot, single-engine boat.

Unfortunately, this is where the movie falls down, and not due to a lack of special effects or sense of danger.  Instead, it just fails to develop any of the involved characters.   The treacherous on-screen nor’easter certainly generates cinematic fear with massive waves which dwarf Bernie’s boat.  He actually revs the engine and climbs a - seemingly 100-yard high - wave like a football player chugging up a hill during spring practice and then braces for the dramatic fall on the other side.  He needs to repeatedly navigate this maneuver ad nauseam and in spectacular fashion, as we wonder how this crew survives the first clash with one wave, let alone a constant stream of them.

The journey into the beyond-brutal conditions with freezing cold, dark skies and whipping wind in the chaotic Atlantic is somehow inexplicably muted with Pine’s purposely subdued performance.   He gives a no-nonsense, just-move-forward persona which is free of much meaningful dialogue.  He and his crew (who we barely know) do not really have any deep conversations, and although I wished for their success, I did not emotionally connect with them.  Meanwhile on land, Miriam longs for Bernie’s return and riddles herself with worry, but she does not verbalize her feelings either.   With Bernie’s focus on the monumental task at hand and Miriam’s lack of key self-talk about her feelings, the initial connection between the two – developed in the movie’s first 20 minutes – becomes lost.  In many ways, the hope for their potential reunion feels a bit hollow and nearly nonexistent.  The personalities of the SS Pendleton crew seem nonexistent as well, with Casey Affleck delivering the only memorable performance of the 33 seamen.

I must add that Gillespie does a nice job of capturing the actual mechanics of the rescue, and the sea-filled sequences are pretty miraculous.   Leaving the theatre, I was left in awe of Bernie Webber’s bravery and grit, as he truly achieved greatness that I will never forget.  Regrettably, “The Finest Hours” accomplished something almost as amazing:  it somehow missed conveying human connections between groups of people with the deepest of bonds.   The film did not need to “boldly go where no man has gone before.”  It simply needed to emotionally go where these individuals have already been.  (2/4 stars)

Mojave - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Mojave  

Director: William Monahan

Starring: Garrett Hedlund, Oscar Isaac, Walton Goggins, Mark Wahlberg, and Dania Ramirez

A24 Films / 93 Minutes

Director William Monahan, well-known screenwriter for Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed”, takes us on a trip into the isolated and narcissistic world of a Hollywood star in his film “Mojave”. Set amidst the desolation of the Mojave Desert and the loneliness of Los Angeles, Mr. Monahan attempts to paint a noir-like portrait of Hollywood and the stars that slowly fade away into darkness.  Assisted by a recognizable cast the film somewhat gets this point across during brief, vague moments that offer a self-deprecating analysis of stardom. Unfortunately the narrative is consistently overbearing and wanders unnecessarily in many places, making “Mojave” feel increasingly like all the B-movie characteristics it tries to avoid.

Thomas (Garrett Hedlund) is a famous Hollywood artist who is unhappy with his life. Anger and desperation lead him into the Mojave Desert, recklessly placing himself in a dangerous situation. Thomas becomes stranded, though it seems like an occurrence he was hoping would happen. Unexpectedly a man named Jack (Oscar Isaac) approaches Thomas in the desert. The two men have a discussion that leads to an argument, leaving Thomas standing over the unconscious body of Jack. Thomas retreats to his mansion in Los Angeles but Jack isn’t far behind.

Jack’s arrival in the desert, a materialization of sorts, offers the first glimpse into the world Mr. Monahan is forming and what he is attempting to analyze through Thomas’ composition, it’s an interesting dynamic presented in the film that up to this point was simply a moody journey for a self-absorbed famous person. Thomas’ character presents the loneliness and separation from reality that his stardom has influenced but also the bleak nature of the world that encompasses his everyday life. In one scene Thomas returns to his mansion that is filled with representations of his vanity; it’s not luxurious or welcoming but instead feels more like a tomb. Mr. Monahan fills many of the quieter scenes, when the two embattled characters aren’t waxing philosophically in heavily indulgent dialog, with interesting details. Unfortunately these are never enough to change the meandering, many times confusing, tone.

Garrett Hedlund fits the role of Thomas quite well. Mr. Hedlund has a familiarity that makes him easy to watch but also composes the proper quirks and smirks that make him seem amused by his own ego. Oscar Isaac is a great actor; unfortunately here Mr. Isaac portrays an antagonist that doesn’t have the menace or intuition that the character should. Mark Wahlberg makes a brief appearance as the worst kind of Hollywood personality, yelling and cursing in silky clothing; Mr. Wahlberg is amusing even though the role seems more like a distraction to the story. Walton Googins, recently in “The Hateful Eight”, also makes an awkward appearance as some kind of representation for Thomas. Mr. Googins puts a strange, mysterious touch on the character.

What does it all mean, or represent, for Thomas? The answers are as unclear as the shadowy image that Thomas encounters in the desert. “Mojave” tries to be a suspenseful thriller, a stimulating noir, and a none-to-serious dark comedy; while these qualities are achieved in a few miniscule flashes of excellence the remaining parts are a confusion of rambling themes.

Monte’s Rating

2.50 out of 5.00

IP Man 3 - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Ip Man 3  

Director: Wilson Yip

Starring: Donnie Yen, Lynn Hung, Jin Zhang, and Mike Tyson

Well Go USA

105 Minutes

The concluding third installment of the popular “Ip Man” series hits theaters with the impressive Donnie Yen again playing the title character. If you aren’t sold on the presence and prowess of Mr. Yen may I suggest that you remedy this immediately by watching “Iron Monkey”, the 1993 martial-arts masterwork that featured fight choreography from famed stunt coordinator and director Yuen Woo-Ping. “Ip Man 3” again displays the wonderful, at times beautiful, fight compositions but also adds a touching love story amidst all the flying fists…oh, did I fail to mention that Mike Tyson is in this film too.

Master Ip (Donnie Yen) is in China circa 1959. Living a low-key life with his wife (Lynn Hung) and young son, Master Ip is respected amongst the community and rightfully recognized as one of the Masters of Wing Chun kung fu. The school that his son attends is targeted by a foreign gangster (Mike Tyson); Master Ip is forced into action to protect the community. However, this isn’t the only foe, a local martial arts rival (Jin Zhang) has plans to challenge Ip Man for the title of Wing Chun Master.

“Ip Man” is based on the real life Chinese master teacher, who famously taught the legendary Bruce Lee. This meeting between the master and the student is the introduction for the film. It’s a reunion, glimpsed briefly at the end of the second film, which fans of the franchise have been waiting for and it’s every bit as charming and entertaining as it should be. That’s one of the prevailing qualities of “Ip Man 3”, the charm that it fully understands and utilizes to heighten moments for the greatest possible impact. The audience knows that they are watching an action movie, it’s not a secret that Mike Tyson is in the film or that the Bruce Lee character would have a more substantial introduction, but the encounters with these characters are still thrilling to watch because they are composed in the same way a promoter would hype a title fight. Yes, even the meeting with Mike Tyson playing a ruthless gangster named Frank.

I have to admit that I was tentative about Mike Tyson being in the film. And in the first scene with Mr. Tyson my worries were confirmed with poor acting, lousy dialog, and a terrible mishmash of languages. But as the film moved forward and Mr. Tyson stopped talking, filmmaker Wilson Yip composed moments that placed the former heavy weight boxer in an intimidating light by putting him into full-on boxing mode, shadow boxing and speed bag training to assist. When Master Ip confronts him, the setting has been threateningly established.

This fight scene isn’t even the best one in the film. Yuen Woo-Ping composes some impressive moments throughout, however it’s not only the fight scenes that are a highlight here. The story of Master Ip and his wife is touching, bringing a surprising emotional aspect that was missing from the previous films. Mr. Yen’s calm and purposeful character composition assists greatly during these quiet, tender moments.

This isn’t the last film to portray the legendary Master Ip but it’s supposedly the final one for Donnie Yen, and it’s in this performance that Mr. Yen is firmly established as a martial arts superstar but also a wholly capable dramatic actor. “Ip Man 3” is a fitting conclusion to this franchise, going out with a fury of punches both physical and emotional.

Monte’s Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

45 Years - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

’45 Years’ captures a lifetime of drama in one particular week  

Directed by:  Andrew Haigh

Starring:  Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay

“45 Years” – In six days, Kate and Geoff Mercer (Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay) will celebrate their 45^th wedding anniversary in a sizeable ballroom with a couple hundred friends.   Planning for such an event can create stress or anxiety for any couple, but for The Mercers, this particular week will clearly stand out from the previous 2,339 weeks of their marriage for a very different – and much more serious – reason.

As the picture begins, however, life does not appear too serious or worrisome for two retirees living a comfortable existence in a beautiful country home among green pastures near the east coast of England.   With busy careers in their rearview mirrors, Kate spends a pleasant and tranquil Monday morning walking her German Shepherd named Max, while Geoff sits at the kitchen table and opens up the mail.  Very quickly, however, Geoff – in a state of shock - reads very surprising contents of one particular letter, and it involves an event in his past before their marriage.   In director Andrew Haigh’s picture, he conducts a riveting narrative by reintroducing this happening in Geoff’s life from over four decades ago.  This presents new questions for the couple which reveal themselves over a slow burn from Monday to Saturday, the day of their anniversary.

Rampling and Courtenay offer masterful performances in this quietly explosive drama by conveying (and swallowing) deep-seeded emotions over important and philosophical conversations throughout the week.   The Mercers are a congenial couple with almost a half century of history, and they intimately know each other’s mannerisms, habits and preferences as well as their own, however, during this fateful week, the foundation of their marriage does not crack, but – in an even worse scenario - gradually becomes foreign to Kate.   Haigh effectively sets the tone when guiding us through this figurative emotional “death march” by introducing each day with a black screen and tiny white font which spells out “Monday”, “Tuesday”, “Wednesday”, etc., and then the day’s events begin under cloudy, British daylight with a lurking, dark undercurrent.

The Mercers relationship is the film’s main focal point, but Haigh mostly concentrates on Kate during each day.   Geoff’s behavior - due to the letter’s contents - changes subtly throughout the week, but the audience spends a majority of the days with Kate.   We sit, walk or drive with her as her co-pilot while she processes her thoughts.  Whether Kate takes a boat ride and stares at the lonely, empty countryside or plays the murkiest song on her piano this side of “The Phantom of the Opera”, Rampling perfectly conveys her character’s emotions with a purposely minimalist effort.  Her work rightfully garnered a Best Actress Oscar nomination, and she equally delivers her best moments when Kate reflects in solitude and also when she confronts Geoff.

When dealing with complex emotions inside the self-contained four walls of a marriage, the lead actors need to command the audience’s attention.  Rampling and Courtenay successfully do this through slight nuances in mood or cadence during ordinary and personal exchanges inside of – and sometimes outside - the home.   They open up this couple’s personal life through a sharply written screenplay which carefully considers every single word and every single moment during the 95-minute runtime.   When the essence of this 45-year marriage unexpectedly teeters on the brink of potential bankruptcy, we, the audience, take attentive notice, but is the damage temporary or permanent?   “45 Years” does answer this question and gives us reasons to celebrate or not celebrate Kate and Geoff’s Saturday night in the one of the most memorable films of the year.  (3.5/4 stars)

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi  

Director: Michael Bay

Starring: John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, David Denman, Dominic Fumusa, Max Martini, David Costabile, Alexia Barlier, and Toby Stephens

On September 11^th, 2012 a group of heavily armed militants from Libya attacked a United State’s diplomatic compound in Benghazi. The group quickly overwhelmed the compound and set fire to the buildings and later launched mortar rounds at a secret C.I.A. compound that was within a few miles of the first attack. U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three Americans were killed in the attacks. This tragic event is the inspiration for director Michael Bay’s new film “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi”, based from the novel by Mitchell Zuckoff, which includes accounts from the security contractors that were working with the C.I.A. during the attacks, “13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi”. Michael Bay, a director known for his boisterous, excessive, and overindulgent style, tackles this heroic, chaotic story with less identifying flair than he typically expels, though that’s not saying very much considering the directors excessive tendencies. This demonstration displays many of Mr. Bay’s strengths but also his glaring weaknesses, this both helps and hinders  “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi”.

Former Navy Seal Jack Silva (John Krasinski) arrives in the heat of Benghazi and is greeted by an old acquaintance Tyrone “Rone” Woods (James Badge Dale). Jack is the new member to a security team of former elite military operatives tasked with protecting C.I.A. agents hoping to assist in the restructuring of Libya. Benghazi is dangerous, filled with weapon carrying citizens and roaming militant squads. Jack and his team protect a compound called the Annex and escort C.I.A. operatives to meetings with different influential figures. Things take a turn for the worse when a nearby U.S. diplomatic compound is attacked, forcing the team to take action in order to save lives and stay alive.

Michael Bay understands how to construct an action film; big explosions over big special effects combined with dynamic photography and breakneck editing; it can be difficult to completely register what is going on at times but it’s also strangely hypnotic, mind-numbingly so. Regardless of how one may feel about these extremes, the director is one of the best at utilizing them. Mr. Bay has scaled back these elements within “13 Hours” but his distinctive signatures still permeate in many moments, unfortunately in one dramatic instant it’s used in the absolute worst way. Once the build-up ends and the action takes over completely, Mr. Bay keeps the tension high and the action quick and frenzied by utilizing a mix of first-person perspective photography, wide angle establishing shots, constant flashes of gun fire, and violence that is rapid and in a few moments graphically rendered.

With Mr. Bay operating with a little more restraint, it offers an opportunity for more character developments to shine through. The introduction allows ample time to get to know these brave men operating in a system that doesn’t quite except or appreciate them, for instance the director of the C.I.A. compound consistently talks down and berates these men’s lifestyle and purpose. Unfortunately most of the structure avoids the deeper angles, like the enemies these men fight both in the smoky fields and abandoned buildings that surround the compound and those operating on the American side miles away, safe and sound, watching the conflict in front of a computer. The film opts for the simplified version of dedicated men doing a dangerous job, the only offering of insight comes when these soldiers are given little moments to communicate with family via video or during down time between gun fights to talk about life away from the battle, but these moments come as secondary filler flashes instead of being purposefully designed. This underutilization of character building lessens the emotional aspects that could have allowed a greater connection to these characters.

John Krasinski is exceptional here, crafting a character that is professionally focused but also wholly aware and affected by the risk he is taking. James Badge Dale, playing the team leader, and Pablo Schreiber, playing the smart aleck of sorts, are also very good in their roles throughout.

“13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi” doesn’t tell the most cohesive story and the characters lack the nuance that would provide them greater emotional connection.   However, underneath the excesses of Michael Bay’s filmmaking style, restrained yet still obviously noticeable here, is a film about heroes and the dedication, responsibility, and self-sacrifice that define their commitment to America. Mr. Bay never sways from this fundamental purpose, even if his indulgent filmmaking signature still shares, sometimes overshadows, the spotlight.

Monte’s Rating

3.00 out of 5.00

Ride Along 2 - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

“Ride Along 2” - “Ride Along 2” sets cruise control and puts us to sleep  

Directed by:  Tim Story

Starring:  Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Benjamin Bratt, Olivia Munn, Ken Jeong, Tika Sumpter

“Ride Along 2” - Have you ever driven when your mind is on autopilot?   Not purposely, but I sometimes fall into that trap when driving to a very familiar destination like work, a great restaurant or yes, my favorite movie theater.   I will arrive and not particularly recall some of the lights or series of turns on my habitual journey, because I have seen/taken them 1,000,006 times.   Driving without thinking.   I certainly do not recommend it, but most unfortunately, the new comedy “Ride Along 2” is driving without thinking as well.  Now the film does not elicit painful emotions.  Instead, it simply presents a dull and lifeless script and delivers it via cruise control.

The film continues the story of two frenemies within the Atlanta Police Department, Detective James Payton (Ice Cube) and Officer Ben Barber (Kevin Hart).   While James is a veteran on the force, Ben recently earned his stripes and eagerly embraces his new job with the unbridled enthusiasm of a teenager’s first day with a driver’s license.    With Ben about to marry James’ sister (Tika Sumpter) coupled with his adolescent excitement, the experienced detective’s patience is currently running thinner than Taylor Swift on a hunger strike.   This leads to James calling Ben several lightly amusing names like “Man-Smurf”, “Little Clown” and “Marshmallow” during their police adventure from Atlanta to Miami.

With a 1 hour and 41 minute runtime, director Tim Story could devote plenty of scenes to develop these characters and offer lots of humor over their natural conflict and personality differences, but alternatively the audience is simply subjected to repeated, one-note backhanded comments over a truly boring crime story.    In a plot which carries the originality of an episode of “The A-Team” in its final season, a prominent Miami philanthropist named Pope (Benjamin Bratt) doubles as a criminal mastermind who has his hands in apparently everything bad, including money laundering, gun trafficking and drug dealing.

With the help of a techie (Ken Jeong) and a Miami detective (Olivia Munn), James and Ben hope to expose Pope’s true intentions and place him behind bars.    The movie then sleepwalks through countless and tedious details about Pope’s hidden shipments and manifest records, as the previously mentioned four attempt to crack the code to crimes which no one in the audience truly cares about.    The two leads’ comedic timing is the real reason to watch this movie, but the paint-by-numbers cops/bad guys story dominates the narrative.

“The Heat” (2013) starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy fell into the same recycled cop-story trap, but it did a much better job of including some highly memorable sequences with its two stars.  For example, Bullock and McCarthy’s characters get wildly drunk at a dive bar and slow dance with a pair of senior citizens, and they also accidentally drop a suspect from the third floor of a fire escape.  These are just a pair of many scenes which generated lots of belly laughs, but unfortunately, the writing in “Ride Along 2” is devoid of any such moments.

Jeong is occasionally funny, but Munn is completely miscast.   The movie does not really give her anything to do except look pretty and act tough by delivering pressure-point holds on her fellow officer, Ben.   Even Maya’s (Munn) dance sequence with Pope is disappointing, because Story’s camera never pulls back to show the two actually move on the dance floor.  Instead, we see alternating close-ups of Munn and Bratt’s feet and their head and shoulders.   Perhaps they boogied extremely well, but we will never know.    Well, maybe the editors were on autopilot.  I strongly suspect they were not alone.  (1/4 stars)

Anomalisa - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Anomalisa  

Director: Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson

Starring: David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Tom Noonan

There are interesting minds and voices in the world of cinema, and then there is Charlie Kaufman. The writer of “Being John Malkovich”, “Adaptation”, and “The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and also the director of one of the most brilliant films of the last ten years “Synecdoche, New York”, Mr. Kaufman’s work has been equally unique and strange but also intricate and confounding. It’s a characteristic many filmmakers try to emulate but few successfully achieve. “Anomalisa” is a film about imperfect individuals dealing with complicated issues that are never easy or simply stated, it’s a film that displays the pain of loneliness, the despair found in relationships, and the journey of finding ones’ self. Did I fail to mention that this entire story is told through stop-motion puppet animation?

Michael Stone (voiced by David Thewlis) is traveling by plane to give a speech at a convention. He leads an unexciting existence and is crippled with a difficulty of interacting deeply with other people. Everything in Michael’s world is a reminder of how alone he actually is, a painful repetition of people and places. By chance Michael meets a woman named Lisa (voiced by Jennifer Jason Leigh). He is shocked and intrigued because Lisa isn’t like everyone else in his life, Michael begins to feel something different, something new, something exciting.

Mr. Kaufman doesn’t shy away from the complexities of the relationship between Michael and Lisa, instead of looking for an easy resolution he delves into the difficult matters. What begins as a lustful affair for the couple, displayed through an honest though detailed sexual demonstration, turns into a mess of emotional anxieties and uncomfortable discernments for two people who both want something that is difficult for them to accept. It’s stingingly genuine and truthful; the imperfections that exist within people are demonstrated in various ways, some softly spoken while others exuberantly expressed. It’s a sad and melancholy world, an example of how painfully ordinary everyday life can be when seen through the eyes of frustrated and disheartened people.

The environments created reflect the ordinariness of the world seen by Michael, faces become strangely blank, almost emotionless, because many of the supporting characters are refabricated from other puppets seen throughout the film, just newly styled to fit new environments. Add the brilliant design of making every character besides Michael and Lisa have the same voice, that of the impressive Tom Noonan utilizing slightly different vocal styles, and the world here becomes a reality that is undistinguishable for Michael.

David Thewlis does a fine job of giving Michael a balance of hostility and hopelessness. Jennifer Jason Leigh adds the necessary life to Lisa that makes her a determined beam of complicated sunshine even though her imperfections are just as noticeable as everyone else here. It’s a wonderfully rendered balancing act from two accomplished actors but also a display of Mr. Kaufman’s patient attention and meticulous composition of these characters.

“Anomalisa” is a challenging, yet strangely heartfelt, experience. A story of human connection told in a completely unique way, an unparalleled vision from a masterful storyteller.

Monte’s Rating

4.50 out of 5.00

The Revenant - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Revenant  

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Dohmnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, and Forrest Goodluck

One of the great things about New Year’s Eve celebrations is letting the atmosphere take hold of you. I find enjoyment in the few minutes before the clock strikes midnight. The world is quiet, silent, and dark, and then, in an instant, everything comes alive with sound, light, and energy. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film “The Revenant” has this same quality, a work of staggering patience that lingers within dark and bleak atmospheres only to burst to life with scenes of beautiful landscapes and spectacles of brutal violence, all this accompanied by a performance by Leonardo DiCaprio that is beyond committed. “The Revenant” is a painstaking journey, from a talented director, to portray nature and humanity in its most raw and pure form.

Trappers from a fur company are exploring the American wilderness, guided by a cautious yet steadfast man named Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio). The group is attacked by Native American’s and forced to find a new route through the cold and snowy mountains. While scouting the area a bear viciously mauls Glass, leaving him clinging for life. Members of his group (Tom Hardy and Will Poulter), including his son (Forrest Goodluck), stay behind to care for Glass and make sure he is given a proper burial. Betrayal, fear, and murder lead to Glass being left in a shallow grave, forced to crawl inch by inch to seek revenge.

“The Revenant” is based on true events, first described in Michael Punke’s novel “The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge”. It’s a very simplistic narrative design; man is betrayed, man seeks revenge. But in the hands of Mr. Iñárritu this tale of retribution takes on a different kind of life through the director’s unique filmmaking technique and unequaled style. Whether the one-takes, impressively done in an early fight scene that transitions from land, to horseback, then to boat, or the extended scenes that present nature in menacing and serene ways, it all builds in creating an atmosphere that is filled with tension but also, in a way, accomplishes a dream-like or hallucinatory effect.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives an extraordinary lead performance, one of the best of his career. A majority of Mr. DiCaprio’s portrayal in the film is physical and demanding; its been noted that the actor was incredibly diligent with staying in character even when the camera wasn’t rolling but also going to extremes within certain scenes so that Mr. Iñárritu could maintain authenticity with the character. Tom Hardy is also in the film, overdoing a strong accent, but providing a spineless foe that cares more about saving his own hide.

Mr. Iñárritu isn’t one for subtlety, the themes here are big and bursting, sometimes pretentious, as are the locations that sweep through and over and across green and white landscapes that veil the brutal behavior occurring within it. However, even when the elements begin to overtake and muddle one another, especially when the film takes on a spiritual approach to connect Hugh Glass beyond reality, the director provides substance by utilizing his striking style to accommodate the simplicities of the story but also presenting what’s going on in the background during this time in history, the manipulation and genocide of the Native Americans and also the greed of corporations and desperation of the working man in early America.

“The Revenant” is a cinematic adventure from a director who utilizes elaborate methods to make a revenge film into something far more intricate and provocative than it might have been in different hands.

Monte’s Rating

4.25 out of 5.00

The Forest - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

'The Forest' gets lost in the shuffle of better horror films  

Directed by:  Jason Zada

Starring:  Natalie Dormer, Eoin Macken, Taylor Kinney

“The Forest” – Forests make terrific settings for horror films.

First of all, no artificial light exists in the wilderness, and insects, animals and the wind provide plenty of creepy noises that go “bump” in the night.  Plus, when trouble does arrive, many times the film’s protagonists have very few modern-day resources available to help.  Speaking of help, lightly-staffed police stations always seem to sit about 30 minutes away, and transportation options - to get away from a menacing antagonist - usually are limited. Also, sparsely-populated areas inherently eliminate the entire safety in numbers concept.

In “The Forest”, the filmmakers smartly chose the Aokigahara Forest, near the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan as a creepy setting for this horror movie.  This mammoth woodland area certainly feels isolated from civilization and safe harbor, and the story involves Sara (Natalie Dormer) as a twin who ordinarily swims in the safe harbors of life.  She lives a comfortable lifestyle with her husband, but her identical twin sister, Jess (Dormer), leads a troubled existence.  Sara routinely needs to bail Jess out of various jams, but her twinlike supernatural sensors are now rising into overdrive:  Sara discovers her sis is missing in Japan and naturally jumps on the next plane to Tokyo to fetch her.

With director Jason Zada’s movie set in Tokyo, he does place the audience out of its immediate comfort zone.  We get a “Lost in Translation”-like feel in the beginning of the picture.  Sara is stranger in a strange land and impressed with the massive size of the city coupled with its eccentric red lights which blink on the top of every skyscraper.  She travels, however, from the concrete jungle of Tokyo to the place where Jess allegedly wandered, the aforementioned Aokigahara Forest. Unfortunately, the locals explain that no one goes off the paths of this forest unless they wish to commit suicide, and now, Sara’s trip becomes a rescue mission.

Zada then sends Sara into the secluded forest, but not before nearby residents repeatedly warn her why the forest is dangerous and how the forest will play on her fears.

From the audience’s perspective, knowing why is not an issue, but, unfortunately, knowing how is.

Most regrettably, the movie completely gives away how the forest will scare Sara, and quite frankly, this key piece of information – which truly should have been withheld - takes away nearly all of the dramatic tension during her journey.  I should have felt like Sara’s immersed companion.  Instead, as an emotionally-distant observer – I watched the scares fall flat, while Sara marched through the supernatural terrain on foreign soil.

Now, in many other respects, the movie captures the right elements for a great horror film.  The thickly-wooded landscape offers an endless maze of wrong turns and dead-ends, and the opportunities for strange noises and wandering, angry apparitions eagerly present themselves on the big screen.  Dormer also holds her own when playing both twin sisters in a dual role, and shooting in a Japanese environment brings an edgy vibe.

Sadly, none of it matters, because other than a few jump scares, the movie – as previously explained – blows its chance to be scary.  On the bright side, at least “The Forest” will not give me nightmares during my next camping trip, and that is quite an accomplishment, because forests make terrific settings for horror films.  (2/4 stars)

Michael Clawson's Favorites of 2015

By Michael Clawson of Terminal Volume  

So many great films this year. It seems unfair to single 10 out, but here they are.

10. Star Wars: The Force Awakens — Not only did J.J. Abrams right the ship that is Star Wars, he found himself on par with the original trilogy thanks to careful writing, exceptional special effects and new, interesting layers to the Star Wars mythology. I never knew I needed a Finn, Rey, Poe Dameron or Kylo Ren in place of Han, Luke and Leia — who return anyway — but here they after one movie and I can’t imagine the franchise without them anymore. Yes, there was a lot of hype on this one, but meeting the hype and even surpassing it at this level is really a rare feat.

9. Slow West — John Maclean’s wacky western Slow West has imagery that is borderline surreal, but it’s deadly serious with bounty hunters, conniving killers and eccentric pioneers. About a Scottish teen (Kody Smit-McPhee) sent scurrying into the American wilderness to chase after his love, Slow West drops the stranger-in-a-strange-land into a variety of western scenes, from flooded riverbanks to burning Native American villages to deadly shootouts on the prairies. Michael Fassbender as bounty hunter is a nice touch, as is Ben Mendelsohn as his counterpart. Mostly, though, the film is a wonderful visual feast, one filled with imagery we’ve yet seen in a 115-year-old genre.

8. The Revenant — This movie should come with a blanket, one skinned from the carcass of a great beast of the American frontier. It takes place in blizzard conditions, in icy forest landscapes, barren tundras of snow and in frigid rivers. Theaters are missing out on a unique theater experience by kicking on their air conditioning and watching the teeth rattle. In the early 1800s, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his Native American son are leading a group of trappers through hostile country. After a murder, a double-cross, a bear attack and a shallow grave, Hugh Glass claws from the soil with only an ounce of life still in him. As he crawls, hobbles and swims to safety he has his sights set on John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), a trapper with a colorful dialect who left Hugh for dead. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s survival film is a long slog out of hell for Glass, and his journey contains an incredible cross section of early American life with warring Native American tribes, French and American trappers, settlers, explorers and adventurers. It was a violent time, and nowhere is it better captured than in the violent and epic The Revenant.

7. Carol — Todd Haynes’ Carol is beautiful love story, made ugly by the era that it takes place in. In 1952, Carol (Cate Blanchett) is quite obviously a lesbian, a fact that humiliates her husband. While buying a toy for her child at a department store, Carol is smitten by Therese (said like ‘terr-rez,’ and played by Rooney Mara), who is enchanted by Carol’s deliberate demeanor and sure footing. What follows is a series of lunches, dates and a road trip that will expose Therese to Carol’s adoration. It’s a lovely courtship, one that is interrupted by the bigotry of the time period. As Carol disappears to court-ordered therapy to cure her “unsuitable attractions,” the film focuses on Therese, a budding photographer who is so unfamiliar with her attraction to Carol that she questions everything she once knew. This is a lovely movie with two radiant stars.

6. Room — Featuring two of the most inspiring performances of the year, Room is ripped from the headlines in the most compassionate way possible. It begins with a teenage girl (Brie Larson) who is kidnapped and held in seclusion in her rapist’s backyard shed that has been converted into her soundproof prison. Room picks up six years into her ordeal, and she now has 5-year-old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay), whose entire world is the four walls, floor and ceiling of the cell, which he refers to as “room” the way we refer to the planet as Earth. Although the product of a rape, and confined to one room for his whole life, Jack has been taught about the wonder of the world by his mother, whose innocence was stolen so long ago. What could be a grim drama, and it certainly has those moments, Room is largely about the good that a mother can inspire in her child and the love that brings them together to conquer their prison.

5. Spotlight — In 2001, the Boston Globe’s investigative team turned its unblinking eye, or spotlight, on the Roman Catholic Church and its handling of child abuse by priests. Viewers expecting to see a bang-bang investigation with news van chases, mysterious tipsters in parking garages and “stop the presses” revelations were likely caught very off guard to find the exact kind of methodical, slow-moving investigative reporting that actually transpired at the Globe. The film coils together from a variety of different threads, all of which are researched, fact checked, confirmed and analyzed, because that’s how journalism actually happens. It’s this adherence to authenticity that makes Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight so mesmerizing. How do you make a gripping drama out of court records, grand jury testimony and old archdiocese yearbooks? Spotlight has found a way. The movies stars — including Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams — hold it all together with thorough and convincing portrayals that move this delicate subject matter forward.

4. The Martian — Ridley Scott’s fantastic space flick The Martian is a story about small victories and small defeats, and how they add up to tell a story about science. We tend to forget that science got us up there in the cosmos, and science will bring us down, so to see science and engineering given such a starring role is a powerful reminder of what, and who, NASA is. When Matt Damon’s botanist is marooned on Mars, he does what any astronaut would do: “I’m going to have to science the shit out of this.” What follows is a thrill-ride involving radiation, poopy soil, ASCII translation, solar panels and hydrogen-burning water factories. Scott is no stranger to space having made Alien and Prometheus, but The Martian is a wholly unique endeavor for Scott and his gifted eye. It’s hopeful and upbeat, and even though millions of miles separate the Martian from earth victory is always within his grasp.

3. Mad Max: Fury Road — Fury Road didn’t just reboot the Mad Max franchise — it rebooted the action movie. Without a cape, Marvel logo or hovercopter in sight George Miller single-handedly brought an entirely new level to the spectacle that has become action extravaganzas. With practical effects, bonkers interpretations of the post-apocalypse, a badass female hero, wild character and car creations, and a bona fide car religion to boot (“I am awaited in Valhalla!”), Mad Max: Fury Road took bigger movies with younger directors and showed them the door. If there was a ever a movie that deserved the adjective “high octane,” then here it is.

2. Ex Machina — Alex Garland’s smoldering burn of science fiction could easily be the spiritual sequel to Spike Jonze’s Her, in which an arty schlub falls in love with his AI personal assistant, manifested as a lovely voice that whispers to him from his electronic devices. Here, though, technology has advanced to include skin, movement and a perk only a male designer would consider, sexual organs. Oscar Isaac is a billionaire inventor who invites one of his employees, played by Domhnall Gleeson, to his isolated compound, where they bro out with weights, tech and beer. Isaac plays a man wound so tight that every scene with him feels threatening and on the verge of a violent outburst. The employee musters along as best he can as he’s introduced to Ava (Alicia Vikander), an AI creation that is the most human part of the film. Between the three explosive lead performances, and the effectively claustrophobic sets, Ex Machina churns out one of the most subdued robot movies ever made, one that that ends on a perfect note that is equally haunting and existentially enlightening.

1. The Big Short — It’s remarkable that Americans lost their jobs, lost their homes, were uprooted from their lives and scattered to the wind and many still don’t know what caused the recession, and why. The Big Short is the blueprint for the whole damn thing: the housing bubble, the sub-prime mortgage calamity, the collapse of Wall Street, the imploding bond market … all of it, every ugly derivative and security swap from day traders right on up to CEOs. The fact that Adam McKay’s movie, based on Michael Lewis’s book, is both informative and devilishly funny is the film’s saving grace. It’s also supremely well acted, it routinely breaks the fourth wall to address us directly, is edited with style and purpose, and paced so viewers can laugh and learn at the same time. There’s a lot going on here, but The Big Short succeeds in holding it all together with a vengeance.