The Journey - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

The Journey

Directed by Nick Hamm, Written by Colin Bateman

Starring Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney, Toby Stephens, Freddie Highmore, John Hurt

“Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s Children.”  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Featuring a heavily made-up Timothy Spall as the Reverend Ian Paisley, the founder of the Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Colm Meaney as Martin McGuinness, a Sinn Fein politician and former Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) leader, “The Journey” is centered around the 2007 talks that eventually brokered a peace between the two factions and two men whose ideologies were not as far apart as they had assumed.  Toby Stephens plays British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Freddie Highmore stars as Jack and John Hurt played Harry Patterson, an aide to Tony Blair.

There is a degree of difficulty in portraying real-life people in fictional settings such as this.  Spall, who has played other real-life personae, is marvelous as Paisley.  Though they liberally applied his make-up with a trowel, his ability to act through the dental appliance was impeccable.  His character went from moments of quiet frustration and determinism to wrath-of-God-conviction inside of a few frames; it was remarkable to watch. In fact, he reminded the audience of his stature when he admonished a gas station clerk for not taking action to assist their party.  Colm Meaney’s calm demeanor has always been a hallmark of his acting abilities.  His calmness belies a forceful tone when he needs it and he and Spall made for exceptional sparring partners.  I wouldn’t want to be in the same room if they ever came to blows, though they’d probably ham-up the situation and then laugh it off.

Young Freddie Highmore who is better known to modern audiences from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, is the audience’s eyes and ears, watching history unfold with young eyes.  His character reminded me of myself growing up during the days of Russian perestroika and glasnost:  there was a level of intelligence and understanding in Jack’s playful banter with the old guard, though I would have given a jelly bean to have been in the same car as Paisley and McGuinness.  The real highlight of the film was seeing John Hurt in one of his final performances. Seeing him on the screen towards the beginning of the movie really moved me, and he anchors all of the characters really well, with his understated approach.

The majority of the film was shot inside of a Mercedes-Benz personal transporter, which was wide enough to accommodate the camera crew.  Greg Gardiner did a solid job of not making the mini-bus feel more claustrophobic then it might have seemed in real life.  Where the journey stopped long enough for our characters to continue their conversation, Gardiner’s ability to capture the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands is second to none.   One of my favorite scenes was in an abandoned church with the light filtering through the stained glass murals and the ensuing conversation in a graveyard.   The banter did get a bit repetitive though.  Colin Bateman’s script managed to keep that playfulness confined to our main characters which from what I understand, was the nature of their real-life relationship.  But the film felt a bit awkward and uneven, full of character moments more than an actual narrative.  The eventual mention of powerful figures from the past, namely Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela really wasn’t a surprise and I wish that they had let the audience discover that aspect for themselves.

Opening in theaters today, I would recommend “The Journey”.

(Ben’s Rating:  3 out of 5)

Jeff Mitchell's Top 10 of 2017....so far

Jeff Mitchell’s Top 10 Films of 2017…so far

Phoenix in July always means two things:  The year is halfway over, and it’s hot.  During hot days, air-conditioned movie theatres become sought after destinations for Valley residents.  For many movie fans, including me, theatres are always calling our names, 12 months a year. 

Out of the 109 films that I have seen so far this year, here are the 10 – in alphabetical order – that stand out to me as the very best.

“Baby Driver” – Writer/director Edgar Wright literally and figuratively puts the pedal to the metal in his utterly spectacular and stylish heist picture, in which a 20-something named Baby (Ansel Elgort) drives getaway cars for a collection of felonious types (Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, Elza Gonzalez, and more).  A nifty, hip soundtrack synchronizes with intricate robbery plans, burning rubber, squealing tires, and an abundance of gunplay in a movie that resonates a specific cinematic euphoria, not unlike two pictures in semi-recent memory, “48 Hrs.” (1982) and “Pulp Fiction” (1994).  Along with the devilishly impressive, criminal choreography, Wright includes a sweet romance between Baby and a virginal waitress, Debora (Lily James), that grounds the movie with an emotional heartbeat.  Yes, “Baby Driver” is the most entertaining movie of the year…by a mile.  

“Colossal” – Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is just floating through life in New York City, and after her umpteenth, irresponsible episode, her boyfriend unceremoniously breaks up with her, so she moves back home to the small town that she gladly left behind years ago.   If Gloria thought that her life could not be more turned around, she slowly realizes that she is linked to a Godzilla-like monster who is causing havoc and panic in Seoul.  In his very clever screenplay, writer/director Nacho Vigalondo’s quirky comedy also shifts its tones in a sudden move that is almost as surprising as the aforementioned plot point.  Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis skillfully and artfully dance in their characters’ unpredictable spaces.     

“Dean” – Dean (Demetri Martin) takes a love-pursuing risk and finds himself – in a wonderfully comedic visual – dragging his luggage through the soft powder of a Southern California beach.  Martin took a risk by writing and directing his first feature film but strikes cinematic gold by crafting the funniest movie of the year, so far.  After the death of his mother, Dean struggles for answers while continuously tripping into the crossfire of Left Coast absurdities, as the picture stirs an absorbing mix of humor and angst.  Martin includes his own drawings as an added dimension to the narrative, and his thoughtfully-placed illustrations become repeated welcomes for the audience.  The film travels in dark places too, so many light moments are laced with cynicism, but that’s all part of the healing process in this heartfelt and hilarious picture.  Kevin Kline and Mary Steenburgen costar.  

“Hounds of Love” – John (Stephen Curry) and Evelyn (Emma Booth) kidnap teenage girls for - apparently - the “sport” of it, as writer/director Ben Young’s camera enters their home and documents the daily, grimy details of the couple’s sick escapades.  The picture feels so raw and authentic, it captures a documentary-like feel that crawls into the darkest crevice of your brain and burrows itself into your permanent memory.  Vicki’s (Ashleigh Cummings) memory is permanently scarred when John and Evelyn choose her as their latest teen prize, and escape seems hopeless except for one psychological, longshot idea by playing the lovebirds against one another.  Creepy, intense and unforgettable, this Australian thriller truly is a frightening gem. 

“Maudie” – Sally Hawkins delivers an Oscar-worthy performance with her heartbreaking and inspirational turn as Maud Lewis in a biopic about a sweet, immensely determined and talented artist from Nova Scotia.  Lewis - a fragile woman, riddled with rheumatoid arthritis - suffered emotional and physical abuse throughout her life, but still decided to move in with Everett (Ethan Hawke), a simple man who uses corrosive anger and blunt insults as his methods of communication.  Director Aisling Walsh spends long, important and difficult minutes in the couple’s modest home to build towards an emotional payoff, when life bends in more positive directions through Maud’s cheerful paintings.  Bring your tissues for tears of gloom, joy and revelations. 

“The Midnighters” – Victor (Leon Russom) is free!  After 35 years in prison, this 72-year-old – who displays the effects of extensive confinement through deep etches in his face and pronounced, tired circles under his eyes – is now free.  In writer/director Julian Fort’s outstanding step into noir, he asks the question:  Will Victor remain free or fall into his criminal habits which could boomerang him back into prison or perhaps, a much worse fate?  Russom delivered the single best performance – that I saw - at the 2017 Phoenix Film Festival by embracing an empathetic character who tries to make sense of the 21st century, frequently revisits the mistakes of his past and ponders his limited time in an unknown future.

“Norman” – Richard Gere continues his recent streak of memorable performances (“The Dinner” (2017), “Time Out of Mind” (2014) and “Arbitrage” (2012)) with his work here as Norman, a scheming, aging and desperate New York City outsider looking to finally secure a seat at the big boys’ table.  Writer/director Joseph Cedar’s fascinating and relentless character study also doubles as a casually stressful thriller, as Norman attempts to turn a $1,192.18 investment into instant access to the connected world of big money and politics by constantly and figuratively knocking on a new door and leveraging the same, tired ones as well.  Steve Buscemi, Michael Sheen, Hank Azaria, and Lior Ashkenazi round out an excellent supporting cast who will witness Norman’s winding trip into either redemption or expulsion.   

“Raw” – Justine’s (Garance Marillier) parents drop her off at veterinary school, and she feels a bit nervous about her new journey.  Her older sister, Alexia (Ella Rumpf), already studies there and should be an obvious friendly face, but the college feels like a horror show much of the time, as the upper classmen constantly haze the younger students.  Under a backdrop of very disturbing, organized teasing, a more gruesome horror show rises when Justine – a vegetarian – acquires her first taste of meat.  Writer/director Julia Ducournau weaves an unseemly tale of twisted hunger in a supposed bastion of learning.  Filmed in Belgium, this film keeps the audience off-balance through its story of personal despair via an uncontrollable primal urge that crosses an extremely taboo human boundary.  A highly effective and deeply disturbing horror movie.   

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” - Without watching “Captain America: Civil War” (2016), the thought of another Spider-Man reboot screams the words: completely unnecessary.  On the other hand, Tom Holland’s playful performance as your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in the aforementioned Captain America picture did lend plenty of excitement for a new big screen adventure with the famous wall crawler.  “Spider-Man: Homecoming” does not disappoint!  Director Jon Watts flings Peter Parker back to high school and spends lots of screen time there – more than any other Spider-Man film - through a multitude of charming and awkward adolescent moments but routinely hurls him into danger on New York City’s grownup streets too.  The film offers some nifty tie-ins to the Marvel Universe, and Michael Keaton is terrific as the complex villain, The Vulture.  It’s either the best or second best Spider-Man film, but I’m not sure. I better see it again and again…

“Toni Erdmann” – Sandra Huller is nothing short of sensational as Ines, a hardworking, driven management consultant coping with the constant barrage of practical jokes played by her father, Winfried (Peter Simonischek), who owns a serious case of arrested development.  Winfried is simply trying to connect with Ines, but his unconventional methods push her away even further.  Writer/director Maren Ade’s 2-hour 42-minute film magically breezes and zips along due to the kinetic, emotional dynamics between father and daughter, and she unlocks deep, soulful themes and comedic twists that constantly surprise.  The Academy nominated “Toni Erdmann” for a 2016 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, but this unique comedy/drama from Germany did not play in Phoenix until 2017, so I am including on my list.  This movie fabulously and unapologetically marches to the beat of its own drum. 

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Spider-Man : Homecoming - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Director: Jon Watts

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harriet, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, Jon Favreau, and Robert Downey Jr.

It was the summer of 2002, "Spider-Man" was swinging into theaters under the steady guidance of Sam Raimi. The result was impressive, a comic-book movie that would further define the blueprint of the superhero film. Two years later the sequel would come out, a film that I still hold as one of the top three best comic-book movies ever made.

Fast forward and in a mere 15 years audiences are getting their sixth overall film and their second reboot of the Spider-Man saga. While it would be easy to write this film off, we have seen a version of this story six times already, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is the first film to be controlled by Marvel Studios; it is also the first Spider-Man film to make the character a piece of the expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Director Jon Watts, coming off the acclaimed "Cop Car", takes control of the film this time around. Tom Holland steps into the role of Peter Parker, previously occupied by Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield; the noticeably younger version of Spidey is a welcome arrival, providing a tone for the film that can switch from high school comedy to action summer blockbuster with a simple change of costume. While "Spider-Man: Homecoming" plays all the safe bets and hits many of the same high notes as the earlier films, it importantly tries to add something different, some much needed life into the smaller elements that compose the web-slinging superhero.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is just a kid in high school, he deals with many of the same concerns kids in high school have always faced; trying to fit in, trying to find a girlfriend, trying to deal with the school bully, but Peter is also unlike many kids in high school because he's hiding an alter ego, one that was recruited by his famous friend Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Together, and with help from other Avengers, they fought to keep the superhero peace. Now, Peter is itching for his next opportunity to be a hero but Tony is reluctant to give a teenager so much responsibility. Peter, wanting to prove his worth, goes looking for trouble and finds it in the shape of a weapon's dealer with a winged suit named Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton).

The film opens with a clever and funny nod to the film "Captain America: Civil War", where Spider-Man made his first appearance in a scene stealing cameo. In establishing the tone for this film, the introduction is perfection; it brings everything within this new Spider-Man universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the current while also establishing the atmosphere for the rest of the film, which is trying to very hard to emulate what John Hughes did best with his teenage comedy/dramas.

Unfortunately, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" rarely excels beyond the standard superhero movie cliches, however when it does excel the film is genuinely exciting and whole lot of fun to watch. In developing the Peter Parker character the film emphasizes, sometimes overly, that Peter is a kid. This, in the moments when the film transcends, does a great job of creating a dichotomy between Peter and his Avenging counterparts. At the end of the day what makes Peter vulnerable is his age, the fact that he still has a curfew, that he still needs to go to chemistry class, and that he is still fighting to find a place in the teenage world. In other moments, Peter's youth is mishandled and provided two different defining characteristics; instead of making him look inexperienced and stubborn, the way all new superheroes learning their skills would look, the film instead makes him look silly and foolish.

Tom Holland is the best Spider-Man, hands down. Mr. Holland is filled with charm and screen charisma, there is an undeniable likability to this Peter Parker. Part of why this works is because the actor has an exceptional group of supporting characters around him. Jacob Batalon plays Peter's best friend with excitement, Donald Glover plays a would-be criminal who has great banter with Peter, Martin Starr's comic timing is put to great mumbling use as a teacher, and Zendaya has attitude to spare. But the real accomplishment here is Michael Keaton, who plays the winged Vulture as Spider-Man's primary baddie. Mr. Keaton is menacing throughout, playing a disgruntled working man forced to a life of crime because of the Avengers. In one scene Mr. Keaton and Mr. Holland face off in a car, it feels like one of the many tense scenes from Mr. Watt's film "Cop Car" in the way it just simply allows two good actors a moment to chew up scenery.

'Spider-Man: Homecoming" has its high moments of pure entertainment, but it also has its low moments when it does much of the same thing every other superhero and Spider-Man movie has done already. It's unfortunate because Peter Parker and Spider-Man have such rich emotional qualities. Still, it's nice to have Spider-Man playing well with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, here's hoping we don't need another reboot in a few years.

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

The Beguiled - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Beguiled

Director: Sophia Coppola

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Colin Farrell, Oona Laurence, Angourie Rice, Addison Riecke, and Emma Howard

In the midst of the summer blockbuster season, it’s understandable that we would get a remake or ten. So why am I making this statement in review about Sophia Coppola’s “The Beguiled”, because, unknown to a few people, it’s a remake of a Don Siegel directed film of the same title from 1971, which starred Clint Eastwood. “The Beguiled” is one of Mr. Eastwood’s most overlooked and severely underrated films. A tale that straddles the line of horror and melodrama, it offered Mr. Eastwood an opportunity to take a break from the western hero character that had defined his early work and ushered in a transition for the actor to become the updated hero with a gun in “Dirty Harry”.

Sophia Coppola has quite a career already; “The Virgin Suicides” and “Lost in Translation” are two highlights that display the director’s talented eye for filmmaking. It may seem obvious to those that are familiar with Ms. Coppola’s catalog to understand why she would remake “The Beguiled”, the director has a particular talent for crafting strong and complicated female leads but also creating an interesting and multifaceted ensemble. Ms. Coppola’s version of “The Beguiled” is a captivating work, one that is beautifully photographed and filled with absorbing characters.

While collecting mushrooms in the smoke of the morning surrounding an old plantation house in the South sometime during the Civil War, young Miss Amy (Oona Laurence) encounters a wounded Union soldier named John McBurney (Colin Farrell). Showing compassion on the man, Miss Amy helps him back to her home, a former school for girls that is run by Miss Martha (Nicole Kidman). The small group of women nurse Mr. McBurney back to health, an agreement is made that once he is better the group will call the Confederate troops roaming the area to take him into custody. However, Mr. McBurney manipulates his way into the lives of these women, turning them against one another..

Ms. Coppola’s style of filmmaking is restrained and quiet at times, ethereal in the way the narrative and camera evokes emotion from certain scenes and characters. The entire location is immersed in a haze of canon smoke; you can feel the destruction and isolation of the world around them. The design of the environment is exceptional, many times resembling a fairy tale in certain moments.

The narrative here still brings in the element of fear; is Mr. McBurney someone who can be trusted? Are his intentions pure? Where the original film went for something more akin to a gothic horror film that reveled in the exploitive elements of sex and violence, Ms. Coppola’s is more interested in developing a dramatic thriller that focuses on the atmosphere created by people and the subtle characterizations associated with women of different ages and experiences. For the director’s style, “The Beguiled” works better as the moody character piece that she is trying to create. To assist, the film also adds in some interesting narrative facets. There is a greater emphasis on the outside world invading and influencing the environment of the women. The emotions that Mr. McBurney makes the women feel allow them to envision a life away from the plantation, a life some of them are desperately trying to reach.

Unfortunately Ms. Coppola’s effort erases a significant aspect of this time period, chiefly the aspect of slavery. While the film never makes it a point to let the politics of the world surrounding the plantation to invade, aside from a few Confederate soldiers who stop by momentarily, this film is content to stay with the women and their uninvited guest.

Nicole Kidman seems made for the role of Miss Martha, her cold and methodical personality fits the structure of the school. You can feel her influence on every character in the film. The director’s reliable collaborator, Kirsten Dunst, is also great as Miss Edwina. Ms. Dunst has a consistent look of remorse on her face, it’s not until the soldier enters the equation that Miss Edwina shows a glimmer of a smile, a glimmer of hope. Elle Fanning also shines as the meddlesome and coy Miss Alicia, playing the character somewhat naïve but also completely understanding of what she is doing, her connection with Mr. McBurney is played as a game.

“The Beguiled” is a beautifully composed film, a signature quality of Ms. Coppola’s style in crafting scenes and establishing an environment. While the energy in the film wanes slightly at times, in the steady hands of Ms. Coppola it’s still a haunting and subversive take on the original story.

Monte’s Rating

4.00 out of 5.00

The Big Sick - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Big Sick

Director: Michael Showalter

Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, Zenobia Shroff, and Adele Akhtar

Relationships require a lot of work in general; add in complicated and unexpected life events and it makes it even harder. Comedian Kumail Nanjiani and writer Emily V. Gordon are married, their relationship was struck with a difficult life event and they turned this scary encounter into a script that is the basis for the film “The Big Sick”.

It’s not hard to guess what happens in the film, the title alone is spoiler enough, but how the film develops the relationship between a comedian looking for an opportunity and a college student trying to focus on her future is the big accomplishment here. While the film exists within the stranglehold of romantic comedy familiarity, the performances and narrative do not. Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan have exceptional chemistry and the depth of the narrative keenly interweaves the relationship drama with cultural concerns/misunderstandings. “The Big Sick” is one of those films that will charm you into submission.

Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani) is a struggling Pakistani comedian, working on his set in a nightclub with other comics looking for a break. Kumail comes from a family of devout Muslims, with a mom (Zenobia Shroff) and dad (Anupam Kher) who are looking to arrange a marriage for their son. Kumail, born and raised in Chicago, is living the American life; when he tells his parents that he is going to pray before dinner, he is actually looking at videos on his phone. Kumail meets Emily (Zoe Kazan), she heckles him during a set, and after some persuasion from Kumail the two get serious. Kumail keeps his new relationship from his parents, but he also keeps his parents intentions to marry within his culture from Emily. When Emily finds out the two break-up, then Emily falls ill, forcing Kumail to deal with everything that he has been trying to avoid. 

Romantic comedies have a tendency to operate in very familiar and formulaic ways. “The Big Sick” is familiar at times but it is far from formulaic. What keeps it from trending the same territory with the same results is the accomplishment of the performances and the narrative tone that keep the developments fresh and somewhat off kilter.

Mr. Nanjiani has a natural appeal, he has a deadpan way of telling a joke but can also switch to a serious demeanor quickly. Zoe Kazan is consistently good, a great counterbalance to her costar. Ms. Kazan is offered a few moments, especially during their breakup, that are heart breaking to watch. Veteran actors, Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, play Emily’s parents. Ms. Hunter is fantastic and Mr. Romano is offered room to let his specific style of comedy to shine through. It should also be noted that famed actor Anupam Kher, who has done more than 500 films and has won numerous awards for his Hindi films, plays Kumail’s father.

The narrative does a great job creating authenticity within certain scenes. While one film might turn the illness aspect into the primary focal point, “The Big Sick” would rather display how people cope and deal with difficult situations and how culture treats aspects specific to family and raising children. While Emily’s parents may seem completely opposite of Kumail’s parents, they are actually both trying to setup the best future for their children. While one film might use the environment of a standup comedy club as an easy way to incorporate jokes, this film instead focuses on the dynamic of how vulnerable and isolating it would feel to be on a stage trying to connect with strangers, similarly to how Kumail may feel as a Muslim living in America or how he may feel being in a mixed relationship. It’s all handled with care, with attention given to the small and sometimes complicated bits that flesh out a script and make characters more relatable and stories more authentic.

“The Big Sick” hits so many satisfying notes it’s almost impossible not to find something that makes you smile. The jokes are sweet but also edgy and the romantic qualities are sincere, add in some really great performances and the combination is an enjoyable trip down relationship road.

Monte’s Rating

4.25 out of 5.00

Maudie - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Hawkins delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in ‘Maudie’

Directed by: Aisling Walsh

Written by: Sherry White

Starring: Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke

“Maudie” – “I’ll get a job or something.” – Maud Lewis

Maud (Sally Hawkins) is soft spoken, pleasant and kind, and for fun, she spends an occasional evening at a club, enjoying a drink and dancing by herself.  One night at the aforementioned club, she soaks up laughter and music but without socializing or speaking to anyone.  Maud fills her time that evening surrounded by people, smiles and feels content, but she is terribly isolated in the crowd.

She lives rent-free at her Aunt Ida’s (Gabrielle Rose) home, and on one occasion, Maud’s brother, Charles (Zachary Bennett), stops by and badgers his sister by saying that she cannot take care of herself.  In her 30s, Maud suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and has never been on her own, so this moment strikes her as an opportunity to hit the pavement, find a job and move out.   She does so in all three cases, when a local fisherman, Everett (Ethan Hawke), hires her as his housemate, to clean and cook in his very modest home, just down the road in Marshalltown, Nova Scotia. 

What is a housemate?  What are Everett’s conditions?  What are the living arrangements?  This job carries very muddy boundaries, but eventually, Maud’s purpose becomes crystal clear in the most surprising way.  

Director Aisling Walsh fulfills her crystal clear vision of Maud Lewis’ biopic.  A biopic about a sweet, immensely determined and talented artist.  Maud and her paintings left a lasting legacy, and Walsh recreates the harsh conditions in which this artist lived.  Certainly, the wind, snow and biting cold can be unforgiving in this Canadian coastal providence, but difficult weather is only one element of her hardships.  The picture begins while Maud is an adult, but Hawkins drops many reveals that her character’s past has been littered with emotional and physical abuse.  For instance, while walking with Everett, Maud casually mentions that a group of kids threw rocks at her on the way to his house, as if the pelting that she endured was simply routine. 

During another scene with Everett, Maud confidently responds to comments of her limp and irregular movements – from the arthritis - by saying, “I was born funny.”

Hawkins delivers the line to Hawke’s Everett with deep resonance, as if Maud has repeated this announcement for decades - to hundreds of people – in order to explain why she finds trouble walking.   These moments become terribly effective in painting the historical adversity of Maud’s grueling physical affliction, during a time and place when sympathy is rarely found.      

Not only does Maud clue the audience into her arduous past, but her relationship with Everett – a simple man who appears to only know corrosive anger and blunt insults as his only mode of communication – is brutal and abusive.  Everett most likely left his sensitivity at the door of the orphanage in which he grew up, and can be best described as a caveman sending showers of thoughtless decrees in Maud’s direction. 

Everett wishes for a wife, so - early in the film - he places an advertisement for a “housemate” in a general store as an awkward, 1930s/1940s version of a 21st century dating site.  Maud is not who Everett envisioned as his “housemate”, so she becomes an easy target.    

Hawke persuasively portrays this ogre in black and white terms from the start, but over the course of the picture, he slowly slips in Everett’s softer humanity towards Maud in unexpected ways.  He succeeds in this challenging acting task, as Everett’s behavior to this sensitive soul shifts, but not before our heart goes out to Maud, a woman without options. 

Thankfully, Hawkins – who has plenty of acting options - decided to play Maud, and she is extraordinary here.  She is entirely convincing as a fragile woman who has received emotional (and sometimes physical) scorn from kids, townsfolk and her own family due to her physical limitations.  In the film, Everett is just about the only person - that the audience sees - delivering mean-spirited words in her direction, but Hawkins carries – in her face, in her movements and in her spirit – the decades of toil that Maud endured off-camera.  In one on-camera instance, Everett tells Maud that his dog and chickens are more important than her, and she begrudgingly accepts these harsh words as business as usual, as her off-camera years of abuse have built up her scars.

Therefore, when Maud turns to art as a cathartic outlet from her depressing, bleak environment, her escape into paint becomes a lift of epic proportions for the viewer.  For Maud, painting makes her happy, and her lovely, adorable paintings of birds, cats, trees, blue skies, and more reflect how she sees the world, despite the cold, cruel existence that we see.   Hawkins delivers all of this, and her work here absolutely deserves an Oscar nomination in a deeply affecting, unforgettable performance.  Beautiful and heartfelt.

The movie runs nearly two hours, and Walsh carries us to some dark places, but with the excellent lead performances, a grounded tone and a gentle, moving soundtrack, the picture never loses our attention, especially as we try to embrace Maud’s spirit.

Maud simply viewed the world in a different light than most of us, but Walsh and Hawkins do not offer a secret decoder ring to unlock her secret to success.  We receive no answers but do experience massive inspiration, joy and tears.    

(3.5/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Despicable Me 3 - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Too many storylines, not enough Minions in ‘Despicable Me 3’

Directed by: Eric Guillon, Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin

Written by: Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio

Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Trey Parker, and Julie Andrews

“Despicable Me 3” – When thinking about the “Despicable Me” series, what is the first image that pops into your mind?   Minions, right?

Those pintsized, yellow, pill-shaped, lovable devils have caused hilarious havoc in three previous animated adventures, including their own film, “Minions” (2015).   As entertaining as this collection of miscreants can be, Minions are best served in small, steady and frequent doses.  The best film in the series is the second one (2013), in which they were wholly integral to the main narrative but did not dominate the story.  In that movie, the main villain, El Macho (Benjamin Bratt), applies a sinister serum that turns our little “heroes” into purple, violent maniacs. 

“Despicable Me 2” (2013) found that sweet spot, a balance between not enough Minion-screen time and too much.  With “Despicable Me 3”, directors Eric Guillon, Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin have found balance, not with the Minions, but in a different fashion.  In fact, in a very rare life instance, they have ironically applied way too much balance, and the picture suffers. 

After some unknown time from the second picture, Gru (Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) are a happy couple, together at work - as agents for the Anti-Villain League (a.k.a. AVL) - and at 

home with the three girls, Margo, Edith and Agnes.  They are nestled into a wonderful existence, but the new AVL head unceremoniously fires both Gru and Lucy.  To make matters worse, the Minions leave Gru as well, citing grievances for not enough villainy in their mentor’s new happy life.

With some semblance of good news, Gru discovers that he has a twin, a long-lost brother named Dru (Steve Carell as well).  So, he, Lucy, the girls, and a pair of Minions (who stuck around) promptly leave for some place called Freedonia, and they meet Dru, who seems quite agreeable and giddy to catch up for lost time with his sibling.  Conflict arises, however, when Dru wishes to take up a life of crime and learn from the best, his brother, but Gru’s somewhat recent turn as a good guy creates quite the pickle for him in Freedonia.

The film fashions quite a pickle for the audience, because writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio jam about 1,000,006 stories into a movie that is listed as 1 hour 30 minutes, but with a quick, unscientific glance at my watch - while in theatre - it only ran for 1 hour 25 minutes.  “Despicable Me 3” apparently is the shortest film in the series, but with so many plot threads, it never devotes enough time in developing any of them.   It seems that Guillon, Balda and Coffin hoped to tender the same commitment to “every” character, but to the audience’s detriment.  Lucy struggles with her role as a mom, Gru grapples with his brother’s criminal intensions, Agnes endlessly drones on and on about finding a unicorn, and the Minions drift on their own, attempting to discover a new purpose. 

I have not even mentioned the main villain, Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), whose heart still pines for the 1980s, as he routinely wears a Members Only-like jacket, sports a mullet and dances to classic pop from his favorite musical era.  The filmmakers and Parker designed a very imaginative baddie who is intentionally annoying but assuredly captures our attention.  On the other hand, with all the time – basically – squandered on the pointless fodder in Freedonia, Bratt hardly graces the screen.  In fact, at one point, it felt like 30 minutes dragged on without a second of Bratt and his evil deeds appearing in the film. 

One may suppose that the “Despicable Me” team collectively decided that the story’s heartbeat should be Gru and his family’s progression as cartoon-human beings, but the truth is that the weakest link in the series is Gru and the three girls.  This film feeds us a steady diet of them and their issues, and with Dru now involved in the mix, second helpings appear on the menu too.  Out of 1 hour and 25 minutes, the film sadly summons about 20 minutes of entertainment for adults.  Bratt offers scores of 1980s references with the accompanying soundtrack, and his trademark saying “I’ve been a bad boy” brings back knee slapping memories of “I’d buy that for a dollar” from the original “Robocop” (1987) picture.  The precious minutes that the Minions do reach the screen are thankfully not wasted, including a hilariously elaborate prison scene, but we needed more of the little guys.  

As previously mentioned, the picture finds balance, but by equitably including everyone throughout the story, this equilibrium tips the film-scale towards a dull and uninspired cinematic effort.  Too much balance?  Yes, just don’t mention this to my yoga instructor.  

(1.5/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Baby Driver - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Baby Driver

Director: Edgar Wright

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jon Hamm, Jamie Fox, Eiza Gonzalez, and Jon Bernthal

What's you favorite driving song? Do you like something heavy and loud? Do you like something with some rhythm? I'm impartial to soul and funk music, "Jungle Boogie" by Kool and the Gang or "Gonna Have A Funky Good Time" by James Brown. Regardless of how cool I may think my driving music is, it will never be as cool as the songs, and just about everything else, in director Edgar Wright's "Baby Driver".

Mr. Wright has always had a distinguishable style, even back in his early days you could notice it, however with every film in his growing catalog the director has only become better at combining his unique editing, camera, and narrative flow into a tightly packaged work. With "Baby Driver" the director may have perfected his style, making a film that is ridiculously fun and filled to the edges with creative filmmaking elements.

It's a simple story about a young man looking to get out of bad situation. Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a driver, though his form of transportation has him chauffeuring clients wearing masks and holding pistols. Baby owes a debt to Doc (Kevin Spacey), the brains behind the heist operations, and is close to getting square, which will allow him to leave the life of crime behind. All baby needs to do is finish one last job.

Who doesn't like a good heist film? That's exactly what "Baby Driver" is, a film about bad guys trying to get rich. Stuck in the middle of these shady characters is Baby, a young man who organizes every aspect of his life around music. In the literal soundtrack to his life, Baby jauntily shuffles his way to the coffee shop with Bob & Earl's "Harlem Shuffle" perfectly matched to every step, turn, and even breath taken by Baby. The joy during many of the scenes comes from the balance of editing and the use of music. The music tells more story than the words spoken by the characters. The emotion felt during certain song choices tells you more about the characters than any word they could utter in the film. Every song is hand-picked for the scene, it's an eclectic jukebox of music that ranges from soul, rock, hiphop, punk, and jazz. You don't have to be a music fan to like this movie, but music fans will get an absolute thrill over the use of some of these songs.

The ingenious editing accommodates the music perfectly. Cuts match tempo and actions are choreographed in near perfect synchronicity to the music. It's not the first time Mr. Wright has done this; in "Shaun of the Dead" a zombie is pummeled with Queen playing in the background, in "The World's End" beers are guzzled in syncs to a tune by The Doors, and in "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" the entire film is predicated on a band fighting villains with music. But there is something different about how the director uses this technique here, in the past it was a purposeful element that played a supporting character but in "Baby Driver" it’s an exercise, a process to compose an entire film with a beating musical pulse.

What the film lacks in the form of an original story it more than accommodates with its creative use in every other element that composes a film. The technique is wholly unique and the performances are nuanced and playful. Ansel Elgort plays Baby with a quiet charm while the other players like Kevin Spacey, Eiza Gonzalez, Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal, and Jon Hamm play their versions of tough criminals with bad attitudes with a mix of cartoon menace but also intimidation when the story takes a turn for the serious. Lily James, playing the love interest to Baby, glows in the small supportive role as well.

"Baby Driver" doesn't do much to heighten the modern take of the heist film, but what it does in composing all the aspects around it is absolutely impressive. It's one of the most entertaining pieces of film this year, and quite possibly one of the best music videos ever made.

Monte's Rating

4.50 out of 5.00

Baby Driver - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Welcome to ‘Baby Driver’, the most entertaining movie of the year…by a mile  

Written and directed by: Edgar Wright

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, John Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal, Elza Gonzalez, and CJ Jones

“Baby Driver” – During the 1970s and 1980s, millions of boys grew up watching hundreds and hundreds of staged car chases on television shows like “Starsky & Hutch” and “The Dukes of Hazzard”, and include me in this motley group.  Pristine minds – void of any personal experiences of burning rubber and squealing tires – can certainly become mesmerized, when two Southern California police detectives and two Georgia locals man their four-wheeled chariots on tracks of asphalt and dirt, respectively and in the process, outwit their adversaries. 

Over time, however, mesmerized looks can turn into glazed over ones, when car chases simply become repeated vehicles (pardon the pun) to fill time during small screen programs.   In other words, for many experienced television and movie fans, it will take a heck of a car chase to garner our attention.

Enter Baby. 

Baby (Ansel Elgort) - an early 20-something who frequently sports shades, almost constantly blares music on his old school iPod and hardly speaks a word – drives. 

Baby drives several different teams of bank robbers – three at a time - to various jobs, and our sunspecs-sporting, earbud-wearing, soft-spoken hero is always the fourth in these criminal quartets.  The armed robbers change, but Baby remains the one constant, because he is the best. 

Right away, writer/director Edgar Wright showcases Baby’s skills behind the wheel of a red, 4-door Subaru in a getaway chase that heightens the senses, complete with hairpin turns on narrow streets, zigzags on busy freeways and an extremely clever deception that will induce frisky smiles, even from the most cynical, experienced “Starsky & Hutch” and ”The Dukes of Hazzard” viewers.

Wright literally and figuratively puts the pedal to the metal - and beautifully does so - in concert with a particular 1994 alternative rock track (which I will not name in this review) emanating from Baby’s iPod.   What an entrance, and welcome to “Baby Driver”, easily the most entertaining movie of 2017…so far.  In fact, with this film’s mix of music, action, comedy, and snappy dialogue within its congealed criminal elements and more, “Baby Driver” resonates a unique euphoria, similarly to two pictures in fairly recent history, “48 Hours” (1982) and “Pulp Fiction” (1994).  I cannot absolutely declare that Wright’s masterpiece is on par with these films, but with just one week out from seeing the picture, it sure feels that way.

Along with Baby, Wright pens a collection of felonious types, including a tattooed bully (Jon Bernthal), a veteran lawbreaker who always anticipates a double-cross (Jamie Foxx) and a couple who arrives as the most amiable of the bunch, because they endless shower affection for one another (John Hamm, Elza Gonzalez).  Every crook – rotating in and out – usually finds plenty to say, and their constant spoken opinions prove a huge contrast to Baby, who prefers to keep his distance, physically and emotionally.  Baby either believes that he does not belong in Doc’s (Kevin Spacey) various gangs of four, or he does, so detachment during the heists’ planning and execution stages helps him cope. 

The picture does not detach or unplug the audience during its 1-hour 53-minute runtime, and music and many, many references to it flood the screen, as the soundtrack feels like another character along for the ride (again, pardon the pun).  Music moves in harmony with the distinct characters, as they run through complex schemes of thievery in a windowless, concrete room and cinematically race them to fruition through Atlanta’s buzzing streets via kinetic, violent means.  Meanwhile, the narrative gradually unwraps Baby’s sorted history through haunting flashbacks which environmentally built – atom by atom - his nature in 2017, and the screenplay smartly offers him a courtship with a sweet, virginal waitress named Debora (Lily James) at the same pacing.

Baby and Debora’s scenes at Bo’s Diner feel precious and rare, as he continues to open up to this trusting, wide-eyed girl next door, sans the details of his current driving duties.  Baby’s reveals and personal growth (including a father/son relationship with Joseph (CJ Jones)) pour a highly important foundation to the film and serve as the emotional core that allows the audience the freedom to play and dollop in the wild, dangerous fun.  Stylistically, the film treats the flashbacks and current romantic sparks with Debora with the same, deep meticulous details as the thrilling set pieces, so transitions between relationship exploration and action are tonally seamless. 

Wright also conjures up some pleasing traces of “Reservoir Dogs” (1992) and “True Romance” (1993) – including a faint ode to Elvis with Baby’s given accent – but “Baby Driver” proudly carries its own spirit with less exposition (except for music references) and more focus on the tasks at hand.   You see, precision is a paramount prerequisite to a successful heist, and “Baby Driver” thoroughly crafts and layers intricate elements – throughout the picture - which lend its astonishingly elaborate mechanics to flow with the greatest of ease.  No, “Baby Driver” is not another action picture with well-placed, choreographed car chases.  Not by a mile

(4/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

The Exception - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Exception’ is intriguing but not necessarily exceptional

Directed by: David Leveaux

Written by: Simon Burke (screenplay), Alad Judd (novel)

Starring: Jai Courtney, Lily James, Christopher Plummer, Janet McTeer, and Eddie Marsan

“The Exception” - The definition of an exception is a person or a thing that does not follow a rule.  In director David Leveaux’s first feature film, he wonders if Capt. Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney) can be an exception and not follow a rule or - more specifically - his orders.  Leveaux raises the stakes for the audience, because Capt. Brandt is not part of an ordinary military outfit, but a very infamous one.  The year is 1940, and Brandt is a German soldier.  Of course, SS soldiers who spoke the words “I was just following orders” have been forever scorned and shamed.

“The Exception” is not set in a concentration camp, but actually, the complete opposite, a lush and luxurious estate in German-occupied Holland.  Kaiser Wilhelm II (Christopher Plummer) lives in exile within the well-manicured, fully-staffed castle, and Brandt is ordered to protect the former German Emperor from a British spy who - according to intelligence reports - could assassinate him.    

Leveaux and writer Simon Burke do not forge this wartime thriller on a foundation of action and gunplay.  Instead, they construct an expositional, exploratory narrative through the eyes of three key characters who are figuratively placed in uncomfortable waters and asked to gently tread with a dangerous undercurrent looming nearby.  

Wilhelm still burns with frustration due the German economic calamity after World War I and sorely feels less than whole.  A king without a throne in his homeland.  Meanwhile, Capt. Brandt tries to escape his wartime demons, as he repeatedly dreams the same image of dead women and children laying in an ordinary field.  On this new assignment, death is ever-present too, because Brandt’s commander will execute him, if he fails to protect the king.  The third character in this triad is a maid named Mieke (Lily James) who serves Wilhelm.  Both Wilhelm and Brandt are smitten by Mieke’s beauty but also by her depth which carries some secrets. 

Brandt and Mieke delve into a sexual relationship from the get-go, despite their obvious geopolitical differences (since Germany invaded her country and all), and their bedroom scenes are very forward.  The tone almost pays tribute to films of the 1970s, when frank and open sex scenes can randomly appear out of nowhere, or perhaps the 1980s, as both Brandt and Mieke borrow a pick-up line from Daniel Day-Lewis’ Tomas in “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” (1988).  

Courtney and James share onscreen physical chemistry, but I did not quite buy into their emotional connection.  Now, I wholly believed their individual and collective angst in this particular castle but not necessarily the two as a potential long-term pair, either due to forced plot devices trying to unite them or their emotive fit as actors. 

Plummer does fit as Kaiser Wilhelm II, and it is impossible to take your eyes off him, whether reminders of the king’s past surface during stormy, awkward political talk at dinner or through a quiet moment with Mieke, as they feed the ducks.  Plummer plays Wilhelm as a complex soul, balancing proud, earned dignity with shame.  Well into his 80s, Plummer continues to churn out terrific performances (“Remember” (2015), “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (2011) and “Beginners” (2010), among others), as his work in “The Exception” is no exception. 

Courtney, known for living and breathing tough guy and villainous roles, delivers his most likable performance that I have seen to date (which is ironic, because he plays a Nazi captain), and James offers another memorable turn with nuanced touches.  The film, however, does not quite possess that thriller-touch, as designed sequences like a race against time during an interrogation and an active search through the castle do not fetch enough tension.  Rather than inducing stress from a ticking clock or worry about a Nazi guard’s detective methods, these scenes just feel cliché. 

Although, I should note that Eddie Marsan – in a supporting role - is downright chilling as Heinrich Himmler, but as the movie plays out, the mechanics of the German military’s investigation are far less important than the lead characters’ growth.  Then again, the relationships between the three leads sometimes feel more fanciful than realistic, but at least Leveaux and Burke are not following cinematic orders.

(2.5/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Transformers: The Last Knight - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ is a nightmare

Directed by:  Michael Bay

Written by:  Art Marcum, Matt Holloway and Ken Nolan

Starring:  Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins and Laura Haddock

“Transformers: The Last Knight” -  Have you ever walked into a classroom, sat down and the instructor hands out final exams to all the students, but you recoil in horror, because you haven’t attended one lecture all semester?

I have never felt such despair in real life but have encountered an occasional dream depicting the aforementioned, dreadful scenario.   Apparently, this type of nightmare stems from feeling anxiety or discomfort about a life situation during one’s waking hours.  During sleeping hours, a brutal sense of unpreparedness can temporarily rush over a person when looking down at a test with zero apparent paths to answer any of its questions. 

On June 19, I suffered a very rare occurrence, because I felt that dream-exam angst while wide awake during my 2-hour 29-minute “Transformers: The Last Knight” experience. 

Although I grasped the movie’s basic plot, as the narrative played out, I was lost, like sitting down and flipping through a five-page test booklet, without any understanding of the words typed on its pages.  Apparently, director Michael Bay has devised a cinematic language of his own, because this movie defies logic. 

Before expanding on the film’s many, many faults, let’s review the storyline. 

Set a few months or years after the events of “Transformers: Age of Extinction” (2014), the Autobots and Decepticons are leaderless, as Optimus Prime and Megatron are nowhere to be found.  Some robot-lawlessness exists, so humans formed the Transformers Reaction Force (TRF) to seek and destroy our mechanical heroes and enemies. 

Our human hero from the last film, Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) found a home at a South Dakota junkyard, with various Autobots and a 20-something named Jimmy (Jerrod Carmichael) who adds absolutely nothing to the narrative.  Cade must have found a way to teleport across the United States to this junkyard, because he can apparently materialize in Chicago in a blink of eye, in a random act of heroism to rescue a girl and four boys. 

Meanwhile, Sir Edmund Burton (Anthony Hopkins) narrates tales of magic and history, and the movie references England’s Dark Ages.  Even Merlin the Magician conjures up an appearance, as the film reveals that Transformers existed in England – 1,600 years into the past -  while a mystical talisman and staff wield great power. 

On the Transformers’ home world of Cybertron, Quintessa (who maintains a similar role as the Borg Queen in the “Star Trek” Universe) wants to suck the Earth dry of its energy to jumpstart her world, and this ancient staff is the key to her plans.  So, lots of robots and humans find themselves in a race to find the staff to either destroy or save Planet Earth.

Since the entire Earth is danger, Bay includes many faraway locales on the big screen.  For instance, he flashes images of China, Jordan, Egypt, and West Africa.  Additionally, John Turturro’s character lives in Cuba and races to a pay phone to screech about impending doom.   Hopkins’ Burton resides in England and seems to possess all kinds of answers, except the whereabouts of the missing staff.  Cade zips to Illinois and South Dakota through his unknown mode of transportation that moves at the speed of light.  Thankfully, he carves out some time to check in with his daughter by leaving a voicemail and later writing a text, but I digress.  Upon reflection, I believe that Bay left out Antarctica, Australia and South America without representation during this global challenge.  That’s a terrible shame, because when saving the Earth, everybody knows that it takes a village.

Well, this village would not be complete without an attractive heroine, so Vivian Wembley (Laura Haddock) makes an entrance.  She doubles as polo player and professor at Oxford and at certain angles conveniently resembles Megan Fox, who starred in the first two “Transformers” films. 

Humans work with various Autobots - like Bumblebee and Drift – with a singular goal in mind, but seemingly every set piece seems to serve no purpose other than to manifest random action, chases or explosions for a few minutes at a time with little connective tissue to the previous scene.  Add Stonehenge, a submarine that explores some bizarre lost city of Atlantis, an obligatory desert highway crash, giant horns that emerge from the Earth’s surface, and extraterrestrial stirrups which dangle from Cybertron, and that is your movie.  A collection of nonsense that can somewhat be explained by Sir Burton, who speaks in hopeless riddles.  

Thankfully, the smartest person at NASA (Tony Hale) affirms that the best way to defeat Quintessa’s sinister plan is by leveraging nuclear explosions that will act like a Tiger Woods golf shot. 

Whew, I feel safe now.

Actually, I was mystified, because I cannot speak Michael Bay’s language, at least in the “Transformers” Universe, but I should not be surprised.  After the entertaining first film, “Transformers” (2007), Bay has been jamming explosion-filled diets of big screen junk food down our throats for four sequels now.  For those who never grew up with Optimus Prime, Megatron and Bumblebee toys and who appreciate lucid movie plots, these “Transformers” movies can be painful.  “Transformers: Age of Extinction” (2014) is worst picture in the series, primarily because it dragged on for 2 hours and 45 minutes with a shameless, grandiose importance of “The English Patient” (1996).   

The only positive aspect of this film?  It ran 16 minutes shorter than its predecessor.

At least this cinematic nightmare was not as long, but 149 minutes is still a brutal chore.  Well, when entering a “Transformers” classroom, perhaps the best course of action is to simply turn around and walk out.

(1/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

The Hero - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Elliott shines as ‘The Hero’

Directed by:  Brett Haley

Written by:  Brett Haley and Marc Basch

Starring:  Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Nick Offerman, Krysten Ritter, and Katharine Ross

“The Hero” - “Lone Star Barbeque Sauce, the perfect partner for your chicken.”- Lee Hayden

“You seem sad.” – Charlotte, speaking to Lee

Sam Elliott is enjoying a busy and celebrated television and film career, spanning 48 years and counting.  He has starred in very memorable supporting roles over the years, including “Mask” (1985), “Road House” (1989), “Tombstone” (1993), “We Were Soldiers” (2002), and “I’ll See You in My Dreams” (2015), and when you think of Elliott, two thoughts immediately come to mind:  his voice and his mustache.  In “The Hero”, Elliott plays an actor, Lee Hayden, who is also known for his mustache and voice, and the film zeroes in on one of his obvious physical signatures from the get-go.  In the opening scene, Lee records a spot for Lone Star Barbeque Sauce in a funny bit in which his rich, deep vocal chords repeatedly pour over an endorsement for this particular condiment.

He makes a good living and lives comfortably in Los Angeles – via past royalties and paydays from the 1970s and 1980s – but, at 71 years old, he is itching for some meaningful work.  His agent, however, says that nothing is available at the moment and delivers an empty promise, “We’re expecting something soon.” 

Lee grasps the grim reality that his future acting prospects are few, but to make matters much, much worse, his current health problems prove deadly serious.  The prognosis is dire.  With only one, prideful acting accomplishment on his resume and painful conflicts with family, he owns massive life regrets, and his time is short.  

Elliott does not star in leading roles very often (“The Legacy” (1979) and “Conagher” (1991), for example).  The list might be short, but he truly shines as the lead in “The Hero”, a role that fits perfectly for him.  Elliott is known for playing tough guys with strong moral compasses, and his onscreen voice can bring a sense of calm and quiet confidence.  Now, Lee may not a have the most “northbound” compass - as characterized by his drug habits and emotional distance from his estranged daughter, Lucy (Krysten Ritter) - but he establishes a relaxed, casual hand through unobtrusive moments of reflection but also fear.  The end is near.  Director/cowriter Brett Haley guides us through this small, indie picture with big ideas about broken relationships, facing death and living with regrets, and he wraps it around Lee, who attempts to navigate his way without obvious answers. 

The story arc, admittedly, is not terribly remarkable nor is the subject matter unfamiliar, and in fact, in many cases, the film’s plot points (which I will not name in this review) are easily telegraphed.  If you wish to take notes or keep score with a notebook and pen in the movie theatre, you’ll find it a piece of cake to scribe checkmarks or draw lines to connect the dots.  Although the narrative feels predictable, it does engage, and primarily due to Haley’s gentle hand with the material and Elliott’s absorbing performance.

Haley films many of his scenes in quiet locales, like Lee’s place, his friend Jeremy’s (Nick Offerman) house, a random stop at a food truck, and gorgeous, empty Southern California beaches, in which crashing waves strike land.  The purposeful lack of onscreen distractions gives Lee space to exist, think, anguish, and cope.  Like the solitary resonance of crashing waves, sometimes Haley doles out soft, singular sounds in other places to create a sense of serenity.   In one scene, we only hear coffee brewing in the kitchen, and in another, Lee cleans the living room table with his hand, as we listen to the subtle brush of tiny marijuana leaves rolling towards the end of the wooden slab.  In some instances, Lee sits in his home in total silence, sans his thumb tapping his phone.

While the tranquil moments serve their purpose, Offerman and Laura Prepon wonderfully compliment Elliott in supporting Lee and pushing him past his obstacles, respectively.  Jeremy (Offerman) is probably his closest friend but doubles as his drug dealer, and while that sounds like a dubious relationship on the surface, Offerman’s Jeremy offers very welcomed, droll conversations and close camaraderie, as they smoke pot and eat Chinese food on any given lazy, weekday afternoon.  Charlotte (Prepon) brings some surprises with frank talk and meaningful, fresh life-perspectives.  An edgy, insightful 30-something with an unknown, dicey past, Charlotte also carries a strong light with good intentions, even if she includes devilish twists along the way.

Both Jeremy and Charlotte extend good karma for Lee, and every single interaction works cinematically, because of the actors’ chemistry and a crisp, honest script.  Elliott carries the film on his own, but you might find yourself waiting for another chat with Jeremy about icebergs or a hint about Charlotte’s backstory.   Katharine Ross (who is Elliott’s wife off-screen) and Ritter deliver sincere moments as well, but this is Lee’s journey.  Elliott completely captures this man who – for decades - swallowed his guilt, grief and failed accomplishments, but these demons finally seep to the surface. 

Accompanied by a flowing, mystical soundtrack, there’s almost a Buddhist quality to “The Hero”, as it embraces nature, dabs into poetry, speaks of immortality, and attempts to heal a damaged person and his broken relationships.  Lee is a hero to his legion of fans, but not to himself, and the film explores this through spoken and visual metaphors, including dream sequences from his iconic 1970s western, “The Hero”.  Not every dream sequence was completely necessary, but still, after seeing this film, I immediately felt required to go back and watch this talented, charismatic actor’s aforementioned supporting performances again.  Elliott’s voice certainly can sell barbeque sauce on the big screen, and he absolutely excels in a starring role.  I am sold. 

(3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

47 Meters Down - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

47 Meters Down

Director: Johannesburg Roberts

Starring: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine, Yani Gellman, Santiago Segura, and Chris Johnson

It's been more than 40 years since the release of "Jaws" and people are still afraid to go in the water. That's the undeniable quality of the film, that its effect on generations of film fans is still, firstly, fear of what lurks in the water. Since its release numerous films have tried to emulate the qualities that so richly personify the film but very few have come close

Andrew Traucki's "The Reef" effectively captured the tension, Renny Harlin's "Deep Blue Sea" crafted the creature feature quality, and Chris Kentis' "Open Water" had the character dynamics; but where each achieve their own identifying quality they are all completely influenced by "Jaws" in one way or another.

Director Johannesburg Roberts' film "47 Meters Down", which was released last year on DVD but was pulled for a wide theatrical release, takes the shark attack film and places it deep beneath the surface of the water. Mr. Roberts' film is full of claustrophobic atmosphere, a film that makes the most of the simple premise of monsters lurking in the dark.

Lisa (Mandy Moore) and her sister Kate (Claire Holt) are vacationing in Mexico. Kate, the adventurous of the two, is helping Lisa cope with a recent break-up. In an effort to show her ex-boyfriend how adventurous she can be, Lisa is coerced by her sister to go on an excursion in a shark tank. Unfortunately things take a turn for the worse when their winch breaks and they plummet to the ocean floor surrounded by sharks.

The simpler you can make a shark film, the better it usually is. In the case of "47 Meters Down" it's about as simple as a film like this could get. Mr. Roberts doesn't waste too much time on dry land, aside from a simple introduction to the two sisters personalities and a little back story that persuades the characters decision to get inside a rusty shark tank, the film gets down to the fearful focus of the situation as quick as it can.

It's within this atmosphere that the film takes shape, turning the murky waters of the deep ocean into the same atmosphere you might associate with a haunted house. In the same way, each time one of characters ventures into the darkness to help assist their escape from a watery tomb, the film begins to feel like you're watching someone juggle sharp knives; the element of sudden, quick danger becomes ever-present. This structure and environment are the shining elements of this film, one of the primary reasons it works.

Unfortunately, with the simplistic design there is less time to focus on character development, even though for a small moment in the beginning the film introduces a character element between the siblings that is interesting. Once the two sisters only have each other to depend on deep in the ocean, the film begins to incorporate some nice twists regarding equipment issues and the physiological aspects of being so deep in the water. But neither of the actors are provided much more than making the same statements and asking the same questions, "I'll be right back", "Don't leave me down here", "Watch out"; it becomes laughable during times that are suppose to be intense.

"47 Meters Down" is ingenious in its simplicity, a story that operates to build moments of tension and offer the occasional jump scare. While "Jaws" will undoubtedly never be duplicated, its effect on the genre will always try to be emulated; in that regard this film works much better than most.

Monte's Rating

3.25 out of 5.00

The Mummy - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Mummy

Director: Alex Kurtzman

Starring: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Jack Johnson, and Russell Crowe

The legendary Boris Karloff portrayed many iconic characters throughout his long career, The Monster in "Frankenstein" and "The Mummy" are undoubtedly two of the most recognizable. Mr. Karloff's role in these films is a fundamental building block in creating the foundation for Universal Pictures, which would go on to make the classic monsters we can all identify today. 

Tom Cruise has been chosen to lead the Universal Monster universe in a new direction, with a new franchise. In recent years, the actor has become somewhat typecast as the "smartest guy in the room" action hero and he's actually quite good playing this character. Mr. Cruise has a charisma about him and a dedication to keep everything authentic, even down to performing his own terrifying stunts or taking roles earlier in his career that were different and out of character. This makes it all the more perplexing when you consider his completely miscast role in Universal's newest "The Mummy", which is an introductory piece to the new "Dark Universe" concept that aims to bring all the classic monsters into the same united world. Mr. Cruise, talent and all, just doesn't belong in this film and the film itself is a terrible first step for the design of this monster franchise.

Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) is a soldier with a penchant for antiquities, ones that he steals and sells for his own gain. Nick has a sidekick named Chris (Jake Johnson), the voice of common sense to Nick's insane ideas. The two encounter some resistance in a small Iraqi village, but after calling in an air strike that decimates the area a tomb is uncovered hidden below the surface. The tomb belongs to a princess named Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella) who was banished far from her kingdom after murdering her family. Her vengeful resurrected body is unleashed on the world and Nick has been chosen to assist in her devious plan.

The setup may not be exactly identical to the last incarnation for this ancient monster, which came out in 1999 and was directed by Stephen Somers and starred Brendan Frasher, though it does share quite a few moments, most obvious a giant dust storm with the face of the villain in it. However, it also pulls more influences from other films. You'll get an awful attempt to emulate a shining aspect of "American Werewolf in London", a piece of the underrated 80's horror gem "Lifeforce", and even a little underwater zombie mayhem care of Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" (all that's missing is the shark). Though, while this film pulls material from some good places, it never fully assists the film in crafting anything that helps the story or characters.

Again, this franchise exists within the realms of the Universal Monster's. The film never hides the fact that this is basically Universal's version of Marvel's "Avengers" saga. You actually get the message loud and clear in the first few moments of the film. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, in fact it's what many horror genre fans have been waiting for since they saw "The Monster Squad" or the "Abbott and Costello Meet..." films, it never proposes the material in interesting ways. Instead "The Mummy" feels contrived and rushed. Characters are introduced and developed less by meaningful interactions and more by scenes of them running from one place to another either in search of or retreat from the monster.

Tom Cruise is the star here, playing what seems to be a bumbling thief who has heroic moments. But his character and performance don't match the tone the film is trying to achieve. The two female leads in Sofia Boutella as The Mummy and Annabelle Wallis as a researcher, are overlooked. Ms. Boutella has moments to shine when she actually gets to play the monster, most of the time she is tied up or seen in flashbacks. Ms. Wallis is simple hampered with a terrible role as merely a liaison to Nick's adventure.

"The Mummy" tries hard to bring in all the elements that make for mindless summer blockbuster fun, unfortunately it struggles to even be a film that distracts with visual entertainment for near 2 hours. The spectacle never feels big enough, the interesting characters are only provided a few real moments to be used, and the glaring plot holes raise questions consistently throughout. It's an unfortunate mistake that makes "The Mummy" less of step towards a franchise and more towards a hasty exit from the summer cineplex.

Monte's Rating

1.50 out of 5.00

It Comes at Night - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

It Comes At Night

Director: Trey Edward Shults

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Carmen Ejogo, Christopher Abbott, Riley Keough, and Kelvin Harris Jr.

In John Conrad's cynical, politically influenced work "Under Western Eyes", the author takes steps in describing themes of terrorism, the degradation of character, and the suffering experienced by ordinary people caught in the wave of political influence. Mr. Conrad makes a poignant statement during the course describing how two factions of society lived in pre-Revolutionary Russia when it is stated, "only that a belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness".

It's within this nature of humanity that writer/director Trey Edward Shults positions his new film "It Comes At Night"; within the turmoil that humanity faces with the unknown, within the natural distrust that exists deep in the souls of humans, within the emotions that motivate choices to act without compassion. In the same way the genre of horror effectively plants its most troublesome and terrifying roots with these same elements, blossoming monsters, madmen, and demons, Mr. Shults builds a film that is an unnerving look into the monsters that humans can become in the face of fear, desperation, and loneliness.

An unknown terror has forced humanity into isolation, survival has come down to wearing gas masks and carrying weapons whenever you venture outside. Paul (Joel Edgerton) runs a meticulous house with Sarah (Carmen Ejogo) and Travis (Kelvin Harris Jr.), maintaining strict rules that includes not going out at night, keeping a certain red door locked at all times, and separating themselves from any other outside human interaction. During one evening a young man named Will (Christopher Abbott) tries to break into Paul's home, after a torturous interrogation Paul compassionately decides to invite Will and his family into his home. Paranoia and distrust take over, making survival a deadly game for the two groups.

Mr. Shults first film, "Krisha", was an uncompromising character study that functioned on the surface as a drama but underneath was composed in the same way a filmmaker would craft a horror film. "It Comes at Night" operates very much the same, an analysis on how people function in a world without rules, in a world where the element of trust has all but disappeared. Placing characters within this treacherous environment provides the director opportunity to build tension through the interactions of the people living together and a mystery concerning how the characters will react during certain situations. However it also functions with all the mannerisms of a horror film, from the trepid movements into the darkness, the manipulative camera movements, and the use of sound to heighten the atmosphere. The monster here is keenly crafted as noises and movements in the darkness of the woods. In a nice touch the camera will many times linger on a specific point of perspective, a red door, a tree, an open road, just long enough to make the viewer investigate the frame looking for something that isn't always there. 

Mr. Shults wisely keeps the emphasis on the real monster in the film, which is humanity. You get the feeling early on that something isn't right with the people in the film, you can make the guess that this group of people have already had to make terrible choices along their journey into obscurity. For Paul, friendship and companionship are aspects long forgotten and the composition of the family dynamic doesn't seem to exist. Paul's relationship with Sarah and Travis is uncomfortable and awkward, so when he encounters a more traditional family unit he displays compassion, this family in need is sort of a symbol of hope in a hopeless world. Watching this group of people progress through different stages of trust is fascinating, and watching their ultimate dismantling is heart breaking.

The film maintains a deliberate pacing, never getting too far ahead of itself though in a few moments not offering enough narrative development to achieve the same impact that it achieves with its third act. This film is less a horror film and more a meticulously paced character study, though that doesn't make it any less scary. "It Comes At Night" may not be the film that makes you jump in your seat but it's the kind of film that will stay with long after you leave the theater.

Monte's Rating

4.00 out of 5.00

Waking David - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Waking David’ opens our eyes to the price of family secrets

Directed by:  Kevin Nash

Written by:  Kevin Nash, Kristy Bruce, Shane Bruce, and Harriet Madeley

Starring:  Harriet Madeley, Kristy Bruce, Shane Bruce, Mark Katz, Paul Mooney, and Kathryn Worth

“Waking David” - “Communication is paramount to the success of any relationship.”

“Does she know about David?”

Scarlett (Harriet Madeley) is a young, successful professional.  This American – while only in her mid-20s – is speaking at a conference in Great Britain, sporting a head-worn microphone like a pop star and commanding the stage, as she is reciting the aforementioned quote about communication. 

Quite frankly, who can argue?  If we look back at our own failed relationships, the lack of meaningful communication could be a prime reason that stymied or doomed them.

“Waking David” is about the lack of communication within an entire family.  A family constructed by some emotionally damaged members, and the current state of kinship-disarray is exasperated due to massive shortages of honest discourse.  Director Kevin Nash introduces us to this mystery, one in which every on-screen character – apparently – knows the answer to it, except for Scarlett.  Due to Scarlett’s nature, however, she is determined to find answers to her open questions.  Since we, the audience, seek similar answers, this places Scarlett in a valuable lead protagonist role.  

Scarlett is resourceful, educated and optimistic, and while in the UK - for some reason - she stops at Julie’s (Shane Bruce) home, with her luggage and two welcomed bottles of celebratory alcohol in tow.  She is staying at Julie’s for a couple days, but why?  Curiously, Julie greets Scarlett with a fairly cool reception.  She is in her 40s or 50s, and they do not appear to be friends or close family.  One might immediately conclude that Julie is renting out an upstairs bedroom via Airbnb, but the film quickly dismisses that possibility.    

Actually, Scarlett arrives in Julie’s home for answers about David (whose role will not be revealed in this review), but this Brit is not willing to share many details about him.  Julie’s daughter, Amy (Kristy Bruce), feels equally unhelpful.  The same goes for Julie’s boyfriend, Simon (Mark Katz), and her sister, Helen (Kathryn Worth). 

Why?  A deep, dark secret is buried here, and Scarlett - the wide-eyed, idealist – feels the family’s hostile protection in keeping it classified, but she soon demands the reasons for hush-hush surrounding her very simple, straightforward inquiries.

“Waking David” contains a battle of wills and a clash of cultures.  Scarlett is in a foreign land, and Julie, Amy and Simon treat her like an unwelcome solicitor who suspiciously asks for donations.

Nash effectively sets an uneasy, anxious tone in the close quarters of Julie’s home, and Scarlett and the audience feel it.  His camera finds small nooks or sits around tables, like another member of the family, as the picture almost feels like a documentary, capturing frank conversations of a family on edge.  Argumentative conversations – between Julie, Amy and Simon (and to a lesser extent, Helen and her husband, Greg (Paul Mooney)) - can be heard through thin walls, and the exchanges are centered around Scarlett’s intrusion into their lives.  This young American has apparently opened old wounds that were never healed but covered by several layers of bandages, barricaded by wood planks and overlaid in concrete.

Unfortunately, when one buries their problems, they seep out and reveal themselves in very negative ways, and Amy and Julie clearly demonstrate this phenomenon.  Kristy and Shane Bruce are terrific as Amy and Julie, who – both - desperately grasp for emotional tools to grant them refuge during this time of unexpected burden.  They just need to get through Scarlett’s weekend visit, but the damage inflicted by this family secret can be written all over their faces.  Julie seems like a thoughtful, considerate person, but appears to feel the frustration of making repeated bad choices over the past few decades.  Her latest bad choice is Simon, who would rather complain about the world and grab a drink than address Julie in a supportive way. 

With Amy, Nash supports a very stark contrast to Scarlett.  Through the apparent advantages of growing up in a healthy environment, Scarlett thrives in life and embraces her emotional strength and education.  She sees the world as filled with opportunities, while Amy – who is about the same age – completely feels the opposite.  Amy wears dark clothes, smokes and exudes a constant resentment towards anyone within eyeshot.  Only in her mid-20s, Amy sees no positive prospects in her immediate future or over the next 60 years, and the last place that she wishes to spend her time is in her mother’s home. 

“Waking David” is an uncomfortable – but very absorbing – journey in the confines of one house over a few, difficult hours.  Nash escorts us through the broken limbs of a teetering family tree and slowly reveals the distant windstorm that snapped its spirit so many years ago.  All of the actors convincingly jump into this tangled web, as Madeley’s Scarlett attempts to discover the ultimate truth.  In this case, an alarm of frank, direct communication might wake a muddled history, and this family’s future success depends on it.

(3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Megan Leavey - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Megan Leavey’ inspires in real life and on-screen

Directed by:  Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Written by:  Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo and Tim Lovestedt

Starring:  Kate Mara, Common, Edie Falco, Bradley Whitford, and Will Patton

“Megan Leavey” – “You don’t really connect with people very well.”

No, Megan Leavey (Kate Mara) does not easily connect with people, and she cannot find her footing in the game of life either.  Working a dead-end job in the small community of Valley Cottage, NY and feeling frustrated by her overbearing, unsupportive mom (Edie Falco), this young woman is reaching her limit.  She needs a change, and faster than you can say “forward march”, Megan joins the United States Marine Corps (USMC).  After an eye-opening basic training stint, the USMC whisks her to Southern California, but – predictably – she finds herself in a heap of trouble.  Sgt. Martin (Common) orders her to clean the dog kennels for a week, but Megan unknowingly finds her calling:  working with the bomb-sniffing dogs.  Specifically, she forms a special bond with the camp’s most aggressive canine, a German Shepherd named Rex.

Well, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite bonds with Megan’s real life story and delivers “Megan Leavey” to the big screen in a biopic that tugs on your heartstrings and inspires in expected and unexpected ways.  Animal lovers who cherish films like “My Dog Skip” (2000) and “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” (2009) will certainly appreciate the person/dog dynamic here.  Cowperthwaite and Mara carve out meaningful establishing scenes that showcase Megan’s attempts to engage with Rex, who appears untrainable at times as well as dangerous.  Megan not only has to overcome her fear of Rex but needs to conquer her own self-doubt.  Adding another layer of intricate complication, the film shifts to the war-torn landscapes of Iraq in the early 2000s.

This is an Iraq War picture, and Cowperthwaite does not pull punches. The film includes some very intense moments, in which Megan and Rex probe potential dangers in suspect locales, including a random home in the dead of night and car checkpoints, which are anything but routine.  Their job?  To be the canaries in the coal mine.  With Megan’s guidance and initially shaky leadership, Rex sniffs out guns and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), paving the way for hopeful, safe journeys for her brothers and sisters on the battlefield. 

Make no mistake, Megan and Rex reside on the front lines, but they are not assigned to run towards enemy gunfire with bullets flying.  Instead, their responsibilities are much more hazardous and infinitely uncertain, as they make repeated, first contacts with the unknown, when the air is still.  

IEDs could be hidden anywhere, so “Megan Leavey” definitely channels a “The Hurt Locker” (2008) vibe, but this movie splits its time between nail-biting sequences and Megan’s growth through her relationship with Rex.  Mara is very convincing as a stymied human being looking for purpose, finding it and then unearthing the strength and courage to hold onto it.  Mara – who is slight in stature (5’ 2”) and build - does not physically resemble a typical marine, so her portrayal of Megan’s initial apprehensions in the field are terribly convincing.  Several moments of handwringing resonate in our movie theatre seats, as Megan carefully - but assuredly - walks towards extreme risk, and her eyes peer from underneath a helmet which looks about one and a half sizes too large.  

Cowperthwaite does not shy away from the intensity, but she also brings a distinct, feminine touch to the film.  She and Mara delve into Megan’s upstream fights with Sgt. Martin, her mom and her place in the world, and effectively capture her struggle to define herself as a responsible soldier and as a woman.  One particularly warm moment involves Megan’s initial work with Rex in California.   After – seemingly – weeks of Rex initiating fear and/or ignoring Megan altogether, he finally follows one of her commands, and she releases a look of utter surprise, joy and empowerment.  This wonderful, this-is-where-I-belong scene certainly draws us to Megan, as we see her positive life-turn in sight.

Whether or not Megan – in real life - struggled with sexism during her time in the USMC, the film does not identify it as part of her experience, save a few initial glances from her male counterparts when she arrives in California.  Otherwise, she is treated like a complete equal, which is highly refreshing. 

Even though Megan’s affecting bond with Rex is a huge part of the picture, thankfully, “Megan Leavey” does not bathe us in tears, but yes, it does splash us at times.   Anchored by Cowperthwaite’s steady hand and strong performances – including key supporting work by Falco and Bradley Whitford (who is almost unrecognizable) - “Megan Leavey” defines a person of character, who does connect with others and in the process, finds her purpose, 6,000 miles away from Valley Cottage, NY.  Sounds like a reason to celebrate…with tears of joy. 

(3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Wonder Woman - Movie Review by Kaley Monahan

‘Wonder Woman’ redefines the superhero genre

By Kaely Monahan

It's been over a year of anxious anticipation for DC’s Wonder Woman. Fans of the heroine and the DC universe have prayed, “Please be good!” And begged, “Please don’t ruin it!” The small taste of Princess Diana was the only redeeming bit in last year’s “Batman V Superman.” And it only whet audience's appetites. So, the question is: Is Wonder Woman good?

The answer is no.

It’s fantastic!

It is the DC film fans have been hoping for. And it is the best superhero film in a generation.

Director Patty Jenkins clearly knew what she was doing. With only some TV credits, movie shorts, and one feature film under her belt, Jenkins isn’t the Hollywood giant you would expect to helm this movie. But the lack of credits certainly does not mean a lack of talent. Her eye for direction, action, and emotion drives the story.

Wonder Woman tells the origins of Princess Diana of the Amazons. For those of you who are comic book buffs, you’ll see that her story has been reinvented yet again. Diana’s story has evolved a lot since her first inception in the 1940s. Far from the star-spangled Lynda Carter version, Gal Gadot’s version draws heavily from Greek and Roman imagery and mythology. With plenty of references to "the gods" and the legendary Amazons of myth, this version of Wonder Woman is less the patriotic manifestation of the ideal female, and more the hero the world needs now. 

Fierce and independent, Gadot’s Diana is equal parts unbridled goddess and naïve "alien" who's hope is inspiring--if not exasperating for her sidekick. (At least at first.) Having been raised and sheltered for an untold number of years on the mythic paradise island of Themyscira, Diana has been honed into the ultimate weapon.

Paradise is interrupted when WWI spy and fighter pilot, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes near the island. His arrival sets into motion, Diana’s quest to destroy the God of War, Ares.

Gal Gadot is a powerhouse, energizing the screen with merely a look. She fully captures the innocence and grace that the sheltered heroine should have. At the same time, she leaves no doubt in your mind that she is all powerful. The god-like power is felt even when Diana runs about undercover in the streets of London or backwoods of Europe. If there are any doubts in Hollywood’s mind that an “unknown” can carry a franchise, Gadot dispels it. If anything audiences are thirsting for new faces. It was more exciting to see a foreign actress play the legendary heroine than a familiar Hollywood face. And the fact that Gadot is also from the Middle East—Israel—is a huge win for minority actors everywhere.

Megastar, Chris Pine, managed to be the perfect reflector for Gadot. His jaded, yet determined Steve Trevor, highlights Diana’s goodness and sense of justice. In a way, he refines it. As Diana is confronted with the duality of mankind’s nature he manages to pull her back, convince her that saving even just a few lives matters.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a superhero movie without epic battle scenes, and Wonder Woman also delivers. The spine-tingling power walk into no-man’s land, as briefly seen in the trailers, is only bested by the final battle between Diana and Ares. There’s enough slo-mo punches sprinkled with accelerated kung-fu moves to keep you wanting more.

To that point, many of the Amazon warriors are athletes and even law enforcement in real life. (Can this film get any cooler?) And if you’ve ever wanted to see what a battle between a Roman cavalry against modern war engines would look like, then the opening battle between the Amazons and Germans will satisfy all your nerdy history mash-up dreams. 

Many of the fight scenes look like they were lifted straight from the comics, much like in movie 300 there’s liberal use of CGI. But unlike that mess of a film, Wonder Woman manages to use it with care and skill.

The epic “Wonder Woman” theme by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL is retained, but the rest of the soundtrack, written by Rupert Gregson-Williams will grab you by the throat and won’t let you go. Half of any action film is its music and the soaring epic music is the perfect soundtrack both on screen and in the car. Or on your phone. Or blast throughout your house. 

The DC film franchise has been gasping for a win ever since Man of Steel. Batman v Superman was all over the place and barely earned audience's regard. The quirky Suicide Squad had fans hopeful but it didn't quite hit the mark. If anything, DC's hopes must have been pinned on Wonder Woman. And they finally won one.

Wonder Woman is everything we hoped it would be. The next question I have for DC is, "When's Wonder Woman 2 happening?"

• Kaely Monahan is a journalist, graduate of City University London and the creator of Popcorn Fan Film Reviews. Follow her @PopcornFans and @KaelyMonahan.

Wonder Woman - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Wonder Woman

Director: Patty Jenkins

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Brenner, Elena Anaya, and Eugene Brave Rock

While walking into the anticipated screening of director Patty Jenkins' film "Wonder Woman", two women were walking a few steps in front of me and one of them proudly said, "We finally have a superhero we can call our own". It's a pertinent comment because this "Wonder Woman" film is a huge step in the right direction for female fronted superhero films but also the DC Extended Universe, which has seen a string of disappointing superhero/antihero films with "Batman v. Superman" and "Suicide Squad".

When looking at the history of superhero/comic book films it provides an even greater depth to the comment made by two women walking into a predominantly male driven character genre of film. And when you look at the comic book films that promote a female lead, the results are less than favorable. DC Comics "Supergirl" was released in 1984 and starred Helen Slater, Peter O'Toole, and Faye Dunaway. The film was poorly received and felt like a cheap jumpstart for Christopher Reeves' "Superman" franchise which by this time was basically defunct. Marvel's "Elektra" which starred Jennifer Garner at the height of popularity suffered from poorly designed characters and storylines. "Catwoman" starring Halle Berry was a complete mess of a film that ignored much of what turned this character into an interesting hero, though the character was originally a villain. The best example of a female focused comic book film is probably the cult classic "Tank Girl" or the fantastic graphic novel "Ghost World", but both of these films venture far from the realms of the superhero mythos.

Fortunately, Ms. Jenkins has crafted a much better film than the ones just mentioned; "Wonder Woman" focuses on creating a good origin story for the character, something other films in the DC Extended Universe have struggled with. It also does a great job of separating this character from the others around her, primarily separating a woman from a bunch of men, and letting Wonder Woman discover her own path to heroism.

The film introduces Diana (Gal Gadot) as a fearless child eager to take on the attributes of the Amazon warriors around her, a population of women living on an island in the Mediterranean that is shrouded by magic. Diana's mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) wants a daughter who minds her royal upbringing while her aunt Antiope (Robin Wright) secretly trains Diana in the art of combat. As Diana matures into a woman it's easy to see she is unlike others living on the island. When a World War I fighter plane bursts through the clouds Diana is forced to save a drowning pilot named Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). But Steve isn't alone, he was being chased by enemies who invade the world of the Amazons; this pushes Diana into the world of men in an effort to end a war.

The script is written by Allan Heinberg who works to take the familiar troupes of the superhero genre and infuse it with a story of woman born with exceptional abilities. Instead of taking the journey of other heroes, where powers are received by some kind of accident or experiment gone awry, Diana simply is born into great power. From here the film has the character make the choice to intervene, make the choice to do what others say is impossible and attempt to make a difference in a world near the end of the Great War. Along the way the film provides more interesting character dynamics, one specifically placing Diana into the middle of world she knows nothing about. It's a "fish out of a water" moment that is pretty funny but it is also used to introduce Diana to the faults of the world, specifically the struggles of humanity. Another is playing with the issue of saving lives and taking lives, a problem that has plagued comic book heroes and recently brought complaints against Superman due to the ending of "Man of Steel". Diana's goal is to bring peace by any means necessary, this includes the death of lots of people. The film handles this aspect without over emphasizing the gratuitous nature of the violence.

Along for the journey with Diana is a group of men, Steve Trevor continues on the mission but adds a Scottish sharpshooter (Ewan Brenner), an Indian fast talker (Said Taghmaoui), and a Native American scout (Eugene Brave Rock). These characters play an important role individually, but the film never moves away from the emphasis on Diana. In fact, they actually play very good supporting characters that assist in making Diana understand why humanity is worth saving instead of taking control over the heroics in the film. The big superhero moments are all reserved for Wonder Woman.

Gal Gadot plays Diana exceptionally well, she has the charm and attitude to give her character immediate screen presence. Chris Pine is also good, the moments the actor has with Ms. Gadot create great chemistry for the pair with scenes that are both flirtatious and funny. Also making appearances here are Danny Huston who plays a villainous German army leader and Elena Anaya who plays the appropriately named Dr. Poison. As bad guys these characters are space fillers, a necessary evil for good to triumph over. They are never provided much opportunity to threaten Diana or her abilities, which in turn leads to an eventual encounter that holds no risk. It's a problem that plagues superhero origin stories, mainly that it is difficult to find time to compose a equally interesting villain to engage the hero.

Unfortunately the momentum isn't kept up all the way through, the third act of the film resembles every boring comic book movie finale that has come before it. CGI bad guy flying here, throwing somewhere over there, and blasting lightening bolts in all directions.  There is nothing interesting about it, nothing that displays the lessons learned on the journey made. Instead it's just there to fill time until the ending.

While the finale may end on a lackluster note, the beginning and middle parts of the film are well executed with the appealing mix of humor, heart, and spectacle. Gal Gadot completely owns the film with a great supporting group of actors to fill in the spaces around her. "Wonder Women" is the best film the DC Extended Universe has to offer so far.

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

Churchill - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Brian Cox transforms into ‘Churchill’ in this good, conversational biopic

Directed by:  Jonathan Teplitzky

Written by:  Alex von Tunzelmann

Starring:  Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery, Julian Wadham, and James Purefoy

“Churchill” – Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” (1998) reverberates in the halls of cinematic history as one of the greatest war films ever made.   It effectively pays homage to soldiers - any soldiers – who risk their lives on the battlefield through the personal story of Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks).  Capt. Miller’s journey to bring Pvt. James Ryan (Matt Damon) home from the war is the true soul of the story, but the film is widely-known for its horrifyingly spectacular and technically iconic 23-minute vision of the D-Day invasion in June 1944. With large, menacing spikes littering Omaha Beach, the Allied Forces’ soldiers jump out of countless transport vessels into immediate gunfire, find land, crawl around barbed-wire netting, and attempt to overtake the Germans’ position.  The sheer power of this jaw dropping sequence reminds us of the horrors of war and the bravery of these men. 

“Churchill” is a movie about the D-Day invasion as well and told – obviously - from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s perspective.  This is a very different war movie, but the words “personal” and “iconic”, along with the phrase “horrors of war” are completely valid in describing the themes in director Jonathan Teplitzky’s film. 

The setting is 1,736 days into World War II.  Churchill (Brian Cox) and the British people have been living with this conflict for five, long years, but American Gen. Dwight Eisenhower (John Slattery) – the commander of the Allied Forces – is just a few days away from launching Operation Overlord to hopefully overtake the Germans’ occupation.  

Churchill – who has seen bloody, destructive war just 30 years earlier – disagrees with the mission due to the immense risk and opposes Eisenhower, but Senior British Commander Bernard Montgomery (Julian Wadham) sides with Ike.  This leaves Churchill fighting a two-pronged war of his own between Eisenhower/Montgomery and his wife, Clementine (Miranda Richardson), who believes that he is meddling in places that he should not.  In the meantime, he also attempts to convince King George VI (James Purefoy) to call off the invasion or at least change it substantially. 

Churchill is a man of altruistic beliefs – granted, under a curmudgeon’s exterior -  with the best intentions for British men who are “too young to be afraid”, but he is not.  He knows the costs of war, and Teplitzky effectively communicates the ghosts from past conflicts, including an effective dream sequence in which Churchill stands on a British beach and helplessly watches bloody red ocean water roll at his feet.

Cox physically transforms into Churchill from his head to his feet and mesmerizes us in the process.  As the United Kingdom’s beloved leader, he dresses in black with his signature hat and usually stews on a large, fat cigar.  In the film, Cox portrays the man with an extremely strong sense of self and tenacity.  Every word is layered with decades of vast political, military experience, filling every room with gravitas.  Now, Churchill’s health was not grave in 1944, but he is clearly on the decline.  At 69 years-old, he is heavy and balding and in frequent need of a cane and a handy glass of scotch.  The film touches on Churchill’s battle with depression, but only lightly so.  Teplitzky and Cox tread in this space for just a few minutes, but they address it with sincerity and care.  Seventy-three years ago, one wonders how much was known about mental illness, and the film plays within these tones.  

Speaking of tones, the film visually pays strict attention to its color palettes as dream sequences become understandably muted, while car trips to far away meetings feature the beautiful, lush English countryside as a pleasant and striking backdrop.  A few times, Teplitzky pulls his camera back as Churchill, King George, Eisenhower, and others move like chess pieces on swathes of green.  Not surprisingly, a chess match is in play. 

This D-Day film does not drop the audience into action set pieces on a military front or beach, but lives in much smaller worlds where massive decisions are made.  In dimly lit rooms with lingering cigarette smoke, titanic personalities argue and caucus about the potential outcomes of sending 250,000 men to French beaches.  “Churchill” is a heady, conversational drama with one of modern history’s most recognizable heads of state at its center.  Churchill may be the prime minister of an empire in which the sun never sets, but he – surprisingly - does not own the largest influence over Operation Overlord.  Although Cox’s Churchill is determined to find a way, and the film transports us into history to watch how he worked.

In a movie with many intriguing moments, two truly stand out.  One occurs in private, and the other is historically inspirational.  Cox completely connects on both counts (and everywhere else over the 1-hour 38-minute runtime), as the film leaves its cinematic footprint, although much differently than “Saving Private Ryan”.  I would not go as far to say that “Churchill” is a companion piece to Spielberg’s film, but it highlights the man’s presence during the war and his contributions towards peace.     

(3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.