MANK Review

I must admit I feel like something of a fraud even attempting a critique of a film so steeped in not only cinematic history, but history in general. Yes, I've seen Citizen Kane more than once and I've listened to season upon season of Karina Longworth's You Must Remember This podcast and specifically the series of MGM stories that centered on Louis B. Mayer’s rise and fall, yet somehow director David Fincher's Mank still feels so drenched in the world it re-creates that it's difficult to imagine being able to gain all the film has to offer after only a single viewing. As it were, Fincher's latest is likely too inside baseball for anyone outside of those that worship at the altar of cinema, but what might prove to be the most fascinating aspect of Mank is whether or not the core struggles of the main character appeal to a viewer who has no idea who someone like Irving Thalberg - or for that matter, Herman J. Mankiewicz - was. Naturally, those who do in fact worship at said altar are largely going to adore Fincher's latest exercise in clinical cinema that this time not only executes itself with profound professionalism and skill a la all of Fincher's work, but does so as it examines the "golden age" of the industry. The difference will be whether the details included and the approach taken will be enough to enthrall those already on board for a "movie about the movies" or if, while appreciating all of those things, the admiration for what Fincher has accomplished outweighs what is genuine love for it. That is to say, those on the outside looking in who come across Mank as they scroll through Netflix will either continue to scroll past it based on the poster alone or become fully engulfed in the confusion of the time and place Fincher drops his audience into should they be brave enough to press play. As an individual who admittedly knows more than the average Netflix subscriber, but a lot less than a lot of other people about the history of Hollywood Mank feels akin to a highly-stylized and extremely well performed re-enactment. Fincher's film clearly gets everything it possibly could right about the history, the costumes, and the character traits yet there is little that resonates emotionally. Never mind the fact Herman Mankiewicz is the only credited co-screenwriter to Orson Welles on what many consider the greatest movie ever made as Fincher's intent wasn't to make a movie about the making of Citizen Kane, but rather to capture the essence of a process and a person and leave the audience with a little more context and insight than they might have had before. As Gary Oldman's "Mank" says early on in the film though, "You can't capture a man's life in two hours, all you can hope is to leave an impression of one," and while Mank may not necessarily provide the catharsis one desires come the time the credits roll it undoubtedly leaves a strong impression.   

Official Trailer for THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN

In what could be seen as the next big trend in Hollywood we have yet another talking dog picture that guides us through the life of their owner this time featuring Kevin Costner as the pretentious, but completely pleasing puppy. While Sony and Universal have chosen to produce film adaptations of author W. Bruce Cameron's series of books about dogs finding their purposes and their way home, 20th Century Fox has instead decided to go with an adaptation of The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein in which a dog named Enzo recalls the life lessons he has learned from his race car driving owner, Denny. Milo Ventimiglia plays Denny Swift in the film and though I've never seen a single episode of This is Us certainly seems to be playing on that shows audience to try and give his film career a boost as The Art of Racing in the Rain and Fox have no qualms about sporting the fact this is the same studio that brought you the heart-wrenching Marley & Me. In other words, they know exactly what they're doing and I honestly can't be that mad about it given my appreciation for that Owen Wilson/Jennifer Aniston tear-jerker and the fact this trailer sports more seemingly authentic moments in than all of any of those other Dog's Purpose films that set their premise on the idea of canine reincarnation. In fact, The Art of Racing in the Rain looks to be a more traditional reaffirmation of appreciating the little things in life as conveyed through the eyes of a spectator to Denny’s journey of life, love, and loss who undoubtedly appreciates all of it more those of us who become so wrapped up in what needs and has to be done that we forget to appreciate what we do. This is all well and good and will naturally move those who are suckered into watching it all the way to tears, but I'm anxious to see just how much more genuine this feels as opposed to Purpose or if we're operating in the same type of schmaltzy melodrama realm as those other, recent film where our hero is a witty and philosophically sophisticated dog. Directed by Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn) and written by Mark Bomback (War for the Planet of the Apes) The Art of Racing in the Rain also stars Amanda Seyfried, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Gary Cole, Kathy Baker, Martin Donovan, and opens on August 9th, 2019.

PAN Review

Pan is utterly forgettable. There is no reason for this re-imagined and retooled version to exist beyond Warner Bros. attempting to get in on the current trend of turning classic fairy tales and more specifically, classic animated Disney films, into some kind of live-action confection. What doesn't work here though is the fact the Peter Pan story has been told so many times before and given we've all likely seen at least two iterations of J.M. Barrie's story (even the kids this movie is targeting will have seen Disney's 1953 adventure countless times) there is nowhere for this film to go that doesn't feel like it's either retreading familiar ground or desperately stretching. Unfortunately, the latter is what director Joe Wright's (Atonement, Hanna) new film does as it options to go back to the beginning and tell us the now obligatory origin story that basically covers all the stuff that happens before all the good stuff happens. The real issue here though is in the script from writer Jason Fuchs who contributed to the last Ice Age film and is the sole screenwriter on the upcoming Wonder Woman feature (not instilling a lot of faith there). There is a lot going on here which only creates more and more issues for the film as it goes on, but the source of each of these issues seems to stem from the main issue of the base story never truly recognizing itself. Each scene is strewn together with no connecting strands, no substance and thus nothing for the next scene to build upon. It's as if Fuchs was figuring out the story for himself as he went along and once he was done, never bothered to go back and write a second draft. Once upon a time I would have killed to see Wright take on huge, fantastical material such as this, but in his first big-budget studio effort the director has delivered what couldn't be a more underwhelming and, like I said in the beginning, forgettable experience.

First Trailer for LOVE THE COOPERS

Christmas movies are almost as old as the medium itself. In my own, limited time on this earth I've come to love only a few that I can watch over and over again when that time of year comes around. While I enjoyed The Family Stone (which this trailer trades off of given it was produced by the same person) it isn't one I've returned to over the years. Maybe Love the Coopers will be a little different as this first trailer indicates a pretty solid family dramedy with a solid cast. Of course, you could describe The Family Stone that way as well...and I did like it...maybe I need to re-visit that this year instead of watching The Santa Clause for the billionth time (who am I kidding? I'll watch both). Anyway, in this new Christmas comedy that is once again led by Diane Keaton playing the matriarch of a somewhat large family (the Cooper's, duh) four generations come together for an annual Christmas Eve party. Naturally, things don't go as planned when a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday. Sounds about right, right? And yet, as I watched the trailer I chuckled enough times and was happy enough to see certain actors show up to make me think this might actually have some potential. I like that Jake Lacy (The Office) is getting more work and strangely enough it's good to see Olivia Wilde back in comedic territory after seeming absent from it for a couple of years. Love the Coopers also stars John Goodman, Ed Helms, Amanda Seyfried, Marisa Tomei, Alan Arkin, Anthony Mackie with Steve Martin as the narrator and opens on November 13th.

TED 2 Review

What works in Ted 2 is what made the first film a runaway smash and that is the undeniable chemistry between Mark Wahlberg and the titular potty mouthed bear voiced by writer and director Seth MacFarlane. What doesn't work about this unnecessary but warranted sequel are coincidentally the same things that didn't work the first time that being the dispensable subplot involving Giovanni Ribisi's character. Don't get me wrong, I think Ribisi is an interesting actor and the weird, off the wall stuff he does in these movies is not what makes his parts bad, but more they simply feel tacked on and only present to create some kind of conventional plot that allows our heroes to overcome some kind of danger so that we get a happy ending. The thing is, MacFarlane has enough of a conflict on his hands here that Ribisi's subplot is even more extraneous than it was in the first film. The same can be said for many of the jokes in the film in that they are largely superfluous. No matter how funny they might be the majority of them don't pertain to the story in any fashion. In fact, Ted 2 feels less like a real movie and more like a series of scenarios MacFarlane thought might be funny to see these characters in that are strung together by the overriding quest to prove Ted is a person. As a result of this series of one-note jokes (and others that are revisited more times than necessary) the script feels patched together with the biggest example of this being the comic-con set finale that seems to only serve as the backdrop so that MacFarlane can make as many pop culture references as his heart desires. This, for me, is a double edged sword as I appreciate the references to a degree (I laughed at Patrick Warburton showing up dressed as The Tick than anything else in the movie) in that I enjoy a rough around the edges R-rated comedy that has a flair for pop culture awareness and lampooning such culture, but the over-reliance on these jokes for its source of comedy makes it obvious there is little care taken to evoke jokes from the actual story and therefore makes the story feel less important. In the end, Ted 2 is a movie that I laughed at quite frequently, but could have just as easily done without being as I saw the first one and this sequel (especially by the third act) ends up feeling like a complete retread of the original.

WHILE WE'RE YOUNG Review

Before we start anything here, it should be noted that I've only seen two other Noah Baumbach pictures. While I've generally enjoyed what I've seen so far and certainly have an interest in earlier films such as The Squid and the Whale and Margot at the Wedding as of this writing I've only seen Greenberg and the rather infectious Frances Ha. I state this at the beginning to preface that while I found his latest, While We're Young, to be much more accomplished and substantial on first viewing than anything I've seen of his prior work I wouldn't be surprised to find out he was repeating himself in some way, on some major themes. Heck, some of what Ben Stiller's character goes through here feels like it has some shades in his titular Greenberg character, but I honestly don't remember that film well enough to say for sure. That concern aside, what I do know for sure is how strong this film hit me, how its ideas are universally relatable despite depicting a very specific niche and simply how magnificent the writing is. While the dialogue is quick and forms full characters who have specific and individual mindsets intact I can't imagine the hours poured over the page by Baumbach in order to create this natural ease with which each of these characters speak. In a word, the characters and the dialogue are more than archetypes or composites of several other people, but they are authentic and authenticity is essentially what While We're Young is all about. Baumbach, who both wrote and directed this film, is a man of forty-five. Stiller, who in real life is forty-nine, plays a very specific forty-four year-old and in that small detail it is apparent that Stiller serves as the Baumbach surrogate. Wondering how he came to be on the other side of life, the one where striking and profound realizations such as knowing things exist that he'll never do must be accepted. It is a film that both acts as a study in adjusting to getting older while at the same time dealing with accepting the generational differences of the current young people and the culture that existed twenty years prior. The film opens with the quote from Henrik Ibsen's The Master Builder where Hilda suggests to Solness that he open the door to the younger generation he fears. The thing is it's not whether he opens the door or not that's the real decision, but how far.

First Trailer for TED 2

As Seth MacFarlane's 2012 surprise hit, Ted, made more than $200 million domestically on a $50 million budget it is no surprise that we are getting a sequel to continue the adventures of the foul mouthed teddy bear and his best friend John Bennet (Mark Wahlberg). I'm always skeptical when people try to stretch out stories that were never intended to be more than a one off flick where good fun was had, but some times it works. Most times it doesn't. On a good note, I was a pretty big fan of the original Ted despite not being a huge MacFarlane fan in the first place (not because I didn't like his work, but because I was generally unfamiliar with it). It was one of two strong comedies in a year where the comedy really suffered and was overtaken by more dramedy-type material that was inherently more reliable as far as quality goes, but doesn't give off the care-free time at the movies that a flat-out, broad comedy can deliver and Ted was able to elicit those kinds of feelings. The bad spot is that MacFarlane followed that up with last years rather terrible A Million Ways to Die in the West which was a nice try, a good idea and a rather ballsy move considering the conceit and the lack of audience for the western genre, but it just wasn't funny and MacFarlane wasn't great as the lead. With him being back behind the scenes and behind the titular character while having the seasoned Wahlberg to boune off of though this first trailer for the unnecessary sequel at least promises more of the same and an interesting new premise for which comedy may spring forth. Ted 2 also stars Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Patrick Warburton, Morgan Freeman and opens on June 26th.

First Trailer for Joe Wright's PAN

Joe Wright is one of my favorite directors, but I'll admit a lot of that stock comes from Atonement and Hanna. I have enjoyed his other features (yes, even The Soloist) and though we have yet to receive anything truly remarkable in this current crop of fairy tales and Disney animated classics being turned into live-action adventures, if anyone can turn this fad into something fun and interesting it would be Wright. According to the first trailer, it seems the director has at least stuck with his sense of aesthetic and turned Neverland into a living, breathing organism of weirdness rather than relying on computer generated worlds to make up his fantasy land. The one downside to the whole thing is that the Peter Pan story has been told so many times before that I wonder if anyone will be interested in seeing another film set around this world and these characters even if this time it is the origin of how Peter became the legend rather than a retelling. I can imagine the names attached will do the film a world of good and if nothing else, this engaging first trailer that feels inherently full of wonderment should do the rest. The market for these types of films has become somewhat saturated given the biggest trailer to drop last week was the live action version of Cinderella, but we have a lot more coming our way and as long as they continue to hire interesting directors like Wright to back them I'm game to see where they go. Pan stars Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Garrett Hedlund, Rooney Mara, Amanda Seyfried, Adeel Akhtar, Jack Charles, Taejoo Na, Nonso Anozie, Kathy Burke, Kurt Egyiawan, Lewis Macdougall, Leni Zieglmeier and opens on July 17, 2015.

A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST Review

There is always a sense of trepidation within me when approaching a Seth MacFarlane comedy as I've never been a fan of Family Guy or any of his other animated outings. This is not necessarily because I don't like them, but because I've never really become interested enough to actually sit down and watch them. I realize this isn't MacFarlane's fault and that I might actually appreciate his brand of humor if given the chance. That is almost what happened after seeing Ted two years ago and being surprised by how much I actually enjoyed and laughed at the outrageously broad comedy. I say almost because I still never watched a single episode of any of his television series' or Star Wars parodies, but instead I looked forward to what he might do next in an effort to sustain the good will he received from Ted and bring to the big screen another one of his ridiculous premises only to have it hit with a certain, under-appreciated crowd. MacFarlane makes it clear throughout his latest feature in which he stars, directs and co-wrote titled A Million Ways to Die in the West that he is the underdog and always has been. He seems intent on making very clear not only that he is accustomed to playing this role in life, but that he truly embodies in Albert, his character here, the kind of person it takes to become the guy who'd rather talk things out intelligently than put up their dukes. In fact, he's learned from his no frills father that life isn't easy and so he resorts to ridiculing everything and everyone around him while ultimately feeling like he's never good enough. There is nothing wrong with this and as a general consensus I imagine audiences will agree with his tactics, but it is also made clear that Albert is better than you and he knows it, but he can't bring himself to say it to your face. It's a tough position to be in and an even tougher attitude to pull off when preaching to the crowds that will flock to see this in hopes of another original comedy. The thing about MacFarlane's comedy (and again I'm only speaking from the experience of having seen this and Ted) is that while he condescends and outsmarts his opponents the majority of the time he never makes us, the audience, feel as if we're in on the joke with him, but instead that we are as stupid as those he is talking down to.

First Red Band Trailer for A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST

Over the past few days we've seen a number of promotional materials make there way online for Seth MacFarlane's follow-up to ted, A Million Ways to Die in the West, which will also represent the live action acting debut of MacFarlane and now a red band trailer has been unleashed upon us. As much as I was skeptical about how MacFarlane might come off onscreen when not being able to hide behind an animated character or stuffed animal I am surprised not only by the physical timing he seems to display here, but the way in which his performance doesn't feel as forced as it might if he'd try to put on a voice. It doesn't hurt MacFarlane has employed a stellar supporting cast to usher him into the live action realm with the help of Charlize Theron and Sarah Silverman (who both show off their comedic chops here to great results) it seems this is destined for summer breakout status just as that previous effort accomplished. Taking something inherently innocent and giving it a potty mouth is one thing, but taking on an entire time period and culture that has come to remain alive due more to its film incarnations than actual history is something completely different, but while playing on the multiple negative aspects of being alive during that period of time the trailer also hints at a solid enough story to support the satire elements that will allow audiences to invest and care rather than simply coming out and only remembering a few of the gags. The main issue with ted was the convoluted final act and while MacFarlane may have more on his plate this time around having to literally be both in front of and behind the camera I have high hopes he learned from his previous feature experience and has applied that to this effort. A Million Ways to Die in the West also stars Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi and opens May 30th.

LOVELACE Review

There is a certain disconnect between myself and the time period in which Lovelace takes place. The early-70's are a time I've completely come to know through there representation in films and the popular music of that time. Watching a film set around that period and concerning the star of one of the most popular adult movies in history is like coming to fully realize the underbelly of the time period while at the same time getting to know a character who might have just as easily been the subject of a Lifetime movie. Essentially this is what Lovelace becomes as the real story of Linda Susan Boreman is one of an abusive marriage as well as a testament to the type of control people can subject others to. While this is certainly nothing to be made light of and it becomes clear just how tragic Linda's story really is, this standard bio pic account does nothing to make us feel much for Linda other than the inherent sympathy anyone would feel for a woman who has been part of an abusive relationship. The only thing that differentiates Lovelace from being featured on the television for women station is the caliber of talent involved and the vulgarity that comes along with Linda's profession. The only other film I've seen in which directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman were at the helm is the similarly low key biopic of poet Allen Ginsberg, Howl. While I wasn't particularly attracted to that film either it at least conveyed the story in a way that would have likely made the subject proud. It had an element of originality to it and intertwined real interviews, animation, and heavily documented re-enactments that at least flowed together to create an interesting piece of work. When compared to that inventive approach Lovelace is completely straightforward with only a structural shift in the middle of the movie that is more jarring than effective. I didn't mind the film, but I didn't necessarily enjoy it. Linda is an interesting person and has a story worth telling and there is enough talent invested in her portrayal and the people around her that make this movie worth seeing if not just to see how a soul can become so easily lost, but for how success can look different to the people on the outside and the person at the heart of it all.

EPIC Review

I won't lie when I say there was no real reason for me to see epic. I don't have children and I'm not necessarily an animation junkie, but I don't mind trying out the latest computer animated films as more times than not they have a certain high degree of quality to them despite their markets current over-saturation. Besides epic, which has the distinction and the advantage of opening the summer movie season for the kiddos, we have the annual Disney Pixar offering which this year is a prequel to one of my favorites of theirs, Monsters Inc. as well as the sequel to 2009's surprise animated hit from Illumination Entertainment Despicable Me which could end up wiping the floor with Dreamworks Turbo that opens a few weeks after Gru and his minions no doubt dominate the fourth of July weekend. And while epic will seemingly only be on the same quality level as that forgotten before it gets here Ryan Reynolds vehicle it still has some good qualities going for it. With epic, Blue Sky studios (the Ice Age films, Rio) has delivered a completely creative and imaginative world of characters that suffer only from the lack of originality that is delivered through its story. This may be due to the fact that five different writers collaborated on the screenplay or simply because when you break it down to its simplest form it is as classic a tale of good vs. evil as there ever could be. I don't mind this because it has a few other layers that make the story a little more engaging if not being a little too subtle for the target audience. Still, despite the fact that epic is sometimes unintentionally funny when at its most serious and often can feel like a direct to video feature, it looks like a big studio film and has enough creative juices flowing in its character and production designs that we can forgive it's laziness in terms of story, for the most part.        

LES MISERASBLES Review

Les Miserables is impressive. There is no doubt of this in anyone's mind who wanders out of the theater awestruck by the onslaught of grandiose that Academy Award-winning director Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) has included in his screen adaptation of the extremely popular stage musical which is in itself an adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel. Personally, I was not familiar with the original Hugo novel on which the story comes from but was lucky enough to have seen the stage play a few years back. I was entranced by the play, not fully knowing what to expect but understanding what was likely going to take place. I was mentally prepared to be bored, to check my watch every now and then or maybe even drown out the noise as people singing sentences rather than speaking them tends more to annoy than to inspire. Yet, all of that changed when the curtain came up and the dynamics of the story were introduced and the audience was made to root for this most genuine of human beings who was dealt a rough hand in life, but overcame. It was stunning to say the least, and I was grateful to have experienced it. For this reason, I was looking forward to the film. It is a great idea, a grand one; to take such an epic piece of work and apply it to the platform of cinema with huge movie stars and a grounded yet sweeping scale to it. The film succeeds in many ways and still it did not leave me completely satisfied. The sets are beautiful as is the cinematography. I am a fan of the way Hooper decided to shoot the film and for the most part enjoyed the performances of the star studded cast. It is a movie to be marveled at but more times than not I found myself admiring more than connecting.