New Trailer for Luca Guadagnino's SUSPIRIA

I have yet to see Dario Argento's so-called 1977 horror masterpiece, Suspiria, but with all the online adulation writer/director Luca Guadagnino's upcoming version is already receiving I think it may be a necessary watch before this November. That said, I also have no real grasp on what the concept of the film is and what apparently made the original so terrifying. Sure, I'm intrigued to find out what all the fuss is about, but now more than would have been the case if I'd simply stumbled upon Argento's film because of a recommendation from a friend or credible film site I will be watching the original with the intent of measuring it up to the re-make and in turn watching Guadagnino's film soon after and largely looking specifically for what he did to differentiate his version from the original. There's nothing wrong with watching movies with certain perspectives intact prior to beginning the film, but such a context presents an interesting case for expectation and how we not only base as much on the credentials and promotional materials, but on what has come before and more-what the seeming intent of a new take on an old idea might be and how much it might be warranted. Given Guadagnino has been on something of a hot streak with critics and the small indie audiences that see his films alike (his last film was this year's Oscar nominated Call Me By Your Name adaptation) I imagine the online excitement derives as much from this as it does the quality of this new trailer. Yes, this thing does indeed look like it has atmosphere for days while also touting some of the most raw and intriguing talent working today. The story, which deals in an an ambitious young dancer at the center of a world-renowned dance company and a darkness that swirls around it, her, and the troupe's artistic director doesn't really flesh out exactly what's going on, but hints at a certain kind of madness. That's all you can hope to get from a horror teaser and while I may not be familiar with the material consider me on the hook for this. Suspiria stars Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia Goth, Lutz Ebersdorf, Jessica Harper, and opens on November 2nd, 2018.

DARK PLACES Review

Oh what a difference an interpretation can make. One has to wonder if, after having seen both Gone Girl and Dark Places, which might have been the bigger success had the directors of each switched projects. One could argue the phenomenon of Gone Girl wasn't as much due in large to David Fincher's direction, but more the universal themes of relationships, cheating husbands and the acknowledgement of a very real presence in the exploitation of bad news for good ratings, but I wouldn't. I would argue these elements and the style with which they were presented heavily influenced what audiences took away from the film and that the story is wholly indebted to Fincher's direction. Don't get me wrong, Flynn's Gone novel is a well-written piece of noir that is highlighted by it's alternating narrators and cynical introspection, but it could just have easily been turned into a Lifetime movie and that is the difference between it and Dark Places. Written for the screen and directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner (Sarah's Key) Dark Places attempts to cover all of the seeming ideas and themes floating around in it's source material (I didn't read this Flynn novel prior to seeing the film) where with Gone Girl (I did read this one) Fincher chose to focus on one major theme and let whatever else came to the surface come out of that one focal area. This isn't to say Dark Places is necessarily a failure as a different approach could certainly work with similar material, but in Paquet-Brenner attempting to cram as much as he can into a two-hour movie the film eventually devolves into a standard procedural of uncovering the core mystery rather than being any kind of meditation on the factors that inform the mystery.

THE EQUALIZER Review

It seems that just last week I was talking about the lengths in which Liam Neeson takes to prove his badassness, how he uses his credibility as an actor to up the quality of what would otherwise be B-movie action thrillers and how he sometimes uses his new reputation to his advantage (such as luring folks into A Walk Among the Tombstones which is more noir than pulp). In the wake of such power it seems he's started a trend. I discussed this when Kevin Costner (so desperately seeming) tried to replicate this kind of success earlier this year with 3 Days To Kill, while folks such as Tom Cruise and Guy Pearce have completed a version of these excursions in hopes of carving out their own character with a particular set of skills. All of this is to say that Denzel Washington didn't necessarily need a character of his own (much less one that he resurrected from an 80's television show) but it wouldn't hurt to try and so he did and so we have the feature film version of The Equalizer. On that note, this is a movie made in a manner that is extremely content with itself; from the marketing (those horribly plain posters) to the over-used slow motion and standard score (seriously, this soundtrack is pretty awful) and it clearly feels very little need to be more than this because it has Mr. Washington at the center of it and his presence alone garners it all the dignity and solemnity it needs to be taken more seriously than it actually is. Having said all of that, I rather enjoyed myself in the slow paced, but precise thriller that allows Washington to develop a more singular character than he has since maybe Frank Lucas. That isn't to dismiss the work he has done in between (he certainly deserved his nomination for Flight), but we all watch a Denzel Washington movie to see Denzel Washington and while he still plays that card to good effect here he also isn't the typically charismatic, well-rounded human being we are accustomed to seeing him portray. He is a man supposedly cut off from emotion or sentimentality, but who can't help but feel if he has the power to do something right, he should do it. No, The Equalizer isn't a great film, but like so many Liam Neeson and Tom Cruise features it does what it's supposed to do and it does it well enough that we'll take the sequel with open arms when it comes around.

First Trailer for THE EQUALIZER

Folks, Denzel Washington will turn sixty years old this December, but lucky for us he shows no signs of slowing down as he continues not only to act in films and lead them, but to lend his name to high-octane, adrenaline pumping pictures that one would think more in line with what Jason Statham and Mark Wahlberg are looking to add to their resumes. To follow-up his fun-time team-up with the aforementioned Wahlberg in last years 2 Guns Washington has enlisted in a re-make of the hit 1980's show The Equalizer under the helm of his Training Day director Antoine Fuqua. As a child of the 90's who was born in the late 80's I have no real connection to the source material or know what the premise of it was besides a guy kicking ass and taking on missions, but if there were those worried the film adaptation might change things up there seems no reason to worry as the first trailer for Fuqua's film shows off little more than Denzel kicking butt and taking names. The thing of note here is the style in which all of this is done as Fuqua clearly has a consistent tone nailed down while seemingly borrowing from Guy Ritchie and his Sherlock Holmes films as Washington's Robert McCall visualizes his altercations before engaging in them while Fuqua's camera takes us inside his mind and shows us step by step what McCall plans to do to the bad guys in slow motion then allows the scene to play out in real time in which McCall utilizes his environment to brutal results. It is a technique we've seen before, but will likely work well because so much of it depends on the mind it takes place within and Denzel Washington, being one of the last real movie stars working today, is no doubt a charismatic and interesting place to be. Needless to say, I'm eager to see what this seemingly straight-up B-movie actioner has to offer. The Equalizer also stars Chloe Grace Moretz, Melissa Leo, Martin Csokas, Haley Bennett, David Harbour, Bill Pullman and opens September 26.

KICK-ASS 2 Review

The first Kick-Ass was one of my favorite films of 2010 and though it was never the huge hit folks would like to assume it now was simply because it was a super hero flick, it garnered a strong enough following and was of high enough quality to garner a second installment. I, personally, have really been looking forward to this sequel and though I've never read the source material I'd at least be willing to bet that this continues to honor the tone of the comics if not copying the story lines exactly. What was so fresh and shocking about the first film was that it was able to so seamlessly weave together the tones of several different genres of film. In both the original and the sequel there is plenty of action, a fair amount drama and a dominant wave of comedy. Most importantly, just like the first film, Kick-Ass 2 knows what it wants to be and goes for it with no regards as to what others think or who might be offended by it. Plenty of people have cited the morally reprehensible actions of the characters in this story as inexcusable or declining into the very thing it is satirizing, but I can't help but feel the film does a fine job of doing exactly what it sets out to do. Was I as impressed with this sequel as the original? No, but that would have been a tough thing to do anyway and with original director Matthew Vaughn not returning and Jeff Wadlow (Never Back Down) taking over it was pretty much impossible. And while there are several factors that make Kick-Ass 2 a step down from the original, the main thing being that the novelty of it all is now gone and we are more nestled into this ridiculous world. What helps it rise above being a complete misfire though is that it puts its focus in the right place: Hit Girl. Though the titular character is still a major factor the film goes back and forth, giving equal time, to both the unfortunate situation he gets himself into and the evolution of Mindy Macready (Chloe Grace Moretz). This and the brutal honesty with which it tackles the tropes of the genre it's satirizing help what could have easily been a lackluster sequel into a satisfying follow-up to one of the more shocking films of the past few years.

First Trailer for CARRIE

I usually take advantage of Halloween by using it as an excuse to go back and watch a few classic horror films I was too young or not alive to see when they were first released. Such was the case this past Halloween when I first experienced Brian De Palma's 1976 version of Stephen King's debut novel. Originally, the latest incarnation of King's story was set to hit theaters last month, but the studio decided to push the release back to a more suitable October time slot. On the eve of the theatrical release of the new Evil Dead, a full length trailer for Kimberly Pierce's (Boys Don't Cry) Carrie has debuted and though it seems to give away a bit too much it still manages to pique my interest to see what changes they've made as well as how this interpretation might be different. I enjoyed De Palma's film well enough though didn't see it in the time frame to likely appreciate it the way most do so I am rather excited to see a contemporary telling of this story especially as bullying in school is a hot topic at the moment and director Pierce clearly has some experience in documenting and finding the truth and relevance of these subjects. Throwing in the supernatural element, the stylized look of the abilities Carrie slowly learns to develop and a cast that features not only Chloe Grace Moretz in the lead, but Julianne Moore as the eccentric mother and you can count me in. I don't like that the trailer seems to give away almost every beat of the screenplay and that some of the more iconic moments from the original film are spoiled here, but I optimistically assume there is still plenty being held back and that this new vision of Carrie will prove to be just as memorable and frightening as its predecessor. This re-make also stars Judy Greer, Portia Doubleday, Ansel Elgort, Alex Russell, and Gabriella Wilde. Carrie opens on October 18th. Hit the jump to check out the trailer.

First Trailer for KICK ASS 2

Kick-Ass was one of my favorite films of 2010 and I have been anxiously awaiting our first look at the sequel. Though original director Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class) is not back at the helm for this one as he was originally scheduled to direct the First Class sequel but dropped out of that as well, he stayed on as producer and newcomer Jeff Wadlow (Never Back Down) seems to have at least picked up on a few of Vaughn's cues. The brand new red band trailer picks up where the first left off giving us a glimpse of training with Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Dave Lizewski aka Kick Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). The trailer goes on to show how well their costumed antics have been received and that a new wave of people are doing the same thing and teaming up with them. The standout, naturally, is Colonel Stars and Stripes as played by Jim Carrey. If you didn't know Carrey was in this you might not even recognize him with his face covered by a mask, his hair grayed, and a thick New York accent. Christopher Mintz-Plasse also seems to be hamming it up and going all out as he's newly ordained himself "The Motherfucker". The remainder of the film looks to be part revenge fantasy, part identity crisis as Mintz-Plasse is seeking revenge for the murder of his father while Dave is having trouble coping with his new found responsibilities and reputation he is expected to uphold. The only concern I had for this sequel were the lack of strong credits that followed director Wadlow but he seems to have put together a worthy sequel with some fun new characters while maintaining that signature smartass tone the first one pulled off so well. The film also stars Clark Duke, Donald Faison, John Leguizamo, and Olga Kurkulina. Kick-Ass 2 will be a great way to cap off summer 2013 when it opens on August 16th.

DARK SHADOWS Review

There has always been a humbly engaging tone about the collaborations between Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. That may sound strange as many of their films deal with death and depression, but nonetheless, it is completely true. When watching them I have always felt that kind of warm feeling in the pit of my stomach that reassures me I am watching a movie by people who love movies. Even in their darkest collaborations like "Sweeney Todd" or "Sleepy Hollow" the energy that has come from the gothic sets and pale characters have an enduring quality that never fails to somehow strangely connect with you. The same can be said about their latest endeavor "Dark Shadows" as the story is yet again one that concerns much talk about death and demons, or more specifically vampires, but has the engaging quality of being a warm-hearted tale about the importance of family. Though the film has (surprisingly) earned mixed reviews I found it to be every bit as entertaining and funny as Burton and Depp's more popular films like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Alice in Wonderland". I was especially disappointed in the latter and found "Dark Shadows" to be more of a reassurance than anything that the team of all things strange had not yet lost their touch. This is not a judgement on the film as compared to the director and stars past team-ups but should be looked at as a singular effort. In that regard, the film is a funny take on an old TV show that was apparently best known for its campiness. Burton brings his visual flair and Depp conjures up another memorable character. What more could we ask for?

Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) is an evil witch who
has placed a curse on Barnabas Collins.

Though I had never seen, or even heard of the original show this was based on from the first still released it was clear that Burton was again up to something especially Burton-esque. what stood out all the more was the fact the director has officially become such a stable hitmaker that the studios now allow him to make a $125 million dollar summer movie with no questions asked. Given, he has had to work many years to achieve this status (and has now sat comfortably in this status for 6 years or so) it is still nice to see he can do what he wants and is creatively rewarded for it. The film feels like a genuine Burton production with little interruption from studio heads. There are the little quirks of observation throughout that are heavily supplied by the fish out of water element that has an 18th century vampire trying to seem normal in 1972. The trailer like opening gives us a brief (but expensive looking) history of the Collins family and how Barnabas Collins came to be trapped in a love triangle with the lovely witch Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) who seeks some serious revenge when she learns she is not the one Barnabas desires to spend the rest of his life with. Killing off his parents and beloved Josette Angelique punishes Barnabas by turning him into a bloodsucker and locking him in a coffin deep in the forest just outside the town his family established. Skip forward some 196 years and we find the Collins family has fallen into a rut with matriarch Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer) trying to salvage any last bit of normalcy. This is a hard task to accomplish as her brother Roger (Johnny Lee Miller) is a deadbeat dad and total moocher who's son David (Gulliver McGrath) sees dead people. There is David's psychiatrist, Dr. Hoffman (Burton regular Helena Bonham Carter)who has overstayed her welcome by about two and a half years as well as Elizabeth's own daughter, Carolyn (Chloe Grace Moretz) who is in a very peculiar state of teen angst.

Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) reunites with his distant
ancestor Elizabeth (MIchelle Pfeiffer).

When Barnabas returns he has several plot lines to deal with and herein lies the big issue with the movie. This is so much of a problem with the film that the fact the main character is a vampire is an afterthought. Not only does Barnabas have to rebuild the family name and business to its former glory, but he also has to deal with the fact he is now a vampire and in a completely new world. Then there is Angelique who continues to torment his family bu building a rival fishing business in Collinsport. On the eve of Barnabas's awakening an unsuspecting young girl by the name of Victoria Winter's arrives for the purpose of tutoring David and just so happens to resemble Josette (Bella Heathcote in both roles). Barnabas recognizes the similarities right off the bat and makes it his quest to win her heart. This ends up being the most neglected story line though as by the end of the film the romance between Barnabas and Victoria seems not only underdeveloped but simply convenient. There is no real motive, no deep reason why Victoria was chosen to be the vampire's new Josette other than she resembles her. It is this lack of justification that worries me as the screenplay was written by Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter scribe Seth Grahame-Smith. I am about halfway through the aforementioned book (which has a movie treatment hitting theaters June 22) and it is incredibly detailed and intricate. You can tell the material has been heavily researched, but there are no traces of this in his script. It has some great dialogue and the movie overall is much funnier than I expected it to be, but the multiple story lines he gets going never seem to get as much attention as they deserve with none of them standing out above the rest.

While the main focus wants to be the rivalry between Angelique and Barnabas it doesn't leverage that enough with the sprouting romance between Barnabas and Victoria. It wants to show Barnabas re-establishing the family business (and does so in a montage) but the operation of the whole thing is dismissed as the family would rather flesh out their relationships with one another at their big fancy mansion. It is as if the film has been divided into family dynamics and Angelique with everything else being thrown by the wayside. Near the climax of the film Barnabas throws a party with the justification of impressing Victoria and establishing the Collins family has officially returned but feels more like an excuse to feature Alice Cooper and make a joke about him being the ugliest woman Barnabas has ever seen. It is funny, sure, but there is no deeper meaning to it, there is no substance to the story.

Roger (Johnny Lee Miller) and Dr. Hoffman (Helena
Bonham Carter) enjoy a depressing breakfast.

Overall, I enjoyed the tone of the film and the roster of credible actors make this a lot of fun. While Pfeiffer doesn't have much to do other than stand around and look suspicious she is fun to watch as she camps up as much of the dialogue and wardrobe as she can. Bonham-Carter is extremely under used as the strangely engaging Dr. Hoffman (Did I forget to mention she has a subplot as well?) but does get a final wink that was probably intended for something that will never happen. Eva Green who was a sly yet empowered sex symbol in "Casino Royale" allows those qualities to seep through here as well mixed with a hint of goofiness that seems self aware of the ridiculous situation her witch has put herself in. While Moretz is also a weird side not in that Burton seems to be exposing her young, attractive vulnerabilities it does have a nice relationship develop between Barnabas and David who connect through the spirit world in which David's deceased mother exists. I can understand why critics have had such issues with the story and lack thereof in the character development but the star attraction here is still Depp and he, along with the beautiful spectacle of the visuals, is not a let down. Barnabas is a playboy, a family man, and Depp plays up every aspect of this out of place eccentric. He means well but he doesn't always have the best of intentions. The best thing that can be said about Barnabas though is that he guides a movie that doesn't always know where it needs to go. "Dark Shadows" may not be the best Depp/Burton collaboration but it is so much better than those other vampire movies that keep coming out.

DARK SHADOWS Review

There has always been a humbly engaging tone about the collaborations between Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. That may sound strange as many of their films deal with death and depression, but nonetheless, it is completely true. When watching them I have always felt that kind of warm feeling in the pit of my stomach that reassures me I am watching a movie by people who love movies. Even in their darkest collaborations like "Sweeney Todd" or "Sleepy Hollow" the energy that has come from the gothic sets and pale characters have an enduring quality that never fails to somehow strangely connect with you. The same can be said about their latest endeavor "Dark Shadows" as the story is yet again one that concerns much talk about death and demons, or more specifically vampires, but has the engaging quality of being a warm-hearted tale about the importance of family. Though the film has (surprisingly) earned mixed reviews I found it to be every bit as entertaining and funny as Burton and Depp's more popular films like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Alice in Wonderland". I was especially disappointed in the latter and found "Dark Shadows" to be more of a reassurance than anything that the team of all things strange had not yet lost their touch. This is not a judgement on the film as compared to the director and stars past team-ups but should be looked at as a singular effort. In that regard, the film is a funny take on an old TV show that was apparently best known for its campiness. Burton brings his visual flair and Depp conjures up another memorable character. What more could we ask for?

HUGO Review

Clearly director Martin Scorsese has put a ton of thought into his first 3D adventure as well as this being his first film for children. That being said, "Hugo" isn't necessarily just a film for kids, but is just as much a film for anyone who loves cinema period. Scorsese crafts a film that while based on Brian Selznick's award-winning New York Times best-seller, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is more than anything a reminder that movies are not just a simple form of entertainment but that they are in fact an art form, a craft, and a chance to escape from reality into the dreams we never thought we could see realized. That films in general are to be cherished is as much a theme in "Hugo" as the ones of family, of love and loss and of course redemption. It is a fine tuned piece of cinema that Scorsese effortlessly guides us through. He is at his finest here as he is not only creating a piece of work that will make his already impressive resume even better but he is making a contribution to the whole medium of filmmaking that gives his entire life a purpose. The legendary director seems to have let the nostalgia run deep here as he draws on many cinematic influences and not only delivers a family friendly adventure film, but an experience that teaches us how important the movies are and how much we would really miss them if they were gone.

Georges Meilies (Ben Kingsley) catches Hugo (Asa
Butterfield) trying to steal parts from his shop.

While "Hugo" clearly left an impression on me more about the history and value of cinema than anything else it also contains a rather lovely adventure story that stars the always charming Chloe Grace Moretz and in the title role of Hugo, Asa Butterfield, who you might recognize if you saw the extremely depressing "Boy in the Striped Pajamas". The two young stars are more than capable of bringing the sense of wonderment needed for telling the story and Moretz (though not as major a player as I'd hoped) is especially fantastic as a young lover of books who finds them to be her world of escape much like her Godfather Papa George does in cinema. I won't say more than that as much of the fun and intrigue of "Hugo" is the air of mystery that surrounds Ben Kingsley's character. As Georges Melies Kingsley perfectly plays an older, bitter man who has clearly seen tough times and doesn't intend to live in a past that meant so much more to him than the present. Set in 1930's Paris, our main story follows young orphan Hugo Cabret (Butterfield) who lives in the walls of a train station after the passing of his father (Jude Law) who was working on an automaton that is mysteriously connected with Isabelle's (Moretz) Godfather. The way in which these stories fall together is perfectly layered by Scorsese who purposefully starts things off with a slight slow burn that builds perfectly to a point we are begging the story to give us insight as to what mysteries this train station holds. And he delivers, and we are happy. Plus, it's not such a bad thing to demand patients of today's kiddies is it?

The Station Inspector (Sacha Baron
Cohen) is always on patrol.

One of the treats with "Hugo" is also the way in which Scorsese populates the train station where the majority of the action takes place. There is the man who plays Mr. Dursley in the Harry Potter films attempting to make friends with the woman who owns the bakery but has her dog to worry about. This little scenario, with its French setting would make a pleasant little short film in itself. Still, we have the station inspector as played by a subdued but still funny Sacha Baron Cohen who is always after orphans running amok while trying to spark a romance with the local flower vendor Lisette (Emily Mortimer). There is also the small book store that is run by Monsieur Labisse (Christopher Lee) who is a mysterious figure in his own right as he gives our two young protagonists the reassurance that it is okay to use their imagination and get lost in the books he recommends. It is the world that Scorsese brings to life along with production designer Dante Ferretti and director of photography Robert Richardson that makes "Hugo" an immersing experience that is one of the few films this year that actually uses the technique of 3D to make this feeling even more true. We are lunged head first into the world of the Paris train station as the camera work especially in the opening monologue of the film dips and turns with Hugo's movements as he navigates gracefully through the inner-workings of the station. It is as enlightening to the world of the film as it is exciting to see that Scorsese still cares just as much about the way the story is told as he does about the style with which it is captured.

Hugo and Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz) enjoy Isabelle's
first movie-going experience.

"Hugo" is certainly more than just the children's 3D film it has been advertised to be but in many ways is very much a love letter to cinema from one of its most notable directors. It is also a plea for film conservation for which Scorsese is a known supporter. It not only made me want to see older films and help preserve them, but it reminded me why I actually love movies in the first place. It is not often you can make a film or anything for that matter that has a mission of saying how great that art form is, but "Hugo" does it with a beautiful landscape and solid story that serve more than just the purpose of entertaining but also of actually teaching something. It is an experience in the theater that is worth the extra cash for the 3D glasses. It is an experience that is perfect for the season as a wholesome, heartwarming tale that is not just about magic but actually feels a bit magical. I loved the film, if you can't tell, and the more I think about it, the more I want to watch it again...immediately. It may well be one of the better films this year and though I don't believe the award shows will give it its due, I hope that it will at least garner enough audience response so plenty of kids around the world can experience a truly great cinematic experience.

HUGO Review

Clearly director Martin Scorsese has put a ton of thought into his first 3D adventure as well as this being his first film for children. That being said, "Hugo" isn't necessarily just a film for kids, but is just as much a film for anyone who loves cinema period. Scorsese crafts a film that while based on Brian Selznick's award-winning New York Times best-seller, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is more than anything a reminder that movies are not just a simple form of entertainment but that they are in fact an art form, a craft, and a chance to escape from reality into the dreams we never thought we could see realized. That films in general are to be cherished is as much a theme in "Hugo" as the ones of family, of love and loss and of course redemption. It is a fine tuned piece of cinema that Scorsese effortlessly guides us through. He is at his finest here as he is not only creating a piece of work that will make his already impressive resume even better but he is making a contribution to the whole medium of filmmaking that gives his entire life a purpose. The legendary director seems to have let the nostalgia run deep here as he draws on many cinematic influences and not only delivers a family friendly adventure film, but an experience that teaches us how important the movies are and how much we would really miss them if they were gone.