Official Trailer for CRUELLA Starring Emma Stone

While it will be difficult to separate myself from Glenn Close's turn as the evil Cruella de Vil from the 1996 and 2002 live-action adaptations of the 1961 Disney animated film which in and of itself was based on the 1956 novel by Dodie Smith, but I shall do my best and if there's anyone charming enough to redefine the role it's Emma Stone. While the well seems to be drying up rather quickly for Disney on what exactly they can make into live-action versions next given 101 Dalmatians kind of kicked this whole trend off some twenty-five years ago there is undoubtedly plenty more Disney can mine from its vault as live-action versions of The Little Mermaid and Hercules are on the horizon (not to mention a Barry Jenkins-directed Lion King sequel) with untold new takes on plenty of other properties likely in the works as well. Unlike the Glenn Close films of the late-nineties and early-aughts though, this time around the evil de Vil is getting her origin story that might illuminate audiences on how someone could become the type of person that enjoys murdering a hundred puppies for the sake of their style. Man, when you really stop to think about Cruella's mission in that original story it's kind of crazy most kids walked away unaffected by that movie. This brings up what is to be the most curious question pertaining to this new film in how is Disney going to make a movie about a woman who finds puppy murder as satisfying as she does without making her the sympathetic hero a la Maleficent? How were they going to do this AND keep the movie targeted at the demographic they largely serve? Well, it seems the answer to both parts of that question is a simple, "they won't" as Cruella brings with it a PG-13 rating while this first, official trailer more or less indicates this will be the Mouse House's version of Joker. Directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Lars and the Real Girl) and co-written by Dana Fox (How to Be Single) and Tony McNamara (The Favourite) the film has a broad enough range of influences to at least feel like it could become an oddity among the Disney live-action remakes we've seen thus far. As far as what can be derived about the film from this brief look it would seem Stone is going all-in on being over-the-top, ludicrous British accent and all. As with everything, we'll see. Still, this one feels like it could legitimately go in either direction which I guess is better than landing in the middle as most of its predecessors have. Cruella also stars Emma Thompson, Mark Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Joel Fry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and is currently scheduled to open in theaters on May 28, 2021.     

1917 Review

At the risk of spoiling a truly grisly moment in writer/director Sam Mendes' latest film, there is an instance not fifteen minutes into the film when our protagonist, Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay), injures his hand on a barbed wire fence. It is not this injury that is cause for the gruesome winces 1917 is sure to induce though, but rather that moment comes a minute or so later when Schofield's mission partner, Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), knocks into him as the two hurriedly slide into a trench so as to not be spotted by enemy planes overhead. It is in this moment that occurs shortly after the film has set the stage for our expectations of what we might expect war to really feel like that it then shows us the reality of those expectations in turn aiding the audience in realizing that no amount of preparation or precedent could ever prepare one for the true nightmares that are the unspeakable things one human can subject another human to. It is in this quick, but effective moment that remained with me for the duration of the film's nearly two-hour runtime that emphasizes the power of the film in general over the would-be gimmick of the single-take experience in that not only does Mendes' and cinematographer Roger Deakins' technique provide an enticing challenge for seasoned filmmakers such as themselves, but it is in the challenge of balancing that technique with the ability to tap into something real, something raw and something that speaks to who these two men were in their souls that keeps the audience engaged. Successful or not, the technique of it all will largely go unnoticed by general moviegoers and in turn only make the immersion greater even if that general moviegoer isn't aware of what's creating said effect. Mendes and Deakins have proven time and time again they have the skill to pull off exactly what 1917 does, but for them to ultimately have the artistry to pair that craft with the character's drive to simply do the right thing in accomplishing their mission, a mission that will save hundreds of lives, while being surrounded by the ugliness of humanity on that mission is what makes the immersive quality of the single shot idea worth the trouble; the technique elevating the film to something unexpected not in that it is a dazzling technical achievement, but an emotionally involving experience with real stakes and a clear perspective.

SHAZAM! Review

Shazam! immediately sets itself apart from its comic book brethren by opening the film not with a flashback to that of the titular heroes origin, but to that of the origin of its main villain; an antagonist that very easily could have been the protagonist and caused this story to be quite different had one slight outcome been different. Maybe slight is the wrong word as Mark Strong's Dr. Sivana takes a certain defeat to heart and dedicates his life from this point on to figuring out why he wasn't worthy of dawning the Shazam suit. The point being, director David F. Sandberg (Lights Out, Annabelle Creation) and screenwriter Henry Gayden (Earth to Echo) begin their movie by filling in the blanks of the bad guy and immediately set-up the audience with an understanding and empathy as to how the rest of the events we see unfold do in fact unfold in the manner they do. This is a key ingredient in a recipe that is repeated so often these days with so many super hero and comic book films saturating the market. Such is the case that filmmakers, studio heads, and whole creative teams alike have essentially been forced to find ways to differentiate their hero from the next studio's hero. While personally, I'm as sincere a fan of both sides of the studio rivals as I could imagine to be Shazam! does a pretty damn good job of making a full-length, fun feature out of what could arguably be one of the corniest super heroes ever put to panel. Shazam is a super hero that is actually a kid and is costumed like a hero out of a 1940's serial series wearing his cape with pride and his spandex with dignity as the large, luminescent lightning bolt that is the symbol of his heroism shines brightly at the costume's core. While most modern super hero films will tend to dial back the costumes that graced the pages of the source material so as to ground the film and the character in more of a familiar reality, Shazam! embraces the corniness whole-heartily and then balances it with a true threat in the aforementioned villain, true tension in that villain's master plan, and real stakes that aren't cataclysmic in nature, but more personal both in relation to the characters we come to know and invest in as well as in making the film feel more like a small movie made for a specific group of people rather than the big movie that appeals to everyone it so very clearly is.

SDCC: First Trailer for SHAZAM! Starring Zachary Levi

First trailer for Shazam!, the DC comics adaptation from director David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation), starring Zachary Levi, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Grace Fulton, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand, Cooper Andrews, and Marta Milans from screenwriters Henry Gayden (Earth to Echo) and Darren Lemke (Goosebumps) has been released via Warner Bros. The movie hits theaters April 5, 2019.

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE Review

There is a difficulty to pinning down what exactly it is about Matthew Vaughn's work that makes it stand out if not necessarily resonate, but to date it has been difficult to not at least enjoy, on a surface-level, every single film the director has released including the oft forgotten 2007 Neil Gaiman adaptation, Stardust, that is a genuinely great, very funny, and wickedly entertaining fantasy film told by someone who knows how to manage tone. Maybe this is it. Maybe it is the way in which Vaughn is able to deliver on a particular tone above everything else that makes his personality shine through so much more than other for-hire action directors tend to be able to do. It would be easy enough for studios to craft generic comic book adaptations, X-Men sequels, and James Bond spoofs-everyone is making some variation on one of those today-but to bring a unique perspective and distinct personality to such common proceedings is a gift and there is no denying Vaughn has that gift whether you appreciate where he's coming from or not. It is a tough thing, straddling what is to ultimately be an intangible aspect of one's final film, but Vaughn has always done well to imprint his films point of view throughout the film-thus making for the literal actions of the characters in the climactic scenes to feel all the more successful as they have not only accomplished the proper resolution the plot desired, but have simultaneously satisfied their moral compasses. Having listed many of Vaughn's previous projects it isn't difficult to note the guy has had ample opportunity to make sequels, but that he hasn't and that he did decide to take on the follow-up to his surprise 2014 hit says a lot about how much he is invested in this world and in this material. What then would Vaughn do in his first sequel? What is the direction he would choose to go? Those were the thoughts and questions stewing in my brain as the Kingsman logo on the front of the Kingsman tailor shop is revealed once more in the opening moments of Vaughn's latest, but while Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a bigger sequel and dares to explore the extended universe that exists around this independent agency we were introduced to three years ago it isn't nearly as cheeky or outrageous as we've come to expect the Kingsman or for that matter, Vaughn himself, to be. And so, while the film is serviceable and generally a good time it doesn't touch the bonkers and bawdy tone of the original despite being bigger in every sense a sequel can be.

SDCC: Green & Red-Band Trailers for KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

The second trailer for Kingsman: The Golden Circle is the first major release from 2017's edition of San Diego Comic-Con. This is the follow-up to the wildly successful Kingsman: The Secret Service from 2014 with director Matthew Vaughn returning for what will be his first sequel despite two other films he's directed having spawned follow-ups. So, what is it about the world of the Kingsman that made Vaughn want to return? It seems to be the fact there is so much more to explore here whereas Vaughn knew that what he had to say about the Kick-Ass and X-Men universes was more or less complete in his respective films. With Kingsman, which, like Kick-Ass, is based on a Mark Millar graphic novel, the filmmaker seemingly only scratched the surface of the world in which this secret service organization exists and the sequel is certainly expanding that world. Bringing in a host of big name newcomers. The Golden Circle sees the Kingsman's headquarters being destroyed and the world coming under siege forcing Taron Edgerton's Eggsy on a journey that leads him to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called the Statesman. This new trailer certainly shines more light on the Statesman giving Channing Tatum and Pedro Pascal a lot more to do this time around as well as getting a little more of Julianne Moore's villain who she's described as “Martha Stewart On Crack” . The trailer is also pretty relaxed about showing us Colin Firth's Harry Hart is alive and kicking, but I'm hoping there's more to this story that is divulged in the final cut. Vaughn and his crew have really seemed to up the ante by genuinely expanding the scope of the universe in which these characters exist so I'm hoping that given the director has finally decided to make a sequel that this turns out to be well worth the time and creativity invested. Kingsman: The Golden Circle also stars Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges, Sophie Cookson, Mark Strong, Michael Gambon, and opens on September 29th, 2017.

Full Trailer for KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

Last week we received a brief, 16-second teaser for Kingsman: The Golden Circle. This is the follow-up to the wildly successful Kingsman: The Secret Service from 2014 with director Matthew Vaughn returning for what will be his first sequel despite two other films he's directed having spawned follow-ups. So, what is it about the world of the Kingsman that made Vaughn want to return? It seems to be the fact there is so much more to explore here whereas Vaughn knew that what he had to say about Kick-Ass and the X-Men universe was more or less complete in his films. With Kingsman, which, like Kick-Ass, is based on a Mark Millar graphic novel, the filmmaker seemingly only scratched the surface of the world in which this secret service organization exists and the sequel is certainly expanding that world. Bringing in a host of big name newcomers The Golden Circle sees the Kingsman's headquarters being destroyed and the world coming under siege forcing Taron Edgerton's Eggsy and the the rest of the gang on a journey that leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US. These two elite secret organizations must band together to defeat a common enemy. While an added layer to an already familiar operation is always an exciting facet in a sequel it would appear that, from this trailer, Vaughn and his crew have really upped the ante in this second film by not simply adding more characters, but by genuinely expanding the scope of the universe in which these kinds of individuals can exist with not all of them falling under the same category of being slick-suited super-spies. Rather, we get a fair amount of footage of Channing Tatum sporting Americana to the brim while essentially being the U.S.'s answer to Britain's Eggsy. I was a big fan of the original and am a big fan of Vaughn's work in general so I'm hoping that given he's finally decided to make a sequel that this turns out to be well worth the time and creativity invested. Kingsman: The Golden Circle also stars Pedro Pascal, Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Sophie Cookson, Mark Strong, Michael Gambon, Colin Firth, and opens on September 29th, 2017.

MISS SLOANE Review

Miss Sloane comes from first time screenwriter Jonathan Perera and promotes the idea that to get ahead in the vicious game of D.C. lobbying one has to know their subject. Perera obviously knows his subject. How Perera, who was living in Asia at the time he wrote the screenplay and who only optioned his work to literary agents over the internet before securing a production deal knows so much about the inside dealings of those hired to persuade legislators to support particular businesses or causes is a mystery, but he seems to have done a fair amount of research. Either that or what he feeds us in Miss Sloane is a huge pile of eloquently written BS. Like an Aaron Sorkin script (I haven't seen The Newsroom, but I imagine this might feel very similar) where dialogue is almost more important than emotion Miss Sloane fast tracks the audience through a deluge of day to day activities that a lobbyist at the top of their game such as the titular Sloane played with vicious velocity by the one and only Jessica Chastain might engage in. We are given little time to keep up and even less to really gauge what Sloane and her team are working on as the focus is not meant to highlight what kind of case our titular lobbyist and her team are working on, but more how keenly they are framing it to their client's advantage. While the objective for a lobbyist is the end-game it is the getting there, the journey if you will, that requires the creativity of someone in Sloane's position and the more creative one is the better the reputation they garner in their professional circles despite undoubtedly garnering a worse one among friends. Of course, this is why it is also made clear Sloane has no family or friends to speak of or to. It is a vicious circle of sorts and Perera makes that evident by reiterating the importance of how information is framed by framing his own film with that aforementioned end-game. In Miss Sloane the end-game is a hearing on Capitol Hill in Caucus Room 4 of the U.S. Senate. What is she doing here? What has brought her to this point? What accusation is being thrown around and what does it have to do with her abilities and/or the moral ambiguities of her techniques? Each are questions begged as small increments of information are fed the viewer within the epilogue of the film, but once the main narrative takes over it is easy to forget that framing device and simply go along for the ride which is exactly what Perera would prefer you do as he finds trouble in both sticking the ending and making it credible enough that we don't question how well he really does know his subject.

Teaser Trailer for MISS SLOANE Starring Jessica Chastain

With Telluride just finishing and Toronto in full swing at the moment the film community has begun to receive a better glimpse at what the major contenders might be come this awards season, but surprisingly there has been no mention of recent awards mainstay Jessica Chastain or her film that would seemingly be in contention, Miss Sloane. That is, of course, until now as Europa has released the first teaser for the John Madden (The Debt) directed film that tackles the United States gun debate. Get ready to hear plenty of opinions fly! In this particular evaluation of the debate Chastain plays ruthless and highly successful political strategist, Elizabeth Sloane, who exposes the cutthroat world of D.C lobbyists on both sides of the gun control debate. More specifically, the film follows a new legislation that would require more stringent background checks for gun ownership that is gaining traction in Congress. Sloane is approached to spearhead the campaign, pitting her against the formidable power of her political opponents. Deploying her notorious skills Sloane jeopardizes those closest to her while putting her career at risk-essentially doing whatever it takes to win. The short clip we've received certainly relays the intensity of what that synopsis suggests and what the final product will hopefully hold in store for audiences. Interestingly, the script (solely written by Jonathan Perera) was ranked in the Top five of Hollywood's Black List, an annual tally of the industry's favorite scripts of the year, just last year meaning it has been acquired, found a director, attracted the talent of someone like Chastain and was made in less than a year. In short, the excitement and promise around this one seems to be strong and I can't wait to see what that yields. Miss Sloane also stars Mark Strong, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alison Pill, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jake Lacy, Sam Waterston, John Lithgow, and opens on December 9th, 2016.

THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY Review

Now more than ever Sacha Baron Cohen seems to be looked to for cheap comedy rather than the once prestigious, if not still outrageous version of comedy that he was known for. This transition seems to have largely occurred due to two factors in that 1) Cohen became too famous to fool the commoner, politicians, or other celebrities into thinking his bits weren't bits and because 2) his targets haven't been as precise as they once were. Borat is now ten years old and I can remember sitting in a packed theater opening night and experiencing more consistent laughter than I have maybe ever during a theatrical experience (Step Brothers is a close second), but last night I sat with only my friend at a 10:00 pm showing in an empty theater to watch the latest from Cohen and whether it was the atmosphere (or lack thereof) or the fact the movie really is as lackluster as it seemed one truth remains evident: for someone who has seemingly come so far Cohen has regressed more than anything. Sure, The Brothers Grimsby is a raunchy, over the top action comedy that pushes Cohen's comedy to even more ridiculous heights, but ultimately the film feels so slapdash and something of a mess that it is hard to take the jokes seriously. I realize that may sound contradictory, as in it doesn't make sense given that making jokes is the exact opposite of being serious, but what I mean to say is that there is hardly any substance left for Cohen to squander on his projects and rather than writing a story or coming up with a character in which the comedy naturally and inherently flows out of the comedian seems to have become more focused on coming up with gross out gags first and then going back to figuring out a story to work around them. I remain stern in my thought that Borat is one of the best comedies of the last twenty years (probably more than that even, but I won't test my limits) and hoped that Bruno was only something of a misstep, but while The Dictator was fine enough if not mostly forgettable The Brothers Grimsby once again skirts that line of being fine, but nothing special and nothing that will be remembered past this weekend no matter how ridiculous the stunts he pulls.

Red Band Trailer for THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY

It's hard to get excited for a Sacha Baron Cohen movie these days.What has he done since bringing Borat to the states in feature film form that has garnered him the same acclaim, but more importantly reached the same comedic heights? Bruno was a mess of shock for shock value alone while The Dictator ditched the mockumentary style altogether in favor of a traditional fiction narrative structure, but the laughs were still too few and far between to compare to Cohen's debut. Of course, Cohen is also known for his famous Ali G character, but has thankfully never brought that character to the big screen seeing as at this point the odds of it working out for the best are not in his favor. And so, four years after headlining his last major motion picture Cohen is back with frequent collaborator Peter Baynham and screenwriter Phil Johnston (Cedar Rapids, Wreck-It Ralph) to introduce us to a new character known as Nobby. Nobby was separated from his brother when they were younger and the two have grown up to be two very different men. Nobby is a father of nine children and married to the hottest woman in their poor English fishing town, Lindsey (Rebel Wilson). His brother, Sebastian (Mark Strong), on the other hand has become MI6's top assassin. It's easy to see where this screwball action comedy is going given this odd couple set-up, but with this new red band trailer we at least get a few solid sight gags and jokes that were absent from the previous green band trailers that only made the film look stupid and desperate. I still don't have much hope for this movie turning out well on any level, but I'm willing to give Cohen a shot, if at least with the faint hope that he may one day return to the level of Borat. The Brothers Grimsby is directed by Louis Letterrier (Now You See Me) and also stars Penelope Cruz, Isla Fisher, Scott Adkins, Ian McShane, Gabourey Sidibe and opens March 11th, 2016.  

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE Review

I don't know much about the early James Bond films. My parents weren't much for movies and much of my watching of older films has come from my own doing through my high school years with a large chunk of help from film classes in college. Still, neither of these have included going back and catching up on the twenty or so Bond films I'd missed since the beginning of the series. Instead, Daniel Craig became my Bond of choice after only seeing Die Another Day followed by Casino Royale. For the record, one day I will purchase the complete Bond collection and make my through each of them, but until that day I will continue to enjoy its current incarnation for what it is. All this to say that though I may not understand the specifics of the kind of movie Matthew Vaughn is attempting to riff from there have been plenty of other movies in the vein of Bond for me to understand the overall reach Vaughn has envisioned and to know that he grasps it all pretty damn well. With his fifth feature film director Vaughn has created an exhilarating and hugely entertaining take on the spy movie franchise by keeping the structure and all the players intact and messing with the conventions of what each of these expectations play into. In all honesty, there isn't anything necessarily original or unique about what Vaughn and frequent collaborator/screenwriter Jane Goldman have produced here, but more than anything it is refreshing in its perspective and creative in its execution. These count for a lot in our current cinematic landscape and Vaughn knows precisely how to tap into making something old feel like something new and exciting. He did the same with Stardust eight years ago (yeah, that was eight years ago) taking a typical-seeming fantasy film and churning out a completely fulfilling adventure. The same can be said for Kingsman though, on many levels, it is even more fun in a raucous sense given one has a similar mentality to that of the characters and the guy who's brought them to the screen.

THE IMITATION GAME Review

There is a line that is repeated several times in director Morten Tyldum's The Imitation Game that reassures our lead character that, "Sometimes it is the people we imagine nothing of, who do the things we can not imagine." This applies to our protagonist because our protagonist is Alan Turing as played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Turing has now come to be renowned as the brilliant mathematician and cryptanalyst who broke the German Enigma code in World War II that won the war quicker and as a result saved millions of lives. This man who seemingly would need to have everything going for him to come to such a prosperous title is given the aforementioned advice though because he is challenged every step of the way. It is clear from the moment we meet Cumberbatch's Turing that he suffers from some high level of asperger's syndrome in that his demeanor is not simply an irrational genius routine, but a degree of social awkwardness that conveys an inability to truly relate with those around him because he likely feels no one truly understands him. In coming at the world from his unique perspective, Turing sees human beings as simply being too selfish to make the sacrifices necessary to stave off the mental and physical threat posed by the enemies of his country. This leads to the creation of what is essentially the first computer that, while saving large parts of humanity that would have otherwise been lost, requires an equal amount of restraint that will knowingly allow people to die. It is only the ability to both create and be disconnected that the best definition of a perspective success can be claimed and Turing had the mentality and genius to see both through. Yes, in war there are countless deceptions and non-democratic decisions being made which, as long as they are for the seeming good of humanity, remain completely acceptable. It is on this fine line that the most interesting ideals are born from the film as Turing learns not only how to gauge his intelligence, but how best to use it. There is much to be admired in Tyldum's rather straightforward biopic that despite being as by the numbers as one can imagine, is consistently enhanced by its exceedingly fascinating story.

ZERO DARK THIRTY Review

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. So goes the saying and so says Kathryn Bigelow's follow-up to her Oscar winning feature The Hurt Locker. You've no doubt heard of Zero Dark Thirty if not for anything else other than it is the Osama bin Laden movie. The film is so much more than this though, you won't see an actor foolishly playing bin Laden or even hear his name muttered all too often. What Zero Dark Thirty truly is is a procedural drama about the ins and outs of what it takes to track down the most elusive man on the planet. Oddly enough, much of this process isn't exactly what you might expect but is instead gathering small strands of information, holding onto what one interrogation or torture session provided and hoping it proves correct against the other interrogation and torture sessions being conducted. It is a sprawling epic that takes over ten years and condenses them down into just under three hours to provide a concise and basic account of what happened, what took place in May 2011 and how much work and how many lives went into making that night a possibility. There is the controversy over the torture scenes depicted early in the film and there are questions of if those actions led to actual intelligence that helped find bin Laden, but I wasn't thinking of that as I watched the film. It didn't take me out of the experience of the movie. Whether torture works for the purposes we need or not is another discussion entirely but what this film does, nearly flawlessly, is put us at the center of the research and inside the "they" that make things such as the death of bin Laden a reality. It is like a two hour ticking time bomb that then explodes into a truly intense final hour. The film isn't the grand masterpiece I expected it to be after hearing all of the hype and I have a few issues with it storytelling, but there is no denying it is one hell of a movie and an experience.

JOHN CARTER Review

By this time it has been decided that "John Carter" is officially a flop. Sadly, this likely means Disney will not be pouring their money into a sequel for this massive loss which is really a shame because despite the mixed reviews and soft response to the film this is a sprawling adventure with a great imagination and scope to match. I have never read the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels on which this is based, but one can easily tell how this work indeed inspired the likes of "Star Wars" and countless other sci-fi epics. Director Andrew Stanton (Wall-E and Finding Nemo) was the main reason I held out hope for this film and in the end his storytelling ability is what overshadows his missteps. I can only imagine the differences that come with switching from directing animated films to that of a live action film of this size. For a first timer Stanton has done a wonderful job of keeping a rather complex story within certain archetypes and not allowing his narrative to run away with the movie. He probably could have picked a more charismatic leading man as Taylor Kitsch, while looking every bit the part, does not do well to help me understand why Stanton along with directors Peter Berg and Oliver Stone have chosen him to headline their films this year. Kitsch who seems to have been a valuable part of the underrated "Friday Night Lights" series has only had one other starring role in the awful "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and I felt that same kind of emptiness here from him. Lucky for Kitsch that his supporting cast is full of reliable actors like Samantha Morton, Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, and Bryan Cranston. Whether they are bringing life to the green-skinned race of Tharks or simply populating the mythology of Burrough's tale these are the real reasons this Mars adventure is brought to life.

Matai Shang (Mark Strong) is the leader of the Therns,
the controllers of the universe.

I was unfamiliar with the stories of John Carter and going in had no real idea of where the story was heading despite the notion I could probably guess. This is classic adventure storytelling that hits all the right marks while giving us a really engaging backdrop. I have always been a sucker for sci-fi stories with lush back stories and mythologies that span further than just our own world. "John Carter" does this in spades. It starts interestingly enough in the late 1800's with his death as he recruits his young nephew to come take care of his estate which turns out to only be a front to allow his nephew the time to get caught up on what Mr. Carter's life has been like for the past thirteen years. Carter's own story starts as the civil war veteran is asked by the army to return, but has come to the decision that every side has their reasons for fighting, that neither is particularly right and that he has no interest in fighting for either one. In trying to escape he stumbles upon a cave with what feel like familiar markings. Inside he encounters a man who quickly tries to kill him but not before accidentally sending our protagonist to the red planet.

To its natives, Mars is known as Barsoom and once he arrives Carter is able to leap enormous distances and somehow has superhuman strength because of something having to do with his bone density and the alien conditions. He is captured by the Tharks led by Tars Tarkas (Dafoe) and is immediately selected to fight for them because of these new abilities. This will help as Barsoom is in the middle of a civil war. The kingdoms of Zodanga and Helium are on the brink of destroying one another when Zodanga's leader Sab Than (Dominic West) proposes a peace with Helium in exchange for its rulers Tardos Mors (Ciaran Hinds) daughters hand in marriage. Naturally, the princess is a rather fiesty intelligent being who will not bow so easily to a meat headed ruler who is full of arrogance. As princess Dejah Thoris Lynn Collins displays more charisma than her counterpart Kitsch, but does nothing to make her character stand out among the legions of heroic princess's of this genre's past. Some way or another John Carter saves the princess as she tries to escape and they become bound to this journey together that orders them to stop the Zodanga before they destroy Helium (though Carter has a problem choosing sides until the princess shows some weaknesses for him). There is also the important aspect of the Therns, a biblical like group of baldies in white robes led by the always evil Mark Strong. They are guiding this whole extravaganza as they are the Gods who control the universe and are behind Sab Than's invasion and craving for power. These, in short, are John Carters real enemies. You got all of that, right?

Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) and John Carter (Taylor Kitsch)
face off for the first time.

The good news is that director Stanton and his team have developed such a lovely movie to look at the scope matches that of the story. Though in the beginning we are slightly confused as to who is who and how these guys play into that, it is fairly easy to understand by the time it comes down to the simple goal of stopping the princess from marrying the bad guy. What is most impressive about the film for me was not just the way Stanton was able to navigate through the multiple characters and give them each credible role with the money spent on the project feeling at least justified, no what I was really impressed with was the fact alot of what was going on here felt credible in the first place. It is hard to take half-naked Mars people dressed as if it was ancient Rome interacting with four-armed humongous aliens seriously, it must have been even harder for Stanton to convince his actors that this was all going to turn out to be awesome. Here in lies the problem I have with Kitsch as the lead. He seems to be really trying to make this work, I'll give him that and the argument can even be made that he doesn't seem to buy into it because his character is genuinely startled at where he is in the universe. It is more than this though, Kitsch never convinces me he isn't holding in laughing at the whole thing. Like a popular kid on a playground of nerds his whole persona screams a type of arrogance that doesn't feel like it fits in Burrough's characters skin. This causes a hesitation on the part of the audience to fully give into the idea that this movie actually is pretty cool.

Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) is the leader of the Tharks,
an alien race that lives on Mars. 

What it comes down to is the knowledge that if I were a 10 year-old I would have no doubt, absolutely loved this. I think this will certainly enthrall anyone under the age of 12 since those tweens will likely think they are too cool for this. Being a 25 year-old though, I want to be transported back to that place where I was at 10; simply blown away by a movie and the world that it creates on screen. I want to be taken to that place where my imagination can only attempt to match the characters and places that have been created. I can see how "John Carter" might do this for a whole new generation and even those, like myself who love "Star Wars" and were taken aback by the visuals of "Avatar" might be engaged but it doesn't reach the heights of blowing me away, it simply entertained me. There is nothing wrong with this, but I am sure Disney was counting on much more than entertainment when they sank the reported $250 million into the project. I hate to even doubt the project because I honestly do want to see more from it; at the very least it is an intriguing opening chapter that deserves to be expanded on, whether Stanton will get that chance or not will likely depend on the worldwide box office return, but if that day comes I will be anxiously awaiting John Carter's next adventure, with hopes that Taylor Kitsch has found a more genuine place within himself to apply to the title character.

JOHN CARTER Review

By this time it has been decided that "John Carter" is officially a flop. Sadly, this likely means Disney will not be pouring their money into a sequel for this massive loss which is really a shame because despite the mixed reviews and soft response to the film this is a sprawling adventure with a great imagination and scope to match. I have never read the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels on which this is based, but one can easily tell how this work indeed inspired the likes of "Star Wars" and countless other sci-fi epics. Director Andrew Stanton (Wall-E and Finding Nemo) was the main reason I held out hope for this film and in the end his storytelling ability is what overshadows his missteps. I can only imagine the differences that come with switching from directing animated films to that of a live action film of this size. For a first timer Stanton has done a wonderful job of keeping a rather complex story within certain archetypes and not allowing his narrative to run away with the movie. He probably could have picked a more charismatic leading man as Taylor Kitsch, while looking every bit the part, does not do well to help me understand why Stanton along with directors Peter Berg and Oliver Stone have chosen him to headline their films this year. Kitsch who seems to have been a valuable part of the underrated "Friday Night Lights" series has only had one other starring role in the awful "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and I felt that same kind of emptiness here from him. Lucky for Kitsch that his supporting cast is full of reliable actors like Samantha Morton, Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, and Bryan Cranston. Whether they are bringing life to the green-skinned race of Tharks or simply populating the mythology of Burrough's tale these are the real reasons this Mars adventure is brought to life.

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Review

It is due to the ensemble cast and the whole spirit that has surrounded this film since first hearing of it that I have been anxiously awaiting its arrival at my local cinema. This weekend it finally expanded across the country and I was able to catch a glimpse of a film I might have included in my top 10 of 2011. Though I find a kind of solace in the fact this would have landed outside the top 10 for me I still liked the film very much. What it is about "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" that makes it an engaging drama though is not the usual reasons you might be inclined to enjoy a film. In fact I don't know that the word "enjoy" is even the right way to describe what you would be expected to feel after watching the film. The film is engaging and tells a complex story that never directly addresses a central conflict as a traditional film might. The reasons that make it such an intriguing trip though are that of the way the characters handle themselves and how the layers of each of their contributions to the story are told. Director Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) weaves in and out of each characters role in the quest for discovering a double agent. It is such an intelligent and prestigious feeling film that it almost feels odd how dark and cold the film actually is. It is a film very much of a time I cannot relate to. I was engaged by the chance to become acquainted with it for a few hours though and "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" turns out to be a film with aspirations that don't rise above being an authentic spy thriller. It is the style with which it is told and the caliber of the performances that raise the bar. We don't see any explosions, and are made to hold our breath with every solitary gunshot; this isn't your typical genre film, but one that feels closer to life than we could have ever hoped for.

 Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Smiley
(Gary Oldman) converse on what steps are to be taken next.

I have never read the John le Carré novel on which this is based nor have I seen the 1979 British mini-series that starred Alec Guinness. I was going into this new production with very little knowledge about the plot of the film outside of what I'd seen in the trailer and read about in summaries. From what I gathered it seemed like the novel itself was likely too complex to condense into a two hour film as the mini series ran for nearly five. It not only made me curious about the book but as to how this film might play out. Would it feel rushed? Might it be a tight plot with loose narrative? As the lengthy opening credit sequence began to roll though I could see that Alfredson was not going to allow this to be a rushed experience to get to the meat of the plot. He allows for the cold, gray atmosphere of the mid-70's to influence the story just as much as the actions being taken. He rolls it out at such a pace that the audience receives just as much a sense of paranoia as his characters are feeling.

John Hurt plays Control the head of the British Secret Service known only as "the Circus" who is forced out after a failed mission in Hungary where one of his top agents, Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) is shot. In light of Control resigning, so does his right hand man George Smiley (Gary Oldman) while Percy (a slick Toby Jones) assumes the role after years of disrespect and animosity between he and Control. Percy brings with him to the head his favorite agents in the forms of Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), Roy Bland (Ciaran Hinds), and Toby Esterhase (David Dencik). This all leads to Smiley being asked to find the mole at the top of the agency and because Percy and all of his co-horts are suspects Smiley has to go about this in a rather stealthy manner. He hires Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) who is also an operative for the agency in a division that is assigned their dirty work to assist him. This is only the tip of the iceberg as far as the plot goes but their is such a restrained, weathered feeling to it that it never feels overwhelming or lost on us as an audience.

Bill Haydon (Colin Firth) is as much a mystery to the
audience as he is to his friends.

The film, while deeply concerned with the work and how important it is to the difference in the free world and evil, also serves as a broad portrait of how this all boils down to men creating drama and distrust so as to give them reason to exist. To give their jobs a purpose. It gives a message that we are all the same, our good and bad deeds, it is simply the side you choose (or in this case love for your country) that determines your ideology with which you carry out your actions. This element of the film that causes you to take a step back from the more focused story it is actually telling lends that unsettling feeling you have as it comes to a close. That feeling that sends chills down your arm while at the same time realizing what a well crafted movie it is. That is what Alfredson did best with the material, to have conveyed that atmosphere through which these spies worked and existed. The way in which they have to operate away from their families which have no connection, no relevance to the work they are performing. This is best conveyed in the commanding yet also restrained lead performance of Oldman as Smiley. He is our source of light in the film and though his demeanor suggests a man who is beaten down by life and years on the job, he performs his duties with a strong and very real presence. There is a sense of obligation to his mentor but it is due to the depth that Oldman brings to his performance that suggests Smiley would much rather disappear than to become entangled in further moral compromising matters.

Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) follows his instincts on a mission
that leads him to discover more than he bargained for.

It should also be noted that Tom Hardy as Ricki Tarr shows up for a subplot that puts him as one of the service's "scalp hunters" (an equal to what Guillam does) that involves him becoming a kind of rogue agent that while on a mission is able to confirm the existence of the mole in an inadvertent turn. Hardy is an actor who since 2010's "Inception" has become a hot commodity and will be seen three more times in 2012. Hardy makes the most of his limited screen time here as Tarr, a man cast out due to an instinct he followed while on his mission as well as a loss he has suffered. It is a moving piece of work that contrasts Oldman's performance with just the right amount of calibration. It is also interesting in the fact Oldman and Hardy will be seen in "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Wettest County" later this year, their chemistry here lending more good anticipation to two already prestigious products. It is in credit to much of the cast though that they were able to pull off what is no doubt a condensed version of the source material so flawlessly. Last years best actor winner Firth giving a charismatic and debonair performance and the up and coming Cumberbatch who has already garnered good will with his small role in "War Horse" turns in a more flashy yet inconspicuous performance that shows his ability to be subtle while still making an impression. This is clearly Oldman's film though and he certainly deserves the praise he has been receiving as what makes "Tinker Tailor" most interesting is the words these men exchange are just as thrilling as if they were firing bullets at one another.

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Review

It is due to the ensemble cast and the whole spirit that has surrounded this film since first hearing of it that I have been anxiously awaiting its arrival at my local cinema. This weekend it finally expanded across the country and I was able to catch a glimpse of a film I might have included in my top 10 of 2011. Though I find a kind of solace in the fact this would have landed outside the top 10 for me I still liked the film very much. What it is about "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" that makes it an engaging drama though is not the usual reasons you might be inclined to enjoy a film. In fact I don't know that the word "enjoy" is even the right way to describe what you would be expected to feel after watching the film. The film is engaging and tells a complex story that never directly addresses a central conflict as a traditional film might. The reasons that make it such an intriguing trip though are that of the way the characters handle themselves and how the layers of each of their contributions to the story are told. Director Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) weaves in and out of each characters role in the quest for discovering a double agent. It is such an intelligent and prestigious feeling film that it almost feels odd how dark and cold the film actually is. It is a film very much of a time I cannot relate to. I was engaged by the chance to become acquainted with it for a few hours though and "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" turns out to be a film with aspirations that don't rise above being an authentic spy thriller. It is the style with which it is told and the caliber of the performances that raise the bar. We don't see any explosions, and are made to hold our breath with every solitary gunshot; this isn't your typical genre film, but one that feels closer to life than we could have ever hoped for.