CALL ME BY YOUR NAME Review

The adjective you're searching for is "tender." From the first series of title cards through to every instagrammable frame of Luca Guadagnino's Call Me by Your Name it is the tenderness that remains pungent to each of the senses. While it may not always feel or seem as if there is a particular tenderness to the love story being told here-the film takes its sweet time introducing this inevitable aspect-there is always a tenderness to each of the characters as they exist in this bubble of eternal warmth brought on by the summer season and their escape to Northern Italy. Tenderness breathes through every ounce of Guadagnino's film whether he is highlighting the see-through indigo waters of the Ligurian Sea or the intimate brush of soft skin between two human beings. This consistently gentle, but still strikingly beautiful aesthetic paired with the large amounts of sympathy we, the viewers, continue to feel as we grow more and more involved in the story paints this overall portrait of seventeen year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and his budding relationship with the visiting Oliver (Armie Hammer) in gentle motions of complete tenderness. Suffice to say, Call Me by Your Name is not simply a film about the coming of age of a young, gay male in the early eighties, but it is a complex character analysis of this young man who has been given every academic advantage, but still struggles to figure out who he is among his liberal Jewish family that has refined his cultured and delicate personality. Elio is a personality that is wholly understanding and forthright about the circumstances that have led to his upbringing and how such has shaped the person he presently is, but this level of perspective has also brought about a level of self-awareness that allows Elio to understand how little he understands about the more vital, emotional aspects of being. Though I've yet to see Guadagnino's 2009 breakout hit I Am Love I wasn't all too impressed with last year's A Bigger Splash as it was more a melodrama where the characters had nothing better to do than create their own drama while yearning to be of huge emotional resonance, but ultimately failing to do so because those characters brought so much of their strife upon themselves. With his latest, Guadagnino adapts André Aciman's novel from James Ivory's screenplay and transcends the intellectual bubble of privilege and emotional consumption by submitting itself entirely to the tender love story that is its essence.

THE SHAPE OF WATER Review

Guillermo del Toro films are typically notable for their aesthetic choices, their production design, and their attention to detail. One can look back at the filmmaker's body of work and quickly see that there are countless themes that re-surface time and time again, much of this happening within the realm of the types of stories del Toro likes to tell and the visual prowess with which they are presented in. With his latest, The Shape of Water, the director is still very much working within his wheelhouse, but for the first time in some time it feels as if there is nothing more important to the movie no matter the extravagance of the sets and costumes or the practicality of the monster make-up than the story itself as well as the core relationship that both grounds this story and lifts it up. Now, if you know anything about The Shape of Water prior to going into the film then you know that this core relationship is formed between a human woman and a mysterious sea creature that is housed in the bowels of the top secret facility where she works as a maid. If that initially weirds you out a bit just think of it as the opposite of Ariel and Prince Eric; this way you can find some solace in the fact you at least understand you were holding a double standard against the picture. I understand there is a slight difference in the two because of the full-on creature feature being portrayed in this film whereas the scenes featuring Ariel and Eric being romantic in The Little Mermaid were ones where she was walking on land, but the concept still supports it and more, The Shape of Water completely owns this relationship from the moment we first glimpse our meager protagonist in Sally Hawkins' Elisa Esposito. Yes, of course The Shape of Water is a gorgeously rendered portrait of some alternate universe in the early sixties where government experimentation goes as far as studying a God-like merman and feels like a fairy tale of sorts for adults where not everything is perfect, ideal, or even necessarily magical, but what The Shape of Water does find and allow are these fantastical elements that breathe a fresh life and perspective into what are otherwise some dark and troubled times both in this universe and in the lives of characters who were seemingly never given a fair shot at life in the first place. This is effectively why The Shape of Water succeeds for as much as one can go on about all of the beautifully crafted extraneous factors it is this belief that comes to be sustained in this abnormal relationship and the beauty of the affection it conveys in its own right that we are, maybe unexpectedly, moved.     

First Trailer for CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

One of the biggest stories to come out of Sundance earlier this year was that of director Luca Guadagnino’s (A Bigger Splash, which I wasn't a huge fan of) follow-up based on André Aciman's 2007 novel titled Call Me By Your Name. The film, which is being released by Sony Pictures Classics and that I plan to make one of my must-see films at the Toronto International Film Festival next month, takes place in the midst of the summer of 1983 and is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy (Interstellar's Timothée Chalamet) and a summer guest named Oliver (Armie Hammer) at his parents' cliffside mansion on the Italian Riviera. During the restless summer weeks, unrelenting but buried currents of obsession, fascination, and desire intensify their passion as they test the charged ground between them and verge toward the one thing both already fear they may never truly find again: total intimacy. Though I generally try to avoid reviews prior to seeing a movie, much like with Manchester by the Sea last year-the buzz coming off this thing was unavoidable and this first trailer certainly puts its praise to use as it is plastered with pull-quotes describing the film with such adjectives as ravishing, piercing, classic, and sublime. That's all without even mentioning the fact it has also been labeled as both a masterwork and a knockout of a film. One hates to assign such descriptors prematurely, but the love here looks to be unanimous and while I will try not to allow too much of this to filter into my expectations I'm certainly looking more forward to seeing what the film has to offer because of it. Also, the Sufjan Stevens song choice here couldn't seem to be more fitting. Call Me By Your Name also stars Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, and openson November 24th, 2017.

First Trailer for THE SHAPE OF WATER from Director Guillermo del Toro

Fox Searchlight has released the first trailer for Guillermo del Toro’s latest, The Shape of Water, and it certainly looks like a Guillermo del Toro film. I say that not to talk down about the project as I adore del Toro's visual style and his eye for detail, but I hope the filmmaker simply isn't treading familiar ground here. An original story with a screenplay by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor (Game of Thrones) the story follows a lonely, mute woman named Elisa (Sally Hawkins) who performs janitorial duties for a top-secret government laboratory. Within this mysterious facility a one-of-a-kind inhabitant is trapped and seemingly being tortured by something of a mad scientist/military hyprid as played by Michael Shannon. This inhabitant is not human, of course, because it is played by Doug Jones and is in a Guillermo del Toro picture, but he is more a humanoid creature who lives its life entirely underwater. Through what the lengthy trailer tells us we can discern that Elisa and the creature form something of bond with one another if not a close and intense relationship that sees each of them filling a large void in their life with the presence of the other. It is presented as a sweet, star-crossed love story of sorts within the context of a monster movie. It's something del Toro has done multiple times before with Pan's Labyrinth and Crimson Peak as he uses period pieces and real world events to inform a supernatural fairytale, but while the template may be worn I am certainly optimistic for what mysteries and adventures the director might ultimately bring to the table. And, of course, the film looks like a visual wonder and has an aura that each of del Toro's films possess reassuring us we're in a certain place and time to the extent we somewhat know what to expect, but don't all at the same time. The visionary filmmaker always tends to make movies that are fun to watch if not intriguing on a deeper level as well so despite the outline feeling somewhat familiar I hope there is enough unique stuff going on within this latest effort that will allow it to become its own entity. The Shape of Water also stars Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg, and opens December 8th, 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.

ARRIVAL Review

Arrival is one of those movies where you understand you're waiting for the resolve to see if it justifies the journey we've taken to (pun intended) arrive there. This doesn't mean the one hundred minutes prior aren't fascinating and worthwhile, but it's clear we're ultimately waiting to see what bigger picture these pieces are painting. This can of course be something of a double-edged sword given how the approach effects the re-watchability of a picture, but by the time we come around to the conclusion of Arrival it only seems repeat viewings will do nothing but make it more moving if not add shades and complexities to small nuances we may not have noticed upon that initial viewing. In other words, Arrival is a masterfully told narrative that deals in themes of interpretation and perspective through conveyors such as language and the guise of an alien invasion movie. What's interesting though is, despite the marketing, Arrival is hardly about an alien invasion, but more a film about communication and figuring out one another before jumping to conclusions based on cultural precedent or expectation. Arrival is about that fear of what we don't know and how such a phrase manifests when a genuine situation arises that it can be applied to. In the barrage of CGI summer blockbusters that depict alien invasions more as mass extinctions it's become easy to feel nonchalant about the ramifications of proof of life beyond our earth and solar system legitimately existing and furthermore, showing up in our backyard. In Arrival, director Denis Villeneuve conjures not only a palpable fear and panic that would sweep across nations in light of such events, but more he and specifically Amy Adams in an absolutely stellar performance highlight the sheer incomprehensibility of the situation. Giving insight to the smaller moments, recognizing the first time Jeremy Renner's Ian Donnelly touches the material this alien craft is constructed from as a major moment rather than choosing to ignore its significance speaks volumes. In this way, moments that are actually bigger play as that much more profound. Villeneuve is a master of restraint and the slow burn as he has shown in previous features such as Enemy and Sicario, but Arrival may be his most accomplished work to date as not only is it visually enrapturing, but the larger ideas the film has on its mind are applied to its precise visual sense giving the experience an all-around aura of awe.

DOCTOR STRANGE Review

From the outset where Marvel Studios shows off its brand new logo that features clips of its heroes in action from previous films rather than clips of art from their older comic books it is clear just how much of a brand this studio and their particular type of super hero films have become. What is more telling though, is just how aware Marvel is of this fact and how boldly they state their accomplishments in this re-branding of their title card. This slight boasting by the company sets up good and bad expectations for the film that proceeds it as Doctor Strange very much operates within the familiar world Marvel has built while at the same time reminding us of just how high Marvel can fly leaving this rule of a movie to be something of a letdown. Of course, that is the one glaring barrier all Marvel movies now have to overcome in how do they not just play as large scale TV episodes, but more singular stories that feel worthy of the big screen treatment. It's not necessarily that Dr. Stephen Strange isn't worthy of such treatment, but more in the pantheon of all Marvel has done before and all it plans to do in the future this initial outing with the soon-to-be Sorcerer Supreme feels as brisk and as superfluous to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as The Incredible Hulk now ranks. Not that Doctor Strange doesn't introduce a whole new dimension of possibilities to the MCU, but were this film to not work out the way Marvel expects it to for some reason they could essentially ignore its existence and move on with the physical dangers the film tells us The Avengers protect our world from. That won't happen, of course, but that's the type of indifferent feeling director Scott Derrickson's (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister) take on a Marvel property unfortunately conjures up. Making this worse is the fact that Doctor Strange features some of the more daring and downright trippy visuals that have been seen in a Marvel movie as well as some of the weirder sequences in the studios filmography that, while visually enchanting, make it even more apparent just how standard the narrative is. Why Marvel and Kevin Feige were willing to go out on something of a risky limb with their visuals as well as just how far Strange can push his powers, but not with the story that brings the titular Doctor into the world of magic and mysticism is a little perplexing, but at the end of the day it's clear this is a board room picture designed to change up Marvel's winning formula just enough so as to appear to be something new and different, but what in reality will rely on the same tricks that have guaranteed consistent hints for eight years now.

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.

Full Trailer for ARRIVAL Starring Amy Adams

Paramount Pictures released a short, one-minute teaser for the latest Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario) film last week and honestly that probably would have been enough for a long time, but by the end of that exceptional tease we were already promised a full trailer less than a week down the line and here we are-with a full minute and a half more footage to better wrap our heads around what exactly Villeneuve will be exploring this time. Each of the directors last three films have been in my top fifteen of the year and so it is something of an understatement to say I'm excited to see what he does next though the fact the films screenplay was penned by the guy who wrote Final Destination 5 and The Thing re-make is a bit concerning. That said, he also penned Lights Out which has been getting great reviews (I still need to see that one) and so maybe it is all in the execution which is something Villeneuve excels at-just look at Prisoners especially. With Arrival, the director has paired with Amy Adams for the story of an expert linguist who is recruited by the military to determine whether the aliens on a craft that has landed have come in peace or are a threat. The trailer looks insanely tense and well photographed, but unfortunately it feels as if it gives away more than I was hoping it would. The aspect of focusing on language and the breaking down of how we communicate with an invading species though is insanely interesting and seems to have given way to a number of interesting facets that have been explored throughout the film all of which garner strong repercussions on the life of our protagonist. Arrival will play at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival and Venice Film Festival before opening on November 11th and features a supporting cast that includes the likes of Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, and Michael Stuhlbarg.

New Trailer for DOCTOR STRANGE Starring Benedict Cumberbatch

I don't know much about Doctor Strange, but I'm beginning to feel like the only one who is kind of "meh" on the whole thing. Having not read many comics much less those of Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme I come at director Scott Derickson's (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister) take on the Marvel hero and his entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe the same way I came at Thor-intrigued, but slightly concerned. This is clearly somewhat new territory for the company given Doctor Strange very much exists in a magical reality. While Thor exists among the Gods and the Guardians of the Galaxy exist among the cosmos it feels as if Doctor Strange has the biggest potential to come off as cheesy and/or slightly corny. Say what you will, but that's how that tag joke struck me-cheesier than anything else. Do I actually think Doctor Strange will be the movie that sinks the Marvel ship? Absolutely not-this company is a juggernaut with no end in sight, but do I feel like Strange will make a cultural impact the way the Guardians did or that Benedict Cumberbatch will completely own the titular role the way that say, Chris Hemsworth or Robert Downey Jr. do? No, not really. That feels crazy to say given the incredible cast this thing has assembled and being a fan of Derickson's previous work in the horror genre I'm optimistic about what he might do in the realm of the astral plane, but something just feels lacking in the footage we've seen so far. More interesting though is that it seems Derickson and his team haven't had to adhere to as many story points as Thor's first outing which gives hope that we might really be allowed to dig in and get to know this character without having to worry about extraneous plot strands. While this full-length trailer didn't do much for me I'm still excited to see what the feature brings to the MCU and have enough faith in Derickson, his long-time collaborator and screenwriter C. Robert Cargill, as well as Jon Spaihts (Prometheus) to hope for the best. Doctor Strange also stars Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benedict Wong, Scott Adkins, and opens on November 4th, 2016.

MILES AHEAD Review

The title of this latest music biopic suggests that Miles Davis was a man ahead of his time and many would agree when speaking about his musical talents, but Don Cheadle's first directorial effort, Miles Ahead, isn't introspective enough to put on display why this particular individual was allowed insight into music others hadn't yet tapped into, but rather it's about how Davis was very much a product of his time. In his actions and his views in his personal life Davis was very much of the state of mind that society should function a specific way, especially in regards to how he was allowed to treat the opposite sex and how they weren't allowed to treat him. One can only imagine Cheadle and screenwriter Steven Baigelman (who also worked on Get on Up) decided to come at Davis' story from a more personal angle due to how destructive he needed to be in order to be inspired enough to create what would become his legacy. Of course, that leaves audiences, or more appropriately Davis himself, to deal with the bigger question of what is worth more in the long run-his present prize or his potential imprint he could leave on culture? In Miles Ahead, Cheadle shows us how one drove the other-how life goes on for Davis long after the thrill of living is gone (one can learn a lot from John Cougar Mellencamp). What was the thrill though? The music or the indisputable love of his life, Frances Taylor (Emayatzy Corinealdi)? The even bigger question is does Davis ever figure this out for himself? Sure, he is now the subject of a motion picture and regarded as one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the 20th century, but how often did he think of Frances and the times they could have shared, the memories they could have potentially made while grappling with a reputation that could go either way? Miles Davis, the man, would have you believe that he didn't grapple with anything as one of his most famous quotes states, "do not fear mistakes. There are none," but it's hard to believe given Cheadle's interpretation that being one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the 20th century came with a price Davis wasn't always sure he wanted to pay.

First Trailer for Marvel's DOCTOR STRANGE

I don't know much of Doctor Strange. I've never read any comics much less those of the Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme and more importantly the character never had a 90's animated series for me to latch onto. And so, I come at director Scott Derickson's (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister) take on the Marvel hero and his entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe the same way I came at Thor-intrigued, but slightly concerned. This is clearly somewhat new territory for the company given Doctor Strange very much exists in a magical reality. While Thor exists among the Gods and the Guardians of the Galaxy exist among the cosmos it feels as if Doctor Strange has the biggest potential to come off as cheesy and/or slightly corny. I don't actually believe it will be an issue given Marvel has been able to overcome both of those obstacles with the aforementioned properties, but still. With Doctor Strange the credibility is already upped quite a bit given they were able to cast Benedict Cumberbatch as Master of the Mystic Arts. With this first look at footage from the film I feel very much the same way I did about Thor after its first trailer in that visually it looks nothing short of impressive and even comes across as confident in its unique charms, but seems to be slightly straining to fit into what has already been molded. Lucky for Derickson and this property in general their movie doesn't seem to be part of a strict plan to lead to an already in motion team-up, though I'd be surprised if Strange didn't show up in Infinity War in some capacity. More, Derickson and his team don't have to adhere to as many story points as Thor giving me even greater hope. No matter what, I'm excited to see what the feature brings to the MCU and have enough faith in Derickson, his long-time collaborator and screenwriter C. Robert Cargill, and Jon Spaihts (Prometheus) to hope for the best. Doctor Strange also stars Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benedict Wong, Scott Adkins, and opens on November 4th, 2016.

First Trailer for Don Cheadle's MILES AHEAD

It seems as if Don Cheadle has been working on his Miles Davis biopic for years now, and it's true that the film is something of a passion project for him, but given we now have the first trailer for the film it seems both the time and passion may have paid off in big and interesting ways. If you're familiar with the name, but not sure what role Davis played on the musical scene he was a jazz musician and composer, known mainly for his trumpet skills among many other titles, who is widely considered one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the 20th century. As a lover of musical biopics, but someone who recognizes that the formula has become a bit stale in recent years (thank you, Love & Mercy-I'm looking at you, I Saw the Light) what is most exciting about this project is that Cheadle seems to have embraced telling the story of Davis with as much attitude as the real Davis sported himself. While the number one issue artists who decide to tackle stories of other artists lives run into is their attempt to tell a cradle to grave story it seems Cheadle has already foregone that trope by focusing on the plight of Davis to own all the rights to his music and the end of the six-year sabbatical he took in the late seventies that's jump-started by an interview with David Brill (Ewan McGregor). The trailer promises a movie that is as improvisational as Davis' musical stylings and for this attempt alone I look forward to seeing the big picture. The film closed the New York Film Festival in October of last year to generally good reviews and will open in theaters on April 1st, 2016. Miles Ahead also stars Michael Stuhlbarg, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Keith Stanfield, Austin Lyon, Morgan Wolk, Chris Hahn, Nina Smilow, and Jeffrey Grover.

TRUMBO Review

Dalton Trumbo is no doubt an interesting figure and a perfect case of someone whom it would be worthwhile to make a Hollywood biopic about. Maybe it's simply that director Jay Roach, who has mostly worked in broad comedy while mixing in politics lately with the likes of Game Change and The Campaign, doesn't know what else to do as a director, but his latest effort that profiles the rogue screenwriter feels all too complacent to accurately depict the radical and rebel ways of Mr. Trumbo. In short, this is a by the numbers biopic that tells us what happened, why it happened, and how the titular character lived out the rest of his days with the obligatory pre-credit note cards. That isn't to say the history isn't interesting or that there aren't good or intriguing moments throughout, but more that Roach does nothing with these moments to make them feel as vital or illuminating as they likely were for these people in the context of their actual lives. More than that, the biggest downfall of the film for me personally is that of the same mistake many biopics about musicians make in that they never explore what makes the artist want or need to create. To this effect, Trumbo never delves into its protagonist's writing process. Now, I understand that this film is not exclusively about the life of Dalton Trumbo, but more specifically the decade long fight he put up that saw him blacklisted and sent to prison due to his political beliefs. Still, this man was largely known as the biggest and best screenwriter working at the time his political entanglements began and is a large factor in how he fought back-managing to win two Academy awards in a time when everyone in the industry shunned him. Writing was not just a part of who this man was, it was who he was and to essentially skim over this opportunity to explain not just that he was a good and prolific writer, but how he came to be this way and how he remained inspired is one that is missed in exchange for little more than hitting the cliff notes of who this man was and how he dealt with the biggest trial of his life. Trumbo is by no means a bad movie; it has a number of good to great performances and due simply to the nature of the story it is endlessly fascinating, but this particular representation is little more than average given all it had to work with.

STEVE JOBS Review

I know what you're thinking, "Hasn't there already been a movie about Steve Jobs?" and yes, there has, but nothing about this new film is comparable to the one starring Ashton Kutcher from 2013. Like the man himself, everything about this new Steve Jobs film is innovative in the way that it creates a product consumers will no doubt find engaging as well as hopefully being something most will feel the need to seek out the same way they feel the need to own an iPhone. Coming from an all-star roster of creative minds and performers Steve Jobs is an electric two hours in the theater that possesses an energy unlike anything I've seen in recent memory. There is so much going on in every scene, so many other things beyond the expected exceptional dialogue from writer Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The Social Network). It's clear this is a Sorkin script simply from the way people speak in perfect thoughts that are conveyed with precise wording, but more is the direction that Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) takes by highlighting this dialogue with a trained eye on the influencing factors that surround his actors and the words they're speaking to paint a fully-realized picture. While it is certainly necessary to have some pre-existing knowledge of Jobs and his reputation, this film is able to convey the major portions of what crafted the arc of this man's life in such an unconventional way that even if the film doesn't give you all you want in regards to story it will undoubtedly make you want to rush home and read more about the man and the myth that is Steve Jobs. One could criticize the film for not filling in these gaps or for feeling like an incomplete work by virtue of sticking to it's unique structure, but for me this only propelled the energy forward while keeping the intrigue at top notch. Beyond the craft of the writer, director and their respectful teams that put this work together it is the stellar cast that allow us to buy into these captivating monologue's. As Jobs, Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, Prometheus) doesn't look much like the former Apple CEO, but he carries this film in every moment with a vicious performance that will no doubt keep him at the forefront of everyone's minds as we head into awards season.

PAWN SACRIFICE Review

From the opening frames it is clear that Pawn Sacrifice looks to analyze and discuss the psychology of this young man who would become the worlds greatest chess player. From a screenplay written by Steven Knight (Locke) and directed by Ed Zwick (The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond) we are introduced first thing to an eight year-old Bobby Fischer (Aiden Lovecamp) in Brooklyn who is already being positioned by his Russian mother, Regina (Robin Weigert), to look out the windows for spies and people who might be on the trail of her cause. Apparently she is some type of activist as she's already had her son and daughter, Joan (Sophie Nélisse of The Book Thief), rehearse what they are to say if someone asks them about her. It is an initial state of fear and suspicion that Bobby seems to never be able to shake. The fact he is to become the most famous chess player in the world, used as something of a pawn himself in the political dealings between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, only intensifies this paranoia that causes his mental health to fall apart faster than a watermelon in the hands of Gallagher. Of course, what has to be considered is how much this nurturing state and how much Fischer's love for chess both influenced his eventual mental state. By the time Fischer was twelve years-old (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick) in 1955 he was already something of a prodigy, the U.S. chess champion as well as already beginning to push his mother, and almost everyone else, out of his life. The basis for who he would become was already there, but this inability to separate the game of chess from his identity and thus the the inability to look at the world any different than he would a chess board somewhat forced Fischer to succumb to the tone of the game and live his life in that timbre. Needless to say, this constant state of delusion becomes taxing on both Fischer and those around him, but dammit if it isn't fascinating to see unfold through the glass door.

Full Trailer for STEVE JOBS

I was surprised to find myself experiencing a new, full-length trailer for Danny Boyle's biopic of Steve Jobs starring Michael Fassbender before my screening of Magic Mike XXL last night. I've been looking forward to the film for quite some time now and this trailer only justifies that excitement as it looks completely rapturous. Said to be made up of only three scenes, each backstage at the launch of one of Apple's iconic products, the screenplay comes to us via Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The Social Network) and you can really tell as the trailer oozes above average intelligence being conveyed in perfectly articulated words that will bring the alleged "genius" of the title character and all that comes along with that title to the forefront. Kate Winslet also stars as Joanna Hoffman, one of the original members of both the Macintosh team and the NeXT team, with Seth Rogen portraying Steve Wozniak, the man who single-handedly developed the 1976 Apple I or the computer that launched the company. Katherine Waterson of Inherent Vice will play Chrisann Brennan, Jobs high school girlfriend and an early employee of Apple before it went public who is also the mother of his first child, Lisa Brennan-Jobs (Perla Haney-Jardine). The impressive cast is only made more so by the additions of Jeff Daniels as John Sculley, who became Chief executive officer of Apple on April 8, 1983 who held that position until leaving in 1993 while Michael Stuhlberg will play original member of the Apple Macintosh development team Andy Hertzfeld. This is most definitely one of my most anticipated films of the fall and with the credentials this thing has going for it I won't be surprised to see it as one of the Oscar frontrunners come the beginning of 2016. Steve Jobs opens October 9th.

BLUE JASMINE Review

As I'm not typically excited to see a Woody Allen film it came as a surprise when the trailer for his annual effort, titled Blue Jasmine this year, was immediately one that intrigued me and had me anxiously awaiting its arrival at my local cinema. After finally arriving I am again surprised by how taken I am with the film and the way in which it approaches its subject and above all, the craft of the writing. It has always been apparent, even to a Woody Allen-amateur like me, that the writer/director has a much stronger hand when it comes to his scripts than his direction. Still, Jasmine offers such a layered and complex character at the heart of its rather melodramatic story and is brought to life perfectly through an Oscar-worthy performance from Cate Blanchett that we don't look to the film for answers concerning plot lines, but instead we watch it to see the path this tragic character goes down. There is never any doubt that Jasmine's plight will not be a happy one, but as much as I'm not overly-familiar with Allen's older works I know that much of it skews closer to comedy than any other genre and while there are a few laughs here and there throughout the film this is ultimately a very dour, very emotionally complex film to watch and invest yourself in. So much so that when the film does come to an end there is almost a sense of relief that we are finally able to break away from Jasmine's troubles and issues and happy to encounter our own once again. This may not sound like a necessarily good time at the movies and to be honest, it's not. Still, there is something to the titular character that draws us in where, if we were to encounter her in real life, would no doubt push us away. We are literally watching a train wreck in motion as Jasmine falls deeper and deeper into the depths of lunacy and yet we don't feel sorry for her as much as we come to examine how she became the woman she did and that is what Allen is interested in; subtly building on the details and leaving clues for his audience to not only see Jasmine as she is in her now, almost repulsive form, but how easily she came to be that person. This is top notch writing and acting presenting a gloomy character study with the most vital of energies.  

First Trailer for BLUE JASMINE

I've never been a huge Woody Allen fan, but then again I haven't really bothered to get to know his body of work all that well either, so I could possibly be I guess. I really became more aware of the writer/dierctor in 2011 when I was taken completely by surprise with his wonderful Midnight in Paris. I'd seen Match Point my senior year of high school have since seen a few more of his yearly efforts. I knew going into Paris it was an Allen film, but was mainly there for the fact it was Owen Wilson and the storyline pertained to classic literary and other artistic figures. As it went, that turned out to be one of my favorite films of that year and so I was very much looking forward to the continued efforts of the aging filmmaker. His To Rome With Love was fine enough, but certainly not the worthy successor Midnight deserved, but his latest, Blue Jasmine looks as if it might have that potential. Alec Baldwin again appears here, this time as a white collar criminal who wines and dines Cate Blanchett only to leave her penniless. The trailer gives a distinct Allen vibe as it is dialogue-heavy and sets up several dynamics between what seem like some pretty interesting characters. Not to mention Allen has rounded up a rather eclectic cast here as Blanchett's Jasmine goes from being a New York housewife (Allen's safety zone) to living with her sister (Sally Hawkins of Happy Go Lucky) in San Francisco. The ensemble cast looks to provide plenty of Allen's typical comedy while the conflict of the lead character in the middle of a kind of identity/emotional crisis seems to have provided Blanchett a nice platform to deliver another great performance. I'm not usually excited for the next Woody Allen film as much as I'm willing to give it a shot, but this one has captured my attention and I'm genuinely looking forward to what it has to offer. Blue Jasmine also stars Louis C.K., Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg, Andrew Dice Clay and Bobby Cannavale and opens in limited release on July 26th.  
Hit the jump to check out the trailer.

HITCHCOCK Review

It is with a bit of a playful attitude that Anthony Hopkins, arguably one of our greatest living actors today, takes on the role of one of our greatest directors of all time. Sometimes the fantasy is better left a lie and that is the main fear I had in walking into a film about Alfred Hitchcock, especially during the making of his most famous of films. As a person who not only enjoys watching films, but someone who always aspired to make films Hitchcock is of course a name that is immediately regarded as the best of the best and his films, whether you have seen them or not, are classics no matter what. To my shame, I have not watched all of Hitchcock's catalogue but I guess the only one that matters in speaking on this film is Psycho, and I have seen Psycho. What I have not yet seen is the other film that came out late last year about the famous director. The HBO film The Girl is about what comes after this chapter of Hitch's life yet seems to be more worthy of the Oscar talk that Hitchcock is receiving for Helen Mirren's work. That film stars Toby Jones (he has a knack for making autobiographical films at the same time as others, see Infamous) and focuses on the making of The Birds and Marnie, both of which starred Tippie Hedren and The Girl centers around the directors relationship with her and his need to impress and connect with his leading ladies. This trait is naturally a large part of Hitchcock as well and forms the backbone of the script that deals with Hitchcock's relationship with his wife, Alma (Mirren). Though Hitchcock is not the overly serious, Oscar contender many likely expected it to be it is still a fun watch with great actors and an easily engaging and interesting story for any fan of film.