THE BEGUILED Review

When it comes to Sofia Coppola I tend to be indifferent; both towards viewing her films and, when I do see them, in my response to them. Granted, I need to re-visit many of her works that were released and that I saw when I was likely too young to comprehend what they were aiming for or even discussing, but even as I've grown, expanded my pool of cinematic knowledge, and have been very much excited to see her newer releases a la The Bling Ring (which, admittedly, is likely her worst effort) I was disappointed by the lack of any real vision, any signature voice in her films. That changes with The Beguiled. The Beguiled has made me more anxious to go back and experience The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation again while prompting me to finally make an effort to see Marie Antoinette and Somewhere. The Beguiled is a game-changer of sorts because it brings Coppola onto a plane where she is not only indulging in the type of cinema she finds comfort in creating, but because it simultaneously provides a large entertainment factor. It's deliciously enjoyable in a way that feels fresh to this work specifically. Though I haven't the authority to compare and contrast Coppola's features with one another for, as I've mentioned, some I haven't seen at all and others I haven't seen in quite some time, but by a general gut feeling The Beguiled feels like the kind of jump-start Coppola's career needed to once again find inspiration. Everything about the film creates a sense of restraint around what is a boiling pot of truths and temptations just waiting to be acted upon. Coppola creates this potboiler effect by capturing the musky air of 1864 in visuals that elicit the season's soft southern sunlight and the lack of any bulbs whatsoever. Candlelight provides the majority of our illumination here and it is the glow, the aura of these yellow-tinged flames that underscore that air of courtesy that is all too often rendered just that by the bluntness with which our characters interact with one another. A gorgeous interpretation of the way in which people can read others based on their circumstance and furthermore, a fascinating study on the ways in which you sometimes can't-the true motivations of one or several never revealing themselves leaving any action taken to be forever contemplated. A million ideas about currently relevant social issues could make their way into one's interpretation of The Beguiled, but the truth of the matter is that it is very simply a smoldering tale of intuition and war.

Green & Red-Band Trailers for A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS

Well, that was fast. Less than a year after the first film debuted in theaters we have trailers for a new Bad Moms movie and this time they're not just tackling everything moms have to take care of and look after in general, but they're specifically tackling the holiday season which, honestly, is totally fair game. Though I wasn't a fan of writer/directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore's first film, you can read my review here, they have returned to write and direct this sequel as well. It would seem Lucas and Moore have a very limited range of topics they're interested in tackling as they wrote the original Hangover screenplay and then went on to pen and direct 2013's 21 & Over which was fine, but totally forgettable and that seems to be where this presumably never-ending line of Bad Moms movies will end-up. The casting of Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and (most importantly) Kathryn Hahn was one of the key highlights of that first film so having those three back and more in sync with one another's personalities this time around should bode well for the picture as does the fact Lucas and Moore have written in roles for their mothers who will be played by Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines, and Susan Sarandon. Boy, between A Bad Moms Christmas and Daddy's Home 2 this holiday season will have no lack of Christmas-themed family comedies or work for aging movie stars. And while I'm in no way excited for what A Bad Moms Christmas likely has to offer it could have found its groove and this time around provide enough charm that it could win me over, but even with a red band trailer to show us all the bawdy jokes this thing has to offer I'm still not sold as the only time I laughed throughout either of these trailers was when Baranski showed up to deliver her deadpan lines. Presuming the majority of the comedy will come from the dynamic between our three leads dealing with the holiday visits of their mothers and extended families it would be nice if the majority of the laughs derive from these situations rather than only counting on otherwise innocent moms cussing and doing things that are supposed to be outrageous while that latest DJ hit drops in the background. All of that said, I am sad Christina Applegate's character doesn't seem to be back for the sequel. Oh, well. A Bad Moms Christmas also stars Jay Hernandez, Peter Gallagher, David Walton, Wanda Sykes, Emjay Anthony, Oona Laurence, Ariana Greenblatt, and opens on November 3rd, 2017.

PETE'S DRAGON Review

I saw the 1977 version of Pete's Dragon numerous times throughout my childhood. I still own a DVD copy of it that sits alongside the likes of Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks on my shelf, but do I recall much of it? No, not really. I can't put my finger on why exactly nothing other than the character design of Elliot the hand-drawn dragon comes to mind, but it doesn't. Not so far as story goes anyway or what the underlying lessons of the picture might have been attempting to teach children of that generation. And so, while I have memories surrounding the original film on which this new, 2016 version directed and written by David Lowery (Ain't Them Bodies Saints) is based I don't recall the specifics of the actual movie-leaving me to wonder what about this story was worth retelling. What, if anything, might make it relevant now? On the surface it would seem that this new, updated version of Pete's Dragon is here for no other reason than for the studio to continue operating on brand recognition; remaking their older classics into new, live-action spectacles enhanced by today's digital effects. It could also be that every generation more or less needs its evil corporation cautionary tale and what better way to do that here then by positioning the adults as not necessarily bad guys, but people simply caught-up in their own agendas who happen to work for timber companies? Immediately this version of Pete's Dragon feels different than this though, there seems no hidden agenda, no sense of obligation to re-make this specific material because Disney deemed it necessary, but rather one can sense a desire to convey this story for reasons bigger than any financial gain or profit it might earn. Rather, Lowery has crafted a film that desires to get at the heart of what makes the innocence of childhood so hard to grasp, so difficult to define, and how depressing it can be that we don't understand the preciousness of that time as we're experiencing it or more harshly-when it is taken away from us and all we have to remember it by are those rose-tinted glasses that distort it in favor of the pleasantries. The 2016 Pete's Dragon is something of a love letter to those pleasant moments. To how strong the ability to believe in something greater is at an age when we don't fully understand the scope or nature of the world or the human race. The best part is that none of these ideas are overtly telegraphed in the film. The film is very much the story of what happens when a town discovers a boy living in the woods with his pet dragon, but through this it makes one feel all of the aforementioned emotions and it is in those elicited emotions the movie transcends whatever it might have originally been intended to be.

BAD MOMS Review

Being a male I may not be the target audience for a movie about moms cutting loose and attempting to let go of the pressures and stress they are under not to mention the inherent guilt all mothers seem to feel when everyone around them isn't happy and settled, but still...I try to observe. In that I like to think of myself as somewhat perceptive I can see how a movie with these core ideas might be appealing to its target demographic. The thing with Bad Moms though is that right from the get-go the circumstances of this world are exaggerated in such a drastic fashion that it's not so much funny as it is distracting-and that it's executed poorly-makes it distractingly bad. While I haven't been around many Jr. High PTA meetings lately it's hard to imagine a woman in the vein of Christina Applegate's Stepford-ish Gwendolyn having as much control over the going-ons of a public school as this woman does, much less that someone of her mentality would even care. I mean, wouldn't her kids be in some private school where she is a dime a dozen? Petty complaints aside-Bad Moms is simply trying too hard to be what it doesn't need to be in order to be funny. There is ample opportunity for not only exploring the interesting facets of the psyche of mothers and how they're supposed to come off as if they have everything under control at all times, but rather than explore the small truths in the absurdity of that mentality Bad Moms resorts to F-bombs as its main source of punchlines as it isn't inspired enough to reach for more. That isn't to say exaggeration is wrong-comedies can thrive on that particular brand of ridiculousness, but given the circumstances and type of story writer/directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (21 & Over) are attempting to convey such over-the-top shenanigans would have been better saved for scenarios such as the PTA meetings rather than leaning on it consistently when something a little more subtle or observational might have worked in the films favor. More examples containing small truths that hit the mark of the "funny because it's so true" flavor rather than the "yelling makes it funnier" train of thought would have provided for more substance to both the story and these characters-letting the audience know they really do understand the struggle, but what do I know? Mothers all the way from their late-twenties to early-sixties might love this thing and there's nothing wrong with that necessarily-I just think they might have enjoyed a more adept approach to the same material a little more. I think they deserve it.

New Trailer, Poster, & Pictures for Disney's PETE'S DRAGON Re-make

Somewhat flying (no pun intended) under the radar this summer, but definitely among one of the films I'm most excited to see this year is director David Lowery's (Ain't Them Bodies Saints) re-make of the beloved 1977 Disney film, Pete's Dragon. Very much mixing animation and live-action the same way the original did, but this time with CGI rather than hand-drawn animation, this re-imagining looks absolutely stunning. As we glimpsed in the teaser trailer earlier this year there is something almost mythic about the tone in which Lowery seems to be implementing. With this new, full trailer that tone is amplified even more as we get our first real look at the titular dragon as well as a better glimpse of the narrative arc the film will take and the antagonist in the form of Karl Urban that will be threatening to capitalize on the fact there is a real-life dragon living in the nearby woods. More than anything though, it is the striking cinematography (Lowery once again teaming with cinematographer Bojan Bazelli) that stands out in this trailer. The look and feel of the film seem to have been firmly understood by the entire production as this looks to be the result of a singular vision. Whether it be the shots of Elliot flying through the magic hour clouds or emerging from a cave in a fog dampened forest-there looks to be magic in every frame. While I'm still somewhat cautious about the fully CGI Elliot there is much to like on display here and I can only hope the final product makes good use of what all this production clearly has going for it. Pete's Dragon stars Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Wes Bentley, Oona Laurence and opens on August 12th, 2016.

Green & Red-Band Trailers for BAD MOMS

It looks as if writer/directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore have a very limited range of topics they're interested in tackling as they've now made the change from three men behaving badly to three women more or less doing the same thing. Lucas and Moore wrote the original Hangover screenplay which bodes well for them in my book and with that clout the duo went on to pen and direct 2013's 21 & Over which was fine, but forgettable and unfortunately underutilized the talent of Miles Teller while attempting to capitalize on the success of Pitch Perfect by placing Skylar Astin front and center. And so, with their latest Lucas and Moore have re-directed their focus towards the females as they were fortunate enough to cast Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and (most importantly) Kathryn Hahn in their film that looks unsurprisingly similar to their previous efforts. Granted, enough charm could certainly come from the perspective change that Bad Moms will be worth checking out. In the film, three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits finally deciding to ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and self-indulgence. The trailer hints at as much being accomplished as Kunis' character defies the strict and uptight PTA President (Christina Applegate) that, if nothing, else should provide a solid amount of laughs. The rest of the trailer has something of a forced tone to it, but I enjoyed Bell in The Boss this year, have always admired Kunis' comedic abilities, and am just happy to see Hahn in such a prominent role in a comedy led by and about women. Though the film is about breaking conventions these trailers certainly hint at a movie that falls into some pretty standard ones. I'm hopeful, but only time will tell. Bad Moms also stars Jada Pinkett Smith, Annie Mumolo, Emjay Anthony, Oona Laurence, and opens on July 29th, 2016.

First Trailer for Disney's PETE'S DRAGON Remake

There are several reasons to be excited for Disney's remake of their 1977 children's movie that featured a hand drawn dragon. Naturally, this time the animation of the dragon will be a little more computer generated, but this is the least of the reasons to be excited about why this remake even exists. In fact, that this remake only looks to re-animate the dragon in more "realistic" fashion while potentially failing to fill it with as much heart as the hand drawn '77 version is probably one of the bigger marks against it. Instead, what gives hope for this re-imagining of sorts is the director at the helm and the assurance that his mystical tone and visual flair are very much intact in this first trailer. Coming off of indie darling Ain't Them Bodies Saints it seems something of a daring choice for Disney to go with David Lowery on this big budget, special effects summer blockbuster. Still, I appreciate it and feel that Lowery would not have come on to the project if he didn't feel he could do something special with it. While I liked his previous effort fine enough as a whole, his eye for striking visuals is indisputable and he managed the pacing and mood of the film in a way that a seasoned filmmaker would. Because of this, I can't help but anticipate what type of feeling he will bring to this newest incarnation of this story about a boy and his dragon. Also of note, and I don't know if it's been taken from somewhere else, is the soundtrack that plays in the trailer. If it's a glimpse of the films score it absolutely compliments the visual tone and if not, then it's still a perfectly cut trailer. Pete's Dragon stars Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence and opens on August 12th, 2016.

SOUTHPAW Review

We are what we choose to be or so goes the saying someone said once upon a time and has been repeated countless different ways a billion times since. In the case of Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) though, one seriously begins to wonder what kinds of choices dictate a meteoric rise and then a literal loss of everything precious in his life. Is it simply defending his wife? Getting angry over a fellow boxer challenging his strength and insulting his woman in the process? Would we have done something different than Billy or was he destined for this path of loss and eventual redemption? That seems the simple answer, yes. You strip away the key stone and the rest of the rocks come tumbling down. Why does such an insignificant seeming choice dictate the remainder of your life? It is an impossible question to answer and one that would make anyone want to end their own life were they to contemplate it for too long. Yes, life is about choices-some that we are proud of, others that we will regret and then there are the ones that will haunt us forever. When we meet Billy Hope he is on the top of the world. He is the undefeated lightweight champion of the world at 43-0, he loves his wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams) more than anything and they have a young daughter, Leila (Oona Laurence), who Billy adores. He seems to make more money in one fight than most pro athletes do in a season as he, Maureen and Leila reside in a mansion outside of New York City while his boys (who came up with him through an orphanage in Hell's Kitchen as did Maureen) hang out and collect benefits. His manager, Jordan (50 Cent), seems more than a little sleazy, but his only real point of stress in the opening moments come from fellow boxer Miguel Escobar (Miguel Gomez). After the opening fight in which Billy takes a beating before finding the fuel to light his fire to deliver a knock-out punch, Escobar shows up to taunt the still undefeated champ into fighting him next. Proclaiming Billy's afraid to go against a real fighter, Escobar knows just how to get to Hope. It is in the split second decision to react to Escobar's taunts rather than think it through that Billy makes the choice that will alter his life and his career in unbelievably depressing ways, setting Southpaw up as little more than a familiar story that is carried by great performances.