First Trailer for THE DISCOVERY Starring Jason Segel

With the Sundance Film Festival kicking off tomorrow Netflix has debuted the first trailer for Director/co-writer Charlie McDowell follow-up to his 2014 critical hit, The One I Love. The film will have its world premiere at the festival held annually in Park City, Utah and I'm rather anxious to see the reaction this one gets. The One I Love was a fascinating little film with a neat premise about a troubled couple and the implications of societal structures that can drive some of us batty. As a feature debut McDowell's visual style and tone really complimented the story and in re-teaming with screenwriter Justin Lader it seems the two have found something equally as fascinating to explore here. In short, The Discovery is another love story set one year after the existence of the afterlife is scientifically verified. To go a little deeper is to understand that due to this discovery the suicide rate has skyrocketed in hopes of getting to whatever this afterlife is all the quicker. It will be interesting to see how McDowell and Lader set up the rules of this universe, if religion plays any sort of role, or if there is a moral code at all that is required to reach this scientifically proven after life, but the absence of any indication as to where the script might lean on such topics is what makes this trailer all the more absorbing. And simply out of personal taste, I love that this movie stars Jason Segel and Robert Redford. They seem like two individuals on a similar wavelength and I can see the father/son dynamic they have been enlisted to play here coming off well if not completely natural. Rooney Mara is also a major part of the cast as Segel's character meets her upon returning to his hometown and the two of them somewhat inevitably fall for one another while each dealing with tragic pasts. The Discovery also stars Riley Keough, Jesse Plemons, and will be available to stream on Netflix March 31, 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.

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.

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.

TRUTH Review

Note: This is a reprint of my review for Truth, which originally ran on September 14, 2015 after seeing it at the Toronto Film Festival. I am publishing it again today as it hits theaters this weekend.

I don't typically watch the news anymore. If I do it's only because it's on in the background at a restaurant or friends house. I don't even have cable. I get my news updates and read the latest stories on the internet. Naturally, that means Truth makes me feel like a horrible individual. This is the case because the film deals in the purity of investigative journalism, the integrity it was once synonymous with and the standards that every great reporter would ideally hold themselves to. Of course, the truth is also relative and in his directorial debut James Vanderbilt (who has written screenplays such as Zodiac and White House Down) explores this idea by telling the behind-the-scenes story of the 2004 60 Minutes investigation of then-President George W. Bush's military service in the Texas Air National Guard. This investigation, led by producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett), comes under heavy scrutiny after the legitimacy of a handful of documents that question the conduct and participation of Bush while in the National Guard are thought to be fake. Vanderbilt ultimately plays things safe and goes with a rather trusted formula and conventional approach a la any newsroom drama you've ever seen, but because the story in and of itself is so interesting (as is also typically the case with newsroom dramas) and given the way the film deals with the subsequent firestorm of criticisms and accusations that cost anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford) and Mapes their careers it more than sustains itself and delivers a solid if not exceptional venture.

TIFF 2015: TRUTH Review

I don't typically watch the news anymore. If I do it's only because it's on in the background at a restaurant or friends house. I don't even have cable. I get my news updates and read the latest stories on the internet. Naturally, that means Truth makes me feel like a horrible individual. This is the case because Truth deals in the purity of investigative journalism, the integrity it was once synonymous with and the standards that every great reporter would ideally hold themselves to. Of course, the truth is also relative and in his directorial debut James Vanderbilt (who has written screenplays such as Zodiac and White House Down) explores this idea by telling the behind-the-scenes story of the 2004 60 Minutes investigation of then-President George W. Bush's military service in the Texas Air National Guard. This investigation, led by producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett), comes under heavy scrutiny after the legitimacy of a handful of documents that question the conduct and participation of Bush while in the National Guard are thought to be fake. Vanderbilt ultimately plays things safe and goes with a rather trusted formula and conventional approach a la any newsroom drama you've ever seen, but because the story in and of itself is so interesting (as is also typically the case with newsroom dramas) and given the way the film deals with the subsequent firestorm of criticisms and accusations that cost anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford) and Mapes their careers it more than sustains itself and delivers a solid if not exceptional venture.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER Review

The looming question after The Avengers was always going to be if movies only featuring one of the team members would suffice after this all-star team-up and while I enjoy Iron Man 3 more and more with each viewing and appreciate it for what it did for the character I have to say the opposite of The Dark World. The Thor sequel sacrificed going through with the clear demise of a character for the sake of fan affection and in no real way contributes to the larger arc of the story Marvel seems to be telling within its criss-crossed cinematic universe. I may come to regret that sentence when either Guardians of the Galaxy or Avengers: Age of Ultron takes some big notes from the introduction of the Aether that drives the plot in The Dark World, but for now it seems that the introduction of this new energy source could have served as a small subplot in the film rather than being the main reason for conflict while also providing Malekith's sole reason for existing in the film. With The Winter Soldier though, Marvel had its back to the wall in being forced to push the narrative forward as Captain America operates within the world most of our heroes also reside and more than that is affiliated with the organization that brought the super group together thus meaning if this sequel turned out to be a place holder then there was going to be a new wave of doubt in Marvel Studios and its master plan that would feel more off the cuff than meticulously planned. Lucky for audiences, Winter Soldier is both a solid film on its own terms and a solid entry in the Marvel canon that not only moves the story forward and reveals new, unexpected developments but also sets-up an interesting dynamic for how things will unfold in the upcoming films. Within all of these films the struggle is to make a sufficient stand-alone piece that works with what it is trying to accomplish on its own and without simply leaning on the fact there is another, inevitable chapter coming. As much as these Marvel films have become big, expensive episodes in an ever-evolving cinematic version of a television series, if they were going to survive as singular pieces of entertainment they were going to need to have a strong sense of individuality and The Winter Soldier, for the first time since The First Avenger, has that singular style and tone that separates it from its cohorts while understanding the necessities of contributing to things bigger than itself.

ALL IS LOST Review

In one of my scriptwriting classes in college we were asked to write an opening scene for a film that included zero dialogue. At first thought this may not seem like too large a task (just write a bombastic action sequence that hooks the audience, right?), but to set that up, to provide context would be something more difficult. It would have to be all about the visual clues, the details included that would be vital in pushing the story forward. That is why what director J.C. Chandor (Margin Call) has done with All is Lost is both extremely difficult and at the same time extremely impressive. That the writer/director has accomplished this stylistic choice with such naturalism that the audience never feels as if it is forcing a "no dialogue" rule on itself is all the more reason to be surprised it succeeds as well as it does. With a running time of an hour and forty-six minutes the film can sometimes be a bit of an endurance test as to just how much more our unnamed protagonist can take and though it rises and falls from high-pressure situations to mild boredom in spots, we never want to leave our surrogate character until we at least know the conclusion of his journey. That is what this film is about after all, for it is not a movie we go to the theaters to buy popcorn and entertain ourselves with, but instead is nothing short of a captivating experience that places us right in the middle of the isolation with the silence forcing us to question how far we might go before we give up; before we decide that putting up a fight might not be worth it any longer. It isn't your typical cinematic experience, but it is one that demands to be seen on the big screen and that in its own right makes this an experience worth having even as it tests everything that you find comfortable about your life.

First Trailer for CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER

Captain America: The First Avenger was surprisingly pleasant and satisfying. I have been unexpectedly excited to see what the follow-up has to offer as Marvel, in its ever revolving door of directors, hired Joe and Anthony Russo (Community, Happy Endings) and allowed them their take on the next chapter in the Captain's saga of adjusting to the modern world. Chris Evans continues to be in fine form and while this somewhat looks to be a higher-level, more expensive episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. it is nice to see the inclusion of Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and Sam Jackson's Nick Fury still playing a prominent role in the development of our titular character. That the world continues to be consistent is one of the biggest pleasures this Marvel cinematic universe delivers. What I enjoyed most about this first trailer though is the fact it doesn't divulge every beat the eventual film will hit. We get a lot of fast paced, quick cut action montages and a glimpse into the main conflict that will be presented to Steve Rogers in the form of a moral dilemma with his employer. It is an interesting take as the makers could have just as easily pitted him against his nemesis, "The Winter Soldier" aka Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) who apparently didn't die in the first film and left it at that. There is a lot more going on here though as Stan gets limited screen time in the teaser and hardly any close-ups until that final tease which is just enough to keep us interested. After seeing the trailer I'm certainly still excited to see what the film holds and hope the tone of a 70's thriller as the directors have referenced is indeed intact. Captain America: Winter Soldier also stars Cobie Smulders, Georges St-Pierre, Frank Grillo, Hayley Atwell, Toby Jones, Emily VanCamp, Maximiliano Hernández, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford and opens on April 4, 2014.

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP Review

Robert Redford has always slightly eluded me. I haven't seen much of his work except for a few major players like Butch Cassidy and The Sting, as well as several of his directorial efforts, but I've never felt particularly close to the guy despite the kind of status he has commanded in Hollywood for quite some time. That may sound odd or even a little delusional, but in terms of growing to feel as if you know an actor by the kinds of roles they play, or figuring out what they might be like in real life, and what conversation topics might come up if you had the chance to speak with them make viewers feel as if we could actually get to know these people. This usually happens with what turn out to be our favorite actors or at least people who are considered movie stars, and it usually means they have the charisma and the charm to connect with a mass audience on different levels thus the reason they are granted that precious title of "movie star". And though Redford has clearly been knighted with that honor and been in the high ranks of movie-making for a long time I've never quite understood the fascination. He's clearly a talented and attractive figure and he seems to have a real love for making movies and creating pieces of art that mean something. While The Company You Keep may not be the best example of that kind of high art what it does do is serve a purpose as a fairly satisfying exercise in the investigative drama that features an all star cast who will have you playing a guessing game of who might pop up next. It is easy to see how this might be passed on as tired and conventional but the story is intriguing enough and the chase to the end to find a resolution and sort out the mess of politics these people have gotten themselves into had me from the beginning and I was willing to run with it, whatever it was they asked me to do and wherever it was they asked me to go.