Thriller – We Are Movie Geeks

ZERO DARK THIRTY – The Review

Although many film makers and studios have benefited from using real-life events as movie source material, often reality has tripped up directors and screenwriters. Such is the case with ZERO DARK THIRTY. And we moviegoers are much richer for it. Director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal were preparing a follow-up to their 2008 Oscar winner THE HURT LOCKER. They were going to tell the story of the 2001 Battle of Tora Bora, the hiding place of 9/11 plotter Osama Bin Laden. Much of the story would have involved the effort to track him down. Then May 1, 2011 happened. US forces killed Bin Laden. The Tora Bora project was scrapped, but much of Boal’s extensive reasearch would be applied to this new film concerning one determined CIA agent’s efforts in this long mission (with its conclusion). Few films have succeeded in capturing the drama of such a recent event. ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN springs to mind back in 1976 (but much of those facts had been unearthed by the two reporters). The true tales of 9/11 have been given screen treatment before in films such as WORLD TRADE CENTER and FLIGHT 93, but none have approached the immediacy that Bigelow and Boal have delivered here. Perhaps this is cinematic lightning in a bottle.

The film opens with a black screen, underscored by actual telephone recordings of people trapped in the twin towers on that 2001 morning. Two years later we’re taken to a black site in the Mideast where interrogator Dan (Jason Clarke) uses “enhanced” methods to extract information from a prisoner. With Dan is CIA operative Maya (Jessica Chastain). For the next several years we follow this single-minded agent’s quest to locate Bin Laden. She clashes with superiors while pursuing leads that sometimes are dead ends. While the beurocrats stumble and hesitate, the terror attacks continue. But Maya forges ahead, clear in her goal. Then finally a break. A courier is tracked down in Pakistan. Could this be where Bin Laden is hiding? After much intelligence gathering and persuasion the order is finally given. The finale ends with Navy Seal Team Six flying in on stealth helicopters to storm a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan during a dark night nineteen months ago.

As far as the acting goes, THIRTY’s impact rests on the very capable shoulders of Chastain as the doggedly determined, hopefully future role model, Maya. We never see her blowing away the baddies, but she’s just as intimidating as the Black Widow (of MARVEL’S AVENGERS) or any countless heroines based on video game characters. Nothing and no one makes her back down. We see her passion and her frustration when it seems that nobody has her back. We feel her pain as the enemy insurgents strike those close to her. But there’s no phone calls or letters dashed off to the family back in the states (no distracting romances, either). She’s there to finish the job. Chastain seemed to explode on screen (after several years on stage and television) out of nowhere in 2011 with THE DEBT, THE TREE OF LIFE, TAKE SHELTER, and THE HELP (which gave her an Oscar nomination). THIRTY firmly establishes her one of our most compelling, gifted film actresses.

But she’s not the only actor doing terrific work here. There’s Chastain’s LAWLESS co-star Clarke as the brutal, but conflicted Dan. The “interrogations” cause him internal pain as he’s dishing out the external hurt on the prisoners. He’s got to get out before he loses his humanity. Dan’s scary, but he’s really a wounded bear who wants to do what’s right. Jennifer Ehle is memorable as Jessica, the other woman in the CIA’s inner circle. She’s irked at first by the brash Maya, but soon they form a bond of mutual respect. Also great are Maya’s supervisors played by Kyle Chandler (also in ARGO) and Mark Strong. Oh, and James Gandolfini shines in a few brief scenes as the CIA director (presumably Leon Penneta). The film’s gripping final act belongs to the seal team anchored bt Joel Edgerton (WARRIOR) and Chris Pratt (TV’s “Parks and Recreation”). No flashy actor tricks on display here. All are a great cast united to make this piece of history come alive.

As great as the cast is, they’d flounder about without the expertly investigated script by Boal and the lean, taut direction by Bigelow. There’s been quite a lot of talk in the news media lately about Boal’s access and authenticity. Yes, there are horrific scenes of “enhanced interrogation techniques” (along with news video of our prez saying that we do not torture), but we also get to see the way info can be extracted almost casually. How the turn of a phrase, or vague wording can be more effective than the ropes and cages. The amount of military and Mideast jargon thrown at the viewer during the opening sequences can be confusing, but soon we’re accustomed to the rhythms of conversation in the many meetings and rushing-down-the-hallway conversations (some get close to the energy of a Howard Hawks directed rat-a-tat verbal exchange). And Bigelow knows exactly how to make this complex story work. There’s tension in the quiet scenes of Maya staring at her computer screen during the lonely wee hours (and when she must don a wig or native dress to head into the dusty streets). These are the hushed moments between some truly nail-biting sequences. There’s the arrest near a fountain in broad daylight. An uneasy meeting with a possible informant at a US military camp followed by CIA agents weaving through crowded, dangerous traffic in Pakistan as they try to get a bead on a single cell phone single. But as they say, the best is saved for last. The film’s final act is those nearly silent copters gliding through the mountains into Abbottabad. Sure, we know what went down, but you might just be digging your fingers into the theatre armrests, it’s that gripping. Bigelow’s made a name for herself over the years as an expert action film maker, and she does not disappoint here. The movie clocks in at nearly three hours, but thanks to her skills, it never lags, never wanders. ZERO DARK THIRTY is a masterful recreation of recent history. You know the outcome, and thanks to this film we get to know more about those involved, especially one fearless, intelligent woman. This is a docudrama that’s an exceptional, thought-provoking classic thriller. Most of the country’s getting THIRTY now, but it’s my choice for the best film of 2012.

5 Out of 5 Stars

JACK REACHER – The Review

Looks like Tom Cruise has begun another big screen franchise. After starring as Ethan Hunt in four hit films based on the classic 1960’s TV show “Mission: Impossible”, he’s turned to the literary world for the first film based on the long-running (17 books and counting) hero created by author Lee Childs, JACK REACHER. For this adaptation of “One Shot”, Cruise (also the film’s producer) has brought a long a frequent script collaborator Christopher McQuarrie (VALKYRIE, but perhaps best known for THE USUAL SUSPECTS) to direct also (his first feature since 2000’s THE DAY OF THE GUN). Robert Downey,Jr bounces back and forth between Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes, so why can’t Cruise be a part of a super spy team and a loner ex-military cop? It all depends on whether this initial outing is worthy of a follow-up.

This first screen thriller/mystery begins with a lone sniper expertly killing five people in a peaceful Pittsburgh park. After collecting the evidence, police detective Emerson (David Oyelowo) arrests a war vet/ army sniper named Barr. Emerson and public defender Rodin (Richard Jenkins) interrogate Barr and pass him a legal pad to write out his confession. Instead, he writes, “Get Jack Reacher”. But how to find him? Reacher, an ex Army police investigator, has no permanent address, no car (he travels by bus), no cell phone, and no charge cards (he pays cash for everything, including new clothes from Goodwill, via wire transfer from his military pension). After Barr is beaten into a coma during a botched prisoner transfer, Reacher arrives at Barr’s hospital. Seems that Reacher had helped convict Barr of a shooting incident overseas (the conviction later kicked out). Before he can leave, Reacher is hired by Barr’s pro-bono defense attorney Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike), the PD’s daughter, to exonerate Barr. Reacher’s investigation unearths an intricate vast conspiracy and puts him and Helen on a collision course with a shadowy mastermind, The Zec (Werner Herzog).

Cruise brings his usual intensity to this combination of Sherlock Holmes (the guy really observes) and the Punisher (do not lean on him). Reacher has that “steel trap” brain and needs no notepads. His stoic confidence provides this often grim thriller with some very funny moments. He can also be kind as when he offers some much-needed advice to a young girl on the wrong path. Reacher’s boss/partner Helen is usually regulated to the “damsel-in-distress” particularly in the finale. Pike seems to spend most of the time indignant, angry, or wide-eyed with fear. At about the midway point the costumers (or more likely the producers) decided she should dress more like a cocktail waitress than lawyer, so that she’s nearly bouncing out of her top while escaping the bad guys. Pike’s a talented actress, but this choice distracts from her character. Jenkins and Oyelowo are a great team as they try to deal with Reacher’s quirks and talents (with Oyelowo a determined pursuer of him later). Cruise’s old DAYS OF THUNDER co-star Robert Duvall shows up late in the film to steal scenes as the helpful owner of a gun range. The two are a terrific team in the film’s big showdown. The most inspired casting may be acclaimed director Herzog as the shadowy, sinister mastermind . His cool, calming German accent brings an extra bit of creepy menace to the proceedings.

McQuarrie keeps things moving at a brisk pace that makes the 130 minutes almost breeze by. He puts a new spin on the downtown car chase that concludes with perhaps the film’s funniest moment. There’s also a couple of great sequences that show off Reacher’s considerable hand-to-hand combat skills. You can almost feel every bit of punishment he dishes out the pain to these unlucky thugs (there goes another fracture-crunch! snap!). There’s expert use of the Pittsburgh locations too (and I just knew it as the home of George A Romero’s zombie epics). JACK REACHER is a gritty, brutal thriller that’s a great alternative to December’s family fare and high drama Oscar-bait. Let’s hope Cruise and company are able to revisit this new movie action hero/sleuth in the near future.

4 Out of 5 Stars

See Sparks Fly Between Julianne Hough And Josh Duhamel In Six New Photos From SAFE HAVEN

Check out six new photos from Relativity Media’s upcoming romantic thriller SAFE HAVEN. While not my type of film, these new images capture the heart of this one-of-a-kind romance from director Lasse Hallström’s highly anticipated adaptation of the best-selling Nicholas Sparks novel.

An affirming and suspenseful story about a young woman’s struggle to love again, Safe Haven is based on the novel from Nicholas Sparks, the best-selling author behind the hit films The Notebook and Dear John. When a mysterious young woman arrives in a small North Carolina town, her reluctance to join the tight knit community raises questions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots, and gains the courage to start a relationship with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life with such terror that she is forced to rediscover the meaning of sacrifice and rely on the power of love in this deeply moving romantic thriller.

Also starring David Lyons and Cobie Smulders, SAFE HAVEN opens in theaters everywhere February 14th, 2013 – just in time for the perfect Valentine’s Day date with that special someone or with the girls!

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SENSE OF HUMOR – SLIFF Review

Here’s an unusual movie mash-up from French Canadian writer/director Emile Gaudreaullt: a thriller set in the world of stand-up comedy. Films have been made about traveling comedians, spewing jokes while bathed in a bright spotlight against (usually) a bare, brick wall starting with LENNY through PUNCHLINE and the recent SLEEPWALK WITH ME. These guys have their bad gigs, but nothing like what happens to Luc (Louis Jose’-Houde) and Marco (Benoit Briere). First off, they really don’t care much for each other. Luc is a dry, cerebral, observational humorist who considers Marco a hack who relies too much on wacky props and costumes, bits stolen from the internet, and phony sentimentality. But what really irks Luc is the fact that audiences adore Marco. How did these two get paired up for a tour of small Canadian clubs? As part of his routine, Marco singles out a fellow from the audience as a “stooge” to be the butt of pre-written insults and jabs. At one of their stops, a bored Luc joins him in verbally pummeling a shy, somber guy named Roger (Michel Cote). But what the two comics don’t know (but was revealed in the film’s opening) is that the meek Roger, who’s bad-mouthed by his elderly ill-tempered Dad at home and teased at his job as a short-order cook, has a hobby. He’s a serial killer who’s turned the barn of the remote family farm into a torture chamber for his ‘guests”. After that night’s show, the comics retire to their dingy motel rooms and wake up in a cage at Roger’s barn. In tracking to calm him down, the two get Roger to reveal his hidden desire. He wants to be funny, so he can impress the pretty waitress at work. Luc and Marco must try to work together and turn the serious Roger into the life of the party during their evening while attempting to escape their cage while their captor’s at his day job. The three main principals turn in very funny performances and are well served by the actors playing Roger’s co-workers, Marco’s depressed wife, and Luc’s way-too-in-touch-with-her-feelings sister. There’s a great balance between the verbal sparring off the mis-matched comics on the road and the wild slapstick scenes as they try to gain their freedom. This is a very entertaining blend of genres that balances the chills and laughs.

SENSE OF HUMOR screens as part of the 21st Annual Whitaker Saint Louis International Film Festival on Wednesday, November 14 at 7 PM and Friday, November 16 at 9:30 PM at the Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

SKYFALL – The Review

What’s the one word that really brings a smile to the face of a movie studio executive? Well aside from “profit” that word would probably be “franchise”. That’s a film property that spawns countless sequels and lucrative merchandising. Well SKYFALL celebrates 50 years of the greatest. longest-running film franchise of them all (we’ll see if Harry Potter or “Star Wars” can go five decades): James Bond 007. 1962 saw the release of the first ‘Cubby Broccoli/Harry Saltzman produced feature adaptation based on Ian Fleming’s popular novel ( there was a live US TV version of “Casino Royale” with Barry Nelson as “Jimmy” Bond broadcast in 1954): DR. NO. The series quickly become the main jewel in studio United Artists’ crown. As several pop-culture scholars have stated, the 60’s were the three B’s: Beatles, Batman, and Bond. While the lads from Liverpool broke up by the end of the decade and the Caped Crusader went into a decades long hibernation (the comic books continued, though). the Bond movie series endured, past other spies he inspired on the big screen (James Coburn as Derek Flint, Dean Martin as Matt Helm, etc.) and small (” The Man From UNCLE”, “Get Smart”). And the Bonds films survived the recasting of the hero. Daniel Craig is the sixth 007 over the course of 22 “official” films ( the 1967 CASINO ROYALE and the 1983 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN are not part of the UA/Broccoli family canon). And after a four-year break ( thanks to some financial struggles with MGM/UA), the gentleman spy is back for this, Bond mission 23. But the times have changed so much in 50 years. Is he past his prime? Should he put away the Walter PPK? Well to quote one of the many advertising tag lines, “He’s got a license to kill…and thrill!”. And Mr. Bond’s newest exploit may be the most thrilling yet!

As SKYFALL begins, we’re thrown right into the conclusion of Bond’s (Craig) dangerous new mission. He and a co-agent, Eve (Naomie Harris) must retrieve a top-secret hard drive. But things do not go as hoped and 007 is missing. Things are also not going well for his superior M (Judi Dench) back in London. After several foreign agents’ identities are compromised, she’s pressured by her boss, Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) to retire. Then an attack on MI6 headquarters prompts the MIA Bond to return. But his time away has left the master spy terribly out of shape. He’ll need to be in top form to speed across the globe in order to eliminate the cyber-terrorist known as Silva (Javier Bardem). Along the way, Bond may face his greatest challenge fighting Silva’s considerable forces and confronting his own past.

For this film Craig is called on to do more than be a clothes “horse”, throw a punch, or draw his weapon. Although he’s superb at all those tasks. We get a Bond that really runs a full range of emotions: angry, arrogant, fearful, unsure, even melancholy. This life as taken a toll on more than just his battered body. Craig is compelling every second he’s on screen whether his piercing blue are zeroed in on an enemy agent or a belligerent beaurocrat. The working over he got in CASINO ROYALE is merely a warm-up for what he must endure here (Craig’s Bond may be the most abused spy ever). And about those action scenes, Craig is one guy you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley (as opposed to a couple Bond actors I won’t name). No wonder some characters in the films refer to him as a “blunt instrument”. But in SKYFALL Craig shows us his very human heart.

The say that a hero’s only as good as his villain and Bardem is spellbinding as the enigmatic Silva, who shares a bit of Bond’s background along with a vendetta against M. We don’t meet him till nearly the half way mark but Silva puts a surprising spin on the 007/master villain first meeting/interrogation scene that’s a staple of this franchise. Their conversation (as Bond is tied to a chair) will have longtime fans buzzing. Bardem is a complex monster, equal parts menacing and pathetic. On the heroes’ side, Fiennes is the proper politico blowhard that doubts Bond initially. He later proves himself. It’s great to see veteran actor Albert Finney who is also wonderful as a tough old duffer who possess a key to Bond’s past. Part of Bond’s support team is re-introduced here with Ben Whishaw as Q, the dispenser (and often inventor) of spy-tech. Bond’s leery of Q’s youth, but the “brute” and the “geek” are soon working side by side. Speaking of side by side, Harris (as Eve) has a wonderful partnership (and some playful flirting) with Craig. A different fliteration occurs between Bond and possible lover/informant Severine (Berenice Marlohe). Yes, she’s alluring but also more than a bit tragic. You know that she’ll be haunting Bond’s dreams for some time. These actresses are great, but the most meaningful relationship may be the one between 007 and his boss M (Dench). They start at odds, but this wears away to mutual respect, and eventually a mother/son devotion and affection. This is Dench’s seventh outing as Bond (counting the four Pierce Brosnan films) and her finest work in the series. There’s been a tradition of “Bond girls”, women who dominate each outing like Ursula Andress in DR. NO or Halle Barry in DIE ANOTHER DIE. In a way, the “girl” here is Dench. They make a wonderful couple who have a true emotional connection well beyond the romantic. Oh, and did I say that this M may be tougher than all the previous M’s combined.

For this adventure, the caretakers of the Bond films have entrusted this entry to an Oscar winning director: Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY). There have been many skilled artists directing Bond since Terence Young helmed the first two, DR. NO and the cold war classic FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, and there’s been a few “journeyman” film makers, but few have created such artistic images for a big popcorn flick. From the start we see a starkly lit hallway with Craig’s unmistakeable silouhette bursting from the shadows. Later a sequence of a tuxedo-clad 007 drifting across the waters via canoe to a bright casino is a lush, painterly image. But Mendes’s cameras are there to catch every gasp-inducing frame of some of the best stunt work to grace the series. Luckily the Coen Brother’s gifted cinematographer Roger Deakins highlights the different sequences, whether it’s the neon glow of Hong Kong or the crowded, grimey London “tube” at rush hour. Thomas Newman contributes an expert score that adds a dash of the classic Monty Norman theme just at the right moment. In the tradition of title theme songs, Adele sings (and co-writes) the tune that works well with some great film graphic images. It’s not quite the pop anthems that Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” and Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does it Better” from THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, but it does evoke the jazzy stylings of Shirley Bassey (most notably GOLDFINGER). Happily the producers have included many nods and winks to earlier Bond flicks for longtime fans. You might say that the overall excellance of this new adventure is the ultimate thank-you to Bond fans of all-ages worldwide. Is this the best Bond? Well my first theatre-going experiences are of seeing that dapper Scotsman named Sean, so he’ll always be my image of the super-cool spy. But this is certainly the best Bond of the last four decades. And SKYFALL is one of the best films of the year. I hoist my vodka martini (shaken..aw you know!) to you, Mr. Bond! Here’s to 50 more years of unmatched screen thrills!

5 Out of 5 Stars

FLIGHT (2012) – The Review

The portrayal of alcohol use in film as been a complex one through the years. At the birth of cinema it conveyed sophistication (cocktails and champaigne at the high society to-dos) and also begat the comic drunk (Charlie Chaplain departed from his tramp character to play a rich hung over fop in one short). This was only slightly curtailed during prohibition which saw the popularity of funny, a tad tipsy W.C. Fields throughout the 30’s and early 40’s and the buzzed crime-solving of Nick Charles in THE THIN MAN film series. Things changed with the Billy Wilder’s landmark 1945 drama THE LOST WEEKEND. This tough look at alcohol abuse swept the Oscars. But several types hung on with James Bond’s shaken martinis and comic entertainers like Jackie Gleason, Foster Brooks, and Dean Martin all the way through to Dudley Moore in the 1981 original ARTHUR. But things have changed in the last couple decades with the many people (including lots of show biz folk) admitting to an alcohol dependency (the recent ARTHUR remake ends with Russell Brand in a support group). This holiday film season presents two dramatic looks at folks with drinking problems: the indie SMASHED (soon to be reviewed) and the major studio big budget FLIGHT. The latter shows how one man’s addiction can affect more than his family and friends, and that it can truly impact everyone.

The film fades in on a “value” hotel room in the wee hours of the morning after what looks to be a raucous party. Countless empty bottles of several varieties are strewn among the beer cans and brimming ashtrays. But only two people are in the room: Katerina Marquez (Nadine Velazquez) and Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington). The two scurry about, rushing to head off to work. Shortly Whip emerges in the hallway, wearing his airline pilot’s uniform! He boards the plane after being greeted by flight attendant Ms.Marquez (“Good morning, Captain Whitaker”). Sliding into the cockpit, he prepares for what should be a routine 50 minute jump from Orlando, FL to Atlanta, GA. After a bumpy takeoff through a nasty storm, the plane gets past the clouds for a smooth flight. Or so it seems. Thirty minutes later the airline suffers a catastrophic mechanical malfunction. The plane is going into a dive.Whip bolts to attention, and co-ordinates a roll-the plane flies upside down in order to stabilize. He guides the airliner into an emergency landing in a field outside Atlanta. The impacts knock him out. When Whip awakes he’s at a local hospital. Then he gets the news that his quick thinking prevented a major disaster, but four passengers and two crewmen were killed. The officials begin their investigation. Although the media’s hailing Whip as a hero, how long will it be before the investigators learn the truth about his condition? Can he get clean before his turn at the inquiries begin?

The commercials highlight the harrowing flight, but the film is really an intense character study of a man teetering on the edge. Luckily this role is played by one of the screen’s most gifted actors. Washington continues on the tradition begun by Ray Milland in WEEKEND and Jack Lemmon in THE DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES by giving audiences a searing, “warts and all” look at a man in the throes of alcohol dependence. We see how the disease takes over his psyche. He’s cocky and arrogant as he screams at his ex-wife on the phone. He tries to hide his boozing on the job. Of course, when found out he denies there is a problem (“I choose to drink!”). Finally, when the walls are closing in, he becomes meek and tries to elicit support from co-workers that know the truth. He’s aggravating, frustrating, and pathetic all at the same time. In a career of exceptional screen work, Washington is in the acting stratosphere with another Oscar-worthy performance. And he’s got a great cast supporting him. Kelly Reilly is very impressive as a longtime substance abuser who meets Whip at the hospital. She brings out the tenderness and vulnerability in him and we’re rooting for them to help and guide each other. After playing Mrs.Watson in the Guy Ritchie Sherlock films, she holds her own in the tense scenes with Washington. His DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS co-star Don Cheadle is terrific as the Chicago lawyer brought in to help Whip. We can see his frustration bubble up as Whip’s lies become more and more transparent. Bruce Greenwood continues to be one of our best character actors with his work as Whip’s old flying pal who thinks he can pull his buddy through this mess. He knows of his friend’s problems, but has no idea of its severity. On the other end there’s welcome comic relief in John Goodman’s performance as Whip’s very own “Dr.Feelgood”, Harling Mays (“Ahm on the list”). This film and ARGO are showing what a really fantastic screen presence this actor has become. This is one of the best acting ensembles on screen this year.

After over a decade of motion-capture animated features, Robert Zemeckis gives us a very powerful, grounded human drama. He first made a name with several wonderful audience-pleasing fantasies (WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT, the BACK TO THE FUTURE trilogy) before delving into character studies with Tom Hanks (FORREST GUMP. CAST AWAY). Now he’s made an intimate portrait of a man struggling as so many real people do. Zemeckis has dazzled us with special effects, now he’s impressing us with real emotions and compelling acting performances. That’s not to say that the film’s effects are shabby. This is the scariest, white-knuckle plane ride since ALIVE. I just hope it doesn’t fuel the considerable fears of the folks that have a flying phobia. Remember what Superman said on screen in 1978! In the end, Whip’s twisted, long road toward sobriety may be more harrowing than this very bumpy trip. But there’s no bumps in this masterful film. FLIGHT is truly a first class ticket.

4.5 Out of 5

First Look Photos From Director Robert Luketic’s PARANOIA; Stars Harrison Ford, Liam Hemsworth And Gary Oldman

Relativity Media has sent over these official first look images from PARANOIA, starring Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford.

In this high-stakes thriller, Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) is a regular guy trying to get ahead in his entry-level job at Wyatt Corporation. But after one costly mistake, Adam’s ruthless CEO, Nicholas Wyatt (Gary Oldman), forces him to spy on corporate rival, Jock Goddard (Harrison Ford), Wyatt’s old mentor. Adam soon finds himself occupying the corner office and living the life he only dreamed of. However, behind the scenes, he is simply a pawn in Wyatt’s corporate game and realizes he must ultimately find a way out from under his boss who will stop at nothing, even murder, to win a multi-billion dollar advantage.

Harrison Ford and Liam Hemsworth star in Relativity Media’s PARANOIA.

Written by Jason Dean Hall (SPREAD) from a previous draft by Barry Levy (VANTAGE POINT) and based on the book by Joseph Finder, PARANOIA is from director Robert Luketic (21, LEGALLY BLONDE, KILLERS). I really like this guy’s films – looking forward to the first trailer and some scenes between Oldman and Ford.

Starring Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford, Lucas Till, Amber Heard, Embeth Davidtz, Julian McMahon, and Josh Holloway, PARANOIA opens in theaters on October 4th, 2013.

Robert Luketic on WhoSay

THE CONSPIRACY – Fantastic Fest Review

How do you react when you walk past a strange man or woman shouting seemingly absurd statements about politics, aliens or the end of the world? Do you stop and listen intently? Do you retaliate with your own brand of biased retorts, or do you simply pass them by, putting every ounce of your being into convincing yourself they do not exist? Now, consider this… what if everything coming out of their loud, obnoxious mouths were true.

Writer and director Christopher MacBride invites the audience to consider this while viewing his film THE CONSPIRACY, which is a faux documentary of sorts, but doesn’t attempt to fool the audience that it’s a real documentary. Intentional or not, there are signs that the film is a fictional production, from the way the documentary filmmakers are presented to the way in which the film is shot and structured. The opening scenes are very much designed to convey the feel of a riveting documentary, but this feeling rapidly tapers off as the story progresses and the heart of the film begins to take form.

THE CONSPIRACY begins with interview segments and on-the-street clips inter-cut with various bits of archival footage as documentary filmmakers Aaron (Aaron Poole) and Jim (James Gilbert) build a profile of an outspoken conspiracy theorist. As their exploration evolves, the man who at first appears mentally unbalanced begins to actually start making sense… and then, he disappears. His apartment ransacked, the filmmakers’ footage is all that remains to prove the man had ever existed.

Left with an unfinished film and a mess of the missing conspiracy theorist’s collected documents, Aaron and Jim choose to explore his theories further in hopes of either finding the man, or what happened to him. This marks the point at which a rift begins to form between Aaron and Jim, but also where the film itself begins to morph into something completely different from what was initially presented to viewers. This is also the point at which it becomes unquestionably apparent that the filmmakers were not out to fool audiences that this is an authentic documentary.

THE CONSPIRACY shifts from feeling like a documentary expose to a film that actually draws the audience in and makes them feel a part of the conspiracy, challenges the viewer to ask themselves about the validity of the “facts” and “theories” they are being exposed to on screen. MacBride clearly took great care in his research and in constructing the this film. MacBride wants us to question the truth as we know it, not to suggest that what we understand is false, but instead encourages us to questions the sources from which we receive our information.

As the stakes in THE CONSPIRACY increase and we inch closer to the truth, the film is already in the process of shifting into thriller mode. While there is a point where the film’s outcome becomes something predictable, it doesn’t draw too much from the experience. There are some logistical arguments to be made regarding the production, such as a flawed attempt to convincingly present a portion of the film as shot by a tiny, hidden tie pin camera. Then again, most viewers probably won’t even bat an eye, but for some viewers this will nag at you after the fact.

THE CONSPIRACY is engaging, entertaining, even a little bit educational. While the ending does get chalked up to being a fairly typical genre conclusion, it’s the journey to reach that outcome, the experience of the film that makes THE CONSPIRACY worth seeing. Allow yourself to be taken for a ride. Follow the filmmakers down the rabbit hole of the conspiracy theories and the mystery inherent to revealing the identity of who is pulling the strings.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY ( 2012 ) – The Review

Here’s another little flick that’s sneaking into mutiplexes in the void between the end of the Summer blockbusters and the start of the prestige Winter award seekers with very little fanfare. How little? Well, co-star Bruce Willis paid a visit to David Letterman on August 29 and never mentioned it. He was plugging the still upcoming LOOPER. But there is a bit of interest in THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY because of the film’s lead. Not because of anything he’s doing for this flick, but because of his next role. Henry Cavill will be streaking through the skies as Superman in Zack Snyder’s THE MAN OF STEEL next June. Yup, the guy playing Willis’s son will also play the last son of Krypton. It’s tough to say how he’ll look in tights ( or molded latex actually ), but he looks to be a competent action hero/ leading man. It’s a shame that DAY is a long way from competent itself.

The investment firm headed by Will ( Cavill ) is in free fall, but he’s got to jet over to Spain and join his family for his father Martin’s ( Willis ) birthday aboard his sailboat. Once they’re out on the water Will and Martin butt heads, and Will swims out to shore for supplies ( and to get away from ole’ Captain Grumpy ). When he returns, the boat is deserted. Dad, Mom,brother Josh and his gal Dara are nowhere to be found. When Will contacts the local authorities, he’s soon on the run from the law and rival agents and assassins as he tries to reunite with his missing family.

So that’s about it. Basically it’s run, run, chase, capture, escape, run, run chase. Oh, and the usually wonderful Sigourney Weaver is stuck in this repetitive mess as an old friend of the family. This film strives so hard to be a gritty, exotic action thriller like the Bourne films, but fails, or as the kids online say, “epic fail”. Without the name stars it would be an unremarkable time filler on basic cable TV. The big final car chase is set on the streets of Madrid…at night. Yeah. We’re basically seeing headlights zip past other lights. And it goes on..and on.. Finally one character actually says ” I’m gettin’ tired of this “. I barely suppressed a loud ” Amen! “. I’m guessing Willis and Weaver just liked the idea of a paid Spanish vacation. Neither seem to have much enthusiasm for this lackluster script ( Willis never changes his squinty scowl ). Cavill’s seems a pretty good action hero, though he has to endure a whole lot of abuse in this flick ( tied-up and interrogated again? ). Being invulnerable will be a nice change. Hopefully he’ll be a memorable Kal-el and this flick will be buried in the discount DVD bins or late night TV while everyone involved goes on to much, much better films.

.5 Out of 5 Stars

BRANDED ( 2012 ) – The Review

BRANDED slithered ( like the flick’s CGI beasties ) last Friday with very, very little fanfare. Kind of appropriate since it’s a film about the evil of marketing…and advertising…and consumerism…the list trudges on and on. And it wants to be a satire / mind-blowing thriller, perhaps like the original ROBOCOP. I doubt if that classic’s director, Paul Verhoeven, could have done anything with this garbled mess of a script. Well, believe it or not, BRANDED had two directors! The best thing I can say about this new flick is that it’s something that Edward D. Wood, Jr. might have had a hand in making if he were still around. That may not be a fair comparison since Wood’s Grade-Z flicks are still pretty entertaining, while BRANDED is a real cinematic endurance test.

The bulk of the film is set in the new Russia. But first we start with a flashback to the 1980’s and the evil ole’ USSR. Young lad Misha is waiting in one of those long, winding lines we always heard about ( usually for one roll of bathroom tissue ), when he’s struck by lightning! Cut to a Polynesian island retreat where the legendary old Marketing Guru ( Max Von Sydow ) meets the heads of the world’s fast food chains. Seems the eateries are floundering and they need the master’s help. Jump to present day Russia where adult Misha ( Ed Stoppard ) is an award-winning advertising wiz working alongside American Bob Gibbons ( Jeffrey Tambor ), who just might be an intelligence agent. Misha catches the eye of Bob’s ambitious niece, Abby ( Leelee Sobieski ). They join forces ( in business and the bedroom ) to produce a big makeover reality TV show. When things go horribly wrong, the Guru swoops in with his master plan while Misha and Abby are separated when he’s thrown in the slammer. Years later she tracks him down. After doing his time, Misha now tends to a herd of cattle far, far from the urban sprawl. After a ritual involving a red cow ( ?! ), he returns to the big city. Seems that now Misha can see things other folks can’t. The desires for products create weird monsters that threaten civilization. Can Misha stop these consumer critters before they destroy all mankind?

Or something like that. It’s all so pompous and ludicrous. The monsters seen in the poster art and a few TV spots are bulbous, floating amoebas and snails with elements of several artist styles, a bit of Dr. Seuss, Ralph Steadman, and the Chiodo Brothers ( one prominent floatie has a big red nose and a white face like those alien killer clowns ). And they don’t do much besides bounce into each other and burst apart or form bigger, uglier mutant parade-type balloons. An attack from green dragons doesn’t liven things up any. And you’ve got to slog through an hour of heavy-handed satire of burger chains and reality TV before you see them! What did these actors get from this script? My affection for Tambor was truly tested, but his lifetime pass thanks to TV’s ” The Larry Sanders Show ” and ” Arrested Development ” remains intact. Von Sydow has a couple of scenes, but he’s basically doing an extended cameo as he wears different track suits while he lectures in front of some tacky green screen effects. Sobieski is a wild-eyed sexpot ( nearly bursting out of her wardrobe ) for the first half and has strained scenes with a badly dubbed child actor in the second half. For most of his screen time, Stoppard alternates between bored and hysterical. A scene on the dance floor with Sobieski looming over Stoppard overwhelmed the dialogue ( something about how Lenin was a good marketer ). hmmm, maybe that was a good thing. All the while the film makers are hammering their themes. Yeah, we know fast food’s not good for us! And we shouldn’t trust ads! Mad magazine’s been saying that for nearly 60 years. BRANDED is a colossal, pretentious train wreck of a film that will test any bad movie aficionado. I should just be grateful I didn’t have to pony up a few extra bucks to see the evil marketing monsters in the miracle of 3D! Now if this had been a remake of the classic Chuck Conners TV western, well…

.5 Out of 5 Stars

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Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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