There’s nothing stronger than the bond between sisters.
Lionsgate has released a brand new poster and an emotional Prim and Katniss trailer for THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 tickets will go on salenationally onThursday, October 1, 2015 beginning at 12pm EST/9am PST. Buy tickets in the first 24 hours to receive a bonus digital download of Mockingjay Part 1.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 Showtime’s will begin 7pm on Thursday, November 19, and starting on Wednesday, November 18, fans will have the option to screen a double feature of THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 and THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2.
THE HUNGER GAMES DOUBLE FEATURE will be a premium experience including exclusive on-screen content and premium giveaways, allowing moviegoers to see THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 a full 24 hours ahead of Thursday’s advance shows.
The final installment of the epic HUNGER GAMES series – THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 – stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Natalie Dormer, with Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland.
The blockbuster Hunger Games franchise has taken audiences by storm around the world, grossing more than $2.2 billion at the global box office. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 now brings the franchise to its powerful final chapter in which Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival – they are for the future.
With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown.
Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her.
The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 Opens In Theaters November 20
“Well guys, we’ve made it to the end of the summer in one piece, except for a few campers who are lepers. “
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER screens midnights this weekend (August 28th and 29th) at The Moolah Theater (3821 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO). Admission is only $5
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER from 2001, is a comedy about summer camp, a spoof of movies about summer camp, a grab bag of random absurdity and a collection filmmakers and now-familiar actors hamming it up as hard as they can. It didn’t make much of a splash when it premiered 14 years ago (I don’t think it even played theatrically here in St. Louis, but I could be wrong about that), but it’s developed such a cult following over the past 14 years that Netflix has made a sequel series, WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER – FIRST DAY OF CAMP.
It’s the last day at Camp Firewood in the summer of 1981 and pretty much every stock summer camp storyline is trotted out for derision and mockery in WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER. There’s the love triangle between the geek camp counselor, the hot girl who treats him like her pet and the teen rebel she’s really hot for. There’s the desperate virgin counselor trying to make it with the camp slut. There’s the lonely, divorced arts-and-crafts teacher, the weird camp cook, the kids stuck on a raft approaching the raging rapids, the big talent show, the big game against the kids from the “evil camp” and the outcast kids who come together to save the day. There’s also a talking can of vegetables that boasts of his sexual prowess, a gay subplot that seems to have wandered in from another movie, the old space station Skylab, the worst motorcycle chase in film history, some generic 80s allusions and the charm of a bunch of people who clearly had a great time making this thing.
Filmmakers David Wain and Michael Showalter took a scattershot approach in WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER, throwing joke after joke against the wall to see what sticks. On one hand, they’ll do a running gag about the kid at camp who never takes a shower all summer, which could come from any number of traditional comedies about this subject. On the other hand, they’ll do a lot of parodies of summer camp movies, like having a kid actually drown while two 30-something teenage counselors French kiss with abandon (my personal favorite scene). They’ll just throw out some odd gag about something like Kenyan marathoners. Some of it works, some of it doesn’t, but the movie moves along quickly enough that when a joke bombs, the smell doesn’t linger.
As far as the acting goes, well, Marguerite Moreau as the camp hotty is the only one in the whole cast doing any real acting (and, ironically, the one whose post-WET HOT career went mostly nowhere) . Everyone else, including David Hyde Pierce as a college professor and Janeane Garofolo as the camp director, mug shamelessly for the camera. Again, that results in some moments that are funny as hell, like Paul Rudd’s portrayal of slothful adolescent defiance. But there are also moments that fail to make any sense, like Garafolo riffing on Jewish surnames, but it’s all so weird and off-the-wall, there’s never a dull moment. Also look for Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, and Bradley Cooper.
Relive Summer Camp 1981 when WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER screens midnights this weekend (August 28th and 29th) at The Moolah Theater (3821 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO). Admission is only $5
The Moolah will also be screening all 8 episodes of the new Netflix prequel series, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, for FREE in the Mini-Moolah starting at 7pm both days. Come out early for the critically-acclaimed Netflix series and stay late for the original cult classic movie!
Local comedians will perform a brief stand-up set and host Wet Hot American Summer trivia before each night’s screening. Comedians Ryan Dalton & Milly Naeger will be performing on Friday night and Emily Hickner & Andrew Mihalevich will be performing on Saturday night.
Here’s The Moolah’s upcoming midnight schedule:
September 4th and 5th: GREASE (sing-along version)
September 24th and 26th: AFTER HOURS
October 9th and 10th: THE EVIL DEAD
October 20th, 23rd, and 24th: BACK TO THE FUTURE Part 2
From the producer of Foxcatcher and based on the novel by New York Times best-selling author Laura Lippman, EVERY SECRET THING is a gripping psychological thriller about the chilling consequences of the secrets we keep. Detective Nancy Porter (Banks) is still haunted by her failure to save the life of a missing child from the hands of two young girls.
Eight years later, another child goes missing in the same town just days after Ronnie and Alice (Fanning and Macdonald), the two girls convicted of the former crime, were released from juvenile detention. Porter and her partner (Parker) must race against the clock to prevent history from repeating itself. But as they begin to investigate the girls and their families, especially Alice’s protective mother (Lane), they unearth a web of secrets and deceptions that calls everything into question.
Available NOW On Demand and Digital HD and onDVD August 4, 2015.
WAMG is giving away to ONE lucky reader a prizepack for EVERY SECRET THING.
Enter for a chance to win:
– (1) DVD – (1) Copy of the novel “EverySecret Thing” by NY Times best-selling author Laura Lippman – (1) Copy of theatrical poster, signed by Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning, Frances McDormand and more
ADD YOUR NAME AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW. We will contact the winner by email.
Here’s your first look at the trailer that premiered at Comic Con for the final installment of the epic HUNGER GAMES series – THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2.
The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Natalie Dormer, with Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland.
The blockbuster Hunger Games franchise has taken audiences by storm around the world, grossing more than $2.2 billion at the global box office. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 now brings the franchise to its powerful final chapter in which Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival – they are for the future.
With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown.
Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 Opens In Theaters November 20
If it’s Summertime at the cinema, then it’s sequel time once again! Hey, it was just a couple of days ago when that foul-mouthed toy returned in TED 2. A few weeks ago another entry in the scare series arrived with INSIDIOUS 3. And this all really began on the first of May when those mighty Marvel movie heroes reunited to take down Ultron, while another team, the singin’ Bellas, headed back to the multiplex a couple of weeks later in PITCH PERFECT 2. And now movie fans are treated to another epic return gathering of several big screen icons. But this titanic team appeals to a slightly more mature demographic, hence the truly earned “R” rating. Unlike Tony Stark’s crew, these bigger-than-life beef cakes aren’t using their talents against lethal robots. The power of pleasure provides the energy, and propels the plot, in MAGIC MIKE XXL.
So, it’s been three years since we last saw Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) excite the ladies on stage. But, he’s given up his g-string for a tool belt as he devotes his time and energy into a fledgling interior design business in Tampa, Florida. But a phone call from one of his old dancing pals tricks him into a reunion with the other club vets: Ken (Matt Bomer), Tito (Adam Rodriguez), “Tarzan” (Kevin Nash), Tobias (Gabriel Inglesias), and “big” Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello). After the owner of that venue skipped the country, the fellas split with several leaving the adult entertainment biz (Tito’s got a food truck that sells his “all natural” frozen yogurt). But, now the guys have a plan to compete as a group at the big stripper convention happening in Myrtle Beach in only a few weeks. Mike takes a pass, but later that night, as he toils in his workshop, the booming hip-hop beats from his radio act as a siren’s song. That next morning he joins the guys at Tito’s yogurt truck for one last glorious gig. During the long trek, they stop off in Jacksonville where Mike meets the flirtatious photog Zoey (Amber Heard). Hey, with old club owner Dallas AWOL, the gang needs a new master of ceremonies, so they stop again at a very exclusive ladies’ club in Savannah where Mike attempts to recruit former flame Rome (Jada Pinkett Smith) along with two of her prized performers, Malik (Stephan Boss) and Andre (Donald Glover). As the group nears the big event, Mike convinces the crew to ditch their old act. But can they come up with a sensational new routine in the scant hours before they take the stage, one that will literally knock the attendees socks (and stockings) off?
Tatum effortlessly slips back into the role of leader to this motley crew, shaking off the sawdust as those old moves return to him (like riding a bike!). We get a good dose of the comedic skills he’s sharpened in the JUMP STREET franchise (especially in his banter with Zoe over pastry preferences-he’s a “cookie man”) and even a taste of his dramatic range from flicks like FOXCATCHER. But best of all is his impeccable physicality as he seems to defy gravity in his early workshop dance, which plays as a thumping tribute to the barn-raising number SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS and Donald O’Connor’s wild “Make ’em Laugh” from SINGING IN THE RAIN. Here’s a movie star with really great moves. The most entertaining of the troupe may be Manganiello who has terrific comic timing whether he’s bemoaning the lack of a lover (they just can’t accommodate his…er…gift) or treating the convention as the Super Bowl (he’s got that endearing goofball “jock” quality). And he’s gives us some smooth moves, too, in that big show doing a riff on 50 SHADES OF GREY that out steams the original. And especially during the film’s best sequence, as he performs (fueled by the club drug Molly) only for a bored convenance store clerk. Plus he really knows his “boy bands”. Bomer also grabs some laughs as his Ken spouts endless “new age-y” babble and “self-help” speak (he’s a “third level healer”). In addition to his dance skills, he’s got quite a set of pipes as he croons sweetly to his clients (who, in turn, swoon). Rodriguez is all boundless youthful enthusiasm as he rattles off his love of fresh, organic ingredients in his home made frozen treats. And he’s a great comedic partner with Inglesais, who does a killer McConaughey impression. Oh, and he’s a roly-poly Carman Miranda, too. Nash is still stoic and somber as the world-weary, somewhat battered “Tarzan” (he poses more than he dances on stage), but we get an insight into his dark past and see him utilize his artistic talents in the big finale.
Hope that I’m not giving the impression that this film is a complete, what’s the phrase the youngsters are using, “sausage fest”. There are several ladies in prominent roles. The alpha female is definitely Pinkett-Smith as the formidable Rome (hey, her club is named “Domina”), who seems to be a mix of Eartha Kitt, TV’s “Claire Huxtable”, and Tina Turner in MAD MAX: BEYOND THUNDERDOME (and seems a bit too much like her role as crime boss “Fish” Mooney on the current Batman prequel TV series “Gotham”). While Dallas revved up the club audience with his smooth Southern drawl, Rome preaches at the pulpit of empowerment (“We are all…queens!!”). Heard gives off a sexy “tough girl” vibe as the somewhat cynical photog and possible paramour for Mike (his gal from the first flick turned down his proposal…yes, really!). Also making an impression is the still radiant Andie MacDowell as a true “cougar” queen who never stops undressing the guys with her half-mast eyes. Hey, and there’s this Summer’s busiest lady, Elizabeth Banks, co-star of LOVE AND MERCY and PITCH PERFECT 2 which she also directed, grabbing some chuckles as the big convention’s prissy and slightly frazzled organizer. Now, I don’t want to leave out an impressive trio of men from Rome’s staple. Glover (AKA “Childish Gambino” and Troy on TV’s “Community”) charms as the rap improviser Andre, Boss lives up to his name as the impeccable Malik (he even goes toe to toe with Mike), and “Mr. morning TV” himself, ex pro-footballer Michael Strahan serves up a superb high-spirited dance (using a massage table) as club fave Augustus.
The director of the original, Steven Soderbergh, has relinquished those duties this time out to his longtime assistant Gregory Jacobs, but is literally still behind the camera as the film’s cinematographer (and producer/editor). Jacobs is able to capture that film’s original rhythms, and, unfortunately, its weaknesses. While much of the first outing was an introduction to the “club life” told through the eyes of a new addition (“the Kid”), this is mainly a “road picture” with their adventures on the way to “Oz” (the big SC event). Reid Carolin once again provides the screenplay, but many of the scenes (as in the first flick) have a meandering “improv” feel. This works a few times with the crew busting b*#ls on the bus, but often it feels as though the actors are flailing about without a map (most apparent in Mike and Zoey’s awkward first meeting). And another old problem occurs here, too. The film never really comes alive until the guys perform (and boy, they whip the ladies around like rag dolls and position them like “Barbies”), be it on stage or in the “mini-mart” aisle. And McConaughey’s not around as the shot of adrenaline needed to energize the slow stretches. Yes, those folks looking to gaze at taut eight and ten-packs will be most rewarded (the mostly female attendees are in a constant state of frenzy during the big finale, so maybe Jackie Gleason was mistaken about Miami audiences), but movie lovers looking for a compelling story will feel as though they never got past the “bouncers” at the door with MAGIC MIKE XXL.
WAMG has your passes to MAGIC MIKE XXL, the follow up to 2012’s worldwide hit MAGIC MIKE.
Picking up the story three years after Mike (Channing Tatum) bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, Magic Mike XXL finds the remaining Kings of Tampa likewise ready to throw in the towel. But they want to do it their way: burning down the house in one last blow-out performance in Myrtle Beach, and with legendary headliner Magic Mike sharing the spotlight with them.
On the road to their final show, with whistle stops in Jacksonville and Savannah to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, Mike and the guys learn some new moves and shake off the past in surprising ways.
Directed by Gregory Jacobs, the film also stars Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, Gabriel Iglesias, Amber Heard, Donald Glover, Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, Michael Strahan,
with Andie MacDowell, Elizabeth Banks and Jada Pinkett Smith.
MAGIC MIKE XXL hits theaters on July 1st.
WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of MAGIC MIKE XXL on Thursday, June 25th at 7PM in the St. Louis area.
We will contact the winners by email.
Answer the following:
What future Oscar winner starred in the original MAGIC MIKE?
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
3. No purchase necessary.
The film is rated R for strong sexual content, pervasive language, some nudity and drug use.
There’s a moment toward the middle of director Bill Pohlad’s concise and intriguing look into the mind of Brian Wilson where one of the other members of the Beach Boys describes his feelings about the new songs Brian had been working on without the assistance of the rest of the band: “Even the happy songs sound sad.” This simple line doesn’t just embody the type of music that Brian Wilson was composing at this time that would ultimately lead to the critically lauded but commercially unsuccessful album Pet Sounds, but it also perfectly captures the tone of LOVE & MERCY – a name that stems from a song Brian Wilson wrote. At its heart, the film stands as a love letter to the creative mind that would write some of the most beautiful songs of all time, and yet there’s a deep sadness that makes the film much heavier than the light and soothing pop songs that the film showcases.
In the summer of 1965, Brian Wilson (Paul Dano) entered a California recording studio while the rest of the Beach Boys toured and gallivanted around Japan. What came out of these sessions were the songs that would make up Pet Sounds and the much-delayed album Smile. Flash-forward into the 1980’s and Wilson (now John Cusack) is struggling to find inner peace through the help of his brothers and the controlling Dr. Landy (an over the top evil turn from Paul Giamatti). When Brian stumbles into a car dealership one afternoon and meets a salesperson by the name of Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), it’s immediately clear that she might be the happiness that Brian has been missing in his life.
In many ways LOVE & MERCY is a very unconventional biopic. Gone are the endless amount of montages showing the passing of time; gone are the prosthetics and old age makeup to show the actors as they change over the years; gone are the familiar ups and downs that we see in most films showing the woes of the music industry. In its place are essentially two stories. It’s through these two time periods that Pohlad is able to showcase two absorbing stories about the mind of an artist. Both stories have their highlights thanks in large part to the two lead actors. Watching Wilson collaborate with the studio musicians (a group of hired musicians who worked with Simon & Garfunkel, The Mamas & The Papas, and The Byrds who were known as “The Wrecking Crew”) is consistently fascinating to watch. Watching Dano skip around the studio and interact with the instruments and sound equipment provides insight into how in-depth of a process it was to record these beloved songs. On the other hand, being witness to a loving relationship unfolding between Melinda and the older Brian is just as charming. Elizabeth Banks is just a delight as she becomes the attentive ear and caring shoulder for Brian to lean on.
John Cusack gives one of the best performances of his career. He taps into the heart and soul of the talented but tortured musician. It’s as much of a physical undertaking as it is an emotional. Cusack incorporates subtle body movements, especially his hands, to signify the constant turning of the gears going on in his head; even if the words don’t always come out to properly express what he’s thinking. Dano plays the younger Wilson with more of a voice, albeit a softer one with a hint of apprehension. His uncertainty mostly stems from the pressure his father and his bandmates place upon him. Their desire for a hit record is contrary to the musical exploration and new direction Wilson wants to take the band. Dano’s Wilson walks the somber line of martydom as we see him pour all of his passion into the record only to have it dismissed by everyone around him.
Where LOVE & MERCY stumbles the most is in its rhythm. The film frequently feels like the timing is off. Scenes go on for too long, several shots feel misplaced as they are obstructed by speakers or mic stands, and the editing between time periods occasionally feels smacked together. There was an aesthetic choice to film all of the scenes in the recording studio in a more handheld, grainy fashion. I typically wouldn’t mind this if there was a reason for it or if the choice was more clear or deliberate. Instead it just feels ever so slightly shaky and haphazard in an annoying sort of way.
An argument could be made that LOVE & MERCY wouldn’t come together so harmoniously if it weren’t for the three terrific leads. Each is perfectly cast and makes this non-traditional bio-pic feel more in tune. LOVE & MERCY is structured as two separate stories; each existing as a separate symphony. They both have their highs and lows, their happy and sad moments, and everything in between. However, I wish these moments were more carefully arranged and didn’t feel as dissonant.
Paul McCartney has called “God Only Knows” his favorite song of all time. In an interview with David Leaf in 1990 he stated,
“It’s a really, really great song — it’s a big favorite of mine. I was asked recently to give my top 10 favorite songs for a Japanese radio station … I didn’t think long and hard on it but I popped that (God Only Knows) on the top of my list. It’s very deep. Very emotional, always a bit of a choker for me, that one. There are certain songs that just hit home with me, and they’re the strangest collection of songs … but that is high on the list, I must say … God Only Knows’ ‘ lyrics are great. Those do it to me every time.”
Opening this weekend is the film, LOVE & MERCY. It presents an unconventional portrait of Brian Wilson, the mercurial singer, songwriter and leader of The Beach Boys. Set against the era defining catalog of Wilson’s music, the film intimately examines the personal voyage and ultimate salvation of the icon whose success came at extraordinary personal cost.
To create an original score that incorporated Wilson’s work but stood on its own, the
filmmakers brought in composer Atticus Ross, who won an Academy Award (along with Trent Reznor) for THE SOCIAL NETWORK. “Working with Atticus was exciting,” says director Bill Pohlad. “We envisioned the music that goes on in Brian’s head as a big part of the movie. Choosing the right person to create a score that delivered on that idea was an important decision.”
Made with the full cooperation of the musician and his wife, LOVE & MERCY offers a neverbefore- seen glimpse of Wilson, the boy genius who co-wrote such ebullient pop hits as “Surfer Girl” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” and the game-changing masterpieces “Good Vibrations” and “God Only Knows” before disappearing from the public eye for years.
Actors Paul Dano and John Cusack share the role of the troubled musical virtuoso who defined the “California sound” with sumptuous harmonies and visions of endless summers of surf and sand.
Spanning more than three decades of Wilson’s life, the film reveals the darker and more complex story that lies beneath the music’s sun-kissed surface and his redemptive relationship with Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), all in the context of his unparalleled musicianship.
I recently discussed with Ross the importance of his score for this very intimate story of Brian Wilson as well as the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” and what melodies did, and didn’t, make into the much loved song.
WAMG: The film is so well done and while both John Cusack and Paul Dano don’t resemble Brian Wilson, they both captured the essence of the musician. I really loved it.
Atticus Ross: I did too! I’m very proud to be involved with it. I really enjoyed working with Bill (Pohlad) and we’ve become good friends through the process. I’ve had enough experience to know when you’re dealing with someone who has a real vision and Bill had a clear vision right from the start. It was such a pleasure to work with him.
WAMG: When were you brought onto the film?
AR: I met with Bill way before they started shooting. I was sent the script by my agent, Brian Loucks. He’s a real man of taste and he kept telling me it was such a good script and that I should read it. I felt like maybe it was out of my wheelhouse. But I did read it and agreed with him. Then I had an idea that there’s this mythology because you know Beach Boys music – it’s hard not to be a fan of “Pet Sound” music.
There almost a cliché aspect to “Pet Sounds” and it’s hard not to be a fan when you’re a musician. I had heard rumors over the years that there was this material that had been recorded but never released. When I went to see Bill, I said what I think would be interesting is if Brian Wilson gave me all his material, I could sample it and make the score that supports the story. There isn’t any point in the story that Brian isn’t present in one form or another. His voice is always there in the songs, even if it’s buried somewhere.
The original idea for the score was a bit more radical in what I had imagined – more like “The Grey Album” where you can’t recognize a source at all. I started off what that but it didn’t resonate with everybody, until I made it clearer and weaved Brian’s voice into it. It was a really interesting process and I probably wouldn’t do it again. It was such a lot of work.
Director Bill Pohlad
WAMG: How did you conceive the LOVE & MERCY score to make it the Brian Wilson movie without it becoming the Beach Boys movie – there’s such a harmonic balance between the two?
AR: There were two things. One is my brother was heavily involved and I couldn’t have done it without him, just purely in the hours that it took. There are scenes that just fly by that are maybe two minutes, like when Brian (Paul Dano) is lying on the hood of the car, and he’s working on “Good Vibrations” – we wanted it to feel like the music was coming into his head. Doing that piece took like ten days of solid work to get it perfect.
We also found going through the tapes there was a lot of cuts with only four tracks because that was all that was available, so everything needed to be timed – but it all clicked.
What was interesting on the “God Only Knows” tapes was there were some melodies that are beautiful that aren’t in the final version of it. When he’s lying on that car, we actually included them in there. It became this collage, but it was a long process. It’s hard when you’re trying to do storytelling to work someone else’s music into it and to keep it true.
To me, on one level, people seem to think of the Beach Boys as this very happy bunch when in fact it’s a very dark, real film. There’s great joy and triumph in the story that you come to love the film and that’s Bill’s triumph.
WAMG: Tell me about the dining room dinner scene after they’ve toasted Brian for his success with “Good Vibrations”? The clattering percussive noises with the silverware and glasses convey he’s in a bad state of mind.
AR: That was another thing that took ages to get right. It was a mixture of his original music and sound design with knives and forks and we built this cacophony of sound. We used this at the beginning of the film as well. It divided itself into original composition, sound design and reinterpreted Beach Boys songs. There are some intense scenes that give way to the emotional context of the film – regardless if you’re a music fan or not. I didn’t know how deep Brian’s story ran.
WAMG: The film reveals the darker and more complex story that includes Wilson’s battle with mental illness and drug abuse, as well as his years under the influence of his therapist. (Eugene Landy – Paul Giamatti).
AR: Before I started I interviewed some people who were around at the time – some of the engineers. They said everything was literally monitored. If you made a phone call, it was monitored. If you said something to Brian, Landy would ask what you said to him. It was extreme. The film isn’t taking license.
According to people I spoke with, it’s not even close to being as extreme as it was. There were bodyguards around all the time – it was bizarre. And to have Melinda come in to do what she did. It’s an incredible story about one of the greatest musical minds. He’s brilliant.
WAMG: Did you want to meet Brian Wilson?
AR: I didn’t want to hang out with him, but I have met him in passing. I was very concerned that everything we did had a purpose – that it never ventured into something he would find distasteful. At the same time, in the same way the film doesn’t pull any punches, I wanted to make sure that it was an honest score. From a musical standpoint, he’s a genius.
In addition to Ross’ score, Brian Wilson contributed an original song to the film, appropriately titled “One Kind of Love.” Featuring Wilson’s trademark soulful harmonies, the song is an ode to the woman who changed his life.
“It’s about Melinda and me,” he says. “She is my one love and the song is about the way we fell in love and the way we are in love. Love is timeless in the same way great music is timeless and this is an expression of that.”
Eight years ago, a baby went missing and two young girls Ronnie and Alice (Dakota Fanning and Danielle Macdonald) were convicted of the crime and placed in juvenile detention. They’re now both 18 and are trying to move on with their lives after having served their time. Detective Nancy Porter (Elizabeth Banks) thinks history is repeating itself when another young girl goes missing in the same town. Of course the two main suspects are Ronnie and Alice. But as Porter begins to investigate the girls and their families, especially Alice’s mother (Diane Lane), they unearth a web of secrets and deceptions that calls everything into question.
What begins as a slow and meditative character piece – showing how traumatic events from your past can affect your day-to-day life – evolves into a police procedural mystery without much intrigue. In fact, it doesn’t take long for the film to completely flat-line, never gaining any form of life after initially introducing the characters. Most of the time EVERY SECRET THING feels like it’s going through the motions. For a story filled with high stakes and heightened emotions, there isn’t much gusto behind the proceedings. A story filled with cold characters and harsh consequences is presented in an even colder light. I’m usually a fan of films that explore the dark underbelly of suburbia. Denis Vileneuve’s 2013 film PRISONERS is an excellent example of this type of film done right. Unfortunately director Amy Berg never gives the audience a character to care for or a reason to care about their outcome.
All the performances are on point; especially Fanning. Even if she’s practically typecast as the waifish, insecure girl who mopes around more often than not, you can see she’s trying to breathe life into this underwritten character. Newcomer Danielle Macdonald on the other hand is garishly over the top most of the time. She plays a character that is longing for attention, but instead comes across as an actress vying for attention in a film with bigger name actors. The rest of the cast delivers the script in appropriate fashion, but competent actors aren’t enough to fill the gaps in this film.
One of my least favorite elements to a mystery is keeping a fact that most of the characters know on-screen except the audience until late in a film for a reveal. Over an hour into a 90-minute film a secret is revealed about a character to add motivation for their actions. Sometimes this act of deception can work and add depth to previous events, whereas other times it just feels like a cheap ploy. The latter is the case in EVERY SECRET THING. Keeping a secret motivation like the one here from the audience for the majority of the film feels too much like the murderer in an Agatha Christie novel going on a lengthy monologue towards the end of the story explaining what their diabolical plan was all along.
For all that doesn’t work in EVERY SECRET THING, the film does show how easily someone can misread another’s personality, and how some stories can be misconstrued by others or the media. Amy Berg’s background working as a documentary filmmaker (especially her film WEST OF MEMPHIS) certainly helped with that. But what made those previous films work so well is that you got to know the people in front of the camera; you understood their problems but got to see them as real people as well. Even though EVERY SECRET THING is based on an acclaimed novel, I found myself caring less and less about the characters and their story as the film went on. It almost makes you wonder if Berg felt this same fatigue while making it. EVERY SECRET THING shows that you can have a talented filmmaker at the helm directing a talented cast and yet things can still not quite come together.
Overall rating: 2 out of 5
EVERY SECRET THING is now in theaters, On Demand and iTunes
Let’s raise a cheer for the lil’ movie that could. Or better yet, let’s hit a high note. Three years ago a modestly budgeted flick opened with little fanfare that starred a cast of relative unknowns. Ladies, too! Well mostly, there were a few potential beaus hanging about, but the main focus was on this motley group of young women in college. And they comprised an a capella singing group. Not cheerleaders, not a sport team, but singers. The first PITCH PERFECT didn’t set any box office records, but it continued to quietly play, for more than just a couple of weeks, at the multiplex. Well, it made its money back, at least. But what happened with the initial Austin Powers flick struck again. Repeated cable TV airings and brisk, very brisk, home video sales (and a hit music single) made the execs at Universal take notice. And now, thanks to the fans, here’s the further adventures, well…misadventures of the Barden Bellas in PITCH PERFECT 2.
As the new movie begins (after the Universal logo music is sung, naturally), the Bellas have reached the top. They’re performing as part of the President’s birthday celebration. All goes well until…Amy (Rebel Wilson) experiences the mother of all wardrobe malfunctions. Nationwide scandal ensues with the video played on a continuous loop via cable news, and so the ladies are called into the Dean’s office. The heads of the Aca Circuit (commentators John Michael Higgins and the film’s director/producer Elizabeth Banks) banish them from the national competitions. But, due to a loophole in the Aca rules, they can compete in the international competition. Unfortunately this will pit them against the intimidating German champions Das Sound Machine. During all the turmoil, the Bellas welcome an eager freshman as a new member, Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), who’s a legacy daughter. Meanwhile Beca (Anna Kendrick) must split her time between rehearsals and her new intern job at a hot, hip hop recording studio. Oh, and Amy has a romance with ex-music rival now college security man Bumper (Adam DeVine), while seven-year college veteran Chloe (Britanny Snow) prepares to head into the real world. But first, can they repair their reputations and triumph at the big contest in Denmark?
Great seeing the Bellas back together. They’re all superb but one duo really stands out. The closest to the heroic lead would have to be the spectacular Ms. Kendrick. She exercises her solo singing chops once again, but not with a pop tune as with “Cups” in the original, but with a holiday standard duet with a very unexpected partner (a great cameo). She gets some of the film’s best bits of snark and sarcasm and delivers them with just the correct light touch. And she’s a terrific team player, setting up gags for her co-stars to hit them out of the park. In this aspect, then Wilson is the flick’s Babe Ruth. In the last few years we’ve seen her steal scenes in movies like PAIN AND GAIN and the final MUSEUM entry, but her talents are truly showcased in this film. That joy of performance truly jumps off the screen with a physicality to rival any of the classic screen comics (but still surprisingly graceful). Wilson is both the movie’s pulsating life force and wild unbridled id. She and Kendrick have one very funny short scene together which makes me hope that they’ll eventually team for a fantastic buddy comedy. The fellas don’t have a lot to do this time. Sylar Astin as Beca’s beau Jessie is mainly there for support while pal Benji played by Ben Platt mainly stutters and stammers when near Emily. The exception is DeVine who is endearingly obnoxious as Amy’s hopeful romantic partner (be sure and stick around for his sublime bonus scene during the end credits). Happily several screen veterans bring loads of laughs. The absurd commentary from Higgins and Banks always delivers (wonder if their roles are related to Fred Willard’s dim bulb character in BEST OF SHOW). David Cross has a delightful bit as an extremely wealthy, hardcore music fan. The biggest scene stealer this time out may be Keegan-Michael Key as Beca’s supremely, self-absorbed boss who delights in intimidating and humiliating his staff (“Eat in the corner, Dax!”). They’re all part of a colossal comedy team, perhaps the Avengers of music and humor.
First time feature director, the talented Ms. Banks, gets the very best work from her cast while keeping the film rolling at a brisk pace, knowing when to move on and propel the plot. My only complaints would be the overuse of music montages (at least four) and not trimming the intimidation scenes between Das Sound and the Bellas (the German leader’s threatening monologues almost bring the film to a halt). But most of the fans are there for the laughs and the tunes, which the film delivers thanks in large part to music maestro Mark Mothersbaugh and the whole costume and choreography team. Of course I doubt if anyone could sustain those dulcet tones while executing these strenuous moves, but I’m nitpicking (afraid I’d skip some refrains while gasping for air). The aca-fanatics will find this new outing well worth the three-year wait while newbies can revel in the high spirits and positive messages (supportive female bonding, you bet and it passes the Bechdel test with flying colors!). PITCH PERFECT 2 is a sweet, funny bit of fluff that never hits a sour note! Keep singin’ them sweet tunes, Bellas!
