sony pictures – Page 2 – We Are Movie Geeks

ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD – Review

As the Summer film season begins to wind down, moviegoers get to do a little “universe-jumping” once again. That sounds a touch out there, doesn’t it? Well, over this year we’ve had three trips to the “Marvel movie universe” (we’re not going to count the dud that was DARK PHOENIX). And three trips to the “Disney classics universe (I’m speaking of the live-action/CGI hybrid remakes DUMBO, ALADDIN, and current box office beast THE LION KING). Now it’s time for a long-overdue (nearly four years) trek into the “Tarantino movie universe”. Aside from springing from the mind (and on to the page and camera lense) of Quentin, the now nine films (sidebar controversies: Is KILL BILL really just one film? Do we count his half of GRINDHOUSE? What about his single scene in the first SIN CITY?) share many actors, some fictional “products”, and a love of different film genres (plus that often “off-kilter” dialogue). Well with this current project, QT gets to indulge his love of a motion picture “era”, LA history/scandals, and (shocking) his admiration for (wha-?) television! These diverse ingredients are mixed together by master chef Quentin in a frothy, tart, but tasty concoction he’s dubbed ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD. Let’s chow down!

The title “time ” is the swinging 1960s. The first stop is 62 as we watch a promotional spot for NBC’s newest hit, “Bounty Law” a 30 minute black and white Western starring rising star Rick Dalton (Leonardo Di Caprio) as a wandering bounty hunter. During that same year, a TV “entertainment” reporter does a “puff piece” on set interview with Rick and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Spring ahead to February 1969 (and color, of course). “Bounty Law” is in rerun/syndication heaven, but Rick and Cliff are still a team. Cliff is driver, house “handyman” and al around “go-fer” to Rick as he hustles around LA for work. Part of that hustle this particular evening is meeting with talent agent Marvin Schwarzs (Al Pacino) at industry eatery Musso and Frank’s. Rick’s career anxiety has him chainsmoking and he’s developing a pronounced stammer (nearly a stutter). He’s not put at ease as Marvin delivers a devasting “wake up call” telling him that his film career has stalled since playing the ‘heavy of the week” on countless TV shows, while also trying to sell him on the idea of headlining some films shot and produced in Italy. This notion pains Rick as he and Cliff head back to his Hollywood Hills home. There they see the arrival of his neighbors (they bought the gated mansion a good ways down the road), new movie royalty director Roman Polanski and his gorgeous movie star bride Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). The next morning Rick has to report to the set of the new CBS Western called “Lancer” where he’s playing another “baddie” (ringleader of an outlaw gang). It’s a long day as he deals with an arty flamboyant director, a precocious child star, and his ego-crushing “flubs”. Cliff, as he reflects on his checkered past, cruises the city in Rick’s sporty set of wheels. After a couple of near encounters, he decides to give a ride to a young “hippie chick” named “Pussycat” (Margaret Qualley). He takes her to her “family” dwelling at an old movie Western set locale, the Spahn Ranch. There Cliff is told about the family’s leader “Charlie” from two of the several young ladies, as he gets a general “weird vibe” from the familiar old place and its new young “occupants”. Meanwhile, Tate is seen around LA, dancing at the Playboy mansion, and even sneaking into a matinee of her latest flick. Six months later, she’s nearly ready to give birth as Rick and Cliff enjoy one last night on the town. But later that evening, sinister long-haired invaders make their way through the exclusive private neighborhood. What could they be plotting on this warm August night?

What gives this “epic’ tale a most human touch is the friendship of the two main characters. Tarantino, in an inspired bit of casting, paired two veterans of previous films, creating a male duo (or “bromance”) that rivals another started in 69 (the first Redford/Newman, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID). DiCaprio (DJANGO UNCHAINED) and Pitt (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) have a believable compelling chemistry though their characters and acting styles are quite different. Dalton is a climber losing his grip on “fame mountain” and DiCaprio shows us the sweaty panic as he seems to be slowly sliding below the “summit”. He gives us that veneer of confidence slowly eroding in a great scene as DiCaprio has Rick gives himself a scorching pep talk. And in those faux film and TV clips, Rick’s is every inch a star (even stiffly crooning an old pop tune as a trio of Hullaballoo dancers manically gyrate around him). The opposite of that anxious actor is Pitt’s charismatic, colossally cool stunt man Cliff. He seems to have that West Coast surfer attitude (he sports a loose Hawaiian shirt in most scenes), just letting the universe’s “waves” take him on a “life ride”. Still, Pitt lets us see a bit of the darkness beneath the “dude-ness”, trying to get ahead of a past that the “business” still talks about in whispers behind his back. And while Rick is the on-screen action hero, Cliff strolls into deadly danger in one of the film’s most tension-filled sequences (we see Pitt “scoping” his surrounding with his eyes, slowly “casing’ the rooms, spotting possible weapons and escape routes). Here’s hoping another savvy director will come up with another project for this talented twosome (unless Quentin does a follow-up).

This “dream team” is supported by a great cast of QT vets, established stars, and newcomers. Squarely in that middle category is the radiant Robbie who literally lights up the screen as Hollywood’s new “golden girl” Sharon Tate. Robbie plays her as a graceful diety, gliding through tinsel town, combining old studio glamour and the free-spirited changing late 60s era. Though she’s in a most unusual relationship (she lives in a home with her hubby and ex-boyfriend), Robbie gives her a sweet youthful innocence, particularly in the movie theatre scenes. Eschewing a familiar cliche’ (“I can’t watch myself on-screen”), Tate is filled with joy, viewing her screen persona (QT uses real footage of Tate) and drinking in the audience reactions. Plus Robbie looks completely natural in the period fashions (no “playing dress-up” ). The often bombastic Pacino finds just the right tone for the brutally honest agent, Schwarzs going smoothly from compliments to dire predictions of career doom (“Ya’ gonna’ be a Batman villain next? Pow…zip…zoom”). He can schmooze with the best, but he’s not stuck in the past. Kurt Russell is terrific as a studio stunt director who likes Rick, but can’t abide Cliff (his character may be connected to a previous QT work). Damian Lewis and Mike Moh have memorable cameos as real movie icons, while Timothy Olyphant and the late Luke Perry have great scenes as the stars of “Lancer”. On that same TV show setting, Julia Butters is a real scene-stealer as Rick’s unlikely muse/advisor. Actually, many of the screen newcomers are second-generation actors. Bruce Willis’ daughter Rumer is one of Tate’s actress pals, while several others are part of the hippie “family”. Qualley (really becomes a “flower child”) is the daughter of Andie MacDowell, along with Maya Hawke, daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, and both are ‘supervised” by “family elders” Lena Dunham and Dakota Fanning, pure dead-eyed evil as ‘Squeaky’ Fromme (not to mention the always wonderful Bruce Dern as another member of the “group”).

As mentioned earlier, this flick comes four years after Tarantino’s last one, THE HATEFUL EIGHT. I’m most happy to report that it is well worth the wait. This is his love letter to that crazy time when the torch was passed from the “old” Hollywoods moguls to the wild young rebels, and QT’s passion burns through nearly every frame. Leaning into the fairytale-like title, he shows us a magical kingdom of both hopes and desperation, sweet dreams and dark nightmares. We’re taken back to a time where TV was the “ugly stepchild” of the celebrated motion picture. But Tarantino shows us the art and charm of both. He loves the “ground out” TV “oaters” as much as the action “potboilers’ and the studio showcases. His script takes us from hilarity (Cliff panics as Rick can’t suppress a sob in a parking lot) to nail-biting suspense (during one sequence I wanted to jump into the screen to tell a beloved character to “get outta’ Dodge”). Plus the time is recreated in unbelievable detail. Actual AM radio cues and commercials fill the car cruising scenes, while Hollywood Boulevard becomes a blazing neon Asgard, with Pitt as a golden-haired hero guiding a sleek motorized chariot. Nearly every shot includes a nod to the year, with bus stop benches tauting reruns of “I Spy” along with LA newscasters (George Putnam!), even an early version of Taco Bell. What was considered junk is filmed with love by Tarantino turning into glorious antiquities: issues of “digest-sized” TV Guides, grocery items, and those shimmering vintage autos (and a couple of new “phony” products join the QT staple along with Big Kahuna Burger and Red Apple Cigarettes). Sure, some of the scenes could uses a good trim, especially some long “Lancer” exchanges, and Tarantino indulges his love of history twisting (recall the ending of BASTERDS) and excessive, nearly cartoon violence, but that doesn’t take away from the whole immersive experience as we feel as though a time machine (or that era’s TV show “Time Tunnel”) has whisked us back to a simpler, though unpredictable and often dangerous time. I can hardly wait for the disc in order to savor the art direction secrets and delectable deleted scenes (some interesting actors are in the end credits with a “cut” next to their listings, so…). Quentin Tarantino’s ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD is one truly fantastic, fabulous film (and TV) fable. And the moviegoers all lived happily ever after…

4 Out of 4 Stars

Tom Hanks To Play Mr. Rogers In YOU ARE MY FRIEND – Marielle Heller Directing

TriStar Pictures announced on Monday they have acquired worldwide rights to YOU ARE MY FRIEND, from Big Beach (Little Miss Sunshine, Loving).

Tom Hanks is attached to star as Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the pioneering children’s television series from The Fred Rogers Company that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Marielle Heller (Diary of a Teenage Girl) will direct from a screenplay by Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster (Transparent, Beautiful Ruins). Marc Turtletaub and Peter Saraf of Big Beach will produce alongside Youree Henley (The Beguiled, 20th Century Woman). Leah Holzer of Big Beach will executive produce, along with Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster.

The project originated from a true story developed by Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster, first appearing on the Black List in 2013.

You Are My Friend is inspired by a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and award-winning journalist Tom Junod. In the heart-warming story, a cynical journalist begrudgingly accepts an assignment to write a profile piece on the beloved icon and finds his perspective on life transformed.

“This is the perfect alchemy of talent coming together at the perfect time to remind us all of the transformative power of kindness and respect to heal and to unite. We are proud to partner with Marielle, Tom and everyone at Big Beach to bring this inspirational true story to audiences all over the world,” said Hannah Minghella, President of TriStar Pictures.

Turtletaub and Saraf said, “Now more than ever, we all need a re-introduction to Fred Rogers’ message of uncompromising love and kindness between all living things. Mari Heller is the perfect visionary filmmaker to bring Noah and Micah’s script to life and because of her vision and this remarkable script, we have the quintessential actor to play Fred Rogers. ”

Director Marielle Heller said, “I’m thrilled to be making You Are My Friend. The script knocked me out with its message of kindness and its exploration of the human spirit. As a mother, I am so inspired by the teachings of Fred Rogers and as a human I am in awe of his life’s work. I can’t wait to bring his story to the public and be a part of such a thoughtful, smart group of people who are all coming together to make this film, which truly feels to me like an antidote to our very fractured culture.”

Hannah Minghella and Shary Shirazi will oversee the project for TriStar Pictures. Production is set to begin in the fall.

INFERNO (2016) – Review

So what is essential to big box office stars in this day and age? Besides loads of charisma and the ability to not bump into furniture, or other actors, while delivering dialogue? Why, you’ve got to be part of a franchise, one that will reap lots of follow-ups and even prequels (merchandising can be pretty great too). And if you’re really a superstar, you’ve got more than one franchise. The king might be Harrison Ford who was part of the Star Wars and Jack Ryan series, and who promises to return as Indiana Jones. And he may just have a fourth with a new Blade Runner flick (35 years since the original). Last week Tom Cruise starred in a second Jack Reacher thriller as he’s prepping another Mission Impossible entry. This week, another Tom (Hanks) is back on-screen after only a month or so since the biopic SULLY with the third film in his live-action franchise (the other one being the TOY STORY series in which he provides the voice of Woody). It’s been seven years since Mr. H has stepped into the very worn shoes of globe-trotting historian Robert Langdon, the hero of Dan Brown’s best-selling novels. First was THE DA VINCI CODE, then ANGELS & DEMONS, and now he faces an INFERNO.

Langdon is not the first face at the start of this thriller. We meet billionaire/bio-engineer Bertrand Zobrist (Ben Foster) as he delivers a “TED-like” speech to a large, throughly engaged audience. As a huge monitor behind him displays gritty news footage, Zobrist warns of the dangers of over-population. Cut to him being chased through exotic streets by sinister agents, a chase that ends at the pinnacle of a tower, where Zobrist plunges to his death before he can be captured. Cut to Langdon (Hanks) as he suffers through many gruesome dream images (scarred faces, explosions of blood) before finally waking up in an Italian hospital bed (as in Florence, Italy). The American has no idea what’s he’s doing there until his British doctor Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones) explains that a bullet grazed his skull causing temporary amnesia. As Langdon slowly gets his bearings, a policewoman is spraying bullets in the corridor outside his room. Langdon and Brooks flee to her apartment as his memory begins to return, He finds a tiny tube in his pocket which projects a painting that depicts Dante’s version of Hell. Finding Zobrist’s signature on the image, Langdon realizes that he’s on a mission to decipher clues as to the location of the billionaire’s final project: a super-virus attached to a timer that will wipe out half of the world (“better that than face complete extinction in 100 years”). The historian and the doctor embark on a race against the clock while being pursued by dogged World Health Organization agents ( Omar Sy and Sidse Babett Knudsen) and a criminal kingpin (Irrfan Khan).

These films have given the ever-entertaining Hanks a chance to be something of an action hero, albeit one that’s not proficient in weapons or combat. That could make for an interesting franchise focus, but for most of INFERNO, Langdon is dazed and confused, and a sweaty bloody mess. When he’s not trying to regain consciousness, Hanks is on an endless treadmill with new exotic locals popping up behind him. In the last act, there are flashbacks of a rekindled romance, but we’re quickly on to the chase once more, wasting the talents of this two-time Oscar winner. Recent Oscar nom Jones doesn’t fare much better, either leading or being dragged by Hanks, her Brooks is modern take on the classic Hitchcock female partner, but written with little personality. The same can be said of Omar Sy saddled with the role of the dogged, determined pursuer, always a few steps behind the always on the run couple. Knudsen, as his WHO boss, spends most her time barking orders, until we learn of her personal connection in the third act. Foster displays little of the intensity he exuded in HELL OR HIGH WATER, making Zobrist too aloof for a fervent doomsday zealot. What little life the film possess is thanks to the spirited work by Khan as the ruthless, almost Bond villian-like mastermind with a wicked sense of humor, deadly and deadpan.

Like Hanks, director Ron Howard also returns for this third Brown adaptation. We get the feeling that the populist, everyman filmmaker is having a blast with the horrific images in Langdon’s fever dreams, The “nice guy” gets to finally cut loose. Unfortunately all that is quickly pushed aside after the first 30 minutes, so that the film can settle into a monotonous pattern of chase, find clues, hide, repeat…ad naseum. Perhaps the talented screenwriter David Koepp felt that he couldn’t detour from the puzzle-solving plot of the best seller. The foreign locations make for a lovely travelogue, but the characters are more like chess pieces being moved from one square (or country) to the next. By the film’s final showdown, the ridiculous aquatic concert fails to jump-start this limp (attempted) mass-murder mystery. To be short (unlike this tedious flick), INFERNO generates very little heat.

2 Out of 5

SAUSAGE PARTY – Review

So… we’ve seen what our playthings do while we’re away in the TOY STORY trilogy. And just a few weeks ago we saw what our animal companions do when we’re off to work and school in THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS. Well, what’s left? Ya’ ever wonder what happens at the grocery store once the lights are out and the doors are locked? No, seems that Seth Rogen and his pals have been curious about everything on the shelves and in the bins. And, no big surprise, their imaginations have come up with something more than a touch adult. With their help, animation will burst through the confines of “all ages” entertainment, which has happened several times in the last five decades. Feature adult animation’s first big hit was the 1972 Ralph Bakshi adaptation of R Crumb’s underground comic FRITZ THE CAT. A sequel quickly followed as did a Bakshi follow-up, the autobiographical HEAVY TRAFFIC, along with some quickie rip-offs. Nothing could equal that feline’s smash, so a few other flicks popped up sporadically over the years like 1978’s WATERSHIP DOWN and 1981’s HEAVY METAL. Those were all in traditional 2D “cell” animation. Last year the “stop motion” puppet-style feature HELL AND BACK fizzled into multiplex limbo. Now it’s time to test those waters once more, now with 3D, computer animation (Pixar territory) as we join Rogen and the gang for a lewd, crude SAUSAGE PARTY.

It’s the start of another glorious day at the mega market “Shopwell’s” as surly manager Darren (voice of Paul Rudd) opens its doors to the public. The Fourth of July holiday is just around the corner, so he’s got a big red, white, and blue decorated display with all barbecue essentials. There’s a pack of “Tuxedo Hot Dogs” that’s the home for Frank (Rogen), buddy Carl (Jonah Hill), and the short statured Barry (Michael Cera). But Franks’s only thinking about the nearby pack of buns and his desire for the lovely Brenda (Kristen Wiig). He dreams of the day when one of the gods (customers) will scoop them up and transport them to paradise, where he and Brenda will finally…ya’ know. They’re rattled a bit when a returned jar of honey mustard (Danny McBride) screams about the horrors of “outside”. Brushing it off, Frank and his boys and Brenda and her gals are ecstatic when they are chosen and put in a cart. But on the way to check out, an accident occurs. Frank and Brenda are separated from their packs and are on the run from a revenge-seeking douche (Nick Kroll). Soon the lovers split up on their way back to “red and blue land”. Brenda is helped by a squabbling pair, Sammy Bagel, Jr (Ed Norton) and a Middle Eastern food wrap named Lavash (David Krumholtz) while Frank meets with the head of the “non-perishables” Firewater (Bill Hader) who admits to creating the lies about the “gods and paradise”. Barry and Frank’s pals soon learn of their true destiny at the home of their god. Will the rest of the “Shopwell” residents believe Frank’s raining on their beliefs. And will he ever get together with the beautiful Brenda?

The all-star vocal cast superbly parody their on-screen persons. Rogen as Frank is still the affable party goofball mixed with a “rom-com” leading man as he woos Brenda. As the most bountiful of the buns, Wiig conveys a yearning for her hot (and horny) dog, while unleashing the snark on her enemies. Cera’s Barry is the timid outcast (much like his many screen roles) who summons forth his inner action hero. Norton is a high-spirited, peppy sidekick as Sammy, while Krumholtz is full of bombastic bluster as the easily rattled Lavash. Krull is pure rage as the ” ‘roided-out” Douche. Bader pulls double duty, very funny as both a stereotypical, “un PC” native American liquor and a dim “bandito” beverage. McBride is perfect as the terror traumatized mustard jar. But the film’s unexpected delight is the comic turn by Salma Hayek as Teresa, a tempting taco with quite exotic tastes.

Directors Greg Tiernan (the conductor of many Thomas the Tank Engine shorts!) and Conrad Vernon (SHREK 2) keep the action rolling along at a brisk pace, knowing when to slow things down for a loopy encounter or bit of dialogue. They have collaborated with a most talented group of artists to give the film a unique look. Most of food characters have tiny “rubber-hose”-like limbs recalling cartoon shorts from the early “talkie” era, particularly the Fleischer Studios (Betty Boop) where inanimate objects would suddenly sprout legs and hands in order to sing and dance. The look of the human characters seems to be inspired by underground comix from the psychedelic era to the modern “indie” graphic novel. Darren, the store manager” would not be out-of-place in Peter Bagge’s “Hate” comic, while the Druggie (voiced by James Franco) could be the next door neighbor of Gilbert Shelton’s “Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers”. The underground comix certainly inspired the script that’s credited to five writers (Rogen and frequent partner Evan Goldberg, co-star Jonah Hill along with Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir). A barrage of near-constant “F bombs” punctuate the movie’s opening scenes, perhaps to prepare us for the next 80 minutes or so (even in the bouncy “good morning” song from Alan Menkin of Disney fame). Of course there are lots of scatological humor (a shell-shocked roll of tissue) and dope gags (Frank smokes the peace pipe, er, kazoo). Then there’s the s-e-x, hoo-boy! The animators truly “go for it” with a final act orgy that outdoes anything in the infamous 1979 CALIGULA (it could make Bob Guccione blush!). What may be even more shocking than this sequence is the movie’s hidden “message”, namely a tough, barely disguised discourse on the creation of religion (here, a true opiate of the masses) and the pitfalls of “blind faith”. For those “chosen”, there’s no heaven, just cruel painful death worse than any slasher flick or “torture porn”. Unfortunately the story stops dead in its tracks for a theology debate between Frank and Brends, but the gross-out jokes resume quickly. But gee, if you thought ZOOTOPIA had a heavy subplot, well… And much like BLAZING SADDLES, this film is an equal opportunity offender, aiming its satire missiles at every color and creed. Yes, some jokes and gags fall flat, but there are enough that decimate the target (you may want to watch it again on demand or DVD in a few months, just to hit the pause to savor the barrage of funny visual assaults). So if you’ve got a taste for the outrageous (and a tad dangerous) then you’ll want to attend SAUSAGE PARTY. And if you are shocked and upset, well (as is said in the prologue of the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN) you’ve been warned!

4 Out of 5

THE 5TH WAVE – The Review

Well film fans, 2016’s not even a month old and we’re already back in “young adult novel” land at the multiplex. Well, it’s not the tear-jerker terminal romance of THE FAULT IN OUR STARS or IF I STAY. No it’s another one about a horrible future in which several special “gifted” (and highly photogenic) teenagers are humanity’s only hope. Betcha’ thought that the last installment of THE HUNGER GAMES would bring down the curtain on these tormented teen tales. Not likely since a new series pops up almost every week at your local bookstore (oh, we are lucky to have these fine establishments, so support them). While this new film does possess familiar elements of other “YA” novel based movies, the producers have thrown in a few unique themes and twists. And it stars one of our most interesting young actors (the star of the earlier mentioned STAY). You won’t need a surfboard to catch THE 5TH WAVE, just a theatre ticket.

The flick fades in on another awful day in life of eighteen year-old Cassie Sullivan (Chloe Grace Moretz). Her narration quickly brings us back to the good times just months ago. Cassie was enjoying her last year of high school…going to “keggers”, mooning over that dreamy Ben Parish (Nick Robinson), and loving her picture perfect family: Mom (Maggie Siff), Dad (Ron Livingston), and sweet kid brother Sam (Zackary Arthur). But then that gnarly spaceship showed up. More like a massive fortress floating across the country. The occupants (dubbed “the others”) make no effort to communicate, so the military doesn’t engage them. Then the others strike by emitting an aerial “pulse” that knocks out all electrical and battery power (this is named the “first wave”). The Sullivans survive the chaos in time for the second wave consisting of brutal earthquakes and tidal waves. Then much of the remaining populace is claimed by the third wave, a souped-up, even deadlier version of the “avian flu”. Cassie’s family makes their way to a makeshift woodland commune until the military arrives (hmm, their vehicles work fine). The commander, Colonel Vosch (Liev Schrieber) tells of the fourth wave: the others inhabit and take over human earth bodies. In order to combat this, all children under 18 will be taken by bus to the Air Force base to be scanned for alien infestation. A melee breaks out after Cassie doesn’t make it back to Sam’s bus in time (oh, and all the adults are killed). She roams the countryside until an injury lands her in the home of the sympathetic (and also dreamy) Evan Walker (Alex Roe). Meanwhile Sam and all the surviving kids (including Ben!) are trained to become alien fighters by Vosch and Sergeant Reznik (Maria Bello). But no matter the distance between them or the danger, Cassie is determined to re-unite with Sam.

Ms Moretz utilizes her considerable acting skills to bat trying to smooth the rough edges of this often clichéd story. She shows us Cassie slowly morphing from free-wheeling and carefree to focused, desperate hero, letting us see her nearly give in to panic before improvising a plan of action. Robinson’s Ben also goes through a similar (but unseen) arc, becoming a leader to the other “lost boys” (and girls), and earning the nickname “Zombie”. Roe, completing this triangle, is the required hunky “beefcake” complete with soulful eyes, who conveys a world-weary sadness, prior to his bathing in the stream “eye candy” sequence. Schrieber is stern gravitas as the soldier/father figure (or maybe a tough, grizzled uncle). Bello is almost unrecognizable in heavy makeup and severe peaked hair (topped with a southern twang) oozes cruel contempt as she indoctrinates her new recruits. Special mention should be made of the often scene-stealing Maika Monroe (star of last year’s cult thriller IT FOLLOWS) who dyes her sunny blonde locks raven black to portray tough girl (er, “grrrl”) as the goth gladiator Ringer, her racoon-like eyes honing in any weakness (now her backstory would make for a great spin-off flick).

Three screenwriters, Susannah Grant, Avika Goldsman, and Jeff Pinkner, have tried to craft the desperate threads of Rick Yancey’s novel into a coherent script, but the source material often gets the better of them. Yes, the story owes quite a bit to TWILIGHT and THE HUNGER GAMES, but so many other inspirations (perhaps too many) are tossed into this overcooked stew: INDEPENDENCE DAY, CONTAGION, THE THING, STARSHIP TROOPERS, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, along with 70’s Irwin Allen disaster flicks. From the opening sequence we also feel like we’re not far from TV’s “The Walking Dead” (this movie’s shot in Georgia too) with Cassie dashing about the woods and empty streets, toting an AK-47, her face smudged with grime and dirt (but her golden hair fresh from a shampoo commercial). But the action never meshes smoothly with the “which boy will she choose” soggy romance. The effects are competently done even though the scenes of the “second wave” play like bonus DVD extras from SAN ANDREAS. Director J Blakeson tries to guide (using far too much slow-motion) the subplots like a cinema traffic cop, but everything collides and crashes in a clunky muddeled ending that wants to set things up for a franchise. A 6th wave, perhaps? Not when THE 5TH WAVE sinks like a stone. Glub, glub!

1.5 Out of 5

THE NIGHT BEFORE (2015) – The Review

Good golly Miss Holly, the big bird’s not in the oven and here we’ve got the second Christmas movie exploding onto screens across the country. Yes, the stench of LOVE THE COOPERS is still wafting through the multiplex as this new holiday comedy debuts. But there’s a big difference, well several really. This new comedy definitely and defiantly earns its ‘R’ rating, this thanks in part to its main star, the new king of “stoner”, slacker comedies, Mr. Seth Rogen. After flexing his dramatic muscles in STEVE JOBS as Steve Wozniak, he’s returned to his comfort zone as part of a comedy trio this time out. He’s re-united (and it feels so good) with a former co-star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The two were memorable best buds in 2011’s (can it really be four years?) 50/50. And rounding out the threesome, is a survivor of the COOPERS catastrophe, Anthony Mackie (hey, he’s an Avenger!). Now this holiday doesn’t all take place on the morning of December 25th, but rather the time that many folks do their main celebrating, on THE NIGHT BEFORE.

The story begins many, many nights prior to the title. About a dozen or so years really, when twenty year old Ethan (Levitt) lost both parents in a pre-Christmas car crash. His very bestest buddies Isaac (Seth Rogen) and Chris (Anthony Mackie) made a pledge that they would always be there for Ethan every Christmas Eve. The evening of the 24th became an annual night of debauchery for the threesome. On the first night of boozing they hear of a legendary holiday party, the “Nutcracker Ball”, a colossal orgy only accessible through very-prized secret invitations. The boys vowed to acquire an invite, but every year ends in failure. Jump ahead to today, as the friends prepare for what will mostly likely be their final Eve together. Isaac is about to begin a family with his wife Betsy (Jillian Bell), actually she may give birth before this night’s over. And Chris is now a famous NFL star (thanks to some…ahem…chemical enhancement), making it tough to go on the town with the buds. Luckily, while working a temp gig, Ethan scores three NB tickets. As the fellows await the party location (at 10 PM they dial a phone number for the spot), they meet many strange characters and have several bizarre adventures during this last epic “night before”.

Of the trio, the main focus, the “plot propeller” is likable everyman Gordon-Levitt, whose Ethan is still an oddly adrift thirty-something. We get that he’s searching for something (romance, career), but just can’t zero in on it. Much as he did in the delightful, but astoundingly unseen THE WALK, Gordon-Levitt’s considerable charms endear him to us, even as his character makes some shaky choices. Plus he has a great “elf face”. Rogen has a different sort of charm, more like the hard-charging frat brother we wanted to hang out with. Isaac’s a bit more mature than many of his “man-child” roles, here best seen in his utter panic over the prospect of impending fatherhood, believing that he’ll mess up his offspring (which makes for a very funny fantasy flash-forward). He’s given permission to indulge by his wife who even presents him a box of assorted…goodies. His over-indulgence leads to Rogen’s intense “I’m still in control” wide-eyed stare that is simply hysterical. Beside having great chemistry with the guys, Rogen’s a terrific partner to the scene-stealing Bell (so wonderful in GOOSEBUMPS and 22 JUMP STREET). She adores her addled hubby, but will cut him to the quick with a look or with her acid tongue. Somebody give Bell a starring film role, now please! Mackie’s very convincing as the fame-obsessed athlete. Happily he’s allowed to use his high energy comic timing, with none of the shackles from that recent Christmas clunker present. Much like the Rogen 2013 hit THIS THE END, this movie is stuffed to the gills with familiar comedians and comic actors, but to name them would be to spoil the surprises (don’t wanna’ unwrap those gifts under the tree now). I will hint that an actor who gave two terrific dramatic performances earlier this year shines as a most magical pot dealer. Oh, and Miley Cyrus is a hoot as herself , tweaking (but not twerking) her tabloid image.

Oh, the director of 50/50, Jonathan Levine is back with Seth and JGL, too. He’s part of the script team along with Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, and Evan Goldberg (another 50/50 alumni). There’s some great jokes about holiday classics (including the original DIE HARD,yeah!), but the story really is just a lot a winter-themed set-ups and set pieces, often haphazardly strung together making the film into a tinsel-filled AFTER HOURS. Sure, many of the gags fall flat, but the ones that score make the bumps in the pacing bearable. Just be aware of that rating, as a bit concerning switched cell phones gets really, really graphic. Like most film comedies there’s that lull and lag about the one hour mark, right before a nice pay-off that touches on the somewhat serious message of letting go and moving on. Yes, it’s hit or miss, but these three not-so-wise men will stuff your stockings with lots of laughs and a bit of heart on THE NIGHT BEFORE.

3.5 Out of 5

THE DARK TOWER, BAD BOYS 3 & 4 And RESIDENT EVIL 6 On Sony Pictures 2016 And 2017 Slates

Sony Pictures Entertainment today unveiled release dates for 16 films for the studio’s 2016 and 2017 slates.

The additions compose a diverse, globally oriented mix of films, including new films with franchise potential (The Dark Tower, Uncharted, Patient Zero), established franchises (Bad Boys 3 and 4, Resident Evil, Underworld), adaptations of strong and beloved source material (The Magnificent Seven, Jumanji, Barbie), and daring original films (Passengers, Money Monster, The Shallows, Baby Driver, The Lamb).

These films join numerous projects already on the studio’s slate, including Ghostbusters (which moves up one week to 7/15/16), the next Spider-Man film (7/28/17), The Equalizer 2 (9/29/17), Dan Brown’s Inferno (10/14/16), Ang Lee’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (11/11/16), and the animated Spider-Man film masterminded by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (7/20/18.)

The full list of films and their release dates added to the slate includes:

Money Monster – 4/8/16
The Shallows – 6/24/16
Ghostbusters – 7/15/16*
Patient Zero – 9/2/16
The Magnificent Seven – 9/23/16*
Underworld 5 – 10/21/16
Passengers – 12/21/16
Jumanji – 12/25/16
The Dark Tower – 1/13/17
Resident Evil 6 – 1/27/17
Bad Boys 3 – 2/17/17
Baby Driver – 3/17/17
Barbie – 6/2/17
Uncharted – 6/30/17*
The Lamb – 12/8/17
Bad Boys 4 – 7/3/19

*Previously slated films with new dates.

ALOHA – The Review

Summer’s settling in, the kids are out of school, so how about a vacation? Or at least a visit to the multiplex to take in a very popular vacation spot. And you wouldn’t be leaving the good ole’ US of A! I’m referring to our 50^th state, Hawaii. So who will you be traveling with on this cinematic stay in the Pacific’s paradise? Well, it’s a gaggle of true, “big deal” Hollywood actors and actresses. So, was it the mild temps and gorgeous beaches that lured this impressive cast here? It didn’t hurt, but the main lure may have been the chance to work with the celebrated author/director Cameron Crowe. After leaving the pages of Rolling Stone magazine, he contributed the script for the seminal 80’s teen comedy/drama FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. When he took on directing in 1989, he made a string of iconic classics beginning with SAY ANYTHING, then SINGLES, JERRY MAGUIRE, and, in 2000, ALMOST FAMOUS. But then a series of missteps started a downward spiral: VANILLA SKY, ELIZABETHTOWN, and the saccharine family flick WE BOUGHT A ZOO. So, can Mr. Crowe take the reins of his film career and correct the trajectory? Will the friendly islands prove to be a rejuvenator in his new comedy/drama/romance ALOHA?

A barrage of 1950’s and 60’s newsreel and home movie footage during the opening titles tell us of Hawaii’s importance to NASA during the great “space race”. But then funding was cut and the stars were explored (and exploited) by the rich entrepreneurs. Working for one of the “one-percent” is former military man Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper). Seems he left the service after taking some bullets during a botched operation in Kabul. He’s not been back to the islands in 13 years, when he broke up with Tracy Woodside (Rachel McAdams), who’s now married to armed forces pilot, and Brian’s new pal, the silent, stoic “Woody” (John Krasinski). Oh, and they’ve got two kids: precocious eight-year-old Mitchell (Jaeden Lieberher) and thirteen-year-old (Hmmm?) Grace (Danielle Rose Russell). As Brian re-unites with Tracy on the airport tarmac, he’s introduced to his military liaison/guide Allison Ng (Emma Stone), who’s all business, and part Hawaiian. They need to meet with somewhat hostile local native royalty to obtain a “blessing” for part of the new satellite launching plans for Brian’s boss, tele-communications titan Carson Welch (Bill Murray). As the project moves forward, Brian and Allison clash and eventually develop a relationship, just as the Woodside homestead begins to crumble. Brian then begins to question his life and loyalties during this very eventful homecoming.

Oh boy, the cast can’t be faulted for this since they’re really giving it their best shot. This script is just dramatic quicksand. Cooper shows us a bit of the darkness evident in roles like the recent SERENA, but his Brian often comes off as brusk and too cynical. A third act change of heart never really rings true. The usually effervescent and delightful Stone (the best part of the last Spider-Man reboot) is saddled with one of the most irritating movie characters in recent memory. For the flick’s first half hour, her Allison over-enunciates and mugs shamelessly. Happily she does soften a bit after a meeting with the natives (she is a true believer in the island magic? Huh?) while her big emotional shift also seems mighty forced and convenient plot-wise. McAdams seems to exist just to needle Cooper and is never give a real chance to flesh out the stressed-out Tracy. Happily Krasinki is spared much of the insipid dialogue and uses his TV comedy training to great effect as we must “read’ him through his eyes and body language. Actually, the best part of the film may be the silent exchange between him and Cooper that’s humorously subtitled. Murray exploits his “ultra-cool” persona as he hovers through his meager scenes. Alec Baldwin is brought in for some of his patented seething, screaming bluster in almost a cameo role (still no match for his similar turn in GLENGARY GLEN ROSS). Danny McBride seems to exist as a plot driver and sounding board while his affectation (constantly wiggling his fingers) proves to be an annoying distraction. The lovely Russell merely seems to glide through the scenes while the overly energetic Lieberher (so good in ST VINCENT) merely seems to be riffing on the “smart kid” in JERRY MAGUIRE (except he’s now into the space program, Hawaiian myths, and camcorders). You can’t say these guys and gals ain’t’ tryin’!

Trouble is that the odds, in the form of a clunky script, and tepid direction, are against the cast. The film lurches from one pointless sequence to the next until a heavy-handed bit of techno-gobledy-gook is used for a big dramatic finish. That is,until a big romantic finish followed by a painfully maudlin finish. I’m rooting for Crowe to get back on track and once again deliver another heart-tugging tale of real human emotion. Here he’s hammering in a message and pummeling us with pop tunes while lingering far too long on characters locked in strained close-ups. What a mess (I’ll steer clear of island clichés like calling the film “spoiled poi”). Better luck next time to all involved. Of the word’s two meanings, I’ll say a hasty goodbye to ALOHA.

1.5 Out of 5

WILD TALES – The Review

Here’s a solution for the indecisive moviegoers. Not sure if you’re in the mood for a drama or comedy or a thriller? Well, how about an anthology? It’s like a good short story collection, or you could call this type of flick a movie buffet or a cinema smorgasbord. Most of the time, these films, in their earlier incarnations, center around a setting (GRAND HOTEL), a gathering (DINNER AT EIGHT), or an incident (the big cash winners in IF I HAD A MILLION). There are animation anthologies (the most famous may be FANTASIA or ALLEGRO NON TROPO) and musicals (INVITATION TO THE DANCE). The most prolific type may be those in the horror genre, beginning with 1945’s landmark DEAD OF NIGHT. In the 60’s and 70’s, Amicus Studios made their mark with TORTURE GARDEN and THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD along with the EC Comics-inspired TALES FROM THE CRYPT and THE VAULT OF HORROR. These ghoulish grab-bags have made a comeback of late with the VHS series. Many recent films have told separate stories that often overlap characters and backdrops like the SIN CITY films and the Best Picture Oscar winner from Paul Haggis, CRASH (along with his dismal follow-up from last year, THIRD PERSON). This recent Oscar-nominee for Best Foreign Film doesn’t share characters or a specific location, but is united by a common thread: revenge. Famously Eugene Sue (or was it Khan Noonien Singh?) said, “Revenge is a dish best served cold”, but since this flick comes from Argentina, it’s naturally more than a tad “caliente”. From south of the border comes a spicy sextet of WILD TALES.

This crazy combo platter gets its first course in just before the opening titles. With “Pasternak”, we follow a young woman as she boards a plane for an unforgettable journey along with passengers who share more with her than just the ride. Next is “Las Ratas” (The Rats), which all takes place on a very rainy night at a near-deserted highway diner. The waitress opens the door as her only customer escapes the torrential downpour. After a brief exchange, the man’s surly demeanor releases a floodgate of memories. Back in the kitchen, she tells the world-weary cook that this is the man who, long ago, destroyed her family. The chief suggests adding a special “spice’ to his fried eggs and potatoes. But the young woman is torn. Should she…? “El Mas Fuerte” (The Strongest) follows with the soggy setting replaced by an almost-deserted stretch of bright, arid two-lane road. A smartly dressed businessman is zipping down said road in his flashy new Audi. Well, until a run-down pickup truck tries to block him from passing. As they spy each other, expletives and hand gestures are exchanged before Mr. Audi zooms past. All’s right again with the world… until…oh,oh…a flat tire. As he hurriedly puts on the spare, guess who approaches (it aint’ AAA)? From the sagebrush showdown we’re back in the bustling city for “Bombita” (Little Bomb), as an everyman (well, he does have a unique skill set) butts heads with big town bureaucracy over the possibly illegal towing of his car, which sends the man’s life on a downward spiral. He can’t seem to get justice, but maybe he can get even. We remain in an urban setting for “La Propuesta” (The Proposal) where a rich couple awake to a nightmare as their sobbing teenage son tells them of an accident. A look at the sports car confirms it (that damning dangling plate), and soon the local TV news is blanketing the airwaves with the story of a pregnant woman struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. The rich patriarch goes proactive as he summons his attorney. They hatch a plan: the family gardener/caretaker took the wheels out for a booze-fueled joyride. But will the old man take the fall even with a big pay-out upon his release from prison? The bribes soon pile up into a green mountain while the victim’s distraught husband vows vengeance on every TV channel. Finally the film concludes, not with another auto-related saga, but with an opulent wedding in “Hasta Que la Muerte Nos Separe” (Until Death Do Us Part). The newlyweds are enjoying the perfect wedding reception in the ballroom of a swanky high-rise hotel. The bride radiantly surveys the perfect scene. Hmmm, who’s the sultry brunette in the short skirt he’s talking with? A co-worker perhaps? Or could it be the caller she spoke with when she answered her new hubby’s phone a few weeks ago? Good thing she transferred the number to her own cell. But should she…? I think you can guess her next move.

Like any multi-course meal, one dish is usually the tastiest. Here it’s the mayhem-filled “Strongest” as we’re gripped by a duel of wits and wills that is a great twist on Spielberg’s classic TV movie, um, “Duel”, but lightly seasoned with a pinch of “Looney Tunes” masters Tex Avery and Chuck Jones and a sprinkling of Russ Meyer (particularly the climax of SUPERVIXENS) and topped with a tangy EC Comics twist ending. Speaking of comics, the two men almost become live action doubles for the long-running “Spy Vs. Spy” characters from Mad magazine as each one takes turns having the “upper hand” and alternate between aggressor and prey. This isn’t to say that the other segments don’t have their own delights. The slow-building realization of “Pasternak” that quickly escalates into full panic. The whole “morality” question in “The Rats” as the cook becomes the devilish imp on the server’s shoulder. Little Bomb” is anchored by a compelling performance by Ricardo Darin as the harassed everyman that recalls Jack Lemmon in THE OUT OF TOWNERS and PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE for exasperation. Speaking of, there’s a terrific moment in “Proposal” when the father has been treated as a unending stream of cash and finally declares that the ATM is out-of-order. Permanently! Of course, we all have “wedding receptions from Hell” stories, but the final segment breaks new ground. It too escalates slowly into catastrophe aided by the crazed, manic performance by Erica Rivas as the bride, who is an unpredictable tornado in white lace, her eyes darting about as she formulates the proper punishment. The ringmaster of this incredible, energetic cast is director/writer Damian Szifron, who knows exactly how long each tale needs to be to get the best impact (perhaps consulted by another terrific director, co-producer Pedro Almodovar). My compliments to Chef Szifron! After indulging in the film feast (six great stories in one) that is WILD TALES, you won’t leave the theatre hungry!

4 Out of 5

WILD TALES opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre

New SPIDER-MAN Will Appear In Upcoming Marvel Film Within Marvel’s Cinematic Universe

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios announced in a press release on Monday that Sony is bringing Marvel into the amazing world of Spider-Man.

Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago.

Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.

Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.

The new relationship follows a decade of speculation among fans about whether Spider-Man – who has always been an integral and important part of the larger Marvel Universe in the comic books – could become part of the Marvel Universe on the big screen.

Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel’s world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.

Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: “Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world. We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building.”

“We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”

“Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker’s story into the future,” added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

Spider-Man is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.

Four future installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have received new release dates through 2019, including Thor’s next solo adventure as well as the first films for Black Panther, Captain Marvel and the Inhumans.

Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok” will hit theaters November 3, 2017. The following year, Marvel’s “Black Panther” will make its way to theaters on July 6, 2018, and Marvel’s “Captain Marvel” on November 2, 2018. Finally, Marvel’s “Inhumans” will now debut in theaters July 12, 2019.

The previously announced dates for Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War Part 1” and “Avengers: Infinity War Part 2” on May 4, 2018 and May 3, 2019, respectively, remain unchanged.

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