Author: MCDave

I'm a Mathematics Professor at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and my relaxed work environment enables me to spend time writing about my passions ... movies, music, and everything baseball.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Gangster Squad

by MCDave

We will always remember the tragic events that took place in Aurora, Colorado this past Summer. At a midnight showing of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, a gunman (who I refuse to sadistically glorify and identify by name) fired shots into a packed movie theatre killing 12 and injuring 58 others. For as horrific as the act was, the shooting also had its impact on Hollywood. Ruben Fleischer’s first trailer for Gangster Squad included an unforgettable clip with tommy guns firing throughout a movie theatre and, out of respect for the victims and their families, Warner Bros. forced the director to re-shoot parts of his feature. Originally slated to hit theatres in September of 2012, Gangster Squad finally arrives in theatres four months later than scheduled. Despite the prolonged build up of anticipation, Fleischer’s third directorial effort never reaches expectations.

In post World War II Los Angeles, east coast mobster Mickey Cohen (played by Sean Penn) has transformed the city into a morally corrupt and dishonest haven for criminals. With most of local law enforcement in Cohen’s pocket, Chief Parker (played by Nick Nolte) turns to none other than Sgt. John O’Mara (played by Josh Brolin) to restore justice in Los Angeles. Through a carefully structured screening process, O’Mara gathers a group of specially skilled officers who put down their badges and go to war against Mickey Cohen’s crime syndicate.

Fleischer’s Gangster Squad plays out like a thoughtless and made-for-profit crime drama. Clearly picking and choosing from classic mob films of the past, Gangster Squad never truly develops its own identity. Predictable to a fault and overly formulaic, Fleischer swings and misses with this unimaginative and unoriginal effort. The characters lack depth, the script is virtually hollow and his star-studded cast is never given the appropriate platform to shine. For as reputable of an ensemble as he’s given, Fleischer fails to generate the performances you would hope for out of rising stars like Ryan Gosling, Michael Pena and Emma Stone. It almost feels like a waste of immense talent. When you start to piece together each of these shortcomings, you begin to recognize Gangster Squad for what it really is … a cash cow. Now, no one will ever know how much of the film needed to be altered after the tragic events in Aurora, Colorado, but clearly the new final product leaves much to be desired. Never breaking any ground in the often-loved mob genre, Gangster Squad is the second straight mediocre release (let’s not forget 30 Minutes or Less) from director Ruben Fleischer.

Although the feature clearly has its faults, Gangster Squad is by no means a disaster. To its benefit, the film is well paced and fluent enough to begin and end without a hiccup. The screenplay’s scarcity of substance and character development make for a fast-moving release. In addition to its smooth feel, Gangster Squad scrounges up just enough violence and action to satisfy any fan of mob movies. However, the rare memorable scene and “over before you know it” approach fails to make up for the film’s overabundance of cliche dialogue and regurgitated ideas.

Unable to create a unique identity, Ruben Fleischer’s Gangster Squad is sadly a letdown. With the blame falling mostly on the shoulders of its director and its screenwriter, Will Beall, even a talented crop of actors and actresses can’t resurrect this bland screenplay. If you’re looking for a superficial and action-filled movie experience, then Gangster Squad may be enough to satisfy your needs. Yet, if you’re looking for a never-before-seen addition to the mob genre, you won’t find it here. Mediocrity reigns supreme and becomes the perfect identifier for the squandered crime drama Gangster Squad. Be warned.

Grade: 2.5/5

Check out other work from MCDave at his website Movie Reviews By Dave

MCDave’s 2012 Movie Awards

by MCDave

In honor of the Academy Award Nominations which will be announced on Thursday January 10th, I give you my personal 2012 year-end movie awards. 2012 proved to be an extraordinary year in cinema (view my top ten films of 2012), one that will certainly leave its mark in history. Having seen nearly 100 new releases over this past calendar year, here’s my top 5 picks for each of the 6 major races:

Notable films I missed in 2012: Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Skyfall and Rust and Bone

 

Best Supporting Actress

#5 Sally Field – Lincoln

#4 Amy Adams – The Master

#3 Helen Hunt – The Sessions

#2 Pauline Collins – Quartet

and the winner is …

#1 Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables

 Much like the Academy is sure to do in late February, I reward Anne Hathaway with the Best Supporting Actress role of 2012. For all of the focus on Jean Valjean’s character in Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables, it’s Anne Hathaway who serves as the film’s heart and soul. Her emotionally-crushed rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” will live on as a Hollywood highlight reel forever, making her the clear cut winner here.

Best Supporting Actor

#5 Benicio Del Toro – Savages

#4 Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master

#3 Sam Rockwell – Seven Psychopaths

#2 Ezra Miller – The Perks of Being a Wallflower

and the winner is …

#1 Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained

Quentin Tarantino’s Spaghetti Western Django Unchained stood out as one of the year’s funnest movie experiences. The film’s most lovable character was Dr. King Schultz, played by Academy Award Winner Christoph Waltz. While I am starting to feel as though Waltz will be the odd man out in the Best Supporting Actor category when Oscar nominations are announced on Thursday (read about my 2013 Oscar Nomination Predictions), it would be a shame for the Academy to omit his transcending performance.

Best Actress

#5 Helen Mirren – Hitchcock

#4 Naomi Watts – The Impossible

#3 Zoe Kazan – Ruby Sparks

#2 Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook

and the winner is …

#1 Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty

After storming onto the scene in 2011 with a handful of unforgettable roles, it seemed like a forgone conclusion that Jessica Chastain was a star in the making. Taking home my 2011 Best Supporting Actress Award for Take Shelter, Chastin raises the bar again with her phenomenal portrayal in Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty. Chastain’s character transforms throughout the feature and her development becomes a valuable aspect of the narrative. Although she finds worthy Oscar competition from my runner-up, Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Chastain gives the most decisive female performance of the year.

Best Actor

#5 Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook

#4 Denzel Washington – Flight

#3 Joaquin Phoenix – The Master

#2 John Hawkes – The Sessions

and the winner is …

#1 Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln

This race feels like the biggest “no-brainer” to me. For as many brilliant lead actor performances as there were this year (and believe me there were a TON), none of them were even in the same stratosphere as Daniel-Day Lewis’ once in a life time portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. Every chance I get to watch Day-Lewis deliver groundbreaking role after groundbreaking role, it becomes more apparent that I’m experiencing greatness. Steven Spielberg’s Best Picture contender, Lincoln, survives solely on the shoulders of the actor’s performance. There’s no question who deserves this win.

Best Director

#5 David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook

#4 J.A. Bayona – The Impossible

#3 Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained

#2 Kathryn Bigelow – Zero Dark Thirty

and the winner is …

#1 Ben Affleck – Argo

The Best Director race was the most difficult for me to decide. The Kathryn Bigelow/Ben Affleck debate becomes very difficult to dissect. The direction’s outstanding in both Zero Dark Thirty and Argo, but the difference-maker was Affleck’s ability to conjure up a multi-dimensional movie experience. Bigelow’s feature is more of a character based journey, while Affleck focuses on bringing a remarkable true story to life. Distinct opposites in approach, both films are premier examples of modern day filmmaking. However, I just happened to enjoy Argo slightly more than Bigelow’s gripping manhunt tale.

Best Picture

#5 Perfect Sense

#4 The Sessions

#3 Zero Dark Thirty

#2 The Impossible

and the winner is …

#1 Argo

No one can question the abundance of top tier films released in 2012. It was a difficult decision and very close, but I’m going with Argo as the Best Picture of 2012. A roller coaster ride of emotions, Ben Affleck’s Argo interweaves between espionage thriller and comedy. The pacing and tone is perfect, making Argo the most enjoyable film of the year. Its Oscar hopes are still very much alive, despite a major December-long onslaught of competitive releases. Affleck continues to solidify himself as a bonafide filmmaker and gives us Argo, 2012’s Best Picture.

*** Where am I right and where am I wrong? Leave a comment and spark a debate. You can view other work by MCDave at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Promised Land

by MCDave

Whenever Academy Award winning screenwriter Matt Damon develops a script, there’s only one director he’s taking it to, Gus Van Sant. The pair first matched wits with the 1998 Best Picture Nominee Good Will Hunting. In 2002 the duo teamed up for a second effort, Gerry, that turned out to be an under-seen and admirable piece of work. A decade later and Damon is at it again, partnering with actor John Krasinski and penning another screenplay.  This time, the result is a highly controversial drama called Promised Land. Expecting to make his directorial debut but forced to step down, Damon went to none other than Gus Van Sant to helm the feature.

Matt Damon stars as Steve Butler, a fast-rising corporate salesman who visits a rural town facing a huge economic decline. Butler and his sales partner Sue Thomason (played by Frances McDormand) seek drilling rights from local farmers in order to drill for natural gas, a safe and clean energy source of the future. Promising lucrative returns to the entire town, the corporate team’s plans are threatened when an environmentalist named Dustin Noble (played by John Krasinski) shows up to educate the locals on the dangers of such drilling (AKA “fracking”).

Promised Land is an agenda-motivated drama that glimmers rather than shines. Capped off by a strong third act, director Gus Van Sant’s latest project is a rewarding piece of filmmaking no matter what debatable topic serves as its primary back-story. While Krasinski and Damon demonstrate almost no difficulty in conjuring up a collection of affable characters, the writers ride the wave of an adequate opening and barely survive a lifeless mid-section to the feature. But in typical Matt Damon-style, a closing series of personal reflection and self betterment leads to a familiar, yet never diluted, finale of redemption. Even more so than the script itself, Damon’s strongest collaborative efforts to the film come in the form of his perfectly executed acting chops. Although Damon’s only Academy Award comes from the writing side of his career, he continually delivers strong performance after strong performance to reiterate where his greatest talents truly reside. As for his sales partner in crime, they couldn’t have cast anyone better than Frances McDormand. Never overbearing or too flashy, McDormand has benefited from a lengthy career of genuine and honest portrayals. In Promised Land, she once again sticks to the game plan and gives a quietly effective performance. Beyond its talented cast and satisfying conclusion, Promised Land emerges from a weak second act with a surprising turn of events. Without this carefully calculated and imperative “twist” to the story, Promised Land would never recover from an otherwise pedestrian script.

During Gus Van Sant’s newest feature, there’s a pivotal moment where the audience is on the fringe of closing the door on Promised Land. While any truly “great” piece of filmmaking clearly avoids such crossroads, Damon’s and Krasinski’s paper-thin plot holds the movie hostage and creates a lengthy standstill that inevitably tests the patience of the audience. Caught in a downturn and desperate to go anywhere, Promised Land eventually takes a drastic 180-degree turn that sets the film on a new course and salvages the final project. Even the slightest change to this vital new direction that the feature takes could have proved fatal, but Damon and Krasinski come through when they are most needed. In addition to a mostly bland script, Promised Land becomes a combative source for political debate. While I attempt to view any film with a clean and unbiased slate, many moviegoers don’t. Therefore, movie’s centering around controversial issues such as fracking tend to polarize and turn off a wide spectrum of audiences. Hence, Promised Land is a faulty release that is undoubtedly open to a multitude of criticisms.

For as objective as Promised Land attempts to be, unfortunately the film is forced to take a side on the highly debated issue of fracking. However, by simply labeling Promised Land as “anti-fracking” propaganda, you’re missing a more prominent message. Bigger topics such as corporate foul play and personal ethics become the resonating themes throughout the picture. No matter what side of the issue you stand on, Promised Land is a film that should be savored for its character development and gratifying resolution. We should all aim to become better people by continually doing what’s right. Promised Land gives us a lead character who constantly claims “I’m not a bad guy” and, by the end of the film, he proves it. For that alone, we should all be grateful for Matt Damon, John Krasinski and Gus Van Sant’s latest collaboration, Promised Land.

Grade: 3.5/5

Check out other work from MCDave like his Top Ten Films of 2012 and frequent Oscar updates at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Zero Dark Thirty

by MCDave

Academy Award Winning director Kathryn Bigelow’s brand new film, Zero Dark Thirty, opens with a disclosure stating the the movie is based on first-hand accounts of actual events. This sets the stage for one of the most authentic and realistic motion pictures in recent memory. Politically unbiased and emotionally charged, Zero Dark Thirty completely delivers on its marketing tagline: “The greatest manhunt in history”.

Jessica Chastain stars as Maya, a fiery young CIA Analyst who, in some ways, believes she’s destined to find the United States’ Most Wanted Fugitive, Osama Bin Laden. Hired by the U.S. government fresh out of High School, Maya is sent to Afghanistan and Pakistan to take part in detainee interrogations and gather vital intelligence after the tragic events of September 11th. Throughout a tireless decade long search for the fugitive, Maya follows a seemingly unlikely lead that ultimately results in the May 2nd, 2011 execution of Osama Bin Laden.

Gripping and relentless, Zero Dark Thirty is the epitome of top-flight modern day filmmaking. Bigelow’s follow up to her 2009 Best Picture winner, The Hurt Locker, faces its critics and audiences with a humble sense of entitlement that whispers “repeat” for the director and film. One of the most commendable aspects of Bigelow’s work is Zero Dark Thirty‘s ability to slowly shift the picture’s focus from start to finish. What begins as a nation’s quest for justice, filters itself down to one woman’s unyielding battle for resolution, and that woman is brilliantly portrayed by Jessica Chastain. The 2012 Academy Award Nominee’s towering performance is unrivaled by any other lead female’s work over the past calendar year. Therefore, I would expect to hear Chastain’s name called in late February when they hand out the Oscar for Best Actress. Screenwriter Mark Boal’s well-crafted character development is brilliantly executed by Chastain and it adds an enormous dimension to film. Alongside Maya, the audience grinds through the highs and lows of a ten year search. For as exhausting and intense as the ride is, the night-visioned finale provides a gratifying and tempered conclusion. By demonstrating admirable restraint, Bigelow’s respectful and never overly-patriotic ending packs an even bigger punch. With an unfathomable amount of decisions to be made, Bigelow seems to make all of the right ones and the final product is one of 2012’s greatest achievements.

Back in the Fall of 2012, Zero Dark Thirty was nothing more than a quiet dark horse on the road to the Oscars. But now that the feature has finally reached theatres in Los Angeles and New York City, it’s clearer than ever that Kathryn Bigelow’s masterpiece is a force to be reckoned with. The only minor flaw with the film appears during a short lull in the third act. As a movie where the end result is predetermined, the whole “Maya vs. the world”  subplot is taken the smallest bit too far. The entire audience already knows that President Obama eventually gives the green light on the raid but after investing over two hours into the film, Bigelow continues to harp on the notion that many higher ups involved questioned Maya’s certainty. Just as the feature begins a slight decline, Zero Dark Thirty abruptly refocuses and gets back on course with an edge-of-your-seat finale.

While some will inevitably rummage through Zero Dark Thirty in hopes of finding a political agenda, the truth is one doesn’t exist. Yes, the movie touches on the idea that enhanced interrogation techniques were used in order to obtain valuable intelligence, but who can argue the greater effectiveness of such actions? Yet, Zero Dark Thirty mindfully avoids addressing the even bigger question, is it worth it? Acknowledging some Hollywood dramatization, it’s important to view the film in an entertainment-only context. Although we will never know the whole truth behind the decade long hunt for Osama Bin Laden, Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty gives us a captivating and realistic story to cling to. Due out in theatres all across the country on January 11th, 2013, this is one Oscar contender you won’t want to miss.

Grade: 5/5

You can check out all of MCDave’s work at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Impossible

by MCDave

Many people believe that the Best Picture race for the 2013 Oscars has been narrowed down to three films: Zero Dark Thirty, Lincoln and Les Miserables. But after seeing J.A. Bayona’s The Impossible, it’s clear that even the Academy doesn’t get it right every time. Based on a remarkable true story of survival, The Impossible follows a family separated by the 2004 tsunami that rocked Thailand, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Henry (played by Ewan McGregor), his wife Maria (played by Naomi Watts) and their three young sons all travel to Thailand for a winter vacation to celebrate the Christmas holiday. While experiencing the beauty and paradise of their beachfront resort, the family finds itself forever affected by one of the deadliest natural disasters in the history of the world. Divided by a tsunami that killed north of 200,000 people, the family struggles to reconnect and defy the greatest of odds.

J.A. Bayona’s The Impossible is a game-changing drama characterized by artistic direction and unparalleled acting. The young, but mightily-gifted, director uses the camera to perfection and places the moviegoer in the center of this horrific tragedy. By literally filming on top of the characters, The Impossible forces the audience to join its subjects on their unfathomable journey. In doing so, the strong bond formed between the viewers and the onscreen family becomes the foundation of the feature. This connection demands a variety of energy and emotions, making The Impossible a true testament of humanity. Even through all of the destruction and despair caused by this devastating tsunami, Bayona effectively illustrates the power of human compassion. And while sentiment can become a difficult sell, Bayona’s once-in-a-lifetime cast makes it feel effortless. Naomi Watts steals the show and stakes her claim as a legitimate Best Actress contender. Right on her heels is youngster Tom Holland who portrays the family’s eldest son Lucas. His character commands an enormous amount of screen time and Holland makes the most of every moment. It’s shocking to discover that this is Holland’s first motion picture, but the future is clearly bright for this budding star. Backed by strong direction and extraordinary performances, The Impossible stands out as one of 2012’s most compelling and moving dramas.

To be perfectly honest, there are no detrimental faults with J.A. Bayona’s latest masterpiece. One minor blemish resides in what some will call an “average” screenplay. The dialogue is adequate but nothing exemplary, and various other areas of the script mirror the same level of mediocre acceptance. However, the emotional force of the feature is carried out through Bayona’s original sense of direction and a well rounded cast. By simply serving its purpose, a less than glaring script appropriately allows for the fascinating true story to take control of the film. Playing more as a complementary figure, the screenplay never diminishes this unbelievably amazing account of survival. Even at its weakest points, The Impossible is nothing shy of cinematic euphoria.

Throughout the course of time, meaningful movies have slipped through the cracks of a blockbuster-driven society. Thankfully, I expect the Academy to find some way to acknowledge the profound work of director J.A. Bayona and his entire team. Filled with amazing visual sequences, top flight acting and a beautiful score, The Impossible is an iconic feature that should be savored by everyone. Currently playing in select theatres, make it a point to seek out The Impossible. You won’t want to miss one of 2012’s finest features.

GRADE: 5/5

When MCDave isn’t on Geekscape, he can be found at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: This is 40

by MCDave

When it comes to director Judd Apatow’s work, he has an interesting and particular vision. His irregular, yet carefully honed, style is both peculiar and fascinating all at the same time. He’s a living conundrum. His major motion picture debut came in the form of the raunchy tale The 40 Year Old Virgin, which is admittedly one of my favorite comedies of the 2000s. He then followed up with the $200 million comedy Knocked Up, an occasionally vulgar but far more sensitive brand of humor. However, it was Apatow’s third feature that got everyone caught in a tailspin. 2009’s deceptively titled Funny People yielded less laughs and alienated moviegoers by running nearly two and a half hours long and addressing such weighty topics like death and cancer. Living with a dark cloud over his head ever since, audiences want to know if Apatow’s newest spin-off film, This is 40, is more like its originator Knocked Up, or its predecessor Funny People. Truth be told, it’s somewhere in between.

This is 40 revisits the erratic and dysfunctional married lives of Pete (played by Paul Rudd) and Debbie (played by Apatow’s wife, Leslie Mann). As they both reach the pivotal age of 40, the couple agrees to take a happier and stress-free approach through the next phase of life. But when news of Pete’s failing record label leads to financial instability for their family, lies begin to accumulate and the couple quickly learns that there’s no escaping the hardships of life and marriage.

Judd Apatow’s upcoming release, This is 40, proves to be a successful turn and step forward on his path back to previously reached heights. Illustrating a fearless disregard for the two-hour threshold, the director once again attempts to bridge the divide between comedy and drama. But make no mistake about, This is 40 is clearly a comedy first. At its brittle heart and center are leading stars Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd who prove to be adequate but imperfect. In fact, This is 40 looks past its main couple and succeeds on behalf of its strong collection of eclectic supporting characters. Excellent performances from the likes of Albert Brooks, Jason Segel, Megan Fox and Chris O’Dowd help the audience to ease their way through a sometimes bumpy ride. Brooks shines brighter than the rest and delivers a large portion of the film’s most memorable moments. The jokes are fresh and consistent and you can rest assured that there’s no shortage of laughs here. And while This is 40 doesn’t quite measure up to the glaring success of past works such as The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, the film in a refreshing return to a comedy-first outlook that’s made Apatow a household name.

Although This is 40 is definitely a step in the right direction, the feature has many distinct faults. For starters, it becomes quite irksome to spend two hours and fifteen minutes watching a couple complain about money issues while they drive around in BMWs and throw extravagantly catered parties. The whole first-world “woe is me” routine ultimately makes it difficult to sympathize with Pete and Debbie’s onscreen dilemmas. Furthermore, Apatow’s undulating script makes for a roller-coaster ride of up and down moments between the leading couple. This is 40 becomes a repetitive sequence of problem/solution … problem/solution … problem/solution … almost to the point of ad nauseam. Still, despite all of its visible flaws, This is 40 contains the appropriate amount of laughs and strong cameo’s (a job well done to Philadelphia Flyers Scott Hartnell and Ian LaPerriere – see below) to keep you engaged from start to finish.

This Christmas writer and director Judd Apatow brings us, This is 40, a hysterical comedy that translates well to the big screen. As imperfect as it is, the film marks a solid return for Apatow who really soured a large portion of audiences with his 2009 overly-dramatic dud Funny People. Still young and energetic, Apatow expects a long and prosperous career in the business. While he demonstrates a unique ability to generate a heartfelt comedy, Apatow’s future success hinges on the types of stories he decides to tell. Sticking to a humor-first approach has benefited him in the past and benefits him once again with This is 40. But despite its likability, there’s no reason to rush to theatres to see this overly-long laugh fest. While This is 40 is a slightly above average movie experience, perhaps it’s best suited for a Friday night movie rental.

Grade: 3/5

You can find more work from MCDave at Movie Reviews By Dave

 

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Hitchcock

by MCDave

Having directed some of the most notable films throughout the history of cinema, it’s borderline criminal that Alfred Hitchcock never won any of his 5 Oscar Nominations or any of his astounding 8 Director’s Guild of America Nominations. Despite all of his ego-shattering shortcomings by his peers and colleagues, no one would ever dare question the greatness of one of the finest directors to ever walk the planet. Therefore, when longtime writer and first time director Sacha Gervasi’s biographical debut effort, Hitchcock, was first screened by its distributor Fox Searchlight Pictures, they did everything in their power to release it in time for an awards season run of its own.

After the massive success of his last film, North by Northwest, famed director Alfred Hitchcock (played by Anthony Hopkins) seeks out his next project. When he comes across a book called Psycho, which closely relates to the true crime murders by serial killer Ed Gein, Hitchcock quickly becomes hooked by the novel’s fiendish flair. Grotesque, violent and well beyond anything people had ever seen, the director’s sales pitch receives anything but a glowing endorsement from Paramount Pictures. Forced to finance the film on his own, Hitchcock and his loyal wife Alma (played by Helen Mirren) face immense economic and personal pressure all along their journey of bringing Psycho to the big screen.

Less so a movie about making a movie, Sacha Gervasi’s major motion picture debut, Hitchcock, is a misdirected and contrived look at the inner workings of a strained relationship between husband and wife. Rather than deliver a My Week with Marilyn style of film showing the on-set genius of one of Hollywood’s finest directors, Gervasi places his focus on the underlying backbone or Hitchcock’s career, his wife Alma. Trying to sell the acclaimed career of Alfred Hitchcock as a complete team effort, Alma’s character becomes the unrecognized master behind the curtain. And while the couple’s relationship slowly begins to crumble, we watch as Hitchcock’s Psycho metaphorically reaps the disastrous effects. Hence, reaffirming that Gervasi’s feature is less about Psycho and more about the director’s marriage. This approach clearly proves fatal as the issues of their struggling relationship become bogged down by the audience’s deeper desire to see how one of cinema’s greatest films came about. Furthermore, Gervasi strikes the wrong chord in two other areas of the movie. First, the outlandishness behind Hitchcock’s recurring visions of Ed Gein are over the top and unnecessary. They ultimately create an imbalance to the feature that never gets corrected. Also, the opening and closing scenes of the film show Hitchcock breaking character from the movie and talking directly into the camera to the audience. Meant to pay homage to the television show Alfred Hitchcock Presents, these moments feel more forced than instrumental to the final product.

For as messy as Sacha Gervasi’s Hitchcock appears to be, the work treads water because of an all-star cast featuring Academy Award winners Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren. Hopkins is undoubtedly stellar in his title role, but it’s actually Mirren who walks away as the film’s biggest winner. Mirren commands your full attention and dishes out a handful of Oscar-worthy scenes. In fact, Mirren and Hopkins are almost reason enough to venture to the theatre. On a smaller scale, the supporting work of Scarlett Johansson also adds a positive dimension to the feature. While Gervasi clearly battles to iron out an award’s season contender, his cast attempts to pick up his slack and salvage his work. As a result, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Mirren garner a nomination and, if it weren’t for such a crowded Best Actor category, the same could be said for Hopkins.

2012’s Hitchcock is a disappointing and misguided examination into the life and work of a cinematic genius. Disorganized and chaotic, the film ultimately descends from Oscar-hopeful to Oscar-doubtful. Although a highly regarded cast gives their best possible effort, Hitchcock ends up falling flat and feeling like an insufficient piece of filmmaking. Thus, there’s no reason to rush and see Hitchcock in theatres, as you’re best suited waiting for DVD to catch these strong onscreen performances.

Grade: 2.5/5

You can check out other work and reviews by MCDave at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Killing Them Softly

by MCDave

In 2007, writer and director Andrew Dominik teamed up with leading star Brad Pitt to offer the Oscar nominated western The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The feature’s critical praise helped solidify Dominik’s status all throughout Hollywood. A handful of years later, the director and Pitt return with Killing Them Softly, a satirical look at capitalism’s greedy impression on the current mob underworld. After receiving massive amounts of acclaim since its Cannes Film Festival premier in May, perhaps Killing Them Softly could be another Oscar-worthy effort from Dominik and Pitt? Not so fast.

When three unintelligent lowlifes decide to rob a protected Mob card game, the local criminal economy feels the repercussions. Through sheer stupidity on the part of one of the robbers, hitman Jackie Coogan (played by Brad Pitt) is brought in to take care of the culprits and restore proper order to the Mob.

To be perfectly honest, Killing Them Softly was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. Back in the Spring, early buzz out of Cannes managed to peak my interest and, knowing the Weinstein Company, I braced myself for a Fall release. After finally viewing the film, it’s clear that Killing Them Softly is a tunnel-visioned examination of economic greed and its divisive consequences. But rather than quietly using executioner Jackie Coogan’s story as an effective metaphor, Andrew Dominik wastes almost no time shoving his film’s purpose directly into your face. As a result, Killing Them Softly feels more like a force fed political satire than a subtle piece of artistic beauty. By selling its soul and taking a satirical approach, Dominik attempts to deliver an off-beat and stylish dark comedy. Instead, the movie comes off as a cheap Coen brothers imitation with much weaker writing and far worse cinematography. As for any stylistic comparisons between Killing Them Softly and last year’s surprise hit Drive, they are completely off base and offensively inaccurate.  For as promising as the movie appears at a chopped up and edited glance via its trailer, Killing Them Softly is a mightily flawed viewing experience.

Despite my harsh criticisms and to be perfectly fair to Andrew Dominik, Killing Them Softly is a well intended and immensely thought out piece of work. Dominik’s characters have depth and purpose to the story, which is always easier said than done. Brad Pitt is the true highlight of the film and he delivers another knockout performance. As someone who wasn’t always an outspoken fan of Pitt, he has clearly won me over and his work here is just another fine example of why he’s one of the best in the business. In addition to Pitt, James Gandolfini gives a valiant effort in his small supporting role. The former Soprano‘s star continues to struggle breaking out of his “Tony Soprano” label, but his work here is both heartfelt and genuine. Gandolfini’s character oozes with emotion and instability and hopefully we get to see plenty more of the same from him in the future. As imperfect as it is, Killing Them Softly conjures up enough redeeming qualities to see you through the finish line.

In the end, disappointment reigns supreme in Andrew Dominik’s long awaited return to the director’s chair. With Killing Them Softly, top notch acting fails to salvage a mediocre script and a blatant in-your-face message. Unlike Dominik’s The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Killing Them Softly is far from the preconceived Oscar contender may of us believed it could be. Lacking in substance and memorable scenes, the film is a rather dull 97 minute experience. Unless you “have to” see it, I recommend taking a pass with Killing Them Softly. It’s not what you’d expect … in a bad way.

GRADE: 2/5

MCDave can also be found at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Lincoln

by MCDave

Throughout the history of mankind it has become an accepted fact that certain things belong together. Peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, or the thought of Steven Spielberg and his newest baby, Lincoln. Even during War Horse‘s 2011 run to the Oscars, it was the anticipation of Spielberg’s Lincoln that sat in the forefront of everyone’s mind. With Daniel Day-Lewis, who I confidently refer to as “the greatest actor alive”, signed on to portray the semi-controversial historic hero Abraham Lincoln, the possibilities seemed endless. Now, as 2012’s stealth-like conclusion wanders within the eye’s reach, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln is finally here. And it’s about time.

Set during the closing months of the Civil War in 1865, Lincoln examines the personal and political struggles that our nation’s 16th president endured while working to pass an amendment to the constitution to forever ban slavery. However, the confederate army becomes open to the idea of a peaceful immediate conclusion to the war. But if the confederate states rejoin the union before the house’s vote on abolishing slavery, it would surely put an end to the passing of the amendment. As a result, President Abraham Lincoln (played by Daniel Day-Lewis) faces grave inner turmoil and guilt over allowing a deadly war to continue at the hands of freeing millions of black slaves.

Let me preface by saying that I am by no means a historian, and nor do I pretend to be. When I offer up my opinion on director Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, I am viewing the film in a cinematic context only. Historical debates aside, Lincoln is a deeply effective and fundamentally involved character study. In many ways feeling quite different from his typical style, Spielberg’s biopic is very restrained and genuine. He never allows the movie to get too over-dramatic or flashy, instead giving the reins to two-time Academy Award Winner Daniel Day-Lewis who aptly carries the film for 149 minutes. To say that Day-Lewis is a spitting image of our former president, is to put it all too lightly. The infallible actor completely encompasses the aura of our nation’s historical hero. Scene after scene, Day-Lewis astonishes with hair-raising performances that will surely land him a gaudy-sounding fifth Best Lead Actor nomination from the Academy. Outstanding acting is far from the only glowing aspect of Spielberg’s Lincoln. Strong collaborative efforts from costume & makeup as well as beautiful cinematography join together to make the feature a clear technological achievement. From top to bottom, Lincoln succeeds as a carefully crafted molding of countless notable attributes.

If there is one major downfall to Lincoln, it resides in the enormous running time that can’t help but wear down the audience. Ironically, Spielberg’s film proves to be a massively draining viewing experience for the moviegoer. Much like the feature’s hero who battles to balance a violent war and the passing of a landmark amendment, the audience leaves the theatre feeling as run down and feeble as President Lincoln does. And to a fault, Spielberg force feeds a myriad of characters which helps to keep the runtime bloated. Some more pivotal to the story than others, the result is a culmination of subplots galore that manage to overtake Lincoln and hold the film hostage. Although it has become a recurring theme with the legendary director, Spielberg ends up as his own biggest obstacle. I can only imagine the difficulty for an accomplished director of his talents to constantly re-invent the wheel. However, his visions of perfection have often hindered his finished products of late.

Despite Lincoln‘s prolonged running time and stagnant feel, Steven Spielberg addresses this prominent historical figure with such precision and delicacy. You can tell the director’s passion for the project by the manner in which the film unfolds. He allows for Daniel Day-Lewis to shine and, for once, plays second fiddle. Day-Lewis and a supporting cast that is unquestionably headlined by Tommy Lee Jones help elevate Lincoln to a credible piece of cinematic art. However, this is by no means a ringing endorsement for Spielberg’s latest effort. Instead, take this as a nod of approval for fans of period pieces, biopics and the always great Daniel Day-Lewis.

Grade: 3/5

You can check out other work from MCDave by visiting Movie Reviews By Dave

 

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Silver Linings Playbook

by MCDave

This year’s Philadelphia Film Festival couldn’t have lined up a better Opening Night Film. David O. Russell’s latest work, Silver Linings Playbook, truly embodies the City of Brotherly Love. Everything about the film looks, sounds and feels like Philadelphia. From the carefully selected suburban neighborhoods that appear throughout the movie to our beloved football team, the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s clear that David O. Russell “gets” this often misunderstood city. The director creates a strong and unbreakable kind of bond that’s sure to last a lifetime … especially around here.

Bradley Cooper stars as Pat Solitano, a former high school teacher doing a stint in a mental facility after coming home to his wife having an affair and then severely beating her lover. It’s safe to say that Pat has some issues with anger management and certain “triggers”, like his tainted wedding song that’s guaranteed to set him off on a rampage. On the other hand there’s Tiffany (played by Jennifer Lawrence), a recent widow whose self loathing and erratic antics help support the fact that she’s clearly off her rocker too. But when the pair of crazies decide to help one another out with some sizable favors, they soon discover the best way to help make sense of this screwed up world.

David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook is a surprisingly upbeat and off-the-wall examination of mental health disorders. Way funnier than I anticipated it to be, the director chooses to approach this serious issue with a delicate sense of humor. What could have easily been sold as a dark comedy with a completely different tone, Silver Linings Playbook stays light and refreshing throughout its two hour running time. Perhaps most impressive about David O. Russell’s latest work is the script’s ability to generate a fluent tempo. The character development and plot are frequently progressing, giving Silver Linings Playbook a perfectly suited pace. Never lethargic or lifeless, the film has a pair of tremendously talented stars to thank for such an excellent result. Bradley Cooper continues to elevate his work and a performance such as this one should clearly put him on the Oscar’s radar. But for as phenomenal as Cooper is throughout the film, his counterpart, Jennifer Lawrence, still tends to overshadow his efforts. Lawrence, who has already landed a Best Actress Nomination for her work in the indie hit Winter’s Bone, uses this role to stamp her claim as one of Hollywood’s fastest rising female stars. There’s no limit to what the future has in store for her. Although the two leads steal the film, the quality of the cast doesn’t stop there. Robert De Niro’s name is already floating around the Best Supporting Actor race for his portrayal of Pat’s football crazed father, Pat Sr. Even though I can agree with the praise being thrown De Niro’s way, I was almost equally impressed by Chris Tucker’s character. Completely outside of his normal loud-mouthed range, Tucker demonstrates a more mature style of acting which shouldn’t be ignored. Once again, writer/director David O. Russell assembles a fantastic collection of talent and uses their glowing performances to constantly elevate his work.

Despite all of its commendable aspects, there are a few fair complaints with Silver Linings Playbook. Most notable is an uncomfortable and awkward feel surrounding the character Jake Solitano (played by Boardwalk Empire‘s Shea Whigham). As Pat’s older brother, Jake never finds his niche in the story and it results in plenty of stumbling scenes. Knowing that Silver Linings Playbook is based on Matthew Quick’s novel of the same name, maybe Jake’s character serves a more purposeful role in that platform. Yet, here he does nothing but detract from the otherwise smooth flowing pace of the film. Another small blemish with the feature is some inconsistencies revolving around the final scenes. The audience, like Pat, is force fed a dose of reality that his ex-wife is no longer interested in talking to him. As if her restraining order against him isn’t proof enough. Therefore, when she comes back into the story at the movie’s conclusion, it feels like a bloated Hollywood-esque move on behalf of the writer and director David O. Russell. While none of its faults are detrimental to the success of the film, Silver Linings Playbook easily moves past these flaws and remains one of the year’s best pictures.

With an early head of steam in the race to the Oscar’s, David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook is a serious contender. Finding a large amount of solace in its surprisingly original comedic tone, this Oscar hopeful is in a league of its own. Because of a dazzling ensemble and a lovable pair of crazed characters, Silver Linings Playbook clearly stands out among its Oscar competitors. Due out around Thanksgiving, Silver Linings Playbook is the type of fun and energetic film you make it a point to see. Heed my advice and mark your calendars.

Grade: 4/5

Feel free to check out other work by MCDave at Movie Reviews By Dave

 

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Sessions

by MCDave

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, 2012’s Sundance Film Festival must have been one for the ages. The large crop of impressive films to come out of this year’s indie competition has been nothing short of remarkable. One of the two biggest winners at the festival comes in the form of Ben Lewin’s The Sessions (the other being Beasts of the Southern Wild). It’s a welcome back to writer and director Ben Lewin, who finds himself in the driver’s seat of his first feature length film in almost 20 years. Lucky for us, Lewin’s triumphant return to the director’s chair is nothing short of spectacular.

The Sessions tells the real life story of a polio stricken poet named Mark O’Brien (played by John Hawkes), a  remarkable man who refused to be defined by his condition. With the virus weakening his muscles and lungs, O’Brien spent much of his life confined to an iron lung. Able to survive outside of his iron box for only a few hours at a time, the religious 38 year old O’Brien finds himself at church talking to Father Brendan (played by William H. Macy) about a troubling issue. Concerned that his life clock is running out and desperately wanting to experience sexual ecstasy, O’Brien asks the priest if god would forgive his pursuit of sex outside of marriage. Somewhat baffled by the question, Father Brendan mulls over the idea and finally gives Mark his blessing. O’Brien then seeks out a sex therapist (played by Helen Hunt) to accommodate his delicate set of circumstances and guide him through his first sexual experience.

With a premise so wacky it could only be true, The Sessions finds itself as one of the most heartfelt and emotionally attachable films in recent memory. Writer and director Ben Lewin hits all the right notes and delivers one of the year’s finest scripts and finished products. The Sessions is clearly intended to be a sentimental drama, yet Lewin’s comedic style of writing adds a lighter side to the film that forces the audience to connect with its characters. And with a script in the mold of this one, it’s essential to back up the writing with a gifted cast. Lewin goes above and beyond anyone’s expectations with the casting decision of John Hawkes as his leading star. Not only did Hawkes receive lengthy standing ovations after The Sessions premiered at Sundance, his performance undoubtedly warrants a Best Actor Nomination from the Academy. Hawkes crafts one of the most endearing and likable characters in cinema history. O’Brien’s lovable demeanor will bring laughs and tears to nearly everyone in the audience, proving that Hawkes is well deserving of the abundant praise he is sure to receive throughout his awards season run. As if Hawkes’ portrayal isn’t enough, Lewin conjures up an unforgettable supporting cast which will almost certainly find an additional nomination or two at the 2013 Oscars. Most likely is supporting actress Helen Hunt who proves to be very secure in her body throughout many of the racy sex scenes. Hunt offers her finest role in over a decade, one that is sure to help resurrect her career. It’s also worth noting the fine onscreen effort given by William H. Macy as O’Brien’s priest, friend and confidant. All in all, The Sessions is an extremely uplifting and multifaceted piece of filmmaking.

There’s many obstacles when branding a feature that revolves around the idea of sex. It’s a somewhat taboo element often very difficult to pull off. Lewin addresses the topic with such humility and wholesomeness that it’s hard to not fall in love withThe Sessions. Having written the script, helped with casting, and directed the feature, Ben Lewin is clearly the man behind the curtain. His phenomenal vision helped transform this amazing true story into a brilliant cinematic creation. And if all of these glowing attributes aren’t enough to peek your interest, let it be known that The Sessions‘ modest 95 minute runtime breezes by with ease. Every second of the film helps to build up to a gigantic emotional conclusion that both satisfies the audience and puts a beautiful bow on the end of the story. Without a flaw in sight, The Sessions is undoubtedly one of 2012’s greatest offerings.

As the brightest spot of the 21st annual Philadelphia Film Festival which also included big name features like Silver Linings Playbook, Flight and Cloud Atlas, The Sessions proved to be the most honest and touching finished product in the bunch. Genuine and sincere, the movie never attempts to be something larger than it truly is. There’s a special vibe flowing throughout The Sessions that sets it apart from other awards season contenders. The picture is much funnier than you’d imagine and even more heartfelt than you’d expect. While The Sessions finds itself in the midst of a limited release, I expect it to reach theatres everywhere as the Oscars draw near. Either go out of your way to see the film now or remember to keep an eye out for its expanded theatrical release. The Sessions is definitely one of the “must see” movies of 2012, you can’t miss it.

Grade: 5/5

You can view other work by MCDave at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Flight

by MCDave

Legendary director Robert Zemeckis lets his credentials speak for themselves. With a loaded filmography boasting undoubted hits such as Forrest Gump, Back to the Future and Castaway, Zemeckis’ long awaited return to live action is – as Ron Burgundy would say – “kind of a big deal”. His triumphant return comes in the form of Flight, a dark drama about a troubled airline pilot suffering from a severe substance abuse problem. If that wasn’t enough to get you excited, teaming up with Zemeckis in the leading role is Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. Now, with all of the proper ingredients securely in place, Zemeckis and company manage to elevate Flight to successful heights.

Denzel Washington stars as divorced airline pilot Whip Whitaker, a full blown alcoholic with an occasional taste for all different kinds of harder drug concoctions. But when a routine flight from Florida to Georgia experiences a disastrous plane malfunction, an under-the-influence Whitaker pulls off some nose-diving heroics that help to soften the crash. Having miraculously saved 96 of 102 lives on board the plane, Whitaker ironically finds himself at the center of a crash investigation. In the midst of a massive downward spiral, Whitaker embattles the possibility of criminal manslaughter charges and, even worse, his destructive substance abuse addiction.

Director Robert Zemeckis’ Flight is a well-rounded and emotionally effective character study of one man’s personal battle with addiction At the center of the film is Denzel Washington, a gifted actor who needs no introduction. Screenwriter John Gatins serves up a script that allows Washington to take his character’s portrayal to some very dark and disturbing places. Almost effortlessly, Washington molds Whitaker’s psychologically flawed character into such an alluring and spellbinding anti-hero. Although Whitaker rarely gives the audience any legitimate reason to sympathize with his condition, you’ll want so badly for him to put down the bottle when the moments of truth happen to arrive. Even when Whitaker clearly deserves no remorse, Washington demonstrates an uncanny ability to elicit sympathy from the viewer. It’s acting at its finest, and I would be downright shocked if Washington wasn’t recognized with an Oscar nomination for yet another brilliant on screen display. In addition to the greatness of the film’s leading star, actor John Goodman commands every second of screen time given to him. Everything from his perfectly cued grand entrance to his outrageously hilarious final scene, Goodman offers the feature’s most likable character. And for as memorable as Goodman’s drug-dealing character is, Zemeckis and Gatins never overuse him or rely too heavily on his efforts. As a result, Flight is a crowd-pleasing drama that satisfies at the hands of smart directing and superb acting.

Even though Flight works well as a character-driven drama, Zemeckis’ return to live action is far from unscathed. For starters, Flight hits a noticeable lull during its second act which consequently disrupts the flow of the film. The movie begins in impressive fashion with its eye-opening hotel scene followed by a tension filled airplane free fall. However, the film’s post-crash middle portion spends a prolonged amount of time focusing on a rather unnecessary character (the drug addict Nicole) and the depths of Whitaker’s problems with alcohol. But just as the film begins to recycle itself to the point of exhaustion, Zemeckis returns to the investigation and closes out the film in an emotionally satisfying style. Another significant detraction from Flight is the inconsistencies of screenwriter John Gatins. While carefully-timed comedy has always been a major staple of Zemeckis’ more dramatic work, Gatins fails to successfully land a couple of intended “funny scenes”. The hospital scene with Whitaker’s co-pilot Ken Evans (played by Brian Geraghty) is the perfect example of poorly timed humor. At what should have been a memorable Oscar-type of dramatic scene, Gatins swings and misses at mocking religious fanatics. Although Flight clearly suffers from infrequent interruptions in both mood and plot progression, a worthwhile conclusion makes it easy to overlook and ignore these tiny imperfections.

Once again, Robert Zemeckis gets the most out of his leading star and the payoff is another solid addition to his resume. Denzel Washington deserves all the praise he’ll receive on route to a sure-fire Best Actor Nomination by the Academy. Despite his portrayal as a mightily flawed anti-hero, Flight‘s greatest conquest is how it forces the audience to be forgiving and slightly irrational toward Washington’s rather unlikable character. Both highly entertaining and emotionally charged, Flight is far from perfect but still worth the price of admission. Take a shot on Flight and you won’t regret it.

Grade: 4/5

You can check out more from MCDave at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Cloud Atlas

by MCDave

One of the highlights of this year’s Philadelphia Film Festival came in the form of Tom Tykwer and Andy & Lana Wachowski’s (The Matrix trilogy) epic sci-fi adventure Cloud Atlas. Based on David Mitchell’s award winning book of the same name, Cloud Atlas attempts to interconnect the entire past, present and future of human civilizations by weaving together multiple stories that span over six different centuries. In doing so, the trio of directors inherently offer a somewhat jumbled mess of concepts and ideas. But what a beautiful mess it is.

The best way to describe Cloud Atlas is to parallel it to a puzzle box. You see this complete and beautiful “big picture” that is pristine in every way imaginable. Each color delightfully complementing the other and the idea so flawlessly captured, it’s just … perfect.  But similar to the movie, you open the box and the perfection is broken up into pieces scattered everywhere. Each of these pieces waiting patiently for you to put them in their proper order, waiting to serve their purpose to the bigger picture. Cloud Atlas is an enormous six-movies-in-one journey, it’s a puzzle. And for that reason, Cloud Atlas deserves every bit of your viewing attention. I firmly believe that it’s a story so grandiose that it’s virtually impossible to dissect and piece together the puzzle in only one viewing. And also for that reason, it not only becomes one of the most polarizing films in recent memory, but Cloud Atlas becomes a cine-phile’s dream project. One that I proudly accept. You can be assured that I plan on watching the remarkable two hour and 43 minute journey many times in my future.

As creatively profound and visually groundbreaking as Cloud Atlas is, the film is by all accounts mightily flawed. But sometimes blemishes can give off a large sense of character, and that holds true with this feature. I recall leaving the theatre somewhat perplexed by what transpired on screen and thinking to myself “there was no emotional punch, there was no shining moment”. And for a film of this magnitude, that type of impact is essential. For this reason alone, Cloud Atlas becomes an understandably displeasing adventure for much of its audience. However, lack of comprehension often leads to massive disappointment in all different kinds of art forms. I tried my hardest to look past this glaring fault and to place my focus solely on Tykwer and the Wachowski’s message of an interconnected history of humanity. Recollecting the film in this light, I can honestly say that Cloud Atlas is one of the most fascinating movies I have ever had the pleasure of seeing.

To truly appreciate the entirety of Cloud Atlas, you must first be consumed by each of its stories on their own. The film does a remarkable job of giving an absorbent amount of life to all of the different stories and making them feel extremely unique and disjoint, yet so entwined to a larger agenda. And while none of the feature’s long list of stars particularly stand out (except the underrated Jim Broadbent), Cloud Atlas and its numerous plot lines still serve their purpose and prove to be quite effective. Not only do the stories leave enough clues to unravel the mystery behind Cloud Atlas, they’re exceptionally entertaining and they help you to ease your way through the lengthy sounding duration.

Trapped inside of Cloud Atlas is a beautiful picture waiting to be pieced together. With the appropriate amount of time and effort, it can be. Be warned, Cloud Atlas is definitely not a movie for everyone. It requires all of a viewer’s attention and it demands a level of focus and thought that far exceeds the average Hollywood release. Therefore, we should both love and hate Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski’s for this ambitious piece of work. If you’re up for the challenge, there’s plenty of greatness hiding inside of Cloud Atlas. If not, please move along.

Rating: 4/5

You can check out other MCDave reviews at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Seven Psychopaths

by MCDave

We’ve all heard the phrase, “sophomore slump” before. It often refers to a sub-par second performance given by an athlete, author or even a Hollywood director. After a successful Oscar Nominated effort for his debut film In Bruges (albeit for its screenplay), Martin McDonagh returns with his follow up feature Seven Psychopaths. Boasting a star-studded cast with the likes of Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken and Woody Harrelson, it goes without saying that McDonagh’s Seven Psychopaths is anything but a “sophomore slump”.

Marty (played by Farrell) is struggling with the screenplay for his next movie “Seven Psychopaths”, but with the right kind of inspiration it could be a masterpiece. Yet, when Marty gets caught up in a dog-napping fiasco with his best friend Billy (played by Rockwell) and Billy’s partner in crime Hans (played by Walken), escaping a maniacal cold blooded killer like Charlie (played by Harrelson) may be all the inspiration Marty needs.

 

 

Seven Psychopaths is the type of imaginative and twisted off-the-wall comedy that resonates with audiences for a lifetime. Behind the creative genius of writer and director Martin McDonagh, Seven Psychopaths gets by on a clever script, crafty dialogue and a collection of gifted actors. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of McDonagh’s second feature is his ability to engineer multi-dimensional characters that the audience naturally clings to. Through the use of brilliant narrative and an onslaught of hysterical scenarios, Seven Psychopaths becomes a timeless comedy that clearly requires multiple viewings. Another aid in developing such strong characters comes from the versatile ensemble that McDonagh brings together. Most notable is Sam Rockwell who offers up an Oscar-style performance as Marty’s best friend and dog napper extraordinaire, Billy. Rockwell takes control of the feature and commands the audience’s attention with every precisely timed punchline and perfectly branded nuance. Despite Rockwell’s elevated level of performance, Seven Psychopaths succeeds because of the entire collective work of its talented cast. The manner in which Christopher Walken, Colin Farrell and Woody Harrelson feed off of Rockwell and each other is nothing short of groundbreaking. Their witty back and forth banter is absolutely hysterical and almost rhythmic. McDonagh manages to bring together a cast for the ages and a script that’s perfectly complementary to this group of actors. And as a result,Seven Psychopaths finds itself as this year’s best comedy.

In order to find any blemishes with McDonagh’s second effort, you really have to get nit-picky. One obvious flaw rests in the complete lack of realism to the story and its circumstances. However, we’re dealing with a comedy here so, in retrospect, how believable does the film really need to be? In fact, one of the most admirable qualities of Seven Psychopaths is its ability to transcend normalcy and take you to a world far crazier than the typical movie experience. Furthermore, a more unforgivable flaw occurs in the brief post-credits scene that McDonagh unfortunately decides to include in the film. This short-lived pay phone scene is awkward, strange and all together out of place. Completely unnecessary, it’s worth noting that the director could have done without that one. Otherwise, Seven Psychopaths is a wild, energetic and insanely fun time.

 

 

Many writers and directors find difficulty in elevating their work after a successful debut. McDonagh not only reaches the same level as his first feature In Bruges, he far exceeds it. Seven Psychopaths only reaffirms McDonagh’s creativity and ingenuity among Hollywood’s best and brightest, illustrating that the writer/director has a long and prosperous career ahead of himself. Seven Psychopaths is never short on laughs and the comedy proudly sets the bar for its genre. Superbly original, Seven Psychopaths hits theatres everywhere on Friday October 12th and it’s definitely the type of laugh out loud experience that you won’t want to miss.

 

Overall: 4.5/5

 

You can also check out MCDave’s other work at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Argo

by MCDave

Sometimes it’s easy to forget, but Ben Affleck already has an Oscar win under his belt. He took home a Golden Statue in 1998, along with co-writer Matt Damon, for his Good Will Hunting screenplay. But despite his early career honor as a screenwriter, Affleck has managed to find his niche in the director’s chair. With a phenomenal debut in the form of 2007’s Gone Baby Gone and a successful follow such as The Town, Affleck quickly found himself among the elite directors in Hollywood. However, with his third directorial effort, Argo, slated to hit theaters everywhere on Friday October 12th, Affleck graces us with his finest work to date.

Set against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 when militants scaled the fences and stormed the U.S. Embassy, Argo follows CIA exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez (played by Affleck) and the efforts he put forth in rescuing six Americans who escaped the kidnapping. While these six men and women discreetly took shelter in the Canadian Ambassador’s house in Tehran, the U.S. and Canada were in a race against time to try to rescue them covertly.

Ben Affleck’s Argo is a flawless instant classic that molds together brilliant direction, a dynamic screenplay and skilled acting. At the helm of the feature, Affleck uses editing techniques such as quick cuts to help build the action and suspense throughout the duration of the film. Furthermore, the director intertwines real life footage with his own reenactments, and the similarities are amazing. Affleck truly makes you feel as if you’re reliving the horrific standoff. Through his efforts, he creates an aura of authenticity that’s vital to the success of the film. He’s quickly proven that he’s a visionary director with a keen appreciation for detail. I’ve become very impressed with his work and I firmly place him among Hollywood’s finest. In addition to Affleck’s directorial efforts, perhaps screenwriter Chris Terrio is the unsung hero behind Argo. Boasting the smallest of credentials, Terrio crafts a screenplay for the ages. Using the most precise combinations of comedy and drama, Argo perfectly fluctuates between a tension-filled thriller and a surprisingly lighthearted affair. Argo is undoubtedly a movie for the ages and a force to be reckoned with come Awards Season. Its strength begins with the foundation of its script and flows all the way to the top with the vision of its director, Ben Affleck.

Another commendable aspect of Argo is the extraordinary cast used to bring this astonishing true story to the big screen. Led once again by Ben Affleck as the film’s central character Tony Mendez, Argo actually sees its most shining characters in the form of its supporting cast. Most notable is a shoe-in Oscar worthy performance given by Alan Arkin. Arkin stars as Hollywood Producer Lester Siegel who helps generate buzz for the fake movie being used in Mendez’s covert operation. He gives a performance every bit as strong as his Oscar Nominated turn in 2007’s Little Miss Sunshine. Arkin and his onscreen counterpart John Goodman are used like chess pieces to complement Argo‘s more compelling moments. Goodman, who portrays real life Hollywood Makeup Artist John Chambers, teams up with Arkin to provide quick wit and jocular dialogue essential to balancing out the ebb and flow of the movie. In addition to the pair of funny men, Bryan Cranston gives a stellar standout performance as Jack O’Donnell, Tony Mendez’s boss in the CIA. To Argo‘s benefit, Affleck makes the right decision by never attempting to take over the screen. While the wise actor/director shines when it’s needed, ultimately he allows the film’s interesting plot lines to lead the way. In doing so, he gives his colorful supporting cast every opportunity to fill in all of the empty spaces and completely round out the feature.

All in all, Argo is an amazing true story that manages to translate perfectly to the big screen. Affleck goes above and beyond both of his previous efforts and offers the best film I’ve seen in years. Argo is a faultless masterpiece and sure to make some noise in the Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor categories at the 2013 Oscars. Arriving in theatres nationwide on October 12th, Argo is the “must-see” picture of the year. Be sure not to miss it.

Grade: 5 out of 5

You can also follow MCDave at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Ruby Sparks

by MCDave

After building a career off of video documentaries for musical acts such as R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers and Weezer, directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris finally branched out in 2006 with the well received full length feature Little Miss Sunshine. After years of waiting patiently for the perfect sophomore project, the duo received the script for Ruby Sparks, a magical tale of love and the human mind. The film stars the real life couple Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan (who also penned the story) who light up the screen and make the work of Dayton and Faris seem almost effortless. With Ruby Sparks, the tandem of directors are sure to have another indie hit on their hands.

Ruby Sparks follows Calvin (played by Dano), an insecure novelist struggling with both his writing and his love life. After penning an American masterpiece very early in his career, Calvin lacks the inspiration and ability to rebound from the overwhelming success of his first novel. That is until he dreams up Ruby Sparks (played by Kazan), a beautiful and free-spirited young woman that inspires him to write again. And just when Calvin begins to worry that he’s falling in love with his character, Ruby inexplicably appears in his real life. Calvin then discovers that, with every word he types, he has complete control over Ruby’s actions and feelings. Therefore, giving him more power over the person he loves than anyone could ever handle.

 

 

Ruby Sparks is a colorful and imaginative love story that transcends the stereotypical romance movie and explores the raw emotion of human interactions. Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris take a clever rom-com premise and turn it into a well ranging psychological tale that circles through every emotion imaginable. Ruby Sparks begins as a magical experience filled with laughter and joy where anything seems possible. And all of a sudden, through the realistic eyes of writer and star Zoe Kazan, the feature unfolds like a genuine relationship between two people where issues of trust and freedom become tested. On one hand, Paul Dano’s character is the mastermind of Ruby, prideful and determined to make sure that their relationship succeeds … no matter what. This obsession with success leads to irrational behaviors and decisions that take Calvin’s and Ruby’s relationship on a downward spiral to the point of desperation. For such an unbelievable premise, Ruby Sparks is a remarkably earnest and genuine examination of love and relationships.

As well as a top notch script, real life couple Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan aid the authenticity and purity of Ruby Sparks. Their chemistry is obvious and their talents far exceed bigger named celebrities who have made a career off of the romantic comedy genre. Dano is a truly gifted young actor that continues to impress with every new performance. And while Kazan is a lesser known actress, this role is sure to put her on the map and open the door for various opportunities. Kazan not only demonstrates her dazzling ability to act and entertain, she also portrays a strong future as a writer in Hollywood as well. In fact, outside of having no subplots and an ending that may irk some with its blandness, Ruby Sparks is a strong showing on almost every level. Another unfair criticism may come in the form of the screenplay’s inability to explain Ruby’s arrival. But as the movie and trailer so aptly describe it, sometimes “falling in love is an act of magic”. And for as much as people enjoyed Dayton’s and Faris’ debut Little Miss Sunshine, Ruby Sparks only raises the bar.

 

 

Unfortunately for many, Ruby Sparks may never get a mainstream release for a larger audience to enjoy. Either way, I strongly suggest searching out this little indie gem in order to dissect its important message. Despite such a wildly out of the norm storyline, the movie ends up feeling shockingly real, thanks to a pair of directors and an entire cast that complete the the difficult feat with ease. And although it may not arrive in your city until August or maybe even September, do the right thing and check out Ruby Sparks. It’s the most honest “relationship” movie since 500 Days of Summer and it’s one of 2012’s finest offerings.

 

Stars: 3.5 stars out of 4

Grade: B+

 

When staffwriter MCDave is out of the office, you can find him at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Snow White and the Huntsman

by MCDave

It was announced around the same time that two movies based on the fictional character of Snow White would be released in 2012. First, there was Mirror Mirror, a lighthearted and quirky take on the Disney Princess. The other being Snow White and the Huntsman, Rupert Sanders’ dark and Grimm-like interpretation of the iconic story. Headlined by Kristen Stewart, the star of the Twilight franchise, along with Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Charlize Theron, Sanders has everything imaginable at his disposal. But even with an Academy Award winning actress and one of the most famous stories ever created,  can the first-time director deliver?

Snow White and the Huntsman initially ventures back to the childhood of Snow White (played by Stewart). After the death of her mother, Snow White’s father falls victim to the luring charisma of the Queen (played by Theron). When the villainous woman murders him on their wedding night, the Queen overtakes the throne and the kingdom succumbs to evil. Eventually able to escape imprisonment from the Queen, Snow White must survive the dark forest and conjure up an army to reclaim the throne. With the aid of the Huntsman (played by Hemsworth) and seven dwarfs, Snow White attempts to restore peace and serenity throughout the land.

Director Rupert Sanders is given a large task with his directorial debut. Serving up a never-before-seen interpretation of a much anticipated blockbuster, the bar was set astronomically high. To his praise, Sanders delivers an astonishingly visual and profound journey into the childhood story that we all know so well. The director does a fantastic job of effectively using colors to set the mood for each and every scene. Easily the highlight of Snow White and the Huntsman, it’s no exaggeration to start talking about a possible Visual Effects nomination from the Academy. In addition to the film’s stunning visuals, actress Charlize Theron must once again be applauded for her magnificent work on screen. The remarkably gifted, Academy Award winning actress takes control of the film and shoulders all of the attention on herself. In doing so, she proves to be a much more reliable central character than the heroine Snow White. Theron effortlessly commands the screen and shows the audience multiple dimensions to the character of the Queen. In a similar approach to 2008’s superhero classic The Dark Knight, Snow White and the Huntsman is a daring rendition that ultimately succeeds because of its elaborate focus on the villain.

Although the dark fairy tale manages to work well on screen, it does so with a few blemishes. Snow White and the Huntsman starts out strong and hits a lull in the second act. The audience is forced to sit through a mid-section that is much longer than it needs to be. Surprisingly, the body of the film adds minutes to the runtime without ever offering much to the story. Flooded with uninteresting subplots and other various nonsense, the middle portion pushes the level of unbearable. However, just moments before you’re ready to throw in the towel, Sanders introduces the dwarfs and the comical characters give a much needed boost of energy to the feature. From that moment on, the movie picks up and the audience has no need to ever look back. Furthermore, for all of the praise given to Theron, it becomes almost too easy to criticize the casting decision of Kristen Stewart as Snow White. Offering up about as much emotion as a paper clip, Stewart only makes sense as Snow White by her appearance alone. Luckily for Sanders, Theron dazzles and Hemsworth proves to be adequate enough in his role to help sustain the film.

For the massive level of excitement I had prior to viewing the film, Snow White and the Huntsman came just shy of meeting my expectations. That being said, I must give the movie the respect it deserves and recognize it as the solid work that it is. Stunningly visual and original, Snow White and the Huntsman is a winning debut effort from director Rupert Sanders and his entire team. If you’re eager to see the picture, then I suggest doing so. Chances are, you won’t leave the theatre bitter with your decision.

Stars: 2 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: B-

 

When MCDave can’t be found on Geekscape he’s usually lost at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Dictator

by MCDave

Sacha Baron Cohen thrives on every ounce of controversial attention that he receives. The multi-talented actor, among other things, ingenuously helped re-spawn the mockumentary genre with his 2006 hit Borat. As a spinoff to a character from his HBO television show Da Ali G Show, Cohen constructed one of the funniest satirical comedies in recent memory. After a far less applauded follow up with his 2009 dud Bruno, Cohen and his joint-at-the-hip director, Larry Charles, have teamed up for a third attempt. And this time, they hope to restore their glory with The Dictator.

The Dictator follows Admiral General Aladeen (played by Cohen), the dictator from a North African country called Wadiya, during his travels to the United States. While in the U.S., Aladeen plans to address worldwide rumors that he is developing nuclear weapons. However, during his slumber in a New York City hotel room, Aladeen becomes the target of a ploy and is kidnapped by a U.S. government official. In the midst of his interrogation, the dictator has his signature beard cut off. Therefore, when he escapes from his kidnapper, Aladeen is left alone and unrecognizable while trying to survive in NYC. With the aid of a store clerk named Zoey (played by Faris), Aladeen attempts to restore himself to power.

With The Dictator, director Larry Charles and creator Sacha Baron Cohen once again dive head first into the realm of absurdity. In usual form, the pair continue their pursuit of stirring up controversy and habitual line crossing. Hence, The Dictator provides plenty of “guilty” laughs and cheap thrills that seem all too familiar. Far from the greatness attained by their debut collaboration Borat, the duo’s most recent effort falls short of their obvious potential. Incorporating a highly outlandish and barren plot with large amounts of shock value, the film’s comedic tone feels all too unimpressive. The Dictator, at its core, is nothing more than rehashed ideas thrown together in a jumbled, nonsensical script. It becomes clearly evident that Cohen cares more about stunning the audience than genuine filmmaking.

Although The Dictator is a far less successful attempt than their 2006 masterpiece Borat, the movie does manage to offer a constant source of laughs. Its cleverness is surely inferior to its predecessor, but the jokes still run rampant and some are undeniably hysterical. To its benefit, the feature succeeds in forcing the audience to laugh at scenes that they know they shouldn’t find funny. Much like Borat, this infectious guilt almost becomes addictive and serves as the movie’s brightest aspect. Furthermore, the film uses a minimal 83 minute runtime to its advantage. Never feeling abundantly dull or drawn out, Cohen and Charles seemingly recognize their limitations and take the safe approach by keeping the story simple.

As a comedy, The Dictator is a serviceable addition to the genre. On the other hand, as a movie in general, The Dictator lacks any real substance or fortitude. If you’re interested in seeing another typical Sacha Baron Cohen film at work, then you’ll probably find it amusing. However, level your expectations because The Dictator is far from the groundbreaking effort that Cohen once offered.

Stars: 1 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: C-

 

Staff writer MCDave can also be found spewing nonsense at Movie Reviews By Dave

The 5 Greatest Movie Moms

by MCDave

In honor of Mother’s Day, I wanted to show my appreciation by compiling a list of the greatest movie moms that we’ve grown to love. As is the case with any list, there must always be winners and losers. Let me preface the top 5 countdown by acknowledging the honorable mention moms (but don’t worry, we still love you). Honorable Mention: Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor (Terminator 2), Patricia Clarkson as Rosemary Penderghast (Easy A), Frances McDormand as Elaine Miller (Almost Famous), Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford (Mommie Dearest), and Renee Zellweger as Dorothy Boyd (Jerry Maguire). And the top 5 movie moms are …

#5 Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins (Changeling)

Uh oh ... if I remember correctly, my son's circumcised

Move over octo-mom, the constantly adopting Angelina Jolie is quite the mother in real life. Perhaps, that’s why the gifted actress was so memorable in her Changeling role as Christine Collins, a distraught mom whose 9 year old son disappears. But months later when the LAPD claims that they’ve found the boy, Jolie discovers that the kid isn’t hers. Going against the strange pressure put on by the 1920’s LAPD, Jolie fights tirelessly until her true son is found.

 

#4 Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy (The Blind Side)

She's sassy, but we love her anyway

Winning an Academy Award for her matriarch role in The Blind Side, Sandra Bullock plays a wealthy woman who convinces her family to take in a homeless African American youth named Michael Oher. With the love of his new-found mother figure, Oher accomplishes great things in the world of football and finds himself a first round draft pick in the NFL. The Blind Side is a remarkable true story that succeeds because of Bullock’s excellent work on screen.

 

#3 Sally Field as Mrs Gump (Forrest Gump)

Mama said they'd take me anywhere

In the 1994 classic hit Forrest Gump, Sally Field instantly became cinema’s most quotable mom. Through the lovable woman’s guidance and fantastic quotes about chocolates, her mentally deficient (but overly capable) son Forrest captures all of our hearts. Sally Field was phenomenal in the role and flawlessly demonstrates what unconditional love really means.

 

#2) Betsy Palmer as Mrs Pamela Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

You see, Jason was my son, and today is his birthday...

Cue the boos. I decided to go against the grain with this one and think outside the box. But, in all honesty, who can refute the motherly love of Mrs Voorhees in the original horror masterpiece Friday the 13th? Through the fabulous work of actress Betsy Palmer, the audience gets a firsthand glimpse into the loyalty and protective instincts of a mother. Willing to go the distance and kill for her son, who can argue against Mrs Voorhees as a loving and caring mother? Not I.

 

#1 Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts as Jackie Harrison and Isabel Kelly (Stepmom)

It takes two to make a thing go right

Attempting to stay as true as possible to the list, our winners come in the form of the duo played by Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts in the 1998 tearjerker Stepmom. The film follows a terminally ill mother who has to come to terms with the new woman in her ex-husband’s life. Sarandon illustrates an admirable amount of compassion and trust on screen. And most importantly, the tandem leaves you feeling that the children involved are going to be just fine.

 

That concludes my list, and a HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL YOU MOMS OUT THERE!

Writer MCDave can also be found at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Bully

by MCDave

With all of the hoopla and controversy surrounding the release of Bully and the MPAA’s refusal to lower the documentary’s rating from R to PG-13, I had to see the film first hand. After countless public outcries by film mogul Harvey Weinstein complaining that the movie would never be seen by its most intended audience, it was less than a week ago that director Lee Hirsch and the MPAA finally reached an agreement. Forced to remove three expletives from the original cut of the film, Hirsch made the necessary changes and Bully ultimately received the PG-13 rating it desired. Now, Harvey Weinstein (a businessman first and activist second) can rest easy.

Bully focuses on 5 central stories of recent torment, all of which are performed by middle school and high school students throughout the United States. Attempting to bring the severity of bullying to the forefront, the documentary examines the lives of current victims and, even in two accounts, the family’s of suicide victims. Hoping to spark some sort of change in the methods used by parents to raise their children and schools to monitor their students, the film journeys deep into this problematic issue.

Where do I begin? Bully serves as a much needed perspective into the lives of our nation’s youth. Throughout the film, the audience forms a bond with bullied adolescents such as Alex Libby (a unique boy who barely survived his massively premature birth), Kelby Johnson (a 16 year old openly gay female teenager in Oklahoma), and Ja’Meya Jackson (a verbally abused student arrested for her extreme actions to end the torment). Opening our eyes to the cruel and harsh reality that is every day life for countless youth all across the country, Bully is an appropriate platform to address the topic. Director Lee Hirsch, who claims to have been a victim of similar circumstances himself as a child, does an admirable job of confronting the issue with dignity and class. His efforts clearly deserve to be recognized and commended.

On the other hand, Bully fails to ever look to the future. Primarily spending its entirety focusing on the unfathomable stories of the previously mentioned trio of victims as well as two families coping with the suicides of their sons, the film never tries to conjure up any sort of solution to the problem. Other than presenting the viewer with the obvious flaws in our school systems and most districts’ lack of attention to the issue, Bully ignores any other suggestions for resolution. The audience is successfully made aware of this delicate, yet deliberate, dilemma, however, the documentary seems to believe that knowledge of the problem is all that needs to be done in order to change this unruly behavior. I, on the contrary, disagree and would have preferred it if Bully expanded its purpose and provided some insight into other ways to correct this ordeal.

Lee Hirsch does an honorable job of tugging at the audience’s heartstrings and presenting a clearer picture into the world of the abused. Perhaps screening the documentary to middle and high school students around the country will help prevent bullying. As seen by the heartbreaking stories of 17 year old Tyler Long and 11 year old Ty Smalley, both of whom took their own lives as a result of the chronic harassment, Bully has the ability to change people. But as compassionate as humans can be, sometimes nothing is more difficult for a child to overcome than peer pressure. And until our country can conjure up a better solution to help put an end to bullying, this problem may never go away … no matter how much we know about it.

Stars: 2 stars out of 4

Grade: C+

When MCDave isn’t on Geekscape he’s probably acting a fool at Movie Reviews By Dave

Happy Easter: The Top 5 Movies With Rabbits

by MCDave

It’s around this time every year that we come out of our cruise-controlled desolation and get rejuvenated by the uplifting Spring weather. The birds start chirping, the house windows open up, and happiness prevails. But it isn’t until Easter when you finally know you’ve successfully turned the corner on Winter. Therefore, with Easter fast approaching this Sunday and nothing more symbolic of Easter than bunny rabbits, I decided to comprise a list of the top 5 movies to feature rabbits. My roommates and I put our heads together and reeled off a pretty strong list of films, but as always not all of them can make the cut. Before we get started, let me acknowledge the honorable mention: Space Jam, Alice in Wonderland (the cartoon), and Harvey. Now to the Top 5!

#5 Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Get your own mystic cave!

Slightly a stretch, but who can forget the Rabbit of Caerbannog? In the 1975 British comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Arthur and the knights find their quest for the Holy Grail leading them to some mystic caves. In order to gain entrance, they are forced to defeat the killer rabbit. Arthur and company do so by using the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Now, the Rabbit of Caerbannog sure looks sweet and lovable, but we all know what he’s capable of.

#4 Bambi

Only Thumper can ease the pain

No one’s too man enough to downplay the sadness that we all felt from the 1942 (WOW!) animated Disney film, Bambi. When Bambi’s mom falls victim to the hunter, a little piece of each of us dies along with her. But thanks to the aid of Bambi’s big-eared sidekick Thumper, the pain subsides. And not only is Thumper a dose of good times, but the pink-nosed rabbit is also something of a philosophical humanitarian. Always remember, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all”.

#3 Watership Down

Animated rabbits GALORE!

My list of the top 5 movies featuring rabbits finds itself following up Bambi with a lesser known, but equally awesome, animated film called Watership Down. The 1978 film, which was an adaptation of an English novel, centers around the epic journey of a bunch of rabbits who are forced to seek a new home after the destruction of their warren. There’s no shortage of rabbits here, and that easily helps propel Watership Down to #3 on my countdown.

#2 Donnie Darko

Jake Gyllenhaal ... you've changed

No hesitation required, we all loved the 2001 sci-fi drama Donnie Darko. But before Jake Gyllenhaal turned into a beefcake (please don’t question my heterosexuality), the actor began his career as the title character in Donnie Darko. Having intense visions of a demonic rabbit named Frank, the outcast teen struggles to piece everything together. After some partying and life sacrificing time travel, the credits roll and we finally understand the true purpose behind Frank. Nowhere near as lovable as our animated friends previously mentioned, Frank’s still every bit as effective.

#1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Christopher Lloyd plays a good tube of toothpaste, am I right?

Cue the boos. It may be an unpopular pick (I sure hope not), but my number 1 movie to feature a rabbit is the 1988 fantasy-comedy-noir Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Having been born in 1983, you can call me a sentimentalist and I’ll gladly accept (or maybe I just have a thing for Jessica Rabbit … hubba hubba). There’s very little greater than Toontown, a suburb of Hollywood where toons and humans coexist. Roger Rabbit is the quintessential hardworking husband who just wants to know that his foxy wife isn’t sleeping around. Who can’t appreciate that? Serving up laugh after laugh, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is an obvious no-brainer for the best movie to ever feature a rabbit.

What did I miss, and what did I get right? You tell me. Leave a comment and spark a debate.

When MCDave isn’t on Geekscape he’s being more cordial at MOVIE REVIEWS BY DAVE

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Jeff, Who Lives at Home

by MCDave

Slowly, but surely, the writing and directing duo known as the Duplass brothers have been making a unique impression on the movie world. Brothers Jay and Mark (who’s most known for his role as Pete on the FX television show The League) first broke through the barrier in 2008 with their successful throwback to the comedy-horror genre called Baghead. Then, their follow up feature in 2010 came in the form of the comedy Cyrus. Both films, slightly awkward but carrying a sense of earnest realism, helped to define their original style. Now, in 2012 the Duplass brothers offer up their third release called Jeff, Who Lives at Home. Staying true to their roots, Jeff, Who Lives at Home is yet another strange blend of real life emotion and unusual characters.

Jeff (played by Segel) is a pot smoking slacker still living in his mother’s basement. Searching for a sense of meaning to life ever since the passing of his father, Jeff can’t help but wonder about his destiny. When Jeff’s mom Sharon (played by Sarandon) asks him to do a simple task, Jeff sets out on a wild adventure around Baton Rouge following so-called “signs”. Along the way he runs into his brother Pat (played by Helms) who’s facing a marital meltdown. Believing that there’s a bigger picture behind all of this, Jeff attempts to help save his brother’s marriage and finally unlock his destiny.

With their most resonating and successful release to date, the Duplass brothers use Jeff, Who Lives at Home as a platform to conjure up a poignant and heartfelt experience. I’ve always enjoyed how Jay and Mark seem to have their films come full circle in a convincing fashion. Once again, the writers/directors leave no loose ends in what will surely be one of 2012’s most fulfilling features. At the center of this genuine little gem is its remarkably honest script. As many in Hollywood will tell you, it’s virtually impossible to turn a bad script into a good movie. A well written screenplay is at the heart of any masterpiece. With Jeff, Who Lives at Home, there’s an exceptionally penned heart-filled story wrapped up in an awkward and unconventional shell. For all of the brow-raising nuances you’ll see onscreen, the film’s brilliant and uplifting resolve makes them seem almost necessary. Within all of this lies the true beauty of the Duplass brothers and their groundbreaking efforts.

Along with the movie’s satisfying big picture script and excellent direction, Jeff, Who Lives at Home works as well as it does because of Jason Segel. Starring as the lovable slacker Jeff, Segel helps bring a well intended persona to life. Jeff is an easy character to connect with and he becomes the necessary light in order to attract the audience. He sees the world in such a simple and childlike way that, as a viewer, you can’t help but pour every ounce of your heart into his journey. Segel’s performance is unforgettable and perhaps his most notable to date.

Despite its abundance of glowing aspects, Jeff, Who Lives at Home is far from flawless. Much like their 2010 film Cyrus, Jeff, Who Lives at Home is falsely being pitched as a comedy. Outside of the occasional chuckle, there’s nothing overtly hilarious in this feature. Similar to Cyrus, any overblown comedic expectations will create a sense of awkwardness and misunderstanding. If you walk into the theatre expecting to see a well crafted drama with a peppering of jokes, you’re level of appreciation for the film will surely skyrocket.

With a somewhat dragging 83 minute runtime, Jeff, Who Lives at Home is an otherwise wonderful destiny-filled journey. You’ll get caught up in Jeff’s personal quest for a purpose and, when all is said and done, you’ll leave the theatre completely moved by the entire experience. The film packs an enormous amount of heart in only 83 minutes. If you’re a sucker for an uplifting tale, then don’t hesitate to see the latest effort from the Duplass brothers, Jeff, Who Lives at Home.

Stars: 2 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: B

Note: When MCDave isn’t meandering around Geekscape, he can be found at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: We Need to Talk About Kevin

by MCDave

Ironically, since its debut at the Cannes Festival in France last year, We Need to Talk About Kevin has been the film everyone’s talking about. In retrospect, director Lynne Ramsay’s 9 year hiatus seems perfectly calculated, much like the actions of the movie’s title character Kevin. The film, which is based on a 2003 novel of the same name, has officially been in the works since 2005. Sometimes, good things are worth the wait.

We Need to Talk About Kevin follows Eva (played by Swinton), the mother of a teenage boy who executes a brutal massacre at his suburban high school. From a very early age, Eva senses something distinctly off with her first born child Kevin (played by Miller). As the years pass, Kevin’s actions become more and more destructive. Eva tries to confide in her husband Franklin (played by Reilly), yet he wants no part of it. “He’s a sweet boy” replies Franklin. Therefore, knowing she never did enough to prevent this horrific killing spree from happening, Eva spends every waking day bearing responsibility for the tragedy.

Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton leads a phenomenal cast in one of the year’s most explosive films. The actress is spot on in her role as an emotionally drained mother coping with a tremendous amount of grief and regret. The beauty behind We Need to Talk About Kevin rests in the psychology of its lead character Eva. As Swinton demonstrates perfectly, Eva’s guilt stems from two different places. First, she feels responsible for not stopping the monster she has seen brewing inside of Kevin since he was a child. Also, Eva sees far too much of herself in her son. All of her darkest qualities are brought out by Kevin and, as a result, she welcomes the abuse delivered by her community after the tragic events transpire. Such a brutally honest portrayal should have landed Swinton a Best Actress nomination at the Oscars, however, her exclusion from the ceremony was unforgivable. In addition to Swinton, Ezra Miller gives a fantastic performance as Kevin. Miller is remarkable in his role as a cold and cynical teenager. He takes command of every scene and it culminates in a spine chilling experience. Hence, We Need to Talk About Kevin succeeds, in large part, because of its amazing cast.

Lynne Ramsay does a spectacular job of masterminding an intense psychological thriller. The film creates an obsession for the audience, a desperate desire to know why Kevin has done what he’s done. All of this intrigue makes for a thought provoking movie experience. In a clever fashion, Ramsay gives enough scattered pieces of the puzzle to allow the viewer to put it all together. We Need to Talk About Kevin is wonderfully crafted and brilliantly executed. Therefore, it’s hands down one of the best films of the year.

As always, there will be a few naysayers and skeptics. Many will argue that the actions exemplified in Kevin’s early years are unrealistic and unbelievable. The young boy illustrates a stunning amount of understanding throughout his childhood. To me, however, this only strengthens the story and solidifies its authenticity. You should never take for granted the intelligence of children. And although the film progresses slowly, We Need to Talk About Kevin constantly builds in intensity and you’ll never want to peel your eyes from the screen.

Finally reaching cities across the United States in a limited release, We Need to Talk About Kevin‘s theatrical release schedule can be seen here. Now that the film is available in most cities from coast to coast, it’s a must see. And even though the movie revolves around a high school massacre, much of the violence is left to the imagination. Therefore, no excuse is good enough to miss this film.

Stars: 3 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: A-

When MCDave can’t be found on Geekscape, he’s probably doing damage at Movie Reviews By Dave

The Best Onscreen High School Parties

by MCDave

With the recent release of the most outrageous High School party movie ever made, Project X, I decided to pay homage to some of its predecessors. I decided to tally the top 5 onscreen High School parties of all-time. While compiling my list I took into account the amount of screen time attributed to the parties and how significant they were to the film’s central purpose. Therefore, some epic party scenes didn’t make the cut. My apologies to avid fans of my honorable mention list which includes Risky Business, Never Back Down, and Not Another Teen Movie. And the top 5 are …

Have you ever seen McLovin get down?

 #5 Superbad: Whether you lost it during the scene where McLovin’s cop friends unknowingly cockblock him or the instance where Evan’s blowjob offer turns into a puke parade, 2007’s Superbad has it all. Coupling unforgettable characters with a rowdy good time, there’s no question that Superbad‘s party scene is a memorable one.

Hey, who invited the mutant bikers?

 #4 Weird Science: In the 1985 classic Weird Science, Gary and Wyatt are best friends who attempt to create the perfect virtual woman. However, their wildest dreams become a reality when they actual create a real life hottie that they name Lisa. Lisa’s sexiness is far surpassed by her various superhuman abilities. The boys use Lisa and her powers as a way to throw a huge party, but things go mightily wrong when Lisa conjures up some mutant bikers to stir some controversy. With Weird Science, director John Hughes creates yet another legendary party scene.

Even the rock band Kiss loves a party in the woods

 #3 Dazed and Confused: Now is the perfect time to remind everyone that this list isn’t about which movies are better, it’s about the party scenes. With the 1993 coming of age classic Dazed and Confused, a mishap with the keg delivery forces a bunch of High School students to relocate their party to the woods. With notable scenes galore, both comical and dramatic, Dazed and Confused reminds us how awesome it can be to party it up in nature.

MILF's dig bow ties ... fact!

#2 American Pie: Desperate to get laid on prom night, 1999’s American Pie is the quintessential High School comedy. And when that faithful night arrives, the after party is filled with monumental laugh out loud scenes. Perhaps none of the post-prom storylines are as hilarious as Finch’s quest to take down Stifler’s mom. Kudos to you Mr Finch for giving teenage boys across the world a reason to believe.

It's always important to limber up before physical activities

#1 Can’t Hardly Wait: Having almost the entire film centered around one big epic party, 1998’s Can’t Hardly Wait tops the list. Offering more than just one of the greatest in-movie soundtracks of all time, Can’t Hardly Wait delivers an unforgettable look at a collection of High School Seniors in search of grandeur on graduation day. With characters like the goggle-wearing Kenny who debates “double bagging it” and the nerd turned big shot for an evening William, what’s not to love? Can’t Hardly Wait is the party we all wished we were at, and don’t try to deny it!

 

Note: MCDave also spends his down time critiquing films at Movie Reviews By Dave

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Wanderlust

by MCDave

Paul Rudd’s once up and down career has blossomed into a solid body of work. Beginning his upswing in 2004 with the instant classic Anchorman, Rudd then followed suit with another excellent supporting role in the hysterical comedy The 40 Year Old Virgin. After a few more successful secondary stints, his career finally took off when he starred in the 2009 smash hit Role Models. Just a mere three years later and Rudd finds himself once again teaming up with his Role Models director David Wain. But Wain and Rudd are no strangers to one another. The friends and colleagues have worked together on every film that Wain has directed, including their most recent collaboration, Wanderlust.

Wanderlust follows George (played by Rudd) and Linda (played by Aniston), a young married couple living in New York City and already struggling to make ends meet. But when George unexpectedly loses his job and Linda’s attempt at a documentary gets turned down by HBO, the duo can no longer afford their mortgage. While trekking to Atlanta to shack up with George’s more successful and far more intolerable older brother Rick, the husband and wife discover Elysium. Elysium is a commune-like property filled with dozens of free-spirited members living under the direction of a divine leader named Seth. Although the notion seems far fetched, could Elysium be just the lifestyle that this couple needs?

Wanderlust is an overly simplistic and re-hatched attempt at R-rated humor. The film’s story becomes lost behind the overly animated characters that exist on screen. As Wanderlust serves up its obvious plot twists, it becomes apparent how brutally shallow the movie really is. Rarely does a film cause its audience to give up on its leading characters so quickly. Pinpointing the problems in David Wain’s Wanderlust becomes a daunting task, mostly because there’s so much blame to go around.

In addition to its aimless plot, Wanderlust finds little solace in the performance given by its leading actress Jennifer Aniston. Although her co-star Paul Rudd is far from spectacular himself, Aniston is simply woeful throughout the film. With remarkable ease, the actress elevates her already unlikable character to a whole new level. But despite its questionable stars, Wanderlust does offer a wide variety of outlandishly comical side characters. With the aid of a few minor roles, there are a handful of laugh out loud moments which manage to keep the film mildly entertaining.

Unfortunately for fans of well written comedic genius, “shock comedy” has become the latest craze. Everything from the bathroom scene in Hall Pass to Maya Rudolph defecating on the street in Bridesmaids, the bigger the shock the better. Wanderlust rides this bandwagon and musters up plenty of full frontal nudity (both male and female). But don’t worry, I promise I won’t spoil the movie’s biggest shocker of all.

Wanderlust is a drifting hour and a half adventure to nowhere. Centered around over the top side characters and containing very little substance, the film becomes a somewhat purposeless experience. As is the case with any comedy, Wanderlust has the occasional highlight. However, the distant gap between these rare moments is far too difficult to withstand. Heed my advice and stay clear of Wanderlust

Stars: 1 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: C-

 

Note: When MCDave isn’t creating havoc at Geekscape, he’s critiquing films at Movie Reviews By Dave