Tag: Scarlett Johansson

Geekscape Movie Review: Jojo Rabbit

by MCDave

Philadelphia’s annual Film Festival brings elite Oscar-destined content to the tri-state area every October and this year was no exception. One awards season contender generating some serious buzz at year’s event is Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, a polarizing and relentlessly hilarious endeavor that, despite some early mixed reviews, continues to ride a wave of momentum following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. There, Waititi’s film captured the prestigious People’s Choice Award, an honor known for translating into legitimate Oscar success. And although Jojo Rabbit’s future seems inevitably bright, there remains a stubborn and steady critical backlash against Waititi’s effort. Yet, it’s a superficial and irrational sensitivity stemming from the film’s satirical spin on Hitler’s reign and Nazi Germany’s disgusting place in world history. But such complaints are wildly misplaced, as Jojo Rabbit delivers a tender and earnest coming-of-age story that spreads a message of love, compassion and acceptance at a time when it’s most needed.

The film follows 10 year-old Jojo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis), a young and impressionable Nazi-fanatic whose most loyal companion is his imaginary friend Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi). But despite Jojo’s blind love and admiration for the real-life Führer, deep down he just doesn’t have the makings of a ruthless Nazi soldier. So when Jojo discovers that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish teenager named Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in their home, he becomes torn between his love of country and a strange new friendship.

Photo by Kimberley French. © 2018 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

In an age of filmmaking riddled with unrestricted run-times and blatant over-extension, Taika Waititi provides a refreshing reminder that it’s possible to tell a sincerely funny, emotionally heartbreaking and morally uplifting story in both a fun and energetic way. Jojo Rabbit keeps a brisk cadence with hard-hitting and never-ending laughs that help navigate Waititi’s poignant tale. As writer, director and co-star, Waititi’s complete commitment and unwavering dedication to the film also prove to be the bloodlines of its effectiveness. Furthermore, Waititi’s wildly animated portrayal of Adolf Hitler is brewed with a wackiness and absurdity that always allows this emotional roller-coaster to circle back to its comedic roots. In the vein of The Great Dictator, a clear source of inspiration for Waititi’s vision, Jojo Rabbit boasts a fearlessness with its script and its performances that shouldn’t be overlooked. Waititi rounds out his cast with elite talent like Academy Award Winner Sam Rockwell and the always dazzling Scarlett Johansson. But most impressive are the turns provided by youngsters Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie, whose performances are perhaps most vital to the film’s success. McKenzie put her acting chops on full display in last year’s Leave No Trace, and proves it was no fluke by backing it up with another exceptional onscreen display. On the other hand, Roman Griffin Davis is an unknown who takes this first opportunity and makes the most of it. Countless performers in the film deliver the “Oscar goods”, so don’t be surprised if multiple cast members make an awards season splash. In addition to a well-rounded screenplay and brilliant ensemble, Jojo Rabbit’s cleverly worked soundtrack includes spectacular German covers of popular rock songs that help add even more layers to this well-rounded feature. The entire package is there, neatly wrapped in a pulsating and energetic exterior that solidifies Jojo Rabbit as one of 2019’s most enjoyable cinematic experiences and a bona fide Oscar contender.

GRADE: 4.5/5

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Rough Night

by MCDave

Back in 2009 Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids launched the R-rated female comedy genre into the middle of mainstream cinema. And since then, stars like Melissa McCarthy, Tina Fey and Amy Schumer have carried the torch through a mostly unspectacular crop of releases. But in-steps the eye-popping Scarlett Johansson, an unlikely character actress who finds herself starring in Broad City director Lucia Aniello’s feature film debut, Rough Night.

The film centers around bride-to-be Jess (Johansson), a state politician caught in the middle of a neck-and-neck race. Her former college roommate (Jillian Bell) demands an elaborate bachelorette getaway weekend, and things go completely sideways when a freak accident leads to a dead stripper in their shore house. Jess and her best friends need to put their petty grievances aside and work together to avoid some serious jail time.

There are a few strong positives provided in Lucia Aniello’s Rough Night. Cleverly scripted humor is sprinkled throughout, allowing the film to do more than just rely on raunchy and vulgar jokes. In addition, Scarlett Johansson transitions from drama to comedy with exceptional ease. Her performance is the glue that holds the rest of this up-and-down cast together. Co-stars Jillian Bell, Zoe Kravitz, Ilana Glazer and SNL‘s Kate McKinnon, who sports her finest Aussie accent, each offer a handful of shining moments. Yet, they also suffer from grossly embellished characters and instances of all-out absurdity. Sometimes the craziness is effective, but other times it’s a legitimate concern. Futhermore, Rough Night‘s secondary storyline following Jess’ fiance Peter (screenwriter and co-star Paul W. Downs) is way over the top. If you’re seeking some easy and constant laughs with little regard for a sensible plot, Rough Night will surely suffice. But if you’re searching for a comedy that’s plausible and grounded in reality, then you should look elsewhere.

GRADE: 2.5/5

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Geekscape Review: ‘Ghost in the Shell’… and thoughts on that ScarJo casting!

by AllieHanley

Opening this weekend is the much anticipated live-action film “Ghost in the Shell.” The story is based off of a Japanese Manga (1989) and the cult classic animated film of the same name (1995) from Japanese creator Masamune Shirow.

There’s a self appointed army of critics out there that are going to tell you this film sucks chiefly because it doesn’t have an Asian in the title role.

I am not that critic but that doesn’t mean the story doesn’t suck.

“Batou” played by Pilou Asbæk getting his eyes robotically enhanced.

“Ghost in the Shell” is a day-in-the-life of a cop who is investigating some murders that are politically motivated; And it’s also the plot of “Blade Runner” if you want to boil it way down to its essence with the classic story of “Frankenstein” thrown in for origin and motivation.

The visuals are nothing less than stunning and I believe on that alone a fair amount of people will be satisfied with this rendition of “Ghost.” The color palettes and the majestic city views have so much texture and grit you can almost believe this is our future.

The real reason “Ghost” legitimately is not winning me over is the lack of story development as well as the very thin characters. However, I will concede that “Ghost” is more of a day-in-the-life story and not a life story if you get my drift.

Even so, “Ghost” feels like a much bigger story and we only get a slice of it in the 106 minutes. It’s rare that you ever see a story lack of feeling too short. I can’t help but think if director Rupert Sanders had included 12 minutes of more scenes supporting character development that it would have made a world of difference. As is, “Ghost” feels shallow and I have no real vested interest in any character.

In my view “Ghost” could be an episode of any cop show on TV, throw in the Monster from Frankenstein as the lead detective, dress up the setting with futuristic visuals and then you would have “Ghost in the Shell.” I feel like I am stomping all over some of your beloved memories of the anime but this film rendition just doesn’t hold up to today’s standards.

The story revolves around “Major,” a robot with a human brain. Her creators have mixed messages on how they define her existence. One considers her to be a weapon, while another sees her as a human inhabiting a robotic body/shell.  Further, to make it all work, “Major” doesn’t remember her previous life (just like Frankenstein’s monster). In response to the missing memories she is told by her creators a fabricated story. One also emphasizes “that we are not our memories but we should base ourselves on our actions.”

“Major” is more robot than human, even in the way Johansson portrays her. The lack of humanity in the character also contributed to a disconnect between her human narrative, and I can’t help but think of the original “Robo-Cop.” It’s hard to feel anything for “Major” because she doesn’t seem to be feeling anything herself except two small scenes. One where she pets a dog, and another when she meets her human mother. Even so, “Major” is so confused by it, and there is no other stand-out scene where you can actually feel anything for the character, even when she is facing death.

Let’s switch gears and talk Paramount’s decision to cast Scarlett Johansson in the role and the critics who are tearing this film up based on that.

What did we learn from Kevin Costner’s “Field of Dreams?” If we build it, they will come. Sorry that’s just not true when applied to the film making process despite what a wide assortment of film critics seem to be saying by denouncing “Ghost.” Their reasoning is based on an internal quota count of Japanese actors lacking in lead roles.

Those same film critics seem to think that you can make a film out of a cult classic, that had moderate success, fill it with Japanese actors and that will equate to financial success for Paramount Studios who is shelling out millions of dollars to produce. Honestly, would you get out of your leather recliner positioned squarely in front of your big screen / surround sound home theater to pay $11 each and $30 for popcorn and drinks to see a film with no one you recognize?

Some of you might, because you grew up with the Manga and you enjoy Anime. However, the amount of people required to make this a financial success have never even picked up a Manga let alone seen the cartoon. So how do you make it a financial success?

Well you have to contend with the thought process of many Americans who consider this when selecting a film: Should I stay home and avoid having to deal with parking, the snot nosed kids and their parents who think it’s okay to bring a horde of small children to a PG13 film (that will neither sit down, shut up, and refrain from kicking the back of my theater chair), as well as the guy who smells like he’s never brushed his teeth in his adult life?

Is this somehow more appealing than just staying home and re-watching the director’s cut of “Blade Runner.” It’s true. Why do you think “Netflix and Chill” has become so popular… skip that thought.

That’s the reality of the movie-going experience in most towns who don’t have The Alamo Drafthouse that won’t put up with that behavior. I almost forgot, there’s also that annoying idiot who checks his/her phone every few minutes. If that’s you, for Gods sakes knock-it-off, you are rude!

So there are fellow critics condemning the film and calling it whitewashing and cultural appropriation.

The fact is Americans are staying home more often than not despite the increase in box office revenue (increase attributed to cost per ticket, and money spent on 3D, IMAX, and concessions). So when a studio plans to spend big money on a film, they aren’t checking in with the political climate of film critics who think they are gatekeepers to society’s thirst for films. They are checking in too what sells. That’s why we have so many brainless “Fast and Furious” sequels. Love you Vin!

Ladies and Gentleman, Scarlett Johansson is what sells. If you made “Ghost in the Shell” with an entire cast of Japanese actors (because it’s based on a Japanese story) then you might as well be making a film that is going to be released in Japan. When they made “Godzilla” (2014) with Aaron Taylor Johnson and Bryan Cranston no one went nuts, especially when Godzilla was attacking San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge (or was it the Bay Bridge?). Dang it, Godzilla is Japanese, it should have been attacking a bridge in Japan! Please, give me a break.

If the source material is Japanese why does that equate to having to have Japanese actors in it? I’ve seen Romeo and Juliet done a zillion ways in all sorts of languages and films from countries outside of England.

Casting well known actors in title roles is nothing new for Hollywood. Condemning “Ghost” claiming cultural appropriation steps outside of the bounds of being a film critic in my opinion. When did film nerds graduate to casting films in Hollywood? There’s a union in Hollywood dedicated to the entire craft of casting. It’s not about just the acting, its also about the bank each actor represents in relation to the budget of the film… in relation to how much the film could possibly make. If studios didn’t pay attention to this we wouldn’t get films like “Star Trek” and the reincarnation of the Star Wars Universe.

More importantly, the subjective qualification of Art should never be based on the day’s political trends. To do so, smothers the entire process of creation.

When you start casting films based on a quota of nationalities (notice I didn’t say Race) then you are defeating the purpose of art.

A movie like “Ghost in the Shell” couldn’t have been made without a Westerner in the lead and be an International success. The possible returns were too risky and the studio made the right call in casting her. If only, they had paid attention to the potential robustness of the story as much as the casting.

So film nerds get off you high horse and look at the economics, and further the choices of the film makers. Films are today’s pop culture, and if the market doesn’t support it and the demand is not there, then studios would not make it. If you insist on denouncing a film because it lacks your subjective list of nationalities rather than the merits of the film, then you are ultimately being a hypocrite. Let the art form speak for itself without having political motivation drawn into the opinion. This film is being released world-wide. Isn’t it better to have a mix of nationalities in the cast, than all Japanese? It’s a futuristic story and I see all nationalities co-existing in the future and living as one massive singular group.

Finally, I love science fiction films. There was a time when Hollywood wouldn’t touch science fiction. Nothing was being made because it all sucked and no one would go see a science fiction film in the theater unless it had Ridley Scott or James Cameron attached. If moviegoers don’t trek to the theater then we don’t get anymore science fiction films. If they don’t make bank then what are the chances of a film like “Arrival” even being made. Making a Hollywood movie is part art, and part business and critics who review need to stay out of politics and focus on the merits or lack of for the film they are reviewing.

To ensure the success of frankly, not a very ingenious story, Paramount did the right thing; they cast super star Scarlett Johansson in the title role of “Major.” The end.

“Ghost in the Shell” never explores these characters nor gives me any idea why they are willing to die for “Major.”

Bottom Line:

If you set your expectation to something lower than mind blowing, you might like it. The biggest thing going for “Ghost” are the visuals. There are no details left undone. I especially enjoyed the wide angles of the city where you can see what a possible futuristic Earth might look like complete with advertising in every nook and cranny. Those aspects reminded me a great deal of “Blade Runner” as already mentioned. The soundtrack has it’s moments but why didn’t they go with someone like Junkie XL or Daft Punk? That would have taken it next level in that department instead we get an average sound track.

Since this is just an ultra glamorized version of “Blade Runner” and even some aspects of “Tron,” I am going to give it a passing grade, but barely. The issue is that the story has way too thin a line of one-dimensional characters. You never get to see enough of them to really understand their motivations, even the villain. The only actor who gets a shadow of a chance to have some substance is Juliette Binoche, who plays one of the scientists who takes a motherly role over “Major.” She is the only character that makes the most sense in only that we get to see the repercussion’s of her decisions and her own way of dealing with them. The rest of the characters, even “Major,” have little substance.

Final Score: 2 1/2 out of 5

  • Rating:
    PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, suggestive content and some disturbing images)
  • Genre:
    Action & Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy
  • Directed By: Rupert Sanders
  • Written By: Jonathan Herman, Jamie Moss
  • In Theaters: Mar 31, 2017  Wide
  • Runtime: 106 minutes
  • Studio: Paramount Pictures

 

Check Out All Of The ‘Ghost in the Shell’ Teaser Trailers!

by Bigyanks

If you were glued to your T.V. last night for the Mr.Robot Season finale, you were also treated to the five teaser trailers released for Paramount’s ‘Ghost in the Shell’. The film, which stars Scarlett Johansen, caused an internet uproar for having whitewashed the lead  of the beloved manga and anime.

Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, “GHOST IN THE SHELL” follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.

The teasers offers a quick glimpse at the upcoming movie. The clips feature a scantily clad Scarlett Johansson, Neo Tokyo sets,a crazy looking Takeshi Kitano, a bunch of naked dudes sitting plugged into some device, and a dead eyes looking geisha. Her soul stealing eyes will haunt my dreams for a long time.

ghost-in-the-shell-2

Scarlett Johansson star as The Major along with Takeshi Kitano as Section 9 chief Daisuke Aramaki; Michael Pitt as Kuze; Pilou Asbæk as Batou; Juliette Binoche as Dr. Ouelet; Kaori Momoi in an unnamed role; and Chin Han, Danusia Samal, Yutaka Izumihara, and Tuwanda Manyimo as various members of Section 9.

‘Ghost in The Shell’ hits theaters March 31, 2017

From Marvel With Love, Feige Committed To Making ‘Black Widow’ Movie

by Bigyanks

Marvel will finally let Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) take on her own solo film. Fans of the MCU have been wanting this for a long time especially during the public outcry for more female leading roles in Hollywood. I just hope people wont complain about the Russian character being whitewashed. Marvel had even tried to quench that thirst by previously stating that the Captain Marvel movie would be about Carol Danvers.

In an interview with Deadline, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige spoke about a solo Black Widow film, and her role in the MCU.

“We’ve announced the next nine movies, ten counting Civil War, through the end of 2019. Where we go beyond that are ongoing discussions that we’ll focus on in the next few years because we have a lot to do before then. Of the characters that you’ve just mentioned I would say certainly the one creatively and emotionally that we are most committing to doing is Black Widow.

“We think she’s an amazing character. We think Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of her is amazing. She’s a lead Avenger and has amazing stories in her own right to tell that we think would be fun to turn into a standalone franchise.”

In the mean time you can catch Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)  choosing sides in Captain America: Civil War, now in theaters.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Hail, Caesar!

by MCDave

The dynamic sibling duo of Joel and Ethan Coen have already left a tremendous imprint on the film industry. As gifted writers and prolific visionaries who are all too familiar with Oscar acclaim, any entry of theirs is graciously accepted by critics and viewing audiences alike. Oddly, though, Joel and Ethan’s latest cinematic work, Hail, Caesar!, lands as an early year release competing in theaters against numerous elite Oscar contenders, something the brothers haven’t experienced since they debuted The Ladykillers in March of 2004. But despite their multiple pieces of Academy Award-winning hardware, Hail, Caesar! reveals itself as a comedy-heavy film that’s far from the brothers’ finest achievements.

Set throughout 1950s Hollywood, Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is a movie executive for Capital Pictures who’s known for cleaning up a mess or two (or three). If a director encounters a problem or the acting talent becomes entangled in a poor decision, Eddie arrives to reset the world back to normal. But when the studio’s most prominent release of the year is compromised because its leading star, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), is kidnapped and held for ransom, Mannix begins to question his love for the job while he works to fix this potentially final problem.

hail1

Although it suffers from a few devastating flaws, Hail, Caesar! serves as another fine comedic endeavor for the Coen brothers. The laughs are endless and the film’s tone is almost absurdly jocular enough to overshadow its blatant disregard for a cohesive storyline. This self-mocking examination of Hollywood and filmmaking in general possesses a certain spark and bravado that eases the viewer to the final credits. Hail, Caesar! engages with a natural wit and humor that’s effortlessly provided by a star-studded cast which includes Brolin, Clooney, Channing Tatum, Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Fiennes and newcomer, Alden Ehrenreich. Be warned, though, the film is completely devoid of any dramatic elements whatsoever, making Hail, Caesar! a limited effort from a duo with unlimited potential.

hail 2 (extra)

Through no fault of its own, Hail, Caesar! will unfairly be measured beside a long list of exceptional titles previously released by the Coen brothers. And in no way, shape or form can this new entry stack up against hits such as Fargo, No Country for Old Men and The Big Lebowski. Structurally, the Coen’s offer a jumbled story that struggles to develop characters and deliver a meaningful message. The film is riddled with random scenes and highlighted moments that work well on their own but fail to amount to a greater whole.

If you’re dying for the next great Coen brothers epic, you’ll have to keep waiting. Hail, Caesar! is a reasonable comedy that gets by on mild humor and admirably committed performances. Yet, the film falls well shy of the duo’s reputable heights which will surely disappoint many. Rushing out to theaters to catch it on the big screen may be a bit rash, but there are still a few reasons worth enjoying Hail, Caesar!.

GRADE: 3/5

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The Newest ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ TV Spot Will Make Your Adrenaline Pump

by Eric Francisco

We’re knee-deep in the storm that is the promotion for Avengers: Age of Ultron and I’m not complaining one bit. I’m stoked as hell and I’ll be there with the entire world at the midnight premiere. But until then I’m watching the trailers on an endless loop, and we’ve just been given another one to throw on rotation: the second TV spot that is nothing but energy and humor.

Unlike the morose, darker tone of the previous trailers complete with a haunting rendition of Pinocchio as metaphor, this one is a full-minute of action and humor with MTV-style kinetic energy. It’s the perfect wake up to that 3 PM slog you’ll have at work today. Watch this and you’ll want to run laps around the parking lot.

Loaded with new footage, the clear highlights are Thor/Cap’s impromptu t-ball with the shield and Quicksilver’s wonderfully cartoonish Russian accent. Plus, all the signature jokes you’ve come to expect by now.

Avengers: Age of Ultron will be released you know damn well when. (May 1.)

Scarlett Johansson Signs On For ‘Ghost in the Shell’

by Eric Francisco

According to Variety, The Avengers and Her star Scarlett Johansson has signed on to DreamWorks’ live-action American adaptation of iconic Japanese anime Ghost in the Shell. Rupert Sanders (director of Snow White & The Huntsman) is on board to direct, with Avi Arad (producer of the Spider-Man trilogy) and Steven Paul as producers. Their screenplay comes from Bill Wheeler, who seems to be well within the spy-thriller genre in case you want an idea how this adaptation might play out.

From Variety:

Johansson is set to star in DreamWorks’ adaptation of the popular anime pic “Ghost in the Shell.” Deadline Hollywood had reported that the actress had the offer to star but at the time she was still undecided about taking the role. Sources now say she has agreed to star in the pic.

 

The story follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime.

Was Lucy a success? An action heroine is something I’ll always get behind, but somehow I always miss those movies opening weekend. Salt, Columbiana, Lucy, and yet I’ll shake my fist at the studios for not having Gamora or Wonder Woman front and center of their superhero movies. I’m a hypocrite. Burn me at the stake.

I’m not sure which part I should concentrate on here. I’m excited for Scarlett Johansson’s star to keep rising because I think she has the talent and charisma to become a true triple-A blockbuster icon, but I can’t get excited for an American Ghost in the Shell. I have no stake in honoring the source material because I’m not the biggest anime fan, so they’re free to deviate as they wish for all I care, but even I know Hollywood’s shitty track record on adapting Asian properties for American shores. There is a reason why Ghost in the Shell resonated with so many people on its own, but in turning it into something for everyone you lose a lot of nuance, more than just the gritty details of the who and the what. It’s the why of the story that gets muddled. I can’t really say I’m looking forward to that.

But hey, great for Johansson. I’ll be looking forward to seeing her kick more ass at least.

Watch The Extended Trailer For Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We all received a fantastic treat late last week when the first trailer for Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron leaked online, DAYS before it’s scheduled launch on last night’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Marvel blamed it on Hydra, which was a hilarious and lighthearted way of looking at the leak. Not wanting to leave any of us S.H.I.E.L.D. fans hanging, the studio attached a special look at the film on last night’s episode. If you we’re lucky enough to be in Hall H at SDCC this past Summer, than it’s nothing new for you, but it’s exciting to see the scene online and official.

It’s also fantastic to see the look on Thor’s face when Cap almost lifts the hammer, and now we can see it over and over and over again. The rest of the video is pretty much the trailer we’ve already seen, but I’m not going to say no to watching that one again. Take a look at the video below, and let us know if you’re excited!

Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theatres on May 1st, 2015.

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Trailer Now Online, Officially!

by Eric Francisco

LITERALLY NONE OF THESE WORDS MATTER. THESE ARE JUST WORDS. WHAT YOU WANT IS BELOW. But play along, please?

Earlier tonight the the much-anticipated Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer was leaked online. It was supposed to air during next week’s Mavel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But because this is 2014, of course it didn’t! After a pretty amusing, self-deprecating tweet, Marvel has decided “eff it, let’s just do it.” The trailer is now on their official YouTube page, in crystal clear high-definition.

The trailer has all the neat stuff I kept hearing about from San Diego Comic-Con this summer. The Hulkbuster, an Avengers party, Ultron himself. It’s all really neat.

My favorite part, though, is what James Spader’s Ultron (and it’s so unmistakably him) says in the trailer: “You want to protect the world. But you don’t want it to change.” There is an ongoing, neverending debate that I love getting into about the true nature of superheroes. As protectors of the status-quo, what is their role when the world needs changing? Not that I expect Age of Ultron to be political in any shape or form, but the movie (I hope) will continue to change the superhero genre and begin to ask questions we, the dedicated superhero nerds who hold up this art to a higher level than most, might be uncomfortable to answer.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron will be released in 2015 and it will make so much money.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Don Jon

by MCDave

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is far from a new face in Hollywood. His time in the industry dates back to the early 1990s, most prominently with his first real breakthrough role in the family film Angels in the Outfield. Almost two decades later and the gifted actor has decided to expand his artistic ability. Gordon-Levitt tackles his first attempt behind the camera with his directorial debut, Don Jon.

Jon (played by Gordon-Levitt) is a smooth-talking, physically fit bartender whose weekend streak of pulling “randoms” has landed him the nickname “Don Jon”. But despite the confident young man’s success with the ladies, Jon has a secret obsession with porn. Therefore, when he falls head-over-heels for a demanding woman named Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), Jon’s secret becomes too difficult to hide.

DON JON

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon is a big-hearted comedy that ultimately falls victim to a cyclic and monotonous approach. Underneath all of the recurring trips to the gym, Sunday confessionals and family dinners, resides a deeply dramatic story that’s worthy of acknowledgment. However, Gordon-Levitt bogs down the most notable aspect of his film with redundant scenes that we’re forced to sit through over and over (and over …) again. Throughout all of this repetition very little is actually gained or lost, making Don Jon‘s mere 90 minute running time feel more like an eternity. In fact, the feature’s most interesting character, Esther (who is brilliantly portrayed by Julianne Moore), fails to play a significant role in the film until it’s already too late. While Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut offers a meaningful story that culminates quite well, Don Jon gets lost in a tiresome cycle of ineffective moments.

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Although the movie suffers from its shortcomings, there are plenty of hilarious scenes and a strong uplifting moral to the story. Don Jon‘s side characters develop a winning sense of charm and charisma. The star’s onscreen friends are full of silly one-liners and outlandish behavior that help keep the jokes coming. They prove to be a breath of fresh air as you wade through the slower-paced moments of the film. But despite the fine work from Don Jon‘s entire supporting cast, an over-embellished vibe and an unchanging delivery are too much to overcome.

I’ve been a longtime fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt for many years now. He can be found all over my home collection of DVDs. And although Don Jon is a missed attempt, there’s still a commendable heart and soul to the feature that the budding filmmaker can clearly build on for the future. I wouldn’t count him out just yet. But in the meantime, you won’t miss much by avoiding the new comedy, Don Jon.

GRADE: 2.5/5

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Watch The First Trailer For Spike Jonze’s ‘Her’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: It’s weird, sure, but it’s also very intriguing.

Yep, it’s the very first trailer for Spike Jonze’s upcoming sci-fi romance, Her. The film tells the story of Theodore Twombly, a heartbroken writer who gets a second chance at love after getting a new, intelligent computer.

The film is very much a Spike Jonze project. The cinematography is gorgeous, performances look down to Earth and believable, and the plot is extremely odd, yet remarkably cute. I’d never heard of Her before today, but after seeing this first trailer, it’s most definitely a film on my watch list.

Her stars Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara, and Olivia Wilde, and hits theatres (in a limited release) on November 20th.

Set in Los Angeles, slightly in the future, “her” follows Theodore Twombly, a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive entity in its own right, individual to each user. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet “Samantha,” a bright, female voice, who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow, in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other. From the unique perspective of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Spike Jonze comes an original love story that explores the evolving nature—and the risks—of intimacy in the modern world.

First Trailer For Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Directorial Debut, ‘Don Jon’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Relativity Media has just released the first trailer for Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut, Don Jon. The film was a hit at the 2013 Sundance Festival (read our review here), and after watching this first preview, I can see why. The trailer is well cut, and the feature looks hilarious.

Don Jon stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlet Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, and more, and will hit theatres on October 18th! Watch the first trailer below, and let us know what you think!

Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a strong, handsome, good old-fashioned guy. His buddies call him Don Jon due to his ability to “pull” a different woman every weekend, but even the finest fling doesn’t compare to the bliss he finds alone in front of the computer watching pornography. Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson) is a bright, beautiful, good old-fashioned girl. Raised on romantic Hollywood movies, she’s determined to find her Prince Charming and ride off into the sunset. Wrestling with good old-fashioned expectations of the opposite sex, Jon and Barbara struggle against a media culture full of false fantasies to try and find true intimacy in this unexpected comedy written and directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Geekscape’s Sundance 2013 Review: ‘Don Jon’s Addiction’

by Anna Agadjanyan

Joseph Gordon-Levitt made a raw, funny, memorable, and very commercial comedy about a very little addressed issue: a guy’s addiction to pornography.  He wrote, directed, and stars in this film about a young NJ male, Jon Martello, who gets the “Don” nickname from his friends for his ability to bring home “10s” every time he goes to a nightclub. Don Jon’s issue is that even after he sleeps with these hotties, he is still left unsatisfied emotionally and needs to use his laptop to get a healthy dose of porn.  Like women, Don Jon objectifies everything in his life including his body, his religion, his apartment, his car, and his family.

It takes a perfect 10, Barbara, played by Scarlett Johansson, to shakes things up when she is not willing to sleep with Jon after dancing the night away in the club.  Luckily, his streak is upheld as he quickly finds another target, but he just can’t get Barbara out of his mind.  He start to properly date and court her, but unknowingly becomes completely whipped to her every wish, but one.  It’s the one promise that he doesn’t uphold, that leads to a real shake-up in his life, when Don Jon meets Esther, Julian Moore’s character.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Julianne more on the set of 'Don Jon's Addiction'
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Julianne more on the set of ‘Don Jon’s Addiction’

In his feature directorial debut, Gordon-Levitt does a ton of things excellently. The NJ characters are so well portrayed that they feel like some NJ residents I know from college. The characters are real, endearing, yet also super funny.  All the scenes in the nightclub are hilarious. Additionally, Tony Danza, as Jon’s dad is so great that he gives Robert DeNiro a run for his money on his Silver Linings Oscar nomination.  At the same time, he also balances the montages of Don Jon’s pornography with really clever and tight narration that advances the story while also drawing the viewer into why Don Jon really likes porn.  The porn scenes are all real and many contain recognizable faces, but were re-framed in post production to maintain an R rating.  However, several female audience members still felt it was a little more than they would have liked to see.

The always lovely Scarlett Johansson as Barbara
The always lovely Scarlett Johansson as Barbara

During the Q&A, Gordon-Levitt laid out the bigger theme that he targets in the film – the influence on today’s youth from the skewed messages they get in both mainstream media and pornography.  The film contrasts Don Jon’s stilted perceptions on life and women he gets from porn with the absurd messages about love and relationships that Barbara takes from the numerous Hollywood romance movies she is constantly watching.  Adding in the layers of family pressures, religious conventions, and peer pressure he makes a strong case for what a crazy world we live in.  The silver lining is that this film is so entertaining that a bunch of people will watch it and hopefully fuel some open discussion on this otherwise hushed topic. One final benefit is that finally some of Jenna Haze and Alexis Texas’ best work will be coming to a big screen near you.

Cast and Credits

Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Screenwriter: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Executive Producer: Nicolas Chartier

Producer: Ram Bergman

Cinematographer: Thomas Kloss

Editor: Lauren Zuckerman

Production Designer: Meghan C. Rogers

Composer: Nathan Johnson

Principal Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Rob Brown

Check out Anna’s other reviews from Sundance 2013 here!

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

Five Actresses Testing For ‘Captain America: The Winter Solider’ Love Interest

by Shawn Madden

With shooting set to begin in a few months, Captain America: The Winter Soldier directors Joe and Anthony Russo have a short list of five actresses to play the major “love interest” role in the highly anticipated sequel. The role has yet to be revealed but it’s safe to assume based on Cap’s history that these actresses are in the running to play Sharon Carter.

The list is comprises of Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones), Jessica Brown Findlay (Albatross), Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four), Imogen Poots (Fright Night)
and Alison Brie (Mad Men). There is no mention of Anna Kendrick (End Of Watch) or Felicity Jones (Like Crazy) who had previously been mentioned to be in the running. Kendrick at one point was even said to be the front runner for the role.

Additionally it has also been confirmed that Scarlett Johansson will be reprising her role as Black Widow in the film. Black Widow has been romantically involved with Winter Soldier in the comics but it’s unknown currently if we will see that in the film.

Source: Deadline

 

Top 10 Worst Actors-Turned-Musicians

by Noel Nocciolo

When I first heard Scarlett Johansson’s debut album, “Anywhere I Lay My Head”, it got me thinking about how many other actors there were out there who made records. Well, there were a lot. So, I trudged through quite a few to compile this list for you. These are the worst of the worst. The repeat offenders. These songs make you wonder what the hell is going on in the recording industry, and then realize that it’s full of a lot of people who take themselves, and their singing abilities, far too seriously. Feel free to thank me later. (Seriously, this was a painful undertaking – let’s talk musical bullets…)

#10. Milla Jovovich – She lands in spot #10 on this list because her voice isn’t terrible. In fact, at some notes it can be almost pretty. However her music for the most part is an almost comical Ukranian pop. Now, I certainly understand this given her roots; but it doesn’t make for compelling music outside of her home country. Another aspect of her musical talents that is almost comical is the music video for her lone single “Gentlemen Who Fell”. The expression she makes at some points in the video made me laugh like a mad woman…her eyes almost bulge from her face, Total Recall style. And what’s with the grim reaper character? Milla is a beautiful, talented woman…she’s just not a musician.

 

 

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eSCFAxxCO7Q 

#9. Russell Crowe – Yes, Russell Crowe is in a band, well was…errr….is? The actor’s most recent band is The Ordinary Fear of God; however back in the 90’s he was the front-man for 30 Odd Foot of Grunts. However sultry and smooth Crowe’s voice may be on screen, it doesn’t translate that well to music. He isn’t able to hit a lot of notes, and the ones he does hit he can’t actually hold for any length of time. It’s a good thing that almost nobody heard his music, otherwise it might have tainted his career!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lIwKkF50tMc&feature=related


#8. Bruce Willis – Willis released three albums during his career, the first two were in the 80’s and the latest, “Classic Bruce Willis” in 2001. For some reason, as bad as his albums were, I feel inclined to not give Willis too much hell about it. Here’s why:

He seems like a pretty stand up guy in personal matters of his life. Let’s take for example his divorce from Demi Moore. The pair never fought in public and have acted like adults and friends throughout the entire ordeal. Also, Willis’ career is the stuff that dreams are made of. And finally, he’s managed to stay alive and important in Hollywood since 1980…that is a very remarkable feat to accomplish in an extremely fickle business. Now, don’t get me wrong, the man is not a singer (please, please never buy his music) and his albums are absolutely terrible – but he didn’t sell himself out as much as let’s say… Hasselhoff.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=C8mL_QM6jEU&feature=related

#7. Jennifer Love Hewitt – She broke out into the music scene around the same time that she started garnering moderate successes within her acting career…and her music is bad enough to be on this list. For some reason she made it big in Asia, so record companies let her continue to put out music; needless to say, she didn’t have too much commercial success in the US. She is talented enough to help write her own music, but it’s so damn syrupy-sweet and sugar-coated that it makes you want to gag and leaves you grasping for water. Her voice rubs me the same way. I feel as though I could get diabetes from listening to more than one song. I know a lot of people with diabetes and I don’t want to get that from a song.

And she, like the other women on this list, runs the risk of appearing to be selling not only her vocals, but her body as well. Alas, little Jenn Love’s musical pitfalls haven’t hurt her career in the least; as she continues to grace the covers of men’s magazines flaunted as a sex-symbol and has managed to stay afloat with an acting career that, while not Oscar worthy, is quite consistent.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IiNRBijQ2XU

#6. Jennifer Lopez – It is a fact that JLo can dance and sometimes she can even act; but what she cannot do is sing. The diva’s songs fall terribly short when she doesn’t have someone like Nas or P. Diddy to help her through and it seems as though she can only hit one note. Thanks to a large budget and friends in good places, her beats aren’t too awful, but the writing is ridiculous:

“I stay grounded as the amounts roll in…I’m down to Earth like this…”

I somehow think most of America might disagree. She sings these lines while wearing nothing but high heels, red lipstick and a fur coat. Her songs constantly speak of how she came from humble beginnings to finally make it big in the business, but let’s all be serious…she hasn’t been “Jenny From The Block” in a long long time, so who exactly is she trying to convince? Her music videos beg one question- what exactly is she trying to put on the market? I get the feeling that it’s not her vocal stylings….

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iyZr0xBUR_E

#5. Keanu Reeves – Given that the actor has only one look (and it’s nowhere near as good as Blue Steel) what could we really ever expect from his band? Dogstar released their first album in 1996, shortly after Reeves’ film success with Speed. The band was never really commercially successful and it’s really no surprise at all. They tried to play on the grunge/ alternative rock movement that was making waves in the 90’s…but with some odd cover songs plucked from previous decades. The vocalist cannot sing…he sounds as though he is in pain when trying to do so, and the songs are boring and bland. I realize that even movie stars need to have hobbies, but why do we have to be subjected to them?

Link: No one should have to look at (or listen to) Keanu any more than necessary.

#4. Scarlett Johansson – You would think that it would be enough for one person to be both Woody Allen’s “muse” and one of the most beautiful women on the planet…not for Scarlett Johansson; she had to record an album too! I really wanted to like her record, and I swear I tried to do so, but it just wasn’t going to happen. So not only did Scarlett give herself the difficult task of recording said album, she decided that the material was going to be solely Tom Waits cover songs. This is really where she went wrong. Her voice, though smoky and sexy on screen, isn’t nearly complex enough on this album…instead it falls abruptly flat. She never came close to rekindling the fire that Waits had, even though it sounds like she really tried to. The whole thing sounds like something anyone could whip up with Garage Band – this album does not sound like a major label debut.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_27vvvStXI

#3. Steven Seagal – Ok, really. How the hell did Seagal get a record contract? Who is seeing his movies and listening to his music? I don’t get it. Where does someone get the idea that Seagal should even record an album in the first place? The “singer”, and I use that term very loosely here, struggles heavily through the vocals on both records released: “Mojo Priest” and “Songs From The Crystal Cave”- album titles that sound more like awful movies that he starred in. Seagal is heavily backed with decent musicians, so if you do decide to listen to his music, please don’t confuse the two. The worst part about the whole endeavor is that he seems to take himself seriously…trying to play guitar and sing…which seems to just be too big a feat for him to tackle – and this time he doesn’t have his stunt double.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7Qw5bKTBQE4

#2. Joe Pesci – Ok, Who didn’t love “My Cousin Vinny”? Really…classic movie. However, it seems that Joe Pesci just couldn’t let it go. About six years after “Vinny” premiered, Pesci recorded one of the worst albums ever, “Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings Just For You”, a stereotypical and cliche homage to his character in the film. For some inane reason every song on the disc is explicit (Did they really think cursing would add something to this record?). It’s hard not to laugh as Pesci basically talks his way through the entirety, spouting nonsense such as

“I’m a wiseguy…

[insert Mr. Rogers theme song melody]

lovely day in the neighborhood

lovely day in the neighborhood

for a drive by”.

Not only can Pesci not sing…nor does he really even attempt to, but I sincerely hope that whoever wrote the lyrics for this record has never worked since. This album has no redeeming qualities and it makes you sit back and wonder how hard it really is to get a record deal with Sony.

Shortened-edited version of a song…this is really all anyone should ever have to sit through. It’s so bad, you have to watch it…maybe that’s its appeal…hmmm….

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TTKGO20nxNs

#1. David Hasselhoff- Yes, Germans know beer and yes, they know cars…but what they don’t have a clue about is music – apparently. Enter David Hasselhoff – huge in Germany, ridiculed in every other western country. This guy has recorded more albums that I originally thought, and I knew he had at least a few under his belt. Hasselhoff was clearly not meant to be a singer. He shifts between a pseudo sexy whisper and a wailing cry more than KITT shifted gears. He’s mostly off key and sounds like he is taking his singing as seriously as he did his character on Baywatch. His songs all sound like they were recorded on an old Casio keyboard with crappy 90’s sound effects strewn throughout for good measure. Even more cheesy, however, are his music videos…check out “Hooked on a Feeling” for a strong belly laugh (it totally makes you understand his desire to drink). The only time I want to be watching David is when he is on his floor eating burgers and breaking promises 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJQVlVHsFF8

There are a few actors who sing and don’t actually suck. Yes, there are exceptions to the general rule. Here are some honorable mentions:

Will Smith – I don’t think he deserves a Grammy or anything, but he can sing and his songs have good rhythm. He’s very pop meets safe hip-hop, but he still deserves the airplay he got. Unarguably, Smith is a better actor than musician, but the man seems to be able to do anything with at least some charisma.

She + Him- Zoey Deschanel’s indie rock project is actually good. Everyone who saw Elf knows the girl can sing, but this album proves she’s got a little more soul than other cookie cutter groups.

30 Seconds to Mars – I think I would have less of a problem with this band if Jared Leto had less of an ego – we can wish can’t we? But, in all honesty, their songs are decent and commercially viable. And it doesn’t hurt that Leto isn’t exactly ugly. They certainly don’t deserve to be on the other part of this list…yet.