Month: December 2016

Today’s quick review: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is languishing in a Russian prison, a pseudo-retirement brought about by an incident months earlier. When his expertise is needed for the IMF’s latest mission, Hunt’s new team stages a breakout. Together they infiltrate the Kremlin looking for information on Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist), a terrorist who wants to kick off World War III using Russian nuclear weapons. The operation goes south when a bombing at the Kremlin is pinned on Hunt’s team, and the President enacts Ghost Protocol, disavowing the IMF and leaving Hunt’s team out in the cold. Now wanted fugitives, Ethan, Brandt (Jeremy Renner), Jane (Paula Patton), and Benji (Simon Pegg) are the only ones who can stop Hendricks before he starts a nuclear war.

The fourth installment in the Mission: Impossible series, Ghost Protocol pushes the franchise in an excellent new direction. As usual for the series, the film is built around big stunts, futuristic gadgets, and high-stakes, globe-trotting spy action. Ghost Protocol adds humor, gadget failure, and a bevy of new locations. Newcomers Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton fit right into the team, and their characters each have important arcs in the story. Benji is promoted from his supporting role in Mission: Impossible 3 to the main cast, bringing Simon Pegg’s excellent comedy to the fore. When added to Ethan’s affable interactions with his teammates and repeated failures from mainstay gadgets, this introduces a strain of overt humor to the series that boosts its enjoyability without diminishing its intensity.

Ghost Protocol amps up the entertainment value of an already strong series. Watch it if you’re in the mood for a light and entertaining spy thriller with high-stakes action and a welcome touch of humor. Skip it if you prefer a more realistic spy movie or a more grounded thriller. Ghost Protocol is an excellent place to jump into the Mission: Impossible series for new fans and an excellent addition to the series for old ones. Give it a shot.

7.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for creative stunts, high intensity, and good use of humor.

Today’s quick review: Con Air. Cameron Poe (Nic Cage) is a former Army Ranger who was imprisoned for manslaughter after a bar fight. After years in jail, his release is interrupted when fellow prisoner Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom (John Malkovich) hijacks the prison transport plane that was taking Poe to freedom. Trapped aboard a plane full of dangerous convicts, Poe must go along with their escape while engineering their capture from within if he is to have any hope of meeting Casey, the young daughter he has never seen, as a free man. Helping him from without is Vince Larkin (John Cusack), a U.S. Marshal tasked with catching the runaway plane and capturing its wayward prisoners.

Con Air is an entertaining action flick with a great cast and a surprising amount of heart. Nic Cage, John Malkovich, and John Cusack are joined by Danny Trejo, Dave Chappelle, Ving Rhames, and Steve Buscemi in a lineup that perfectly fits the tone of the movie: intensity laced with sentimentality and a sense of fun. The plot is fairly straightforward: Cyrus orchestrates the hijacking, then uses the plane to lead the convicts on a journey to freedom. Mechanical problems, pursuing Marshals, and internal strife set back their escape, with the smallest of margins separating success from disaster.

Watch Con Air if you’re in the mood for a light thriller that mixes tense moments with snatches of humor and cheap but effective emotional drama. Any fans of the cast should check out the movie as well, as it is a rare chance to see so many familiar faces in one place. Skip Con Air if you are looking for something deep or serious. While Con Air has serious and emotional moments, the overall blend of elements is geared towards entertainment rather than gravitas.

6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for sheer enjoyability.

Today’s quick review: The Shawshank Redemption. Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), an accountant and amateur geologist, is imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover, a crime he maintains he didn’t commit. While in jail he meets Red (Morgan Freeman), a long-time inmate who can procure nearly anything from the outside through his connections, and the two form a fast friendship. Andy must overcome abusive guards, predatory inmates, a corrupt warden, and simple despair to make a life for himself in prison. He learns to confront his enemies, help his fellow inmates, and find meaning even in the most limited of circumstances.

The Shawshank Redemption is a dramatic masterpiece. Adapted from a Stephen King novella, The Shawshank Redemption explores the human spirit and the dreams that keep it alive even in the face of adversity. Its themes are brought to life by powerful acting and memorable writing, coupled with a story that turns the large and small events of Andy’s life into a gripping progression. The resourcefulness and resilience that Andy exhibits are truly moving. The friendship between Andy and Red is a delight to watch develop, and their conversations are some of the most meaningful in movie history. Morgan Freeman’s narration is the icing on the cake, tying together the story and bringing its themes to the fore.

You should watch The Shawshank Redemption. It is a heavy movie but a rewarding one. Do not undertake it lightly, but watch it when you can afford to give it your full attention. The investment is well worth it. The Shawshank Redemption is a masterwork of storytelling, a fulfilling journey that touches on the deepest aspects of human existence. Watch it.

9.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 9.5. The film is a modern classic and my personal favorite.

Today’s quick review: Kung Fu Hustle. In a town terrorized by the notorious Axe Gang, a poseur named Sing (Stephen Chow) and his best friend set off a conflict between the gang and a peaceful slum. A trio of kung fu warriors reveal themselves from amidst the slum’s occupants and fend off the Axe Gang temporarily, but the slum’s landlady and her husband fear the gang’s retaliation. Sure enough, the Axe Gang comes back with more muscle, triggering an escalating struggle between the slum, the gang, and each side’s allies. As the fighting grows more dangerous and more outlandish, Sing embarks on his own journey to join the Axe Gang, hoping to gain all the respect and benefits afforded to a criminal. But being bad isn’t as easy as it sounds, and Sing soon finds events spiraling out of his control.

Kung Fu Hustle is a martial arts comedy from Shaolin Soccer director and star Stephen Chow. Equal parts CGI-fueled action, ridiculous slapstick, and down-to-earth character humor, Kung Fu Hustle delivers a hilarious and entertaining martial arts experience. The main character is Sing, a perennial loser whose dreams of becoming a respected criminal are thwarted by his own incompetence and soft heart. His greatest talent is his knack for fast talk, but his lies and posturing get him into trouble more often than they get him out of it.

The rest of the cast is filled with strong comedic characters. Sing’s accomplice and best friend is fat, dumb, and sweet, often Sing’s voice of reason by virtue of not overthinking things. The landlady of the slum is a bossy, loudmouthed woman who walks around in slippers, hair curlers, and a nightgown, yells at her tenants for rent, and can run at blinding speeds when she needs to. Her husband lounges around in his pajamas, mooches off his tenants, and is a relentless flirt. The head of the Axe Gang and his second in command are a competent comedic duo in their own right, capable of great villainy yet vulnerable to bullying, surprises, and intimidation.

Kung Fu Hustle’s action is surprisingly strong for a parody. Intense and beautifully directed martial arts fights blossom into creative CGI stunts that grow in scale as the conflict escalates. Iron-fisted tailors clash with axe-wielding henchmen, and staff-wielding porters take on deadly musical assassins. Even outside the fight scenes, cartoonish slapstick gives the film a persistent sense of elasticity and kinetic energy. These gags and stunts are backed by the hidden gem of the movie: its sound mixing. Every punch and slap has a rich and satisfying sound that makes the action engrossing as well as visually interesting.

Kung Fu Hustle is an excellent choice for fans of martial arts, over-the-top action, and visual comedy. The movie is a lovingly crafted peek into a genuinely silly world, where cigarette-smoking landladies hector kung fu masters and hand-to-hand fights are destructive spectacles. However, the tone may not be right for some: the slapstick can border on the grotesque, the action includes a bit of actual violence, and the characters are affable losers. Those who enjoy the tone or take the time to get used to it will be rewarded with stellar fights, great humor, and a thoroughly entertaining experience. Those who prefer their humor normal, their characters successful, or their fights realistic won’t get much out of Kung Fu Hustle. Everyone else should give it a shot.

7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for its success with both action and comedy.

Today’s quick review: The Cheap Detective. Peter Falk stars as Lou Peckinpaugh, a Bogart-esque private eye in 1940s San Francisco, in this pastiche of Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. While investigating the death of his partner, Lou stumbles into a decade-long hunt for a valuable set of stolen jewels. His search is complicated by a veritable arsenal of femmes fatales, including his partner’s obsessive widow (Marsha Mason), a jewel hunter in a series of obvious aliases (Madeline Khan), an old flame with a tendency to drone about liberty (Louise Fletcher), and a low rent lounge singer (Eileen Brennan). Along the way, Lou is tasked with retrieving a restaurant license for a hero of the French Resistance. Dogged by the police for his partner’s death, Lou must solve the case, clear his name, find the jewels, and get the girl(s).

At first The Cheap Detective appears to have a confusing, nonsensical plot designed to string together a series of scenes directly spoofing Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. But beneath this facade is a skilled and goofy comedy that manages to weave a wide range of characters and plot elements into an entertaining whole. Peter Falk plays an excellent Humphrey Bogart, hard-boiled on the outside yet comedically flappable. His supporting cast is magnificent, with standout performances by passionate, troublesome Marsha Mason and never-say-die con woman Madeline Khan.

The comedy is a blend of sight gags, over-the-top characters, and on-the-nose parodies of noir conventions. Lou puts his gun to the phone when a stranger calls him in the middle of the night. Paul DuChard, the French hero, dreams not of escaping to the United States but of opening up a French restaurant. The Nazis he faces are not German officers but members of the Cincinnati Gestapo. The widow of Lou’s partner talks openly of their affair while the police are listening in. The gags are frequent, silly, and clever, making The Cheap Detective a comedy that

Fans of Murder by Death should definitely give The Cheap Detective a watch. Neil Simon writes both films, and several members of the cast are carried over, including Peter Falk, Eileen Brennan, and James Coco. Murder by Death has a stronger cast and broader comedy, but The Cheap Detective is less macabre and acts as a worthy comedic successor. Much like Murder by Death, The Cheap Detective gets stronger on subsequent viewings as the idiosyncrasies of its plot fade away and the strong humor comes to the fore. Fans of Peter Falk, Humphrey Bogart, and silly comedy should check out The Cheap Detective. If this isn’t your brand of humor, skip it.

6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for comedic genius hiding in a confusing plot. As with Murder by Death, its quality varies with how its humor catches you, ranging from 6.0 at the low end to 8.0 on a good day.

Today’s quick review: Unstoppable. When a train engineer gets out of his cab to flip a switch at a train yard, the unmanned train accelerates past him and begins a perilous journey across Pennsylvania. Connie (Rosario Dawson), the manager of the yard, discovers that the train is carrying several tons of explosive chemicals and is set to derail in the populous town of Stanton. Her plan to derail the train in the countryside are overruled by Galvin (Kevin Dunn), her company-minded superior, in favor of a riskier but less expensive plan. But when this fails, it falls to Frank (Denzel Washington), a veteran train engineer, and Will (Chris Pine), a rookie conductor, to risk life and limb to bring the runaway train to a stop.

Unstoppable is a realistic thriller with peculiar construction. The nature of the runaway train is that no incremental progress can be made in stopping it: each attempt is either a success or a failure, and a success would end the movie. With no villain to track down, bomb to find, or puzzle to solve, Unstoppable spends much of its time on more immediate threats than the train derailing in Stanton, such as a train of children heading in the opposite direction, a horse trailer stalled on the tracks, or Frank and Will trying to get their train off the line in time. These incidents keep the adrenaline up between attempts to stop the train, but ultimately their outcomes boil down to luck more than quick thinking or folly. This lack of meaningful agency is mirrored in the appearance of Frank and Will, the nominal heroes of the story, who only get involved late in the film.

In spite of all this, Unstoppable is an entertaining film with good characters and a refreshingly realistic premise. Chris Pine and Denzel Washington are as charming as ever, and Rosario Dawson is cool and competent in the face of a terrible situation and an unjust boss. The chain of events leading to the runaway train is shown in detail, giving the impression of an inside look at how railroads operate. The story is based on a real incident, and the embellishments are all plausible, especially by thriller standards. The film also doesn’t overstay its welcome, clocking in at 98 minutes.

Unstoppable is a fun film notable for its strong cast and realism. Watch it if you’re in the mood for a thriller with a realistic premise, okay execution, and a leading cast of Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, and Rosario Dawson. Skip it if you’re looking for a thriller with more action or a more conventional progression.

6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for its enjoyable characters and premise, hindered by its abnormal progression.

Today’s quick review: Non-Stop. Liam Neeson stars as Bill Marks, an air marshal with a troubled past and alcohol problems. An ordinary flight to London turns deadly when Marks begins receiving text messages from a passenger threatening to kill one person on the plane every 20 minutes unless he receives $150 million. Marks’s investigation is at first hindered by a skeptical captain and a distrusting colleague, but soon a sinister pattern appears: Marks is being framed for the threat, and his own erratic actions and checkered past have cemented him as the culprit in the eyes of his colleagues. Now Marks must find the terrorist hiding on the plane and clear his own name before it’s too late.

Non-Stop is a slow-burning thriller with an unconventional setting and a good premise. The action scenes are infrequent but impressive, with fast-paced close-quarters combat. For the most part, the investigation proceeds logically, although Marks does make a few bone-headed decisions that make his job harder. The supporting cast is a mixed bag: a few of the characters are interesting, but most are shallow if not entirely unlikable. The film suffers from its dedication to air travel: the opening 10 minutes are a laborious chronicle of boarding a flight, air marshals are inexplicably the center of public debate, and the film seems to have a checklist of plane-related elements that have to be made relevant before the movie is out.

These quibbles aside, Non-Stop is a satisfying thriller that delivers on its premise. Watch it when you’re in the mood for a tense investigation with a few contrived elements and a sprinkling of action. Skip it if you’re looking for a deep movie or something with lots of action.

7.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for being a watchable thriller that delivers on its premise.

Today’s quick review: Insomnia. Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and his partner (Martin Donovan) are sent to a small Alaskan town to help with a homicide investigation amidst an Internal Affairs audit of their native LAPD. They are greeted by Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), an eager officer and a fan of Dormer’s work. The investigation leads them to a remote shack, where a close brush with the killer (Robin Williams) leaves Dormer badly shaken and unable to sleep. Plagued by nerves, the killer’s taunting calls, and the never-setting Alaskan sun, Dormer struggles to finish the investigation despite his growing delirium.

Insomnia is a well-written crime thriller that examines the profound consequences of choices and rationalizations. The case itself is not so unusual for the genre, but its effect on Dormer is. He begins as a competent, honest cop with a long record of successful cases, but as the investigation wears on, he begins to make mistakes. Keeping up his facade as the unfazed, seasoned veteran becomes a difficult task in its own right, while back home the Internal Affairs audit threatens to undo his life’s work.

The characters of Insomnia are not entirely likable but are constructed well and acted with skill. They have just enough humanity to move the plot in interesting directions, walking the line between sympathetic and unsympathetic until intriguing moral choices appear and justify the viewer’s investment. The story is more conventional than Christopher Nolan’s other work: Insomnia is a competent crime drama with Nolan themes and characters more than a Nolan plot. This makes Insomnia less memorable and more accessible than his other work, a very good movie rather than a great one. Watch it if you’re in the mood for a thriller with a decent plot, interesting moral questions, and strong craftsmanship. Skip it if you prefer interpersonal conflict to intrapersonal conflict, you’re looking for something lighter, or you want a little more action.

7.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for its themes, characters, and execution, but it lacks the meaty plot of other Nolan movies.

Today’s quick review: World War Z. Brad Pitt stars as Gerry Lane, a UN investigator who retired to spend time with his family. When a zombie virus pandemic leaves the US in ruins, Lane calls upon his UN contacts to evacuate his family to the safety of an aircraft carrier. In order to secure his family’s place on the ship, Lane agrees to escort a young virologist to South Korea to identify the believed source of the outbreak. Thus begins a globe-trotting search for a zombie vaccine that pits Lane against the most dangerous threat to humanity.

World War Z is a zombie outbreak movie that focuses on the scientific search for a cure in a world that has fallen apart. The plot is broken into three distinct sections, with relatively sound logic motivating the transitions between each. The human characters are just fallible enough to cause problems for Lane, but not incompetent to the point of annoyance. The accidents that happen are natural consequences of human imperfection and bad luck, and the survivors rally admirably and intelligently when they understand what is going on. The zombies have a real urgency to them, sprinting after their prey and throwing themselves headlong at any obstacles. This gives World War Z a sense of kinetic energy that other zombie movies miss out on.

World War Z is a solid zombie film with a competent, perceptive main character, plenty of zombie action, and a tone that flirts with but does not succumb to desperation. The details are not perfect, the story is winding, and the characters are not particularly deep, but World War Z manages to deliver an enjoyable experience while avoiding most of the pitfalls of the genre. Watch it if you enjoy zombie films, survival films with a healthy dose of action, or watching characters think their way out of situations. Skip it if the zombie genre holds little appeal for you or you are looking for a great movie rather than just a good one.

7.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for solid execution, better-than-average plot logic, and satisfying action.

Today’s quick review: Godzilla. In 1999, an American engineer working at a Tokyo nuclear power plant (Bryan Cranston) notes a series of anomalous seismic events before a disaster that leaves the surrounding area uninhabitable. Fifteen years later, his obsessive monitoring of the quarantine zone reveals a similar pattern as before, and he takes his estranged son (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a soldier specializing in bomb disposal, to explore the quarantine zone and recover the data he left there fifteen years ago. There they discover a military installation built around an enormous monster that has been drawing power from the plant to grow. When it awakens, it leaves a path of destruction behind it, and humanity must scramble to find a way to combat this threat before the death toll grows any higher.

Godzilla reboots the classic monster series with modern CGI and storytelling. The film features excellent progression, with information doled out at a steady pace and plot that hangs together very well. The human characters are all given good reasons to stay near the action, even as it moves across the Pacific to the United States, and their relationships and struggles are relatable and human, enhancing rather than distracting from the disaster elements of the film. The monster CGI looks natural, with a good sense of scale and an appropriate level of destruction.

Godzilla has a couple of moments worth cheering for on both the human and monster sides of the equation. It also builds skillfully to the action scenes later in the movie, using darkness, indirect shots of the monster, and other techniques to heighten the suspense before the all-out action kicks in. However, the dark visuals are a double-edged sword, causing avoidable confusion simply due to a lack of clarity. The same goes for the incremental drip of information, as the audience must piece together key plot points from bits of exposition dropped by the military. These issues contribute to the film’s excellent tone even as they hamper its clarity. While the movie gets the balance between tone and clarity right far more often than it gets it wrong, its particular storytelling style does come with drawbacks.

Godzilla is a very solid film that is worth a watch whenever you are in the mood for a monster movie. The movie balances its human, disaster, and monster elements well, giving it a healthy mixture of emotion, chaos, and action. While it does not distinguish itself strongly from similar movies, Godzilla merges a tight plot with great CGI, a consistent tone, and likable characters for a very satisfying watch.

6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for solid execution, natural progression, and great special effects.