Month: April 2020

Today’s quick review: City of Angels. Seth (Nicolas Cage) is an angel tasked with observing, guiding, and comforting humanity without being seen. But his invisible life begins to chafe when he falls in love with Dr. Maggie Rice (Meg Ryan), a heart surgeon devoted to saving lives. Seth visits Maggie and even manages to win her heart. But to continue their relationship, Seth must make the choice to sacrifice his angelhood and become mortal.

City of Angels is a fantasy romance about life, love, and mortality. Nicolas Cage stars as Seth, an angel who views the world with the same detached benevolence as the rest of his kind. However, he longs to experience life the way humans do, a sentiment that becomes personal when he meets Maggie. Their romance becomes the basis for a thoughtful, sentimental drama with lofty themes. How successful it is will depend heavily on the viewer’s taste.

City of Angels aims for and achieves a very particular tone. The film is deliberate, wistful, and full of poignant moments and ruminations on the human condition. Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan are a good fit. Cage gives an unusually subdued performance as Seth, while Ryan balances the drive, the stress, and the inherent goodness of Maggie Rice quite well. The movie’s premise, its story, its themes, and its tones are all the same: gentle but somehow odd.

These traits make City of Angels very hit-or-miss. The sentimental tone and slow pacing will make it too sedate of a watch for some viewers, while some of the heavier moments will disappoint romance fans looking for simple escapism. The film is also very transparent with its intentions, including the moments that are meant to be profound, joyous, and heartbreaking. The result is a romantic drama that hits its mark but isn’t subtle about how it does so.

Watch City of Angels when you’re in the mood for a bittersweet, philosophical sort of romance. Many viewers will get little out of the movie to begin with, and the ones that do will get the most out of it when they’re in the right mood. But its unique story and solid execution make it a good pick for those interested in the premise. For a more abstract fantasy romance, try The Fountain. For another visit from an angel, try The Bishop’s Wife.

6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for an unusual romance with tender moments and a specific sort of appeal.

“How’d it get burned?!” —Edward Malus

Today’s quick review: The Wicker Man. While recovering from a traumatic incident, police officer Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) receives a letter from his former fiance Willow (Kate Beahan) asking him to help find her missing daughter Rowan (Erika Shaye Gair). Edward travels to her home on Summersisle, a rustic, private island in Puget Sound, to begin his search. There he clashes with the island’s residents, an ominous group of women hiding a dark secret.

The Wicker Man is a horror movie that sets a bold police officer on the trail of a missing child on an island where nothing is as it seems. The Wicker Man succeeds in creating an oppressive atmosphere and weaving together a potent mystery. However, its flawed writing, weak ending, and misuse of its lead actor keep it from living up to its full potential. The result is a film that goes through the motions of horror without ever quite coming together.

The Wicker Man goes far on just the strength of its premise. The atmosphere, the setting, the plot, and many of the scares follow naturally from the setup. Summersisle is an eerie place. Its inhabitants are brusque and insular, with nothing but polite hostility for Edward and his inquiries. His investigation is complicated by the few facts Willow is able to give him about the island and the hallucinations he’s been experiencing since his trauma.

The lynchpin of the story is Edward Malus, bht this is where The Wicker Man begins to show weakness. Nicolas Cage is a perfect fit for the frazzled, paranoid side of the role but he struggles to portray the beleaguered hero Edward is meant to be. Edward has few endearing qualities to help the audience invest in his plight, and his investigation lacks tact. The end result is a decent mystery without the detective it needs to bring it together.

More broadly, The Wicker Man has a bad habit of fumbling its most important moments. Key incidents later in the film come across as silly rather than dramatic, thanks to a combination of mediocre writing and Cage’s overacting. Tightening up the script in a few places or making Edward more stoic could have avoided the worst of it, but as it stands, The Wicker Man falls apart right when it should be at its most dramatic and its most shocking.

Thriller fans who aren’t too particular about quality will get some mileage out of The Wicker Man for its premise, its atmosphere, and the basic skeleton of its plot. However, its execution leaves something to be desired; those looking for hard scares, subtle acting, or a mystery that can deliver what it promises should steer clear. Nicolas Cage fans interested in seeing one of his more eccentric roles may also want to give it a shot.

For a more artful take on a similar premise, try Shutter Island. For another suspenseful peek into an ominous rural community, try The Village. For a suspense thriller with some of the same atmosphere and a better-handled plot, try Identity.

3.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for half-decent horror with some crippling flaws.

Today’s quick review: Gone in Sixty Seconds. Six years ago, Memphis Raines (Nicolas Cage) walked away from life as a car thief. But when his brother Kip (Giovani Ribisi) botches a job for Raymond Calitri (Christopher Eccleston), a violent criminal, Memphis has to come out of retirement to finish what his brother started. Now Memphis has just three days to steal fifty high-end cars while staying ahead of Detective Roland Castlebeck (Delroy Lindo).

Gone in Sixty Seconds is an action movie about a car thief tasked with a nearly impossible job. The movie follows Memphis Raines as he rounds up his crew, scouts his targets, and prepares to steal fifty cars in one night. Gone in Sixty Seconds has a distinctive premise, a light tone, and plenty of action scattered throughout. The film doesn’t stand out in its genre, but its execution quality and sense of fun makes it a strong popcorn watch.

Gone in Sixty Seconds offers a very slight twist on the action formula. The car theft angle lets the film dip into quick, frequent action scenes without becoming too violent. It also gives the story a hard deadline, which becomes the basis for the film’s crisp pacing and frequent setbacks. The plot doesn’t hold any real surprises, but it is nimble, juggling Raines’ plans, Calitri’s demands, and Castlebeck’s investigation with skill.

Still, the formula can only take the movie so far. Gone in Sixty Seconds checks the boxes it needs to when it comes to plot, humor, and character development, but it doesn’t take any of them far enough to stand out. The supporting cast does earn a few points for Angelina Jolie as Memphis’ ex-girlfriend Sway, Robert Duvall as his mentor Otto, and Vinnie Jones as his mute friend Sphinx, but none of the characters exceed expectations.

Watch Gone in Sixty Seconds when you’re in the mood for some popcorn action with a nice mixture of plot, action, and low-grade humor. Gone in Sixty Seconds doesn’t excel at anything in particular, but it does entertain. For another car-focused action movie, try The Fast and the Furious and its sequels. For another light heist with more comedy, try Ocean’s Eleven. For a laid-back take on a similar premise, try the original Gone in 60 Seconds.

6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a well-rounded action movie that delivers what it promises.

Today’s quick review: Lord of War. Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage), a Ukrainian immigrant to the US, goes into business as an arms dealer with his brother Vitaly (Jared Leto). Successful in his work, Yuri uses his wealth to win over Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan), the girl of his dreams, and start a family in New York. But with Interpol on his trail and a violent clientele to please, managing his risky occupation might be more than Yuri can handle.

Lord of War is a crime drama about the arms trade and the violence that follows in its wake. Lord of War paints a bleak picture of global politics by examining the career of Yuri Orlov, one of the world’s most successful weapons dealers, and the moral compromises that take him to the top. Lord of War offers potent drama, solid acting, and wry cynicism, but its heavy tone, biographical structure, and vivid political message won’t appeal to everyone.

Lord of War backs its inherently dramatic subject matter with a willingness to show the consequences of its characters’ actions. Yuri’s associates range from the merely corrupt to the truly deranged, and his business leaves misery in its wake. For the most part, Yuri manages to skate ahead of the suffering he causes, but not well enough to escape it completely. The personal side of his story complements the professional quite nicely.

Lord of War rounds out its drama with a touch of excitement as Yuri tries to outfox Interpol agent Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke). The cat-and-mouse game isn’t enough to shift the focus of the movie away from Yuri’s misdeeds, but it does give Lord of War some flavor. The film’s other distinctive touch is painting Yuri as a salesman. His confident narration and a couple of stylistic flourishes highlight the contrast between his success and what he deserves.

However, Lord of War does not have a gentle touch. It dishes out tragedy and irony in large dollops. Yuri’s one redeeming quality is his civility, but that one trait robs him of the dark appeal of other criminal protagonists. The story has the unstructured ebb and flow of a biography rather than the tightly controlled arcs seen in most fiction. Whether this increases the story’s realism or decreases its impact will depend on the tastes of the viewer.

Watch Lord of War when you’re in the mood for a cynical crime drama. Its basic craftsmanship and frank perspective will make it a good pick for those who are interested in the subject matter and don’t mind its heavy tone. However, those looking for a more conventional crime drama will want to look elsewhere. Lord of War hits the target it’s aiming for, but not everyone will enjoy what it has to offer.

For the equivalent take on the drug trade, try Blow, Traffic, or Scarface. For a more upbeat tale of debauchery and self-destruction, try The Wolf of Wall Street. For a punchier, less realistic story about an up-and-coming criminal, try Layer Cake. For another biographical account of a criminal, try Public Enemies.

7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for solid execution coupled with a heavy message.

Today’s quick review: Snake Eyes. An Atlantic City boxing match erupts into chaos when the Secretary of Defense is shot while in the audience. Rick Santoro (Nicolas Cage), a corrupt detective, takes command of the investigation with the help of Kevin Dunne (Gary Sinise), Rick’s friend and the head of the Secretary’s security detail. But as Rick unravels the conspiracy behind the assassination attempt, he’s faced with a choice between greed and honor.

Snake Eyes is a crime thriller from director Brian de Palma. Nicolas Cage stars as Rick Santoro, an Atlantic City cop riding high on a life of shallow friendships, gambling, adultery, and petty graft. Luck puts him at the scene of a crime that could make his career, if only he can catch the killers. But his own investigation takes him farther than he wanted to go, forcing him to choose between personal gain and his long-forgotten scruples.

Snake Eyes’ best assets are its winding mystery and its well-drawn lead. Rick Santoro is a vivid character and a perfect fit for Cage. His arc takes him from pure self-interest to the faint stirrings of conscience, all thanks to an investigation he thought would be simple. The mystery has plenty of moving parts for the film to work with. The crux of the mystery is a tightly coordinated sequence of events leading up to the shot being taken.

However, Snake Eyes has a few rough edges that keep it from making good on its promise. The movie starts stronger than it finishes. The plot can only carry Santoro and his investigation so far before it throws in the towel. The shaky ending dulls the impact of what could have been a satisfying character arc, and it fails to live up to the intriguing twists of earlier on. The result is a series of good pieces that don’t quite form a full puzzle.

Give Snake Eyes a shot when you’re in the mood for a crime thriller with a dash of mystery. Cage’s performance and the early stages of the plot are enough to make Snake Eyes an interesting watch, if not a fully satisfying one. Your enjoyment of the movie will depend heavily on how interesting you find Cage’s character, so those who dislike corrupt protagonists or Cage’s more eccentric performances should look elsewhere.

For another crime movie starring Nicolas Cage as a dirty cop, try Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. For a more action-packed thriller starring Cage, try The Rock. For an action thriller featuring a more elaborate conspiracy to assassinate a public figure, try Shooter or Vantage Point. For one with a similar underlying story, try Eraser. For a dark comedy with a similarly scummy main character, try Swimming with Sharks.

6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for a strong mystery held back by a mediocre ending.

Today’s quick review: 211. Chesterford, Massachusetts, erupts into violence when a team of mercenaries decides to take their last paycheck out of the local bank by force. Officer Mike Chandler (Nicolas Cage) stumbles on the robbery in progress, sparking a massive shootout. Mike must find a way to get himself, his partner and son-in-law Steve MacAvoy (Dwayne Cameron), and their teenage ride-along Kenny (Michael Rainey, Jr.) out of the line of fire.

211 is a budget action movie about a bank robbery gone wrong. Two police officers and a high school student wind up pinned down in the parking lot of the bank, unable to get to safety. The movie officers a fair amount of action when the plot finally gets moving, pitting a small-town police department against five heavily armed robbers. But even if the action works, the story as a whole doesn’t, leaving 211 outclassed in a crowded genre.

211 has many of the flaws of other low-budget movies. The plot is needlessly jumbled, the body count climbs higher than the scope of the movie would suggest, and the dramatic arcs never really hit home. The acting also disappoints, with only Nicolas Cage and Michael Rainey, Jr. really pulling their weight. Even then, the characters aren’t as well-developed as they’re meant to be. No single flaw is crippling, but taken together they hurt the film.

211 also has far more setup than it needs. The movie laboriously steps through every aspect of the story before the action starts. The plot threads include the mercenaries’ assassination of their previous employer, an investigation by Interpol, a bank manager’s wedding anniversary, Steve becoming a father, Mike’s strained relationship with his daughter, and Kenny’s troubles at school. The result is a convoluted build-up for relatively little payoff.

Still, for all its faults, 211 has enough action to keep fans of the genre entertained. The back half of the movie is one protracted shootout. While there are no major plot twists to spice it up, the amount of gunplay and the direness of the situation give the movie some weight. Give 211 a shot if you’re interested in budget action movies and aren’t too particular about storytelling quality. Skip it if you’re looking for a fulfilling whole.

For a better Nicolas Cage action movie, try The Rock, Face/Off, or Snake Eyes. For a bank heist with a more intelligent plot, try Inside Man, Dog Day Afternoon, or The Bank Job. For an outgunned local cop against a team of trained professionals, try Hard Rain. For a more flawed, more endearing budget action movie, check out Checkmate or 4Got10.

4.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for decent action held back by some crippling flaws.

Today’s quick review: The Interview. Early one morning, the police drag Edward Fleming (Hugo Weaving) out of his home and take him to the station for questioning. There, Sergeant John Steele (Tony Martin) and his partner Wayne Prior (Aaron Jeffrey) grill Edward about a car stolen by a man matching his description. But as the interview wears on, Edward realizes that the detectives intend to pin the blame for a much more serious set of crimes on him.

The Interview is a crime thriller about an ordinary man accused of a crime he swears he didn’t commit. The Interview revolves around two related questions: whether Edward Fleming is innocent, and how far John Steele will go to prove he isn’t. The investigation is complicated by internal politics at the police station, circumstantial evidence, and pressure from the press. The result is a tense, minimalistic thriller with a couple of good twists.

The bedrock of The Interview is Hugo Weaving’s performance as Edward Fleming. Fleming is a weak, sniveling man who’s overwhelmed by the accusations leveled against him. However, the questioning reveals a hidden strength to his character that changes the dynamic of the film. Coupled with the tension of the situation and the uncertainty over Fleming’s guilt or innocence, Weaving’s performance gives The Interview plenty of raw material to work with.

However, The Interview makes a few subtle mistakes that keep it from having its full dramatic impact. The pacing of the movie is skewed, with nearly forty minutes of setup before the story gets to its main accusations. The long build-up also short-changes the back half of the movie. The Interview has several shocking late-game reversals, but it runs out of time to play them out fully. As a result, the ending feels adequate but still incomplete.

Try The Interview when you’re in the mood for a dark, cerebral thriller with a fascinating plot, albeit a slow one to get going. The failure to make the most of its plot twists means that The Interview is outclassed by the best films in the genre, but its premise, acting, and overall execution quality are enough to make it a worthwhile watch. For another crime drama with a similar sense of uncertainty, try The Usual Suspects, Primal Fear, or Zodiac.

7.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for a strong premise and a few good twists kept from its full potential by flawed pacing.

Today’s quick review: Assault on Precinct 13. Left in charge of a Detroit police station on its last day of operation, Sgt. Jake Roenick (Ethan Hawke) gets more than he bargained for when a prison transport carrying Marion Bishop (Laurence Fishburne), the city’s most feared killer, stops at the station to ride out a winter storm. The situation soon erupts into violence when Bishop’s enemies attack the understaffed station to try to kill him.

Assault on Precinct 13 is an action movie that pits a handful of cops and prisoners against a well-armed assault team determined to get at Bishop. The movie is a bread-and-butter action flick that combines a tense situation with a few twists and turns and plenty of gunplay. The movie runs into trouble when it goes for drama, but it gets the basics of the genre right: the plot works well, the action is competent, and there’s just enough star power.

The movie’s best asset is Laurence Fishburne. His steely performance as Marion Bishop sells the character and justifies the great lengths his enemies are willing to go to to eliminate him. His presence also shifts the dynamic from a simple defense led by Sgt. Roenick to a complex situation that Jake cannot fully control. Combined with the other characters’ competing objectives, this gives the movie plenty of raw material to work with for its plot.

However, the rest of the cast comes up short. Ethan Hawke makes for a fine, heroic protagonist, but the film keeps trying saddle him with drama that never quite clicks. His de facto love interest, a police psychiatrist (Maria Bello) who can’t cope with the situation, is a swing and a miss. The rest of the supporting cast does alright, including John Leguizamo as a drug-addled prisoner, but they aren’t enough to support the film’s dramatic aspirations.

Give Assault on Precinct 13 a shot when you’re in the mood for popcorn action. The movie has just enough in the way of plot and spectacle to make good on its premise, while a few missteps keep it from accomplishing more. For a crime thriller about crooked cops, try 16 Blocks. For a flashier action movie about a prison transport gone wrong, try Con Air. For a tense budget crime drama that makes similar use of Laurence Fishburne, try Standoff.

6.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for good action fundamentals without the skill needed to go beyond them. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398712

The Negotiator

Today’s quick review: The Negotiator. Hostage negotiator Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) becomes the target of a cover-up when he’s framed for the murder of his partner, who was investigating corruption within the force. Out of options and unsure who to trust, Danny takes one of his accusers hostage, sparking a tense standoff between him and his former colleagues that only fellow negotiator Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) can hope to resolve.

The Negotiator is a crime thriller about a hostage negotiator who finds himself on the other side of a hostage standoff. The Negotiator backs this premise with a rock-solid plot, an effective pair of leads, and strong fundamentals. Roman’s attempts to take control of a rigged situation give the movie plenty of tension to work with, while Sabian acts as a release valve, the one officer present who wants to see Roman walk out of the situation alive.

Much of The Negotiator’s appeal comes from its two leads. Samuel L. Jackson puts his talents to good use as Danny Roman, an honest man forced to extreme measures to clear his name. His skill as a negotiator and mastery of police protocol let him control the situation he’s gotten himself into, using a number of clever ploys to stay ahead of the police. At the same thime, the tall odds stacked against him keep the film from becoming too one-sided.

He’s balanced perfectly by Kevin Spacey as Chris Sabian, a negotiator who Danny trusts not to be involved in the conspiracy. Sabian takes a gentler approach than Roman but backs his words with the same strength and cunning. His neutrality makes him Roman’s closest ally, but not one that can be easily controlled. The three-way conflict between Roman, Sabian, and the rest of the police force fuels the film’s tense, complex standoff.

The Negotiator is an excellent pick for fans of the crime or action genres. It has just enough of an original premise to set it apart without straying too far from teh basics, while its leads and the quality of its writing let it deliver on its promises. For another thriller about corrupt cops, try 16 Blocks or The Departed. For a hostage standoff of similar quality, try Inside Man. For a bleaker take on a similar premise, try Hostage.

7.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for solid action, an engrossing plot, and a great pair of leads.

“Let me put you out of my misery.” —Frank Castle

Today’s quick review: Punisher: War Zone. Ever since the death of his family, Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) has waged a bloody, one-man war on crime. Haunted by his accidental murder of an undercover cop, Frank is on the verge of giving up his war for good when a new threat emerges: the disfigured mob boss Jigsaw (Dominic West). Meanwhile, FBI agent Paul Budiansky (Colin Salmon) launches an investigation to finally bring Castle to justice.

Punisher: War Zone is a violent action movie based on the Marvel Comics character. Punisher: War Zone follows Frank Castle through one of his many hostile encounters with the criminal underworld. Bloody kills, a straightforward plot, and a touch of comic book flair make the movie a decent entry into the action genre. However, an awkward cast and a lack of distinguishing features keep it from being anything more than a popcorn watch.

Punisher: War Zone gets most of the basics right. The premise fits right in with the action genre: Frank Castle mows his way through dozens of criminals using an excess of firepower. The film throws a wrinkle in his usual plan of shooting first and asking questions later by having him gun down an undercover cop by mistake. This event doesn’t motivate any deep drama, but it does kick off a series of events that make Frank’s life difficult.

Beyond this, Punisher: War Zone is a mixed bag. The cast never quite clicks. Ray Stevenson has a hard time filling Frank Castle’s shoes. While Dominic West fares a little better, he’s not the memorable villain the film needs. The tone gets caught somewhere between gritty and cheesy, making it unclear how seriously the audience is supposed to take the movie. The action offers plenty of gunplay and a few explosions but no truly memorable stunts.

Watch Punisher: War Zone when you’re in the mood for some mindless action with decent overall quality. Issues with its characters and tone keep it from living up to its full potential, but what’s there is enough to entertain. Fans of the Punisher should give it a shot as long as they aren’t expecting too much. There’s some charm to be found in its honest storyline and offbeat villains, but most viewers will find that it misses as often as it hits.

For a Punisher adaptation that invests more in its characters and story, check out The Punisher, starring Thomas Jane. For justice dispensed in even more violent fashion, check out Dredd. For a stylish action film that makes better use of a similar budget, try John Wick. For a gory, tongue-in-cheek satire of the action genre, try Shoot ‘Em Up.

6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for decent action and a couple of nice touches hurt by mediocre performances and a lack of memorability.

Today’s quick review: Alien Arrival. As part of a deal with the renegade General Hatch (Mark Redpath), escaped prisoner Kye Cortland (Dan Mor) sneaks aboard a scientific research spacecraft to steal valuable data. But when the ship crashes on a desolate alien moon, Kye is left stranded with only Tarren Hollis (Aleisha Rose), a biologist who survived the crash, and RE3F (Shaun Micallef), the ship’s AI, to help him find a way back home.

Alien Arrival is a budget sci-fi action movie about a man trapped on an inhospitable world. Alien Arrival has a decent premise but none of the skill needed to back it up. An unfocused plot, jumbled presentation, and a limited special effects budget all keep the movie from living up to its potential. The movie’s main value comes from its ideas: a war between an oppressive government and a violent general, and an alien moon with hidden secrets.

Like other budget sci-fi films, Alien Arrival struggles with basic storytelling. The film clearly has specific ideas in mind, but it lacks the craftsmanship to convey them effectively. The acting is unconvincing, the dialogue leaves key points unexplained, the plot is clunky, and the camerawork makes it hard to tell what’s going on. None of the errrors are grievous, but they add up quickly, making Alien Arrival a tough film to invest in.

Making matters worse are Alien Arrival’s three separate plot threads: General Hatch’s fight against the government, Kye’s survival on the alien moon, and his contact with a mysterious lifeform there. Apart from Kye’s involvement, the threads have almost nothing in common, meaning that the time the movie invests in one doesn’t contribute to any of the others. The different plot threads split the movie’s focus and rob it of its momentum.

Alien Arrival offers some value for fans of budget sci-fi, but its few good ideas are outweighed by its poor execution. Most viewers should steer well clear. For a better sci-fi action movie about humans trapped on an alien world, try Pitch Black, Riddick, or Predators. For a more realistic tale of survival in space, try The Martian or Gravity. For a budget sci-fi movie with similar strengths and weaknesses, try 2307: Winter’s Dream or Taking Earth.

4.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for decent ideas let down by poor execution.