The Gift

The Gift shares hallmark traits with a laundry list of thrillers: a house with lots of windows, suspenseful moments that make you jump for no reason, a seemingly normal couple being tormented by a wolf in sheep's clothing, a dark and disturbing secret. None of these ideas are new, but The Gift delivers on its promise of a twist ending that you really don't see coming. Not exactly at least. Hitchcock would be impressed with this modern take on the dangerous blast from the past.

Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) are the perfect couple. Moving from Chicago to LA to escape their past and start fresh, they have it all; He is a newly crowned sales executive, and she is a designing consultant. They choose the house with giant picture windows everywhere, eliciting the feeling of anxious voyeurism right from the opening scene. Of course, there are no shades, and as often accompanies the magic of film, the viewer is sucked right into the uncomfortable setting, and then Gordon (Joel Edgerton) enters, or more aptly, re-enters Simon's life. From there, things spiral from a friendly, if not awkward reunion into a frightening cautionary tale explaining why you should be nice to everyone in school.

Written and directed by Joel Edgerton, The Gift is a breath of fresh air in what has been a stale movie-going experience for most of the summer. From the very beginning, you know exactly where this will end, though you don't know exactly how. There are moments that make you jump, make you cringe, and most importantly, make your heart pound. The anticipation of the twist makes the experience worthwhile, and although it might not find everyone satisfied at the end, I found it remarkable that I am looking forward to whatever Edgerton writes in the future.

It may not be realistic. Stalker stories rarely are, but that's the rub. They are a form of entertainment well before they are meant to be believable. Scare me, entertain me, humor me, but please oh please, surprise me. There is nothing more satisfying in viewing movies than genuine surprise. The final sequence where Simon is opening the last of the gifts creates a swell of pride in a film well-written. For that alone, I must rave and give a solid 9/10.

Straight Outta Compton

The biopic of one of West Coast rap's pioneering groups, N.W.A, has finally been released. It was on the table for a few years, with John Singleton ("Boyz n the Hood", "Poetic Justice") attached, but as the screenplay came together, it wasn't a good fit, and F. Gary Gray ("Friday", "The Italian Job") took over. "Straight Outta Compton" was the debut record for who in retrospect is essentially a rap super-group. Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella comprise the controversial and innovative friends and unlikely collaborators who turned the music scene on its head in 1988, and sparked a new genre, influencing the legendary likes of Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, Eminem, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, among others.

Rap wasn't mainstream in America until the late 1980's. It had pockets of followers on the coasts, but racial and socioeconomic tension was bubbling to a head, and the poor minorities weren't being heard. N.W.A gave a voice to the masses, and it wasn't received well by authorities. In the time of Rodney King, the Watts Riots, and rampant gang warfare, N.W.A was much more than just a quintet of rappers.

The film purports to be about the three most recognizable names and faces, but really centers on Eazy-E (Eric Wright, played by Jason Mitchell), who for all intents and purposes, was the face of the group. Although Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson, played by O'Shea Jackson, Jr.) was the lyricist, and Dr. Dre (Andre Young, played by Corey Hawkins) was the brains and the producer who made the dynamic group so successful, Eazy-E is the emotional center.. The group deals with the pitfalls of sudden fame, the mixed emotions of their old and new lives, and the hope of a more equitable and just future. The police brutality is highlighted, but played out without excessive drama, which I must give props to the screenwriters and director for their tact in that regard. The relationships of the men, however, remain the heart and soul of the vehicle. With tendrils reaching to all areas of hip hop, and recognizable names dropped throughout, the film is a welcome trip down memory lane, particularly with the doppelganger O'Shea playing his father with near perfect expression and clarity (think angry-faced Ice Cube). Paul Giamatti is perhaps the only recognizable actor in the film, as the questionable manager, Jerry Heller, and although his acting was solid, I just couldn't stop seeing him in a variety of his other roles. I think he was mis-cast, and that is really my only complaint of the entire film. At a lengthy two and a half hours, it almost doesn't seem to give the story proper justice. There is so much ripe material, and so many successes and tragedies connected through the magic of the time and the place. It could have gone on for another hour, which means that they weren't able to get to everything important.

N.W.A were visionaries for their time, pushing boundaries particularly with law enforcement and the First Amendment. They were endeared and embraced by their community in South Central Los Angeles, but more importantly, they exposed suburban white America to the raw and unapologetic plight of their lives. "Straight Outta Compton" is an excellent look at the historic rise of a musical genre, and the director and writers offer up a profound and unexplored look at a type of film that hasn't been explored before.

Although biopics are all the rage in Hollywood, this is a deserving story that is certainly worth watching, even if you're not familiar with the back story. Well written, well acted, and well directed. 9/10.

Fant4stic

It’s only been eight years since we last saw the Fantastic Four on screen. 2005’s attempt to spark the franchise and 2007’s sequel were ambitious, and cheesy in the way that Marvel superhero movies tend to be, but they were perhaps a bit ahead of their time effects-wise, and a bit too niche for the mainstream audiences. Well, audience tastes have become a bit more refined and a bit less fickle in the last ten years, and now anything superhero is palatable (See Ant-Man).

The film starts with the unlikely friendship between brilliant Reed Richards (Miles Teller) and the enforcer best friend, Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell). Their bond grows through high school, where they are recruited to work for a think tank because of their creation of a teleporting device that happens to go to a resource-rich planet in another dimension. Whew. Almost ran out of breath. Sue Storm (Kate Mara) works there too as a pattern recognition specialist, and Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan) is brought in to weld to pay off his car. I know, right? Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey, whose voice puts James Earl Jones’ to shame) is running the think tank, so there’s absolutely no nepotism there. They bring in the genius but volatile Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbel) to assist, because there’s literally nobody else in the world who can complete this project except for Reed and Victor. They successfully make a machine, things go wrong in the other dimension, they get their superpowers, and then they fight the bad guy who really has no valid reason for being evil in the first place. The end.

This rendition of the F4 gives us a slightly different origins story, but still wastes more than the first hour showing us how they gained their superpowers. It was déjà vu all over again like I was watching another Spider Man or Batman. They spend way too much time on character development for five individuals who make up the core group. You just can’t waste that much screen time with an ensemble cast. We get it. Reed is a nerd genius. Johnny is a reckless hot-head, and his adopted sister, Sue is a computer whiz who is just as good as the guys. Ben is the strong, loyal friend, and Victor is the cynical megalomaniac. We don’t need over an hour to figure that out without any action.

The cast looks great on paper. Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell. All young, fantastic actors in their own right, but all tend to make some questionable choices in roles more often than they should. This is the type of film that might have seemed like a good idea, and probably earned a decent paycheck, but ultimately I think everyone knew it would bomb. What I’m trying to say is that all four lead actors were given a terrible script to make a lowball superhero remake way too soon. The bar was just set too low, and opening just a few weeks after Ant-Man seems like a head-scratcher to me, unless Marvel was trying to catch the tail end of the box office frenzy.

Director Josh Trank (Chronicle) does his best with the source material, but even the effects aren’t particularly impressive, which in 2015 is unacceptable for a film of this pedigree. Marvel should have shelved this one for a few years, minimum. It might make a little money, but it’s not worth the hit to the reputation in my opinion. Marvel has the right idea moving into the Netflix streaming series genre. They have some coming out in the next year or two that just might be worth watching. Stay tuned.

Writer Simon Kinberg takes the brunt of my frustrations with this film, although he had some help ruining it. Just because it’s a superhero movie doesn’t mean you get to cut corners. Obvious gaps in believability are irresponsible, even with some bending of the rules implicit in the genre, and there needs to be a bit more in terms of character flaw exposure, peril, and climax.

This is one Marvel film that you can absolutely skip. I give Fantastic 4 a generous 4/10.

On the Cinematic Horizon

There are a lot of reasons to get excited about the future of movies, and here are a dirty dozen that are in pre-production, or shrouded in secrecy. Some have recently been announced, and some have been on the cusp of being a reality for some time now. Either way, here are films that could become a reality as soon as late 2016, but likely will roll into 2017 or 2018.

Avatar 2 – With the unprecedented success of Avatar in 2009, it was inevitable that there would be sequels. However, the caveat is that it has to be as revolutionary and mind-blowing as the original, which James Cameron undoubtedly will oblige. His vision had plans for a trilogy, but that has expanded to a quadrilogy, and it is entirely possible that they will be filmed back-to-back-to-back as a cost-saving measure. Long criticized (and raved) for his meticulous attention to detail, once Avatars 2, 3, 4 are finally unveiled to the public, it will be a multi-billion dollar boon for 20th Century Fox and Lightstorm Entertainment. Well worth the eight year wait, Avatar 2 is rumored to take place entirely underwater with some state of the art filmmaking techniques. Cameron does sequels better than anyone else (Aliens, Terminator 2), so expect Avatar 2 to build on the magic of the original, and surpass it. Scheduled for Christmas of 2017.

Pinocchio – The dark and macabre version of the already twisted children’s story has found a director in Paul Thomas Anderson, one of my personal favorites. Robert Downey Jr. has been interested in it for years, and it looks like he will finally play Gepetto in what might be a return to real acting after skating by on his natural wit and charm as Iron Man for the past seven years (and counting). Pinocchio could introduce a new generation to a beloved story, but the results might not be the same. Likewise, those of us who found the story fascinating as a child will likely get a reality check that might change the way we look at lying. And wooden dolls. And doll-makers.

Blood Meridian – There have been rumors of an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s 1985 brilliant work of literature for years. It has struggled to get off the ground despite some very impressive names attached to helm the project (Ridley Scott, Todd Field). The story, characters, and setting would be incredible if done right. Maybe Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu?

Ready Player One – I can’t imagine a cooler book from the past few years to see in movie form, and Steven Spielberg is returning to the science-fiction genre none too soon. He’s been fishing for Oscars his last few attempts, but action/adventure is where he thrives, and he picked a ripe story for the picking. Ready Player One is my favorite book from the past few years, written by Ernest Cline, and it has been begging for the Hollywood treatment. The big question is; who will play Wade Watts?

The Circle – a very poignant and timely book for the generation of social media overkill. A girl gets her first job out of college at the ubiquitous Google/Facebook/Twitter/Whateverelse.com is out there, and finds her life taken over by her ties with the company. Emma Watson and Tom Hanks will star. Think a Stanley Kubrick version of the Social Network.

Robopocalypse – Another great idea of an adaptation being translated to the screen by Drew Goddard (WWZ, Cabin in the Woods, Prometheus, The Martian, Sinister Six). Think Terminator without the time travel or redundant character depictions. It could be a cool movie with the right director and direction.

Sinatra – Rumors of Leonardo DiCaprio teaming up (again) with Martin Scorcese. Could be a fantastic biopic, but I’m wondering how Leo’s singing voice sounds. Although, singing Sinatra isn’t as challenging as some others might be. Think Walk the Line or Ray meets Ocean’s Eleven. Only Better. Much better.

The Creed of Violence – This is another great book by Boston Tehran about an assassin and a cop with a connection that only one of them know about in Nineteenth Century Mexico. Todd Field is attached to direct, and rumors of Christian Bale or Leonardo DiCaprio as the cop make it a strong draw in both box office and critical potential.

Untitled Alien Project – Okay, the story goes that Neil Blomkampt posted some fan artwork somewhere about his affinity for the Alien universe (which I strongly share), and 20th Century Fox took notice. He is attached to an idea where Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn (Yes!) will return for something of a re-imagining of Alien 3. Basically it will pick up where Aliens left off. I can’t think of a better writer/director than Blomkampt for this project (except Cameron), so the franchise is in good hands despite the recent botching by dueling the Aliens with Predators.

Whatever Christopher Nolan is doing next – Nothing is announced. He’s making his money as producer in the DC Justice League, but hopefully he’ll get back behind the camera soon. Interstellar was a disappointment, but Inception and the Dark Knight trilogy were amazing.

Blade Runner 2 – If we wait too much longer, Harrison Ford won’t be around (eek!), but I really like what Denis Villaneuve has done recently (Prisoners, Enemy), and this fall’s Sicario will be better than people might even project, putting Villaneuve on the map as one of the premier directors out there. Oh yes, Ryan Gosling is attached as well.

Kill Bill 3 – Quentin Tarantino is in a class alone. Not that his films are better, but they are distinctly Tarantino, which is entertaining, which is why we watch movies. His next project will bring Uma Thurman back as “The Bride” and will likely capitulate one of the more underrated franchises of the 21st Century. His films bring excitement back to the cinema, which is where they are most definitely best viewed.

Southpaw

There have been countless boxing movies over the years; well done (Raging Bull, Rocky, Million Dollar Baby, The Boxer), well-intended (Ali, The Hurricane, The Fighter), and awful (Diggstown, Gladiator, Cinderella Man). Southpaw falls somewhere in the middle. Not for lack of trying, the lead performance was spectacular, but the story was surprisingly (to me) contrived and formulaic.

Jake Gyllenhaal is Billy Hope, the light heavyweight champ who is on top of the world. He's not the prettiest fighter, as his anger and rage through being pummeled gives him the strength to deliver the knockout blow. Consequently, after forty-something fights, his wife and childhood sweetheart, Maureen (Rachel McAdams) is more than a little worried about his deteriorating ability to take a punch and still speak coherently. After a tragedy that is well publicized in the trailer (more on that later), he spirals into even more self-destructive behavior, jeopardizing custody of his daughter. He hits rock bottom, but with the help of an old, wise trainer, he gets his act together and gets one last shot at redemption. Sound familiar? It should, because it's the basic premise of most boxing movies out there.

That's the rub with this type of film, there are only two paths you can go; win or lose. Either build from nothing to a win at the end, or start on top, fall to the bottom, and claw your way back up. The exceptions are the biopics (not entirely exempt from the formula however), but otherwise, there isn't much you can do with boxing to spice it up. Raging Bull is still the gold standard, and most of the credit goes to the great Robert De Niro for that. Because of the decline in popularity and credibility in the sport, it is hard to imagine that we will see many more films dedicated to this genre. Mixed Martial Arts has surpassed Boxing in popularity among fans and presumably athletes, and there is something nostalgic and romantic about the idea of a dingy gym with the dusty leather gloves, the old speedbags, and the legendary promotional posters on the walls. The owner pushing his own mop and sleeping in the back room. It's romantic, but it's also a dying sport.

Antoine Fuqua has broadened his horizons yet again, tackling a sports film. His bread and butter has been cops, military, and the occasional remake/reboot (The Equalizer, 2017's Magnificent Seven). A quick sidebar, The Magnificent Seven should be just that with Chris Pratt, Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Matt Bomer, Peter Sarsgaard, and Cam Giganet as the namesake band of cowboys. Just saying. Anyhow, Fuqua has seemed to gain the trust of the Hollywood brass, and he keeps churning out profitable fare. For what it's worth, Training Day was outstanding, and everything since has been action fluff. Unfortunately, Southpaw's action scenes fall into the unremarkable category.

Kurt Sutter makes the jump from the small screen, where he was spectacular (The Shield, Sons of Anarchy) for creating gritty characters, violent and graphic action sequences, and compelling drama, to the large screen where he tries to duplicate an abbreviated and toned-down version, through unimaginative writing. If not for the cast, this would have been an epic disaster.

Jake Gyllenhaal is the lone bright spot in the film, even with the incredible Forrest Whitaker in an understated yet cliche role as the too-cool-for-school trainer who humbles the champ. Gyllenhaal is coming off a handful of overlooked performances (Prisoners, Enemy, Nightcrawler), he again shows why he is one of the greatest thirty-something actors in Hollywood. He has two films on the horizon that should be worth watching; Everest, and Demolition. At first glance, it may appear he's just playing a dumb boxer, but when you really look into his performance, the physical transformation aside, you can see the acting. This isn't in a transparent, noticeable way, but if you take what you know of Gyllenhaal, you can see just how into character he has becomes because of the stark differences. I wouldn't go so far as to say Oscar nomination, and a July release almost assures that he will be forgotten, but this is one of the better performances of the year thus far.

There was an article in Entertainment Weekly recently that explained the recent trend of spoiling plot twists in the previews, and how it is what audiences want, much to the chagrin of the directors, writers, and actors. The big plot twist in Southpaw is given away in the previews (and most reviews), and although it is a crucial character change device, I found myself wanting to be surprised as I was watching the film. Spoiler alert. There were absolutely no surprises to this film.

My biggest complaint was first voiced by Oscar De La Hoya. The Boxer archetype is too rigidly portrayed. He's a dumb orphan raised on the tough streets of New York. He made something out of nothing, worked his way to the top only to lose it all through poor decisions, being taken advantage of by his hangers-on, and engaging in self-destructive behavior. It may ring true in some cases, but it (hopefully) is the exception to the rule. Playing the stereotype is supposed to make the viewer feel connected to the character through an understanding of his circumstances, but in this case, it's just a bit trite.

If you're a fan of Gyllenhaal, this is a new look for him, and you might enjoy it. The movie doesn't drag on, which is commendable, and the fight scenes seem reasonably realistic and well done. Other than that, there isn't much redeemable about Southpaw. 5/10.

Why 2015 will be better than 2014

Looking at the upcoming releases for September through December, I was awestruck by the potential in awards-caliber films. The Best Picture race may draw a large crowd this year, but this year’s Best Director ballot will be the toughest call in as long as I can recall.

No fewer than 20 of the most critically acclaimed directors of our generation have films coming out between September and the end of December alone, but I can tell you who will be winning the major awards.

Perennial favorites Steven Spielberg, Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Ron Howard, Barry Levinson, Robert Zemeckis, Denis Villaneuve, David O. Russell, Oliver Stone, Danny Boyle, Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Scott Cooper, Nancy Meyers, Tom Hooper, JJ Abrams, Sam Mendes, Werner Herzog, Gus Van Sant, and Terence Malik all have films coming out over the last three months of the year, and Woody Allen, Michael Mann, and Francis Ford Coppola have films out now. The only A-listers seemingly missing the party are Christopher Nolan, Clint Eastwood, Katheryn Bigelow, James Cameron, David Fincher, the Coen Brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, Ang Lee, and Martin Scorcese, who is on a journey of musical documentaries in between his trysts with Leonardo DiCaprio.

The sheer magnitude of entries into the cinematic landscape this year might be the most ambitious season to date, and although some of the films won’t be the masterpieces of their respective visionaries’ careers, there are a handful that will raise eyebrows and make 2014’s critically acclaimed films pale in comparison.

Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, Danny Boyle, Quentin Tarantino, Alejandro Innaritu, Robert Zemeckis, Ridley Scott, and Denis Villaneuve will present the most likely Best Picture nominees. There is an interesting academy rumor going around, and it has been since 2009, that the Best Picture field will return to five films to increase interest by audiences and lend more credibility and prestige to the award. I support this rumor, and there would be snubs and controversy, but all nominees would be completely deserving. Here are my five Best Picture films of the season:

1.The Martian. Directed by Ridley Scott and based on the bestselling novel of the same name. Ridley Scott is the Master of Sci-Fi, and with a realistic, smart story and a stellar cast, this will be a very popular film with audiences. Matt Damon plays Mark Watney, the lone survivor of an abandoned manned mission to Mars.

2.The Revenant. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Leo DiCaprio plays Hugh Glass, a frontiersman in the early 1800’s. He’s mauled by a bear and left for dead, only to survive and seek revenge on his betrayers. Expect nothing short of epic greatness.

3.The Hateful Eight. Quentin Tarantino is in a class of his own. Every film is an adventure unrivaled by any other filmmaker in the business, and the entertainment value is always high. His ensemble casts create some of the most memorable characters, and you can be sure there will be some supporting actor (and perhaps actress) standout performances.

4.The Heart of the Sea. Ron Howard is back after the underappreciated Rush in 2013. The Heart of the Sea reunites Howard with Chris Hemsworth once again, this time based on the true story of Moby Dick. Can you say cool?

5.Steve Jobs. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Aaron Sorkin, this might be a step up from The Social Network in terms of technology biopics, and I loved The Social Network. Michael Fassbender will earn a Best Actor nod for his work, and will help us all forget about Ashton Kutcher’s awful performance in 2013’s failed Jobs biopic.

However, if the field stays with its current model, expect Bridge of Spies, Snowden, Sicario, and The Walk to fill in the final four candidates, with Black Mass getting an outside shot. As is evident by these films, there is a noticeable void of lead female actors. This may be a boon for Jennifer Lawrence, as she is headlining David O. Russell’s biopic on Joy Mangano, but Emily Blunt may make a run in her Traffic-esque role in Sicario, and you can never count Meryl Streep out, though her Ricki and the Flash might be too loose with her character.

For the men, take your pick. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Michael Fassbender are my locks with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (either of two roles may lead to a nomination), Chris Hemsworth, Matt Damon, and Johnny Depp following close behind. I think and hope this is DiCaprio’s year.

Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu will become the first director to win consecutive Oscars since Joseph Mankiewicz in 1949 and 1950. His film, The Revenant will be both riveting and innovative. If audiences aren’t turned away by the gritty violence, it should be a lock for Picture, Director, and Actor. This may seem a bold prediction in the face of such stiff competition, but as was the case with Birdman, Innaritu has adopted original and clever film making tactics making him the hardest working director looking to innovate his field besides James Cameron. For The Revenant, he is using absolutely no unnatural light which must prove to be a challenging film shoot following the lunar cycle, but ultimately, it will pay off huge dividends in the end.
In the face of such remarkable competition, 2015 will be the best crop of films since 2010.