Category Archives: General Entertainment

“The Martian” movie review

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TheMartianHouston, we have a problem…with Ridley Scott’s directing. Despite the fact that his is an extremely well-known name among directors and both “Alien” and “Gladiator” are critically acclaimed films, Scott just keeps proving over and over again that he can create a very visual movie with a star-studded cast; but, his films over the last decade have just not held up to the hype behind his name or the caliber of director he used to be. The Martian is a prime example of when junior executives at motion picture studios decide that a given plot/sub-genre is popular and keep cranking them out. The problem is, by the time the studios pick up on what the public wants, when the next copycat film gets released, often times the public is tired of that kind of movie. This makes the third epic space movie in three years. Pretty sure both Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain just used their same costumes from Interstellar. One thing’s for sure, if NASA was looking for a film to showcase their brand in an indirect effort to increase funding and rally support for the essentially mission-less organization, this may not have been the best one. In many ways, it just showcased their bureaucracy and inefficiency. Perhaps, space travel should be mostly conducted by private organizations with some infrastructural support on the federal level.

The Martian is about rescuing Mark Watney (Damon) a stranded astronaut-botonist on Mars after a research expedition was abruptly cut short due to an unforeseen storm. The Mars research team, led by Commander Lewis (Chastain), heads back to earth on not knowing that the comrade they thought dead was now completely abandoned on the red planet. Following some minor self-surgery, Watney realizes that he will have to learn to survive on Mars until he can be rescued by growing his own food and repairing the communication technologies in order to make contact with NASA. After NASA discovers the Watney is alive and in reasonably good condition, they must mount an effort to deliver supplies and get him home. Following some failed attempts, NASA eventually teams up with the most unlikely of players in the space game as a collaborative effort to work together for the greater good.

Now I know what you may be saying, ‘this guy doesn’t like most high concept, popular movies.’ That is definitely not the case at all. However, I feel that high concept films often suffer from under-developed plots and poorly executed directing. Just because you have a handful of hits such as Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator, doesn’t mean that you should be given a pass for all subsequent films. That’s what I and other critics have noticed with his theatrical releases over the last decade. I just don’t think movie-going audiences needed another space movie after Gravity and Interstellar. Certainly not a film about a rescue mission or one with two of the same actors in similar roles from last year. The Martian is definitely beautifully shot, and that is of no surprise, since Scott’s films are often filled with stunning cinematography and production design. If only the actors were just as exemplary in their respective roles. Most of the more prominent roles were just under-developed. Don’t highlight a particular character if there is no real reason for the special attention.

Although you may be thinking that I didn’t like this movie at all, you would be mistaken to rush to that conclusion. In fact, there are definitely a few reasons why I liked certain elements of the film. I thoroughly enjoyed the commitment to real science in this science-fiction story. That was my biggest negative criticism of the plot of Interstellar. In the plot of the aforementioned, we were asked to constantly engage in the suspension of disbelief and blindly accept scientific information that was never explained or even made logical sense within the world of the film. Fortunately, The Martian played out as a believable film that is taking place not that far into our future. Throughout the film, the science is explained in carefully crafted exposition that is seamlessly integrated into the plot. Never does it feel that we are to blindly accept some science or logic just for the sake of moving the plot along. The believability of the plot and production design is what helps this film succeed as a good example of a science-fiction theatrical release.

As we gear up for Oscar season, I hope that this isn’t what we are to expect: movies that have many great elements paired with poor direction overall. If for no other reason, The Martian shows us how we could colonize Mars and travel back and forth. Although his performance wasn’t stellar, Damon pretty much holds the audience’s attention through the use of comedic relief during some of the most stressful times in the movie. For the aeronautical and and jet propulsion communities, this is a good example of research and development in the area of space exploration.

“The Visit” movie review

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TheVisitOver the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go…You’ll never think of visiting your grandparents in the same way ever again. I just have to say, congratulations M. Night Shyamalan for making a triumphant return to the horror genre. Blumhouse and Universal Pictures’ The Visit is a found footage/documentary style horror film that has a lot to offer as we slowly gear up for the Halloween season in the coming weeks. The film successfully pairs blood curdling thrills with belly laughs. What can be more terrifying than a visit to grandma and grandpa’s that has gone terribly wrong??? Sometimes the best horror films are those that take what is otherwise non-descript or safe and twist it around and turn it inside out. And, that is what you get with The Visit. One of the best parts of the movie is that the–what you thought were spoilers in the trailer–are not quite as they seemed and will still catch you off guard. Perhaps next time you visit your grandparents, you may not want to leave your room after 9:30 in the evening. This is especially true if your grandparents live way out in the sticks where the only connection to the internet is an ethernet cable.

After years of separation and ignoring one another, a single mother (Kathryn Hahn) makes contact over social media with her estranged parents in the woods of Pennsylvania. Reluctantly, she decides to allow her kids Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) to take a train to visit their newly discovered grandparents against Mom’s better judgment. The timing works out because Mom has a new boyfriend that has invited her on a cruise to escape the snow and bask in the sun. Upon arrival in their grandparents’ jerkwater hamlet, Becca and Tyler soon become concerned about their grandparents’ bizarre behavior. Rules like stay out of the basement and don’t leave your room after 9:30 in the evening are just the beginning of the strange and terrifying encounters that lurk behind corners and under porches. Fearful for their lives and virtually cut off from the outside world, Becca and Tyler must carefully and skillfully escape the warm kitchen, delightful cookies, and old world that has them trapped.

Okay, at first I was disappointed that it was going to be another found footage or point-of-view documentary style movie. Unless I had missed something, the preview did not lead me to believe that it would be shot POV. I was hoping for a traditional narrative that was shot mostly objectively. However, as I watched the movie, I actually found the documentary style shoot to work for the film quite well. Took a little getting used to, but in the end, it was a great method for telling this terrifying tale of a visit to grandma’s. Although the pacing does start off on the slow side, it picks up and will have you sucked in before you know it. From the moment that you meet grandma and grandpa, you know that there is just something not right. And, just like a good horror or suspense movie should, you won’t know that that is until the end of the movie during the climax–you most likely won’t see it coming.

One of the many positive elements of the movie is Shyamalan’s ability to integrate humor with the terror. One minute you will be laughing along with the kids, and the next you will shoot right up out of your seat with fright. There are even parts that will gross you out while other parts of the film contain mouth-watering homemade delights. They all work together to disorientate the audience. One of the best methods to ensure a scare is to keep the audience off balance. This way, you can hit them with a jump scare here, a warm moment there, and sneak in from behind and scare them. The disorientation allows for the narrative to build up to the most horrific elements of the movie. It’s like, the audience is in the midst of a horror movie before they know it. Building suspense is paramount to a well-written horror film. Not that jump scares aren’t important, but a film should very rarely ever build a foundation upon solely them. Building suspense lasts, a jump scare is like a firecracker–lows up quickly and dissipates just as fast.

If you are in the mood for a fun horror film before hitting Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida/Hollywood or Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa/Williamsburg, or just want to put on the movie movie on your boyfriend or girlfriend, then definitely check out The Visit while it is in theaters.

“Beaches” Throwback Thursday Movie Review

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BeachesThe ebb and flow of a lifelong oil and water unchecked friendship. Touchstone Pictures’ Beaches is the timeless modern classic that is the bittersweet story of the friendship between the most unlikely of friends. Much like Universal Pictures’ Fried Green Tomatoes, Beaches tells two stories: the present day one concurrent with dozens of flashbacks that show the evolution of the friendship between Broadway actress turned pop-star C.C. Bloom (Bette Midler) and wealthy old money Californian Hillary Whitney (Barbara Hershey). Unlike the former, the latter does not play the flashback card as artistically and cinematically as well. Despite the fact that I, along with hundreds of thousands of fans, adore this film immensely, as a film critic, I cannot ignore the blatant misuse and misplacement of the flashback. However, this movie is special in that it can make even those of us who have seen it dozens of times cry every time. I think this is because that the friendship, that is displayed through the narrative, is one that many of us wish we had. Interestingly, this quintessential late 1980s movie is closely aligned with the plots of 1940s friendship sagas complete with feuds, tearful reunions, and fatal illnesses.

Beaches takes us on a journey from the Boardwalk of Atlantic City to the rocky shoreline and beaches of the San Francisco area. Follow unlikely friends Hillary Whitney (Hershey) and C.C. Bloom (Midler) through the mountains and valleys in their lifelong cross-country relationship. Hillary is a girl of impeccable breeding from a wealthy San Francisco family and C.C., an aspiring Broadway child star from the Bronx. After a chance meeting under the Boardwalk, Hillary and C.C. quickly form a lasting friendship built over the course of hundreds of letters back and forth over the years. With both women being strong-willed and stubborn, it is of no surprise that their friendship is one of jealously, competition, and resentment–however–they are always there for each other. As adults, they spend time traveling from coast to coast and despite the valleys, they always return to the mountain peak.

Due to the very lifelong-friendship movie cliches in the narrative, the audience is usually way ahead of the characters on the screen. Despite this utterly predictable plot, the audience is sucked in at the same time because of the personalities of the characters and the magic that both Midler and Hershey bring to their respective roles. The movie is pretty well straight forward and seldom deviates from what is typically expected of melodramas. It is up to Midler and Hershey to hold the attention of the audience, much like actors on a stage, because the writing and directing is very par for the course. I would venture to say that if the two lead actresses were replaced by any two other performers, that the movie would most likely not have the high place amongst modern American dramas that it does in the library of American cinema.

The Divine Miss. M’s musical talent is definitely showcased quite well in the movie, and is one reason the movie has stood the test of time that it has. For the last nearly three decades, scores of best friends have cried together while painting each other’s toe nails and drank lots of wine while watching this go-to film. Although bordering on unrealistic expectations of a lifelong friendship, the movie successfully shows us how even the best of friends can argue, fight, and still return to each other in times of need. There is something to be said about a friendship that can stand the trials and tribulations that this one does. Although Beaches lacks the spontaneity of real life, and is nearly completely constructed out of other movies, it has and will continue to be one of those films that epitomizes the idea of devoted friends and dedication to a relationship. And, who doesn’t love “The Wind Beneath My Wings”???

“The Gift” movie review

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TheGiftWho knew a slow-burning plot could be well-paced at the same time. The Gift is the latest movie released by Blumhouse and performed quite well over the opening weekend. Although billed as a suspense/thriller/stalker movie, it plays as a dark drama with a few intense jump scares. Unlike many movies in this sub-genre of horror, this one is surprisingly well-directed and written. In fact, there was only one exchange of dialog that I felt was extremely OTN (“on the nose,” meaning stating the obvious). Structurally, the plot is solid and leaves very little time for the audience to grow restless. Another interesting component to the movie is being predisposed early-on to side with and feel particular ways about the respective characters; but then after some big reveals, you begin to question your allegiance and favoritism. Perhaps you may find yourself rooting for whom you first admonished. There is much that is left up to interpretation, but not in a way that leaves you feeling negatively about unanswered questions. It’s one of those horror movies that encourages you to think differently about situations and characters.

The Gift is about Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) who move to LA for Simon’s new job. Relocating from Chicago, Simon and Robyn are excited to buy their new mid-century house and develop a life in a new city (which is actually childhood home of Simon). During an ordinary shopping excursion to a homewares store, the couple runs into a former high school classmate of Simon’s named Gordo (Joel Edgerton). After several conversations and a dinner invitation, Simon begins to suspect that there is something not quite right with Gordo and tells Gordo never to visit them again. Despite the harsh treatment from Simon, Gordo leaves gifts for the couple on their front porch, only some gifts should remain wrapped.

Other than a couple jump scares and eerie music, the movie is more of a mystery/drama than a thriller. It lacks that visceral thrill that curdles the blood throughout the movie. But despite that, it’s incredibly well paced and written. The excellent direction did not go without notice. Often times, movies that feature the director in a principle acting roll suffer because it is very difficult for a director to focus on orchestrating the storytelling and acting at the same time. Joel Edgerton is nearly unique in his demonstrable ability to successfully tell a visual story and deliver excelling acting. My only negative critique to the writing and the directing is the blatant absence of a climax/showdown. I was expecting something big to happen toward the end of the movie, in which the culmination of all the reveals and investigations come to fruition; but I was disappointed and felt unsatisfied with the resolution. Even though this is a different take on the whole stalker concept, I feel that the plot should have included a showdown in order to add a definitive thrilling element to the story.

Sometimes I think I know how a movie is going to play out; and often times, through my research and productions of my own, feel confident in my ability to read a movie through the trailer and the advertising. Not the case with this one. Honestly, I was expecting another Lifetime movie trying to make it big in the cinema (much in the vein of January’s Boy Next Door); however, I was pleasantly surprised and mostly happy with how this one played out and how well it was directed. It definitely leaves you to interpret actions, in the movie, for yourself and it also contains some very cool symbolism and subtext.

“Mission: Impossible–Rogue Nation” movie review

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MI5Mission: Resurgent. The fifth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise is surprisingly good. Ordinarily, this far into a franchise, the stories and plots can begin to suffer; but, Paramount Pictures continues the TV series turned cinema powerhouse with great promise for a continued successful run. I don’t think the Mission: Impossible library will ever have quite the allure that James Bond has, but it fairs better than the Bourne franchise. All three definitely perform well, but Mission: Impossible is unique in that Tom Cruise truly sells the movie. Unlike in Hollywood’s Golden Age (~1920s-50s) when particular actors were truly regarded as stars and would essentially sell the movie to audiences and investors, most of today’s movies are not built on the backs of particular fixtures in the star system. There are a few exceptions out there, but Tom Cruise is definitely an actor that is as close to an old-fashioned movie star as we can see and have in contemporary cinema. If you’re looking for a great popcorn movie that you can just chill-ax at, then checkout the latest movie in this unkillable franchise.

With the IMF now disbanded and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) out in the cold, a new threat — called the Syndicate — soon emerges. The Syndicate is a network of highly skilled operatives who are dedicated to establishing a new world order via an escalating series of terrorist attacks. Faced with what may be the most impossible mission yet, Ethan gathers his team and joins forces with Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), a disavowed British agent who may or may not be a member of this deadly rogue nation. (IMDb, 2015).

Due of the very nature of these movies, I don’t feel it necessary to pick apart the plot because it is purposely high concept and requires the audience to engage in a momentary suspension of disbelief in order to enjoy the action and adventure. That being said, the movie is pretty solidly acted, written, shot, and directed. I was a little disappointed in that the most impressive sequence of events, involving the plane taking off with Ethan hanging on for dear life, is right at the beginning of the film and everything else pales in comparison. It follows a fairly standard order of tropes common to high concept espionage-action-adventure films. Despite the very contemporary nature of this espionage movie, there is a classic feel that is successfully woven throughout the narrative.