Reel Reviews

Metropolis -- The first great sci-fi movie? I'll go with that. Once you get past the disorientation of watching a silent movie--there's always a bit of that for a modern viewer--you very quickly sink into an absorbing story and visual presentation that is every bit as creative as most movies these days. And a story about out of touch elites and the dire consequences that can result from that inequality remains very relevant to today. Note: this review comes from watching the "restored" version of this film.

Reel Reviews

King Solomon's Mines -- (1950, with Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr.) I often preach about old movies being better than you think they are; this one's not exactly a poster child for that concept. Not to say that it's bad; but the running time largely consists of a pastiche of wildlife encounters--which were probably fascinating back in the day but relatively bland for today's jaded viewer, who's seen all this and better in any number of nature shows--and a story that meanders to an ending with very little payoff. This one's probably only for the film buffs out there.

Reel Reviews

American Sniper -- Sometimes it’s good to be behind the times. Like, for instance, when you watch a movie a year after it hits theaters, and all of its accompanying controversy has receded into the background. This film would probably have been hard to judge when it first arrived, given the heated atmosphere surrounding it then. When viewed with some perspective, you can judge this film clearly: a very good movie featuring an excellent performance by Bradley Cooper, and not nearly as much jingo as its harshest critics believed. As usual, director Clint Eastwood brings much more nuance to a potentially propagandistic subject than the casual observer might expect. Certainly, he clearly shows that, for all his gung-ho, Chris Kyle paid an enormous price for his time in Iraq--and as such stands as an appropriate metaphor for the nation as a whole. Definitely worth a look.

Reel Reviews

Evolution -- How could a film with so much going for it be this stupid? A good cast--no meatheads a la Sandler or Diesel here--a good premise (with pretty good special effects) and a good director (Ivan Reitman, with one certifiable classic--Ghostbusters--on his resume)...where did it all go wrong? Well, the writing is stupid, without even an attempt to make the scientist characters anything near intelligent. (Yes, they’re supposed to be doofus junior college teachers, but then again Duchovny’s character is supposed to have a history with a more rigorous scientific background.) The humor indulges in “stupid fat guy” clichés (not something to get on my good side). And several of the characters (especially the villainous general and governor) are so cardboard cutout that they distract from the story, or the humor, or anything the film tries to achieve. No wonder this movie tanked at the box office; even the stupid multiplex crowd probably found it sub-par. Avoid it.

Reel Reviews

A Walk Among The Tombstones -- Perhaps it’s a product of the fact that I’m generally not into the mystery genre, but I found this film’s story/plot to be--mostly--genuinely surprising and opaque. One can argue that that’s not a good thing, but for me the lack of predictability (in details; the big picture remained fairly obvious) created a more enjoyable viewing experience. Certainly, Liam Neeson has this “world-weary cop” routine down pat by now; he’s played one variation or another on this character in most of his recent movies. But the role fits him like a glove, so instead of banality and too much comfort the repetition leads to expertise, and subtle shadings from one iteration to the next that the audience can appreciate. I think this is a good pic to watch, but others more familiar with the genre may find this outing somewhat pedestrian. It all depends on whether you’re a fan of Neeson, mysteries, or both.

Reel Reviews

The Interview -- You have to give Seth Rogan and James Franco credit for being willing to look really ridiculous for their art. The farce here is so broad that it’s probably stretching it to call this movie ‘art,’ but it delivers enough laughs that I suppose the guys should be given the benefit of the doubt. The only weird thing is, for all of its comedic intent, the film actually veers into some pretty violent territory now and then--a jarring lack of consistency which demerits the project overall (and may have been the reason that some people took the thing a little too seriously back when the movie was about to be released). Overall, this is a pretty good, funny movie; a little refinement would have gone a lot further.

Reel Reviews

Star Wars: Episode VII--The Force Awakens -- Those of a cynical mind might view the derivative nature of this outing--it is an almost blow by blow remake of the original 1977 story--as purposeful exploitation of a) an older, captive fanbase audience, and b) a new, younger generation of potential audience members who don't know from the original anyway, and won't be able to recognize the recycling. It is very likely that that cynical view is 100% true, but that does not necessarily toss this film onto the trash heap. The characters old and new are engaging (the newcomers acquit themselves very well), the movie looks beautiful, and at no point did I find my attention wavering during its relatively long running time. Ultimately, one should probably take this installment for what it is: a decent "soft" reboot of the franchise that, perhaps, raises a new hope for better things to come.

Reel Reviews

Taken 3 -- It would be too much to ask for a second sequel to be as close to as good as the original. This copy of a copy is, of course, nothing close to the first entry, and by the end the threads start to feel very frayed, and the plot twists border on the absurd. But for the most part, this is a fairly entertaining outing, another chance to see Liam Neeson's Bryan Mills do his lethal and chaotic thing, which is still a hoot. I wouldn't go out on a limb and call this flick necessary, but it's not as awful as it could have been. That may be grading on a very forgiving curve, but that's the benefit you get when you've previously built up audience goodwill (Avengers producers, take note).

Reel Revews

Avengers: Age of Ultron -- Oh, boy. I warned in the review of the previous Avengers movie that the property was dangerously close to being little more than empty--and not very intelligent--spectacle. It's hard to argue that this entry in the series (there will be a third, per the promise in the credits) doesn't tip over that edge and descend into utter schlock. This is really a baffling outcome; these characters somehow work far better on their own, and the humor that should be a big part of such a "fun" franchise is again largely missing here. Given the inputs--including the very sharp Joss Whedon directing again--it makes no sense that this movie should be the fairly joyless exercise that it is. I suppose, if you're into the genre, you must watch these Avengers flicks, just to keep pace with developments that affect the rest of the individual storylines. But please, don't pay for any more of this nonsense; check it out from the library if you need to get your fix.

Reel Reviews

The Martian -- This movie has its weaknesses; a large dose of predictability mixed with plenty of moviemaking and story clichés come immediately to mind. But its strengths are very strong, including an excellent cast in top form and an inherently interesting premise. And the film's greatest strength of all may be its most important trait: its high level of intelligence, particularly in its depiction of science not just as an airy concept, but as a practical way to solve problems. If enough people watch this movie, and absorb its scientific frame of mind, it might nudge this world towards being a place that's a little bit better than the ignorant, superstitious madhouse where we currently live.

Reel Reviews

Mad Max: Fury Road -- Talk about not taking the path of least resistance. This hyperextended action sequence--it strains the language to call it a story--can at least be said to be honest: it delivers exactly what you expect of a movie about everyone's favorite post-apocalyptic, insane Australian, without any other promises. The delivery in this case is an almost indescribable orgy of mayhem--a breathtaking spectacle of violence that does provide a rush of visceral fun. On the other hand, there's a bit too much predictability here, not to mention a sense, when all is said and done, that there really wasn't much point to the whole proceedings. The same thing could have been accomplished, apparently, with a simple assassination. If you're the type who gets his jollies from this sort of craziness, then sure, this is the film for you. But if you expect a little more from your mayhem than just, well, mayhem...then there may be better things you can do with your time.

Reel Reviews

Run All Night -- And a grim time was had by all. This is some pretty dark stuff here, which perhaps should be a point in this film's merit. This violence has consequences, and there's a strong message here that says a life of crime comes back to get you, even if you skirt the law in the process--an interesting deviation from most flicks in the genre. On the other hand, there's a certain lack of originality here; the plot, including the "flash ahead" device, is fairly well-worn, and you can tell pretty much what's going to happen all the way through. Overall, it's a tough call; I can see recommending this movie, but I can also see its demerits, too. If you really dig these Liam Neeson shoot 'em ups, the go for it; otherwise, maybe you can find a better film to give your two hours to.

Wordsmith

Another term for Stephen's Dictionary:

Generation AA
[Proper noun]
Pronounced "Generation Double A" -- Term for any member of the vaguely under 30 years-of-age cohort; derives from the fact that whenever I have to deal with any of their ilk, I wind up wanting to beat them with a sock filled with batteries. ("Double A" refers to the common small cell batteries.)

Reel Reviews

A Most Violent Year -- Watching this movie is an extraordinary experience, not just because the story and performances are good (they are, very much so), but because the world it depicts (a gang war between heating oil companies in New York City in 1981) seems so alien to those of us living today--even if you're old enough to remember that year. The story is compelling, but what really drives this film is the performances of the leads; Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain skillfully rebut any arguments that the best actors these days only come from England (or maybe Australia). Both of them are riveting in their roles, particularly Isaac (who continues to demonstrate that he may now be the premier American actor of today). And Albert Brooks is brilliant (and almost unrecognizeable) as Abel's lawyer/consigliere. Overall, this is a mesmerizing study of a time and a place long gone but brought back to life by exceptional talents.

Reel Reviews

The Imitation Game -- Much of what you see here is actually very standard, boilerplate "outsider" drama, set in the equally standard venue of a World War II movie. The loser who ultimately wins, the challenge to authority, the competition won--it's all there, as it is in a hundred other films. So why is this movie different? Different enough to be really, really good? Two things. One, the true story goes beyond the win to show the outsider ultimately losing (though with a winning legacy); and two (and this is the thing that really makes the movie worth watching), the expert execution of the presentation, particularly in the job the actors do in inhabiting their roles. Special performances by the leads (and, for that matter, the supporting cast) elevate this pic from the standard to a truly special viewing experience.