The Good Lie: Movie Review

The Good Lie is a good movie.  There are no two ways about it.  I know it didn't get a lot of attention and kind of came and went from movie theatres quickly.  Even the commercials and previews for it made it seem kind of like an afterthought, so I didn't expect much when I finally got around to seeing it.  What I found was another case of mis-marketing and trouble finding an audience, not any problem with the movie itself.  It's so frustrating as a film lover to see good movies go unseen for reasons other than it just being a bad movie. 

The Good Lie is about the 80s civil war in The Sudan and the years of relocation and displacement afterwards of children who survived.  In particular, the story centers on one group and how Reese Witherspoon's character attempts to help them adjust to their move to the United States.  It's a complete and at times gut-wrenching drama.  It is NOT another Million Dollar Arm or other recent popular cultural crossover aimed at quick resolutions and heartwarming fun.  This movie is inches from Oscar caliber - even Reese herself, who in recent years has relegated herself to some pretty poor choices in movie roles ("How Do You Know", anyone, Bueller? I didn't think so).

I guess the problem is that this movie makes you feel, and not always good.  Until Oscar season, movie-goers don't often like to be challenged like this.  The movie made me think of what I was worrying about while all of this was happening.  It made me wonder why I didn't do anything about it.  It made me want to pay attention and do something the next time (right now?).  It's beautifully shot and half of it is even set in Kansas City.

The main characters are portrayed by actual Sudanese refugees and former child soldiers.  They. Are. Amazing.  They are called upon to do much more than just play a version of themselves.  There is an underlying literary theme behind The Good Lie that comes to fruition in an unexpected and further emotionally stretching fashion and its all lead by these actors, not Reese.  In fact, Reese's role, while well-done, is small in the movie as a whole.

Even the music was interesting and eclectic, continuing with the unexpectedness of the entire movie-going experience.  As the credits rolled, then, seeing Howard-Grazer cross the screen should not have been a surprise...

4 out of 5 stars

Penguins (of Madagascar) Movie Review

 

In case you're looking for something to take the kids to see this weekend, I thought I'd go ahead and post my review of the latest animated fall film, Penguins of Madagascar.  Notice I didn't say, "In case you're looking for something to see yourself."  This one is definitely for the youngest audiences unfortunately. 

Penguins of Madagascar takes our stars on a somewhat nostalgic journey into how their bond was originally created (the most successful part of film), and then on to a mixture of James Bond type bad guy intrigue and encounters with Guardians of the Galaxy style good guys.  That all sounds pretty good, right?  I mean, a bit far fetched and overreaching, but good?  Uh, no.

We all love the Penguins and that's what made me thing it might be a film I'd actually like, but I was severely disappointed all around.  Even the Penguins were sub par most of the time.  Perhaps they simply can't sustain their sarcastic cuteness for an entire film.  Although there were individual moments of definitive laughter and their typical tongue in cheek maneuvers (mostly in flashbacks, if you can believe an animated movie has flashbacks), but the action and the plot were contrived to the extreme.  It was a thin line that threaded each scene together and at one point, I had to throw that out and take each scene as unrelated, though still lackluster.  Yes, there were a few cute moments and some clever comebacks, but this is definitely one that can be missed.

"The Movie Event That Will Blow Their Cover"? How about "The Movie Event That Will Just Blow"?

2.25 out of 5 stars

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I - Movie Review

Yes, I read the books.  I devoured them.  I loved them.  I have also really enjoyed the first two movies.

Now that that's out of the way, on to Mockingjay Part I.  Okay, I also loved this one.  This third installment finds Catniss the somewhat unwilling spokesperson for the rebel movement against the Capitol and in pain at the loss or peril of people she loves and/or feels responsible for.  It's definitely the darkest of this already darkly themed trilogy (the nerd in me wants to compare it to The Empire Strikes Back, but I digress).  We also see more Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and less Peeta for the first time, but Peeta's presence hangs heavily and constantly over Catniss and the viewer.  The rebellion may be the center of all action in Mockingjay Part I, but the Catniss and Peeta relationship is still central to the story.  Jennifer Lawrence is given more to do emotionally in this film and finally shows some range as Catniss, who heretofore looked to me like a character who could probably be played just as well by a variety of Hollywood ingenues. The addition of Julianne Moore as rebel alliance leader Coin is a welcome one, even without her signature red hair.  She predictably plays the aloof coldness from the book to perfection.  (Side note: I actually pictured Moore in the role when I read it, after the first movie had just come out - no joke.) On a sad note, every scene featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman hit me hard, right in the gut.

Overall, I think the book was translated well into this first installment and new immediately when I read the book that two movies would be justified, but I'm still wondering how they're going to pull off some of the scenes from the second half of the book without looking too comical.  However, there were a few larger changes in Mockingjay Part I that also make me wonder if there will be significant changes to the ending or at least to the through storyline before it's all said and done.  It was intense, and as evidenced by non-book readers that I was with, equally so, whether you've read the books or not, which I consider quite a feat in itself.  Mockingjay Part II is honestly the first non-TV sequel in years that I am going to be hanging on eagerly to see, not just because I simply enjoyed this movie so much, but because I desperately need to know the fates of those involved, like the good old days...okay, I'll say it, like the original Star Wars trilogy.

4 out of 5 stars

Ardennes Fury Movie Review

This weekend, I viewed a straight to video movie that debuted at Walmart for Veterans Day.  Full disclosure here, I was particularly interested in reviewing this film because my longtime friend, Bill Voorhees is one of the leads in it, and for the first time in his career.  He also works at Asylum (Sharknado, Z Nation), who produced the film and so I am interested in seeing them succeed as well.

Asylum is known for making mostly B movies and knock offs of current movies starring actors that are either on their way up or their way down the Hollywood ladder.  This explains the C. Thomas Howell version of War of Worlds that came out at the same time as Tom Cruise's version several years ago and Ardennes Fury is no different in that way, since it comes out alongside Brad Pitt's tank epic simply titled, "Fury", which I reviewed earlier this month.  How Ardennes Fury IS different from other Asylum productions, is that this is basically their first stab at a completely straight ahead drama, with no scifi, sexual or goofy twists.

Ardennes Fury is an action movie set in World War II, focusing on one tank crew and the Nazis they encounter while trying to complete their assigned mission and a more emotional one they take up themselves, and in that way, it can definitely satisfy war movie buffs.  However, this is a VERY low budget film made in less than two weeks.  Does it look like it?  Maybe.  I'd actually say it looks like it had a little more money than it did and a couple more weeks.  Asylum knows how to make the most of what they have and they improve every time.  Sometimes the acting is lacking, though some of that can be chalked up to poorly written dialog.  Most of the time the special effects are lacking.  However, I'd say given a bit more time and money, none of that would have mattered if they'd just had more time for the director and editor to go after what they really wanted from each scene.  Nothing in this movie made me laugh.  It was more a matter of wishing they'd had the resources to complete a better product with the raw material they were given.

Remember I said my friend Bill is in this movie?  Well, don't let that cloud your judgment of my review when I honestly say he was the best part of this film.  Even knowing how poorly made Adrennes Fury is, Bill Voorhees is responsible for the only scene of true emotion that lead to tears welling up in my eyes.  I truly didn't think this movie could get to me like that, but there is a scene where his character feels responsible for the death of a little boy and is the one who has to tell his mother and the way he responds to her grief and anger really got to me.  It's not just that scene that leads me to believe Bill will be recognized for lots of future work either.  Overall, his character was the most believable, because he was the only one who didn't look like he was "acting".  He was believable and three dimensional in a way no one else in the film achieved.

If you pick up the DVD, be sure to check out the gag reel and the commentary, done by none other than Bill Voorhees himself.

2.25 out of 5 stars

Big Hero 6 Movie Review

Big Hero 6 is an animated movie based on a comic book, but actually achieves live-action film caliber (think The Incredibles), about an extremely smart 14 year old boy named "Hiro" who deals with real grief and becomes a self-made superHiro, with the help of some friends, science and robots.  Maybe it's those themes that reminded me almost immediately of a movie I loved a few years ago that went largely unseen (Real Steel, which actually may see a sequel soon!).  The "Big Hero 6" is actually that entire group of friends, with a play on words for the main character's name, not the name of the cuddly robot at the center of the film.  From the beginning of the movie, it's clear that you're in for a well-rounded cinema experience, rather than just another Disney princess musical (blech!).  Big Hero 6 places an emphasis on science and problem solving to a highly believable and enjoyable degree. Not so underlying threads of "School is Cool" and "Girls in Tech" are more reasons to love this movie and to take your kids!  Also worth a mention is the actual caliber of animation in the film: The non-titular main robot in the movie is inflatable, which causes more interesting and comical differences to be portrayed in pixels than usual.  In addition, the science turned science fiction would truly need to be CGI'ed in a live action movie anyway.  In addition, the setting in the near future of the charming "San Fransokyo" is very believable if you've been to both San Francisco and Tokyo, which I appreciated.  Obviously even seeing itself as a regular big blockbuster superhero movie, there is even a postscript sequel teaser (featuring a special animated cameo) after the credits, like we've become accustomed to with The Avengers series, so stay til the end!  In addition, the animated short that shows before Hero, Feast, about a man and his dog, is definitely going to be up for an Oscar itself, so arrive early too!  On a personal note, Big Hero 6 reminded me of an early 70s Japanese tv show called Robocon, so that may have slightly influenced my review ;).

4 out of 5 stars

Catching Up On Reviews (Now That the World Series is Over) - Maze Runner, Box Trolls, Alexander and the Very Bad Day, Fury, Book of Life, St. Vincent

Yes, I got behind, but Royals Mania took everything I had for awhile there...now, back to reality.  During that time, I still managed to see 6 movies, I just didn't have time to write about them for you.  Thankfully, I am happy to report that none of them were bad.  None of them made my Oscar short list either, however.

Maze Runner

Based on a recent YA book in the vein of Hunger Games and Divergent, but not as good.  I actually read the entire series, mostly because the books are each one long adrenaline rush combined with an apocalyptic mystery and I just had to keep reading to solve it, but there is absolutely NO character development in the book or as it turns out, the movie.  Relatable characters made HG and D worth reading/watching, so I'm afraid Maze Runner is really just for the video game set.  Given that assessment, the strangest variation from the book to the movie is that there is only one monster and it isn't even that scary.  The book had many more opportunities to explore gore and maiming, which I would have thought appealing to gamers, but that change did make it more palatable for the PG-13 crowd.

2.75 out of 5 stars

Boxtrolls 

This is a dark (in shade and theme) animated film whose story defies description.  It's atypical in every way, which made it more enjoyable than most children's fare.  The plot involves trolls who kidnap and eat children...or do they?  Sometimes the worst villains turn out to be the adults in these films, teaching dubious lessons to kids when put together as a group of parables.  However, the music is good, the story is ultimately sweet and it had enough humor for kids and adults alike and it's easier on little ones than anything Tim Burton does.

2.75 out of 5 stars

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

 

With an all-star cast including Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner and Dick Van Dyke and a charming little newcomer in the lead role, this beloved modern children's classic comes to life on film.  It is overall a bit too sweet with its string of First World Problems including childcare interfering with job interviews, one child's very expensive birthday party conflicting with another child's very expensive birthday party, failing your driver's (spectacularly) and getting a cold on opening night of your school play, but it has equally as many laugh out loud moments along the way for the entire family.  I'm just going to throw my favorite quote from the movie, that comes from the mouth of the white, middle class working mom in the suburbs, in a family packed mini van, "I've seen every penis in this car!".  We even get to hear DVD himself tell children to "take a dump in the pool".

3 out of 5 stars

Fury

 

I'm not a fan of Brad Pitt's straight man roles and I don't run out and see every war movie that comes out, but I happily accompanied my husband to see this movie, if just to contrast all the family fare I've seen of late.  Let me just say that my husband found it not as good as he expected and I found it better than I expected, so I think we made a fare middle of the road assessment of it in the end.  A rag tag group of tank soldiers who just happen to have the best record in their battalion at the end of World War II are sent on a series of missions, ultimately leading to their final, heroic mission.  Along the way, they acquire a fresh replacement gunner who had only rode a desk until that day.  The requisite number of macho bonding experiences ensue and we soon find ourselves believing their friendships and even understanding their blood-thirsty, misogynist ways (the theme very much evoked The Big Red One for me).  The battles themselves often look like a first person gunner video game, which has to be satisfying to the younger men who would be attracted to the film. Brad Pitt has moments of inspired acting, mostly when he seems on the edge of losing his mind (which is my favorite version of BP - see Inglorious Bastards, Fight Club or 12 Monkeys).  The young gunner played by Logan Lerman, previously relegated to YA movies like Percy Jackson and Perks of Being a Wallflower, really blossoms in this role, so much so that I commented to my husband that he could be one of this generation's next great dramatic actors (much like fellow castmate Shia LaBoeuf used to be).  A final note about the music - it was distracting because it sounded like the Damian from the Omen was approaching, not the Nazis.

3 out of 5 stars

Book of Life

 

The Book of Life is a family feast for the eyes, ears and heart.  The classic lifelong love triangle is given a Day of Dead twist in a spectacular modern take on both music and animation.  It is beautiful to behold, even if the plot or jokes are a bit predictable at times. Zoe Saldana voices the lead female character, one of the strongest females in children's film today.  My only note is that the initial storytelling conceit is unnecessary and the weakest part of the film.

2.75 out of 5 stars

St. Vincent

 

This movie isn't sure if it wants to be a neat little family film tied up with a bow, an exploration of the darker side of life and Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy's dramatic acting skills or a Wes Anderson ripoff.   For that reason, it is a bit uneven, but in the end succeeds in doing each of those things well enough to be a worthwhile project.  Bill Murray plays the grumpy old man to new neighbor Melissa McCarthy and her sheltered son.  You can see this one coming.  Of course the boy and the old man warm to each other, but St. Vincent takes a few unusual twists along the way as we, the audience, piece together what made Bill Murray so grumpy in the first place.  Naomi Watts' turn as a pregnant Russian stripper/hooker is completely over the top and out of place, although I'm sure she was glad for the opportunity to explore her own range as an actress.  Overall, the film is a bit too sentimental and tidy and learning to find the good in the bad (people, situations) is the unsatisfying and obvious lesson of the film, which is also what makes it mediocre instead of what it strived to be. 

3 out of 5 stars

3 To See This Weekend!!

Rich Hill is a documentary that follows three disadvantaged young men who live in a town called Rich Hill, which is about 70 miles southwest of KC just on the MO side.  It won the U.S. Documentary prize at Sundance, but I’m not sure why.  There doesn’t seem to be a point.  It’s interesting and mostly sad, but it didn't look at a random set of kids in that town, it focused just on the most troubled and there was no arc or analysis at all.  It wasn't quite a commentary on poverty or parenting or mental illness either...but it is still in my thoughts so I can say it was absorbing.  The best contrast that was drawn in the film was between those kids and the annual 4th of July pie auction that brings in thousands of dollars each year. Clearly someone in that town has money to spend, so I think it would have been a better portrait if it also showed a child from the wealthier part of town and would be more of a real image of small town (or anytown) America - the haves AND the have-nots, living side by side yet ignoring each other and just going about their business. Ultimately, I think it just makes the “haves” who are watching it (and going to Sundance) feel like they are looking at the poorest town in America and when the lights come up, they can go about their normal lives.  I grew up in a very poor town myself, but there is always more to the story. There are recent updates on the three kids online too and it seems to only get worse for them, if you’re interested.

2.75 out of 5 stars

Guardians of the Galaxy is based on a comic book, but don’t let that scare you away (or draw you in).  Let it stand on its own, which it does very well.    This comic scifi adventure story of a ragtag set of thieves and assassins is thoroughly charming and enjoyable.  It has the feel of a modern Red Dwarf or Spaceballs, with all the necessary parallels with Star Wars thrown in.  Bradley Cooper as the Rocket the racoon is my favorite, but not for his sometimes spot on, if accidental, Gilbert Gottfried impression.  Unencumbered by his own good looks on screen, he seems free to express himself in ways not yet seen.  In this film, he essentially leads a successful version of the A-Team, for all his folly in the previous film of the latter.  For those of us of a certain age, the multitude of 80s references to music, toys and other pop culture of that time period abound in a very detailed way – not just your run of the mill allusions.  One final note, see the movie for this at least: Glenn Close (doing her own impression of herself from 101 Dalmations) says the word, “prick”.

3.25 out of 5 stars

Dolphin Tale 2 is a sequel to Dolphin Tale 1 (surprise!), which itself was based on the book which was based on the real life story of an injured dolphin who washes ashore and is taken in by a marine mammal hospital in Florida and helps tell the coming of age story of a young boy.  The story here is pretty much the same, but the boy is 3 years older.  This one tugs at the heartstrings just as well as the first, and the acting is just as bad, but it’s got that certain something anyway, darn it.  The two young leads are so bad they seem almost real, unlike their adult on screen counterparts (Ashley Judd, Harry Connick, Jr.  and Morgan Freeman), who must have signed on just to do something educational for children, because it wasn’t for the Lifetime movie dialog.  The real draw is the animals and new twist is somewhat reflective of the recent hullabaloo surrounding Sea World and last year’s documentary, Blackfish.  There are several plot developments focused on making sure the audience knows the hospital is doing everything by the book and putting the animals first, over humans or even money, and not doing anything against nature by keeping them there.  It wasn’t subtle, but I guess I prefer it to the reality of Sea World.

3 out of 5 stars