American Sniper

Experience The Silence

           It is easy to say that the original trailer for this film is the most suspenseful marketing campaign thus far in the 21st century. There is a reason all of your friends have already seen this movie and it's not just because it stars one of the best actors of this generation. The heart-wrenching story of Navy SEAL marksman Chris Kyle is inspirational with a capital "I" and who better to bring it to the big screen than Hollywood royalty like Clint Eastwood? While the film itself may not be all around perfect,  you will still be on edge and locked in the mind of this true American hero.

           With 160 confirmed kills or "savages" to your name, there is a reason to be called the "Legend." Bradley Cooper (+40lbs. and a bushy beard) brings to life the story based off Chris Kyle's autobiography of the same name and alternates between being a family man as well as performing his duties as the deadliest sniper in United States history. Post-traumatic stress is a sad but recurring problem with these veterans who are paying the high price of having to relive what horrors are found during deployment. Kyle is no stranger to this and there is a strong focus of what this shell-shocked fury can do to a wife (Sienna Miller) and young family as well as one's outlook on life itself.

              Clint Eastwood hits a directorial peak with American Sniper and watching how Bradley Cooper makes the not-so-smooth transformation even after his first 2 kills is mesmerizing. The clicking of his gun's adjustment knobs and intense focus on where the barrel is pointed all work in his favor. The suspense actually does kill, for once.

             There is no holding back on the lifestyle of these gentlemen. Patriots to the death and mouths like the SEALs they are. While some parts of the film are a bit too fast-paced with details that come off disconnected to the plot, the ending is what makes all 2 hours and 12 minutes worth it. Follow Chris' Texan drawl as Cooper's most visceral performance of his career is an emotional ride.

              The effect on every audience that this movie reaches is the same. Wait for the silence and know what it means. American Sniper may not win Best Picture in the upcoming Oscars but there is a reason it has earned 6 nominations and is breaking box office records left and right. The story of a man who keeps his targets set on what really matters in life. GRADE: 8/10

Foxcatcher

The Eyes (and nose) of Power and Money

            Since the recent unveiling of the 2015 Academy Award nominees, there has been question of how Foxcatcher did not receive a nod for Best Picture. How can acting of this caliber mixed with such an intense and dramatic plot be overlooked? Well, there surely are a few ups and downs in Bennett Miller's (Moneyball) latest directorial project but the obvious credit belongs solely to the actors.

            When the trailer for this film first surfaced, this quote was said by all who viewed it: "Oh cool a wrestling movie... Based on a true story, that's nice... Wait. Is that Steve Carell?!"

             From the beloved Michael Scott of The Office to being a 40-year-old virgin, Steve Carell has got comedy down pat and a style that has captured multiple generations. Here is donning pounds of make-up and nominated for a Best Actor Oscar! Not only is a feat like this unbelievable but completely awesome that he pulled it off. He's a normal guy off-camera with a house and family but you still want to laugh when you see him make any kind of appearance. Except for now. Now, you may be terrified to see him in any other role. It can be said with confidence that he loses himself while totally spot on and even appalling
as multimillionaire and heir to the Du Pont empire, John E. du Pont.

             Staring into du Pont's gummy grill with a bit of nose make-up and fake cauliflower ear also is Channing Tatum as Mark Schultz. His one mission is to get out from older brother Dave's (a nominated and tremendous Mark Ruffalo) shadow and show the world he is capable of earning a gold medal, as well.

             Intensity is a word that constantly comes to mind throughout. The fluidity of Tatum and Ruffalo training on the mats together is a display all on its own. I'm sure Channing's wrestling background was a nice preparation but the grueling physical training alongside insane filming hours can change oneself and take a toll to say the least. It is a workout just to watch the tension grow as Coach du Pont's dead eyes stare motionless when he isn't given the answer he's used to. It takes special talent to have an audience scared of what can come next when the past reaction was to howl with laughter.

              The stars can only shine so bright onscreen and what dulls this beauty is another word starting with "I." Incomplete. Biopics and true stories have a tendency to jump around because usually the person has a pretty eventful life (eventful enough to be made into a movie). The original cut of Foxcatcher was 4 hours long and was eventually cut in half to 2 hours and some change. Having to cover quite a lot of time results in some lack of detail and sudden climaxes that have no leading actions. This can be viewed as just a hiccup but, after all, the Academy must've gotten wise to what was needed. Doesn't change much though when everywhere you turn there are people taking their job seriously. GRADE: 8/10

Horrible Bosses 2

Same Story, Different Sequel

            The story of the "sequel" is the single most tiring story to listen to. It is a tale as old as time -- or at least as old as good movies have been butchered by last minute money-making leaps. The first Horrible Bosses was not only funny because it was a different form of comedy that shined a bright light on Jason Sudeikis' unique style but it was fine with the way it ended the first time. It's an all-star cast with a weak, practice-squad plot. That's not a bad thing, though! It was hilarious and surprising which got everyone riled up when they saw commercials for its sequel but once I got past the first couple scenes there was not much that could be salvaged.

            It is frustrating to see such amazing talent wasted. This cast is solid through and through with each member having a great track record to prove it. The result of having such a far-reaching plot and re-upped lines from its predecessor only comes with worn out laughter. 

            Nick, Kurt, and Dale (Bateman, Sudeikis, Day) have a brilliantly dim-witted entrepreneurial venture that will change showering to a whole new experience. After a promotional appearance on a morning talk show ended in embarrassing [hilarious] shambles, they are sought by billionaire father-son duo Bert and Rex Hanson (Waltz and Pine). As you can imagine, things do not go in the way our three protagonists hope so that leads to familiar faces making a comeback as well as their own completely stupid ways that would give Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels and run for their money. 

           Director Sean Anders can personally thank Charlie Day (Always Sunny in Philadelphia) for maintaining what comedic integrity was left in the script. He has a screech in his voice that never really get old because he can make and line funny. 

           Jason Sudeikis (Hall Pass, We're The Millers) is funny, also. He can take references from all over and make them work in all of his movies. But, as seen in other reviews, he is hit-or-miss. Here: mostly miss. I cannot totally dog his efforts because he and Charlie Day have proven to be a good team. Jason Bateman is kind of the front man for this trio but seems to be stuck in the shadows this time around. His only route to laughs is being the voice of reason for the other two while they are going back and forth, sometimes a little too long. 

           The supporting cast if what draws viewers in movies like this. Jennifer Aniston reprises her brunette role as Dale's boss, Dr. Julia. With all of the crudeness you can imagine, she is a recovering sexaholic now and that can only help so many people. Her lines are dirty and hot and overall identical to the first installment--eh, a little more emphasis on the "dirty" this time. 

           My ticket stub abbreviated the title to just "Horrible." Maybe they were thinking of Chris Pine. He plays a fake hateworthy character but his performance is plastic and overreaching. Christoph Waltz and Kevin Spacey are two of a very select group of actors who have won an Oscar every time they have been nominated. Spacey makes a 10 second appearance behind plated glass and Waltz is forgettable and incomplete as a crooked billionaire. 

           Well, this has been fun. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, once again. I know Jamie Foxx wishes they didn't show his only good lines in the previews as much as I do. Insult to injury here was how each scene was milked bone dry until there was nothing to laugh at but still tried to find a bang to end with. Let's just forget and move on. GRADE: 5/10

           

Birdman

Keaton Flies into Award Season

            If you have been wandering around the streets looking for Michael Keaton, he has finally been located! He was off starring in the defining role of his career. There, now your worrying is over. What's not over though is our discussion of one of the top movies of 2014. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has directed and written many highly acclaimed films such as Biutiful, 21 Grams, and Babel. This where the beauty and total investment of one's self into the filmmaking process pays off. Birdman takes the conventional cut and paste style of movies and leaves the viewer enveloped in every character's effort.

            Before seeing this film, I have always been a huge advocate for the movie Black Swan. To me, it never gets old and I am constantly fascinated by the transformation of Natalie Portman's character, Nina, as well as the movie-within-a-movie theme. 

Birdman is the new Black Swan. In my humble opinion.

            There is nothing more refreshing to a movie lover than to see an actor (especially a seasoned one) lose his or herself in a role. Michael Keaton (the best Batman) has not given us that gift. The closest he has ever come was as the sarcastic zombie Beetlejuice back in the 80s. He has now trumped that performance simply by playing himself. 

Riggan (Keaton) used to be the man behind the mask that everyone looked up to. When he starred as the "Birdman" back in the 80s and 90s he was the center of all the red carpet flashes. Now, he is directing a Broadway play adaptation starring himself and just doesn't like knowing that the Birdman has become old news. While attempting make a triumphant comeback on the stage he, along with his Bird persona residing in his mind, now have more perseverance than any newcomer in showbiz.

             Apart from the brilliant acting and an unbelievably mastered script, the best part about this film is the structure. Inarritu set out to make Birdman flow from scene to scene rather than just having cuts and pauses like every other movie. There is no brief blackouts or time jumps in the set, it's all one smooth walk from location to location. I hope they bought enough rags to shine their cinematography Oscar with. 

Keaton channels his inner "Walter White" while
making a run for it down Broadway

            Sure, the continuous shot method is very cool but the reason it stands out is based off the perfection from those onscreen. Keaton is the man that will reap the awards but Edward Norton, Emma Stone, and a dramatically genius Zach Galifianakis can count on their share of nominations, as well!  Each performance is the epitome of visceral. Mind, body, and soul went into preparation and I cannot stress how nice it is to be able to see hard work as an art form. Do not be afraid to get sucked into the mind games Birdman plays. The dark comedy mixed with the leaving-some-doors-open drama is a display that can only be found in the highest tier of film. Watch it once and then hit rewind because this is something that is so much fun to fill in the blanks with. GRADE: 9/10

            

The Interview

Controversy wrapped in Comedy

           The antics are idiotic, the plot is not at all fool-proof, and target is the most evil person of the 21st century. The Interview has scraped up as much news coverage as humanly possible and given a new reinforcement of what the Freedom of Speech truly means. There is no holding back whatsoever. If you're going to make a movie about the assassination of an enemy that is still living, it's go big or go home.

            Seth Rogen and James Franco have become the center of this worldwide phenomenon after being condemned by the real Kim Jong Un himself. Why stop there? This movie has even gotten President Obama threatened, the crowd over at Sony hacked, and even all of North Korea's internet completely shut down. If there's more power that's come from another source of entertainment, point me to the direction and buy me a ticket, please. This is, without a doubt, the gutsiest move in showbiz since Mr. Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator made a mockery of Adolf Hitler's--THE most sinister being since satan himself--and his Third Reich during World War II.

            If you saw This Is The End back in 2013, you got a slight taste of the ridiculousness that comes from the minds of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. After spearheading that hilarious train wreck, they have decided to take on a popular punchline in current events: the supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un. Everything goes and there can be no holding back. They took on this project surely with the knowledge of what controversy they could drum up but I am sure the waves this has created are crashing down harder than expected.

Okay, now to talk about how insanely funny it is!

             James Franco likes to draw a crowd in any way he possibly can. He's revolutionized the selfie and how to get the paparazzi talking just about how crazy his Instagram photos are. It is no secret that he carries himself with confidence and would love to play someone like Dave Skylark. Arrogant as the day his long and a fashion sense close to Kim Jong Un's barber, Skylark is the host of "Skylark Tonight," a celeb gossip-driven talk show that finds whatever secret the spotlight may be hiding.

            Now, behind the scenes is Aaron Rapoport (Rogen)--"Skylark Tonight's" senior producer. When he finds out the supreme leader is obsessed with Dave Skylark, he sees the ratings fly higher and higher and a few phone calls to Asia must be made. After they are granted an interview under extremely strict protocol, the CIA shows up at their door with one request: kill the Kim. Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls) may be too hot to be in the CIA but she catches the eye of Skylark with her sarcastic charm and fake glasses. Her masterful plot to plant a fatal dose of ricin in Un is a little too much for Aaron and Dave to handle and they do so hilariously.

            The chemistry between these two Freaks is hard to come by in Hollywood. Their sense of humor and ability to fully compliment each other is what makes this watchable-- well, that and the ending. There is an immense of amount of crude, lewd, and Kim Jong -ude in this script  but some of the jokes create laughter that does not stop. Go ahead and let yourself get honeypotted into this one but just know that it takes every stereotype and North Korean gag to level 100 while giving a hefty nod to Katy Perry. Even a friendly game of basketball (wink wink). There's no way a completely quality movie can be made with such a far reaching and offensive plot but that definitely does not mean you can't sit back and have a good laugh! I don't know how to rate this movie (I'm sorry to admit) so I looked up Kim Jong Un's height and went with that. GRADE (in inches): 5.9/10

Dumb and Dumber To

Carrey and Daniels' 20 Years 'To' Late

            20 years ago it was 1994. Pulp Fiction came out. Forrest Gump came out. Shawshank Redemption was still new. And Dumb and Dumber hit theaters. All great movies. Hands down. Three of the four were nominated for Oscars and even won a good amount of them. The fourth just sat and watched from home on Oscar night but still managed to become a classic of the 1990s.

            When someone chooses to name a movie "Dumb and Dumber" it's hard to expect much out of it. Some movies have a nice way of surprising audiences despite the title. Bobby and Peter Farrelly are two brothers that have made a great reputation in surprising audiences with their zany and quirky characters. Their filmography consists of a few classics and guilty pleasures (There's Something About Mary, Shallow Hal, Me, Myself, & Irene, Osmosis Jones...), some better than others, but still, entertaining until the credits roll.

            For some reason, they decided to knock "entertaining" off the list when making their latest film and seemed to focus solely on the box office numbers.

            Now, for the million dollar question....... Why mess with what was already perfect?

            When Dumb and Dumber To started its promotion spots a few months ago it was decided, for some reason, to put the entire focus of the movie's beginning in the trailer. Harry (Jeff Daniels) approaches a heavily dazed and bearded Lloyd (Jim Carrey) while he resides at a mental hospital. Turns out, for twenty years, Lloyd had been faking his illness and going through countless medical procedures and tests all to play a joke on his best buddy. Not the most ideal prank or really funny at all for that matter but sticks with the norms that the first movie displayed two decades ago. While the Farrelly brothers had a good time throwing in references and plot points from the first movie that everyone would love, they must have thought it was a fitting substitute for well thought out jokes. The end result is two film production icons out-doing themselves in all the wrong ways.

            Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels have been all over the spotlight again ever since September 2013 when @Jeff_Daniels tweeted a picture of them as Harry and Lloyd with the caption "We're Back!!! #DumbTo." That picture created monstrous waves among movie lovers and was the newest highly anticipated film for the next 12 months.

            You'll see this movie for two reasons: 1.) To answer the question, "The first was so good, will this sequel curse it?" And 2.) To see how to perfect Lloyd's bowl-cut. I'm choosing to focus on the first one. Jeff Daniels actually nails his performance. He seems to have held onto the persona of Harry Dunn (whatever that means) and aged no more than he should have. He's a father now and in search of his [gorgeous] ditzy 22 year old daughter, Penny (Rachel Melvin). He was never known as being completely animated as his costar but sure can hold his own onscreen. That's regrettably one of the only positives I can throw out there. Rob Riggle and Kathleen Turner head up the supporting cast but don't seem to fit in at all with awkward roles like this. Turner is a the mother of Harry's daughter and also part owner of a funeral home. Riggle plays a mooch after a family's fortune with a confusing identical twin in special ops. He has no character continuity at all as the film goes on and appears as a last-minute edit by the Farrelly duo.

Rachel Melvin and Jim Carrey 

            What else? Oh yeah, Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey is not a person. He's a cartoon, a whirling dervish of talent and insanity. He's an icon and a comedy legend that has revolutionized slapstick for generations to come. Another thing he is doing is showing his age. It's hard to say but being over-the-hill shows with films like this one. Carrey reprises his haircut and chipped tooth as Lloyd Christmas. While being known for his extravagant improvisations, it is difficult to believe he made up some of the poorly timed jokes and gags that go along with being in a movie this silly. He comes off as the jokester at a party that won't stop telling the same joke even though no one laughed at it the first time.

             Of course there will be no moral to this story, that's only common sense. The first movie was fun to watch because of how different it was and set high standards for future slapshows. The jokes are as childish as the characters (actually, not so much this time around. Adult humor is where it's at, apparently) as expected but just because there is "Dumb" in the title does not give the writers permission to make the movie as stupid or crude as humanly possible. There is quality to be had but that was thrown to the wayside over the course of two decades. Thank you, Harry and Lloyd, but next time, stick to what works. GRADE: 4.8/10 (A bit generous but I rated it based off the actual number of genuine laughs it provided).
           
         

Big Hero 6

Nerds Still Rule

            As expected, Walt Disney Studios continues its unbreakable streak of delivering the definition of quality entertainment! There really is a little bit of everything in Big Hero 6 but what sets this film apart from recent Disney works are the perfectly timed and gut-busting laughs. This is your chance to not be afraid to sport tears of laughter in a movie theater. This writer speaks from experience.

            I don't want to spend much time categorizing Big Hero 6 since it is based off of an original Japanese anime production but a good way to briefly explain it is to call it the "How to Train Your Dragon of the future." The way future, that is. How far ahead? I figured you'd ask. There is no specific date given but the city this takes place in is the fusion of Japanese culture as well as West Coast American life and is appropriately named "San Fransokyo." Yep, that far. 

            What this movie actually revolves around is science. Almost a celebration of it, one could say. It all begins with 14 year old Hiro (Ryan Potter, showing much potential from his Nickelodeon days). A child prodigy in robotics who has created a living by hustling at underground robot battles. Hiro lives with his older brother, Tadashi, in the upstairs of their aunt's cafe. Tadashi is a science wiz as well, studying advanced robotic work at a prestigious local college under a world renown inventor (James Cromwell). Along with his fellow nerds in "nerd school," Tadashi shows young Hiro around to get his interests hyped and away from bot fighting. These students all have their own individually insane projects that would give the minds at Apple a run for their money. What steals the show is Tadashi's project: Baymax, a personal robot with extensive medical knowledge compiled with a caring touch and friendly appearance. 

            Baymax is the giant marshmellow-like thing you've been seeing in the commercials. His comedic monotoned voice (Scott Adsit, 30 Rock) and his programmed unconditional love for everyone around him is what makes this movie so much fun. Note: the laughs are especially brought on when Baymax has trouble with his battery. 

            The voice-over efforts of TJ Miller (She's Out of My League), Maya Rudolph, Daniel Henney, Damon Wayans Jr., Genesis Rodriguez, and Alan Tudyk (Dodgeball) all mesh nicely while some mysteries of technology are being explored in a world that already has so many answers. There's so much action in there as well which alternates with the slapstick quite harmoniously. The emphasis on each emotion is not overwhelming at all but just enough to stay in tune and empathetic with each character's situation.

            Besides revolutionizing the way kids will be fist-bumping from now on (you'll understand after seeing it), this movie sends a great message for every age. Bring the family, you all will love it. The genius creativity that Disney put into the technology featured onscreen is one reason alone to see it. This is top notch work in family movies. Who knows, maybe one day a "laser slicer" will be found in every kitchen. GRADE: 8/10