TWIN CITIES LIVE--May 28, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
May 21, 2014

I had an absolute blast today on Twin Cities Live with Elizabeth Ries and guest co-host B.T. from KTWIN.

Here are today's movies and links to my reviews of each film.

1. Chef, starring Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson
2. X-Men: Days of Future Past, starring Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
3. Inside Llewyn Davis, starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman

Here's the video:




Video courtesy of Twin Cities Live/KSTP

You can find all of my past segments HERE.

As always, thank you so much for watching and your continual support. I truly appreciate it!

Movie Review: X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman, Peter Dinklage, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Halle Berry, Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore

The fans rejoiced when it was announced that Bryan Singer signed on to direct the latest outing in this series. He got the series going with X-Men and then upped the ante with the stellar X2 in 2003. Unfortunately he departed the series and we were left with Brett Ratner directing X-Men: The Last Stand, which still leaves a sour note in moviegoers’ memories. Since the original trilogy, we have had two terrible stand-alone Wolverine films and a prequel called X-Men: First Class. I really enjoyed X-Men: First Class despite the horrendous casting of January Jones. Call me a purist, but I really think this series is best served under the hands of Bryan Singer. In X-Men: Days of Future Past, not only do we get Singer, but we get the best of both worlds as it reunites the original trilogy cast members plus the new actors that played their younger selves in X-Men: First Class.

A war carries on between the humans and the mutants. The humans have unleashed massive robotic killing machines called the Sentinels as their weapon. They were created in 1973 by Dr. Boliver Trask (Dinklage) who at the time was assassinated by the mutant Mystique (Lawrence). She believed if she killed him it would stop the Sentinels from being mass produced and given clearance to be used by the government. Her plan backfired as the assassination caused the mutants to become thought of as an even larger danger and threat to the public than before.

In the future as the mutant population continues to decline, Professor Charles Xavier (Stewart) and Magneto (McKellen) devise a plan to travel back in time in 1973 to stop Mystique from killing Dr. Trask. They seek the help of fellow mutant Kitty Pryde (Page) who uses her powers to send Wolverine’s (Jackman) consciousness back to 1973. When he arrives, he needs to find the Professor (now played by McAvoy) and Magneto (now played by Fassbender) to locate Mystique’s whereabouts.

Time travel movies can be tricky if the story goes back and forth numerous times throughout a movie. The story can become convoluted and confusing to the audience. When they work, the payoff is thrilling and it makes the movie all the more accessible. X-Men: Days of Future Past falls into the second category. Screenwriter Simon Kinberg keeps a majority of the story in the 1973 timeline. This helps enhance the character development that was started in X-Men: First Class as we learn more of where these characters are coming from and how their relationships have changed in the decades in between both settings. There is a clear shift in the relationship between Professor X and Magneto from where they started out in terms of their friendship or lack thereof. In this film, we see a very different version of Professor X. James McAvoy gets to play out the disheveled, addicted, and depressed side of him which is a far cry from the stoic leader we know of him through Patrick Stewart’s performance. The only downside to having a majority of the film set in the past is that we don’t see a lot of Stewart and Ian McKellen who are such fantastic actors. I’m sure their busy theater schedules and McKellen’s work in The Hobbit films made their availability limited or maybe that was always the intention of how the structure of the story was plotted out.

One of the great characteristics about the X-Men is how universally relatable they can be compared to some of the other Marvel Comics heroes. You may be thinking that idea is a stretch as no one has the ability to teleport, control the weather, or have claws come shooting out of their hands, but there is the underlying message of not being accepted for the way you were born. Many of these characters face adversity and discrimination due to their powers and fight for their voice to be heard or be accepted like any other human being. I think many people can relate to that concept in one way or another. Plus, who hasn’t once thought about what superpower they wish they had. Bryan Singer has a deep understanding of this theme and is able to bring it out with these characters while making it a fun, exciting, action filled comic book movie. With a majority of the story set in the past, the film poses a general reminder on how far our society has come in the last few decades regarding the acceptance and tolerance of others. We can look back, learn, and grow from history.

I think if people are hesitant about comic book movies, I would recommend the X-Men films to help them get on the bandwagon. X-Men: Days of Future Past is a fantastic return to form that has won the fan base over again. I get that giddy feeling seeing this huge ensemble of actors step away from the stage or other indie movies to play against a green screen and return to characters the audience has invested in over the years. Sometimes reunion type movies can feel hokey and contrived, but I never got that impression here. One of the highlights of the movie was new cast member Evan Peters (American Horror Story) as Quicksilver who has a funny slow-motion action sequence with a bunch of armed guards. The ending of the film will get fans excited for X-Men: Apocalypse, the third entry in this new trilogy, as there are cameos galore that pop up that further tie it into the timeline of the original trilogy. Good news, Bryan Singer is set to helm that one as well.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? The X-Men are my favorite in the Marvel Comics canon, and the return of director Bryan Singer has made it the best one since X2.

RATING: 4 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Review: 12 YEARS A SLAVE

12 YEARS A SLAVE
Director: Steve McQueen
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Alfre Woodard, Lupita Nyong'o, Paul Dano, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt

Not since Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List has a film so vividly captured a horrifying chapter in history. Steve McQueen’s (Shame, Hunger) latest film is an adaptation of the memoir of the same name by Solomon Northup. In 1841, Solomon (Ejiofor) was a free black man with a wife and two children. Being an accomplished violinist, he is targeted by two men (Scoot McNairy and Taran Killam) posing as artists offering him a chance to be a part of a touring music gig. He is bound and kidnapped after he passes out after a night of heavy libations.

He is sold into slavery and given the new name “Platt”. For twelve years, he is sold off to various plantations. His first owner, William Ford (Cumberbatch) is a preacher and seems to treat him a bit better than future owner Edwin Epps (Fassbender). Solomon and fellow slave Patsey (Nyong’o) spend the majority of their time under the cruel and vicious hands of Epps and his mistress (Paulson). He holds onto enough hope that someday he will be rescued.

The film is getting a lot of buzz about how brutal the depiction of slavery is. I have even read some articles stating that movies goers, even members of the Academy, are walking out or cannot take too much of it due to the violence and graphic nature. I would like to know what these people were expecting. A light walk in the park? This is a tragic period of American history and I applaud director Steve McQueen for going all in by depicting the violence, hatred, and brutality that went into it. I do not feel like we see enough directors that are willing to tackle such dark and horrific moments in history. If they do, they end up sugar coating the truth or adding in some sort of love story or fictitious subplot to lighten the tone.

The story gets right into the nitty gritty early on as Solomon is sold into slavery within the first fifteen minutes. For the next two hours, you may feel a tight wad of anxiety and intensity inside of you as it never lets up. It compels you to watch Solomon’s journey that hopefully challenges you as an individual and demands your attention. There are numerous moments where I could hear the others around me squirm and writhe in their seats.

McQueen has assembled a big cast of heavy hitters, many of whom have very small parts. Pitt and Cumberbatch appear for about fifteen minutes or so. Paul Giamatti, Alfre Woodard, and Bryan Batt are all on screen for about five minutes each. Paul Dano gives another strong performance this year after his turn in Prisoners. Fassbender’s character is truly heinous in every possible way. There are very few redeeming qualities about him. At times I wanted more out of him than just a monster. As Patsey, Nyong’o is a revelation who is vulnerable and heartbreaking in every way. I expect an Oscar nomination to come her way. We now come to Chiwetel Ejiofor who is the heart and core of this film. He carries so much weight and determination in his eyes the whole film. You just look into his eyes and see layers behind them. You never see Solomon give up. Ejiofor conveys so much emotion and range without it being a flashy or showy performance. The simple yet effective cinematography by frequent McQueen collaborator Sean Bobbitt oftentimes is a still shot focusing on Ejiofor hoping, praying, and waiting for help to come his way. In so many movies these days, the camera is zipping by so fast that it can be hard to keep up. The exact opposite is happening here it where keeping the camera still gets these images and actions ingrained in your head.

How do you walk away saying this is great film when it is about such horrific events? You are not left with that feel good type feeling like you do after say The Way Way Back. Instead, you are left with this pit in your stomach. You have to go back and judge it off how well did McQueen do his job as a storyteller. Did it affect you in another way? Did it teach you something? Does it leave you in deep discussion afterwards? Did it shake something inside of you? McQueen has created a film that is sure to be talked about for quite some time. There are certain scenes and images that I cannot stop thinking about that I would love to discuss here, but it is better to just experience them firsthand without me spoiling them.

RATING: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Trailer: X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy, Ian McKellen, Michael Fassbender, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Anna Paquin, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Evan Peters

Of all of the Stan Lee/Marvel creations, the X-Men rank as my #1 favorite. My inner geekdom dates back to my childhood watching the cartoons, deciding which super power I would want, and which X-Men was my favorite. Director Bryan Singer is returning to the X-Men franchise after departing after X2 in 2003. I have been geeking out over this movie ever since it was announced that the casts from both the original trilogy and X-Men: First Class would be coming together for one movie. I have been loving all of the set photos and productions stills that have been released as well as the two posters that have been released. The morphed images of Stewart/McAvoy and McKellen/Fassbender look fantastic. I'll just let the trailer speak for its self.

RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2014

Here's the trailer:

Movie Review: PROMETHEUS

PROMETHEUS
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce



The year is 2089 and the origins of humanity are still baffling mankind. Archeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) have discovered some fascinating hieroglyphics in a cave off the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The hieroglyphics point to a star map. This same pattern/drawing has been found in numerous primitive drawings dating back thousands of years in various locations. They deem this all too eerie and are determined the drawings are meant to lead people to the stars which could unveil the answers to life’s origins. They board the vessel Prometheus which has been funded to explore this unknown world.



They wake up in 2093 as Prometheus has finally reached the new world. Shaw and Holloway are joined by other scientists as well as The Weylan Group who is financing the expedition. Meredith Vickers (Theron) is the Weylan Group representative that makes it perfectly clear that this trip is for the Weylan Group and not Shaw and Holloway. Decisions will be made by her in the best interest for the company instead of the crew or the findings. Rounding out the team is an android simply named David (Fassbender). He is made in the likeness of a human but does not contain a soul. Prometheus docks on a surface containing straight lines leading into a domed cavern. This formation suggests that a species had lived there at some point as the universe does not create straight lines in nature. What lies inside the cave proves to be exactly what they were looking for and then some. Their adventure only just begins as they unravel what is lost, hidden, and lurking in the cavern. One of the biggest pieces of discovery happens to be the head of a creature with human-like features. They bring it onboard to realize that its DNA matches human DNA. I will leave the rest of their discoveries and journey for you to unfold. This is the kind of movie that is better left knowing very little going into it.



When Prometheus was first announced by Ridley Scott, rumors went into overdrive as this was going to be the prequel to Alien. When you have a director returning to the roots of a genre that put him on the map, one can’t help want to make comparisons or try to tie it into a previous work. There is no doubt that Alien was groundbreaking and has left a legacy on the sci-fi genre. Yes, there are some parallels and similar items and themes between both movies. Do not worry if you have not seen Alien or if it has been some time. If you experience the movie as a standalone film and don’t try to make comparisons, I think you will enjoy it more.



Scott has gathered a great group of actors for his ensemble. Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender definitely stand out. Rapace is no stranger to very physical roles after her run as Lisbeth Salander in the Sweden versions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. She is proving to be a very ballsy actress that can tackle a variety of genres. Fassbender is wicked as David who turns out to be more than your standard robot/android. David is very reminiscent of HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Charlize Theron is as strong as ever, but I wish her character would have been fleshed out more.



Many of Ridley Scott’s movies have been hit or miss lately. Prometheus scores as a hit in my book. The dark atmosphere he has created is visually stunning and fully believable. The film was shot in 3D, and the 3D technology works wonders for this style. It completely enhances the dark tight feeling of the cavernous tunnels and the hallways of the Prometheus. I appreciate when 3D is used to enrich a story over using it as a gimmick to make more money at the box office. Men in Black 3 falls into that category. One could say that the plot is fairly simple. I don’t see a problem with that as so many sci-fi films get too heightened and caught up in the science, technology, or conspiracy part of it. In that case, the story and language gets too muddled down with big words and concepts that your average movie audience cannot wrap their brain around. Screenwriters Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof start the movie asking the question of how we got here on Earth, but turn the movie into asking what happens when you go in search of that big question. Prometheus is by no means a perfect movie. There are flaws and the very tail ending of the movie is a bit hokey. I still found myself on the edge of my seat haunted by what was all unraveling before me.

RATING: **** 1/2 (4.5 out of 5)