Movie Review: CHEF

CHEF
Writer/Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, Emjay Anthony, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Amy Sedaris

Jon Favreau got his big break when he wrote and starred in 1996’s indie hit Swingers. Lately he’s been found in the director’s chair with huge movies like Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and Elf. With Chef, he seems to be returning to his roots by writing, directing, and starring in a film that is far smaller in scale and budget compared to those films.

Favreau sharpens his knife skills as Carl Casper, the head chef at a fine dining restaurant. Carl is starting to lose his creative edge after having to cook the same menu for the last ten years. When a famed foodie blogger (Platt) decides to review the restaurant, Carl wants to try a new menu to liven the place up. The restaurant’s owner (Hoffman) forbids him from changing the menu as this is the menu the customers come to the restaurant for. They don’t come for culinary experiments or highbrow tricks. Carl abides and cooks the standard menu with the help of his sous chef (Cannavale) and line chef (Leguizamo). He receives a scathing review and decides to quit his job at the restaurant.

When you have a passion for something, you don’t let one critic ruin it for you. During a trip to Miami with his ex-wife (Vergara) and son, he decides to reinvent his brand and image by starting a food truck selling Cubanos sandwiches. The food truck goes on the road and becomes a bonding experience for him and his son. Carl teaches him about food, cooking, and living out your passion in life.

Sometimes when you watch a foodie movie, it can be quite apparent if the actors don’t really know how to cook or if they aren’t believable as chefs. Favreau looks quite comfortable with his chef’s apron and knives. He trained under Chef Roy Choi who also served as the inspiration behind the story. He is thought of as one of the founders of the food truck movement. Foodies will love all of the scrumptious shots of all of the food used throughout the movie. I love to cook and bake, so I had audible gasps numerous times and promptly wanted to cook when I got home.

There’s more to the story than just a passionate chef who takes his job seriously. There is a father/son element to it that was really endearing. I give kudos to Favreau for not making Carl a deadbeat dad. So many times when we see a divorced couple that share custody of their child, the dad is usually some loser who can’t take care of the kid, shows up late, forgets a birthday, etc…Carl makes mistakes at times, but there is no denying that he loves his kid. This element of the plot really comes into play when Carl takes his son on the road trip to get the food truck off and running. The film also provides an interesting commentary on the power of social media and the power it has over a business, brand, and image. I wouldn’t be surprised if Twitter and Vine were sponsors of the film for how often they come up in the movie and the impact they have on Carl’s businesses.

The movie is a bit too long and could have trimmed the fat at times. There are many transitional scenes and moments that are unnecessary, especially in the third act once we get into the traveling food truck portion of the story. This tends to happen when people pull double or even triple duty if they are acting, directing, and writing the movie. A good editor needs to come in with a fresh eye. Despite that, Favreau has a wonderful supporting ensemble, many of which he has worked with before. Scarlett Johansson pops up as the restaurant’s waitress. Amy Sedaris is as funny as always in a scene-stealing role as Sofia Vergara’s publicist that could help get Favreau’s career back on track. Favreau’s buddy Robert Downey, Jr even cameos as Vergara’s ex-husband. It’s one of those smaller films that doesn’t have a huge marketing budget and relies on good word of mouth to get people to see it. I hope it becomes a little sleeper hit that doesn’t get lost amongst all of the huge blockbusters that are out. It’s an endearing film for those that couldn’t care less for those superhero movies out there.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? Anyone that loves to cook will enjoy this movie.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Trailer: ANNIE

ANNIE
Director: Will Gluck
Starring: Quvenzhané Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Rose Byrne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Bobby Cannavale

One of the movies I remember watching as a child was the 1982 film adaptation of the musical Annie. It starred Aileen Quinn as the red haired title character, Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks, the legendary Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan, plus Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters. Trepidation took over when it was announced that their would be a remake. There was already a television version a few years ago with Kathy Bates as Miss Hannigan. You really can't top the 1982 film version, so why are we bothering with another remake?

After her Oscar nomination for Beasts of the Southern Wild, it was announced that Quvenzhané Wallis was cast as Annie with Jamie Foxx taking on Daddy Warbucks. I was slightly on board with this concept as I thought it could have potential. Casting updates came with the news that Cameron Diaz would step aboard the coveted role as Miss Hannigan. What? How did that happen? When people were mulling over who could fill Carol Burnett's shoes, how did Cameron Diaz come to mind? A press photo was released of Diaz in character and something did not look right. She still looked like Cameron Diaz. Where was the Miss Hannigan I know? Nothing about Diaz's look screamed Miss Hannigan.

The trailer has been released and my initial negative reaction has now been cemented in place. The first time I watched the trailer, I was left speechless. Was this a joke? I can get behind trying to take a fresh take on the story, but it does not seem to work here. Everything about this trailer feels so wrong. The original story is set in 1933, and director Will Gluck has decided to have this version set in the current modern day. There is no Daddy Warbucks here as Jamie Foxx plays a politician named Will Stacks. I don't even know where to begin when it comes to Cameron Diaz. She seems so miscast here that it looks painful for her. It should also be noted that Jay-Z and Will Smith serve as producers. This boasts a Christmas time release with the movie version of the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods coming a week later. Thank God as that will hopefully triumph and leave this in the dust.

RELEASE DATE: December 19, 2014

Here's the trailer:

Movie Rewind: LOVELACE (2013)

LOVELACE (2013)
Director: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Robert Patrick, Adam Brody, Chris Noth, Bobby Cannavale, Hank Azaria, James Franco

The world of pornography is fascinating, especially in the 1970s as it started to gain in popularity with the mainstream media. Much of this is due to Linda Lovelace and a little film she was in called Deep Throat. Linda (Seyfried) grew up in a pretty conservative household with her fairly strict parents (Stone and Patrick). I guess it was only time before she pulls a 180 and gets involved in drugs and porn. She meets Chuck Traynor (Sarsgaard) at a roller rink after she impresses him with her sexy dance moves. He schmoozes his way into her life causing a series of bad choices on her end. She inevitable moves out of her parents' house and in with him causing a rift with her parents.

It is not long before Linda learns of his involvement in the porn industry. He decides to make her his next big star after learning of her "gift" which inspires his new movie Deep Throat. Chuck's demanding and forceful presence on set raises some eyebrows from the producers (Noth and Azaria). Linda and co-star Harry Reams (Brody) become big stars once the film opens, and she starts to love all of the attention it comes with it. It comes with a price as Chuck grows increasingly violent and abusive toward her.

You know those Lifetime movies based on true stories that seem like the abridged Reader's Digest version of what actually happened? That is essentially what Lovelace feels like. The film has all of the right ingredients to be a probing insight into such a fascinating story. If you are completely unfamiliar with this story, this is a good introduction. If you have seen the documentary Inside Deep Throat, you know there is so much more to this story. The documentary focuses on the filming of Deep Throat and the impact it had on pop culture, the porn industry, and what happened to its stars. Lovelace spends its time on the horrible relationship between Linda Lovelace and Chuck Traynor. If I remember correctly, all of that is covered in the documentary. The script feels a bit choppy at times as it is trying to cover a lot of ground but in a short period of time. A lot of if feels a bit glossed over and does not ever feel too gritty or dark like the material happens to be. It plays it a bit too safe the majority of time. Not to sound crass, but there is barely any nudity in it. I am sure the filmmakers would say that the film is not about pornography, but Deep Throat plays a factor into it. It seems odd that the nudity is quite tame at times.

When you look at the cast list, you see some great actors involved turning in decent performances, but I question what drew them to the story. Did the script read better on paper and then got lost in translation to the screen? Yes, it is a fascinating story to tell, but this material does not do it justice. Some people like James Franco as Hugh Hefner show up in cameo size appearances. Sarah Jessica Parker filmed scenes as Gloria Steinem but they were edited out of the movie. The film is only ninety minutes, so how much of it was edited out? Peter Sarsgaard plays another despicable human being with Chuck Traynor. His performance would feel more authentic if he doesn't always seem to play this type of character over and over again. It is great to see Sharon Stone as Linda's mother. She is another one that gives a strong performance, but feels wasted at times with a lack of screen time. Maybe more of her scenes ended up on the cutting room floor as well. I applaud Seyfried for taking on such an edgy role. I suspect she was thinking this was going to be her break out of the more goody goody girl roles she normally plays. She is terrific with what she has been given, but she needed a better script and stronger directing to elevate the performance and push her even farther.

There is another Linda Lovelace movie in development called Inferno that had the likes of Malin Ackerman and Lindsay Lohan set to star as Linda Lovelace. That movie seems to be stalled, so we shall see if it ever gets made and turns out better than Lovelace. In the meantime, I would watch Deep Throat and then the documentary Inside Deep Throat for a thorough look into the history behind the iconic movie and the tragedy that was Linda Lovelace's life.

RATING: ** (2 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: BLUE JASMINE

BLUE JASMINE
Writer/Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Andrew Dice Clay, Louis C.K., Bobby Cannavale, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg

Cate Blanchett. Cate Blanchett. Cate Blanchett. She has portrayed Elizabeth I, Katherine Hepburn, Bob Dylan, Galadriel the Elf, and was the object of Judi Dench's affection. All fantastic performances, yet one of the most riveting portrayals comes in Woody Allen's latest, Blue Jasmine. Jasmine (Blanchett) is trying to start a new life. She leaves New York and moves to San Francisco to live with her sister, Ginger (Hawkins). They are both adopted and could not be any more different. Ginger believes Jasmine was always the favorite daughter as she was the pretty one.

Jasmine's life has been turned upside down. Her husband Hal (Baldwin) was a wealthy businessman who was caught in embezzlement and fraud. Hal and Jasmine had more money than they knew what to do with, but it was dirty money that was not really theirs in the first place. Jasmine, of course, was oblivious to what was really going on. She was a socialite that had all of the designer clothes, numerous houses, and had all the time in the world for dinner parties, yoga, and pilates classes. It all came crashing down leaving Hal in jail and Jasmine left with “nothing” so she claims. Ginger quickly points out the fact that she still has her collection of Louis Vitton luggage and somehow flew first class to get to San Francisco.

Ginger lives a much simpler and cheaper life. She bags groceries for a living and has two sons from her ex-husband Augie (Dice Clay). Always one to be dating and flirting, she is now dating a younger brutish guy named Chili (Cannavale). It doesn't take long for Chili to come to Ginger's defense and question Jasmine's motives. She had practically ignored her sister and now that she is broke she swoops in to live with her and ask for her help. Jasmine needs all the help she can get as she has suffered a nervous breakdown and has begun talking to herself due to the fall of her marriage and lifestyle.

I would like to think of myself as a pretty big Woody Allen fan. I own a majority of his work and Annie Hall sits at #7 on my Top 10 list. Not many writer/directors, outside of say Tyler Perry, pop out a new film every year. I do admit that he does have his faults and some of his movies are not great. That’s what happens after fifty years in the business. Not all of them can be cinematic masterpieces. When you meet a Woody Allen fan, they will have their favorite decade or set of themes. I am more likely to pop in one of his more physical comedies of the ‘70s any day of the week before the majority of the ones that came in the 2000s era. Some love his more existential films of the ‘80s. Lately when his movies work, they really work like Midnight in Paris. If they flop, they really flop. Blue Jasmine really works on so many levels.

Allen’s script is one of the most well-rounded, dimensional, thought-proving pieces he has written in quite some time. There is no denying that there are parallels between this and “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the fall of Bernie Madoff. Many of his films lately have only seen the characters as they are in the short time frame of that story. We see the characters of Blue Jasmine throughout an extended period of time as the film shifts between Jasmine’s current life in San Francisco and the extravagant life she led in New York. It reminded me of Annie Hall in its non-linear approach. We get inside the turmoil and frustration that the fall of Hal had on all of our characters, not just Jasmine. How long can you stay happy in a delusional world? What happens when the truth is exposed and it all comes crashing down on you?

Allen has created some fantastic characters over the years leading to great material for many of his actors. Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Mira Sorvino, Diane Keaton, and Penelope Cruz have all won Oscars playing some of Woody's characters. Blue Jasmine is no exception. The whole cast is fantastic. I have heard that his direction is simple with very few takes, but he gets such rich performances out of his actors. Is that the writing, directing, or the actors giving it all their own on their own doing? I guess it is a mix of each. There is not one phoned in performance with each actor giving their A-game. Allen has given each one of them moments to shine. Andrew Dice Clay is known more for his stand-up routine, but I hope he is given more acting opportunities after this. He gives a very real and honest performance that is completely reigned in and far different than you would expect from his comedic persona. I am slightly embarrassed to say that I have not seen enough of Sally Hawkins' work before. Cate Blanchett may be getting all of the attention for her performance, but Hawkins is just as heartbreaking, genuine, and flawed. Can we start mentioning how great Hawkins is at the same time we talk about how great Blanchett is?

I would be highly surprised if Blanchett is not nominated for an Oscar for her work here. I've been throwing around the "O" word quite a bit lately in my reviews. I guess we are getting into that season. Every moment Blanchett is on screen, she is captivating. I could not stop watching every little move or vocal choice she made. I was enamored whenever Jasmine would talk out loud to herself or carry on conversations with full strangers. I have witnessed many people doing this throughout my years of working downtown. She makes so many specific and intricate choices to showcase the wide range of Jasmine between high socialite to post nervous breakdown to her trying to get better and make better choices. The film has another "A Streetcar Named Desire" connection as Blanchett has played Blanche DuBois on stage. You know how they always show a scene from a movie when they announce each nominee? There are plenty of scenes to choose from as the "Oscar telecast" scene to show off her brilliant performance.

There are plenty of people who have written off Woody Allen saying he is past his prime or they cannot put aside his personal life. I think the naysayers would be surprised and pleased with his latest. It is one of his strongest films in quite some time. It is not a straight up comedy with the typically Woody Allen neurotic banter, but the film is still funny at times at how shockingly delusional these characters can be. The humor is mixed in to off-set the sadness and uncomfortable moments that come with Jasmine's pain. Blue Jasmine has the depth that many Allen films of late have been missing.

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