TWIN CITIES LIVE- August 1, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
August 1, 2014

1. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel
2. A MOST WANTED MAN, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright
3. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, starring Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum

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: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Benecio Del Toro, Djimon Hounsou, Glenn Close, John C. Reilly

Move over Avengers, because Marvel has a whole new set of heroes that are worth checking out and worth our money at the box office. This is the third Marvel release this summer after The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Funnyman Chris Pratt suits up as Peter Quill, a.k.a Star-Lord, a pilot who was abducted into space as a kid on the same night his mother died. He now finds himself face to face with a mysterious orb and a bunch of hunters led by Korath (Hounsou). Korath is working for Ronan (Pace) who plans on using the orb to completely destroy the planet of Xandar. Peter is later imprisoned along with the beautiful and fierce warrior Gamora (Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (Bautista), the wise-cracking and gun-toting Rocket Raccoon (Cooper), and a tree-like humanoid named Groot (Diesel). All five of them are outcasts and unique in their own special way. In order to save the universe, they band together to protect that little ball of power from the hands of the evil Ronan.

Right from the moment we see the adult Peter Quill, you get the sense that this has a very different feel and tone from the rest of the movies in the Marvel franchise. Whether it’s Marvel's The Avengers destroying New York City or X-Men: Days of Future Past using Richard Nixon as a character, many of those stories are set in a more realistic world. The title of this film tells us that we are dealing with a completely sci-fi/fantasy realm with aliens, species, and creatures of all shapes and sizes. Director James Gunn co-wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman, and it’s evident that they were allowed to go to the extremes and bring us a fun, over-the-top ride. There’s a playful attitude that comes across in the wacky fight scenes, the characters, and witty dialogue. It’s great to see the comedic banter given to numerous characters in how they deal with each other. Drax the Destroyer takes everything at face value and doesn’t understand the concept of metaphors while Peter is always joking around and throwing out references left and right. Rocket is the loudmouth partner next to the almost silent Groot. Due to this approach, Guardians of the Galaxy is probably the most family friendly we have seen from Marvel to date. It has a Star Wars-ish vibe but with comic book characters that parents may find more suitable for younger moviegoers. The violence is cartoonish and there aren’t as many overarching life themes that would normally go over a young child’s head.

Chris Pratt is on a roll right now both on the big screen in Her, Zero Dark Thirty, and The Lego Movie as well as playing the goofy Andy Dwyer on Parks & Recreation. Even though Parks & Recreation ends next season, Pratt will not have that post-TV slump as he is currently filming Jurassic World and I’m sure future Guardians movies. He has stated in interviews that he originally turned down this role thinking he was completely wrong for it. I, for one, am thankful he reconsidered as he seems like the perfect choice for Star-Lord. Now, I’ve never read the comics, so I have nothing to compare his performance to in terms of the original source material. Maybe he infused the role with some Pratt-isms that we know from him, but they still work here. He has that nice blend of being believable as an action star and infusing his comedic charm on top of that.

I would never have thought I would find Vin Diesel to be so funny. Maybe I haven’t given those Fast and the Furious movies enough of a shot yet, but there’s a side of him that comes out as Groot that I didn’t see before. He only utters one line, “I am Groot”, but the comedy comes in with how repetitive he gets to be with it. He partners well with Bradley Cooper who voices Rocket. They have that classic comedic duo routine but with a tough edge where one does all the talking and tries to be the wise-guy. If I didn’t already know Cooper was the voice, I may not have recognized him right away.  I applaud him for really going somewhere different with his characterization. Then there’s Lee Pace as Ronan who seems to be getting a lot of villain roles lately. I have no problems with this concept as he can always find the menacing side to any character of his. He’ll return as Thranduil in The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies. Even though Glenn Close and Benecio Del Toro have smaller roles, they have great hair, make-up, and costumes to play around in.

I would not consider myself a comic book aficionado, but I do enjoy seeing the big screen adaptations. I had no idea what to expect with Guardians of the Galaxy. The trailer had a good sense of humor about it, but I didn’t want it to be hokey. Don’t worry, it isn’t. I will say that it took me a bit to get adjusted into this universe as I didn’t know the characters, source material, and how different it is than the other Marvels universes. Once I was in, it was a wild ride of fun. I laughed more here than I have in other Marvel franchises. This film continues to show the quality that this genre has on actors and moviegoers. It’s great to see Oscar winners and nominees like Bradley, Glenn, Benecio, John, and Djimon wanting to be a part of these movies. To top of it, it has a killer soundtrack that plays into the movie and provides for some slick Chris Pratt dance moves.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? Marvel has a hot new series on their hands that will only get better with the next entries to come.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

TWIN CITIES LIVE-June 18, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
June 18, 2014

It's a day of sequels, animated movies, and Jonah Hill.  It's the first time one actor has been a part of all three movies I've talked about.  Here they are:

1. 22 Jump Street, starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and Ice Cube
2. How to Train Your Dragon 2, starring Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, and Craig Ferguson
3. The LEGO Movie, starring Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, and Will Ferrell

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 Trailer: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana, Lee Pace, Benicio Del Toro, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close

Marvel has no plans of slowing down as they continue to crank out big screen adaptations of their comic book characters. Guardians of the Galaxy is their third entry in 2014 following Captain America: The Winter Soldier and X-Men: Days of Future Past. This story follows Peter Quill (Pratt), an American pilot who is the subject of a manhunt led by the evil Ronan the Accuser (Pace) after he steals an orb Ronan has been eying. Quill learns the true powers of the orb and teams up with Rocky Raccoon (Cooper), Gamora (Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (Bautista), and Groot (Diesel) to go up against Ronan who is threatening the universe.

I must say that I am pretty unfamiliar with the characters and world of Guardians of the Galaxy. I have been on board with Marvel so far after so many films, so I have full confidence this will be another hit for them. Feel free to sound off below in the comments with your thoughts on the trailer or anything else Marvel related.

RELEASE DATE: August 1, 2014

Here's the trailer:

Movie Review: THE LEGO MOVIE

THE LEGO MOVIE
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Starring: Chris Pratt, Liam Neeson, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Alison Brie, Will Forte, Jonah Hill, Dave Franco

Yes, it is true. The Lego Movie is AWESOME. Eyes may have rolled when it was first announced that there would be a movie based on Legos. The trailers looked pretty funny, so I had hope that it would actually exceed the low expectations that were originally set in place. Boy, did it ever. Emmet (Pratt) wakes up every day as excited as he can be. Everything is awesome in life. He is just your ordinary Lego figurine that goes about his everyday life according to the set of instructions he has been given. He is a bit naïve and innocent and does not quite understand the fact that the other construction workers don’t really like him.

At the construction site one day after work, he is taken aback by the fierce and creative Wyldstyle (Banks) who he finds digging around on the grounds searching for “The Piece of Resistance”. It is not long before he falls down a deep mysterious hole and is captured by Bad Cop (Neeson). Bad Cop is working for the evil Lord Business (Ferrell) who is planning on taking over the entire Lego universe by using the “Kragle” to freeze everything in place the way he wants it to be. Wyldstyle rescues Emmet and informs him that he must be the one known simply as the “Special”. Many ages ago, the wizard Vitruvius (Freeman) told of a prophecy where the Special would use The Piece of Resistance to put a stop toward Lord Business and save the Lego world.

Off the bat, this is not the most unique premise in the entire universe. We have seen these types of underdog stories before where the main character is this ordinary, average person who in turn is told they will save the universe even though they do not possess any sort of special power or creative nature about them. I am a sucker for that whole concept of believing in yourself when no one else has any faith in you. What makes The Lego Movie so special is the journey and wildly imaginative universe the creative team came up with to make this animated film step out as one of best in the genre from recent years. Like Toy Story and Wreck-It Ralph before it, it takes something from our childhood that we have a connection with and elevates it to a whole other dimension. I do not remember playing with Legos a whole lot as a child as I was more into my Power Rangers/Batman/He-Man action figures. Even though I don’t have a past connection or memories of Lego worlds I created, it didn’t stop me from connecting to this story and laughing throughout. There are plenty of laughs for the adults taking their children to the movie, or if you are like me, who went solo to this without a child attached at the hip.

The animation is top-notch and astonishing as you realize that  the team of animators took extra care into making sure that every aspect of the design is Lego based including the water, fire, car exhaust, and waves for examples. All of the characters move in accordance to how an actually Lego piece is able to move. Lego pieces have to walk and turn their heads a certain way, and parts of them can detach. The effort to keep them true to that is noticeable and noteworthy. They never take them out of the confines of their natural construction.

When you listen to the voice-over actors do their work of bringing these characters to life, you can tell they are all having a blast. One of the highlights is Will Arnett as Batman. He is clearly doing his best Christian Bale impression. It's practically like having the cast of The Dark Knight Trilogy here with Neeson and Freeman also lending their voices to characters very similar to the images we know them as from other roles.  Freeman has played God and the president numerous times, so it's no surprise he would play the all mighty wizard here. There are plenty of  other surprise cameo voices that come out once Emmet, Wyldstyle, and Batman call in the troops for additional help against Lord Business.

I think some people may have questioned why I went to The Lego Movie. It may have seemed odd that I was alone with my pretzel bites at the theater surrounded by a bunch of other parents and their kids. I feel like if this was a Pixar film, adults would be more apt to flock to it. You expect this type of creativity and imagination from their canon. Frankly, this is better than the last two offerings from Pixar. I think word of mouth will spread about how enjoyable the film is for all ages. The ending came as a surprise, and completely elevates it to the next level. If you have seen it, you know what I'm talking about. This will surely become a new franchise, so get out while you can to catch this Lego tale. Don't be surprised if you get the main song, "Everything is Awesome", gets stuck in your head.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? YES! No matter what age you are, you will enjoy it!

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: HER

HER
Writer/Director: Spike Jonze
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Chris Pratt, Olivia Wilde

Is it possible to fall madly in love with someone even though you have never met them? I am sure that is not uncommon in the world of online dating. What if that person was your operating system? That is the fascinating and peculiar idea behind Spike Jonze's latest, Her. Theodore Twombley (Phoenix) is going through the divorce process with his wife Catherine (Mara). He feels alone, confused, and all of those other feelings that come when the love of your life wants to leave you. It probably does not help matters that he writes love letters for other people as a living through his job at "Beautifulhandwrittenletters.com".

A new, personal, talking operating system has been released on the market, and Theo purchases the new OS1. This new operating system is specifically catered and customized to grow and evolve around the person using it. Theodore gives his new OS1 a female identity who gives herself the name Samantha (Johansson). He is baffled at how intelligent and lifelike Samantha is. She has the capabilities of reading his email, browsing his computer, looking at his music and really knowing everything about him through what is found on his computer or cloud. The more Theodore uses and talks to Samantha, she goes from being a friend and organizer to someone who can sense his emotions and vulnerability. Their relationship continues to grow and when intimacy is experimented with, Theo realizes she is more special than anyone he has ever been with and starts referring to her as his girlfriend. He knows this is a strange and different kind of relationship and keeps Samantha a secret from his boss (Pratt) and good friend Amy (Adams).

Spike Jonze is the creative genius behind the likes of Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. His movies are original, different, and may be a bit odd at times. Her is all of that. It is by far one of the most original ideas and concepts I have seen all year. The story takes place in the future but Jonze never states what year it is. The design aesthetic is colorful and vibrant. The city and downtown landscape is a booming metropolis. You may notice that the clothing and costume design slightly contradicts that. Jonze and costume designer Casey Storm have decided to go vintage with high-waist pants and mustaches as the look which I see as them saying that this look has come back to fashion in this timeframe. Technology has soared to new innovative heights. I am sure it is only a matter of time before some of these technological advances start happening. The film provides an insightful commentary on the state of technology, how we come to use it, how it can control our lives, the obsession we have with our devices, online dating, and intrigues us with that concept of an individual falling in love with something so advanced it is practically human. Jonze, along with Phoenix and Johansson, present the romance with such a subtle and evolving growth and is treated like any other romance between two humans. Maybe I was too sucked into it, but there are times where you forget that Samantha is not a real person. When you succumb to the possibility of this being a real relationship, you forget that she is an operating system. You think of her as a voice on the other end of a phone or perhaps two people in a long distance relationship.

We last saw Joaquin Phoenix in a fully charged and highly physical role in 2012’s The Master which also starred Amy Adams. His performance here is far different yet equally impressive and demanding as that one. Theodore is a shy, introverted, and lonely individual. He builds this beautiful relationship all without ever filming any scenes with Johansson. Many of his scenes are him alone interacting with his device. There is an innocence and vulnerability to Phoenix that we don’t often see him portray. Johansson continues her string of really fantastic work within the past few years. Like I have mentioned before, I was a bit late on the ScarJo train, but I am fully on board now. Johansson treats Samantha as if she were a full-bodied character. She is breathtaking and sublime as she morphs from a simple voice of an operating system into this almost girl-next-door type of character. She never uses a cheap robotic techy type of voice. Their chemistry together is so warm and caring that you forget it is about a man falling in love with an operating system. I also find it interesting that Phoenix filmed all of his scenes with another actress cast as Samantha. I do not know how it was originally filmed, if the original actress’ voice was played back for Phoenix to act against or if he was acting without any sort of playback. Johansson took over in the part in post-production after Phoenix shot all of his scenes. Amy Adams and Rooney Mara should not be ignored. It should come as no surprise that they both give strong performances in smaller roles, especially since much of Mara’s work is in flashback montages.

Her is one of those instances where I, as a writer, cannot do justice in describing what the film is like and the journey it gives to its audience. It is best to experience it for yourself and obviously bring an open mind. If I had seen this in 2013 it would have made my Top 10 of 2013 list. Jonze has made another provocative film to add to his innovative repertoire.

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

Movie Review: DELIVERY MAN

DELIVERY MAN
Director: Ken Scott
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders, Bobby Moynihan, Britt Robertson, Jack Reynor

It is not unheard of for a director to do a remake of his own work. Alfred Hitchcock did it with The Man Who Knew Too Much. Michael Haneke released two versions of Funny Games. Director Ken Scott's 2011 film Starbuck received pretty positive reviews and was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. His follow-up to that is an exact remake to that film, but now stars Vince Vaughn and is renamed as Delivery Man. David Wozniak (Vaughn) is an incompetent, irresponsible, delivery man working for his family's meat market. He cannot seem to handle any task large or small that comes his way. He decides to start growing marijuana in his apartment because he owes $80,000 to some drug lords. He soon finds out his ex-girlfriend Emma (Smulders) is now pregnant. He sees this as the eye-opener he needs to get his life back together if she will let him back into her life.

To make matters even worse, David finds out that he has fathered 533 children after donating to a sperm bank in his twenties. He made his donations under the name "Starbuck" and now 142 of them have gathered together to form a class action lawsuit for his identity to be unveiled. He is handed a list of names, contact information, and pictures of these 142 children and attempts to meet them without them knowing who he is. He wants to do some sort of good samaritan deed as each of them seem to have problems or be in some sort of rut. He turns to his friend Brett (Pratt), a non-licensed lawyer, for help on his case who strongly objects to every step David is taking when dealing with his new predicament.

Right from the opening scene you see that David is not a great guy. He is that irresponsible slob that you just do not have time for or even care about. With Vince Vaughn playing him, he brings out that cocky jerk type quality he brings into every role. You have no sympathy whatsoever for the character as he keeps making these dumb decisions over and over again. His good deed attempts try to be genuine, but the script never allows us to fully get to know these new children that he is helping. We only get to know roughly six of them that each get their basic introduction scene when David meets them and then fade into the rest of the group after that. The overall writing seems poor and disjointed at times. There is a general wash of emotion from the children as they all feel the same way about David. They all want to meet him and as the story unfolds they all still continue to feel chummy and happy about him no matter what lies and deception he has told. You cannot tell me that each of them would all react the exact same way or that a few of them wouldn't be a little more pissed off than the others. The subplot of David owing $80,000 is unneeded and feels out of place the very few times we come back to it. It feels like an unnecessary plot device to just show him off as a deadbeat.

I kept wondering if this was supposed to be a comedy, a drama, a dramedy, or some sort of feel good inspirational movie. To put it frankly, I got a little bored at times. That is what happens when I do not really care about any of the characters. I have heard wonderful things about Starbuck. Much of this remake is a direct replica of that as Ken Scott wrote and directed both of them, so I am wondering how this one really missed the mark. You may be thinking that I truly hated this movie, but that is not the case. It will not even make my Worst of 2013 list. There are already five films on the list that are worse offenders. It has an interesting premise, and I enjoyed the concept of the good deeds he does for his children. I keep calling them children, but they are all in their twenties. There is potential here, but it all comes down to the execution of how we get to the point. This same story and idea could have been structured in a different way with better character development and more heart to have the audience feel a bit more sympathy for David or the children. I know it would have been far more enjoyable with a different actor as the title character.  I wonder what it would have been like with either Steve Carell or Adam Scott as David.  Instead of re-imagining this movie, maybe I should just head over to my Netflix streaming queue as Starbuck is available in that format.

RATING: ** (2 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: ZERO DARK THIRTY

ZERO DARK THIRTY
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Chris Pratt, Joel Edgerton

"When you lie to me, I hurt you."

I always applaud movies that are based on actual historical events that still manage to keep you completely engrossed and on the edge of your seat. Kathryn Bigelow's latest film after winning the Oscar for The Hurt Locker is just that kind of movie. Fellow Oscar winner Mark Boal's screenplay takes off early on as the torture scenes paint the picture for the kind of story about to be told. These scenes open the movie as Dan (Clarke) is a seasoned interrogator who has no qualms about his line of duty. CIA agent Maya (Chastain) follows him to black sites as he interrogates a man going by Ammar who has potential connections to Saudi terrorists. Dan uses very physical torture methods like water boarding to get information out of him and other couriers regarding the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden.

The film is told in linear form spanning the years from September 11, 2001 to May 2, 2011. The whole story centers on Maya's firm affirmation that bin Laden is hiding in plain sight. Her determination about the location leads to the eventual raid of his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Many did not want to believe he would be hiding in such an open area. It was easier to believe he was hidden deep in a desolate location. Many of the real life people the film is based on are still in hiding so we do not know much about their backgrounds or personal lives. The personal sides of these characters are very limited in this story. The only information we know about Maya and the rest of the CIA agents or the Navy SEALs is how they are in this moment of hunting for bin Laden. There is no exposition or sides stories that are told outside of the hunt.

The film is getting mixed reactions regarding the use of the torture scenes. People have questions on if it glorifies them or gives an opinion on if they are necessary or not. These scenes are raw and gruesome to watch. Isn't that the point though? I do not want some tamed down, syrupy, or simplistic approach to actual historical events. The final raid on the compound is intense and nerve-wracking. Despite knowing the ending, the rest of the audience and I watched without blinking or making a sound as if it was all coming at us for the first time. The action and suspense is filmed so intricately as if you are right there in the compound compared to watching it as an observer from the outside looking in.

Kathryn Bigelow has proven yet again she is a master filmmaker who is unafraid to tackle such heavy-hitting material. There was bound to be controversy regarding a film about the hunt for bin Laden. Her work with screenwriter Mark Boal is uncompromising and unapologetic. She casts an exceptional acting ensemble that asks them to go to very dark places. Jessica Chastain continues her streak of creating a diverse palette of characters so different from the last. She was Oscar nominated for her work in The Help last year and these two characters could not be further apart. Zero Dark Thirty is not an easy film to watch, but it is an important film that deserves attention.

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

Movie Review: THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT

THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Alison Brie, Chris Pratt

Tom (Segel) and Violet (Blunt) meet at a costumed New Year's Eve party. She was dressed as Princess Diana while he went in a full body bunny costume called "Super Bunny". A year later Tom proposes to Violet on the roof of the restaurant where he works as a sous chef. Everything seems fine and dandy as they start planning their wedding. Tom's best friend Alex (Pratt) ends up sleeping with Violet's sister Susie (Brie) at their engagement party. Don't worry, they keep the baby and get married. Alex gets his act together and becomes a committed dad and husband. Tom is having steady career working as a in a San Francisco clam bar, while Violet can't seem to get a job. One day a thick envelope comes in a mail with a job opportunity for Violet. It's a two year contract with the University of Michigan in their psychology department. This opportunity is too good for her to pass up. Tom and Violet decide to put their wedding planning on hold in order to move to Michigan. Just when Tom tells his boss he is leaving, he is told he was about to be a head chef in a new restaurant she was going to open.

Violet's job could not not be going any better. Her thesis using stale donuts is a hit with the head professor (Ryhs Ifans) and fellow teammates (Kevin Hart, Mindy Kaling, and Randall Park). Tom doesn't seem to have the same luck. He can't find a job at a fine dining restaurant that fits his skills or monetary needs. In a desperate move, he takes a job at a hit sandwich shop. Fast forward two years, Violet is offered another contract. The contract is for three years this time. A big fight ensues as this was not in the plans. Tom has become extremely unhappy in Michigan. He is going nowhere with his career and has become one with nature. He took an interest in hunting and has let his physical looks go by growing some awful facial hair. Tom and Violet turn to Alex and Susie for relationship help as their engagement is not going in the direction they once thought it was headed in.

This is the third collaboration by Stoller and Segel who previously wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Muppets. The script is very polarizing for me. There were times where I was applauding it and other times where I was frustrated. The dialogue seemed very natural and realistic at times. It made me wonder if they were improving or if it was just written very easy and naturalistic. The relationship between Tom and Violet had lots of ups and downs. I really appreciated that in a romantic comedy that the main couple wasn't all cheerful and hunky dory the whole movie. I got frustrated during their down moments, which made me realize I was caring about them more than I expected I would. When the time frame of the movie spans five years, the audience doesn't want to feel like they are in the movie for five years. Many events and circumstances in their relationship gets covered which leads to a very long movie. The screenplay could easily have been cut down with the same feeling of the passage of time. The whole sub-plot of Tom becoming a Grizzly Adams is easily forgettable and not necessary. There are side characters that are unnecessary as well. Segel and Blunt have previously co-starred together in two movies. Their real life friendship effortlessly comes across on screen. They have great chemistry together which makes this relationship and storyline more relatable than other pairs in your standard rom-com. Alison Brie and Chris Pratt steal the movie as Tom’s dopey friend and Violet’s sister. They seem to be the most realistic and fleshed out characters. The Five-Year Engagement is charming and funny filled with two couples that I seemed to really care about. The big problem with the movie lies in the screenplay. It feels like a first draft that forgot to go through the editing phase.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)