Movie Review: EDGE OF TOMORROW

EDGE OF TOMORROW
Director: Doug Liman
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Jonas Armstrong, Kick Gurry, Tony Way

I think I would be pretty disgruntled if I was thrown into war with aliens only to die, get stuck in a time loop, and then have to relive those two days all over again. Tom Cruise stars as military officer William Cage who wakes up and finds himself on a training base not sure of how he got there. He is approached by Master Sergeant Farell (Paxton) who takes him to his new combat team. Cage, who has no experience or training, is told he is a “deserter” who is trying to get out of his duties as a soldier. Cage and his new team get loaded into their new full bodied combat suits and dropped onto the beaches of France. There he comes face to face with the alien species known as “mimics” that are killing off the human race, and it’s not long before Cage is killed.

As soon as he dies, he wakes up in the same spot as the day prior in the exact same scenario as before. He is now in a time loop reliving each day over and over every time he dies. He uses the knowledge he has from each previous trip to track down Rita (Emily Blunt), another fellow warrior who has gone through the time loop. There are posters and banners with her face hung all over the city proclaiming her as “Full Metal Bitch”. Rita trains Cage on how to fight these creatures as they work together to find the location of the Omega, the main source of the mimics’ powers.

As I was watching the movie, I kept thinking that it felt like a live action video game. I’m not a huge gamer, but it made me think of those first person high action “shoot ‘em up” games. It fits right in with the time loop idea where you die and start over again in the same spot. I’m assuming that was an intentional choice by director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) because even as non-gamer I understood what they were going for as the story played out. However, the movie is not based on a video game at all. It is adapted from the Japanese light novel “All You Need is Kill” by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. Light novels are very popular in Japan and are short story graphic novels catered toward young adult readers. The film originally shared the same title as the novel but was changed to the safer and easier to understand “Edge of Tomorrow”. I prefer the original title, but I’m sure that would have driven audiences away from the movie.

The film has a really interesting concept as the time travel keeps you guessing the entire movie. The screenwriters really keep the momentum going as you never know where the movie is going or what’s going to happen next. The audience sees the story unfolding at the same rate the characters put the pieces together. That being said, I still think the film could be shorter. I wish the writers would have wrapped it up a bit quicker. In a high concept film like this, the special effects have to top notch. They are quite impressive and are meant to be seen on a huge screen with a loud sound system like the IMAX so you can be completely immersed in the world. I only saw the film in 2D, but it was the rare time when I wish I had paid the extra money as you can tell there was special attention made to make it enjoyable in 3D.

I’ve been a bit lukewarm on the latest Tom Cruise movies. I thought Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol was fantastic, but Oblivion and Jack Reacher left me wanting more in so many ways. Let’s not forget his turn as rock star Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages, which was fun on a campy level. You can’t deny that he is trying a variety of styles and genres. Tom Cruise is a movie star, and Edge of Tomorrow is another big action packed blockbuster that he is good at delivering. In many movies, his character is always on the pulse of what’s going on. He usually plays the tough guy that can get the job done. His character, William Cage, is the opposite of that. He gets thrown into this combat situation without any knowledge of shooting weapons, wearing those massive full bodied suits, or how to kill the mimics. The screenwriting team of Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, and John-Henry Butterworth add in some unexpected humor to showcase this character flaw. Emily Blunt pairs quite well with Cruise. We’ve seen her in so many period films and rom-coms like The Five-Year Engagement or The Devil Wears Prada. It’s great to see her step into the action/sci-fi genre, and she proves she is one tough heroine.

Cruise has had a hard time getting audiences to flock to his movies. They play well internationally, but his off-screen antics come into play with American audiences. I’ve talked to many people who can’t separate his personal life from his movies. I have an easier time separating the two personas. I haven’t sworn off the Cruise yet, but I do want him to find another successful movie that will bring back the audience. Edge of Tomorrow is a win for him, but I know that it won’t get the audience it should.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? While it may not appeal to every moviegoer, Edge of Tomorrow took me surprise and is one entertaining ride.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

TWIN CITIES LIVE-June 11, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
June 11, 2014

Here are today's picks plus links to each of my reviews:

1. The Fault in Our Stars, starring Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern
2. Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton
3. Non-Stop, starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy

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: OBLIVION

OBLIVION
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo


With the exception of Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol, Tom Cruise movies have been very ho-hum lately. They have ridden the fence of mediocrity, but who is to blame? Is it the material? Is it Tommy boy, the guy that used to make huge blockbuster hits? Or both? The film starts off with Jack Harper (Cruise) narrating the destruction of the Earth and what is left of it. I immediately get perturbed whenever that much exposition is done all in voice-over. An alien invasion destroyed the Moon which caused massive earthquakes and tsunamis that then destroyed the Earth and left a desolate wasteland in its place. A few landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty have, for the most part, been pummeled with the remaining portions left poking out of the ground.

Jack and his partner Vica (Riseborough) are part of a handful of people who have survived the chaos. The majority of his memory has been erased except for the part where he remembers being with a woman (Kurylenko) up on the Empire State Building. Their mission is to fix and maintain robotic drones that defend their power stations from any of the remaining species, known as the Scavs, left from the alien invasion. Vica supervises from their command station on their living quarters watching his back from any potential Scavs that may be lurking in the area. Their superior Sally (Leo) gives the commands to them via satellite from a space station orbiting earth. An unidentified spacecraft crashes down leading Jack to investigate against regulations. He discovers human bodies kept in pods and recognizes one of them as the woman from his memory. Drones quickly descend into the area killing all of the humans, but Jack is able to save this woman. She explains that her ship was a NASA mission but won’t reveal the purpose of the mission. When they go back to retrieve the ship’s flight recorder, they are captured by the Scavs. Everything Jack knows to be true is turned upside down when the Scavs reveal themselves and what their true intention happens to be.

That moment in the story also happens to be the time when the movie derails into a muddled cheap sci-fi flick and starts adding in plot twists and other additional themes and ideas. So much of the exposition was told through narration and then we get blasted with these random space loopholes and ultimate truths that it tries to be a little edgier and deeper than it started out to be. I do not want to give too much away about the second half of the film as it would ruin one of the “revelations” in the film. Did I mention that they do not always explain certain ideas they are introducing? Take for instance the cabin. Yes, a cabin. Apparently on this deserted barren Earth is a cabin that Jack still retreats to for solace and there happens to be electricity so he can listen to his record player. There is also an unnecessary love triangle thrown in.

That being said, the first half of the movie is the better half. It is a three, but mainly two, actor adventure as Cruise and Riseborough go about their mission and roam around what is left of Earth. It gets a bit slow, but I found the idea behind this portion of the story interesting as we see what is left after Earth’s destruction. This exploration of life or the lack thereof was appealing. The look and tone of the film is very reminiscent of earlier sci-fi exploration films, especially 2001: A Space Odyssey. Melissa Leo’s Sally is a direct homage to Hal 9000. Cinematographer Claudio Miranda recently won the Oscar for his work on Life of Pi. His work here is quite beautiful and visually stunning. There is a constant score throughout by Anthony Gonzalez and Joseph Trapanese that fits well with this mysterious vibe that something else is out there.

Director Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) directed the film based on his own graphic novel. Oblivion has some great aspects going it for it but starts to lose its footing when it tries to accomplish too much. I think going in with fairly low expectations caused me to enjoy and give into the film more than I would have if I was expecting the next sci-fi masterpiece. I just wish it would have stayed on track. Call me crazy, but I would not have minded a two or three actor movie about space exploration and the destruction of Earth.

RATING: *** (3 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: JACK REACHER

JACK REACHER
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Robert Duvall, David Oyelowo

A sniper eyes various people through the scope of his rifle and lets off six shots killing five random targets in a plaza area. We see the face of our lone gunman. He is young, good looking, and has a five o'clock shadow. He leaves the parking ramp in his white van but purposefully leaves behind a trail of clues including gun shells and a quarter with his finger print on him.

The cops quickly track down our gunman who is a former military sniper by the name of James Barr. You soon realize that James Barr is not the guy we just saw shooting five people. Barr refuses to answer the police interrogation and only responds by writing down three words: "Get Jack Reacher". Jack Reacher (Cruise) is a former military officer who is mysterious in every regard. He makes it a point to for anyone to be unable to track him down. He does not own a home, car, or bank account. He will make his presence known when he sees fit. Reacher knows of Barr's history in the military and shows up when he hears about the situation. By this point, Barr has been beaten and left in a coma. Barr's lawyer Helen Rodin (Pike) hires Reacher has her investigator. Her father (Jenkins) is the D.A. and is hired to prosecute the case. Reacher learns more about the shooting and is determined that this is not the work of Barr. Reacher and Helen work together under his terms to determine the connection between Barr and the real sniper.

Jack Reacher is based on the book "One Shot" by Lee Child. It's the ninth book in a series of novels involving the unstoppable Jack Reacher. Fans of the book raised an eyebrow with the casting of Tom Cruise as the 6'5" 200+ pound former military officer. Cruise does not quite fit that physical description. Lee Child endorsed the casting despite the difference in height. I am having mixed vibes towards Cruise in this performance. He pulls off the unstoppable aspects of Reacher, and he definitely is a guy you do not want to pick a fight with. Cruise is quite restrained in the role unlike many of his previous larger than life characters you have seen him portray. While I applaud his self-control, I feel like he is trying to pull off the elusive mysterious qualities of Reacher a little too hard. I do not know how he is written in the books, but I wanted more out of the character. That being said, Cruise has potential with the role. I think if the series continues, Cruise will get better with the character.

Jack Reacher is your standard "whodunit" and "how are they all connected" type movie. The beginning and ending are suspenseful, but the middle seems to drag on as you play along with Reacher and Helen as they connect the dots. I never lost interest with the story, but I wanted something else and something more to happen. There is a bit of a twist, but if you have watched enough "Law & Order" episodes, you will figure it out before the ending. The most exciting part of the movie was the brilliant casting of Robert Duvall. He pops up in the last 45 minutes as Cash, the owner of a shooting range where Barr frequented. Duvall brings the movie a much needed sense of humor. If the movie does well at the box office, I think Cruise could continue on with this character. It could be a great franchise for him to take on. Even though I wrestled with this movie, I think there is potential. I would be up for another Jack Reacher mystery. Lee Child has written many stories with the character, so I know there is more material out there.

RATING: *** (3 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: ROCK OF AGES

ROCK OF AGES
Director: Adam Shankman
Starring: Diego Boneta, Julianne Hough, Tom Cruise, Malin Ackerman, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Paul Giamatti, Bryan Cranston, Catherine Zeta-Jones



When you see Rock of Ages, you don't go in expecting your mind will be blown away with some existential thoughts and questions. It is not that kind of movie. You go in for fun music that will have you dancing in your seat. Sherrie Christian (Hough) is a young, broke, up and coming singer that leaves her Oklahoma life behind as she buses out to Los Angeles in hopes to make it big. The night she arrives in LA, she is mugged of her sole possessions which are mostly records. She just so happens to meet Drew (Boneta) who is also an up and coming singer and works as a bar back at The Bourbon Room. The Bourbon Room is the hottest concert venue that brings in the best rocks bands. Drew gets Sherrie a job as a waitress and they become smitten with each other.



Dennis (Baldwin) and Lonny (Brand) run The Bourbon Room. They are eagerly anticipating the greatest night yet with Stacee Jaxx (Cruise) playing his final concert with his band Arsenal. Everything is riding on this night with Stacee Jax. A Rolling Stone reporter (Ackerman) desperately tries to interview him before the show only to find that his drunken, lazy, care free attitude does not provide for a good sit down chat. On top of that, Dennis and Lonny are being hounded by the mayor (Cranston) and his church going, bible thumping wife (Zeta-Jones). She is desperately trying to get The Bourbon Room shut done as rock and roll is pure filth that promotes sex and drugs. What she doesn't know is that the mayor is cheating on her behind her back. The opening band for Arsenal quits the day of the show and Drew is given the opportunity to open for them. The big night does not quite go as planned and leaves a lasting impact on everyone involved.



There is a huge trend lately of turning Broadway musicals into movies. Some are phenomenal like Chicago and some are dreadful like The Producers. There are a few that fall right in the middle like Mamma Mia and Hairspray. I would say that Rock of Ages falls in the middle of the pack. Director Adam Shankman seems to be all about getting a huge cast full of big name actors and leaves the production aspect of it to the waste side. One of my biggest beefs with the production value is the poor sound mixing. There were so many times during the numbers where the band or background vocals seemed far louder than the main singer. I wanted to hear Mary J. Blige wail on some of the numbers but she just got drowned out. Sometimes if it is done well, you can believe that the actors are singing live. The lip synching was so bad that it was not even close to believable that they were bursting into song. The camera work and editing during the bigger numbers was sloppy at times. "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" had awesome choreography but it was difficult to fully appreciate it as they kept cutting to the mayor's affair. I may be getting too picky, but I wanted more care given to each of the musical numbers. Too often they were sloppy and there was too much going on with each one.



Even though the production values left me wanting more, the movie is full of so many great actors who are willing to let their egos go a little bit by having fun singing awesome '80s tunes. Catherine Zeta-Jones returns to her musical theater roots. She won an Oscar for her work in Chicago and she shines here as well. Her role was written for the movie, so unfortunately it is not as big as the other roles that were in the staged production. Tom Cruise is one devoted actor. He consistently devotes 100% of himself in each role. His commitment to Stacee Jaxx is no different than Ethan Hunt or Frank T.J.Mackey. His swagger and demeanor is perfect for the troubled rocker. Malin Ackerman holds her own next to Cruise in each of their scenes. Their duet is one of my favorite numbers in the movie. Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta are cute and decent as the two lovers, but they didn't blow me away. While I typically like Alec Baldwin, I felt like he and Russell Brand were basically playing exaggerated versions of themselves instead of making Dennis and Lonny different characters than we typically see them do.

Yes, the movie is made with sloppy production values and a weak script. However, if you go into it and allow yourself to have a campy good time with the fun '80s music, you will enjoy it. You may even find yourself tapping your foot along or have the songs stuck in your head later that evening.

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