TWIN CITIES LIVE- September 12, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
September 12, 2014

I have three new reviews for Twin Cities Live this week. Even though the summer blockbuster season is over and the fall movies haven't started ramping up yet, there a couple of movies in theaters worth checking out. Plus, I've got a home release that is guaranteed to make you laugh.

1. THE DROP, Starring: Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace
2. THE TRIP TO ITALY, Starring: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon
3. JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, Starring: Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Kathy Griffin


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: THE DROP

THE DROP
Director: Michaël R. Roskam
Starring: Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace, Matthias Schoenaerts, John Ortiz

How can you go wrong when James Gandolfini and Tom Hardy star in a Dennis Lehane story? Bob (Hardy) has an innocence about him despite the fact that he works at a Brooklyn bar known in the underworld for being a drop location as money is handed off to local Chechen gangsters. There is a whole system in place for the covert operation that goes unseen by the general bar clientele. He works for his cousin Marv (Gandolfini) who is fully aware of the operations that take place at the bar. He once ran the place, but it's now under control of the gangsters. One night the bar is robbed by two masked gunmen, and Bob and Marv find themselves stuck answering (or not) the cops continual questions while knowing the Chechens will want the missing money paid back. This isn’t Bob’s only issue at hand. He meets Nadia (Rapace) after rescuing an abused pitbull that was abandoned in her garbage can. Their friendship is tested when her ex-boyfriend and owner of the dog shows up and brings along a violent past.

You are probably familiar with novelist Dennis Lehane whose novels Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone, and Shutter Island have all received the silver screen treatment. This is the first time he has ventured into screenwriting and has expanded his short story Animal Rescue. This time he trades in his typical Boston neighborhood for the local bar scene in Brooklyn. According to him, this was a studio choice as we have already seen numerous Boston crime stories. He was fine with the change, but let’s not pretend that Brooklyn was the most creative alternative location. He and director Michaël R. Roskam set the stage very early on that you can’t trust anyone involved. There’s a heightened level of suspicion that anyone could snap into a violent outburst. You never know who’s working for who, who is looking out for themselves, or who may turn on another character.

Lehane was pretty involved in the making of the film, but only had one request when it came to casting. The only actor he had envisioned for the role of Cousin Marv was the brilliant James Gandolfini. I still have a hard time believing that he passed away. The Drop will be remembered for marking the last screen appearance for Gandolfini. It’s a gritty role that he has always been strong at playing, yet I never got the feeling that I was just watching Tony Soprano on screen. Marv has this constant dry wit about him. Many of his lines are sarcastic rebuttals and Gandolfini is perfect at their delivery. I think people will be mixed with his performance. If they are like me, they will get on board with the fact Gandolfini’s last role is another crooked guy mixed up in an underworld of gangsters. He was a gifted actor that knew how to play the subtleties with each character. Others may feel like we have seen this numerous times from him. He always carries with him an intensity to keep you invested in the moment.

Tom Hardy (Warrior, Lawless) continues to do meaty work. How is he not on everybody’s radar yet? He has this rough, brutish exterior but he channels the calm and cool interior making himself this force of nature that keeps you guessing at his true intentions and motivations. Bob has a simple, nurturing mentality that seems all too good to be true if he’s always surrounded by these thugs at the bar. I love his continual choices of playing these complex characters that are have these misunderstood vulnerable aspects to them. They aren’t just the tough guys that would fit Hardy’s stature and outward demeanor. Hardy received flack for his voice as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, and his tone here is a bit under the breath. I didn’t have a problem, but I wouldn’t be surprised if people have a hard time understanding him. Noomi Rapace (the Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy) plays off Hardy well. She’s another actor that gravitates towards damaged characters and can easily flip between the loneliness of Nadia into her crazier side in a split second.

The film’s drive comes from the characters and their relationships with each other and the idea of who’s playing who. The actual details behind the idea of the drops and the specific crime at hand doesn’t feel as fleshed out as we’ve seen in other films like this. It’s far more character driven than action driven. Even the pitbull plays a big part of the movie. It seems pretty evident that he symbolizes the misunderstood aspects regarding Tom Hardy’s character. Plus, the dog is so adorable you just can’t help but feel sympathy toward him every moment he’s on screen. Hardy, Gandolfini, and Rapace all deliver strong performances that keep you intrigued as you wonder who may explode first or who’s going to be the strong valiant type.

Is It worth Your Trip to the Movies? You may find the movie slow at times, but the twists and climax make for a great payoff.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: THE TRIP TO ITALY

THE TRIP TO ITALY
Writer/Director: Michael Winterbottom
Starring: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Rosie Fellner, Claire Keelan, Timothy Leach

If someone asked me to drop everything and take a free trip to Italy for a week, I would definitely take them up on that offer. I had an unforgettable trip to this exquisite country back in 2004 and am dying to go back someday. I suppose movies like last year’s The Great Beauty and this one will have to suffice. The Trip to Italy is a sequel to the 2010 indie hit The Trip and is also based on segments from season two of the BBC show of the same name. Steve Coogan (Philomena) and Rob Brydon (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels) are back for another road trip, but this time they are touring Italy as Rob has been asked to do some restaurant reviews for his paper. There is not much in terms of a heavy plot, but don’t let that deter you. The audience is treated like we are the third passenger on this trip with two dear friends. The focus of their trip is spent on the culinary world of Italy and their love of Romantic poets Percy Shelley and Lord Byron. Coogan and Brydon play semi-fictionalized versions of themselves. The conversation is silly at first as they reconnect. They pop in some Alanis Morissette for nostalgic purposes, and it’s not long before they dive into their numerous celebrity impersonations including Michael Caine, Al Pacino, and Tom Hardy, just to name a few.

The first film is one of those sleeper hits that not many people have seen, but if you mention it, someone may perk up and get excited to hear you’ve seen it as well. This has happened to me a couple of times when I’ve mentioned this movie. This one will have the same affect. I think anyone that saw the first one will no doubt love the follow-up. I must confess that I have not seen the first one yet, even though it has been on my “to-see” list. It’s available through Netflix streaming so I really have no excuse not to watch it now that I’ve seen this one. So was I completely lost? Not really. It will help if you have some general familiarity with either of the two actors. I have never seen Brydon in anything before, which helps play off the fact that there is an underlying theme in the movie that American audiences have no idea who he is. While on the trip, he decides to audition for a Michael Mann film for a role that is completely outside his typical playing field. I am familiar with Coogan enough where I understood the references to his filmography.

Writer and director Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People) is back for this trip as well. He keeps a light and jovial mood throughout the movie as these two old friends reconnect and catch up. If you have ever taken a road trip with friends, you will definitely relate to their back and forth banter. Brydon is that friend of yours that will continue to talk the whole time fearing any moment of silence may dull the trip. He is constantly doing voices and silly impersonations to the point where you wonder why he can’t drop the idea of being “on”. Is he covering up some insecurities or is he just simply excited to be on this little getaway. At one points Coogan states, “You have a moral compass. You just don’t know where it is.” He seems a bit more level headed knowing when and where to join in on Brydon’s silliness. There is an absolutely hysterical scene where they delve into their impersonations and re-create a scene from The Dark Knight Rises.

The cinematography is so rich in the Italian landscape, you can’t help but feel the vibrancy and culture. Even though this movie isn’t really about food, foodies will devour the shots involving food preparation and presentation when Brydon and Coogan visit each of the various restaurants throughout the movie. The road trip provides time for both men to have some self reflection on the meaning of life, their careers, and their family. When you are surrounded by the beautiful nature Italy provides, how do you not start contemplating what your life has to offer? The Trip to Italy is currently playing in various art house theaters, but you can also catch it On Demand if one isn’t in your area.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? If you take this trip to Italy, you will have a jolly good time.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Rewind: JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK (2010)

JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK (2010)
Director: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg
Starring: Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Jocelyn Pickett, Bill Sammeth, Kathy Griffin

I first saw Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work a couple of years ago when it first started streaming on Netflix. I had a second viewing of it tonight, but this time there was a somber tone underneath it due to her recent passing. She died at the age of 81, but she was 75 when she was filming the 2010 documentary. For someone that has had their fair share of ups and downs in show business, she opens up about the drive, passion, and commitment she has toward what she does. There are days where I think I am busy. I’m only 31 and wonder why I stuff my calendar so full with various activities, events, or gatherings. I can’t imagine being her age and continuing to live such an active lifestyle. For her, she wouldn’t know what to do otherwise. There is a scene early on where she’s going through her calendar and you see how penciled in each day was for the month and in the upcoming months there are days that are blank with nothing filled in. She lived in fear of an empty calendar. “…nobody wants me. Nobody cares.” She felt a need to work in order to stay relevant and appreciated.

Many people probably know her best as a foul-mouthed comedienne or red carpet fashion commentator. That was never what she set out to do, because she always saw herself as an actress first and foremost. She took acting very seriously and wanted to be known as an actress. My first memories of Joan are as an actress as I grew up watching Spaceballs where she provided the voice of Dot Matrix, the C3PO type character. Early on in her career she co-wrote and appeared in a play called Fun City and was ripped apart for it. Those negative reviews severely damaged her. Part of the documentary focuses on her opening a play based on her life that toured Edinburgh and London. She was very cautious of taking it to New York or Los Angeles because she didn’t want criticism regarding her acting. She had no problems if people ripped apart other aspects of her career, but she didn't want them touching what she cherished the most.

It is quite clear that she was one of the hardest working people in the business. As the camera pans her lofty Maria Antoinette style apartment, it stops upon the filing cabinets full of jokes. There is something astonishing about the fact that she always wrote down her jokes and filed them away. She never wanted to forget them, so she jotted them down in notebooks, on cards, or on other random pieces of paper. She pulls a random joke out of a filing drawer and reads it to the camera. Who knows when she wrote it, but it was still funny as there is a timeless quality to her humor. This is also evident in the multitude of clips of her standup routine. I admire her fearlessness and her audacity to never hold back in the name of comedy. No subject was ever out of bounds. No matter how politically incorrect, crass, or inappropriate it was, she would deliver the joke and stand up for it. She frequently raised eyebrows and would get lambasted for the shockingly vulgar things that she would say. She always believed that was what women should be talking about.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work showcases Joan the person versus Joan the persona who we typically see her being. This is an insightful and fascinating look at the internal pain and struggle she faced in her life and what drove her to continue working. The film covers the shocking suicide of her husband Edgar. Due to the fact that he was a part of her business, she was left without a career, bad debts, sadness, darkness, and also became a single mother after the tragedy. This also came after she was banned from The Tonight Show by her one time friend Johnny Carson despite having been on the show for over twenty years. Even after all of those years of being on the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, you can sense that there was still a vulnerability with Joan. The film also provides a peak into her philanthropic side. There is a very generous side to her that is very rarely showed and discussed. She was very grateful for everything she had in life and always felt very blessed with what she had been given. She loved giving back and helping others by hosting Thanksgiving dinner for a big group of friends and family as well as delivering meals for God’s Love We Deliver which helped HIV/AIDS patients in need.

We lost one hell of a trailblazer when Joan passed away. This documentary is a great way for people who may not know a lot about her life to see a different side of her. Kathy Griffin is interviewed and states how she was a pioneer for female comics. I don’t think we will ever see a comedian these days that could get away with half of the things Joan did. You can catch this rare look into Joan’s life through Netflix Streaming if you have that service. Be warned, the language is extremely R-rated. You will no doubt laugh, and maybe even lower your head in shame for laughing so hard at what this 75 year old dares to say out loud.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? If you didn't know Joan before, you may end up having a better appreciation for her.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

TWIN CITIES LIVE- September 5, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
September 5, 2014

It was a pleasure returning to Twin Cities Live after a few weeks off. It's been a little slow at the theaters right now, so we decided to do a fall movie preview instead of reviews of the latest new releases. Here are the four movies we discussed:

1. GONE GIRL
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Sela Ward, Tyler Perry

2. INTERSTELLAR
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, Michael Caine

3. INTO THE WOODS
Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, Christine Baranksi

4. UNBROKEN
Director: Angelina Jolie
Starring: Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, Jai Courtney

Here's the video:



Video courtesy of Twin Cities Live/KSTP

For more on these four movies and my full Fall Movie preview, click HERE.

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!

FALL 2014 MOVIE PREVIEW

FALL 2014 MOVIE PREVIEW

1. INTERSTELLAR
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, Michael Caine

I am a huge fan of Christopher Nolan, the visionary director of Inception and The Dark Knight Trilogy. This film may be his biggest challenge to date. It is still shrouded in secrecy, but a couple of trailers have been released.  I am stunned and awed by everything I am seeing so far. It has been in the works for the past few years and was originally inspired by physicist Kip Thorne and his theories behind using wormholes in space to time travel. Matthew McConaughey continues his hot streak by leading this ensemble cast as one of the brave few willing to travel to the far reaches of space in hopes of saving the universe. If you were moved by last year’s hit Gravity, you will want to check out Interstellar.

Release Date: November 7



2. INTO THE WOODS
Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, Christine Baranksi

The latest big screen adaptation of a Broadway musical is based on Stephen Sondheim’s hit Into the Woods. Rob Marshall is no stranger to directing musicals after his work on Chicago and Nine. He has another all-star cast led by Meryl Streep as the Witch who makes an offer to a baker (Corden) and his wife (Blunt) that they can’t refuse. The two of them must face other fairy tale characters like Cinderella, the Big Bad Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel and steal some precious items for the Witch in order for her to reverse the curse of infertility that has been placed over their home. If you know the staged version, you are already familiar with the beautiful music and insanely creative word play in the lyrics. You also know how dark and grim the story can be at times. With this being a Disney property, I will be curious to see how faithful they stay to the original story. There have been rumors floating around that specific numbers and side plots have been cut from the movie that would potentially make it more family friendly. Sondheim was involved in the process so I am going to remain optimistic about it and not give those rumors too much thought.

Release Date: December 25



3. UNBROKEN
Director: Angelina Jolie
Starring: Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, Jai Courtney

The highly anticipated film is based on the book of the same name by Laura Hillenbrand which stayed on the bestseller list for three years. I recently started reading it, and I can already tell that this will be one incredibly powerful and moving story. It tells the remarkable true story of Louis Zamperini (O’Connell), a record breaking Olympic runner who became an airman in World War II. His plane was shot down and he was left stranded on a raft in the middle of the Pacific. Forty-seven days later, he was rescued only to become a prisoner of war in the Japanese camps. The film is getting massive buzz due its story of survival and perseverance. It’s directed by Angelina Jolie with a screenplay by Joel & Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese, and William Nicholson. Expect lots of Oscar buzz around this one.

Release Date: December 25



4. GONE GIRL
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Sela Ward, Tyler Perry

If you have seen any of director David Fincher’s work like Seven, The Social Network, or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, you know he is the perfect choice to tackle Gillian Flynn's bestselling novel "Gone Girl", He is exceptional at capturing these dark and mysterious stories. Amy (Pike) and Nick (Affleck) Dunne seem like the perfect gorgeous couple. On their fifth anniversary, Amy goes missing and Nick becomes the number one suspect. What follows is a twisty ride of deceit, deception, and mystery that was their marriage. It should be known that author Gillian Flynn wrote the screenplay for the movie. In an article in "Entertainment Weekly", Ben Affleck mentioned how she rewrote the whole third act of the movie that takes it in a different direction than the book. Who knows if that is true or a ploy to keep the movie a mystery, but I am intrigued to see what these changes are going to be like.

Release Date: October 3



5. FOXCATCHER
Director: Bennett Miller
Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave

If you are a fan of funny man Steve Carell, like I am, you will want to take note of his latest, Foxcatcher. He received all sorts of early Oscar buzz for his role after it screened at the Cannes Film Festival. This is far different than anything we have seen from him before. The film is based on a bizarre true story with Carell playing millionaire philanthropist John du Pont. He was known for sponsoring and mentoring Olympic wrestling brothers Mark (Tatum) and Dave (Ruffalo) Schultz. It started off as promising friendship and working relationship, but tragedy strikes as du Pont’s growing paranoia, suspicion, and erratic behavior leads to murder. Don’t be surprised if Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo also receive high praise for their performances. The film is directed by Bennett Miller who has previously directed Moneyball and Capote, also based on true events.

Release Date: November 14



6. THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Jane Fonda, Connie Britton, Rose Byrne, Kathryn Hahn

It’s become a joke with my parents that I love movies about dysfunctional families. As an actor, I’m always drawn to those types of large ensemble dramas as there are rich characters for the actors to play with. I was immediately drawn to This is Where I Leave You when I first saw the cast list and a publicity photo in "Entertainment Weekly". Jane Fonda, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Connie Britton, and Dax Shepard are just some of the fantastic actors that appear in this adaptation of the Jonathan Tropper novel of the same name. Jane Fonda stars as the matriarch of the Foxman family and insists her children (played by Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, and Adam Driver) reunite after their father passes away. As you can tell by the trailer, some of them are going through their own drama on top of the death in the family. The cast boasts quite a few actors known for their television work, and I’m excited to see them tackle a different medium. I recently finished the book and absolutely loved it!

Release Date: September 19



7. BIRDMAN
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Starring: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Amy Ryan

I grew up watching Michael Keaton in Batman and Batman Returns. Frankly, the Caped Crusader or Beetlejuice will probably be the roles he will always be remembered for. His career seemed to stall a bit after those films. He would have a few hits here or there, but none seemed to have as big of an impact on his career like Batman had. It's great to see him back in prime form in a role that seems perfectly catered toward him. In Alejandro González Iñárritu's (Babel) latest, he plays a washed up actor best known for playing an iconic superhero. He struggles to open a new Broadway play in an attempt to revitalize his career. It's been playing at some early festivals to critical acclaim, so hopefully this is the film to catapult Keaton's career back into the public eye.

Release Date: October 17, 2014



8. FURY
Director: David Ayer
Starrring: Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michale Pena, Jon Bernthal, Scott Eastwood, Jim Parrack,

After seeing 2012's End of Watch, I was fully on board the David Ayer train. I thought it was a visceral, front of the line approach to what it's like to be a police officer in the worst area of Los Angeles. His next film was Sabotage with Arnold Schwarzenegger which was released earlier this year. Talk about a complete turn of opinion as I hated that film. It will surely be on my worst of the year list. With Fury, he looks to bring his A-game back into play with the heavy handed World War II drama. Brad Pitt leads the film as Wardaddy who vows to protect his four comrades and tankers in the final days of the war. I can only assume that this will be one of the most brutal and realistic war films we have seen in years. Maybe Ayer will have films on both my best and worst of the year lists.

Release Date: October 17



9. ST. VINCENT
Director: Theodore Melfi
Starring: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris O'Dowd, Terrence Howard

I've watched the trailer for St. Vincent a couple of times now, and I am naturally drawn to the feel good vibe and Bill Murray's performance. Others may find it too sappy. St. Vincent (Murray) is that cantankerous old man neighbor that we would rather not deal with on a daily basis. Single mom Maggie (McCarthy) feels no choice but to ask for his help by taking care of her young son. The budding friendship between young boy and kooky neighbor leads to all sorts of adventures that are far too risqué and dangerous for someone so young. I'll be curious to see how moviegoers and critics feel about this one. Will Murray have Oscar potential? Will McCarthy win us back after the dreadful Tammy?

Release Date: December 17



10. THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Lee Pace, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, Luke Evans

Fans have been a bit hesitant when it comes to The Hobbit movies. I can understand the frustration as Peter Jackson and his writing team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens took one book and turned it into three movies by adding characters and taking details from the appendices. So far, they are nowhere near as good as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but I feel like The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was heading in the right direction. I have a strong inclination that this will be the best of this trilogy. Jackson may redeem himself from how the series started. I haven't read the book yet which I am embarrassed to admit, but I think that makes it a bit easier to judge the movies without any preconceived notions of what Tolkien's story originally had in store.

Release Date: December 17



*HONORABLE MENTIONS: THE JUDGE (Oct. 10), THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 (November 21)

Those are my picks for ten of the films I'm looking forward to in the upcoming months. I'd love to hear from you! What films are you most looking forward to as we come into the fall season?

THE BEST AND WORST OF SUMMER 2014

THE BEST AND WORST OF SUMMER 2014

I don't think the 2014 summer movie season will be remembered for the good movies that came out. Let's face it, it seemed like each week we succumbed to some pretty disappointing movies at your local cineplex. Like every summer, we had our fare share of comic book movies, sequels, and reboots. There were big action franchises that wanted to continue their reign. Some fared well (X-Men: Days of Future Past), while others left us shaking our head in frustration (The Amazing Spider-Man 2). Here are my picks for the best and worst of the summer season, plus some that were pleasant surprises.

THE BEST

1. BOYHOOD
Writer/Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater, Marco Perella, Libby Villari

By now, you are probably aware of the fact that writer/director Richard Linklater spent twelve years filming this movie. The huge gamble paid off, and I obsessed over it after I saw it. I bought the soundtrack and am currently working on making the Beatles Black Album that Hawke's character created. It was the movie I plugged and championed for whenever anyone asked me for my recommendation. If you are sick of seeing the same kind of movies in theaters over and over again, Boyhood is your kind of movie. It will be one of the most unique and thought-provoking films you will see all year or of any year recently.

RATING: 5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



2. LIFE ITSELF
Director: Steve James
Starring: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog, A.O. Scott, Richard Corliss, Gene Siskel

Documentarian Steve James and Roger Ebert started working on Life Itself with the intention of it being an adaptation of Ebert's memoir of the same name. Unfortunately, Roger passed away before the film was completed. I have been a huge admirer of his dating back to when I was a kid watching Siskel & Ebert & the Movies. This film is a wonderful look back at his life and career. He is truly inspirational as he never once gave up or quit working when his health started to decline. It is one of the best documentaries that I have seen in years.

RATING: 5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



3. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
Director: Josh Boone
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Willem Dafoe

I knew I would enjoy this teen romance as I had already read the book and fell in love with the story. What I didn't expect was that I would go on and do a full ugly cry at the theater. I rarely cry at movies, but this was the grand exception. I even tried to recreate it on Twin Cities Live when I reviewed it. Click HERE for the video.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



4. SNOWPIERCER
Director: Joon-ho Bong
Starring: Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, Jamie Bell, John Hurt

There were many films this summer that I wouldn't mind seeing a second or third time once they are available on blu-ray. I left Snowpiercer and immediately wanted to see it again as it was also available via On Demand at the same time it was in theaters. I never got around to writing a full review, but I will once I watch it again. It was a stunning visual feast for the eyes. I haven't seen any of Bong's other films, so I went in not knowing what to expect. For a film that takes place completely on a train, I completely awed by the fact that I never knew what was going to happen next! Plus, you've got the brilliance of Tilda Swinton giving her third performance this year alone.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



5. GODZILLA
Director: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe

I admit, this is probably a strange pick that you didn't see coming. I had a hard time filling this fifth spot. Do I go with a trusty and easy choice like a Marvel movie or go in a different direction? I'm going with Godzilla as it was a film, like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, that really took me by surprise. I had never seen a Godzilla movie before, but now I want to go back and rewatch those old black and white classics. Director Gareth Edwards gives the film its slow burn until our main character is finally revealed in a very Spielbergian way. It's sound and visual effects were top notch and made it a true summer popcorn creature feature flick!



*HONORABLE MENTIONS: it's a tie between X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

THE WORST

Stay FAR FAR away...I'm warning you.

1. TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION

What a piece of garbage. A nearly three hour piece of garbage. Yes, I expected that going in but I still don't think we can excuse Michael Bay and not hold him accountable because we now expect that out of him. I can't believe people keep throwing hard earned money at these movies.

RATING: 1/2 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



2. A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST

Seth MacFarlane is one of the funniest and smartest people in Hollywood. He can act, sing, direct, write and do voices as we have seen with Family Guy and Ted. It was a real shame that his attempt at a western comedy turned out to be a complete waste and really showed how lazy he can be.

RATING: 1.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



3. LET'S BE COPS

I didn't even give this film a full review as I saw it weeks after it opened. It should be one of those dumb comedies that's so dumb, it's funny or it's so funny that you don't mind it being dumb. This was all dumb and no funny. Okay, I take it back. There was maybe two funny moments, one of which involved a fat naked man running.

RATING: 1.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



4. JERSEY BOYS

It's a shame that this didn't work out in the end. Clint Eastwood was the wrong choice to helm the big screen adaptation of the hit jukebox musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. They tried sticking close to the musical but in all the wrong places. They even forgot to include the music in the second half.

RATING: 2 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



5. TAMMY

It's good that Melissa McCarthy, Allison Janney, and Kathy Bates were all up for Emmys this year as it made me forget about this movie. We've seen McCarthy do this type of loud-mouthed, crass, and dirty character countless times. It's time for the otherwise talented actress to retire this character and move onto other more challenging roles that she is easily capable of.

RATING: 2 out of 5 TICKET STUBS



*DISHONORABLE MENTION: MILLION DOLLAR ARM

There you go! Those are my picks for the best and worst of the summer season. Here's hoping next summer gives us some better quality popcorn flicks. I'd love to hear from you! What are your picks for the best and worst? Feel free to comment below or you can find me and comment on my Facebook page by clicking HERE.

Movie Review: SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR

SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR
Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Eva Green, Josh Brolin, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Bruce Willis, Powers Boothe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Christopher Meloni, Jeremy Piven, Christopher Lloyd, Dennis Haysbert

The violence and bloodshed is always high in the corrupt underworld of fictional town Basin City. Like its predecessor, the film is composed of various vignettes with some characters overlapping from one story to the next. Nancy (Alba) is an exotic dancer at Kadie’s Saloon and is severely damaged after the death of her lover John Hartigan (Willis). She plans on seeking out revenge on Senator Roark (Boothe) who was involved in his death. Marv (Rourke) is a regular at Kadie’s and keeps a steady eye on Nancy. He has his own issues and is someone you don’t want to mess with in a dark alley. Johnny (Levitt) is a hot-shot gambler who never loses. Let’s just say that after winning against Senator Roark, he needs to watch his back. The title storyline involves Dwight (Brolin) who is caught in a web of mysterious torture when his former flame Ava (Green) shows up and begs for forgiveness. She can’t escape from his head, and yet again, he is lured into her deceitful ways. What he doesn’t know is that she may have ulterior motives.

Nine years have passed since the release of the first film which was an adaptation of the popular Frank Miller graphic novel. He has teamed up again with director Robert Rodriguez for a follow-up that has been in the works since the first one was released. Back then, Angelina Jolie was being considered for the lead role. The first film was groundbreaking in its approach with using the digital effects and colorization techniques to effectively recreate Miller’s work into a different medium. Many frames in the movie were identical to the way they were illustrated in the novel. The same look and feel accompanies this film, but it doesn’t quite have that same dynamic punch that the first one had due to the fact that we now have already seen it used and have seen other movies attempt it as well. There is also a consistency issue here where I don’t feel like Rodriguez or Miller took the time to really craft each scene using this technique. They used up a majority of their energy on the opening sequence and some of the more action heavy scenes, but neglected the more dialogue filled scenes. It’s the kind of effect that really pops and is visually stunning when it’s used, but it is clearly evident and sorely missed when it’s not added in. It’s very rare when I endorse 3D, but it really enhances the effects here and really brings Miller’s vision to life as you witness the artwork and storyboards coming off the page.

Miller adapted some of his older stories for this film and wrote two new ones in addition. It’s pretty imperative to watch the first film before seeing this one. Even if you’ve seen it before, give it another viewing before watching the sequel. We have many returning characters as well as new ones with direct references to what happened in the first movie. For instance, Jessica Alba’s Nancy storyline is a continuation of her story in the first one. Josh Brolin’s Dwight storyline acts as a prequel with him playing the younger version of the same character Clive Owen previously played. If I hadn’t read about this before seeing the movie, I might not have picked up on it. Rodriguez is billed as having shot and cut the film, and I think the sequencing of it all is oddly structured. We get introduced to the Marv, Johnny, and Nancy plots in the beginning and then it shifts to tell the whole story of Dwight/Ava and then it goes back to finish those first few stories we were introduced to. It feels too choppy and inconsistent without it feeling as cohesive as the first movie.

It is fun seeing a majority of the original cast come to play their corrupt and flawed characters. Some roles have been recast. Dennis Haysbert takes over the role of Manute, Ava’s bodyguard, who was previously played by Michael Clarke Duncan. Jeremy Piven fills Michael Madsen’s shoes as Bob. I don’t know how the directing duties were split up between Rodriguez and Miller, but the acting is a bit inconsistent at times. I found it odd that all of the men spoke in this slow, deep, mysterious tone that is very repetitive after a while. There was no real variety in their vocal tone. At the same time, some actors are having a devilishly good time and are definitely playing into the comic book nature of the material. Green, Rourke, and Boothe are the definite stand-outs. Green is sultry, sexy, and nude a majority of the movie. Boothe is as diabolical as always as Senator Roark. I am a big fan of his and have seen him in numerous film and television roles, and he is always playing the evil and corrupt bad guy. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen him play a gentle, loveable character. He’s so great at being these brutal characters, but I’d love to see him do a complete 180 next time. The scene-stealer belongs to Christopher Lloyd. Yes, that Christopher Lloyd, the genius that never seems to work anymore. He shares a funny scene with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. If you are in your early 30s, like yours truly, you may get a kick out the fact that this is a mini Angels in the Outfield reunion from when Gordon-Levitt was a child actor. My brother and I grew up on that movie!

It’s hard not to leave the movie and have that feeling like this sequel has come out a bit too late. The first movie came out before the superhero/comic book movie trend really took off. It was groundbreaking in its approach to the style and vision of Miller’s world. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is, by no means, a bad movie, but there is a bit of a disappointment that it just isn’t as good as the first one. It is still fun to watch the visuals and wonder how they shot all of it. It has a great ensemble as some of the characters are wickedly juicy. I am curious if fans will either be severely disappointed or like it just enough because they enjoy Miller’s work and style. I don’t believe it will gain the attention of any newbies

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? If you loved the first one, you will like this one.

RATING: 3 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: IF I STAY

IF I STAY
Director: R.J. Cutler
Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Jamie Blackley, Mireille Enos, Joshua Leonard, Stacy Keach

Who’s ready for another romance novel turned movie about two young lovers and tragedy? Mia (Moretz) comes from a musically inclined family. Her parents (Enos and Leonard) are young at heart, and her dad used to play in a rock band but stepped down once his family became his top priority. Their natural talent was passed down to Mia, but she gravitated toward the cello at an extremely young age. For two rocker parents, it took some time getting used to the sounds of a bow and strings instead an amp turned up. Her love of the cello carried on into high school and is her sole focus in life. Adam (Blackley) is a fellow classmate and known for fronting a popular rock band. He overhears her practicing in the band room one day and is immediately attracted to both her and her music. She’s the awkward, shy type who can’t really believe that someone so “cool” would be attracted to her, but nonetheless, a relationship is born and a teen romance ensues between these two musicians.

On a snowy day, it is announced that school has been closed due to the weather and Mia’s folks decide to play hooky to be with her and her brother. They go for a drive before the snow picks up and their car crashes into another vehicle coming around a curve in the road. Mia wakes up and realizes she is having an out of body experience as she looks down at her body and realizes she is in a coma. The film goes back and forth in the story’s timeline as we go through the journey of Mia and Adam’s relationship and how she copes with the aftermath of the accident.

If you are thinking this movie sounds just like every other teen soap movie, you aren’t too off base. It is based on the popular book by Gayle Forman, and there is a Nicholas Sparks type feel to it with its love story struck by tragedy angle. I’ll give this one credit for being a bit more plausible than Sparks’ stories that have been become so darn predictable and saccharine. The car accident happens very quickly into the movie instead of being used as a third act game changer. If you are familiar with this genre, there are some clichéd moments you can see coming a mile away. Of course Adam is the confident guy type and Mia has her insecure moments with him. They each have their heightened “it’s the end of the world” moments in their relationship that you want to roll your eyes at. She has an audition at Julliard while he contemplates a big move for his band on the opposite side of the country. This will no doubt turn some moviegoers off. I am willing to be more forgiving and give some of these scenes a pass as this story really is told through the perspective of two teenagers who are bound to be whiny and have their angst at times. It’s nice to see a teen couple in a movie that actually would be a couple in the real world. There are too many movies where we’ve got some dumb jock that falls for the nerdy girl because he’s “just not like those other guys”. In If I Stay, we’ve got two students that have a shared love of music and the arts, and they actually make sense together as a couple.

Chloe Grace Moretz and Jamie Blackley play our two young lovers. It’s been interesting watching Moretz’s career as she’s grown up in front of the camera from films like Kick-Ass and Let Me In to last year’s Carrie remake. She’s only seventeen so I applaud the fact she’s actually playing someone age appropriate. Maybe we are seeing a trend where high school students in movies are actually played by teenage actors. She has stated in interviews that she likes playing these types of complex and damaged characters. While I understand the need to challenge oneself as an actor, I can’t quite seem to get on the Chloe Grace Moretz train yet. She seems to be a hot commodity, but I feel like she may be choosing and fighting for the wrong roles. Like Carrie, she always seems to be trying so hard to get certain emotions out that she comes across as pushing it too far into a forced melodramatic territory. While Jamie Blackley has some credits under his belt, this is his first major lead role. He definitely fares better and seems more suited for the role than she does. His heavier scenes feel a bit more raw and honest. Mireille Enos and Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project) make the most out of their smaller roles as Mia’s parents. They are clearly having fun with the rocker, hip, and funny parents that are loveable and mature despite their backgrounds. I would have loved to have seen more of their relationship and background explored in the flashback scenes. Enos has been really making a name for herself these past few years with roles in Big Love, The Killing, and World War Z.

This film will inevitably be compared to The Fault in Our Stars, which elevated the teen romance movie to a whole different level. If I Stay didn’t bring me to the ugly cry, but I was still engaged most of the time. It’s hard not to be moved by the end of the movie, especially after Stacy Keach’s heartbreaking monologue. It will resonate with anyone that has spent time in a hospital with a loved one not knowing if or when they may pass away. Classical music is a key factor of the movie with Mia’s passion for the cello. Moretz did learn how to play it but there’s a body double for some of the more complex pieces she plays. It really reminded me how much I love cello music, yet I never take the time to listen to it or use it to unwind to after a long day. I may just have to go to the library and look for some Yo-Yo Ma CDs.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? It’s better than some teen soap stories, but suffers due to its lead actress and predictability factor.

RATING: 3 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: THE GIVER

THE GIVER
Director: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgard, Katie Holmes, Odeya Rush, Cameron Monaghan, Taylor Swift

There’s a great scene toward the end of The Giver where Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges get to have a bit of a verbal sparring match. I would have loved to have been an extra in that scene. It’s one of the more exciting scenes in the film, yet it comes far too late. Their community has become a vast, colorless world void of any feeling and emotion. Everything the citizens once knew has been erased from their memories.  There is strict order and rules set in place for everyone to abide by.  Jonas (Thwaites) and his friends Fiona (Rush) and Asher (Monaghan) are at that age where they attend the Ceremony of Growth to receive their official assignment which is part of being a member of the community. The roles are handed out by Chief Elder (Streep), who rules the community with a strict presence. Jonas is passed over and saved for last causing an alert and low rumble amongst the crowd.

Chief Elder reveals to him that he is strong in all of the attributes and therefore is given the task of being the Receiver of Memory. It is a prestigious task that comes with great danger. He is sent to The Giver (Bridges) who lives at the very edge of the community before it disappears into the area known as Elsewhere. They link arm to arm, and Jonas proceeds to learn more and more about the community’s past. When the various memories come into focus, he becomes more distraught over the present state of society. He starts to distrust his Mother (Holmes) and Father (Skarsgard) and those around him. He decides to risk everything by going where no one has succeeded before him in an attempt to restore society back to its original way of life.

The Giver is based on the award winning children’s book by Lois Lawry from 1993. I think I read it when it came out but haven’t picked it up since then. I would like to think this helped me go in with a bit more of an open mind, but it also led to more questions I have with the material and what changes were made with this adaptation. Jeff Bridges is one of the producers of the film and has wanted to get the film made for years hopping from one studio to the next. I can understand why it was now released in the wake of the success of The Hunger Games and Divergent which have similar ideas and themes. The problem is that director Phillip Noyce and beginner screenwriters Michael Mitnick and Robert B. Weide don’t have anything new and interesting to add to this story to make it stand out from those other books that actually came after this one.

The script is quite bland that leaves little for these actors to play around with in terms of their characters. Bridges and Streep fare the best and it should come without surprise that they are the highlights of the movie. As the title character, Bridges has that gruff and mysterious vibe to him that left me wondering what his true motives were with Jonas. There was a bit of mystery that surrounded him where I felt a little on edge with his scenes. With her long grey wig, Streep plays another ice queen with Chief Elder. She’s Goddess Meryl Streep so, of course, she is going to be great with this type of character where she can be menacing and evil without having to really raise her voice or scream. We’ve seen her play this type of character before, and I’ll watch her in anything.

The rest of the cast is an odd mixed bag. As Jonas, Brenton Thwaites is a fresh up-and-coming actor who we previously saw this summer in Maleficent as Prince Phillip. He has a nice boy next door appeal about him. He’s fairly young and will need to take better and more challenging roles as he grows up if he wants to be a stronger leading guy type. Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgard play his parents in the film. Don’t let the age difference throw you off as they are not intended to be biological parents. I must admit to having a soft spot for Holmes, but she comes off a bit monotone here. Maybe she was remembering her time of being hypnotized under the Scientology spell and applied that here as a character trait. Lastly, singer Taylor Swift has a very brief role as The Giver’s daughter. It is such a bizarre casting move that I can only assume it was because they wanted another big name to draw people into the movie. I mean, come on. When did we ever think that Taylor Swift and Meryl Streep would ever be in the same movie?

The use of color plays an important part of the world in The Giver. It begins with the black and white of the community and color starts to materialize with Jonas’ awakening. I was reminded of the beautiful Pleasantville which I need to revisit. I think the color shifting was better used in that movie. Even though there is a strict sameness to all of the houses, bikes, and the entire look of the community, there is a distinct look and shape to it without it feeling too drab or boring. The whole art direction and design elements were impressive enough to take some focus off the oddly structured script and bizarre acting. For a ninety minute movie, it felt fairly long with its slow pacing. So much of the backstory is quickly told at the beginning and then it drags out until the finally thirty minutes once Jonas sets his plan into action. Only then does it start to get interesting and pick up in tempo. The broader picture and message of Lois Lawry’s story really comes out in this part, but it takes so long to get there. Without giving too much away, I actually wanted more of an ending. I wanted more of a wrap up and a “what next”. Maybe I’m so used to these types of stories being dragged out into multiple books that I wanted a final scene or two after the resolution. This may be directly how the book ends so I shouldn’t fault the screenwriters if this is indeed a direct match to the source material.

This is one of those movies where you come out perplexed as it has some good things going for it that make the movie enjoyable like Meryl and Jeff, the design elements, and a thrilling final thirty minutes. Then you think about its clunky structure and pacing, odd casting choices, and the whole idea that we have seen that kind of movie before, and it leaves you second guessing on if it’s worth your trip to the movies. In this case, I think more people will enjoy it then not.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? It's worth seeing on the big screen at matinee prices, but know that it comes with some major flaws.

RATING: 3 out of 5 TICKET STUBS