Ryan Reynolds stars in the first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure as Pikachu, the iconic face of the global Pokémon phenomenon—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and the most successful media franchise of all time. Read more
It’s the first Avengers movie that deserves the title ‘Avengers.’
Admittedly, as we go about our daily lives, national security isn’t something we tend to have to think about. Luckily, we’ve never had to truly worry we’re about to be invaded nor have we had to wonder about the ‘IF’S.’ ‘If that happened what would I do?’ ‘If that happened, could I do this?’ One of the biggest questions someone could face is, ‘What would you do for your country?’ ‘Red Joan’ examines the theme by telling us the story of the woman who was tasked with answering that question. Read more
“Avengers: Endgame” is a Marvel super-sized movie about Superheroes in a fragile condition. It is a big Hulked-up (so to speak) massive piñata of Marvel goodies – all built up and then broken open – for all the Marvel fans. The ‘Marvel Extended Universe’ might have seemed at first to be a pompous overselling of a marketing gimmick. But with movie it has been proven to be a very real thing. This movie is a direct tie-in to prior Avengers (Infinity War) movie, and it picks up right at the end of the prior one. So, if you have never seen a Marvel franchise movie before, you might want to catch up on some other ones first. But “Endgame” shows that Marvel knows how get the best talent to create the best movies, based on the very popular Marvel characters. Diving into the thick of it (without revealing any SPOILER items), let us dig in…
In “Avengers: Infinity War”, the Biggest of Big Bad Guys was named Thanos (Josh Brolin). A large collective team of Superheroes attempted to stop him. It included Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), War Machine (Don Cheadle). But they were also helped by the Guardians of the Galaxy – which includes Star Lord (Chris Pratt) and Gamora (Zoe Saldanda), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel), not to forget Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Nebula (Karen Gillan). Oh, by the way, there were a couple of other talented Superheroes joining them, Spiderman (Tom Holland) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) with Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany), and also Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). They all worked to stop him, but…
The effort failed, and Thanos gathered up six special ‘Infinity Stones’, put them into a metal gauntlet – then he snapped his fingers and half of the living universe disappeared. Many of the above-mentioned Superheroes turned to Superdust and floated away. Coming in late to the party was Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), who was first paired up recently dusted Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). She first saves Iron Man and Nebula, and wants to stick around to help. Even if they can find Thanos and eliminate him, it will not bring back the old dusted friends. Five years later, and a surprise return for Ant Man triggers some thoughts on how to retrieve the Stones. Not the band, the original Infinity Stones, prior to being collected by Thanos.
Yeah, it has to do with Quantum Realm time travel jazz, but don’t think about it too hard. After all, Professor Hulk (a new Hulkier version of Bruce Banner) is on the job. Not joining in the fun is Iron Man. Tony Stark and wife Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). Stark has a young child to think about now. Oh, and if you go back into Time — you might locate people are not around today, such as Stark’s father Howard (John Slattery) and Captain America’s true love Peggy Carter(Hayley Atwell).
Except that Tony Stark is a genius and cannot stop thinking about a way to harness the Quantum Realm and using it.. Using it to what end? If they can travel into the past, to certain dates and places, they will know where the Stones are and they can steal them. Yes, it has become a Galactic Heist Movie. By the way, Black Widow has also rounded up Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), who is handy with a bow and arrow. They split up into teams, and each is set to obtain the Stones before Thanos can get to them. What a wonderful plan. What Could Ever Go Wrong? If you think that this might be more difficult (and more painful) than urinating onto an electric fence, then give yourself a hand.
Many good people are caught up in the savage battle between Thanos and the little pack of Superheros that will do ‘whatever it takes’ to defeat him for good this time around. After all, there are many Marvel movies to be made in the future, and they will need many of these characters back! But honestly – Marvel did such a glorious job to tie up almost every loose thread that this movie zooms right by. You never feel that there is any real bloat in the runtime, and even when the movie slows down a minute or two – it is a scene that this emotional and poignant.
There are a few shocking events, and a bit of self-sacrifice that makes the point clear. This is a Team that will do ‘whatever it takes’. The writing is well thought-out and carefully planned, so every twist and turn becomes a focal point for the next action. Also, there are quite a few flat-out really funny lines. The overall effect is a very fitting ‘Endgame’ to the first Phase of the Marvel movies. A few of the original actors/characters are due to phase out (Iron Man, Captain America, and some others) while newer ones will phase in (Spiderman, Ant Man, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, etc.).
Bravo to the team at Marvel Studios. Another decade like this past ten years, and they will have Thanos-like powers. Wait, Is that a good thing???
STARRING:
Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong
DIRECTED BY:
Ang Lee
Gemini Man is an innovative action-thriller starring Will Smith as Henry Brogan, an elite assassin, who is suddenly targeted and pursued by a mysterious young operative that seemingly can predict his every move. The film is directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Ang Lee and produced by renown producers Jerry Bruckheimer, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger.
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Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) is a gifted and free-spirited journalist with an affinity for trouble. Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) is one of the most influential women in the world. Read more
Brilliant. Simply, brilliant! Using everything she knows to apply her subtle wit, Molly Shannon, formerly with Saturday Night Live, has given us quite a pearl with her take on Emily Dickenson. Working with an excellent script from the writer/director Madeleine Olnek, she gives us a fresh look into the life of this American poet and anomaly. In 1914, Emily’s niece published a book of Emily’s poems which she dedicated to the love that her mother Susan and Emily shared. Interestingly enough, in 1998 the New York Times used technology to restore her mother’s name in the love letters that Emily had sent her. Her mother’s name, Susan (who was also Emily’s sister-in-law) could be erased by the family for a time but could not be erased from history.
The vehicle Olnek uses to tell this story is through the words of Mabel Todd (Seimetz) who is giving a lecture about the poet to a group of women. Mable had an affair with Austin, Emily’s brother, and though she had never actually met Emily, she pushes that she’s the authority on her and Emily’s work and life. This is no doubt done by Mable to get herself some recognition.
Emily was thought to have lived somewhat similarly to a hermit who’s the shy-type and may have been disliked because of it. It was rumored she may have been so disagreeable she wasn’t interested in being published because she thought her work wasn’t good enough to be published. But maybe she thought the publisher wasn’t worthy of publishing it. In an innovative and comical way, this film not only dispels many myths about this woman, her work and her life but enlightens the audience. Emily Dickenson was anything but a recluse. Growing up next to a cemetery created a bit of a dark side in her but she had plenty of fun-filled days… and nights. She participated in life heart and soul… when she was with her love. Reminder. Being a woman in those days meant you couldn’t be too successful lest you step on a man’s toes.
This is represented adequately with incredibly well-written and impressive, potent dialogue, when Emily attempts to get the editor at The Atlantic, Higginson (Gelman), to put some of her poems in his magazine. He believes women should have the right to be recognized and to vote. He thinks more intelligent women need to be heard but also says that he’s, ‘barely able to find any.’ He insults Emily’s work by saying that when he reads her poetry, ‘He’s left feeling… I’m not sure what.’ He discloses to her that unless he’s able to edit the hell out of her poems, she can forget being published by his magazine. She thanks him for his surgical suggestions but isn’t happy about them.
Then there’s being a woman in love with another woman which would have been even more difficult on poor Emily. All things considered, it’s not hard to see why she may have seemed cranky at times. The love between Emily and Susan (Ziegler), her muse, had to be hidden. This being the case, no one but Susan would have seen her at her most lively and happy. For the era, Emily was anything but what she was expected to be. She was unapologetically selfish when it came to who she loved and who she spent her time with. She loved Susan wildly but had to live the ruse. She was willing to accept it because Susan married her brother, Austin (Seal), which meant they would always be near one another without being accused of anything. Emily is upset about the marriage at first but realizes Susan did it not to be with Austin, but to be with her. As teenagers, young women stole kisses when they could. Now, as adults living next to one another, they could still do the same… undetected.
There are so many creative and shamelessly open scenes in this movie that not only reveal to us how Emily worked but who she was on the inside. Especially when it came to love. She had jealous moments, was intelligent, strong and had a great sense of humor. This woman wrote poetry with the same passion she reserved only for Susan. It’s a shame that a puny amount of her poems was actually published while she was alive. It’s unfortunate that she never got to see how she influenced others. You’ll learn more about this in the postscript before the credits. ‘Wild Nights With Emily’ is an amusing movie and it’s playful. It’s original, captivating and engaging. I recommend it highly.
*Opening today at Harkins Camelview Fashion Square
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After a difficult childhood drives him into the grasps of a white supremacist gang, Bryon (Jamie Bell, delivering a visceral, explosive performance) tries to escape to a new life, all the while questioning whether he’s capable of undoing— and repenting for — the evil he’s done.
Filmmaker Guy Nattiv, whose short film of the same title won the Academy Award earlier this year, makes his English-language feature debut with this galvanizing story of transformation, inspired by actual events.
Produced By: Guy Nattiv, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, Jaime Ray Newman, Oren Moverman, Dillon D Jordan
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With the popularity of musical films lately, 2016 gave us ‘La La Land.’ 2017 was the year of ‘The Greatest Showman’ and ‘A Star is Born’ was remade, once again, in 2018, naturally, 2019 needed to release something, too. Let’s keep the momentum going! Luckily, Phoenix, Arizona native Michael Berry, who has had a successful career as a director and actor on the stage and on screen, heard the call and did just that. He gave us ‘Stuck,’ starring ‘Breaking Bad’ actor Giancarlo Esposito. ‘Stuck’ is about six people who find themselves forced together when their New York City subway stops moving. Rather than sit there in silence, they get to know one another through, of course, song.
At the outset, it was a musical play written by Riley Thomas. When Berry heard about it, he was in right away to direct the film version. He was hooked by the fact that people everywhere are angry, especially these days, and he could definitely take that premise and make it work. Not only are people angry but through electronics, human beings are getting more and more distant. So, when these six individuals are, begrudging, made to spend time with one another, even connect, things happen that help each of them… heal, honestly. It’ll remind you some of ‘Rent’ in a way but it’s different. Maybe that doesn’t make any sense, but the songs feel the same… sound the same. Don’t let the fact that it isn’t its equal deter you from enjoying it. Nothing can be ‘Rent’ but ‘Rent.’ It came along and blew everyone away and got everyone excited about musicals, even if they had never seen one, and ‘Stuck’ will simply continue to draw interest to the genre. A few things happen at the end of the film that suggests a sequel could result from this effort should they ever get the urge.
The lyrics to the songs are meaningful and reach across lines of culture and race. In fact, the entire film purposefully deals with racism, sexism, class, and grief in several different ways that reflect the current climate rather than attempt to escape it. Some passengers try and help others, but a few arguments happen and are dealt with through gorgeous melodies and verses replacing unnecessary dialogue in songs like ‘Gone,’ ‘Make It Better’ and ‘Draw You.’ I assure you that the ballads will simply delight your ears. The performances, the songs and the incredibly uncommon way to bring us a story such as this, one of harmony and anguish, is worth seeing on the big screen if you can. As I do with most musicals that get released, I’ll be buying this soundtrack the moment I can. You might want to do the same.
“Teen Spirit” is a ‘been there, done that’ standard story of a young teenage girl who wants to break out of her humdrum existence by becoming a famous star. The pathway to stardom is an English talent contest called ‘Teen Spirit’. But she is a basic nobody who lives with her mother on the Isle of Wight (off the southern coast of England). She has a difficult to pronounce last name (her mother was from Poland). But she has a beautiful voice, even with little formal training. She wants to take on this contest, to see if she can conquer the world.
Violet Valenski (Elle Fanning) is that down-and-out farm girl, and her father left many years ago. She attends school and works at a bowling alley with her mother as a waitress. But she sings in the church choir and really breaks out in song when she feeding the pigs or tending to the horses. She finds out that the ‘Teen Spirit’ squad will be in town to select new contestants. She knows her mother will not let her go, so she finds a older guy who has heard her sing ballads at the local talent night in the bar. His name is Vlad (Zlatko Buric) and he knows that Violet could be a very amazing singer. He knows a bit about singing himself. He is a former world-famous opera star.
Violet makes the first cut, but she has to explain to her mother Marla (Agnieszka Grochowska) that she and Vlad are going to audition for ‘Teen Spirit’ for a second time. Her mother is quite angry that Violet did not come to her, and she has many suspicious about Vlad. Why does he look so disheveled, and why does he smell of alcohol? She has misgivings, but then somebody else is selected for the contestant from the Isle of Wight. So it appears that Violet will put her dreams on hold for a while longer. But there is a phone call, telling here that the other person was rejected for the show. Violet will have a pass to the final program in London to compete for the big show.
In London, Violet is ready to take on the competition. She is with Vlad, who has agreed to take her there as long as he becomes her manager. She is getting ready for the performance, and she meets one of the main leaders from the ‘Teen Spirit’ program. Her name is Jules (Rebecca Hall) and she thinks Violet could have quite a future. Even if she does not win the final competition, she offers Violet a nice record contract. Of course, she would have to dump Vlad. Jules would become her real manager, so that Violet could have all the doors opened for her…
There are conflicts and drunken fights, and televised competitions. There are people’s feeling that will be hurt, and a small town on the Isle of Wight who will ecstatic that a local girl is competing. There all sorts of things that you would normally think you would see in a movie like this. There are many fairly standard turn-of-events before the final announcement of the winner. And while that all goes on, Violet just keeps her eyes focused on what she could have if she wins the whole enchilada.
Max Minghella has taken a step out from being just a regular actor to becoming the writer and the director for “Teen Spirit”. His vision is one that has been done over and over again, and he adds very little that is new or refreshing. He does a competent job, but there is not an above average aspect to this movie. Elle Fanning is quite fetching in this role, and her voice is good enough to carry the weight of the role. She has a breathy intensity to her vocals that can be quite pleasing to the ear. Zlatko Buric is pretty good as the down-on-his-luck former opera superstar. Rebecca Hall is also good in a very limited role.
Perhaps the best thing with this movie is that it can be paired with another movie coming out at the same time (“Her Smell”). So you can mix and mash-up these two movies as “Her Smells like Teen Spirit”…
MUSIC FEATURETTE
Watch how music producer Marius De Vries (La La Land) prepared Elle Fanning for her role in this new “Music” featurette:
