Excerpt:“I Am Chris Farley has an unspoken and not fully acknowledged darkness that remains in the outskirts of the film from its beginning. It lies heavy in the air, like an obsidian elephant in the room that can only be talked about in vague terms, but never fully addressed. Going into this film, we know already broadly how Chris Farley died. Unfortunately, we don’t find out too much more about Farley’s self-destructive downfall that we didn’t already know. He was constantly in rehab and had several substance abuse problems, going through the cycle of binging and rehab like it was one of his routines. You can tell that his friends wish they had each done more to help him, and that is perhaps why many tip-toed around the topic.“
Excerpt:“The most interesting thing Call Me Lucky does is build up a character we may have been unfamiliar with at the start of the film, only to break him down again to give him even more complexity. Goldthwait, who continues to see Crimmins as an inspiration and a hero, develops the character so well that all the aggrandizing done in the first half of the film comes off as well-deserved. Goldthwait’s honest treatment of Crimmins, along with the refusal to sugar-coat any of the events, gave the film the power to create a lasting impression on the audience. If you started this film not knowing who Barry Crimmins was at the start, it is very doubtful now that you’ll ever forget.“
Excerpt: “The quirky tone and whimsical elements of [The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet] are the perfect juxtaposition to the heaping piles of pathos that are in every cell (sometimes front and center, sometimes waiting just beneath the surface) of this film, waiting to ooze out of every scene like sap from a tree. Does that make this film sappy? At times it is a little overdone and verging on Lifetime special. There is the occasional heavy-handed use of sentiment, but thanks to cast, it comes off as more sincere than soppy most of the time.”
Excerpt: “There are few actors in all of Hollywood with the consistency (and stamina) to be the lead in big budget action films AND still, voluntarily, perform their own stunts. In all of Hollywood, Tom Cruise continues to be that gem, and boy does he shine in this film. Cruise can still convincingly play an action because he is, in fact, a real action star. I’m not just referring to him doing his own stunts, because that alone is beyond impressive (maybe a little reckless). I’m referring to his absolute conviction and impressive consistency for every character he portrays, including Ethan Hunt. Last year he reminded us how he became such a well-known action star with his role in Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow (also written by McQuarrie), and this year he continues his precedent.”
Excerpt: “The End of the Tour is a powerful cautionary tale about fame, addiction, and all the evils inherent in the American Dream. The entire film is magnificently performance driven and that is why this film works so well. Director James Pondsoldt is no novice when it comes to bringing to life complex characters through conscientious and veracious exposition. In his previous films (Smashed and Spectacular Now), he was able to draw out career-making performances from now-stars Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller, and this film is no exception. Jason Segel showcases an intensity we had yet to see 31from him, embodying Wallace’s mannerisms and down-to-earth demeanor while still providing deep insight through conversations.”
Excerpt: “While Unexpected doesn’t actively pursue a greater conversation on race and privilege, or even the state of Chicago’s education system, it does spark a conversation. Swanberg makes use of her familiar surroundings, and her very adept cast, to craft a story about sisterhood that goes beyond the borders of race and politics and into the intrinsic responsibilities of the community we are all a part of: humanity.”
Excerpt: “The compromises made to the story’s tone benefits the great cast that manages to bring this story to life. Samba takes a more attractive approach to the ugly situations it is trying to present by focusing on the unconventional relationship between the two leads. This gives the relationship between Charlotte Gainsbourg and Omar Sy a chance to take center stage but instead ends up dominating the entire film.”
Excerpt: “These man-child hero films haven’t worked since the late 90s. It’s time for Sandler’s comedy to evolve and show audiences and critics that there are still a few creative surprises left to be delivered; that the films will stop following their calculable formula for financial success and instead truly entertain. I continue voluntarily watching his films, including this year’s disappointing, but promising The Cobbler, in hopes that I will be proven wrong, forced to admit my mistake and eat my words while simultaneously praising Adam Sandler’s relevance in today’s cinema. That moment has yet to arrive. Sandler is similar to his character in Pixels, except, when he gets a chance to explore his full potential in his most recent releases, he ends up ruining the day rather than saving it. Instead, watch the entertaining short film it is based on. Otherwise, it’s Game Over.”
Bigger is not always better. That mantra really only applies to pizzas and paychecks. We’ve seen this notion fail more recently in the Marvel cinematic universe with Thor: The Dark World and the should-be juggernaut Avengers: Age of Ultron, that didn’t have a strong enough story to slay its many shortcomings. Ant-Man has been a pipedream for the last several years, but Edgar Wright’s (Hot Fuzz, The World’s End) tenacity turned this unlikely dream into a reality. He was then kicked off the project. Creative differences aside, this film was much more entertaining than originally anticipated and served the singular purpose of introducing the world to the newest Avenger: Ant-Man.
Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is a recently released convict who went to prison for stealing money back from a company that was stealing from its customers. Technically, it was a burglary, he would argue. Either way, after some mandatory Baskin Robbins product placement and a lost job later, Scott is forced (really more manipulated) back into a life of crime, but this time with bigger stakes and a much smaller score. One tangential story from his friend Luis (Michael Pena) and he unwittingly falls into a plan set up by scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly). Their goal is to stop Pym’s protege turned super villain Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) from completing Pym’s original shrinking formula or else the entire world will be full of miniature minions that could cause immeasurable havoc.
In the entire film, Hope is forced to train Scott so that he can master what Hope is already a pro at. Why Hope couldn’t just don the suit with her already exclusive access to the laboratory is just one of many plot holes in this film, but even the most well-built ant hills are full of holes. What else can you expect from a film that has been through preproduction upheavals and has had four writers give the screenplay their own treatment? To my great surprise, this Frankenstein’s monster comes together in spite of its many cooks. The approach Peyton Reed gives the film is a fairly conventional one for the Marvel universe. It is an origin story, and it doesn’t aspire to be more than that. Ant-Man keeps its ambitions small because it realizes that its only real purpose is to introduce Ant-Man as the newest member of the second generation of Avengers. Also, I’m sure the money these kinds of films generate was also a great motivator.
Marvel’s creative (or lack thereof) decision to part ways with Wright just makes the entire film a huge “what-if” scenario that will always be picked apart. What if Marvel had stuck with the guy who has a proven cinematic style and spent years of his life trying to bring this film to life? What if Wright had set a new standard for Marvel films much like James Gunn did for Guardians of the Galaxy? We will never know the answers to these questions, but the closest we got to even the tiniest essence of Edgar Wright in Ant-Man are the flashback sequences involving Michael Peña. This completely conventional treatment is made entertaining/bearable thanks to Peña’s comical schtick and Rudd’s natural charm.
It is obvious that everything falls on the Ant-Man actor’s tiny shoulders because his charm begins to wear off the closer you get to the end of the film. Sometimes it feels like Ant-Man is only a secondary character in his own film, just there for the ride. It becomes all the more obvious when you are forced to question why Hope wasn’t the one to confront the villain since she was more than capable. You never truly believe any of the excuses the characters make in favor of Hope’s exclusion, but then you remember that the Marvel universe itself is full of these same excuses for their lack of female presence and overall subpar treatment of strong, non-sexualized females.
Ant-Man‘s control helps it fit Marvel’s model for superhero films almost a little too well. This innocuously entertaining film does exactly what it was made to do, which is both a gift and a curse.
Excerpt: “The only thing Trainwreck has in common with its name is that it is something you can’t turn away from. Amy Schumer, with the direction of Judd Apatow, creates a film that delivers riotous laughter with earnest drama, creating a new standard for rom-coms. Although it does break most of the romantic comedy conventions, its overarching theme proved more conventional than you would come to expect from Schumer.”
Still To Be Scene 