Tag Archives: paul giamatti

Review: Straight Outta Compton

Excerpt: Straight Outta Compton has a message for those willing to hear and see it. It’s a message about change and protest, even in the face of death. Regrettably, halfway through the film it feels as though its spirit has changed, and we find ourselves meandering through the second half. The powerful message that was at the forefront of their music is now relegated to background television chatter, drowned out by petty personal squabbles. Maybe it reflects a wider change that society insidiously went through around that time, moving from a sense of community in a shared struggle to a greater focus in self-preservation and self-interest. Either way, the dynamic energy of the film slows to a reflectionary amble as each person realizes their mistakes and the film reaches its inevitable end.

RATING: ★★★★★★★★ (8/10 stars)

To read the rest of my review, visit The Young Folks

Review: “Love & Mercy” Unveils Brian Wilson

Excerpt: Brian Wilson’s life, past and present, has always been shrouded with a melancholy mystery. Decoding the man from the myth is impossible, and an ambitious attempt to do through any medium, but Love & Mercy succeeds in lifting (if only slightly) the veil the is/was Brian Wilson. Using a young Wilson (Paul Dano) and an older Wilson (John Cusack) to show the equally tumultuous time periods in the artist’s life, director Bill Pohlad manages to blend this parallel narrative to help explain Wilson’s rise and temporary fall.

RATING: ★★★★★★★★ (8/10 stars)

To read my full review, go to The Young Folks

Review: “San Andreas” Has More Faults Than Fault Lines

Excerpt: San Andreas is a blue ruin of borrowed elements that even The Rock was unable to save. To say this film was not ground-breaking is an understatement because even as an escapist treat, this film has no traction. Any friction or tension you feel from the film is less the effect of the story and the characters, and more than likely from the shifting of the tectonic plates.

RATING: ★★★★ (4/10 stars)

To read my full review, go to The Young Folks