Author: James Hathaway

The Huntsman: Winter’s War

This was meant to be the prequel to the famed Snow White story.  It stars Charlize Theron as the evil queen, Emily Blunt, the sister and equally evil ice queen, Chris Hemworth the Huntsman and Jessica Chastain as the love interest.

All the performances are actually well done and the special effects were pretty good.  So why is the film getting panned by critics and industry insiders?!  Apparently, something derailed the entire production back at the studio, ultimately causing the director and the star Kristen Stewart to walk, as in, away from the project all together.

Comments like “cheesy performances” and “clumsy filmmaking” and worse are making the rounds.  At the end of the day, the movie left me wanting for more.

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Green Room

Oh my!!  Punk rockers perform at a neo-Nazi “club” in remote Oregon only to stumble upon something they were not meant to see.  It quickly becomes a movie of horror, a bloodletting thriller of survival.

It was often difficult to watch.  The action was intense and unrelenting that made the film eerily watchable.  There wasn’t time in the moment to process everything that was happening so it just unfolded ready or not, like it or not.

A big surprise was the unexpected appearance of Patrick Stewart as a really good bad guy.  I left the theater exhausted and somewhat stunned.

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Elvis & Nixon

“What?” was my first reaction to the movie Elvis & Nixon.  I had forgotten The “King” actually did meet with President Nixon for about 40 minutes at the White House back in 1970.

Kevin Spacey morphed into his Nixon character, perfect casting.  Paired with Michael Shannon as a believable Elvis.  The actual conversation was never documented or recorded so the script was free to imagine what may have been.

There was also an odd, creepy undercurrent.  Both men were clearly a few cards short, if you know what I mean.  Yet there was enough quirkiness to make it a unique story to be sure.

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The Wave

This Norwegian film about the unstable mountains above Norway’s fantastic fiords created by glaciers thousands of years ago.  They are moving, ever so slowly but surely, they are moving.

What makes this film work is the acting and the characters.  These are nice likable people living in a safe affluent country surrounded but incredible beauty.  This pastoral tone slips away when a huge chunk of the mountain gives way and crashes into the narrow fiord creating a massive tsunami wave.

This is a nail biting action thriller.  It is well crafted and easy to watch.  The English subtitles seemed easier to read than most.  It was only in the theaters for a very short time.  You can find it on line or pay per view.

Related Travel Note:  At some point in life, a visit to the Norwegian Fiords is a must.  The long days of summer is the best time to be there.  It can be done by train or car but the water route is hands down the best option.  There are dozens of fiords, Geiranger being the grandest.  This movie experience was greatly enhanced having traveled to this unique part of the world.

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Hologram for the King

Tom Hank’s character is the focal point for this unique story about a businessman, father and divorced husband down on his luck at the end of his career.  He takes a tech job is Saudi Arabia as a last stand for success.

He struggles to adapt to jetlag, business and social protocols and a lump on his back.  There is a goofy Saudi driver he befriends,  a wild party at the Danish Consulate, several encounters with the locals including a female doctor.

It is a fascinating and relatively accurate peek at an unusual country from a different perspective.  Ultimately uplifting.

Another Travel Footnote:  John and I were among the first 1000 “tourists” given visas to visit Saudi Arabia many years ago.  It was a fascinating experience but not for everyone.

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Criminal

My, my, where to start.  It is an action thriller.  Ryan Reynolds is an undercover CIA agent being tortured for access to missile defense secrets.  Kevin Costner plays a psycho criminal chosen to host Reynold’s memories and that is just the first 5 minutes.

While the premise sounds a bit goofy the story evolves into a fascinating concept.  The Costner character absorbs more and more of the Reynolds memories and slowly transforms into a more normal person.

In the meantime, the bad guys are at work trying to cause mayhem and destruction of the world as we know it.  This film is an action packed throw back to the 90s films with a Frankenstein twist.  Great London locations.  Good cast, Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, Gal Gadot, and Alice Eve.

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The Jungle Book

The latest Disney film production of The Jungle Book is based on Rudyard Kipling’s original book.  This time filmed in a new live-action format that blends live action with computer generated images.  The result is a stunning, near life like viewing experience.

You know the story, little Mowgli is raised by a pack of wolves in the great African wilds.  The fierce tiger, Shere Khan, wants Mogli banished because of a bad encounter with mankind.

Mogli leaves the jungle with the guidance of the panther mentor, Bagheera.  Meets bear friend, Baloo.  Encounters with python, Kaa and ape King Louie.  Some unexpected friends arrive to save the day.

This is sure to be a box office hit with audiences of all ages.  Note for parents: some intense or scary action scenes.  A superb cast of 15 voices.

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Born to be Blue

This is the true story of jazz great trumpeter Chet Baker and his life struggle with heroin addiction and stage fright.  His version of jazz trumpet was unique and attracted a loyal following as a popular heartthrob.

Ethan Hawke convincingly becomes Chet Baker.  He is fearless, full of energy and empathy for the character.  The film is written and directed by Canadian Filmmaker Robert Budreau.

You may come away from this movie feeling like you now know this artist and what drives him.  At a minimum, he was another talented person destroyed by drugs.  Mr. Baker died in 1988 at the age of 58.

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The First Monday in May

This documentary is focused on the powerful world of fashion as art, the cultural power of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the iconic power of Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of Vogue magazine.

It is also a story about the creation and execution of the enormously successful 2015 Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute exhibit and lavish gala.  The theme: China: Through the looking Glass and the behind the scenes of planning, creating, challenges, barriers, problem solving, politics, complexity and execution made for a fascinating viewer experience.

There is a lot of focus on Ms. Wintour, and some attention to the celebrity aspect of the event, but the real star was the creative genius of so many fashion designers and the incredible imagination and execution in bringing those designs to life.  And then to the exhibit.  I wish we had been there.

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April and the Extraordinary World

We must have missed something!?  The nations critics give an overall rating of 8.2 out of 10 for this French animated feature film.  The audio is by a who’s who of the French film elite.  We saw the English version recorded by an equally talented American cast.

That said, the animation was OK, just OK.  Certainly nothing ground breaking.  The storyline was interesting, but not complex.  A fantasy about a talking cat, lost parents, misguided authorities, evil mutant aliens, deadly global pollution and such.  It was not clear what the point was suppose to be.

One critic said it “bestows a sense of otherworldly exhilaration”.  I  saw the same movie but felt it was more “Scooby Doo” than exhilarating.  Much of the animated sets were creative but, frankly, quite juvenile.

We are huge fans of France, French films and French culture.  No doubt we lost something in the translation.

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The Clan

This true story is set in the early 1980s after the collapse of years of dictatorship in Argentina and the rebirth of democracy.  The Clan is the story of the Puccios family lead by the father, a former state intelligence worker.

Although relatively well off, the father is a brutal, cold-blooded psychopath and kidnaps his affluent neighbors for ransom.  Ransom paid, the victims are never seen again.  The father enlists his sons and closest friends to carry out his crimes.  It all comes crashing down in a thundering climax.

That’s all I will tell you.  See this movie!  It is the product of the Almodovar brothers.  It is well done in every aspect.  Spanish with English subtitles.

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Krisha

This is the directorial debut film for Trey Edward Shults about an estranged family member and the Thanksgiving dinner that bring everyone together for the first time in 10 years.

The tension starts almost immediately with a tepid greeting from  the large extended family.  Nonetheless, Krisha jumps right in, preparing the 30 pound turkey for the oven.  Krisha clearly struggles to overcome her reentry stress that incrementally ratchets up as conversations with her sister, brother in law and nephew prick old wounds.

Ultimately overwhelmed, Krisha succumbs to old vices that transform her into her former self.  No surprise, tragic and frightful interactions occur.

The cinematography is inventive and played heavily in the effectiveness of the storytelling.  This film can be difficult to watch because of so much conflict but see it anyway.  It is a wonderfully crafted movie.

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Everybody Wants Some!!

This film by Writer/Director Richard Linklater (Boyhood) is set in the early 1980s. This sports comedy-drama follows the lives of college freshman baseball players and their introduction to college life.  The entire story takes place before classes begin.

It is a romp through the past.  It is pretty accurate on the era, the mentality, the social behaviors, drug use, sexuality and a killer soundtrack.  Some would say ‘those were the days’.  I remember those days and, for the most part, it brought back a lot of great memories.

On the flip side, the movie never really delivers a solid message.  It is anchored with baseball and layered with college antics, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll.  There are hints of male bonding, coming of age relationships and such, but ultimately, it is a soft landing.  That said, I enjoyed the movie but I wonder what got left on the cutting room floor that could have made this a home run.

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Eye in the Sky

This film exposes the ethical dilemmas of drone warfare and the collateral damage it may cause.  The story is set in rural Nairobi Kenya where British intelligence sources have identified top terrorist targets in the process of preparing for new a suicide attack.  The military needs the government leaders approval to launch the drone attack.  The British authorities defer to the US authorities who control the drone.

The political process creates tension between the British Colonel, played by Helen Mirren and her boss, played by Alan Rickman, as the decision ball is bounced back and forth.

There is a great performance by Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) as the on-the-ground operative.  Lots of subtle and overt conflicts and contempt over what is right under all the circumstances.  Plenty of angst for the audience as well.

Footnote: Alan Rickman was fighting cancer during the filming of this movie.  He died shortly after filming was completed.  He will be missed.

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Allegiant

Allegiant is the next to the last in the Divergent Series and is based on the first half of the final novel by Veronica Roth. Heroine Tris and love interest Four decide it is time to escape the walled city of Chicago in a quest to find a fix for their broken system.

They quickly discover an advanced society beyond the wall that has been manipulating the “factions” in Chicago in a hopes of correcting failed genetic engineering.  Jeff Daniels plays a good bad guy as the top mastermind of the advanced entity.

The storyline gets a bit goofy with sidebar stories about this character and that character but the overall action and plot is good entertainment and visually pleasing.  Early reactions to the film were not glowing but we still had a good time.

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Hello My Name is Doris

Sally Fields bursts onto the big screen with an Oscar worthy performance as the aging worker accounting clerk in a youth centric company and complicated by her struggles with personal life issues.

Ultimately it is a focus on some very difficult life challenges for the Fields character but brightened by the unfulfilled fantasies of Doris.  At times it is laugh out loud hilarious (the techno music concert alone is worth the price of admission) but in the next scene there can be some heart wrenching issues front and center.

The balance of comedy and drama is perfect.  This film should attract a broad audience but most folks in our theater seemed on the more senior side.  I predict this will become a modern classic.

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London Has Fallen

This sequel to the Olympus Has Fallen series, and along with the most recent 2013, White House Down, follows the same plot line almost exactly.  The London plot includes the unexpected death of the UK leader and the gathering of world leaders to show their respects.  Terrorist have spent years planning and finally executing (quite literally) most leaders on sight transforming London into a virtual war zone.

I will share with you the critics almost unilaterally trashed this film.  I thought that a bit harsh, especially since we watched White House Down the same evening on TV as a comparison.  Neither films will win any awards but the series continues to attract an audience which is probably why they keep making them.

The actions scenes are pretty good if uninspiring.  The acting was on a par with other like films.  It might be worth pay per view or a plane movie if you need to kill a couple of hours.

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Zootopia

This animated feature film was clearly released in early Spring to capture any energy it creates just before the Easter Season.  It is rated PG for the “gentle rude humor and occasional scariness”.   Our theater was packed with tiny tots and grown ups all atwitter with excitement.

The story is about a country girl rabbit with dreams of becoming the first rabbit on the Zootopia police force.  After repeated attempts, she succeeds with fanfare but is confronted with the reality of biases in this all animal society.  She is assigned to her post as a meter maid.  She manages to maneuver her way into investigating a missing person, Mr. Otter and the real plot begins.

The storyline is cleverly layered with parallels to the real life world without too many filters.  This is the genius of the storytelling and will likely result in big box office dividends and critical kudos.  I couldn’t agree more.

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10 Cloverfield Lane

This suspenseful and tremendously tension filled thriller is spooky good.  John Goodman as the builder and owner of an impressive doomsday bunker, perfectly plays the survivalist leader after some type of invasion occurs on the surface above.  There are two other ‘”survivors” in the bunker seemingly from odd circumstances but clearly under the unquestioned authority of the Goodman character.

Lots of little twists and turns each with a mounting amount of angst and dismay.  The story is deliberately confusing and misleading in a Hitchcock way.  The counterbalance is the bunker has all the trappings of normal life, electricity, water, showers, all sorts of entertainment, juke box, movies, games, books, food, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, power supply, filtration systems.

Things incrementally get more and more tense as the Goodman character becomes increasing paranoid and suspicious of the motives of his two bunker guests.  It all ends with a flurry of crazy events that may terrify and haunt.

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Greetings all,

In keeping with tradition, John and I are happy to share our predictions for the 2016 88th Academy Awards Oscars.  We were fortunate enough this last year to see most of the nominated films.  Unfortunately, a couple of the foreign language nominees have not been released yet.  We are delighted to announce we have been able to see 98% of all other nominated films.  What a year, 141 movies in all.

Below is a link to our final predictions.  Click on the link to open a three page ballot with all the nominations and our predictions for the winners noted with a black bullet.

If you want to print the ballot, simply right click anywhere on the document and follow the “Print” prompt.

We know many of you will attend some type of Oscar function and we are always eager to hear what the results are, good or not so good.  Be sure to leave us a comment from your point of view.

2016 Oscar Picks

John and I start to collect information from a variety of sources usually at the beginning of the award season.  We cross check several sources including many critics and industry resources.  At the end of the day, we factor in our own opinions and that is how we come up with our final picks.

We will be traveling this year during the Oscars, but we will be with you in spirit.

J & J

Hail, Caesar!

This star studded story about the 1950s movie studio industry by the prolific Coen Brothers is visually impressive, moderately entertaining but ultimately disappointing.  Too much slap stick humor.  Often just plan silly.

The song and dance scene with Channing Tatum and the water dancing with Scarlett Johansson were high points.  Josh Brolin was one of the only believable characters as the Head of the Studio.  Ralph Finnnes made an good uppity Director.  To be fair, George Clooney, was a solid Clark Gable.

There was an attempt to make a statement about the Communist movement in Hollywood of the day that fell short and how that connected to the Nazi Submarine scene is still a puzzle.

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Deadpool

Oh My!  I don’t know where to begin.  There is a group of highly skilled special forces crowd that wager on each others life expectancy called the Deadpool.  Ryan Reynolds character is the top dog and meets his sexual match in a local bar and quickly fall in love.  Reynolds character suddenly develops a life threatening illness and desperately seeks a medical fix.

Reynolds discovers some underground group that promise a cure, but turns out to be some demented way of torturing its victims and results in horrid mutations but also super powers.

There are some interesting super hero scenes, some very good special effects and some of the dry humor was actually quite clever.  That said, there was also a fair amount of vulgarity simply for effect sake.  It is very violent, bloody and down right gross.

All that said, I must share, the IMAX theater was packed.  (We were the oldest people there by a long shot.)  It turns out Deadpool was the highest grossing R rated film to date.

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Where To Invade Next

This latest Michael Moore film is not what the title implies.  His “invasion” of countries like Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, and other countries is actually “harvesting” policy practices from these countries and bringing them to the USA as remedies for failed US practices.

The topics vary wildly but are mostly social related: School lunches, workplace benefits, make up of Corporate Board of Directors, college education, prison systems, racism, sexism and more.

I would argue this is the most relevant film Moore has produced yet.  It is a thought provoking examination of American standards and values that challenges American conventional standards of living.

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Ingrid Bergman In Her Own Words

This is a Swedish Biography/Documentary film about the life of actress Ingrid Bergman and her family, many of whom appear and contribute first hand experiences in the film.

It is a fascinating story told using a lifetime of carefully collected personal documents, extensive collection of original film clips and first hand testimonials from family and friends.

It shares the incredible acting success Ms. Bergman earned, the complicated history of three marriages, several children and the evolution of her passion for life.  Her life and impact on those around her is simply remarkable.

This is well worth seeking out.  It enjoys international critical acclaim.  It does not enjoy a broad distribution in the US.  It is well worth the effort to track this one down.

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Theeb

This film is nominated for Best Foreign Film from Jordan.  It is set in 1916 in a remote province of the Ottoman Empire of Hajiz during World War 1.  It is the story of a young Bedouin man and his little brother when they encounter and guide an unexpected British officer into the desert for some secret military purpose.  They encounter bandits and suddenly the older brother is killed while the younger brother is left for dead.

It is artfully made, yet used no professional actors.  Appropriately called a Bedouin Western, it was filmed in the vast Wadi Rum desert of Jordan.  Ultimately it is a story of survival, endurance and revenge.  It is unique and worth seeking out.

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Academy Award Nominated Animated Short Films

     Bear Story (Chile)

An old, melancholy bear tells his life story through a mechanical diorama.  It is a touching story for people of all ages.  A strong candidate to win the Oscar.

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     Prologue (UK)

This unusual film about the a battle between four warriors set hundreds of years ago depicts in graphic detail the horrors of the event.  I did not understand the use of nudity and strongly caution against viewing by young children.

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     Sanjay’s Super Team (US)

This Pixar production based on “mostly” true events is about a Hindu father and his young son who imagines Hindu gods as action heroes.  It is beautifully crafted and a strong contender for the Oscar.

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     We Cannot Live Without Cosmos (Russia)

Two inseparable astronauts in training is funny, playful, inventive and charming.  It achieves a touching message in less than 10 minutes.

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     World of Tomorrow (US)

An inventive story about a little girl and her future based Mom tries to explain the world of her future being.  It is clever and complicated, funny and confusing.  Favorite concept is the Internet becomes the “outernet”.

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     Catch It (France) Highly Commended but not nominated.

Meerkats versus vulture for coveted fruit results in a prolonged chase.  The football punt is hilarious.

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     If I was God (Canada) Highly Commended but not nominated.

Based on a true story about school science class dissection of frogs is excellent storytelling.

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     Short Story of Fox and Mouse (France) Highly Commended, not nominated

Visually stunning animation.  Prey and predator evolve to become intimate companions.  Unique.

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     Loneliest Stoplight (US) Highly Commended but not nominated.

A stop light in a one-light-town becomes an overnight sensation when a freeway jams up.

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Academy Award Nominated Live Action Short Films

     Ave Maria (Palestine, France, Germany)

A Jewish family gets lost and their car breaks down in Arab territory in front of a Catholic Nunnery.  The nuns agree to let the husband use their phone to hire a cab to get home.  No one will come because they are in Arab territory.  Finally, the nuns agree to allow the family to use the car of a deceased nun.  It is both funny and weird at the same time.

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     Day One (US)

Set in a war zone in a Muslim country, an American military team conducts a mission with a new Muslim-American woman interpreter when the squad encounters conflict.  They discover a pregnant woman in labor.  The husband is driven by strict religious customs and will not allow the local doctor to enter the home.  In a compromise, the Doctor instructs the interpreter what to do. The baby is born after much turmoil.   The story is quite powerful and tragic.  A strong contender for the Oscar.

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     Everything Will Be Okay (Austria, Germany)

A Father picks up his young daughter for a scheduled visitation with at stop at shopping for toys and a local fair to ride the bumper cars. Then he begins the process to abduct the girl and escape the country for the Middle East.  Their flight is cancelled and father and daughter end up at a hotel.  The final scene is full of trauma and angst.

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     Shok (Friends) (US)

Two Albanian boys from school earn money for bicycles during the war in Kosovo when Serbian forces take over their town.  The boys are at odds when one bike is confiscated for a soldiers son.  The two reconcile as their families are driven from their home.  It is a small peek at a horrific time.  Also a strong contender for the Oscar.

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     Stutterer (UK, Ireland)

This is a charming story about a young couple during an internet phase (texting) before meeting.  Clearly the two like each other and have established a rapport.  The only glitch is the young man has a terrible stutter.  It is so bad he often acts mute in public.  Finally the time comes to meet…they both sign.

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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

I know it sounds goofy but hear me out on this one.  When I first saw the previews I thought, ‘are they out of their minds’.  Once the film was released, the critical reviews were not half bad.  So with nothing else new in the theaters on a quiet Sunday morning with nothing to do, we went to see an early matinee.

If you like period piece films, this one has just enough of the classic elements to hold your interest.  If you like classic horror films including the occasional zombie movie, then you might find this one interesting.

Imagine privileged debutants, masters of the martial arts, vying for the attention of wealthy suitors.  Together, they protect their mansions and lifestyle against the legions of the undead yearning to eat their human brains.

Okay, no Oscar material here, but it might kill a couple of hours on a long plane ride.

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