Review by Dan Skip Allen Guy Ritchie has been directing movies for quite a while. His career has spanned over two and a half decades. He has a distinctive style of storytelling and filmmaking. Most of his films, including Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and RocknRolla, have a very kinetic style to them. They have plenty of characters that talk fast and act just as fast. With these films, you have to pay attention because a lot is going on and it's moving very quickly. The Gentlemen is very similar to these other films in a lot of ways, and that's a very good thing. Ritchie's films have quite a few characters in them so there are a lot of moving parts. Matthew McConaughey portrays Mickey Pearson, a man who is at the head of a drug ring. Charlie Hunnam portrays Ray, his assistant. Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) portrays his wife Rosiland. Hugh Grant portrays a reporter named Fletcher who has his own agenda involving Mickey. A couple more key players in the film are Drye Eye portrayed by Henry Goulding (Crazy Rich Asians) Matthew portrayed by Jeremy Strong (Succession), and Coach portrayed by Colin Ferrell. This film like Ritchie's others has plenty of colorful characters. They all play a part in the puzzle that is The Gentlemen. With Ritchie's films and crime films comes the blood and violence that come along with them. The Gentlemen isn't short on either. These elements play into the overall story perfectly. Things come up that are very shocking and surprising. These events are very enjoyable as well, and sometimes even funny. These funny parts were more spread out through the film. The film starts slowly, but it picks up soon and gets into the story relatively quickly after that. One of the things that make Ritchie films so intriguing is the script and the dialogue therein. In his films, characters have to say a lot of complicated dialogue. The thing is the actors say the dialogue with precision and professionalism. They use their cockney accents terrifically to deliver this dialogue. This is part of the charm of these films. They have a humor and aesthetic to them arguably not seen in very many films before or since.
The Gentlemen has a great sense of style and awareness of itself. It has a feeling of being meta as well. This is what's so good about this film. It was so well done in so many different ways. Ritchie really captured this genre to some extent as Scorsese and Coppola did. Is it as great as The Godfather or Scorsese's crime films? No, but it's damn good though. The performances by this first-rate cast are all fantastic. The script is also very good. The story kept me intrigued throughout the film. Ritchie has gotten back on the right side of things. With Aladdin and now The Gentlemen, he has proven that he is a very good writer and director. The Gentlemen opens in theaters on January 24. Rating: 4/5
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Review by Sean Boelman Made with an international audience in mind, Step Up: Year of the Dance is a new spin-off of the popular musical dance series set in China. However, in dubbing the film for its American release, a somewhat entertaining (if totally forgettable) flick is turned into an outright laughable one, making this one of the most bizarre cinematic experiences in quite a while. Like most of the other Step Up movies, this film follows a dance crew as they come together to participate in a competition in the hopes of being crowned the best/coolest dancers on the block (in this case the Middle Kingdom, maybe even the world — it isn’t particularly clear). What follows is an embarrassingly predictable and shallowly inspiring underdog story that makes the safest possible decision every single time. Clocking in at just under an hour and a half long, the movie feels extremely rushed. For the most part, the film plays like a montage of dance numbers with some dialogue in between to fill the gaps. While this is moderately engaging, particularly if one can admire the craft and skill that goes into choreographing and shooting these sequences, it simply isn’t narratively satisfying. Perhaps because there is so little focus on the story, this movie’s character development is completely lacking. This is particularly troublesome given that the film is an underdog story, a type of narrative which is almost entirely dependent on the audience caring about the characters. Even the emotional “twist” which pushes the movie into its third act is unearned. It is quite difficult to evaluate this film’s acting because, for all the talent that the cast has as dancers, all that will be remembered about their performances isn’t actually their fault. Rather, it is the filmmakers that decided to dub the movie rather than present it with subtitles, removing any authenticity and emotion from the dialogue scenes.
That isn’t to say that the dance sequences aren’t good — admittedly, the film is worth watching if only for the quality of the choreography alone — however, these well-done sequences make not a movie alone. Instead, this ends up appearing more like an extended music video than a film with a legitimate narrative. There is still some merit, just not in the area in which it counts. On a technical level, the movie has an undeniable energy about it, and for the most part, that works very well. The cinematography, particularly during the dance sequences, is aggressively kinetic, but that does give the film some of the momentum that the narrative fails to provide it. As a whole, the movie seems to be trying to do everything within its means to look cool, and it succeeds more often than it fails. Step Up: Year of the Dance is a truly curious film. Why the distributor chose to dub the film rather than releasing a subtitled version is beyond justification, but the result is an inauthentic and laughable film. It’s a shame — these excellent dance sequences deserve better. Step Up: Year of the Dance hits VOD on January 21. Rating: 2.5/5 Review by Camden Ferrell Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez is a Netflix mini-series that documents the rise and fall of an NFL superstar turned murderer. This documentary is presented in three concise and effective parts. While this series may feel like its the product of some not-so-subtle agenda pushing, it is still a gripping story about one man’s fall from grace. This story follows the upbringing and past of Aaron Hernandez as it aims to examine what led to the infamous and tragic murder of Odin Lloyd. It’s a really interesting subject due to how recent these events transpired and how widespread these events were in the media at the time. It was front page news that everyone saw, and it’s a subject that even those not familiar with Hernandez will thoroughly enjoy. The series does a great job of collecting information and media about these events. Even though he was a celebrity with lots of material, the series manages to find some revealing interviews, photos, and evidence that makes the whole series feel a lot more compelling. It paints a portrait of his youth and career in a way that is detailed and entertaining. It also eerily utilizes the prison phone calls of Hernandez in a way that gives the series a grounded sense of reality. It doesn’t stray away from the more troubling aspects of the case or his childhood, and it’s fully committed to telling this story. It also does a great job of not generating sympathy for Hernandez. Even though a loss of life is sad, the series respects Odin Lloyd and the other victims by showing the flaws and shortcomings of Hernandez rather than memorializing him. The series pays homage to the victims and gives their families adequate screen time to properly honor them. This makes the documentary stand out from other true-crime docs by establishing that these crimes were not faceless. However, the documentary can often feel like it bites off more than it can chew. It’s a really detailed story that is hard to fully capture in a little over three hours. There are many individual branches of the story that warranted more time but unfortunately never received it. The documentary also tends to jump around the timeline a little too erratically, but it still remains mostly cohesive.
Another flaw from this series comes from the controversial topics that it addresses. In my own opinion, the documentary seems to minimize the gravity of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) and its relation to the murders that occurred. It tries to overemphasize the alleged homosexuality of Hernandez to justify the murders rather than tackle the urgent issue of CTE and the role of the NFL in creating the deteriorated brain and mental state of Hernandez. Despite its flaws, the series remains engaging from start to finish. It constantly surprises you with twists and shocking reveals that will change the way you will view Hernandez and these murders. It may not delve deep enough into the titular mind of Hernandez, but it does a great job of telling this story in a way that makes the three episodes go by like a breeze. This Netflix limited series is a success on most fronts. It’s a thrilling crime documentary about a world-famous athlete and the events that led to his downfall. Its lack of structure is often compensated by effective storytelling and its efficient use of time. This is clearly a serious subject that should be viewed with discretion, but it’s a worthwhile journey for those who watch. Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez is currently streaming on Netflix. All three episodes reviewed. Rating: 4/5 Review by Camden Ferrell A Fall from Grace is the first Netflix film from writer/director Tyler Perry. Unfortunately, it’s a rather tepid Netflix debut from the renowned entertainment giant. This movie suffers from an excess of melodrama that overshadows an already sloppy narrative. This film is about Jasmine, a lawyer and the woman she represents and defends from her serious charges. As Jasmine learns more about her defendant, dark and surprising secrets slowly become revealed. This legal drama isn’t anything groundbreaking, and its concept is incredibly derivative. However, this is still a genre that’s ripe for compelling narrative, but this film doesn’t use that to its advantage. The writing of the film is mostly devoid of any personality. The characters don’t feel fleshed out or thoroughly engaging, and it feels rather monotonous for most of its runtime. The dialogue is fairly standard for the genre, and it doesn’t feel clever or thoughtful for the most part. It’s a pretty mindless script that was most likely written to be easily digestible, and it never trusts the intellectual abilities of its audience. One of the few decent aspects of this film is its acting. Crystal Fox plays Grace, the defendant, and she actually does a solid job despite her weak material. She is able to give some emotional range to the film, and a lot of the film revolves around her recollection of the crucial events in the trial. It’s not phenomenal, but it was mildly effective, and it’s probably the film’s strongest feature. The technical aspects of this film were also fairly lackluster throughout. Even though the color grading is justifiably bleak, the shot composition is lifeless, and it doesn’t give the film the energy it needs to propel through its story. The film also lacks strong editing, and this leads to many scenes feeling off putting and a little slow.
In a recent interview, it was revealed that this movie was shot in 5 days. This is a fact that is painfully obvious in the final cut of the film. It feels like scenes weren’t executed to the best of their ability and that this was intended to be a quick and inexpensive January film for Netflix. The movie isn’t aggressively bad in any way, but it’s just noticeably boring and messy. While I won’t reveal any further plot details for those who may still be curious about the film, suffice it to say that the final act felt completely out of place. The twists the film takes are a little bizarre and questionable. This is a movie that seems to depend solely on its surprises and melodrama, but it severely missed the landing. A Fall from Grace brings a rocky start to Netflix’s new year, and it probably is a film almost exclusively for Tyler Perry enthusiasts. It may feature some decent performances, but the sloppy writing and uninspired execution make this movie feel like a chore more than anything else. A Fall from Grace is currently streaming on Netflix. Rating: 2/5 Review by Dan Skip Allen Rex Harrison first brought the character of Dr. John Dolittle to life back in 1967. Eddie Murphy made a change in his film roles in the 1990's. He made a distinct effort to change his image. Previously he did raunchy buddy comedies like Beverly Hills Cop and 48 Hrs, but when had children in the 90's so he decided to do more children centric roles like The Nutty Professor and Dr. Dolittle. He had a different take on the character then Harrison, but it was still the same lovable character. Now, Robert Downey Jr. takes up the mantle. He has portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man for over a decade now. During that time he hasn't done much else, but Dr. Dolittle is a far different role than he's ever portrayed before. It might actually be the role that gets him out of the typecasting he got within the MCU. When the film picks up, this version of Dr. Dolittle is a disheveled shell of himself. He doesn't want to be involved with healing animals or want to talk to anybody. When an innocent young boy Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett) and a young Lady from Buckingham Palace (Carmel Laniado) stumble upon his sanctuary, he has no choice but to listen to their cases: one of an injured squirrel and the other of a sick Queen that needs his aid. This gets Dolittle out of his hermit stage and gets him out into the world again. The stage has been set for an adventure to get off and running. With the ability to heal and talk to animals inevitably comes... talking animals. Dolittle captures the feeling of some of the more successful talking animal films to some extent. This version of the Dolittle story has a lot of talking animals! A Duck voiced by Octavia Spencer, a gorilla portrayed by Rami Malek,a polar bear voiced by John Cena, a dog voiced by Tom Holland, an ostrich voiced by Kumail Nanjiani, and a cockatoo voiced by Emma Thompson are just some of the voices that are featured in this film. They all have prominent roles in the overall story. They are all distinctly different from each other and set each character apart. That said, there are plenty of human characters as well. Michael Sheen, Jim Broadbent, and Antonio Banderas headline the human characters besides Dolittle himself. This cast was very memorable one!
Dolittle could have gotten convoluted, but it didn't. It had the right mix of talking animals and humans. The 106 minute runtime went by in a flash. The film really knew what's its focus was and it stuck to that. There wasn't any wasted scenes while also giving everybody there just do. If the behind the scenes drama was true, I didn't notice it during the film. This was a very employable experience to say the least. Here's hoping we see more Downey roles like this in the near future. He really put his unique spin on this iconic character. He even created a tone of voice that was different than expected. It took a minute to get used to, but a nice change from his normal voice. Dolittle should be a nice January surprise for those looking for an entertaining family film with a good story, some action and adventure, while also giving you some laughs. Dolittle is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4/5 Review by Sean Boelman VHYes, co-written and directed by Jack Henry Robbins (son of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon), is a new retro comedy with a very unique style. Thanks to an intriguing premise and plenty of memorable segments, Robbins’s newest film cements him as a comedic talent to watch. Told through a series of vignettes and segments, the movie follows a young boy as he accidentally records TV shows and home videos over his parents’ wedding tape. It’s rather hard to classify exactly what this film is, because it is by no means a traditional narrative, nor is it exactly an anthology movie, but there is very much a cohesive story to be found flowing through all of the individual pieces. At first, the frequency at which the film shifts perspectives and moves to another segment is off-putting, but once Robbins is able to find his rhythm, the movie moves at a much more natural pace. The laughs come frequently and steadily, and perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Robbins is able to introduce some interesting and earnest themes (and some striking political commentary) through the narrative. One of the film’s biggest successes is the sense of nostalgia that it is able to create. People who grew up in the age of VHS will undeniably find something to love in the movie, and even those who were raised when DVD was the dominant medium of home entertainment will likely find some memories raised by the film. Although nostalgia can be used as a crutch in other movies, this script has enough ingenuity that it comes across as completely natural. Another strength of the film is its character development. Although very little time is spent with any of the characters, and that time is frequently split up, Robbins and his co-writers are able to establish their personalities effectively through those brief segments. Many portions of the movie are inspired by or are parodies of a real person, and they do a very good job of capturing the essence of the era.
The film’s cast is very large and features some recognizable comedians, many of whom are quite funny in their roles. Highlights in the ensemble include Thomas Lennon, Charlyne Yi, and an almost unrecognizable Tim Robbins. However, the biggest standout is Mark Proksch, who is absolutely riotous as a host of a public access show in which the character values random items people bring to him. On a technical level, the movie is quite impressive because of the unique way in which Robbins shot the film. The movie was shot completely on VHS and Beta tapes, and as a result, the film feels very authentic for the retro style. Additionally, there are some surreal moments sprinkled throughout, and Robbins handles those quite effectively. VHYes does take a bit of time to find its footing, but once filmmaker Jack Henry Robbins is able to solidify what he wants to do, this becomes a hilarious and creative endeavor. Although the style won’t work for everyone, those who buy into it will really enjoy it. VHYes is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4/5 Review by Sean Boelman The Wave, directed by Gille Klabin, is a new psychological horror-comedy, and arguably one of the trippiest films in recent memory. Thanks to a wacky script, some truly disturbing imagery, and a committed performance from star Justin Long, this ends up being a truly memorable sci-fi flick. The movie follows a quiet insurance lawyer who, after a crazy bender celebrating a promotion, finds that he has been dosed with an unknown hallucinogen that affects his perception of time and space. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about this film is how it takes a familiar arc — the crazy night — and turns it on its head by playing with the idea of time The pacing of the movie is certainly quite interesting, as the film is admittedly pretty all over the place, though herein lies a lot of the charm. The disorienting and hectic nature of the movie helps transport the viewer into the mindset that the protagonist is experiencing. Unfortunately, the film comes to a much more predictable and conventional ending than the first hour would suggest, but it is still mostly satisfying. Perhaps the movie’s biggest issue is that the script by Carl W. Lucas seems to feel the need to shove in a moral lesson into the film’s final act. Although the introduction makes it obvious that the movie is pushing towards something, when that thing is revealed, it is somewhat shallow and underwhelming. With such a creative approach, one would have hoped that the filmmakers had something more interesting to say. Nevertheless, the character development in the film is extremely strong. The protagonist is a highly empathetic character, with plenty of traits that make him outright lovable. Even though his arc is a tad formulaic, it is compelling enough to serve as the motivation for the character’s crazy actions. Additionally, the wacky side characters he encounters along the way are quite interesting.
Long gives one of the best performances of his career in the title role, as it plays into his comedic sensibilities while allowing him to flex some of his emotional chops. As the character becomes more and more disheveled, both physically and mentally, Long gets to go even crazier with his performance, and it works quite well. The supporting cast includes Donald Faison and Tommy Flanagan, among others, but Long steals the show. On a technical level, the movie is extremely strong as a result of inspired direction from Klabin. The film goes all-in on the weirdness, with a visual style that is extremely energetic and kinetic. A handful of scenes in the movie are truly nightmarish in the best way possible, as they feature some very well-shot disturbing imagery. Ambitious, but in a way that could be managed, The Wave is a surprisingly good sci-fi flick. Genre fans will almost certainly be satisfied with the script that pulls no punches and the visual style that is admirably off-the-rails. The Wave is now in theaters and on VOD. Rating: 4/5 Review by Sean Boelman Feedback, co-written and directed by Pedro C. Alonso, is a new horror-thriller set in the world of broadcast radio. Ultimately, even though Alonso and co-writer Alberto Marini seem to bite off a bit more than he can chew with the script, the style with which he approaches the film allows it to be a lean and effective chiller. The movie follows a controversial radio star who gets targeted by stalkers during a broadcast, forcing him to reveal secrets about himself and others. The basic premise of the film is pretty simple, but as a result, it works quite well. When it comes to thrillers like this, simpler is often better, and this movie definitely fits that bill. Ultimately, the film does suffer from some pacing issues, but those mostly occur in the first act. Once the stakes are truly established, thanks to some grotesque imagery used very sparingly by Alonso, the intensity really ramps up and the movie becomes the tense thriller it so obviously hopes to be. The second and third acts are both consistently tense and suspenseful. One of the most impressive things about this film is the way in which Alonso is able to take advantage of the movie’s confined setting. Taking place almost entirely in a single radio studio, the film is able to capture a sense of claustrophobia, and this really drives the tension. The cinematography does a good job of making the viewer feel trapped right along with the protagonist. That said, the script could have used some more work with its characters. The protagonist is a controversial figure, and as a result, he isn’t entirely likable or sympathetic. Of course, the violence he is experiencing is horrifying nonetheless, but it likely would have packed even more of a punch had more been done to give the audience a better reason to care about him.
Star Eddie Marsan does an excellent job as the protagonist. Known primarily for his character work, it is nice to see Marsan finally get a shot as the lead. Like many of the characters Marsan has played in the past, the character exists in a moral grey area, and while he is close to being typecast, he does a good job. The movie also doesn’t do a great job in addressing all of its themes effectively. The political commentary that Alonso and Marini introduce feels underbaked, as do the themes about bystanders and complicity. There are definitely some interesting threads in the script, but they should have been explored with more depth. Feedback is certainly a bit uneven at times, but because of a highly-stylized and tense nature, the film manages to be mostly enjoyable. As a thriller, this movie delivers more than most. Feedback is now in theaters and on VOD. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Sean Boelman Based on the novel of the same name by Norman Lebrecht, The Song of Names is a new melodrama starring Tim Roth and Clive Owen. However, despite obvious life in the source material, screenwriter Jeffery Caine and director François Girard play it too safe, preventing the film from having much of an emotional impact. The movie tells the story of a man who travels throughout Europe in search of his friend who disappeared years prior. Although this premise has a ton of potential, it feels very obvious that a lot of material from the book had to have been cut in the adaptation of the screen. While there are still some good things happening in the film, one can’t help but feel like the story is much more shallow than the filmmakers seem to think it is. One of the most confusing things about this movie is the subplot involving the Holocaust. One of the main characters in the film is a Jewish refugee, which is what kicks off the events of the movie. However, this is the main area in which the film seems to suffer from having made cuts to the material. A majority of the impact of this storyline is lost because it seems like an afterthought to the far less compelling melodrama. That said, the movie never feels boring. Even though Caine and Girard’s approach to the story all too often feels like the wrong one, it is still somewhat entertaining and poses some interesting questions about loyalty and brotherhood. Ultimately, had the film found its identity much sooner in the first act, and added some clarity to the Holocaust elements, this could have been a much more effective drama. But as it stands now, the movie is in desperate need of additional character development. Perhaps the single most frustrating thing about this film is that the motivations of the protagonist are all over the place. Over the course of the movie, multiple justifications are given for the events of the film, from honoring the image of his father to simply reuniting with someone who was important in his life. This is indicative of some of the greater issues in the movie.
Tim Roth and Clive Owen are both very talented actors, but they seem woefully miscast in these roles. Neither seems particularly well-fit for such a quiet and contemplative film, their strengths being in more intense thrillers. Although they are believable as the characters, they don’t bring enough emotion to their roles to completely sell the arcs. The one true strength of the movie is its execution, as Girard obviously has a very good eye and ear to make a gorgeous film. The cinematography is excellent, some of the compositions being extremely picturesque, though it is worthy of note that this glossiness does not always suit the movie. Additionally, the use of music is phenomenal, but that is expected given the role that music plays in the story. While The Song of Names certainly isn’t a bad film, it is entirely unspectacular. It seems like the biggest flaw in this movie is that screenwriter Caine simply couldn’t juggle all of the moving parts in the source material, and as a result, the adaptation feels like a bit of a mess. The Song of Names is now playing in theaters. Rating: 3/5 Review by Sean Boelman Troop Zero, directed by filmmaker duo Bert & Bertie, is arguably the cutest movie to come out in quite a while. Even though the story may not break any narrative ground, the lighthearted and crowd-pleasing nature of the film is sure to be absolutely infectious and make viewers long for the good ol’ days. The movie tells the story of a young girl in late 1970’s Georgia that dreams of going to space, hoping to earn a spot on NASA’s Golden Record by forming a ragtag group of scouts to participate in a talent competition. Although the film is a relatively standard underdog story on paper, writer Lucy Alibar brings so much heart to the script that one can’t help but fall in love with the movie. In terms of underdog stories, the film covers all the familiar thematic bases. The core message of the movie is to never give up even when defeat seems unavoidable, and while there are plenty of films that say the same thing, Troop Zero is honest and heartfelt with the way it handles this moral. Younger viewers who watch the movie will almost certainly find themselves inspired by the infectious optimism of the characters. The film’s breakneck pacing also helps keep the movie consistently entertaining. The film moves along really quickly, as the characters find themselves in all sorts of crazy hijinks, but this structure is very reminiscent of some of the best family movies of the 70’s and 80’s, an era for which Alibar and Bert & Bertie obviously have so much respect. However, perhaps the most effective thing about this movie is its character development. In many ways, the characters check all the boxes of the group of misfits that can be expected of a film like this, but the relationship between them is built in such a way that their friendship feels completely real. Admittedly, some of the side characters feel less rounded than others, but the dynamic of the group as a whole is great.
The ensemble of the movie is absolutely amazing, headed by two Oscar-winning actresses battling it out as rival scout leaders. Viola Davis and Allison Janney are both cast against type in the film, and they do an excellent job of bouncing off of each others’ sensibilities. The real star of the show, though, is the enormously talented Mckenna Grace who finally gets another chance to shine in this movie with a subtle and nuanced turn. On a technical level, the film is quite strong, as Bert & Bertie bring a very quirky and indie style to a movie that otherwise feels more mainstream and accessible. The film does an excellent job of making the audience feel like they are in a 1970’s Georgia, from detailed production design to a phenomenal soundtrack that influences the movie in many memorable ways. Even though Troop Zero may not be the most original underdog story, it is thoroughly enjoyable and features some of the most heartwarming moments to grace the screen in quite a while. Thanks to a committed cast and a charming script, this is a crowd-pleaser not to miss. Troop Zero hits select theaters and Amazon Prime on January 17. Rating: 4.5/5 |
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