The Future Is Now..."The Circle"

The Circle (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, Ellar Coltrane, Glenne Headley, Bill Paxton, Karen Gillan, John Boyega

Directed by James Ponsoldt

The Story:

Mae (Watson) lands a job at The Circle. As she quickly moves up the ranks of employees, her life and importance to the company rapidly changes in ways she could never dream. As her company prepares to unveil their latest technological marvel, Mae has to make a decision that could alter humanity...forever!

Imagine a world where everyone is addicted to technology...

Oh, wait...

Imagine a world where giant technology firms seemingly invade the private lives of their users and employees...

Oh, wait...

So you see, this isn't so much a futuristic thriller as it is a mashup of life as we already know it.

It's both a movie that was a warning to deliver to the audience about these tech giants, but they meander and present the message in such a way that you almost don't care about it, or any of the characters by the time they get around to doing it.

Hanks is charming, with a touch of sinister in the Jobs-like role of Bailey, The Circle's founder.

Yet while watching this film, I realized further that I'll never "get" the appeal of Emma Watson as an actress.

I'm sure that giant cry of blasphemy is from all the Harry Potter fans out there, but with the knowledge that I have not, nor will I likely ever see those movies either, you'll never win me over with that argument.

She just always seems so wooden, or fake to me in all of the roles I have seen her in, I will follow her career with indifference at this point.

The movie is watchable enough, but could have used some serious editing to reduce the run-time from the nearly two hours to a more crisp and effective 90 minutes.

Pick up the pace, trim a lot of the unnecessary subplots that really go nowhere, and you might have had something.

Instead, go find The Truman Show, Nerve,  or any of the other films that have used the "we're watching you" again, and enjoy a much better movie.

Final Grade: C-

Inside Is A Good Movie Just Trying To Get Out..."Term Life"

Term Life (2016)

Rated R

Starring Vince Vaughn, Hailee Steinfeld, Bill Paxton, Jonathan Banks, Jordi Molla, Terrence Howard, Jon Favreau, Mike Epps,

Directed by Peter Billingsley

The Story:

Nick (Vaughn) is a planner. He does the research on how to pull off the perfect crime, then sells that information for a price, and everybody wins. Except this time, when the people that bought the plan are murdered, Nick finds himself on the run from the police and the mob.  And the worst part, they're coming after Nick's daughter (Steinfeld) so he has to try and protect her and stay one step ahead of everyone else at the same time.

On paper, this probably looked and sounded amazing.

Well, I suppose it really did, as apparently it started off as a graphic novel before it was adapted into a movie.

:)

But something is fundamentally amiss in the film, and it's hard to know exactly what's not clicking.

It seems to center mostly on the story itself, or at least the actions of the characters as the story unfolds.

There should be tension and energy that just doesn't come through on the screen, but on occasion, you get a glimmer of the thriller/heist this film wanted to be.

Good, not great.

That seems to sum up a lot of movies lately.

It's an amazing cast, many of whom are onscreen for but a moment, their talents kind of wasting away in the roles they were given.

And the less we say about Vince Vaughn's hair in this film, the better.

:)

Final Grade:  C

This "Nightcrawler" Is A Tad Bit Creepy

Nightcrawler (2014)

Rated R

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Riz Ahmed

Written and Directed by Dan Gilroy

The Story:

Louis (Gyllenhaal) is a man without a mission in life. He's trying to score a job, but nobody is interested. Fate leads him to encounter independent "news crews" catching the action that happens in L.A. after dark. Intrigued, he sets out to become a 'nightcrawler' himself, proving to be successful enough to need his own assistant (Ahmed) as he continues to sell story after story to a local news station. However, Louis keeps pushing himself to make the stories better than the last, to the point he begins to blur the lines between what really happened, and what he may have helped happen.

There's a lot to this movie, I will give it that, right out of the gate.

Gilroy has crafted a movie with some very unlikeable characters, and yet you remain fairly riveted to the proceedings as each new segment sucks you in deeper to the story.

Gyllenhaal is completely irritating in his role, in a good way, if that's possible. I would say that he was likely dealing with autism or another disorder that makes his personality traits that way...

Or he's a complete dick.

:)

His drive to find the ultimate "if it bleeds it leads" story pushes him every night he's on the town.

Russo plays the station manager who buys his work and then becomes the object of his affection, a role she never is completely comfortable with, and rightly so.  Remember, Louis is a jerk.

Ahmed brings a nice counter-balance to Louis and everything he stands for. A thankless part really, he brings the most joy and life to the screen, and suffers because of it.

It's well worth a viewing, but a film I'd rather not come back and watch again.

Ever.

;)

I watched it some time ago, but if you missed out, it is now streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

The Fate Of The World Is In Tom Cruise's Hands..."Edge Of Tomorrow"

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

PG-13

Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton,

Directed by Doug Liman

The Story:

An alien menace has invaded earth in the near future, and they are wreaking havoc across Europe and Asia. The world forces are combined to stop them, and on the eve of a massive attack to stop them, an American officer (Cruise) who works public relations is forced to join the ranks of the fighters. While trying to survive, he notices the war's greatest fighter (Blunt) just before she is killed. Suddenly the enemy is upon him and then... he wakes up to start the last day over again. And again. And again. Can the valuable lessons he learns each day keep him alive, and help him turn the tide of the war?

So how did this movie fail at the box office?

It is a well-done production, from start to finish.

The easiest guess, the title blows. :)

It sounds like a cheesy soap opera from daytime tv that you must tune in to tomorrow to find out who's backstabbing who!

The tagline for the film: Live. Die. Repeat. is actually better (and much more accurate) than the title itself.

It could be the sci-fi genre itself. It doesn't exactly appeal to every moviegoer out there, although Guardians of the Galaxy could argue against that rule of movies.

:D

Or perhaps people have tired of Tom Cruise?

That seems the most likely scenario.

Which is both amusing, and sad at the same time.

Cruise has been playing Tom Cruise his entire career, so why are people getting tired of him now?

He actually does a fine job in this film, starting as a coward who grows into a hero as the movie progresses.

If you passed it by in theaters, don't let this one get away on DVD.


Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch this one again, pretty entertaining from start to finish.

Dying For A Vacation? "Club Dread"

Club Dread (2004)

Rated R for violence and language

Starring Jay Chandrasekhar, Bill Paxton, Kevin Heffernan, Erik Stolhanske, Paul Soter, Steve Lemme, Brittany Daniel, Jordan Ladd,

Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar

The Story:

Coconut Pete (Paxton) is a washed up singer, a la Jimmy Buffet, who runs an island resort filled with an odd assortment of staff.  However, when they all start turning up dead, there may be trouble in paradise!

The Broken Lizard (Chandrasekhar, Heffernan, Stolhanske, Soter and Lemme) troupe return to the screen in their followup to  the cult classic Super Troopers.

Not nearly the same following has surrounded this film as Troopers, but it's not for lack of trying.  Club Dread is both a comedy, and a perfectly themed horror movie, often at the same time.

The cliches and trappings are all around, and naturally everyone is considered a suspect...

Until that character turns up... Dead!

I'm not sure that the best villain and motive were selected for the picture...

But when you're doing a horror-comedic send-up, perhaps that's the perfect character and motive?

Worth a spin for Broken Lizard fans, and fans of horror films.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd say that this one was probably good for a once in a blue moon viewing.

Art Imitates Life... "Twister"

Twister (1996)

Rated PG-13 for language and tornados

Starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Directed by Jan de Bont

The Story:

Dr. Jo Harding (Hunt) is obsessed with tornadoes.  Has been since she was little.  Her husband Bill (Paxton) comes to get her to sign the divorce papers so he can marry his new sweetheart (Gertz).  Ah, but when a series of intense storms kicks off in Oklahoma, Harding and her intrepid band of storm chasers are off to try and get their revolutionary storm sensors into the heart of a tornado.  Bill tags along, bride-to-be in tow. He's still got the storm chaser bug in him, and he may still have some feelings for his soon to-be ex as well.

Nearing 20 years, Twister holds up remarkably well.

I'd say it's been about 10-15 years since I last watched this film, so I was afraid it would be a creaky mess of bad special effects and terrible acting.

But no, it's a crisp, quick adrenaline rush; the types of movies that de Bont delivers time and time again.

He'll give you a pause just long enough for a laugh, or to catch your breath, and then the roller coaster ensues again.

To flesh out the story a bit more, the storm chasers are a bunch of well rounded background characters that inhabit the screen nicely and aren't just cardboard cutout yes-men.

Then you have the arch-nemesis chasers led by Elwes who of course are out to steal the thunder of our heroes.

While some of the action may be far-fetched with the stunts and gags, the movie delivers with about as true to life account of what it must be like to deal with a tornado.

Easily, the best tornado movie since The Wizard of Oz.

:)

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't know that I'll rush out and buy it (I used to have it on VHS) but I'll try and catch it again before another decade rolls by.

"2 Guns" Are Better Than One.

2 Guns (2013)
Rated R - Violence/Language/Nudity

Starring: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg

Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur

The Story:

A DEA Agent (Washington) and an undercover Naval intelligence officer (Wahlberg) are working together to take down a drug lord (Edward James Olmos).  Neither realizes the other is an undercover agent until after they rob a bank they think contains his money.  It turns out it holds a lot of money from the CIA, and they want it back.  Can the two put their differences aside and work together to save their own lives?

I remember watching the trailer for this movie and thinking, "that looks like it will be a pretty fun movie."

Yay!

I was right.

The chemistry between Washington and Wahlberg makes this film an enjoyable buddy cop/action flick.

Someone Is Going To Be Shot

They play very well off of one another, and I have to admit that I really enjoy seeing Denzel Washington play a little more humor with his character than he normally does.  Wahlberg coasts through his part with a wink and a smile, literally, and both are engaging throughout.

As each of their single stories unfolds, the mystery and intrigue to the plot deepens.  Layers of who do you trust? are revealed as both men find out that they cannot trust the people they work for any longer.  However, it's when they are onscreen together that the movie really shines, and the film wisely keeps them partnered up through most of the screen time.

Plus, with the bank robbery and the shenanigans that ensue with double and triple crosses, it's a heist film.

I think I've been pretty clear on my love for the heist film.

:)

Let's Play A Game...

The layers of bad guys includes the Navy (James Marsden) and the sinister head of the CIA (Bill Paxton) who want the money that has been stolen.

Based on a Boom! Studios graphic novel, it does play very much like a well-made comic book.

I approve!

Final Grade: B+

Would I Watch It Again? Yes, I would happily watch this one again.

Would I Buy This Movie? Yes, I'm adding it to the Christmas List of 2014.

Wait, This Doesn't Star Jackie Chan? "Shanghai Calling"

I don't even speak Chinese...

The Story:

Sam (Daniel Henney) is a lawyer who just closed a multi-million dollar case for his law firm.  Expecting to be made partner, imagine his surprise when the firm wants him to relocate to Shanghai to make some other prominent clients very happy.  Why?  Well, it seems Sam is of Chinese descent, though he can't speak or read a lick of Chinese.  When he arrives, naturally his case goes to pieces immediately and his career is in jeopardy.  With the help of a few friends he's made, can Sam save his career, all while he's also falling in love?

Yes, another unconventional romantic comedy, or at least that's how it's listed in Netflix.  It's not really, it's mostly a comedy.

The romantic subplot takes the backseat to Sam trying to solve a business deal that has gone sour quickly and threatens his shot at making partner.

In the end, Sam must decide what is best for him, and that may not be the same as what is best for his company.

It's a cute, quirky little comedy, written and directed by Daniel Hsia.  Looking at his credits, he's done some writing for tv, most notably my favorite show...Psych!  This is his first big-screen credit and also his first spin behind the director's chair on a big-budget film.

I give the man a big thumbs up and look forward to what he's got in store for us in the future.

Not really familiar with any of the stars of the movie.  Henney is one of the stars of Hawaii Five O.  Really the only actors I recognized were Bill Paxton and Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueller's best friend).

While I had never heard of the movie, actor or director before, I can honestly say that I was never bored and the movie held my interest from start to finish. 

Can't ask for much more than that.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could easily watch it again.  I don't know that I would run out and buy it, but with Blockbuster going out of business, we'll see if there's still a copy on the shelves!