In the Heart of the Sea
GRADE: C
Following RUSH, Ron Howard adds another Chris Hemsworth film to his diverse oeuvre. IN THE HEART OF THE SEA charts the alleged true story that inspired Herman Melville's "Moby Dick." The whale sequences are intense, and the drama mostly works thanks to Hemsworth and a terrific supporting cast. Sometimes in between whaling scenes can be a bit of a slog. Practically no humor and many of the interpersonal relationships among the men on the ship are undercooked. Also, I don't think the film says quite as much about humanity or the human spirit as this kind of story demands. It's worth seeing in theaters for the whaling scenes, but if you have a decent home setup, wait to rent it.
Concussion GRADE: C+
CONCUSSION is an excellent story told in a way that's far more vanilla than it deserves. Even Will Smith's best performance in years isn't quite enough to elevate CONCUSSION to must-see awards contender. Too often the film doesn't know whether to be a football drama, a biopic of Dr. Bennett Omalu's life, or a hospital thriller in the vein of ER. As the narrative careens from one big event to the next, it's hard to get emotionally invested in anything besides the occasional shot of game film which is, more often than not, played for simple shock value. If nothing else, though, the movie succeeded in getting me to rethink my Sunday afternoon priorities.
Chi-Raq
GRADE: B+
Spike Lee's latest joint is his funniest and most urgent in ages. CHI-RAQ is a modern day retelling of the Greek play "Lysistrata" by Aristophanes. In the film, gang violence cripples several south-side Chicago neighborhoods. In order to reach peace, Lysistrata (Teyonah Parris) organizes a sexual revolution. The boyfriends/husbands of the neighborhood won't get any until they put down their guns and stop killing one another. For me, the film actually slows down a bit when the revolution finally gets into full swing. The concerned men of the neighborhood are somehow far less interesting to watch than Lysistrata and the rest of the women. Nick Cannon, of all people, is actually the standout male actor here. As the gang-leader/rapper boyfriend of Lysistrata, he deftly embodies the emotional struggle between the call to peace and honesty versus his obligations to the streets, the only life he knows. His character changes the most from beginning to end, and Cannon plays it with as much nuance as some of the finest actors working in film today.
Fair warning that the entire script is written in the same style as the original play. That means the whole thing is spoken in rhyme. This may be distracting to unversed viewers, but you should know what you're getting into by seeing "Lysistrata" in the byline.
Fair warning that the entire script is written in the same style as the original play. That means the whole thing is spoken in rhyme. This may be distracting to unversed viewers, but you should know what you're getting into by seeing "Lysistrata" in the byline.
Star Wars: Episode 7 - The Force Awakens
GRADE: B+
Well, you should know by now whether you're going to see STAR WARS or not. Without spoiling anything, it's the best since EMPIRE. Newcomers John Boyega and Daisy Ridley are wonderful. They suit the STAR WARS universe perfectly and are poised to become the next in-demand superstars. My biggest issues with the film were that J.J. went a bit too heavy on the nostalgia bait and that it was way too funny. STAR WARS was never this hilarious until it was spoofed by Mel Brooks. I also docked the film a few points for not really having an original bone in its body. They just essentially remade A New Hope. This didn't distract me from the exciting fact that we finally have a good STAR WARS movie again, but it left me concerned that episodes 8 and 9 might copy the same formula as their predecessors. Let's hope that isn't the case.
The Big Short
GRADE: A-
FOXCATCHER was no fluke. Steve Carell stands out once again in awards-hopeful THE BIG SHORT. It's about the select few individuals who predicted the burst of the housing bubble and 2008 economic collapse. Director and frequent Will Ferrell collaborator Adam McKay does his best Scorsese impression here; it's easy to make comparisons to THE WOLF OF WALL STREET. Between the two, there's plenty of fourth wall breaking, F-bombs, and freeze frames. If I had to choose between the two, though, I found THE BIG SHORT to be a more focused production and thus far more enriching in the end than WOLF OF WALL STREET. The entire cast (Carell, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt) shines along with a host of impressive supporting players and stellar cameos. Sometimes the quasi-GOODFELLAS approach takes you out of the story, but in all honesty, who can resist a shameless cut to Margot Robbie in a bubble bath explaining how sub-prime loans work?
Macbeth
GRADE: A-
Director Justin Kurzel presents what is perhaps one of the most compelling examples of "cinema as art" of the past several years. Shakespeare's classic tragedy is brought to vivid life by Michael Fassbender in the title role and Marion Cotillard as his muse Lady Macbeth. Both players are revelatory and fit the material beautifully, even if some of it is occasionally too dense and dour to keep up with. If Chivo weren't back in the awards race this year for THE REVENANT, surely MACBETH would be the Oscar frontrunner for best cinematography. If nothing else, the look of the film is simply sublime; like a colorful homage to Bergman.
Room
GRADE: A
ROOM tells the story of a young woman (Brie Larson) and her 5-year old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) who have lived in captivity for years. When they escape the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the fragile pair try to acclimate to life back in the real world. Easily one of the best films of 2015. This is a strong, emotional story that never panders us with clichés and is impeccably acted by Larson, Tremblay and Joan Allen as "Grandma." All three deserve awards consideration; Larson especially will likely have it for Best Actress. ROOM would make a great double feature with Denis Villeneuve's PRISONERS.
Spotlight
GRADE: A+
In SPOTLIGHT, a team of Boston Globe reporters investigate a scandal within the local Catholic archdiocese. For me, I think this is it. This is the film to beat this year. Not only that, but it's probably in my top 5 of the last several years. The ensemble cast is marvelous, working from a near-perfect script by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy. The film takes an honest approach to the world of journalism and doesn't attempt to make idols of the heroes or total pariahs of the villains. I can't help but think what David Fincher might have done with this material, but I appreciate McCarthy's honest, straightforward approach. There's really not enough of that in movies these days. See it ASAP and expect it to have a big presence at the Oscars in February.
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