Directed By: Oren Moverman Written By: Oren Moverman & James Ellroy Cinematography By: Bobby Butowski Editor: Jay Rabinowitz
CAST: Woody Harrelson, Robin Wright-Penn, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Buscemi, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Anne Heche, Ben Foster, Cynthia Nixon, Ned Beatty, Jon Foster, Jon Bernthal
Set in 1999 Los Angeles, veteran police officer Dave Brown, the last of the renegade cops, works to take care of his family, and struggles for his own survival.
Woody Harrelson does what is called for, he seems natural in the role. The film just fails him as it gives us plenty of his background but doesn’t give us a compelling story to follow him through.
I will admit though I was more impressed by his performance in the film THE MESSENGER.
While there is a riveting story and a character study buried in here. It is never utilized to allow a greater more elaborate performance. The film seems misdirected while trying to go natural.
Then all of a sudden artsy camera movements and angles. It’s like the director didn’t know how exactly to set up shots for the best quality of the scene. So he cut together various bad ones. Considering the film is co-written by James Ellroy.
It gets the grittiness correct. As well as the political and inner workings of the L.A.P.D. But half of the bigger name actors seem only to be here in glorified cameos. They seem to only be in the film because they were attracted by the prestige. There is one scene of true originality.
When the chips are down and Woody’s character goes on a bender to an underground Club. Where sex and debauchery are going on all around him. Drunk and on any numerous narcotics. He walks through the club when the screen goes blank and over the next few minutes there are flashes of action bathed in the red light of what is going on in the club. It sneaks up on us and plays like his character going in and out of consciousness. So we are with him throughout the experience. The rest of the film is so unfulfilling that it pushes Mr. Harrelson’s performance to seem great otherwise compared to the rest of the film. Like a consolation prize.
The film shows that he seems to be living the role and reacting to what is thrown at him. Most of the other roles are underwritten and just woven into the tapestry to shape and show unspoken subtle things on the fringes. There are the makings of a great film here.
It’s a shame the film has good actors who seem stuck and misused in film.
Directed By: Phil Lord & Chris Miller Written By: Michael Bacall Story By: Jonah Hill & Michael Bacall Cinematography By: Barry Peterson Editor: Joel Negron
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Alison Brie, Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Chris Parnell, Rob Riggle, Deray Davis, Dakota Johnson, Rye Rye, Caroline Aaron, Ellie Kemper, Jake M. Johnson
In high school, Schmidt (Jonah Hil) was a dork and Jenko (Channing Tatum) was the popular jock. After graduation, both of them joined the police force and ended up as partners riding bicycles in the city park. Since they are young and look like high school students, they are assigned to an undercover unit to infiltrate a drug ring that is supplying high school students with synthetic drugs
First and foremost this is one of the few films that I actually ventured to go see on opening day. Which I haven’t done in years. That is how badly I wanted to see the film. Like SCREAM it not only makes fun and spoofs the conventions of the genre of tv show remakes and buddy films, While soon falling into them and being good at it. Just like SUPERBAD not only does this spoof teens and teenage films. It has moments of emotional truth and kind of being a bromance. It’s not artistic, but it is a really entertaining popcorn film. with quick cuts that don’t make it seem like you have A.D.D.
Channing Tatum is the real surprise in this film. He comes across with charisma and expert comic timing. It’s hard to believe he Turned the film down numerous times until Jonah hill personally reached out and convinced him to take the role. He hasn’t been this interesting as an actor since A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS. They both executive produce the film.
I have to admit when Channing Tatum was first announced to star I thought the film was doomed. But he is one of the elements that make the film a winner.
Jonah Hill plays his usual type of character but brings the laughs and makes it feel new and different each time. He has a way of making moments awkward and true yet bring it around to being funny and always make it feel improvised.
Even if you never watched the show. It’s enjoyable, but if you remember and/or like the show. The film is just incredible. The action scenes are simple yet exciting that make them seem realistic until they get a bit ridiculous and abused. The cameos are great and bring the movie full circle. The film shows the generation gap even though it has only been 7 years and manages of course to include pop-culture references. It truly is a different landscape. The film does still rely on the old television cliché of mixed up identities leading up to half the hilarity. How now what was uncool. Now is cool which a character even comments on.
Dave Franco, James’ Brother finally steps out of his shadow to create a memorable character and handles the role well. Brie Larson who I am a huge fan of from SCOTT PILGRIM Vs. THE WORLD among other films. Which I will admit at times I have watched only because she was in them. Is here as charming as ever in a role originally offered to Emma Stone who couldn’t take the role due to scheduling with another film. It would have been a nice reunion for her and jonah, but the role doesn’t leave her with much to do. It’s nice an experienced newcomer got the chance to play it.
Some things feel like pure comedic inspiration like the characters having to live with his parents makes no sense. Ice Cube as the angry black captain even comments on his own situation. The Rapper who called himself the N*gga you love to hate and used to be anti-cop. Now playing one here is ironic and in a good way.
Jonah hill originally offered the directing gig to Rob Zombie. The film makes fun of all the aspects that the original series held so dear or dealt with as special issues. When the show first premiered I hated it thinking it was a beefcake show of hunks that wasn’t worth my time. My mom liked the show and would always watch it. Then in its second season, there was nothing else on and I decided to watch it and thought it was actually quite decent and stayed a life-long fan. I even watched and enjoyed the spinoff BOOKER.
I even watched it until it’s end in syndication long after Johnny Depp left the show. When only the Captain was the really long-lasting cast member. The show also introduced me to Johnny Depp.
SPOILER
The film unfortunately not only has a cameo by Johnny Depp and Peter Deluise as their characters from the original, But also the death of there characters which really hurt and for the rest of my life I will always see DeRay Davis as the man who killed my favorite TV Cop characters.
I can see that as the main reason why Johnny Depp took the role. As he acknowledges it helped start his career but during his last seasons he hated being on the show. But respected Steven J. Cannell to finish off his contract. Holly Robinson Peete also cameos her character gets to live. At least the characters die giving more meaning to the theme of the film, But still a sad way to go. I would have rather them just go on in my imagination. I could honestly recognize Johnny Depp as his character immediately though he isn’t really revealed until the end. It’s the cadence of his voice. END SPOILER
Written & Directed By: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Cinematography By: Thomas Kloss Editor: Lauren Zuckerman
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Rob Brown, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Gleanne Headly, Brie Larson, Paul Ben-Victor, Italia Ricci, Sarah Dumont
Jon Martello objectifies everything in his life: his apartment, his car, his family, his church, and, of course, women. His buddies even call him Don Jon because of his ability to pull “10s” every weekend without fail. Yet even the finest flings don’t compare to the transcendent bliss he achieves alone in front of the computer watching pornography. Dissatisfied, he embarks on a journey to find a more gratifying sex life, but ends up learning larger lessons of life and love through relationships with two very different women
Directed By: Jordan Vogt-Roberts Written By: Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein & Derek Connolly Story By: John Gatins Based on the Character created By: Merian C.Cooper & Edgar Wallace Cinematography By: Larry Fong Editor: Richard Pearson
Cast: Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John C. Reily, John Goodman, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham, Toby Kebbell, Tian Jing, Thomas Mann, Richard Jenkins, Will Brittain
A diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers unite to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful. Cut off from everything they know, the team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature. As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.
Directed By: Lenny Abrahamson
Written By: Emma Donoghue; Based on her Novel
Cinematography By: Danny Cohen
Editor: Nathan Nugent
Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, Tom McCamus, Sean Bridgers, William H. Macy, Wendy Crewson, Rory O’Shea
ROOM tells the extraordinary story of Jack, a spirited 5-year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted mother. Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, nurturing him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories. Their life, however, is anything but typical–they are trapped–confined to a windowless, 10-by-10-foot space that Ma has euphemistically named Room. Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that, even in this treacherous environment, Jack is able to live a complete and fulfilling life. But as Jack’s curiosity about their situation grows, and Ma’s resilience reaches its breaking point, they enact a risky plan to escape, ultimately bringing them face-to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world.
Directed By: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck Written By: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet Story By: Nicole Perlman, Meg LaFeuve, Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet Cinematography: Ben Davis Editor: Debbie Berman & Elliot Graham
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Annette Bening, Jude Law, Lashana Lynch, Clark Gregg, Lee Pace, Gemma Chan, Dijmon Hounsou
Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.
More like a comic book movie where it seems made more for younger kids and girls in particular to give them a hero to call their own to admire and inspire. That gives off a positive message.
Directed By: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Cut To The Chase 