Category: Reviews

  • ‘Rules Don’t Apply’

    ‘Rules Don’t Apply’

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    Warren Beatty as Howard Hughes in ‘Rules Don’t Apply’

    “If I’d observed all the rules, I’d have never gotten anywhere” – Marilyn Monroe

    Any expectation that Rules Don’t Apply will be a historically accurate telling of the tale of Howard Hughes, you are warned as the film begins that this will not be the movie you will see.  The names and dates have been changed, although not to protect the innocent.

    The film opens in 1964 at a large press conference in Hollywood where reporters are eagerly awaiting a phone call from Howard Hughes.  A biography of Hughes has been published claiming he is incapable of recalling the details of his amazing life and lives in a state of constant depression.  In an Acapulco hotel room, “Frank Forbes” (Alden Ehrenreich) is talking to Hughes through a curtain, imploring him to make the call and prevent control of Hughes’ empire being taken from him.

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    Lily Collins and Annette Bening in’Rules Don’t Apply’

    Flash back to 1958 and we see a Frank who we learn is a devout Methodist from Fresno, CA; who landed a job working for Howard Hughes as a driver right after arriving in Hollywood.  He is dispatched to pick up “Marla Mabery” (Lily Collins) who has just been signed as one of many contract actresses for RKO, Hughes’ movie studio.  Marla’s mother “Lucy” (Annette Bening) is traveling with Marla to chaperone her through the den of iniquity she believes Hollywood to be.

    While the movie’s trailer might make you think the primary story being told is that of an unlikely romance, that notion is set aside from the moment we first encounter Howard Hughes (Beatty).  Like the real man, he is larger than life and at this point he is showing more and more of the eccentricities that dominated the latter portion of his life.  He disdains the public eye and light, spending most of his time in dimly lit settings.

    As the story moves from the flashback forward, we see Frank progress to a more central role in Hughes’ life and business and how he is dragged along when Hughes flees Hollywood for Las Vegas and later points outside the United States.  Things transpire that drive Frank and Marla apart and change all of their lives.  We see Hughes become more and more withdrawn and displaying increasingly odd behavior until we arrive back at the beginning in that hotel room, to wait and see if he will place that very important call.

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    Alden Ehrenreich in ‘Rules Don’t Apply’

    We have seen a number of films depicting either Howard Hughes or someone modeled on him.  “Willard Whyte” in 1971’s James Bond entry Diamonds are Forever is a character based on Hughes.  Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee is on the record saying that Tony Stark, better known as “Iron Man” is also based on Hughes.  Both Jason Robards and Leonardo DiCaprio have played the billionaire in films.  Based on what has been written and told about the man, Beatty’s portrayal of Hughes seems quite realistic.  His performance shows the progression of Hughes from larger-than-life icon to bedridden hermit.  Alden Ehrenreich and Lily Collins have great chemistry.  We are also treated to great visuals of Los Angeles in the era being displayed as well as small turns by a large cast of very talented actors.  Alec Baldwin’s “Robert Maheu” is particularly enjoyable to anyone who knows more than a little about the real man.  Matthew Broderick, Martin Sheen and Candice Bergen have supporting roles and we also see Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Paul Sorvino and Oliver Platt in smaller parts.

    While Frank Forbes and Marla Mabery are not real people, many of the people and almost all of the events depicted are from the actual history of Howard Hughes.  There are many biographies of the man you can pick up to get the “real story” if you wish, after viewing Rules Don’t Apply.

  • ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ Raises the Bar for Teen Angst Films

    ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ Raises the Bar for Teen Angst Films

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    Hailee Steinfeld in ‘The Edge of Seventeen’

    “The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it…” – Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice

    Writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig takes us on a journey through teen angst in the 21st Century in The Edge of Seventeen.  “Nadine Byrd” (Hailee Steinfeld” has made it to her junior year in high school making only one friend along the way, “Krista” (Haley Lu Richardson).  Like most teens, her relationship with her parents is a mixed bag, especially since her older brother “Darian” (Blake Jenner) is the prototype for the perfect child.  Darian is a senior and a major success at the same high school Nadine attends.  Nadin’ts mother “Mona” (Kyra Sedgwick) has ‘issues’ and those are exacerbated when Nadine’s father “Tom” passes away in 2011.  Now it’s 2016 and Nadine’s life is about to get a lot more complicated.

    Nadine finds out that Krista has hooked up with Darian.  Worse yet, it moves from the one-time stage to an ongoing relationship and that causes a major rift between them.  With no one else to turn to, Nadine approaches one of her teachers, “Mr. Bruner” (Woody Harrelson).  She also winds up taking to one of her fellow students, “Erwin” (Hayden Szeto) who is attracted to her, but she only has eyes for “Nick” (Alexander Calvert).

    Kyra Sedgwick in 'The Edge of Seventeen'
    Kyra Sedgwick in ‘The Edge of Seventeen’

    The theme of the isolated outsider teen looking in at the good cliques has been done over and over, making the challenge for Ms Craig a difficult one.  How to achieve separation and make a new mark in the genre.  It is a challenge she overcame with a combination of a great company of actors and some stellar writing.

    Making Ms Craig’s work easier is a performance for Hailee Steinfeld that could be considered a second breakthrough role.  Nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in the remake of True Grit, she’s moved on from precocious 13 year old roles to those of young adult women.  She turns 20 in December and could go on playing teen roles, but she’s proven ready to set her sights higher.

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    Hailee Steinfeld and Hayden Szeto in ‘The Edge of Seventeen’

    One of the things that makes The Edge of Seventeen a standout is how it illustrates how technology has increased rather than eased the angst of being a teen, without hitting the audience over the head with it.  It also uses the very talented Kyra Sedgwick very effectively as the often-absent mother who loves both her children deeply but seems able to communicate with only one of them.  And Woody Harrelson’s work as the teacher who is the kind of teacher we all wanted to have in high school is his best work in the two decades since he soared in The People vs Larry Flynt.

    The “R” rating for language, sexual content and drinking, all by teens seems a bit much, compared to other films that were rated PG that were more inappropriate for a younger audience.  Don’t let that stop you from seeing this winner of a movie.

  • Be sure to visit ‘Manchester by the Sea’

    Be sure to visit ‘Manchester by the Sea’

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    Casey Affleck in ‘Manchester by the Sea’

    Unable are the loved to die.  For love is immortality – Emily Dickinson

    The whole world can become the enemy when you lose what you love – Kristina McMorris

    Manchester by the Sea from writer/director Kenneth Lonergan is a tale of loss and how a man and his teen nephew cope with it.  “Lee Chandler” (Casey Affleck) grew up in the titular town on Cape Ann in Massachusetts but now lives in Boston and works an unsatisfying job as a janitor/handyman.  But his one-room life is turned upside down when his older brother “Joe” (Kyle Chandler) dies suddenly and he has to return home.

    His intent is to spend no more than a week in Manchester by the Sea but that changes when he learns that Joe made him the guardian of Joe’s son “Patrick” (Lucas Hedges).  Patrick is crushed by his father’s death and wants nothing more than to hold on to the existence he knows.  Living in Manchester by the Sea, continuing to go out on his father’s boat, playing hockey and juggling his two girlfriends.  He refuses to consider moving to Boston with his uncle.

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    Lucas Hedges and Casey Affleck in ‘Manchester by the Sea’

    Lee very much wants to find an answer that will allow Patrick to remain where he is, but as the film progresses we see a town that loved Joe, loves Patrick but for the most part wants nothing to do with Lee.  We find out early on that Lee has an ex-wife “Randi” (Michelle Williams) but the reasons for their parting and the tragedy that took place is revealed slowly in flashback form.  It is also the explanation as to why Lee acts the way he acts and is the way he is.  The question is can he find a way to live with his past while helping Patrick build a future.

    Casey Affleck, an actor with a sterling resume and one Oscar nomination for acting already is simply outstanding as Lee.  He captures the man tortured by something in his past that he simply cannot move on from, as well as the uncle who loved his brother unconditionally and want to fulfill that man’s wishes by caring for Patrick.  Lucas Hedges holds his own in every on-screen moment he shares with Affleck.  Michelle Williams has a small but pivotal role and she delivers her usual brilliance.  Gretchen Mol and the rest of the cast are well-matched to their own small parts and play them well.

    The writing is first rate.  There is a realism to the dialogue that helps make the characters and their obstacles present in the room.  The one criticism to be proffered is that there are times when the music being used to enhance the emotion of the moment overpowers them instead.  Lonergan’s weaving of the written with the visual is at its best here, surpassing his prior efforts in Margaret and You Can Count on Me.  There is an utter absence of formulaic elements that is refreshing to find in a movie.  Manchester by the Sea will be in the mix come awards season.

  • ‘Arrival’ is here and there is a lot to like about it

    ‘Arrival’ is here and there is a lot to like about it

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    Amy Adams in ‘Arrival’

    “Science fiction is any idea that occurs in the head and doesn’t exist yet, but soon will, and will change everything for everybody, and nothing will ever be the same again.” – Ray Bradbury

    “Dr. Louise Banks” (Amy Adams) is a renowned professor of linguistics.  She is in the middle of teaching a class when “they” arrive.  They are 12 extremely large spacecraft that spread out across the Earth.  Because of her previous work for Army intelligence, and the fact her higher than Top Secret security clearance is still active, she is recruited by “Colonel Weber” (Forest Whitaker) to work with others to try to decipher the language of the aliens.

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    Amy Adams and Forest Whitaker in ‘Arrival’

    Unknown to the public until later when photos of the interior of the ships are leaked, each of the 12 spacecraft open up at periodic intervals.  At each of the sites scientists go inside to try and communicate with the aliens.  Working with a top theoretical physicist, “Ian Donnelly” (Jeremy Renner), Dr. Banks manages to make breakthroughs in understanding the written language of the aliens.  They are visible through a transparent wall inside the spacecraft but physical contact is not possible.  The scientists label the aliens as “heptopods” because of their physical appearance.  Dr. Banks and Ian come up with interesting nicknames for the two heptopods inside the spacecraft at their location in Montana.

    Tensions around the world rise quickly to panic levels, and the posture of “General Shang” (Tzi Ma), leader of the People’s Liberation Army of China isn’t helping.  He is making dire threats about destroying the vessel that landed in China.

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    Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner in ‘Arrival’

    As Dr. Banks and Ian make more progress in understanding the language of the aliens, she also begins to have what seem to be flashbacks of encounters with her daughter, “Hannah” (played by several different young actresses at the various stages of her life).  These flashbacks may or may not lead to the answer to the big question.  Are the heptopods here to unite us, or to tear us apart?    As tensions are further inflamed and the satellite communication links between the twelve sites  are taken down, it becomes even more urgent for Dr. Banks and Ian to solve the mystery.

    This is smart sci-fi movie-making.  Based on an award-winning sci-fi short story written by Ted Chiang, director Denis Villeneuve and screenwriter Eric Heisserer worked to film their film with “real” science to go with the story’s fiction.  Few films will properly tell a story involving Fermat’s principle and make proper distinctions between written languages that are and are not based on the sounds of the spoken language.  Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner are very good, together and separately in this movie.  Some might say that this is one of her best efforts yet and when you consider that she is already a five-time Academy Award nominee, that’s saying something.

    Sadly, the tremendous talents of Forest Whitaker are wasted here, given his limited moments onscreen and the ever-changing accents in which his lines are delivered.

    Ultimately Arrival is uneven.  Brilliant in some sequences, and pedestrian in others.  Overall, it’s above average but not the stellar interstellar sci-fi epic it might have been.  The prototypical paranoiac CIA operative (Michael Stuhlbarg) does little to drive the story and his presence is very formulaic.   The slightly under two-hour running time works in the film’s favor, as there aren’t any lingering exteriors or other wasted moments that excising would have made this a better movie.  In the end, it is worthwhile to arrive at the auditorium to see Arrival.

  • ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’ meanders and gets nowhere slowly

    ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’ meanders and gets nowhere slowly

    Joe Alwyn in 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk'
    Joe Alwyn in ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’

    “In war the heroes always outnumber the soldiers ten to one.” – H. L. Mencken

    ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’ is the big screen adaptation of an outstanding debut novel by Ben Fountain.  His spectacular satire of the Gulf War and how it was perceived by those who had no real stake in fighting it deserved better than this movie version.  The raves for director Ang Lee’s choice to go with the 120fps, 3-d technology are well deserved.  It is candy to the eye and almost makes up for what’s wrong with the telling of the story.

    Newcomer Joe Alwynn is the titular character, a man who was forced to enlist in the all-volunteer Army in order to avoid jail-time for something he did after his older sister “Kathryn”  was dumped by her fiance.  He winds up in a squad of soldiers led by “Shroom” (Vin Diesel) who appears to be a mixture of Yoda and Rambo.

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    Vin Diesel in ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’

    In a battle captured by a news camera, Billy becomes a hero when he prevents Shroom from being taken prisoner and for his heroism, he is awarded the Silver Star.   This leads to Billy, the squad’s new leader “SSgt David Dime” (Garrett Hudlund) and the rest of the squad being sent back to the U.S. by the Bush Administration for a “victory tour.”  The two week odyssey will wrap up at the annual Thanksgiving NFL game hosted by the Dallas Cowboys and their owner, “Norm Oglesby” (Steve Martin).  The squad is traveling with “Albert” (Chris Tucker) who is trying to make a deal to turn the squad’s story into a movie that will garner each of the members a payday of $100,000.  Then there’s “Josh” (Ben Platt) who is the Cowboy organization employee responsible for taking care of the squad during their time at the stadium.

    The film takes place on that Thanksgiving day, although there are flashbacks to Iraq, Billy’s return home at the outset of the victory tour and to other important moments in his life.  The battle sequences are spaced out and the end of that battle isn’t revealed until late in the film’s final act.  The soldiers are thanked, questioned, displayed and basically used as a public relations tool to promote a war whose purpose is called into question in several ways.

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    Newcomer Joe Alwynn does a great job as Billy Lynn, a man being pulled in so many directions by so many different people and agendas that it is a miracle he doesn’t just explode. Garrett Hedlund is perfect as the squad leader whose sardonic worldview pushes but doesn’t cross the very edge of the envelope of acceptability.  For Steve Martin and Chris Tucker, this is their first live action films in several years, but you wouldn’t know it based on their solid turns in interesting roles for each.

    The pacing feels wrong in several places, moving too quickly or too slowly.  In the end, while the novel is highly recommended, the same cannot be said of the film adaptation.

  • ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ cuts through to the very horrors of war and the bravery of one hero

    ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ cuts through to the very horrors of war and the bravery of one hero

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    Andrew Garfield in ‘Hacksaw Ridge’

    “War does not determine who is right.  Only who is left.” – Bertrand Russell

    “Heroism is endurance for one moment more.” – George F. Kennan

    The first film Mel Gibson has directed in nearly a decade, Hacksaw Ridge is based on the true story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a man who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during World War II.  Every story of the 466 Americans who were awarded the Medal of Honor for service during World War II is amazing and compelling, but among them the story of Private First Class Doss is unique.  That is because he was the first man to receive our nation’s highest award for bravery while serving as a Conscientious Objector.

    Doss was born and raised in Lynchburg, VA, son of Tom (Hugo Weaving) and Bertha (Rachel Griffiths) Doss.  Tom had fought in World War I and did not want to see Desmond or his brother Hal (Nathaniel Buzolic) enlist after Pearl Harbor.  Desmond encounters Dorothy Schutte, a nurse at a hospital after he saves a man’s life and they fall in love.  She also doesn’t want to see Desmond go off to war, but when he says he will enlist, they agree to marry when he gets his first leave to come home.

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    Teresa “Tez” Palmer and Andrew Garfield in ‘Hacksaw Ridge’

    Problems arise when Doss arrives at Fort Jackson for basic training.  He informs his drill instructor, “Sergeant Howell” (Vince Vaughn, portraying a composite character) that he will not handle a weapon.  Doing so would go against his Seventh-Day Adventist beliefs.  His company commander, Captain Jack Glover (Sam Worthington) wants him out of the Army.  Howell manages to turn most of the other members of the platoon against Doss, as they are convinced he is merely a coward.  Glover’s desire to drum Doss out of the Army nearly comes to pass as Doss is brought to court-martial but thanks to a timely intervention, he is allowed to go with his unit to Okinawa.

    The name of the movie was the WWII nickname of the Maeda Escarpment, which was defended by a mass of well dug-in Japanese Imperial Army soldiers.  The assault by Doss’ unit is initially successful but they are forced to retreat by a Japanese counterattack.  All of them descend down the rope ladder on the escarpment’s face except Doss.  He plans to rescue as many of the wounded as he can, under the cover of a Naval artillery barrage.

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    Hugo Weaving in ‘Hacksaw Ridge’

    There has been a trend in making war films, World War II films in particular since 1998’s Saving Private Ryan to deglamorize war and the ugly violence that results.  Hacksaw Ridge is no exception as we see graphic violence and gruesome deaths taking place at a frenetic pace on the battlefield.  Mel Gibson’s last war movie in which he starred (but did not direct) We Were Soldiers did this well, but Hacksaw Ridge does it even better.

    Andrew Garfield plays the role quite well, giving substance to the man who wanted to serve but refused to kill because of his beliefs.  He and Teresa Palmer have terrific chemistry and as always, the camera simply adores her.  But the truly stellar performance here is that of Vince Vaughn.  As good as he is in the plethora of comedic movies he does, he excels doing the dramatic turn here.

    (Original Caption) President Truman awarding Congressional Medal of Honor to Corporal Desmond Doss of Lynchburg, Va., a conscientious objector who served in Medical Corps.
    President Truman awarding Congressional Medal of Honor to Corporal Desmond Doss of Lynchburg, Va., a conscientious objector who served in Medical Corps.

    There are those who may not be happy with the poetic license taken in bringing the story of Desmond Doss to the big screen.  In the film it seems like his military service starts and ends in 1945 at the Maeda Escarpment but the reality is he enlisted in 1942 and saw action in the Battles of Guam and Leyte prior to his exploits at Hacksaw Ridge.  It also telescopes his heroism there into a much shorter time frame than the actual three week period during which they took place.

    Hacksaw Ridge was in “development hell” for over a decade but the truth is that people have been trying and failing to tell his story on the big screen for many decades.  Casablanca producer Hal B. Wallis and actor/producer Audie Murphy (himself a Medal of Honor recipient) met with Doss who turned down their entreaties to tell his tale.  We are all fortunate that prior to his passing in 2006, Desmond Doss finally consented to his story being made into a movie.  It is an amazing story and an awesome film.

  • The strange thing about ‘Doctor Strange’ is that it manages to exceed the high expectations

    The strange thing about ‘Doctor Strange’ is that it manages to exceed the high expectations

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    Benedict Cumberbatch is ‘Doctor Strange’

    “I believe we live in a multiverse of universes.” – Author and physicist Michio Kaku

    Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal.  It is also the location of “Kamar-Taj,” the secret home of the “Ancient One” (Tilda Swinton).  Doctor Strange opens in the libary at Kamar-Taj where “Kaecillius” (Mads Mikkelsen) and his zealots break in and murder the librarian.  Then he steals pages from one of the forbidden texts of the Ancient One and flees.

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    Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel McAdams in ‘Doctor Strange’

    “Doctor Steven Vincent Strange” (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a renowned neurosurgeon.  To label him as arrogant is a major understatement.  He makes retired neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate Ben Carson, and fictional neurosurgeon Derek Sheppard of “Grey’s Anatomy” fame look downright humble by comparison.  His career as a surgeon but not his arrogance is destroyed in a car accident.  In spite of support from his colleague and former lover “Christine Palmer” (Rachel McAdams), he sees himself as having no future.  At least until he learns of a man named “Jonathan Pangborn” (Benjamin Bratt).  Pangborn suffered a severed spinal cord and yet somehow is able to walk and live a full life now.  Strange asks Pangborn how this came to be and Pangborn tells him the answer is to be found in Kamar-Taj.

    Using what little resources he has left, after unsuccessfully pursuing every experimental procedure to restore his hands to allow him to return to performing surgery, Doctor Strange journeys to Kathmandu and searches for Kamar-Taj.  Eventually he encounters “Mordo” (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who takes him to meet the Ancient One.  Initially she refuses to teach him because of the aforementioned arrogance, but eventually he becomes her student.

    Tilda Swinton and Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Doctor Strange'
    Tilda Swinton and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange’

    As her student he learns of the existence of the multiverse and the three Sanctums (Hong Kong, London and New York) that protect the Earth from other dimensions.  That the sorcerers, led by the Ancient One who is also the Supreme Sorcerer protect those Sanctums to protect the world.

    When Kaecilius and his zealots begin to attack the Sanctums in an effort to allow “Dormammu” from the dark dimensions access to Earth, Doctor Strange must help the Ancient One, Mordo and “Wong” (Benedict Wong) who is the new librarian at Kamar-Taj defend the Sanctums against this assault.  To give more details than these is to engage in a level of spoiler would be to do a disservice to those who might read this review prior to viewing the film.

    Mads Mikkelsen in 'Doctor Strange'
    Mads Mikkelsen in ‘Doctor Strange’

    The casting, except possibly that of Tilda Swinton is close to perfection.  Considering that in the Marvel comic books, as created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the Ancient One was an Asian man, whitewashing is a charge that has been leveled against the film’s producers.  It isn’t that Swinton wasn’t outstanding in the role, as she was.  Given the current diversity dialogue underway in the entertainment industry this is something that cannot be ignored.  Benedict Cumberbatch is marvelous (pun intended) in the lead role.  Mads Mikkelsen always gives great villain.  Rachel McAdams’ role is small but she makes the most of every moment.

    Doctor Strange is the 14th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  It is as good or better than any of the first 13 when it comes to visual imagery, special effects and action sequences.  One semi-spoiler.  Don’t be fooled by the first post-credits Easter Egg and head for the exit.  Wait for the entire end of movie credits to roll.  You won’t be sorry.

  • ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’ wasn’t worth the first visit, never mind going back

    ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’ wasn’t worth the first visit, never mind going back

    Tom Cruise in 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back'
    Tom Cruise in ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’

    “I am a fan of sequels even though they are inevitably awful” – Joss Whedon

    There are notable exceptions to Joss Whendon’s description of sequels being inevitably awful. The Godfather II.  The Dark Knight Rises.    Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Unfortunately, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back won’t be on that list.

    Tom Cruise reprises his role as the former Army officer turned drifter and righter of wrongs.  He’s on his way to finally meet Army Major “Susan Turner” (Cobie Smulders) in Washington, D.C.  They’ve become phone pals as a result of several of Reacher’s recent escapades, and the fact she now holds his old job as commanding officer of an CID unit.  But by the time he gets to her office, she has been arrested and charged with espionage.  “Colonel Sam Morgan” (Holt McCallany) informs Reacher of this fact.  He also lets him know that a paternity claim was filed with the Army claiming that Reacher is the father of 15 year-old “Samantha Dayton” (Danika Yarosh).

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    Cobie Smulders, Danika Yarosh and Tom Cruise in ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’

    Reacher suspects that Major Turner has been framed and info he gets from her attorney (Robert Catrini) supports that suspicion. It also results in Reacher being arrested after he is framed for the murder of the attorney.  This allows him to prevent the murder of Major Turner and break both of them out of the military detention facility.  They also have to rescue Samantha from the employees of the military contractor, Para Systems that are behind all of the killings.  The conspiracy seems to involve the illegal sales of weapons in Afghanistan that were supposed to be disposed of by Para Systems.  But is that the only thing this military contractor, run by former General “James Harkness” (Robert Knepper) is up to?

    The major differences between this and the original are that the first film was darn good and there is a different director at the helm of this sequel.  Edward Zwick took over from Christopher McQuarrie and given the strength of Mr. Zwick’s directorial resume that seemed a good choice.  Maybe it’s the execution of the adaptation of the novel by Lee Child.

    Patrick Heusinger in 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back'
    Patrick Heusinger in ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’

    Whenever the fault lies, the best thing that can be said about this movie is that it isn’t plain awful.  It’s simply boring.  The only compelling character is Major Turner and this has as much to do with the limited life that the very talented Cobie Smulders managed to breathe into her.  Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher is much weaker than his original turn as the outsized outsider.  Even the action sequences are pedestrian and may have the audience checking the number of minutes before the movie mercifully ends.  Danika Yarosh is interesting in her role, and Patrick Heusinger does well as the assassin seeking to kill Jack Reacher, even after the mystery has been unraveled and the rest of the guilty parties are in custody with bleak futures.

    The Jack Reacher novels are great and worth of better adaptations than this.  Hopefully the next time Jack Reacher reaches the big screen, it will be in a better movie.

  • ‘The Handmaiden’ is a terrific South Korean adaptation of an English-language novel

    ‘The Handmaiden’ is a terrific South Korean adaptation of an English-language novel

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    Min-hee Kim and Kim Tae-ri in ‘The Handmaiden’

    “It’s called a confidence game. Why? Because you give me your confidence? No. Because I give you mine.”  – Joe Mantegna as “Mike” in 1987’s House of Games.

    The Handmaiden is an elegant film that seems at first glance to be the story of an heiress being scammed out of her fortune by two opportunistic con artists.  But as the story unfolds we learn there is a lot more going on here than that first glance shows.

    “Hideko” (Min-hee Kim) live in the mansion owned by her uncle “Kouziki” (Jin-woong Jo) and she is the target of the aforementioned con artists.  “Count Fujiwara” (Jung-woo Ha) is the identity of a Korean man who has been planning this operation for some time.  He spent time in Japan and now, as a member of Japanese nobility, he is positioned to make his move.  He arranges for “Sook-Hee” (Kim Tae-ri) to become the new handmaiden to Hideko as part of the scheme.  As “Tamako” she is the perfect handmainden for Hideko, fluent in both Korean and Japanese and quite attentive.  But it is her background as pickpocket, thief and opportunist that makes her the perfect partner for the Count’s plan.

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    Min-hee Kim and Jin-woong Jo in ‘The Handmaiden’

    Hideko’s uncle plans to ultimately marry his niece, to take full control of the wealth she inherited, in order to continue financing his lifestyle and his adoration of his large library of erotic novels.  He has trained Hideko since she was young to provide dramatic readings of these novels, which he then auctions off to his select clientele of wealthy men.  Of course, the books he is actually parting with aren’t the originals, but cleverly-made forgeries.

    However Count Fujiwara’s plans is for him to court Hideko, and with Tamako providing the right encouragement, convince her to come to Japan with him to marry.  Then once they are wed, he will arrange for Hideko to be committed to an institution for the insane, and he and Sook-Hee will split her wealth and go on to lead wonderful lives.

    Prior to the explosion of poker’s popularity in 2004 with the first World Series of Poker win by a true amateur, there was an old saying around Las Vegas poker rooms.  If a player took a look around the table and couldn’t identify which player was the actual “sucker”, then they needed to look in a mirror.  The same can be said of confidence games, as they are little more than musical chairs played out until the last person standing is the one who has been taken.  The Handmaiden is all about who is actually conning whom and who will be left standing and held to answer.  The answer may be predictable to the particularly observant viewer, but even the keenest eyed member of the audience is in for a series of surprises.

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    Jung-woo Ha and Min-hee Kim in ‘The Handmaiden’

    Director Chan-Wook Park, who did a fine job adapting Fingersmith, the novel by Sarah Waters, mixes great performances by his company in front of a lush visual backdrop of 1930’s era Korea and in the final act, Japan.  While the characters all speak both Japanese and Korean, the subtitles make the distinction between the two by use of white text for Korean and yellow text for Japanese.

    Be warned that there are several fairly graphic sex scenes and near the end some gruesomeness that some may find unsettling.  Don’t let that stop you from seeing this excellent motion picture.

  • There is no denying that ‘Denial’ is terrific

    There is no denying that ‘Denial’ is terrific

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    Rachel Weisz as Deborah Lipstadt in ‘Denial’

    “God must have been on leave during the Holocaust” – Simon Wiesenthal

    “There is nothing that compares to the Holocaust” – Fidel Castro

    “The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation’s history. I mean in this century’s history. But we all lived in this century. I didn’t live in this century” – Dan Quayle

    In 1993 Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) published her second book, Denying the Holocaust: The Assault on Truth and Memory.  In that book she accused David Irving (Timothy Spall who was brilliant as “Simon Graham” in ‘The Last Samurai’) of being a Holocaust Denier.  Irving was a noted military historian until he began denying that the Holocaust actually took place.

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    Timothy Spall as David Irving in ‘Denial’

    His place in the spotlight fading rapidly, Irving decides the only way to regain relevance was to file a lawsuit against Ms Lipstadt and her publisher, Penguin Books.  He sued in the United Kingdom, where libel laws work differently than they do in the U.S.  In the U.S., the burden is on the plaintiff to prove what the defendant said or published was false.  In the UK, the burden is on the defendant to prove that what they said or wrote was in fact, the truth.

    Denial is the translation of Ms Lipstadt’s book chronicling the trial that took place in London to the big screen.  It examines the preparation for the trial, where Deborah worked with solicitor Anthony Julius (Andrew Scott) and barrister Richard Rampton (Tom Wilkinson).  Another way that the British legal system is different than the American system is that one lawyer works to prepare the case for trial while another lawyer actually represents the client in the courtroom.

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    Tom Wilkinson as Richard Rampton at Auschwitz in ‘Denial’

    The trial did not begin until several years passed since it was filed.  A massive research effort was undertaken by the legal team for the defense and part of that is explored in the film.  Of particular note is a trip made by Ms Lipstadt and Mr. Rampton to Auschwitz, where several pivotal moments in the movie take place.  The trial itself is the meat and potatoes of this film and the actors do not disappoint inside and outside of the courtroom.

    Rachel Weisz, who earned an Academy Award for The Constant Gardener is amazing in her portrayal of Deborah Lipstadt.  She nails every nuance of the real-life woman she is playing on the big screen including the accent and other nuances of speech.  She was the perfect choice for this role.  To borrow from 1992’s A Few Good Men, watching Tom Wilkinson “thunder away” at Timothy Spall during his examination in the courtroom was worth the price of admission alone.

    David Hare’s screenplay, an adaptation of Ms Lipstadt’s own tome on the trial is solid.  The film’s 110 minute run time is crisp and there are almost no wasted moments.  Well worth your time.