Category: Reviews

  • ‘The Company You Keep’ has a great cast… too bad the script isn’t as good

    ‘The Company You Keep’ has a great cast… too bad the script isn’t as good

    Robert Redford stars in and directs 'The Company You Keep'
    Robert Redford stars in and directs ‘The Company You Keep’

    Redford produces, directs and stars in this film that takes a look at the life of a man who has been on the run for more than three decades.

    “Sharon Solarz” (Sarandon) is a suburban housewife in upstate New York who is suddenly arrested by a swarm of FBI agents.  She’s been exposed as one of the members of the Weather Underground Organization, known as the “Weathermen”.  She was involved in a bank robbery where a guard was murdered.

    “Ben Shepard” (LaBeouf) is a reporter for the Albany local paper and he’s taken to task by his editor “Ray” (Tucci) for failing to uncover this story.  He challenges Ben to bring him a real story.  So Ben finds out that Sharon talked to “Billy” (Root), another local, about turning herself in.  Billy had gone to see local attorney “Jim Grant” (Redford) after Sharon was arrested to urge him to take the case.

    Shia LeBeouf in 'The Company You Keep'
    Shia LeBeouf in ‘The Company You Keep’

    Grant, a public-interest lawyer, refused.  Ben manages to connect the dots and uncovers the startling fact that Jim Grant is actually “Nick Sloan”, who is also wanted taking part in that bank robbery.  This forces Nick to go on the run, leaving his young daughter “Isabel” (Evancho) in the hands of his brother “Daniel” (Cooper).

    Nick wants to find another of the former Weathermen, “Mimi Lurie” (Christie), because she holds the key to his ability to live out his life raising his daughter.  Meanwhile, Ben keeps digging and gets closer and closer to finding his man.

    The concept of a man forced to go on the run for something 30 years in his past isn’t new and this isn’t a ground-breaking film.  It does take the position that ending the war in Vietnam was a proper goal for the Weathermen to seek to achieve, although one of its problems is that it doesn’t take the pro or the con position regarding their violent methods.  It is labeled as a thriller but there just aren’t quite enough thrills in the ‘chase’ portion of the movie.

    The casting is wonderful and it’s a shame that such a talented company of actors didn’t have a more worthy story to work with.  Their performances are all very strong and that alone makes it worth watching.  In the end, the cast is the company you want to keep on the screen, even when the story is not first rate.

  • ‘Lucky Bastard’ is graphic, disturbing and excellent

    ‘Lucky Bastard’ is graphic, disturbing and excellent

    Betsy Rue as porn star “Ashley Saint” in the film ‘Lucky Bastard’

    The found footage genre can trace its origins back to 1980’s Cannibal Holocaust.  To be effective, a found footage film needs to create a strong illusion that what the audience is seeing is actual footage recorded by the characters.

    Lucky Bastard uses an effective method for this and that is just one of the things that make this a very good film.

    At first glance it would be easy to just dismiss this movie as nothing more than “Para-Pornal Activity”.  It would be wrong to do so. Make no mistake, Lucky Bastard is rated NC-17; meaning some viewers will find the material disturbing and potentially offensive.  It is not for the faint of heart.  The portrayals of sex are graphic, but this is a movie about people who make internet porn.  So how else to tell the tale without going there?  They went there and they made a movie well worth watching.

    “Mike” (Don McManus) runs a website called ‘Lucky Bastard’ and aside from the normal portrayals of sex acts between paid porn pros, its real gimmick is that subscribers can enter a “contest” to win a chance to have sex with a real porn star.  The catch is that the winner must allow for his experience to be recorded and viewed by all of the other subscribers.  It is done in such a way as to humiliate and make the winner look really bad.  But considering that the membership is paying Mike $30 a month to subscribe to his site, there’s an audience that wants to see just that.

    Jay Paulson is the 'Lucky Bastard'
    Jay Paulson is the ‘Lucky Bastard’

    One of his biggest stars is the lovely “Ashley Saint” (Betsy Rue) and he approaches her about starring in the most recent winner’s ‘movie’.  She doesn’t like the look of “Dave” (Jay Paulson) and doesn’t want to be involved in working with an “amateur” but Mike makes it worth her wild.  Mike and his crew of cameraman “Kris” (Chris Wylde), “Nico” (Lanny Joon) and his girfrlend/aspiring porn star “Casey” (Catherine Annette) will all be there at the rented house for the filming of Ashley’s scene with Dave.  Turns out that Ashley’s instincts were right and soon things go very wrong for everyone.

    It is not easy to write characters with depth and even more difficult to portray them.  The entire cast is great but in particular McManus, Paulson and Rue deliver awesome, authentic performances.  Annette doesn’t get as much screen time but she makes the most of every minute, particularly in a scene where she stands up for herself in stark, strident fashion.

    One of the great aspects of this film, thanks to writers Nathan (who directed) and Kendall is that they make the audience understand that the people who make porn are real people, with homes, bills, and kids to care for.  Too often the media’s portrayals of those who work in this industry are dehumanizing.  It also manages; in spite of what some feminists might claim, to actually empower the two main female characters.  They are strong, don’t put up with nonsense and to them, having sex in front of a camera is merely acting.

    Again, be warned that there is graphic sex and very realistic violence in this film.  But if you can handle that kind of thing, you won’t be sorry you took a chance on Lucky Bastard.

  • ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ fires for effect and is on-target

    ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ fires for effect and is on-target

    Dwayne Johnson is 'Roadblock' in 'G.I. Joe Retaliation'
    Dwayne Johnson is ‘Roadblock’ in ‘G.I. Joe Retaliation’

    You don’t need to have seen the first G.I. Joe film to see G.I. Joe:  Retaliation, but it might help to understand what’s going on.

    The “Cobra-Commander” (Bracey) is being held in a “special” prison in East Germany.  The G.I. Joes, led by their commander “Duke” (Tatum), are sent on a mission to seize nuclear weapons in Pakistan.  The mission is a success and the team is awaiting extraction when they come under a sudden and violent attack.

    Adrianne Palicki is sexy and deadly in 'G.I. Joe Retaliation'
    Adrianne Palicki is sexy and deadly in ‘G.I. Joe Retaliation’

    Everyone on the team dies, except “Roadblock” (Johnson), “Flint” (Cotrona) and “Lady Jaye” (Palicki).  They were betrayed by the “President” (Pryce)… except that it isn’t really the president.  He is in the hands of “Zartan” (Vosloo), who is using technology to impersonate him.

    The three survivors, mourning the loss of their teammates, especially Duke, return to the U.S. and set up shop in an abandoned rec center in the inner city.  While this is going on, “Storm Shadow” (Byung-hun) impersonates “Snake Eyes” (Park) to be imprisoned with the Cobra-Commander.  Once inside he manages to break them both out, aided by “Firefly” (Stevenson).  Storm Shadow is hurt and goes into the mountains to recuperate, where  Snake Eyes and “Jinx” (Yung) aim to capture him.

    Channing Tatum returns as 'Duke' to fight alongside Dwayne Johnson (as 'Roadblock') in 'G.I. Joe Retaliation'
    Channing Tatum returns as ‘Duke’ to fight alongside Dwayne Johnson (as ‘Roadblock’) in ‘G.I. Joe Retaliation’

    Needing help to foil the plans of the Cobra-Commander, Roadblock and crew visit retired “General Joseph Colton” (Willis) to try to find out if the President really is who he is supposed to be.  Zartan, still pretending to be President, organizes a meeting of the leaders of the eight nations that have nuclear weapons, to try to achieve a nuclear-free world.  But the Cobra-Commander has a different agenda and it is up to the Joes to save the world once again.

    The beautiful Elodie Yung is really bad luck in 'G.I. Joe Retaliation' as 'Jinx'
    The beautiful Elodie Yung is really bad luck in ‘G.I. Joe Retaliation’ as ‘Jinx’

    The plot is predictable.  That’s not a surprise or unexpected in and of itself.  What was surprising is that director Jon M. Chu manages to deliver a fine mix of great action with just the right touch of humor to give audiences a nicely done popcorn flick.

    There are the usual very minor missed details regarding things military, questionable science behind plot points and more; however, those things don’t detract from the fact this is a lot of fun to watch.  He may not be using the name “The Rock” in his films, but Dwayne Johnson portrays the kind of rock-hard enlisted man who rises to the rank of Sergeant-Major in the Special Forces; and who has the ability to take charge and assure victory.  Cotrona and Palicki are good as his team members and it’s nice to see Jonathan Pryce in a role where he can shine like this.  He gives both sides of the good/evil coin quite well.

  • Take a trip to ‘The Place Beyond The Pines’ – it’s worth the journey

    Take a trip to ‘The Place Beyond The Pines’ – it’s worth the journey

    Ryan Gosling in 'The Place Beyond the Pines'
    Ryan Gosling in ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’

    There is a word Native Americans use for what they referred to as The Place Beyond the Pines (in those words, more or less).  That word is Schenectady, which is where this movie takes place.

    It begins when “Luke Glanton” (Ryan Gosling) walks out of his dressing room and heads for his motorcycle.  He is part of a carnival and rides that motorcycle along with two other riders inside a metal ball.  The danger is obvious but there is no fear to be seen or sensed in Luke.

    A woman shows up for his performance, a woman from his past.

    Eva Mendes in 'The Place Beyond the Pines'
    Eva Mendes in ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’

    “Romina” (Eva Mendes) is a woman that he once had a relationship with.  He left without saying goodbye and she just wanted to see him before the carnival left town.  It is only there once a year.  But curious as to why she showed up now, Luke goes to her house and learns that he has a son.

    He decides to stay in town.  Soon, he is living in a trailer owned by “Robin” (Ben Mendelsohn), who also gives him some work as a mechanic.  But it isn’t enough to get by on and provide for Romina and their son, and soon Luke is willing to go along with Robin’s scheme to rob local banks.  This will put Luke into conflict with Officer “Avery Cross” (Bradley Cooper), a law school graduate whose wife “Jennifer” (Rose Byrne) doesn’t want him working as a cop.

    Bradley Cooper in 'The Place Beyond the Pines'
    Bradley Cooper in ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’

    There are really three segments of this film, shown in linear structure but nicely woven together.  The opening segment involves Luke and the problems he faces in changing his life to regain Romina and be a good father.  The middle segment involves Avery dealing with corruption within his police department, and changing his future.  But it is the film’s third segment that is the most interesting.  Luke and Romina’s son “Jason” (Dane DeHaan) is attending the local high school when “AJ” (Emory Cohen) becomes a student there.  AJ is the son of Cross and has come to live with his father, who is now a candidate for the office of state’s Attorney General.  There are unresolved issues involving Avery, AJ and Jason that will be resolved before the film ends.

    The trio of segments are self-contained and could have been broken up easily into three one-hour TV dramas.  But it belongs on the big screen.  It is taut and fraught with tension, and has a very pleasing look to it.  The acting and direction are superb, especially the two young men portraying the teenagers who might have been friends if it weren’t for the actions of their fathers when they were infants.  Ray Liotta does corrupt better than almost any actor of his generation and is always a joy to watch.  This might be the best work Mendes has done thus far.  The Place Beyond the Pines is a great place for a moviegoer to be.

  • Pour yourself a cup from ‘The Brass Teapot’, it will taste wonderful

    Pour yourself a cup from ‘The Brass Teapot’, it will taste wonderful

    Juno Temple and Michael Angaro sleeping with 'The Brass Teapot'
    Juno Temple and Michael Angaro sleeping with ‘The Brass Teapot’

    At first glance The Brass Teapot may look like the latest in a long line of films that are examining the classic moral question of good versus evil and whether or not good can be tempted to become evil.  But director Ramaa Mosley and writer Tim Macy have actually crafted a movie that examines much more relevant and timely questions.  Why is it that people think that “stuff” equals happiness?  Why is it when they get the stuff they want, they still aren’t happy?

    “Alice” (Juno Temple) and “John” (Michael Angaro) are a very happily married young couple, who are struggling financially in their otherwise nearly idyllic existence.  True they have a problem with a crass landlord, relatives who would try the patience of Job and John’s boss; who could have driven Carrie Nation to alcoholism.  Then there’s the issue of Alice’s lack of a graduate degree preventing her from getting the kind of job she wants and believe she is qualified for.

    INTERVIEW: Director Ramaa Mosley talks humor, and ‘Close Encounters’

    The situation gets worse and then while out in the countryside for a drive, they are involved in a car accident.  As a result Alice wanders into a roadside antique store and decides to abscond with a beautiful brass teapot she’d seen the shop’s owner (an elderly lady) hiding earlier.

    "John" and "Alice" discussing 'The Brass Teapot'
    “John” and “Alice” discussing ‘The Brass Teapot’

    Alice is doing a routine task with the teapot nearby when she burns herself.  The teapot rattles and she finds hundred-dollar bills inside of it.  Soon she realizes that by causing herself or John severe pain, the teapot will give them lots and lots of money.  They find inventive ways to cause each other and themselves pain.  Alice gets a “Brazilian” waxing, John gets into a fight in a bar and more.  But soon the teapot is giving them less and less money and they must find new ways to get it to pay off.

    Meanwhile, a pair of Hasidic Jewish men are attempting to get the teapot back, claiming it was stolen.  Alice is hiding information she’s learned about it from John because she doesn’t want to give it up.  “Dr. Ling” (Stephen Park) comes to town to try to talk them into giving him the teapot.  He is from the Theosophist Society, an organization that has known about the true nature of the teapot for centuries and has spent that time trying to prevent anyone else from being corrupted by it.  As Alice becomes more enmeshed in the teapot’s “power” the question is whether or not she and John can survive.

    The story is clever, the premise original and the execution nearly flawless.  There is plenty of humor and while much of it is dark, it doesn’t go too far in any way.  Temple and Angaro have great chemisty (they are now dating in real-life) and the rest of the cast are thoroughly enjoyable in their roles.  Bobby Moynihan and Alia Shawkat as the married couple who are the best friends of John and Alice are particularly good.  It is a lovely film visually, making great use of color and costumes.

    You should pour yourself a large cup from The Brass Teapot.

  • ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ is a throwback to the popcorn-action flicks of yesteryear

    ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ is a throwback to the popcorn-action flicks of yesteryear

    Gerard Butler in 'Olympus Has Fallen'
    Gerard Butler in ‘Olympus Has Fallen’

    Inside the auditorium you’ve stepped into a time-warp.  You are back in the 1980s, the era of big-action movies with cheesy music, lots of bad-guys and some innocents going down and the hero or heroes always save the world just in the nick of time.  Stir in some modern special effects and technology and take out the cheesy music and you have Olympus Has Fallen.

    “Mike Banning” is a Secret Service agent and as the film begins, he is the head of the President’s protective detail.  He is well-liked by “President Asher” (Eckhart), First Lady “Margaret Asher” (Judd) and their son “Connor” (Jacobsen).  They have to leave Camp David in a driving blizzard in a motorcade to get them to a fundraiser.  There is a problem en-route.  A problem with a tragic end.

    Morgan Freeman in 'Olympus Has Fallen'
    Morgan Freeman in ‘Olympus Has Fallen’

    Eighteen months later, Banning is working a desk at the Treasury Department, not far from the White House.  He wants to get back to work on the protective detail but the President doesn’t want to be reminded of that night.  However, Secret Service Director “Lynn Jacobs” (Bassett) is working on it for Banning.  Banning’s marriage to “Lynn” (Mitchell) is a bit strained because he hates working a desk.

    The South Korean Prime Minister is coming to visit as tensions are high on the Korean peninsula.  He and his security team are brought into the White House and suddenly all hell breaks loose.  Aerial attack, terrorists on the ground and among the PM’s security detail manage to overcome all resistance.  When the attack is over, they are in firm control of “Olympus”, the Secret Service code word for the White House; and making demands.  The President and his key cabinet members are being held prisoner in a bunker deep beneath the building.  Connor is being sought by the terrorists to use as leverage against the President.  However; during the fighting, Banning manages to get inside the White House.  He becomes a one-man wrecking crew, trying to locate and free Connor, and then the President and others being held.  Time is of the essence as the terrorists have demanded the U.S. pull out of Korea by dawn.  Also, there is a secret weapons control system in that bunker and they are trying to hack into it.  If successful they could take down the entire system of U.S. nuclear missiles.

    "Mike Banning" (Gerard Butler) trying to save the President's son (Finley Jacobsen) in 'Olympus Has Fallen'
    “Mike Banning” (Gerard Butler) trying to save the President’s son (Finley Jacobsen) in ‘Olympus Has Fallen’

    The implausibility of much of what happens in this film isn’t worthy of discussion or real consideration.  It’s a popcorn action flick and on that level it delivers quite well.  Rick Yune makes a great villain as the leader of the terrorists, aided and abetted by a former Secret Service agent.  Butler is a fine action star and carries off the role quite well.  Eckhart is suitably “presidential” and Morgan Freeman makes a nice Speaker of the House and acting President.  Then again we’ve seen him leading the nation in a crisis before and he was believable then as well.  There are a few moments where the action sequences are overwhelming the story but only a few.  Buy a big tub of popcorn, sit back and enjoy.

  • No need to apply early for ‘Admission’, wait for the DVD

    No need to apply early for ‘Admission’, wait for the DVD

    Tina Fey and Paul Rudd get romantic in 'Admission'
    Tina Fey and Paul Rudd get romantic in ‘Admission’

    I’ve heard that the novel that was adapted into the film Admission is an excellent one.  Sadly, the same cannot be said for the adaptation.  “Portia Nathan” (Fey) is an admissions officer at Princeton who lives in a neatly ordered world.  She has the man she wants, the house she wants and the job she wants is just around the corner.  Her boss “Clarence” (Shawn) has announced he will be stepping down as Dean of Admissions at Princeton.  He tells Portia and “Corrine” (Reuben) that they are his two “stars” and he expect to see one of them in his office next year.

    Because she’s competing against Corinne and due to the fact Princeton has fallen from #1 to #2 in the U.S. News and World Reports’ ranking of colleges, she decides to accept the invitation of “John Pressman” to add The Quest School, a newly founded alternative school to her tour of Northeast private schools.  Pressman was a college classmate of hers and he has a senior named “Jeremiah” who is an autodidact that managed to pass all eight Advanced Placement exams without taking the AP courses.  His grades prior to moving to Quest suck and he’s had run-ins with the law.  He is also the adopted child of two working-class people who never attended college.

    Portia’s world is falling apart at this point.  She’s in the competition of her life, her ten-year relationship ended when live-in boyfriend moved out (he’s impregnated the school’s Virginia Woolf scholar with twins) and John drops a bombshell.  He believes that Jeremiah is the son that Portia gave birth to while in college, something she thought was a complete secret.

    Suddenly she’s lost her moral compass, finding herself attracted to John and willing to move heaven and Earth to get Jeremiah into Princeton.  John wants that, but also plans to leave on his next mission to save the planet, taking his adopted Ugandan son “Nelson” (Spears) to Ecuador.  But Nelson doesn’t want to go.  He wants some stability in his life and he sees Portia as a role model that John should follow.  Meanwhile, Portia crosses ethical lines that admissions officers cannot cross.

    Tina Fey in 'Admission'
    Tina Fey in ‘Admission’

    A movie examining the fascinating world of the admissions processes of the elite universities would be great and Admission does a little of this.  It uses an excellent device by making Portia appear to actually see the students whose applications she’s considering.  But there’s not enough of this.  A movie that provides romantic leads with great chemistry would be terrific, but Admission fails at that as well.  The result is not good.  Tina Fey and Paul Rudd are immensely likeable and deliver strong performances.  It just isn’t enough.  The best parts of this film are Nat Wolff, Travaris Spears and Lily Tomlin as Portia’s mother.

    Where did Admission go wrong?  Probably in choosing Karen Croner to adapt the novel.  Fifteen years ago, she did the big screen adaptation of Anna Quindlen’s wonderful “One True Thing” and it suffered in the process.  The bottom line here is that Admission is probably best put onto your wait-list.

  • There is little real magic in ‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’

    There is little real magic in ‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’

    Steve Carell in 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone'
    Steve Carell in ‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’

    The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is a story of friendship, magic and the power of both to astound.  It could have been a really good film.  However, like an illusion involving levitation where the wires can clearly be seen, it was ultimately less than satisfying.

    Steve Carell is “Burt Wonderstone”, a professional magician whose future in that business springs from a birthday gift he received as a child.  Steve Buscemi is “Anton Marvelton”, who was Burt’s best friend in childhood and shared a love of magic.  That both were victims of bullying strengthened their bond.

    Olivia Wilde in 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone'
    Olivia Wilde in ‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’

    But ten years into their run as headliners at a hotel owned and operated by “Doug Munny” (Gandolfini), their show has grown stale.  Audience numbers are dwindling because they keep performing the same tired old show.  It doesn’t help that “Steve Gray” (Carrey), a street magician whose illusions are seen on a weekly program known as the “Brain Rapist” is drawing more and more attention with his wild and dangerous stunts.  In an effort to show Doug that they can do new things, Burt and Anton try a stunt of their own and things do not go well.  The long-time friends split up and go their separate ways.  Burt tries to do the show by himself and is soon jobless as well as evicted from his hotel suite.

    He goes to crash at the home of “Jane” (Wilde), who became the ‘Nicole’ in his show as a last-minute replacement one night, but that doesn’t go well either.  She has always wanted to be a magician herself and had been hoping to replace Anton since he’d left.  When Burt disdains her desires, she boots him from her apartment.  Eventually Burt is reduced to performing at a retirement community while Anton is trying to give away magic kits to the poor in third-world countries.

    Jim Carrey as "Steve Gray" in 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
    Jim Carrey as “Steve Gray” in ‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

    Burt encounters “Rance Holloway” (Arkin) who is living at that retirement home.  Holloway was the finest magician of his time and the creator of the magic kit that Burt received as a child.  Soon he has rekindled Burt’s real love of magic.  Now Burt must reunite with Anton, incorporate Jane into the act and find a way to out-do Steve Gray in a showcase.  The best act in the showcase will win a long-term contract at Doug’s new hotel.

    There are laughs here, but not enough.  There is a story here, but not enough.  Jim Carrey going over the top isn’t all that unusual, but he goes further than he has gone in quite some time.  Wilde is wonderful and there hasn’t been a scene written yet that Alan Arkin can’t steal.  Buscemi is just fine but Carell seems to have phoned in his performance.  In the end there is little that is incredible about this film.

  • ‘Love and Honor’ tries to honor the past

    ‘Love and Honor’ tries to honor the past

    Teresa Palmer and Liam Hemsworth in 'Love and Honor'
    Teresa Palmer and Liam Hemsworth in ‘Love and Honor’

    In 1969 Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon, while here on Earth, dozens (maybe hundreds) of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam got so-called “Dear John” letters from their girlfriends back home.  They’re called Dear John letters because during WWII, most letters from the girl back home began “My dearest Johnny” or “My darling” or something equally affectionate and sugar-coated.  When a letter started with the terse “Dear John”, soldiers knew it was bad news.

    In Love and Honor, the first feature film from director Danny Mooney, “Dalton Joiner” (Stowell) is serving as his platoon’s point man in Vietnam.  He is amazing when it comes to sniffing out booby-traps and claims his ability to focus gets the credit.  He says he is so focused because he just wants to get home alive to “Jane” because he and she are so in love.

    Until he gets a Dear John from Jane.  The timing is fortuitous because he and his good friend “Mickey Wright” (Hemsworth) have survived almost certain death when their listening post was ambushed, thanks to the bravery of “Burns” (Adler).  He is wounded and is flown home, while Dalton and Mickey find themselves in Hong Kong with the rest of their buddies, worried about Burns but very happy about the prospect of seven days of “R&R” (military acronym for Rest and Recreation).

    Dalton has other plans.  He’s hopping a flight home to win back the heart of Jane.  He does have a week after all.  Mickey decides he had better go with his friend.  What they find in Ann Arbor, where she is going to school is quite surprising.  Jane now goes by the moniker of Juniper and lives in a communal-type house with others who share her anti-war views.  Dalton and Mickey are in uniform and are feeling quite unwelcome until Mickey ad-libs that the duo has actually deserted and are on the run.  Suddenly they are very welcome and Juniper finds herself falling in love with Dalton again.

    “Candace” (Palmer) is intrigued by Mickey and her partner in writing an anti-war publication with “Peter” (Lowell) and wants to put the story of the deserter duo in their magazine.  They promise anonymity but Mickey declines initially.  The inevitable discovery of the deception is accompanied by problems at protests, run-ins with law enforcement and the predictable romantic intertwining of Mickey and Candace.

    Clichés from the 1960s abound, including iconic songs, stock footage, ‘hippies’ and more.  There is a decent romance here between Hemsworth and Palmer although it isn’t set up well.  There are a few surprises but most of this is predictable and not great.  However the final act’s surprises and twists make up for the clichés and other flaws.  Teen girls will adore the moments excuses are found for Hemsworth to go sans shirt.  He is good in the role, overcoming the scripted material.  Palmer and Teegarden are both very good, and the good moments in the film far outweigh those few moments where viewers may feel the need to look at their watches.

  • Take a trip to the ‘New World’ for a very good crime thriller

    Take a trip to the ‘New World’ for a very good crime thriller

    HwangJun-min (left) and LeeJung-jae (right) are poised to take control of the Goldmoon crime syndicate in 'New World'
    HwangJun-min (left) and LeeJung-jae (right) are poised to take control of the Goldmoon crime syndicate in ‘New World’

    New World has nothing to do with Christopher Columbus, the Americas or anything else outside of South Korea.  It’s the code name for a sophisticated operation that the South Korean National Police is going to launch.  Unlike the U.S., where we have federal, state, county and city level law enforcement, there is one National Police Agency for all of South Korea.

    “Ja-sung” (Lee Jung-jae) is a young officer of the NPA who is inserted undercover into a gang.  The NPA is concerned that the gang is growing in power and influence as other clans and groups become part of it  Eight years later Ja-sung has risen to become the right-hand man to “Chung” (Hwang Jung-min), the number two in the entire Goldmoon organization.  Now “Lieutenant (later Chief) Kang” (Choi Min-shik) has promised Ja-sung that once “Chairman Seok” (Lee Geong-yung) is toppled, he will be pulled out and sent on an overseas assignment to keep him safe.

    But when Seok is killed in an automobile accident under strange circumstances, Kang and his boss see an opportunity.  They can use Ja-sung to help influence who will take over and run Goldmoon, and limit their future activities.  This becomes Operation New World.  Ja-sung doesn’t want any part of it, but since only Kang, his boss and Ja-sung’s female handler know who he is, he has no choice but to continue in his undercover role.  What follows is a struggle between several factions to choose who will sit at the head of the table and assume the title and role of Chairman.  The pressure on Ja-sung is ratcheted up a notch by the fact his wife is pregnant with their first child.

    Choi Min-sik (left) and Lee Jung-jae (right) play a dangerous game of justice and corruption in 'New World'
    Choi Min-sik (left) and Lee Jung-jae (right) play a dangerous game of justice and corruption in ‘New World’

    New World has its share of violence, but it isn’t gratuitous violence simply there to shock and awe an audience.  It is to demonstrate just how violent and ruthless these gangsters can be.  To show the retribution that will come from betrayal.  It isn’t a ‘chop-socky’ film in any way, although there are a number of large fight sequences. They are intense, brutal and do not drag on too long.  Nor do they make anyone look ‘super-human’.  In the end, Ja-sung must choose sides and the choice is not an easy one.

    The acting is good from the main players.  So is the dialogue although I’m sure it suffers from translation to Hangul into English subtitles.  There are a few grammatical errors in those subtitles but this is totally forgivable.  Writer/director Park Hoon-jung’s influence can be seen in the fact this is a dialogue-driven rather than action-driven story.  But it is an improvement over his debut feature, The Showdown.  Perhaps moving from wuxia to a modern crime thriller helped.  One thing he manages to capture quite well visually is how the modern elegance of Seoul disappears quickly when you go into some neighborhoods.  There you find poverty and squalor, much like any major U.S. metropolis.  New World is definitely worth the journey.