Review - 47 Ronin (2013)

At the Theater - "47 Ronin" - The visual aspects of this big-budgeted, Hollywood cinematic adaptation of the tale of 47 disgraced Samurai seeking revenge for the death of their master are definitely appealing, featuring some beautiful cinematography, striking color schemes, excellent costume designs, impressive set pieces and solid digital effects- too bad the more humanistic aspects play out as emotionally hollow and woefully short on character development.  This film has most of the markings of the troubled production it was rumored to be, but in no way approaches worst of the year territory. 

Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) is rather wooden as the half-breed, outcast tracker, "Kai".  I must admit to finding it a bit uncomfortable seeing him as the star of this film in it's first trailers.  It made me wonder about the untimely death of actor Brandon Lee and how American audience sensibilities may have been different if he had continued to bridge the gap that his father established.  There are currently no bankable Asian-American action stars and that's disheartening.

Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai, The Wolverine) portrays the leader of the vengeful Ronin, "Oishi"- I wished his character had been treated as the central protagonist, yet he ends up being pushed aside as support.  Rinko Kikuchi (Pacific Rim, The Brothers Bloom) steals the show outright as a delightfully wicked, scheming sorceress (lamely credited as "Witch"), with Tadanobu Asano (Thor: The Dark World) supplying the ruthless and power-hungry "Lord Kira".  The very pretty Ko Shibasaki is Kai's potential love interest, "Mika", in a romance that never blossoms.

7 foot 7 inch tall Neil Fingleton (the United Kingdom's tallest Brit) supplies the awesome, massive Samurai henchman (credited as "Lovecraftian Samurai") that's sadly wasted in the film's final battle.

Characters across the board are of the stereotypical variety, with two fleeting scenes of camaraderie amongst the 47 seemingly pasted in as an afterthought.  The dialogue here should have been delivered in Japanese and subtitled for American audiences- the mostly Japanese cast (many unable to speak English) seem uncomfortable with the material.

Whether it was due to studio meddling or a Director (Carl Rinsch, making his feature film Directorial debut) in over his head (possibly both), there are several blatantly evident instances of awkward edits and clunky transitions- the narrative flow feels as if there's 30-40 minutes of missing footage.  Furthermore, this is a relatively neutered affair which was probably digitally scrubbed clean of any offensive, pesky blood to achieve a coveted, tween-friendly PG-13.  That missing material and bloodshed may be reinserted for a future Unrated/Extended Cut, though the theatrical experience is decidedly choppy.

There is a very cool early segment where a colorful, giant horned "Qilin" squares off against a band of Samurai, a one on one sword fight near the middle of the picture is well-choreographed but anticlimactic and a late sequence where our heroes infiltrate the villain's stronghold is pretty nifty.  A duel between Kai and a swirling, serpentine Dragon is also pretty solid, though I could have done without his character's supernatural "abilities"- it cheapens the moment considerably.

Though this isn't the absolutely horrible film that critics are universally panning, it does become increasingly disappointing the more I reflect upon it.  I still can't figure out why any studio would stuff a mega-budgeted, fantasy-oriented Samurai film with a grim ending into a crowded Christmas Day release slot.  Those on the fence might want to wait for a rental...

6.5 out of 10

Taken from Wikipedia - "Chūshingura - are fictionalized accounts in Japanese literature, theatre, and film that relate the historical incident involving the Forty-seven Ronin and their mission to avenge the death of their master, Asano Naganori."

Director: Carl Rinsch
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rinko Kikuchi, Tadanobu Asano, Ko Shibasaki, Jin Akanishi, Takato Yonemoto and Min Tanaka
Run-Time: 119 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements

Review - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

 At the Theater - "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" - This middle chapter of the continuing saga of 13 Dwarves, a Wizard and a furry-footed, good-natured diminutive sort seeking to vanquish a Dragon and recover a powerful gemstone is the kind of big-budgeted, grand entertainment that I appreciate, with healthy doses of soaring action/adventure, wonderment, drama, humor, heart, dazzling FX work, fantastic set pieces, gorgeous cinematography, confident direction and a stellar cast putting in great work.  This is all so very familiar yet undeniably warm and comfortable (as opposed to the detached Star Wars prequels and the most recent Indiana Jones debacle).  Considerably stronger than it's immediate predecessor (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) it's an altogether pleasant and entertaining experience that left me wanting more.

Martin Freeman (The World's End) is far and away a superior leading Hobbit/Actor as "Bilbo", soundly trouncing Elijah Wood's presence and performance as "Frodo" (from the initial trilogy) in every facet.  I took a shine to his character in the first film, where I was NEVER comfortable with Wood's icky wide-eyed wonder.

Ian McKellen (X2) returns as the powerful Wizard, "Gandalf", while Richard Armitage's (Cinemax's Strike Back) reprisal as the head Dwarf in charge, "Thorin", further cements his stock as leading man material for future projects.  Of the band of 13 Dwarves and the respective actors portraying them, this outing gives substantial quality face time for Ken Stott as the elder Dwarf, "Balin", and Aidan Turner's handsome "Kili".

Luke Evans (Fast And Furious 6) makes his franchise debut here as "Bard" (yes, he's still my pick as the next Bond), a Lake-town resident and smuggler who assists our heroes along their journey.  Harboring a long-standing personal score to settle with the infamous Dragon slumbering in the nearby Lonely Mountain, his character is sure to play a major role in the events of the third film.  As someone who hasn't read any of the Tolkien novels, I'm fairly certain how this is going to turn out.

The lovely Evangeline Lilly (Real Steel) provides support as the sympathetic Elf warrior, "Tauriel".  Her character is a new addition, supplying the centerpiece of a blossoming love triangle with "Kili" and Orlando Bloom's fellow Elf "Legolas".  Fans of the original trilogy will appreciate Bloom's substantial appearances here.

Brit Benedict Cumberbatch (12 Years A Slave) supplies the excellent voice work of the fearsome, gold-hoarding Dragon, "Smaug"- the digital effects here are commendably sharp, though I still prefer the stop-motion and animatronics approach used to render my all-time favorite screen Dragon, "Vermithrax Pejorative", in 1981's Dragonslayer.

Lee Pace's Elvish King "Thranduil" appears a little too youngish for the role, especially when it's taken into consideration that his character is the father of Orlando Bloom's "Legolas" (Pace is 2 years younger than Bloom).  It's a bit awkward when the two share scenes together in close proximity.

Stephen Fry (V For Vendetta) makes a few appearances as the balding, yellow-toothed Master of Lake-town, while Swedish actor Mikael Persbrandt plays "Beorn", a Skin Changer with the ability to transform into a massive bear.  There isn't much of the character here, though I'm sure we'll see plenty of him in the next volume.  Manu Bennett (Starz Spartacus) returns to voice the antagonistic, hulking, white Orc, "Azog".

Keep a sharp lookout for Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central's The Colbert Report) in a cameo as an eye-patch wearing spy, along with a very early appearance by Director Peter Jackson as a carrot eating pedestrian.

I have only two minor complaints, one of which concerns an elaborate white water barrel riding sequence in desperate need of a trim- it's the type of Peter Jackson excess hinted at in the Battle of The Pelennor Fields in LOTR: Return Of The King and marring his 2005 version of King Kong (Bronto stampede, bug pit, 3 T-Rex showdown, etc.,).

Secondly, it's disheartening to see yet another CGI rendered Orc ("Bolg", with Lawrence Makoare supplying the underlying framework) as an important character with substantial screen-time.  One of the more commendable elements of the first three LOTR movies was the fantastic practical makeup effects used in creating and presenting the Orcs.  It's a shame to see Jackson and WETA slowly but surely departing from old-school, tangible methods.  Perhaps I would have been more accepting if the digital effects work were on par with those used to create the seamless "Gollum", but that sadly isn't the case. 

I checked this film out in 3D and had the good fortune to witness a young girl, sitting with two other similarly aged females, give out a yelp and swat at a digital bee as it came off the screen towards the audience- apparently a good number of other theater patrons noticed this reaction and it elicited quite a few laughs.  The 3D is very good but not the greatest I've ever seen, strange in that it appeared so outstanding in the trailer I saw for this film some months prior...

There's an excellent sequence where our heroes are besieged by a horde of over-sized arachnids, while the climactic showdown with a certain fire-breathing behemoth is thrilling.  Expect references to a certain couple of characters from the original trilogy and a host of events which set up the events therein.  This was interesting, deftly handled stuff for those familiar with the franchise but newcomers will more than likely find themselves lost fairly quickly.  And then there's that damned ring...

Howard Shore once again provides the original score- it's not amongst my favorite thematic music but it has grown on me over the years.  The cinematography is as outstanding as ever, with a wealth of shots of New Zealand countryside once again subbing for Middle-earth.  Although clocking in at 2 hours and 41 minutes, this is the shortest of the LOTR/Hobbit films and also the most skillfully edited. This film's cliffhanger-style ending may find those seeking immediate satisfaction pretty bummed, though I recognized it for what it was- a fitting conclusion to a central episode in a trilogy.  This is very good stuff and I'm looking forward to December of 2014...

Highly Recommended 

9.0 out of 10

Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O'Gorman, Aiden Turner, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lily, Lee Pace, Cate Blanchette, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry and Manu Bennett
Run-Time: 161 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening


FWIW-

The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring  8.5
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers  9.5
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King  8.5

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey  8.5

Review - American Hustle (2013)

At the Theater - "American Hustle"-  A fictionalized tale of two conniving hustlers (Christian Bale and Amy Adams) and an aggressive FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) interwoven with the true events of the FBI's ABSCAM Sting Operation of the late 1970's/early 1980's, this Crime/Drama/Comedy from Director David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook, The Fighter, Three Kings) is indeed reminiscent of similarly toned Martin Scorsese films such as Goodfellas, Casino and Mean Streets, though I felt accomplished moviegoers may also recognize a few ingredients from Mike Newell's Donnie Brasco and Ted Demme's Blow. The film is decidedly derivative and ultimately lacks bite, though Russell's sure-handed guidance and fantastic performances across the board help to keep the experience brisk, enjoyable and entertaining. It's a good to very good film with fleeting dalliances with greatness, ultimately lacking the knockout punch needed to propel it into meatier, more weighted territory.

Christian Bale (Batman Begins) anchors the film as pot-bellied, balding con man "Irving Rosenfeld"- I don't believe there's a more talented or capable everyman working today, especially when one takes into consideration the full range of diverse roles he's tackled and been wholly believable in.  I'll remember a very early, strange but hilarious scene here where his character fashions an elaborate comb-over from a well-positioned wad of fuzz and a liberal spattering of adhesive for quite some time.  Lost behind the hairdo and an added forty pounds of gut, Bale slips effortlessly into an oddly charismatic and soulful character with a performance bolstered with subtle, expressive eyes- it's something I've come to appreciate from veteran actors decades his senior, so I guess he's well ahead of the curve in that regard.

Amy Adams (Enchanted) plays Irving's mistress and con-artist partner, "Sydney Prosser", in what I believe to be the finest turn of her career- I could give a rat's furry sphincter less about the Oscars (or the complete, politically-driven sham it has become) though Adams would be my current pick as the best performance from an actress in a leading role of all the films I was able to see that were released in 2013.  I believe she gives it her all, often rising above the farcical proceedings surrounding her.

Hollywood's current It-girl Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games) is once again in fine form as Irving's wife, "Rosalyn"- it's a role reminiscent in nature to that of Sharon Stone's turn in Casino- after a couple of scenes featuring the snarky gold-digger, you'll feel compelled to strangle her. Lawrence is unquestionably talented and undeniably attractive, though I believe the overwhelming critical praise for her turn here is a bit forced and obvious.  It would be unfortunate if Amy Adams' superior turn were lost in the stumbling shuffle to heap so much misguided love Lawrence's way. 

Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) is excellent in support as the ambitious FBI agent Richie DiMaso, while Jeremy Renner (The Bourne Legacy), playing against type as well-intentioned New Jersey Mayor "Carmine Polito" (based upon Camden, New Jersey Mayor, Angelo Errichetti), is in fine form in limited scenes.

Robert De Niro's cameo as a fearsome Mafioso isn't nearly as surprising or impactful as Russell and Company would wish an audience to believe- De Niro's relentless current work ethic (the 69 year old actor has appeared in 14 films in the last three years and apparently won't decline a role) has led to an over-saturation that leaves what should have been the film's most tension-filled moment as downright tame.

The film's conclusion is also remarkably void of conflict or tension, which ultimately left me wondering what it was I had just viewed.  Russell apparently allowed for and encouraged quite a bit of improvisation throughout- one gets the feeling that this particular project started out as one thing but became something very different along the way. It took me a few days of reflection (or digestion) to come to grips with how I truly felt about the film.

Keep an eye out for former professional boxer Dicky Ecklund (the subject of Russell's 2010 film, The Fighter) as a street heavy, while 70's and 80's television blonde bombshell Colleen Camp is damned near unrecognizable (at least unrecognizable to me at first) as a cat-lovin' FBI operative. It was perhaps most surprising to see Comedian/Actor Louis C.K., as a local FBI branch superior, holding his own amongst such elite company.

Expect the obligatory wild hair styles and era-specific musical selections and fashions of the 1970's, with low cut gowns and cleavage galore acting as characters in their own right.  There's a love triangle, a recurring reference to fingernail polish, a close call with the mob and a couple of late twists, though it all plays out so very lighthearted that I couldn't help but feel slightly swindled.  It's funny and interesting enough, though I'm not so sure I'll ever feel compelled to revisit it.

Check it out to witness one of the better Directors in his prime and a fantastic, game cast toss a script aside and have fun.

8.0 out of 10

Director: David O. Russell
Cast: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., Jack Huston, Michael Pena, Shae Whigham, Colleen Camp, Anthony Zerbe, Elisabeth Rohm and Robert De Niro
Run-Time: 138 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence

Shortcut Reviews - Thrillers Special Edition Volume 02: Passion (2012), Sushi Girl (2013), Trance (2013) & Welcome To The Punch (2013)

On DVD and Blu Ray -


"Passion"- Though there's a good deal of his trademark camera tricks and Hitchcockian nostalgia, this psychological suspense thriller should be labeled as "Brian De Palma-lite" - cut out about 2 minutes of (bloody) footage from this film's runtime and you'd have yourself what feels like a Lifetime Channel Original.  A strangely unnecessary remake of 2010's French-language Love Crime, Passion is a little too familiar and feels like a filmmaker bored with his craft.

Noomi Rapace (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo 2009) plays an advertising agent who becomes romantically involved with Rachel McAdams' (Morning Glory) playfully manipulative executive. After a series of head-games and double-crosses, one of the two women falls victim to the other's corporate cutthroat tactics and a murder occurs. I had seen it all before and would think that even the average movie-goer would have, as well.

Yeah, I found myself wishing the film would have gone full tilt boogie into erotic thriller territory with Rapace and McAdams spending ample time frolicking around in various stages of undress- perhaps then I would have found the experience more... titillating.  As is, it's pretty stale and led me to wonder if it may be time for De Palma to hang 'em up.

5.5 out of 10

Director: Brian De Palma
Cast: Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams, Karoline Herfurth, Paul Anderson and Rainer Bock
Run-Time: 102 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for sexual content, language and some violence



"Sushi Girl"- Six years after a botched diamond heist, the sole crew member to take the fall for the crime is released from prison and immediately taken to be reunited with the other members of the diverse gang of thieves in an effort to figure out just where the missing loot went.  A nice little sit down over sushi, served atop a nude "sushi girl", quickly escalates into a tension-filled showdown between the five men.

It definitely owes quite a bit to Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, but fans of that film should give this grindhouse-style revenge tale a chance.  Yes, the vast majority of the story takes place in one room, the narrative is non-linear, there's torture galore and one of the men inside the group is a wire-tapped rat, but a delightfully exuberant Mark Hamill (Star Wars: A New Hope) is worth the price of a rental alone.

Tony Todd (Candyman) portrays the sinister (is there really any other kind of Tony Todd?) leader of the crew, while the very sexy Cortney Palm supplies the titular character- she's something to behold...

Expect cameos from Sonny Chiba (The Streetfighter 1974), Jeff Fahey (Planet Terror), Michael Biehn (Aliens) and Danny Trejo (Machete), while some may be floored to recognize Noah Hathaway ("Atreyu" in 1984's The NeverEnding Story) in a rare feature-film role as an unfortunate gangster.

It's an over-the-top guilty pleasure featuring a twist at the end that actually works well.  The opening titles montage set to Shirley Bassey's Diamonds Are Forever is pretty damned cool too...

Worth a look.

7.0

Director: Kern Saxton
Cast: Tony Todd, Mark Hamill, Noah Hathaway, James Duval, Andy Mackenzie, Cortney Palm, Shin'ichi Chiba, David Dastmalchian, Jeff Fahey, Michael Biehn and Danny Trejo
Run-Time: Rated R for strong bloody violence, torture, language, nudity and brief drug use
MPAA: 98 minutes



"Trance"- This Psychological/Crime Thriller from Director Danny Boyle (Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later) is frustratingly contrived, spending way too much time setting itself up.  James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class) portrays a high art auctioneer who finds himself involved with a small crew of thieves led by French actor Vincent Cassel (The Crimson Rivers).  Naturally, the attempted heist of a valuable painting goes awry, leaving McAvoy's character with a case of amnesia and unaware of where he hid the MacGuffin.

Interesting visuals, Boyle's energetic Direction and a host of left field developments work to hold the dodgy narrative together for a while.  There's a heckuva twist at film's end, though there are so many red herrings, second guesses and dream sequences along the way that, for myself, it simply lost it's impact by that point.

A sequence in which the gorgeous Rosario Dawson (The Rundown), playing a hands on hypnotherapist, makes a glorious appearance in her birthday suit sporting a full Brazilian (I hit replay several times in delightful disbelief) had a jaw-dropping effect on myself.  Those who choose to check this out will surely remember one of the most memorably graphic gunshot wounds to the head ever put to film.  There are a handful of unquestionably bizarre scenes throughout, which may work to cover quite a bit of ground towards placing this in guilty pleasure territory for those interested.

Worth a rental for McAvoy fans- then again, some may find the nature of his involvement a bit of a sucker punch...

 6.5

Director: Danny Boyle
Cast: James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Vincent Cassel
Run-Time: 101 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, violence, some grisly images, and language



"Welcome To The Punch"- This Action/Thriller featuring James McAvoy as a damaged-goods Detective in Britain obsessed with bringing down a legendary criminal, played by Mark Strong (Kick-Ass), is light on substantial action and not very thrilling at all.  There's several action scenes throughout this cat-and-mouse tale, though all but the climactic shootout at film's end are uninspired choke-jobs.

There's a damned good cast featured here putting in fine work, with Andrea Riseborough (Oblivion) as McAvoy's partner, David Morrissey (AMC's The Walking Dead) as a shifty police chief, Peter Mullan (Session 9) as Strong's right-hand-man and Jason Flemyng (Snatch) as a corrupt cop- all the more disappointing given the stale direction and lackluster script.

Shot with a bluish tint throughout, it's just plain dreary, mundane stuff that consistently serves up a strange case of fumble-itis when it matters most.  It's pretty bad when the most memorable scene here involves our main protagonist draining his knee with a large gauged needle, expelling the syringe's contents in a wastebasket and dousing his cigarette out in the fluid...

 5.5

Director: Eran Creevy
Cast: James McAvoy, Mark Strong, Andrea Riseborough, Johnny Harris, Daniel Mays, David Morrissey, Jason Flemyng and Peter Mullan
Run-Time: 99 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for violence and language

Review - Don Jon (2013)

On DVD and Blu Ray - "Don Jon" - Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Directorial debut (he also wrote the script here) is paper thin, hypocritical and way too muddled in it's efforts to convey various messages concerning porn, sex, love/intimacy and religion for it's own good.  If this marks a career deviation for JGL, it's a mere baby-step.

Gordon-Levitt isn't all that likeable here, with his titular character a fit, handsome, meatheaded lug with a knack for scoring with pretty ladies but unable to kick a penchant for internet porn. There isn't one second of footage with his character working, which made me wonder how he could afford such a nice apartment, his vintage '72 Chevelle SS, his seemingly nightly forays into happenin' clubs all the while wearing such fashionable duds. This fat, balding, pasty geek and his 14 year old truck just couldn't work up any empathy for him.

Tony Danza and Glenne Headly supply nothing more than Italian-American stereotypes as Don Jon's parents, while Brie Larson is absolutely wasted as his PDA-captivated sister.  Julianne Moore's performance as the older woman/fractured soul who opens up our hero's eyes to a love of a more meaningful variety feels lifted from a more profound work.

Scarlett Johansson's  pretty vapid here as Don Jon's idea of a "dime", though single straight guys will have a ball (ahem) enjoying her in various tight-fitting outfits (sorry, there's no money shot here) and catching glimpses of their favorite porn stars in a myriad of internet video clips.  There's a couple of laughs here and there and some may get a kick out of the frank approach to the subject matter, though don't buy in expecting anything memorable.

6.0 out of 10

Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headley, Brie Larson, Rob Brown, Jeremy Luke and Paul Ben-Victor
Running Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong graphic sexual material and dialogue throughout, nudity, language and some drug use

Shortcut Reviews - Thrillers Special Edition Volume 01: Broken City (2013), The Call (2013), The Cold Light Of Day (2012) & The Frozen Ground (2013)

Available On DVD & Blu Ray -

"Broken City"-

Mark Wahlberg plays a disgraced ex-cop turned Private Detective who is tapped by Russell Crowe's corrupt Mayor of New York to investigate his wife, played by Catherine Zeta Jones.  Expect a car chase, a small-scaled shoot-out and a number of twists and double-crosses throughout, though it's all so very... hesitant and anti-climactic.

Wahlberg's fairly likeable here, while Crowe, sporting an awful spray on tan, seems strangely miscast.  Zeta-Jones is a little stiff and I could have sworn that her dialogue was dubbed in a certain sequence.

This is a  run-of-the-mill crime story that doesn't break any new ground and is marred by a muddled plot- a thoroughly unsatisfying conclusion had me filing it away as forgettable.

6.0

Director: Allen Hughes
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Pepper, Natalie Martinez, Alona Tal, Kyle Chandler
Run-Time: 109 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence

"The Call"-

Halle Barry is the Los Angeles 9-1-1 operator haunted by a past mistake who is desperate to aid an abducted girl (Abigail Breslin) communicating via cell phone from the trunk of a serial killer's car in this thriller from Director Brad Anderson (The Machinist, Session 9).  The movie moves at a brisk pace, there's a fair amount of tension and Barry provides a serviceable heroine.  Breslin is very good here while Michael Ecklund provides a super-creepy killer.

The third act gets a bit weird, as if trying to enter Silence of The Lambs/Kiss The Girls territory, though fumbles around with logic too much to accomplish that.  I still can't figure out if the film's ending is crowd-pleasing or hare-brained.

Worth a rental

6.5

Director: Brad Anderson
Cast: Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Morris Chestnut, Roma Maffia, Michael Ecklund and Michael Imperioli
Run-Time: 94 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for violence, disturbing content and some language

"The Cold Light Of Day"-

This rushed star vehicle clearly aiming to gain some kind of audience recognition for the future Man Of Steel, Henry Cavill, feels like a half-hearted Bourne ripoff, with a host of foot chases, car chases, fist fights and shootouts, but with none of the tension or pizazz. Cavill has remarkably little charisma or presence here as the vacationing everyman looking to locate a mysterious briefcase (the film's MacGuffin) for some very bad people and save his kidnapped family in the process.

Filmed on location throughout Spain, one gets the feeling that Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver (both looking rather bored) were paid handsomely to step away from their own vacations and lend some big name support.

There's absolutely nothing here that any kind of "accomplished" movie lover wouldn't have seen many times over and executed significantly better.

Skip It

4.5

Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
Cast: Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Echegui, Joseph Mawli, Caroline Goodall, Rafi Gavron, Oscar Jaenada and Roschdy Zem
Run-Time: 93 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for language and sexual content


"The Frozen Ground"-

This loosely based on true events story of a determined detective (Nicolas Cage) aiming to track down Alaska's most notorious serial killer, Robert Hansen (John Cusack), with the help of a young woman (Vanessa Hudgens) who escaped his clutches is effectively grim and interesting enough, though it lacks a definitive edge.  The vast majority of this procedural would fit in nicely on A&E or The Lifetime Channel.

Cage is decidedly strong here, once again reminding me that there's still a talented veteran actor getting lost in the direct-to-video shuffle. Hudgens' work is commendable, while I wish Cusack had been given more time and quality material to flex his stuff.  50 Cent looks hilarious as a long-haired pimp...

Worth a rental.

6.5

Director: Scott Walker
Cast: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vaness Hudgens, Curtis Jackson, Dean Norris, Radha Mitchell, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Gia Mantegna
Run-Time: 105 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for violent content, sexuality/nudity, language and drug use

Review - Out Of The Furnace (2013)

At the Theater- "Out Of The Furnace" - Reminiscent of an old western story simply updated and transplanted into the economically fledgling Pennsylvania Rust Belt and Appalachian West Virginia, there's admittedly a lot to like here in this brooding, slow burn Drama/Thriller/Revenge tale- unfortunately, there's also an equal share of sequences and situations that never quite ring true, as the film's elaborate, ambitious narrative proves a bit too shallow and unwieldy for Director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart).  There are some fine performances therein, particularly from lead Christian Bale, and the film is effectively atmospheric- though it all amounts to a slightly disappointing case of unrealized potential and uneven execution

Christian Bale (The Machinist) stars as the hard-working and well-meaning steel mill worker, "Russell Baze", while Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone) co-stars as his seething, disillusioned Iraqi war vet younger brother, "Rodney Baze, Jr".  Although protective of his younger sibling, Russell isn't able to keep Rodney from mixing with undesirable elements in his ambitions of avoiding the futile, working stiff lifestyle and gravitating towards the big money alternative of underground bare-knuckle brawling. A few tragedies ensue and the the story finds Russell returning to his home town after several years in prison, wrestling with his soul at the crossroads of redemption and revenge.

Bale's performance here is comfortably amongst his finest, essentially powering the film throughout.  It's the only character of the narrative with significant depth.  I'm almost glad he's out of his Nolan/Batman commitments and I'm sure the highly sought-after actor will continue to put out diverse, first rate work.  Audiences will next see him reconnecting with Director David O. Russell (Three Kings, The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook) in late 2013's American Hustle.

The younger Affleck is fine as the troubled bulldog looking to bypass the straight-and-narrow grind, though I couldn't help but be distracted with how he (obviously) looks nothing like Bale.  I kept wishing there had been one snippet of dialogue explaining that they were from different mothers...

A grizzled and growling Woody Harrelson (Zombieland) provides the film's main antagonist as the brutal, backwoods drug dealer/underground fight promoter, "Harlan DeGroat".  It's a performance that elevates the underwritten role a shade over a stereotypical, token villain- he doesn't quite feel natural for the part but gives it his best (Viggo Mortensen was approached early on for the role, yet passed- I think he would have been better suited here). DeGroat's a character in desperate need of fleshing out, and while Harrelson's capable, he simply isn't given the adequate layers to make a lasting impression.

Willem Dafoe (White Sands) plays a slick loan shark with a soft spot for the two brothers- the character ultimately works to serve a purpose, though Dafoe's attire and overall look doesn't quite fit his surroundings.  He seems pulled from a 1970's gangster flick set in Chicago or New York.

A usually highly dependable Forest Whitaker (Panic Room) seems miscast as a gravel-voiced  Police Chief, "Wesley Barnes" - his 11th hour interaction is painfully trite, bad movie stuff.  Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness) is also in fine form as Russell's former love interest who moved on to marry Chief Barnes during his stretch in prison.

Sam Shephard (The Right Stuff) supplies some support as an Uncle to the two Baze brothers- it's disappointing that his character disappears for much of the film's final act.

Although one scene involving a tragic car wreck is deftly handled, the remainder of this film is emotionally idle.  There is an undeniable sense of impending doom, though it's remarkably devoid of tension when it matters most. The underground bare-knuckle brawls are presented in a somewhat antiquated fashion, while the movie's ending features one of the most unnecessary final shots I've seen in quite some time.

Out of the Furnace is a "collision course" film, with two major characters destined to tangle by film's end.  The climactic showdown is staged and pleasing enough- I enjoyed the stripped-down shootout and final confrontation immensely.  The film is logistically sound, for the most part, and is never boring. There's a wealth of darkly beautiful shots courtesy of Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi and fans of Eddie Vedder/Pearl Jam should be happy with the film's usage of the track, 'Release'. ( ***Of Note*** There's an excellent cover of Neil Young's 'Heart of Gold' (by Demarest) featured in this movie's final trailer that is sadly nowhere to be found in the film.)

Some may find this release to be reminiscent of the Patrick Swayze/Liam Neeson revenge actioner, Next Of Kin, though I believe ...Furnace succeeds in being more profound (if only marginally), considerably more visually dynamic while featuring a superior lead performance (not a knock against the late Swayze).  Overall, it's problems hint at a Director that simply bit off more than he could chew.  It's a movie that hints at greatness that unfortunately leaves a good deal to be desired.

7.5 out of 10

Director: Scott Cooper
Cast: Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck, Forest Whitaker, Zoey Saldana, William Dafoe, Sam Shephard and Tom Bower
Run-Time: 116 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for strong violence, language and drug content