Room Review

Finding love in a hopeless place---Brie Larson as a mother experiencing emotional distress, along with her son in Room
                      Room is a powerful drama unlike any other I've seen before or will likely ever see again. It is everything a movie should be and then some. The film is directed by Lenny Abrahamson who made Frank, a comedic drama about a rock band lead by a man who wears a gigantic fake head, last year. Based on these two films, Abrahamson seems to have a gift for taking incredibly weird stories and making them into some of the most humanistic films I have ever seen. He doesn't just give these characters basic traits but explores these people in ways that most filmmakers would be afraid to do. Credit must also go to Emma Donoghue, who wrote the novel which the film is based on and has written the screenplay and especially Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, who give two of the best performances I have seen in decades here. In fact, I will officially be done with the Oscars if these two don't at least get nominations.

                          I choose not to reveal the plot because I went into this film knowing absolutely nothing about it except that Larson starred and I find her to be the best young actress working today among a long list of other great young actresses (Jennifer Lawrence, Brit Marling, Anna Kendrick, Hailee Steinfeld, Shailene Woodley, Saorise Ronan, ETC.) Not even knowing the story of this film made watching it all the more impactful for me. If you have read the novel, it may even still manage to surprise you. I have yet to read the novel but I just have a feeling I'm accurate in saying that.

                           If students of film have a professor who's even a quarter of the way decent, this will be studied in classes for decades to come. Abrahamson brings a beauty and wonder to a seemingly hopeless situation and makes every single shot count. There is not a wasted moment in this entire film. Also, even though it's often incredibly difficult to watch, at only a few minutes short of two hours, I was so invested in this story, the film felt like it was under an hour to me. Abrahamson and Donoghue invest so much into this mother and son dynamic, Larson and Tremblay's characters instantly feel like real people.

                             However, this is also due to Larson and Tremblay. Larson does career best work here, even topping her brilliant lead performance in Short Term 12, a film that should have guaranteed that she would already have Oscar Nominee attached to her name. Tremblay, an actor who's been in a few other things in the past years, does breakthrough work here. He will no doubt be around for a long, long time and based on the strength of this performance, I wouldn't be shocked if he becomes the next Robert De Niro or Al Pacino. Tremblay instantly makes everything about his character so recognizable and natural that it's impossible not to feel complete sympathy for him and the same can definitely be said for Larson's character and performance.

                                I've never seen a film that even comes close to the powerfulness of Room and I doubt I ever will. This is often very tough stuff to watch but it's also very uplifting and works in every way possible. I admittedly cried from the first second to the last. Go see this film right away and make sure to bring a big box of tissues..even the most cold hearted, cynical soul will end up needing them.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for language)

                             

             

The Green Inferno Review

Welcome to the jungle------Lorenza Izzo as one of a group of college students who end up getting tortured by a cannibalistic rainforest tribe in The Green Inferno
                        The Green Inferno is a slickly made, surprisingly well acted and all but competent except for one specific area (I'll get to that in  a minute) film that would have been much more acceptable had the film not been in production hell for the last few years. I like to judge movies on how good they are and nothing else but after co-writer-director Eli Roth planning to have a wide release for this all the way back in 2013 and then waiting 2 (TWO) years to actually release it, it's a completely wasted opportunity that could have been so much more. There's all but one major problem with this gore fest---the script. I understand these films aren't exactly written to stimulate my brain power but writers Roth and Guillermo Amoedo all but give the middle finger to the audience with their nonsensical script.

                           The film follows Justine (Lorenza Izzo,) a bright college student who convinces herself to go on an expedition to stop demolishing of the rainforest. The reason she decides to go is that the charismatic Alejandro (Ariel Levy) leads this eco-friendly group. After accomplishing their mission, their plane crashes and they end up being brutally tortured by a group of rainforest tribespeople who think they're the enemy.

                             Roth garnered controversy early on because the tribespeople are played by a real rainforest tribe and perhaps Roth didn't go about getting them to be in the film in the most humane way. However, that's the least of this film's worries. In fact, Roth often tries to pull sympathy for them through the situation they're in, especially with an insultingly unearned group of facts about the REAL problem done over the end credits. The first problem is that it takes more than half the movie to even get to the plot. By the time they end up with the tribe, it's almost at the hour mark and more than likely, most audience members will have already checked out.

                               If the first hour were interesting, that would be one thing. However, despite halfway decent acting from the cast, this first part revolves around characters you couldn't care less about doing uninteresting things in even more uninteresting situations. Also, once the tribe gets torturing, it never is as ballsy as it should be. This isn't helped by the fact that the first thing Roth shows the tribe doing is brutally torturing and murdering one of the only two completely likable members of the eco team. This not only promises a 45 minutes of torture porn the film can't deliver but also shows Roth and Amoedo's complete disregard for the story they're telling. As well, there's  a completely predictable twist that anyone who has ever seen a film can see coming less than five minutes in that ends up making the film feel icky but not at all in the way it should.

                                The acting is decent, even from a completely unknown cast (the only somewhat well known cast member was Daryl Sabara, of Spy Kids fame) and the film is very nicely made from a directing standpoint but The Green Inferno ends up being a fairly miserable experience that even Roth's most adamant supporters will have a hard time defending, especially with the "screw all of you" ending he tacks on for no good reason. As someone who generally likes Roth's work, I'd say just stay home and watch the first Hostel.
(2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for aberrant violence and torture, grisly disturbing images, brief graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use)

The Last Drive In Theater Review

The magic and the wonder---Breno Nina as a troubled young man who discovers the power of film in The Last Drive In Theater
                      There's a moment towards the middle of the new Spanish drama The Last Drive In Theater in which main character Marlombrando (Breno Nina) is standing in front of a poster for the classic film Cinema Paradiso. It constantly cuts back to him so we can see that he's still standing in front of that poster. A few of the shots are even clearly there to just that one purpose. It's an incredibly on the nose moment in which co-writer-director Ibere Carvalho shows exactly where his inspiration comes from. I mention this particular moment because this film, while decent, has far too many of those moments to reach the greatness that Cinema Paradiso did with seemingly no effort whatsoever. Another such moment features a character making a crash or burn proposal while standing in front of a Spanish poster for The Godfather. Films about the love of film are generally my bread and butter. Cinema Paradiso and The Purple Rose Of Cairo are the two that always come to mind but there are many others. This one gets by on being not only about the magic of film but about the magic of drive in theaters (which I have some fond memories of.) However, I wished it would have ultimately ended up being more.

                        The film follows Marlombrando, a troubled teen with a very sick mother with whom he often gets screwed out of seeing by abrasive hospital employees. One day, he ends up on the ground of an old drive in run by his long lost father Almeida (Othon Bastos.) The first greeting he gets is a warning to get out before bad stuff happens by drive in employee Paula (Fernanda Rocha.) Soon, he finds himself falling in love with the drive in (the last one left in Cuba) where he spent his childhood all over again. However, this drive in is under threat of demolishment by businessmen who want to create a more lucrative business with the property.

                           This film does *mostly* do a damn fine job of showing why film is such a closely kept close to the heart thing for people (myself included.) They show how Brando (the characters call him that for most of the film, I suppose to make typing his name in reviews easier) really does come to love the drive in all over again. It never feels like a forced passion. For him, film is symbolic for  great time in his life when everything was just easier. Admittedly, I have loved film from a very young age and part of why I continue to love it is because of how many fond memories it can bring and how seeing a film I have great memories of watching when I was younger can make me feel that nostalgia again. A good example for me is Clueless, a film I watched a few hundred times between the ages of 8 and 13. Watching that film today, I go back to a simpler time for me. The point being, I totally felt myself in this character.

                        However, naming the main character after one of the greatest film actors of all time is iffy. It's an amusing little one off bit but Carvalho really does stretch it beyond its acceptable length. Also, the story with the mother is very touching but there's one particular scene towards the end (which I choose not to give away) that strips away a lot of the emotion from that plot. It felt incredibly shoved into the overall plot for no good reason. As well, even with the touching moments, the dying mother plot did feel a little too Lifetime Movie Of The Week compared to how well the rest of the film bodes. If Carvalho had just kept that scene out, it would ave worked much better.

                         I could sit here and talk about how much I could see myself in these characters in my love for film and my sadness that most drive in theaters have been demolished. I found the stuff about the magic that film brings much more touching than the dying mother plot. Hell, I admittedly even shed a few tears at the drive in theater plot. However, The Last Drive In Theater doesn't completely work, or at least as much as I hoped it would. It's worth seeing if you're someone like me who practically lives and breathes film. For the casual film goer, however, it won't quite be worth your time or money.
(3 out of 5 Stars, The film is Not Rated but is equivalent to a PG-13 for some language and thematic elements)

The Visit Review

The creep de factor---Deanna Dunagan as one of a set of grandparents who seem to be off their rockers in The Visit

                          Roger Ebert once said "It's rare to find a film that goes for broke and says to hell with the consequences." The Visit is a film that does exactly this. However, looking at the writer-director, M Night Shyamalan, it only makes sense that this film go for broke. After a slew of miserable failures (Lady In The Water, The Village, The Happening, The Last Airbender, After Earth,) it seems Mr. Shyamalan has nothing to lose. So with money out of his own pocket, he has made The Visit, a horror-comedy similar to last year's Kevin Smith-directed flop Tusk. Except for the fact that this film will most likely be a hit, the two films are really quite the same. Both feature an extremely uneasy mix of horror and comedy. Both have images that I wish I could un-see. Both feature creepy old people. Last but not least, both are films I didn't really enjoy while I was watching them but that I have to applaud for their ballsiness and for the fact that I will most likely never go a day of my life without thinking about them. Hell, Tusk came out last year in September and I still haven't gone a day without thinking about it. Perhaps this is because both Shyamalan and Smith were able to understand that the creepiest things are events that could potentially happen to anyone. In this age of paranormal/other worldly horror films, that's an important lesson to keep in mind. Back to just The Visit.  

                          The film stars Ed Oxenbould and Olivia DeJonge as Tyler and Becca, a brother and sister whose mother (Kathryn Hahn) needs to spend time with her new boyfriend. Tyler and Becca happily agree to stay with their grandparents for a week to give Mom and boyfriend some time to themselves. However, upon arriving at their house, Tyler and Becca realize that Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) are creepy. Not just "old people acting strange" creepy but demonically possessed creepy. Pop Pop advises the kids to stay in their room once 9:30 PM strikes but they must find out what the big deal is. As the week goes on, things keep getting weirder and weirder.

                           Shyamalan has found five terrific actors in its mostly unknown cast. Hahn is a recognizable supporting face and had what I thought was a breakout lead role in the sadly little seen Afternoon Delight while McRobbie has been acting in various projects for a while. Meanwhile, Oxenbould did star in last year's dismal Alexander And The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day. However, none of these are household names and the fact that you can buy  them as these people more because of it makes it all the creepier. In that way, it reminded me of this year's Unfriended, another horror film that worked because of the unknown cast. McRobbie and Dunagan perfectly portray old people who don't quite confirm whether they're dangerous or just old. Perhaps the creepiest thing in the film is the sight of Dunagan's butt, which is shown more than once and is never pleasant. Meanwhile, Oxenbould provides some very funny comic relief as the little brother with a love for hip hop and DeJonge is terrific as the curious older sister.

                               Shyamalan also uses a creative way to integrate the increasingly tired found footage concept into the action. Becca is an inspiring filmmaker who hopes to make a documentary for her mother, complete with Nana and Pop Pop forgiving Mom on camera. This makes it reasonable that Becca and Tyler would both be filming everything. 

                                 There are both some genuine scares and guffaws within the film. However, I often feel like Shyamalan doesn't mix them exactly right. There are moments where it's supposed to be creepy and there would be something funny that would happen which ruined the mood for me and vice versa. As well, I don't think that the kids are as funny or charming as the film thinks they are. Sure, Oxenbould gains a few hearty laughs from the audience and he and DeJonge are likable enough actors and do really well in their roles. However, the film seems to think they're the best kids ever  with an admittedly refreshing and nice to see mother who loves them to death and forced sentimentality to boot. 

                              

                                   The twist, though. I will not begin to give anyway anything about the twist. However, I will say the twist is unexpected and extremely solid when taken at face value. Everyone expects a twist ending from Shyamalan at this point but he packs a wallop with this one. With that being said, if you start picking it apart piece by piece and trying to find out why it doesn't make sense, you'll pass with flying colors. Shyamalan does leave plenty of clues of why it does make some sense, however. My other complaint about the twist is that it improves the film so much I only wish it was introduced halfway through the film rather than in the last 20 or so minutes. It changes the whole vibe of the film and really lets things pick up. I imagine not only the twist but the film is general being made into a darker, grittier, R rated film and it may have worked much better.

                                       I can't quite bring myself to recommend The Visit. It has too many rough patches and uneven tone switches to really make it a must see. However, it does show that Shyamalan can still care about a film and it provides  a step in the right direction for him. If you want to see his true comeback, wait perhaps two years from now where he may be back in all his glory. If you're absolutely desperate to see something halfway decent from him, check this out at the cheapest price possible.

(2 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including terror, violence and some nudity, and for brief language)

                       

No Escape Review

A racism for worst of the year----Owen Wilson as a father and businessman caught in the middle of an Asian war in No Escape
                         No Escape is a film I watched with my jaw completely dropped. It's absolutely incredible to think something this antediluvian in its racism is being released in theaters in 2015, much less that it's being marketed as a blockbuster action film. This is a disgusting film, one that would only be more racist and appalling if Owen Wilson's character was wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit for the entire film. I don't know what prompts people to make films like this and what gives them the idea that any of this can be considered entertainment but oh boy, is this film a despicable pile of garbage.

                        The film stars Wilson as Jack, a father of two lovely girls (Sterling Jerins and Claire Geare, who is wisely uncredited for her role as daughter Beeze) and a dedicated wife (Lake Bell.) They travel to an unnamed Asian country for a business opportunity presented to Jack. Soon after landing, their perfect world is in shambles when Jack realizes there is a war breaking out and the Asians (but only the bad ones, the good ones just get killed as if it's no big deal) are attacking (gasp) those white americans who are destroying their country. What persists is scene after scene of child in danger circumstances and Jack yelling at his family that they need to get to safety, both of which someone try to come across as a form of entertainment.

                          I don't know why anyone would enjoy this film. If it were this appallingly racist and uncaring and yet still intense, that's one thing. However, it's simultaneously unpleasant and boring. It's so dull, in fact, that even when Pierce Brosnan comes back as a man who leads Jack and his family, it felt incredibly anti-climatic as it was trying to build itself back up. I'm going to get into a spoiler here for a second because it's something I feel I have to bring up to talk about my true hate for this film so if you still somehow want to see this film, skip ahead to the subsequent paragraph.

                            Toward the end of the film, Jack's older daughter (so the one who's not Beeze, but is still only about 10,) has a gun to her head as the main Asian villain is forcing her to shoot her father in the face. The scene ends up with Jack's wife beating the main villain, and some of his henchmen, with a  blunt object. I can't even describe how much I wanted to punch the Dowdle brothers (who wrote this film and John Erick Dowdle directed it) in the face. Anything could potentially be acceptable in a film but this was done with such an uncaring nastiness that I had a hard time believing I was watching it.

                              I rarely say this because I am more than aware how hard it is to get a film made but John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle and everyone else involved in the making of this film should be ashamed of themselves. I think Wilson and Bell both have a ton of talent but after watching this film, I have lost a lot of respect for them. This film is a torturous experience that serves absolutely no purpose and the attempt to try and cover the racism presented by writing in some phony BS about the dangers of being an American businessman at the end makes the unbelievable racism all the more shoved in the audience's faces.

                                 No Escape is not only a bad film---it's an unforgivable one. To think this is what people deem acceptable in 2015 is just shocking. There is not a single redeeming quality in this whole mess and if DW Griffith came back from the dead and watched this film, even he would be ashamed of the ideas presented here.
(0 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for strong violence including a sexual assault, and for language)
                         
   

A Walk In The Woods Review

Stars trek---Robert Redford and Nick Nolte as long lost friends who decide to do one last hike together in A Walk In The Woods
                         A Walk In The Woods is the type of film that is not going to be for everyone, but that someone would also have to be a cynical, depressing, soulless person to entirely hate. It's a lovely little comedy-drama with two major and legendary Hollywood talents. There is nothing great about it but it made me smile from start to finish, as it will do with many people and sometimes, that's all a film needs to do to earn my recommendation. In these dog days of the end of summer, I tend to be come much less demanding and this is exactly the kind of comfortable. enjoyable film I love to see get released amongst all the garbage. This is the kind of film that won't do too well in ticket sales but will kill on cable. Come a few months from now, a lot of people will see this is playing on TBS or FX and see that it stars Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. This will prompt them to turn it on and realize what a lovely film they're watching.

                             The film stars Redford as Bill Bryson (who is a real person who wrote the book this film is based on,) a travel writer in his 70's who realizes his life has lost any spontaneity. He has an extremely caring and dedicated wife (Emma Thompson,) great grandkids and a comfortable existence. However, he has also become to accustomed to his daily life and has even been reduced to being interviewed by amateur anchormen about why he seems to have no intention to write anything new.

                          One day,  after the funeral of a friend, he decides that he will walk the Appalachian Trail, an over 2000 mile walk that even people half his age surrender to. Bill's wife insists he bring a friend along and he reluctantly has Stephen Katz (Nolte,) the only person willing to touch this expedition with a ten foot pole, join him.

                          What this film does really well is that it shows two people, played by two great actors, just being lovely. These feel like the kind of people that anyone would pass on the street and they are both sweet, caring people. Sure--they have flaws and aren't always the ideal person to have by your side on a long hike but they are dedicated to the journey and enjoy one another's company, even in the most obnoxious of times. Namely, an overly abrasive and obnoxious hiker (Kristen Schaal, whose schtick I'll give about a month before everyone becomes as unbelievably sick of it as I am.) Fortunately, her character leaves about four minutes after being introduced, right as I was about to walk out of the theater because of her.

                             Redford and Nolte have never shared screen time together but as with a lot of veteran actors first acting together (John Lithgow and Alfred Molina in Love Is Strange is another example that jumps right to mind,) they are dynamite together and have unbelievably magnetic chemistry. I instantly believed these were pals who lost contact and were excited to see each other again. They  are completely believable as two people who find one another yet again at the perfect time.

                              Both Redford and Nolte get a lot of funny moments as well. The film is incredibly touching but it also has more to offer than just gags about how these two are such old farts. They are not only funny in their own rights but they are extremely funny together. Their banter makes for some extremely amusing moments. There are some things that feel shoved into the film, however. Specifically, Mary Steenburgen shows up as a hotel manager who seems to have the hots for Bill. However, seeing as Bill is married and faithful to his wife, this plot point goes absolutely nowhere. This plot point is mostly forgiven, though, because Steenburgen proves herself a good counterpoint to Redford's half-ready to give up old man.

                                  While the comedy mostly works, the better moments are the ones that try (and completely succeed) to be touching. One moment where Stephen confronts Bill about his alcoholism is particularly great and admittedly brought a few tears to my eyes. These moments give the film the weight that make it as simultaneously enjoyable and deep as it is.
   
                                   Like I said, this film will not be for everyone. If you're already rolling your eyes at the idea of Nolte and Redford as two old men who have witty banter in the woods, this film will have you running for the exits. However, A Walk In The Woods is a lovely (I know I've used that word a lot in this review but there's no word to better describe it), very well done comedy-drama that will prove to be an extremely fun time for anyone who just wants to see two legendary actors be great together for the first time.
(4 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for language and some sexual references)