'Blaze'

'Blaze' Movie Review

'Blaze'

Posted on Sept. 28, 2018 on FanBolt.com

"Maggie's Plan"

"Maggie's Plan" Movie Review

"Maggie's Plan"

Posted on June 10, 2016 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

“Maggie’s Plan” (2016)

Maggie (Greta Gerwig) is a single woman living in New York City. She works at a local university, connecting art students with potential employers. When we first see Maggie, she is meeting her best friend Tony (Bill Hader). As they walk around the park with Tony’s adorable son in tow, Maggie is complaining that she has never been in a long-term relationship. She feels that love is not in her future, and therefore, she should just get artificially inseminated using the sperm of a mutual friend of their’s named Guy (Travis Fimmel). Tony’s only objection to this idea is that Guy is a “close talker.”

Maggie meets with Guy, an artisanal pickle maker running his own business to discuss the possibility of the insemination. Guy is in and is excited that Maggie doesn’t want any participation from him when the child is born. Later that afternoon, Maggie is at the bursar’s office when she meets a part-time professor, John (Ethan Hawke) who convinces Maggie to go for a walk. Their talk goes so well, and John is so impressed with Maggie, that he gives her the first chapter of the novel he is working on.

Maggie finds out from Tony’s wife, Felicia (Maya Rudolph) that John is considered the heartthrob of the university, and that he is in an unhappy marriage to a Columbia University professor (Julianne Moore), a woman that has an incredibly successful career. It turns out that John doesn’t have the greatest of a reputation on campus, though some of that maybe due to his cold and impersonal wife. Maggie decides to continue to see John, and he tells her that he is miserable in his home life because his wife is only interested in her career, which eclipses his, and won’t let him blossom. Finally, John leaves his wife and shows up at Maggie’s door ready to advance their relationship. Maggie should have remembered the old adage “Careful what you wish for.”

Writer/director Rebecca Miller, like her past work including The Private Lives of Pippa Lee and Personal Velocity, brings us a smart, whimsical film that centers on a strong, yet slightly neurotic woman who just might be better off without the men she chooses to get involved with. The dialogue is sharp and natural, making the characters seem real. While Maggie’s Plan is rarely laugh out loud funny, it is a sly, humorous look at a modern-day woman and the choices she makes in her life. That’s the subject of the movie, we don’t always make the right decisions, especially when we go against our better judgment. It’s also about how putting other people’s wants and desires over your’s aren’t invariably for the best; sometimes you need to put you first. Miller does an excellent job of knowing when to slow down the storyline so that we can get to know the characters better and when to speed up the pace for comic effect.

There are a number of memorable scenes in this film that show off Rebecca Miller’s comedic touch. The first time we meet John’s wife, played by the brilliant Julianne Moore is a perfect example of Miller’s ability to mine comedic gold. John is so enameled with Maggie that he realizes he is incredibly late for an appointment and takes off in a run across the park. He enters a theatre to where a woman is being interviewed by a moderator on stage. We quickly realize as John takes the open seat on the stage and grabs a mike, that the event is a kind of point/counterpoint interview with his wife. As he debates the Occupy Wall Street movement with his wife, we realize that they both relish a fight, and both think they are more intelligent the other.

You couldn’t ask for a better cast than this movie has. Bill Hader is exceptional as the opinionated friend of Maggie’s that has only her best interests at heart. He plays off of Greta Gerwig extremely well, their back-and-forth banter makes some of the most amusing scenes of the film. Maya Rudolph is equally good as Maggie’s brash friend.

Rudolph has that ability to deliver a slight line and make it memorable just using her facial expressions. Ethan Hawke is perfect as John, a man that thinks his looks and talent mean the world should give him everything that he wants. Julianne Moore is priceless as John’s wife, Georgette, who has a personality full of hostility that dominates everything in the room. Georgette is Danish and Moore gives her an accent that is just funny listening to it. Moore gives us a character that why not likable; you can feel sympathy for. I am sure that Rebecca Miller wrote this film with Greta Gerwig in mind because I would have a hard time with anyone else in the role. Gerwig has great comedic timing that the movie uses to the utmost. She gives us a memorable performance that you don’t know how she does it, but she commands you to concentrate on her character even when you have scene stealers like Rudolph and Moore up on the screen with her. Gerwig gives a performance that while sweet doesn’t go overboard, making us root for Maggie even more.

“Maggie’s Plan” is a funny and surprisingly, quite moving film that capitalizes on great writing and incredible cast to give us as a pleasurable and gratifying film centered around a woman. We need more of these type of films, and I hope Rebecca Miller keeps giving them to us.    My Rating: Full Price

My movie rating system from Best to Worst: 1). I Would Pay to See it Again 2). Full Price 3). Bargain Matinee 4). Cable 5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“Maggie’s Plan” Website

"Good Kill"

My review of "Good Kill" starring Ethan Hawke, January Jones, Zoë Kravitz.

"Good Kill"

Posted on May 29, 2015 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

“Good Kill” (2014)

Thomas (Ethan Hawke) is an Air Force pilot, or at least, he used to be. He has traded his cockpit of an F-16 flying over Afghanistan for a seat in an air-conditioned portable building in the desert of Las Vegas. He now is flying drones that are thousands of miles away, a virtual video game that he uses to kill people in the real world. It’s killing Thomas, and he desperately wants to be flying again, feeling the pull of the g’s and the thrill of knowing that anything could go wrong at a moment’s notice.

Thomas gets to go home every night to his home in the suburbs to his wife and kids, but he doesn’t seem to find much solace in the comforts of being home. He spends his nights secretly drinking alcohol from a bottle he hides in the bathroom, rarely interacting with his wife, Molly (January Jones). He does all the things that a suburban husband does: he mans the grill for neighborhood bar-b-q’s, helps the kids with their homework and picking them up at school. Instead of enjoying these moments, Thomas keeps daydreaming of flying again, longing for that adrenaline rush.

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

Even the addition of Airman Vera Suarez (Zoe Kravitz) to his team doesn’t pull Thomas out of his funk. He pleads with his immediate commanding officer; Lt. Colonel Johns (Bruce Greenwood) to be giving back a plane falls on deaf ears. Thomas’s world gets even more depressing as their mission changes from the comfort of the Air Force to the shadowy world of the CIA. The CIA doesn’t play by the rules, and now Thomas has to fire his drone missiles at possible innocent civilians. HIs career, his marriage, and his sanity may not survive much longer.

“Good Kill” never hits the mark as it tries to cover too many aspects of today’s military life. The film wants to be about the de-humanizing of modern warfare. Instead of directly interact with your enemy on the ground, now you watch from a distance as your bombs hit their precise targets. It wants to explore the war on terrorism, and the idea that the tactics of remote killing is creating more problems than solving them. The problem is the film never fully explores these ideas with any conviction or purpose, making  those scenes seem just another part of the film.

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

Writer / director Andrew Niccol misses the mark also on the home life scenes. The interaction between Thomas and his wife is just one long silence. Rarely do the characters interact with each other, and if they do show any emotion, it goes way over the top. We have seen the marriage denigrating through lack of communication and understanding too many times, as the film doesn’t bring anything new to its storyline.

Ethan Hawke, as the brooding pilot is never asked to do too much, and much like the character that he plays, it’s a lackluster performance. Hawke’s character rarely interacts with anyone, never giving him a chance to really explore his character or let any layers come through. January Jones is not unitized at all; most of her scenes are of her either suffering in silence or doing a slow burn. Bruce Greenwood gives a somewhat inspired performance of a commander who longs for the old-school way of doing things, but must adapt his command skills as best he can for this new world. Zoe Kravitz is wasted in the role of the possible love interest of Hawk’s character. She has to deliver some of the worst lines of the film as her character tries to survive in the “boys club” of their unit.

“Good Kill” never quite connects with its audience, failing to give anything other than a rather predictable story that can’t settle on what its message is. Like Thomas in the film, we too feel disconnected and empty when the film finishes.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee 

My movie rating system from Best to Worst:  1). I Would Pay to See it Again  2). Full Price  3). Bargain Matinee  4). Cable  5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“Good Kill” is playing exclusively in Atlanta at the Plaza Theatre

"Predestination"

My review of "Predestination" starring Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor.

"Predestination"

Posted on Jan. 9, 2015 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures 

“Predestination” (2014)

A Temporal Agent known as the Bartender (Ethan Hawke) is a time-travel crime fighter that works for a mysterious agency that tries to stop crimes from happening in the past. The Bartender is near the end of his run as an agent, having been described as the best agent who has ever worked. His one failure is he has never stopped the “Fizzle Bomber,” a terrorist who sets off bombs in populated areas.
On one of his trips, he takes up his post at a rundown bar in a big city. He meets a young man who if he is rewarded, will tell the Bartender a story that will shock and amaze him. It turns out that the man was at one time a woman and now makes a living writing under the name of the Unmarried Mother (Sarah Snook). The Unmarried Mother then weaves a story that would normally shock the hardest of the unimpressed. However, the Bartender has a few shocking things up his sleeve and asks the Unmarried Mother if she is ready for the adventure of a lifetime.

Based on a Robert A. Heinlein short story (“All You Zombies”), this impressive and fantastical film is a film full of surprises, reveals and a few twists and turns you will never see coming. It’s a sci-fi film that focuses more on the characters and the story than the sci-fi elements, making it a film that has a lot of heart and substance.

Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

The film is written and directed by Michael and Peter Spierig, known as the Spierig Brothers. They bring to the screen a story filled with substance. It’s a complex world that they have created, and at times it can be confusing, with the story containing interwoven parts that move in and around with almost a free flow feeling. There are some action sequences that move quickly and effortlessly, while never quite revealing all the details that could help you solve the mysteries of the film.

The film has a timeless feel to it, set perpetually in the late sixties or early seventies, but never quite totally surrendering to the time period. Cinematographer Ben Nott gives the film a contemporary look to the scenery while still keeping a slightly smoky look that would be more at home in a film noir detective film. I especially enjoyed the production design by Matthew Putland, giving the film a bright modern look that at the same time looks incredibly dated.

Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Ethan Hawke is brilliant in the role of the world-weary Bartender, who just wants one last chance to hunt down the terrorist and go out on top. He is able to show us a man who has probably been an agent far too long and is near the end of his rope. He works well on screen with Noah Taylor, who plays Mr. Robertson, his boss, and confidant. They have a rapport that comes across as two people who have been working together for a long time and know how to read each other’s moods and thought. It’s the chemistry that Hawke has with newcomer Sarah Snook that makes this film work so well. They play off each other with a grace that makes their conversations just flow. Snook has an energy that perfectly plays off Hawke’s more laid-back style. This is especially evident when her character gets agitated or excited, she almost bounces off the walls at times. Snook’s character, the unmarried mother, is a multi-faceted role that she plays with ease.

Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, though I must admit I didn’t always know what was exactly going on. I think what I liked the most about this film was that it never felt it had to explain everything that we, the audience could eventually figure things out. It’s a special film that will only get better with repeated viewings, and it’s a film that has a heart and soul to it, something you don’t always see in the world of sci-fi.  My Rating: Full Price

My movie rating system from Best to Worst:  1). I Would Pay to See it Again  2). Full Price  3). Bargain Matinee  4). Cable  5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“Predestination” Facebook Page

The film is playing in Atlanta exclusively at the Plaza Theatre

"Boyhood" Movie Review

My review of "Boyhood" starring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke.

"Boyhood"

Posted on Aug. 1, 2014 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com.

Wayback Machine Archive Post 

“Boyhood”  (2014)

There are certain films that are so unique and special, you know it ten or fifteen minutes into the movie. “Boyhood” is one of those films. Richard Linklater has brought to the screen an amazing film that is so effortless and enjoyable to watch that it doesn’t seem it’s almost three-hours long. The film is about a young family that when we first meet them, they are going through the painful separation of a husband (Ethan Hawke) and his wife (Patricia Arquette). The dad showed up unexpectedly after a lengthy absence (“He’s been working in Alaska”), surprising his young 6-year-old son, Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and 8-year-old daughter, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater). The kids are hopeful that their parents are getting back together, but that is soon quashed as the two parents quickly get into an argument on the sidewalk outside of the family’s apartment. The hope, then pain is shown on the kids faces as they watch the unfolding argument happen below their bedroom window. This scene flawlessly develops, and it’s a perfect example on how this film takes small moments in time to let us understand where the characters are in their lives.

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

As the audience, we get to experience four people grow up. The parents, who married too young, go their separate ways, make mistakes in their relationships and eventually find their place in the world. We see how each parent matures and deals with each other and the kids. The two kids who go from elementary school to enrolling in college. Normally, in a film like this, you would use different actors to play the parts at different times in their lives. Then you would use makeup and hairstyles to show the parents growing older as the film moved along. In Linklater’ s film, we see as the parents turn into two adults in their mid-forties, their bodies changing as they get older. We see the kids in all stages of childhood to early adulthood. It’s an amazing viewing experience and adds greatly to the feeling of watching the small pieces of time go by.

Another remarkable aspect about this film is the marking of time through both technology and in cultural events. In a normal film, shot over approximately six months, the filmmakers would probably make more of a spectacle of say a smartphone being introduced to the public, making sure that the audience noticed the product and how important it was to the culture at the time. In this film, not knowing what was going to be popular or going to last, Linklater just lets technology be a part of their everyday lives. It permits the audience to concentrate on what is happening to the characters, allowing us to stay in the moment.

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

While there are a couple of groundbreaking moments in the film, the film is filled mostly with smaller moments. How you interact with the other kids in a new school, the pain of moving away from your friends, the relationships you form in your first job, seeing your mom flirt with someone other than your dad. These are all moments in this film that define its characters and allow us to experience the wonder of growing up. There were several times in the film, when I was waiting for something big to happen, and instead was relieved and surprised when that major event did not occur. It’s an accumulation of smaller events that shape the film’s characters, just like what happens in real life.

The four principle actors in this film do a remarkable job. Early on its Lorelei Linklater, as Sam, that dominates the action. She shines on the screen, interacting with the others with almost dominating presence. She is the more outgoing of the two kids, as Ellar Coltrane plays more of the quiet and retrospective child of the family. As the film moves along, she begins to take a backseat to Coltrane’s performance, becoming more of a supporting character as we get to know more and more about Mason. I really enjoyed Ethan Hawke’s performance as the father who starts shirking his parental duties and then grows into the man his kids need. While Hawke didn’t age too much in his appearance (present day Hawke is still pretty darn boyish), I enjoyed his character’s growth, and I think it’s due to in part Hawke’s maturing as an actor. Arquette is the perfect choice for the role of a young woman who grows into being the matron of the family. She is wonderful in the role, bringing a toughness, yet vulnerability to the role that fit the character of the mom. Arquette lets us see the pain of her character as the mom trying to figure out how to survive with two kids on her own.

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

Coltrane, playing Mason is the anchor and focus of the film. It’s quite an experience to see a young boy grow into a man right before your eyes. I felt that early on, as an actor, his inexperience showed on the screen but as the years went on. He became more comfortable in the part, and I think, also in real life, more relaxed in his own appearance, as most teens do. It’s remarkable how much as a young adult he looks like Ethan Hawke, not only in his body type but how he carries himself in on the screen.

It’s a remarkable film to watch and is truly one of great experiences I have had in the cinema. Linklater has done an impressive job of making a film that is consistent in its quality from start to finish. Think about how the technology of film has changed in the last ten years, but the movie has the same look and feel throughout. What does change are the people in the film and how we feel about them as they grow older. Like your own family members through the years, your opinion of these characters change that they grow older and evolve, some for the better, some for the worse. Linklater has made a film that is an amazing work of art and one to savor as you watch time move across the screen.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again

My movie rating system from Best to Worst:  1). I Would Pay to See it Again  2). Full Price  3). Bargain Matinee  4). Cable  5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

“Boyhood” is playing exclusively at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema

“Boyhood” Website