REVIEW: Transcendence

MOVIE
Transcendence

CAST
Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall

RATING
PG-13

RELEASE
April 18, 2014

DIRECTOR
Wally Pfister

STUDIO
Warner Bros. Pictures

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 59 minutes






STARS
**







REVIEW:

Wally Pfister, best known as the cinematographer behind films like "The Dark Knight" trilogy and "Inception," has now stepped behind the creative process with the new film "Transcendence" being his directorial debut.  The idea of a man having his brain being imported into a computer is not only intriguing and inventive, but also has the potential to be executed brilliantly.  Unfortunately, the idea is much better than the overall movie, as "Transcendence" is a disappointment and not a great way for Wally Pfister to make his directorial debut.  The problem with this movie doesn't rely in a mediocre script and below-average direction, although that attributes to the film's failures.  The main reason why I didn't enjoy the film is because, in a word, it's really boring.

When a 2 hour movie feels more like 2 and a half hours, you know that's not a good sign on the movie's part.  I honestly had to check my phone to see how long the film was, as I was to be going to another movie after "Transcendence" ended.  I understand that a movie should take its time to tell its story and to develop its characters, but here it felt as if the filmmakers were trying to make this thought-provoking and meaningful film by slowing the pace down and having its audience members squirm in their seats, just waiting for the credits to roll so they can venture to the bathroom.  In a world where movies tend to keep up the pace and try to keep people interested throughout its duration, this movie was kind of a snooze-fest, I must say.

It's kind of an ironic accomplishment to make Johnny Depp, one of Hollywood's most charismatic and entrancing actors, such a dull and uninteresting character that makes someone like Sheldon Cooper look like he has more emotion.  Sure, Depp is playing a digital version of himself throughout most of the film, but even when his character was a human he seemed dull and emotionless, aside from a smile here and there.  He's fine in the film, I guess, but I would have liked to have been more invested in his character.  Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy, who are Nolan regulars by this point, are wasted here and aren't given too much to do.  Kate Mara's performance consists of either yelling or staring at something, which made her my least favorite character.  Rebecca Hall and Paul Bettany might have given the best performances in the movie, but it was hard to tell considering the material they were working with wasn't anything great to begin with.

Screenwriter Jack Plagan, a first-timer in the film industry, executed his intriguing idea and put too much build-up, exposition, and useless material that felt like it was to be there to reach that 2 hour runtime.  If the film was just about HOW the world reacted to the world's first artificially intelligent humanoid computer, then the ideas could have been condensed down and explored throughout maybe the course of a year or so in these characters' lives.  Instead, Plagan thought it was smart to start in a dystopian future, bring us back five years to when Johnny Depp became a computer, and then jump again two years into the future to show the evolved progress of the computer and how it's begun to turn against humans.  Wouldn't it have been interesting to maybe have all of this placed in a single year, take out the useless subplots involving the anti-AI groups, and just show a story about a woman coping with the death of her husband by psychologically believing he's still alive in the computer?  That's just my opinion, though.

"Transcendence" really could have been a fascinating movie that expanded out of its clever concept with flying colors.  Instead, Jack Plagan thought it was better to put in multiple subplots, unnecessary exposition, and tell the story of the film by jumping throughout the course of five years for no reason. Wally Pfister might be a brilliant cinematographer, but as a director he needs to work on how to successfully direct his crew to make a solid film.  The cast tries their best with the material they're given, but their misdirection leads them to giving average to mediocre performances.  Overall, "Transcendence" is nothing more than a solid idea from a mediocre screenwriter that suffers from its bad script, mediocre direction, and too many subplots and moments of exposition that aren't needed.  What could have been a smart and simple sci-fi thriller instead becomes a muddled, boring, and disappointing movie that will surely be forgotten by the end of the year.



PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Lucy

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Edge of Tomorrow

Jupiter Ascending

Jersey Boys

REVIEW: Filth

MOVIE
Filth

CAST
James McAvoy, Jamie Bell

RATING
R

RELEASE
April 24th, 2014 (VOD)
May 30, 2014 (LIMITED)

DIRECTOR
John S. Baird

STUDIO
Magnet Releasing

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 37 minutes







STARS
****










REVIEW:

From mainstream films like "X-Men: First Class" and "Wanted" to smaller films like "The Conspirator" and "Trance," James McAvoy gets the job done every time, and manages to choose great projects to be a part of at the same time.  In his latest film "Filth," McAvoy dons a heavy Scottish accent to play Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson, a manipulative, drug-enfused, sex crazed, psychopathic cop who will do whatever it takes to get a promotion and become "Detective Inspector Bruce Robertson."  To be perfectly honest, this was one of those movies that I was really excited for ever since July of last year.  Now that I have actually seen the insanity that indeed is "Filth," I have to say that it was far from the film that I was expecting.  I expected it to be a lot funnier and not as dark and twisted as it was.  Having said that, the dark-nature of the film really added to the experience, and overall made this insane character study a lot better in quality.  "Filth" is cruel, unapologetic, twisted, and insane, but it is so damn entertaining at the same time that I can't help myself from recommending it.

To say that McAvoy gives a great performance here is an understatement.  Not only is his performance sublime and entrancing, but it also may very well be the best performance he's ever given on screen.  The character of Bruce Robertson is vile, sadistic, and cruel, and yet he's so into the role and he's so whacked out of his mind that it's hard not to be entertained by him.  In a way, McAvoy's portrayal of Robertson makes Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of Jordan Belfort look subtle and tame.  This is honestly the type of performance that would get someone at least an Oscar nomination, but considering that not a lot of Academy members will see this film, that probably won't be in the cards.  Nevertheless, McAvoy in this movie is crazy, bonkers, and extremely entertaining to watch.  Same goes with the rest of the cast in the film.

Jamie Bell give a crazy performance playing a work colleague of Bruce.  Almost every scene with him involves drugs or profanity, and when he's snorting cocaine, it is great to watch.  Eddie Marsen from "The World's End" plays McAvoy's loyal and gullible best friend, and his performance is both sad and fun to watch.  There are more subtle and laid back performances that come from people such as Imogen Poots and Joanne Froggatt, and they work really well with Bruce's insane persona.  And in the middle of it all, Jim Broadbent is playing Bruce's doctor, who is usually shown to be some sort of crazy spiritual guide in Bruce's drugged up mind set, and he is just flat out awesome being this mad doctor of sorts.  Overall all of the performances are great, but this is McAvoy's film, so there's really no competition against him.

Screenwriter/director John S. Baird has made one hell of a crazy movie.  It's darkly funny at one moment, serious the next, and as a whole is unapologetically absurd and twisted in the best ways possible.  There are twists and turns that happen in this film that not only are insane and crazy, but also explain certain things that come and go in the film.  Plus, the way he's able to create these bizarre and strange scenes all over Scotland is something that true artists can do.  I've never read the book that this film is based on, but after seeing this, I will surely be doing that sometime in the future.

If films like "The Lego Movie," "Divergent," and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" don't tickle your fancy, then I would suggest taking a chance with "Filth."  It is whacked out of its mind and may very well be the craziest movie you will see in 2014, unless something else comes along, but man oh man, this is such a fun and twisted time.  James McAvoy gives the performance of his career, the script and direction really set the tone and makes this film even crazier than it should be, and the film itself is appalling and bonkers.  I know I'm repeating myself, but that's really the best way to describe this movie: bonkers.  I don't think I will see a more unapologetic film this year, and if there is a movie that is crazier than this, then god help us all.  "Dom Hemingway" came close to being as crazy as this, but where that film had the audience sympathizing with its titular character, this one has us appalled and dropping our jaws with almost every thing he does that impacts the people around him.  Expect a huge cult following to come for this movie, that is if enough people manage to bestow their eyes upon this piece of insanity.

REVIEW: Captain America: The Winter Soldier 3D

MOVIE
Captain America:
The Winter Soldier

CAST
Chris Evans,
Scarlett Johansson

RATING
PG-13

RELEASE
April 4, 2014

DIRECTOR(S)
Joe Russo, Anthony Russo

STUDIO
Marvel Studios (Disney)

RUNNING TIME
2 hours 16 minutes







STARS
***3/4








REVIEW:

Marvel simply continues to prove that they know and understand how to make a franchise of superhero films that work well with devoted fans as well as regular moviegoers.  While DC and Warner Bros. have the "Dark Knight" trilogy and "Man of Steel" under their belts, they also have "Green Lantern" and "Catwoman."  Ever since "Iron Man" was released in 2008, Marvel has been churning out nothing but great movies.  Those who say otherwise may be mistaken, for "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" were released by Sony and Fox, respectively.  The man responsible for making Marvel films (the ones released by Marvel Studios) is Kevin Feige, and once again he has outdone himself with the latest film in the "Phase Two" section of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

For the first time, we get to see Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, adjusting to his new life in the modern times after being frozen for nearly 70 years.  Ever since the events that took place in "The Avengers," Rogers spends most of his days running around D.C. and walking around the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian, trying to continue his catch-up on history.  Unfortunately, catching up will have to be put on hold as an attack on S.H.I.E.L.D. makes Rogers into a US fugitive for reasons I'd rather not explain here.  Now, Captain America must team up with Black Widow and a new recruit named Falcon in order to take down a threat that's been against Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. since the beginning.

After the first "Captain America" movie ended, I said that Chris Evans was the ideal Captain America.  This opinion was further proven in "The Avengers," and now with this film.  Evans not only makes Captain America a fun and awesome superhero, but he also manages to make the character of his alter ego Steve Rogers act human.  Scarlett Johansson kicks all kinds of ass here and makes a really fun and awesome character out of Black Widow.  Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Shaw, and Robert Redford all deliver great performances as the latest additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe cast, Falcon, The Winter Soldier, and Alexander Pierce respectively.  As for Samuel L. Jackson, what else can you expect from him; he's great in everything, and this movie continues to show that.

I admire the direction from Joe and Anthony Russo since they've taken this superhero world that Captain America lives in and made the action and the situations within the film as realistic and humane as the original "Iron Man."  In fact, dare I say, this is the best Marvel solo film to come from the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the original "Iron Man," and that's saying quite a lot.  The action is superb, the acting is great from all, and the direction from the Russo brothers is simply fantastic.  While the film focuses more on the political aspects of this superhero world rather than non-stop action, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is still engaging and entertaining enough to recommend to those who are fans of Marvel's impressive track record.  Although, the 3D is kind of useless, and doesn't really add much to the film as a whole.




PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:

Earth To Echo

Blended

Lucy

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Maleficent

Guardians of the Galaxy

REVIEW: Noah

MOVIE
Noah

CAST
Russell Crowe,
Jennifer Connelly

RATING
PG-13

RELEASE
March 28, 2014

DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky

STUDIO
Paramount Pictures

RUNNING TIME
2 hours 18 minutes




STARS
****







REVIEW:

It's kind of fascinating for me as a Jew to see this country react to things that involve the Bible.  In the case of "Noah," the Christian community has been very divided due to exactly HOW faithful it is to the original story.  Director Darren Aronofsky, whose past films include the highly disturbing "Requiem for a Dream" and "Black Swan," co-wrote the screenplay with Ari Handel and merely based their script on the original story.  Having not actually read the entirety of the Noah story from Genesis, I have to say that I was captivated by this film all the way through.  This is one of those rare religious films that can be seen and even enjoyed by all who are able to open their minds and allow a different take on a Biblical story to take place in front of them.  While it's a little slow in the second half, "Noah" is a powerful, breathtaking, and incredible movie that I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did.

It seems like in his last few movies, Russell Crowe has played one of three things: 1.) the jerk and/or bad guy, 2.) a man who likes to sing, or 3.) all of the above.  Believe it or not, Crowe goes back to Option 3 once more, though he sings and acts like a jerk at separate times in the film.  Don't get me wrong, he's really good in the movie, but it just seems like Crowe loves to play a guy that the audience can dislike, and the character of Noah is extremely unlikable for reasons I won't explain in the movie's second half.  As for the standout of the movie, that title unquestionably goes to Emma Watson.  This is possibly her most emotional and her most revealing performance to date, giving Hollywood a reason to cast her in more serious and dramatic roles.  Among the rest of the stellar supporting cast is Anthony Hopkins, Logan Lerman, Jennifer Connelly, and Ray Winstone, who all are really good in the film despite some performances being stronger than others.  There really aren't any bad performances present here, as everyone is believable and powerful overall.

Having never seen any of Aronofsky's previous movies, I can surely say that I loved the way he portrayed this grim and dark, yet beautiful and fairy-tale-esque, world in the film.  While the visuals aren't as stellar as something like "Gravity," they help to benefit the grand and epic scope that this movie possesses.  Along with the epic scope and the great direction, I loved how Aronofsky and co-writer Ari Handel took this Biblical tale and made it their own, so to speak.  Knowing the basic outline of the original story, I loved how the story didn't end with the Ark and the flood, rather we got to spend another hour with Noah and his family dealing with their predicament.  While I wasn't totally buying how Noah was portrayed as a heartless jerk, I loved everything else they did, and I even liked how Noah sort of came to redeem himself in the end.  Trust me, that's not spoiling the real juicy bits of the movie.

It's kind of funny to think that we live in a world where Christian audiences will praise movies that glorify their beliefs like "Son of God" and "God's Not Dead," and yet when a movie like "Noah" skews a little away from the original source material, controversy explodes amongst audiences.  As a Jewish audience member, I was entranced by watching "Noah," and I loved how Aronofsky and Handel made the story grimmer and more unique than most Biblical films.  This film, to this generation, is what Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" was to the 1950s.  I have a feeling that this movie will carry on throughout the years as one of the best religious movies of the 2000s.  "Noah" is a movie that is bold, ambitious, dark, and beautiful, and I loved nearly every second of it.  Jewish audiences may love this movie, but then again they may be as divided as Christian audiences has been, so my suggestion is to see this movie and judge it for yourself.




PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:

Earth to Echo

Get on Up

The Other Woman

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Hercules

MINI-REVIEW: Dom Hemingway

MOVIE
Dom Hemingway

CAST
Jude Law, Richard E. Grant

RATING
R

RELEASE
April 2, 2014 (NY/LA)
April 11, 2014 (Expands)

DIRECTOR
Richard Shepard

STUDIO
Fox Searchlight Pictures

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 33 minutes






STARS
***3/4









REVIEW:

When a movie starts off with the titular character breaking the fourth wall in prison talking about how incredible his "piece" is while being "serviced" by a fellow prison inmate, you know that you're about to see a film that is out of its own mind.  "Dom Hemingway" is a movie that starts off with constant swearing and drinking and never ceases from there, despite getting darker and more heartfelt as the film progresses.  Jude Law plays the titular character, and he's been in prison for 12 years due to not snitching out his colleagues.  Now he's out, and he's got a lot of catching up to do.  After all, his daughter's grown up now and doesn't want anything to do with her dad, his friends are minimal and his enemies are exceedingly high, and Dom wants the money that belongs to him.  What ensues in the 93 minutes that this movie lasts is absolute absurdity, but in the best ways imaginable.  Thanks to a fleshed out narrative, very satisfactory/shocking moments placed throughout the film's duration, and a fierce and commanding performance from Jude Law, "Dom Hemingway" is an insane, hilarious, and surprisingly heartwarming dark comedy that is definitely worth seeing.

To say that Jude Law's performance as Dom is great is an understatement.  Of all of the performances I've seen from him, this is probably my favorite one of his next to Gigolo Joe from "A.I. Artificial Intelligence."  The character of Dom is a sour, bitter, and pathetic human being who is actually fleshed out and gives the audience a reason to sympathize with him.  Despite his aggressive temper, over the top sexual charisma, and absolute hatred for the world, Dom is still a human, and Law clearly shows this, especially in the film's second half.  Richard E. Grant's performance as Dom's right hand man Dickie helps to contradict Dom's aggressive manner at times, and even manages to give off some powerful laughs here and there.  Demian Bechir and Emilia Clarke help to round out this stellar cast of characters, though Jude Law basically owns this movie at the end of the day.

Director/screenwriter Richard Shepard manages to take this pathetic character and give him a story where we, the audience, get to both laugh at his absurdity and pity him when things go from bad to worse for him.  This film as a whole is an absurd dollar coaster ride into the life of one crazy man looking for revenge and redemption, and I for one had a blast with it.  The direction is great, Jude Law's performance is out of the park, and "Dom Hemingway" as a whole is a great little gem that deserves your attention no doubt.  It's one of those movies that doesn't quite go as far as one may want it to, but the overall experience is incredibly satisfying.  If this movie is playing in your area, definitely check it out.  "Dom Hemingway" is a love it or hate it dark comedy that I saw as an insane, bonkers, but great movie with a well-written story and Jude Law's most energetic and twisted performance to date.