The Heat

Bill C’s Review – 3.5 out of 5

The Heat doesn’t open until late June, but had a special free screening at ‘Girlie Night’ at the Alamo. As I take my responsibility to provide reviews to the masses seriously (and I like things that are free), I put up with Girlie Night and having to turn in my phone and get screened to ensure I wasn’t bringing in any recording devices to the screening.

The Heat is a buddy movie starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy and is directed by Paul Feig, whose last film was the mega-hit Bridesmaids. While The Heat is very formulaic, predictable, and probably a little longer than it needs to be, the bottom line is that this is a very funny movie and that’s all that really matters. Bullock plays the by-the-book, full-of-herself FBI agent. McCarthy is the do-whatever-it-takes, break-all-the-rules street cop. They get paired together to try to break up a drug ring and butt heads for a while, but eventually bond and unite to go after the bad guys.

McCarthy, as usual, is very funny and this movie has a lot more laughs than her previous movie, Identity Thief. I thought Sandra Bullock started a little slow, but she definitely warmed up and got into the fun as the movie went on. I felt they had a good rapport and liked that, in addition to the laughs, at the end you cared about their characters and their friendship.

This isn’t quite as raunchy as Bridesmaids, but it does have a fair amount. Unless that bothers you, this movie will definitely be worth seeing.

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Mud

Bill C’s Review – 4.5 out of 5

Below is the short review  I wrote after seeing Mud at SXSW.  It opens in Austin this week.  Definitely go see it!

This films reminded me a little of Stand By Me.  Two young teens are convinced to help an outlaw on the run.  Matthew McConaughy is great as the outlaw.  The two kids are great too.  The film also has Sam Sheppard, Reese Witherspoon, Joe Don Baker in small roles.  This is a good coming of age movie by Jeff Nichols,  the up and coming director of 2011′s Take Shelter.  Both Nichols and McConaughy were there for a Q+A after the film.  Definitely see this when you can!

Bill I’s Review – 4 out of 5

The plot is not important, it’s the characters that captivate and their relationships. I can’t remember the last time I saw such realistic portrayals of teenagers, and the complicated relationships they have with the grown-ups in their life. The impact of a troubled marriage, with both parents struggling to raise their son the right way, was amazing to watch. Reese Witherspoon was almost unrecognizable, not due to her appearance, but due to her character. McConaughy is terrific, coming off his great showing in Magic Mike. But the real star is the main teenage boy.

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NY Times Article

Mud Movie

42

Bill C’s Review – 3 out of 5

42 is the story of Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) breaking the color barrier in baseball in 1947.  It focuses on a relatively short time span, starting a couple of years prior to Robinson coming up when Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford!), the Brooklyn Dodger’s General Manager, decides to break the color barrier, and goes through Robinson’s first major league season in 1947.

For the most part, I liked the movie although there were certain parts where they took poetic license and factual liberties that were just unnecessary.  For example, in the movie Leo Durocher says his famous ‘Nice Giuys Finish Last’ line when talking to Rickey about whether Robinson was tough enough to make it with all the abuse he took.  I knew this wasn’t the proper context. There were other things like that, such as Branch Rickey miraculously showing up in the tunnel by the dugout at the precise moment that Robinson needs an inspiring speech. During the rest of the movie Rickey is comfortably seated in the stands. Gratuitously including things like this made me question more important part of the movie: were Ralph Branca and Pee Wee Reese correctly portrayed so positively or was it for dramatic effect?

For sports movies, the first thing that can ruin it is the quality of the sports scenes (think Gary Cooper in Pride of the Yankees). Here the movie did OK. The actors could all play pretty well. I think I did audibly groan however when Robinson got on base for the first time and started smiling as he prepared to steal a few bases.

I was surprised how much Harrison Ford looked and sounded like old clips of Branch Rickey I remember seeing, and I thought Boseman, for the most part, did a good job capturing the intensity of Robinson. The movie did a good job of showing the abuse Robinson must have taken (although I’m sure it was much worse) and the racism of the times from both the fans and the players..

The discrimination depicted in the movie is relevant in today’s world as demonstrated by recent discussions about whether men’s professional sports are ready for openly gay athletes.

Right now there are a couple of other movies I’d put ahead of this, but if you’re a big fan of history, sports or both, this film is worth considering.

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Trance

Bill I’s Review – 4 out of 5

Reminiscent of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with its subject of memories lost then regained, it’s a crime thriller that keeps you guessing, so I won’t tell even what most reviews expose. James McEvoy superbly plays a high end art auctioneer that has amnesia so he can’t remember where he stashed the $150M Goya painting to avoid it being grabbed during a heist at a Christies like auction. Rosario Dawson is the hynotherapist he hires to delve into his forgotten threads of memory. Vincent Cassell is the lead thief who alternatively appears inscrutable and ultra violent. Rosario is excellent as someone whose voice can hypnotize most men, not to mention her stunning appearance. There’s a jaw dropping scene when she appears to give James exactly what he wants (remember, I won’t give it away); I almost knocked over my Diet Pepsi. The convoluted exposure at the end helps you understand the plot finally, and keeps you talking and thinking as you leave the theatre. Pay attention and you will enjoy!

The Place Beyond the Pines

Bill I’s Review – 4 out of 5

Why the weird title? It’s the translation for Schenectady, the film’s setting. I didn’t learn this until after watching the film, which made me keep wondering where are the pines and what place are they talking about. So, consider this a spoiler that actually improves your viewing experience – no need to waste time wondering about the title. Ryan Gosling kicks this movie off with a terrific sequence of him walking from his trailer at a carnival right into his role as motorcycle rider inside a metal globe along with a couple of others. I will not give away any of the plot other than to say the following:

  • Ryan Gosling is fantastic, compelling to watch as his character both exhibits deep flaws while recognizing, sometimes only minutes after doing something stupid, how he continually makes bad decisions. His humanity shines through and you don’t doubt his sincerity (OK, you might have doubts), while you feel highly skeptical about his chances for a successful life.
  • Eva Mendes makes a startling first impression, appearing as one of the most beautiful figures in cinema that I can recall ever seeing. Pay attention, because she’s not as compelling later on.
  • Bradley Cooper is also terrific, playing a more complicated character than he did in Silver Lining’s Playbook, maybe the best performance of his career.

The film is structured in three parts, with each part’s story line connected to the prior part. Not all parts are equally excellent, but the ending is perfect, and I never got bored for the whole 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Bill C’s Review – 3.5 out of 5

First – thanks to Bill for the info on the title – I’m sure  I would have been distracted the whole time without his explanation.

I liked this movie a lot but not quite as much as Bill.  I agree with Bill that Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper were excellent with Gosling being the hilight (and I was oh so impressed with Goslings high jumping ability in the bank scenes!).  The other performances were great too.  I especially liked Ben Mendelsohn as Gosling’s friend.

While Bill really liked the ending I liked the first 2 segments more than I liked the third.  I found those a lot more interesting and thought the last third was bit contrived to bring the story together and just wasn’t as compelling to me.  And maybe I’m just a little denser as  I didn’t know how to interpret the final scenes (so I couldn’t spoil the ending of this movie if I wanted to).    But this is definitely worth seeing.

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War Witch

Bill C’s Review – 4 out of 5

This is another really good 2012 Academy Award Nominated Foreign Language film. The movie tells the horrific story of Komona, a 12-year-old girl who is kidnapped and forced to become a child soldier in her (unnamed) African homeland. Komona has a gift for sensing the presence of the enemy and hence the title of the movie and her value to the rebels. Komona goes through unimaginable horrors, finds some happiness and then it’s back for more horrors before the final hopeful ending as she comes to terms with what she’s been through so she can move on with her life..

The movie is anchored by a great performance by untrained actress Rachel Mwanza. The story is well-told and I’d recommend it for anyone who doesn’t mind some violence and subtitles.

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No

Bill C’s Review – 3.5 out of 5

‘No’ is the 2012 Chilean Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.  It tells the story of the the Chilean plebiscite that would determine if Augusto Pinochet would remain in power for another 8 years. Due to international pressure Pinochet allowed for the creation of political parties and 15 minutes of political ads on TV per day.

The film  uses a lot of archival footage (about 30%) and the fictionalized pieces are shot in a way that gives the whole film the feel of  a documentary.  The film centers on an advertising exec, Renee Saavedra (well played by Gael Garcia Bernal) and his desire to focus the campaign on returning the country to happiness instead of a  more serious theme that emphasized the atrocities of Pinochet.  This alienates many of the leaders of the ‘No’ camapign but once the happiness them gains traction the leaders of the ‘No’ campaign face dirty tactics and threats.  The story is well told and has both humor from the campaign and tension as the campaign unfolds.

The film has faced some controversy in Chile as many feel the film oversimplified the campaign by just focusing on the advertising campaign,  Here’s a good article from the N.Y. Times

This film is definitely worth seeing.  The film has English subtitles but even my subtitle hating wife enjoyed the movie.

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The Gatekeepers

Bill C’s Review – 4 out of 5

The Gatekeepers is a very good but unfortunately depressing/pessimistic documentary that explores Israel’s war on terror through interviews with all surviving ex heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency.  The documentary does a great job of using (sometimes graphic) archive footage of some of the agencies successes and failures.

The movie goes through the history of Shin Bet focusing on the period after the 1967 war and issues that resulted with the Palestinian refugees.  The film also explores internal political conflicts within Israel that resulted in the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the derailment of the peace process.

The movie leaves a pretty pessimistic view of the future in the region.   It’s fascinating to listen to these interviews with Israelis who hunt and often times order killing of others with Israelis discussing the need to not just focus on security but also to resolve some of the valid grievances of the Palestinians, the difficulty to do that in Israel today and how Palestinians are at times more interested in inflicting pain upon Israel than reaching a long term peace that will benefit everyone. This is definitely worth seeing.

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SXSW Films – Irwin’s Reviews

Short reviews of the films I saw at SXSW Film Festival

Drinking Buddies – 3.5 out of 5

Great premise: bunch of guys working at a small craft-beer factory hang out with their one female co-worker, played by Olivia Wilde. For the first 10 minutes, the film portrays Olivia as everyman’s perfect woman: beautiful, easy going, loves joking around including food fights, beer drinking, pool playing at the bar after work, and enticing and loving at home. With a sophisticated Mr. Big type as a boyfriend, Olivia even dresses and leaves after their weeknight fun so she can be home for the morning. What more can a guy want? Well, apparently, not even Olivia’s character is perfect, and complications ensue. I really enjoyed the whole movie, and most of all appreciated it’s avoidance of cliche’s and typical Hollywood plot line. Anna Kendrick is terrific along with Jake Johnson (the latter a beer worker and aforementioned buddy, the former as his girlfriend).

Elena – 3.5 out of 5

Bill C. reviewed this below, and I agree, it’s excellent documentary about a young Brazilian woman who goes to New York City to become an actress. She ends up committing suicide (not a spoiler), and this story tries to undestand what happened. The interesting and unique part of this documentary is that it was produced by Elena’s younger sister, aided by 50 hours of home movies and audition tapes that she was able to uncover, and by her mother’s recollections. In other words, it’s all real, from the scenes of Elena as a 12 year-old singing and dancing in her parents living room, to current day when her mom and sister visit the apartment in NYC where Elena ended up. It’s very touching and artfully done. (not to be confused with another movie called Elena)

Some Girl(s) – 3 out of 5

Young man, about to be wed, decides to conduct an apology tour of his old flames, touring the country, meeting them in his hotel rooms, and confronting why they didn’t work, asking if they “are good”, but apparently not looking for a final fling. Sounds creepy and suspicious, but the film kept my interest by the actors interactions and variety of old girlfriends, one as interesting as the other. Adam Brody is believable as the guy, nice guy on the surface buy maybe not so nice if he left all these women without a proper break-up. Best of the women are Kristen Bell, Mia Maestro, and Zoe Kazan.

The Bounceback – 3.5 out of 5

Set in Austin, 20-somethings try to re-connect with their old loves, and/or find new ones, whichever is easier. Some hysterical scenes, some touching scenes, and plenty of memorable characters, especially Sara Paxton as self-styled slut, who takes no BS from her ex-boyfriend.

The Wait – 1.5 out of 5

I waited, and waited, for something to happen, while Chloe Sevigny’s character waits for her recently deceased mother to come back to life (in the bed she passed away in), and her sister and son go about their wandering ways in the Oregon upscale wooded community. Lots a strange scenes, many of which make no sense. Don’t waste your time.

Maladies – 2 ouf of 5

Going to a film festival movie I don’t have much to go on, certainly no reviews, so I thought I couldn’t go wrong with this film starring James Franco and Catherine Keener. Well, I learn something new every day and boy I needed reminding that while they are terrific actors, a good film needs a good story to be written, and that is not the case here.

Sound City – 3 out of 5

Solid documentary about a sound board – actually about the music studio that houses the board, and the many great artists who created legenday rock music there. Directed and conceived, and funded, by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana, it’s clearly a labor of love, as it is with his guest musicians, including Paul McCartney, Rick Springfield and John Fogarty.

 

Springbreakers

Bill I’s Review – 2.5 out of 5

I try to have no expectations other than to see a good film, so I was continually waiting for the good part to start while watching Springbreakers. It’s centered on 4 college girls who scrap up enough cash to head down to St. Petersburg for their wild week. Some of the girls are wild already, and the supposedly religious, “innocent” one, played by Selena Gomez, looking about 14 years old, goes along with the others, disregarding being warned by others to watch out for these girls. They partake in the MTV version of Spring Break, with alcohol flowing, bikini tops being dropped, and drugs being smoked and snorted. That’s not enough, so they delve into more extensive wildness “fun”, after meeting a captivating rapper/gangsta, and about that time I realized that the good part is not going to come at all, nor will my enjoyment. The girls and their lives are depressing, to live and to watch, and overall I did not find any redeeming characters to root for or learn anything about. James Franco plays the white gangsta, and it’s a tour de force, and the only memorable portrayal I will remember in a few weeks.