This Weeks New Releases For Home Viewing

Only one new release to note this week for home viewing...............and  well ...not a very good one.

A WALK IN THE WOODS
Directed by Ken Kwapis
Screenplay by Rick Kerb and Bill Holderman
Based on the book by Bill Bryson
Starring: Robert Redford; Nick Nolte; and Emma Thompson



Bill Bryson (Redford), after a funeral, decides life is fleeting away so he decides the best way to connect with life is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends Katz (Nolte). Much to the chagrin of his wife Catherine (Thompson).

I had many other movies going through my head while watching this. Wild, thinking they are going for a challenge by hiking a trail. Wild was much better. Marigold Hotel, facing the mental struggles of getting old and what to do with the time that is left. Marigold Hotel did it better. Sideways, two friends on an adventure (In fact one scene reminds you of Sideways, involving a pair of underpants). Sideways did it better.
I am not saying this film is bad, but it is just okay, and that is not what you expect with Redford/Nolte/Thompson. The film just lays there. It just cannot find its tone. The conversations are boring, and often have no connection to the plot. I did not read the popular book, but people rave about it, which makes me think they could not decide how to fit all of that book into a film in less than two hours. The screenwriters failed. They did not start walking until 45 minutes in (as opposed to Wild which started right away and then showed us flashbacks on why she is taking the trek).
They did keep some slapstick in that worked sometimes for laughs. So...that is a positive.
The look!!!!!! Baaaaad green screen work. I just do not understand, how we get beautiful pictures from the trail in the credits but the decision was made to use a green screen during the filming. Maybe they spent all their money on the stars.
The stars?! Redford was pretty good and believable in this part. Originally he was going to make this movie with Paul Newman, that is how long this script has been out there, so now he hikes with Nick Nolte. Nolte, coming off a fine performance in Run All Night, is badly miscast here. Not for a minute did I believe he could do this for over thirty days (or even a day). Thompson is sadly underused, but real good in her limited time on screen.
I would give A Walk In The Woods 2 out of 5 stars, and that is for the few laughs I got out of it. A bit of a disappointment.

From the shadow as as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Carol

CAROL
Directed by Todd Haynes
Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy
Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith
Starring Cate Blanchett; Rooney Mara; Sarah Paulson; Kyle Chandler; and Jake Lacy



In 1950s New York, a department-store clerk who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman.

It is an against the odds love story, and it works.

Well I am not going to go through everybody but look above and see the list. Everyone of those actors have a reputation of taking small roles and making them memorable. All of them are fantastic working actors. I really do think this is one of the main reasons of why it works.

What also works is the chemistry between the two main characters Carol and Theresa.
Cate Blanchett is perfect as always here as the flighty Carol who is pulled between Theresa and her upset (rightfully so) husband (played wonderfully by Chandler).
Then we come to the interesting Theresa played by Mara. She is getting a lot of Oscar attention here. The funny thing is, if you get a chance to see this, note that Mara really does not talk much. She watches most of the time. Observing. Almost innocent and taking things in. As the film goes on watch how she changes from frumpy dress to tailored well put together outfits. You can see her become more confident, fighting for herself as the film moves on. So, yes, an odd part, but a well deserved Golden Globe nod. And most likely an Oscar nod.

This is a hard film to review without giving up spoilers. At one point there is a road trip (I am a sucker for road trip films) I think that is the highlight where these two can be themselves and we learn a lot about them. I almost did not want to see them return back to the city, because in the city the outside forces pull at them.
 Is it as good of a love story as Brooklyn? No. However there is a sweetness to it that can't be denied.
4 stars out of 5 for this well acted film.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time

New Film Review: Joy

JOY
Directed by David O Russell
Screenplay by David O Russell and Annie Mumolo
Starring Jennifer Lawrence; Robert Deniro; Isabella Rosellini; Diane Ladd; Virginia Madsen and Bradley Cooper



Joy is the story of the title character, who rose to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business starting with the Miracle Mop.

Silver Linings Playbook. American Hustle. Now David O Russell is back with his muse Jennifer Lawrence. And in this one he swings and  kind of misses.
I am willing to bet that this film was not originally narrated by Dianne Ladd's character, and O'Russell knew he had trouble getting the story to push through and he needed a narrator. He knew there was a problem.
The first  and biggest of problems is that Jennifer Lawrence is miscast here. She is much too young for the part. Sometimes when she is arguing she comes across not as a smart businesswoman and inventor but she comes across as young and naïve. She is also too young to have the daughter. What was she 12 when she had her?!
Another problem, lack of character development. We really do not know much about her mom. Her Grandma. Rossellini's character pops in with money but we really know nothing about her. Coopers character is only in the film for like 15 minutes and he has to give a big speech about who he is. There is a step sister here that Joy is butting heads with and we know nothing about her.
This movie is cold and sterile and not a "JOY" to watch. It pushes on until it comes to a even colder ending.
The plus?
 Jennifer Lawrence is miscast but she does act the hell out of this film.
 It is an interesting story of a woman trying climb out from beneath the blanket of crazy upbringing.
There is also an actor by the name of Edgar Ramirez who plays Joy's ex husband Tony. He is fantastic here I just loved his character.

2 1/2 stars out of this just okay film. May want to wait to watch it when it is released for home viewing. An interesting story with a miscast lead and a cold script. Oh and by the way look at the poster. It is misleading with Bradley Cooper when he is only in it for 15 minutes and they have Isabella freaking Rossellini and she does not get a top billing. Shame!!!!

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: The Hateful Eight In 70MM

THE HATEFUL EIGHT
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Screenplay by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Samuel L Jackson; Kurt Russell; Jennifer Jason Leigh; Walton Coggins; Demian Bicher; Tim Roth; Michael Madsen; and Bruce Dern



In the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of interesting characters.

Welcome to Minnie's Haberdashery.

3 hours...that included the 13 minute intermission. so...2 hours 45 minutes of tension.
Is it Tarantino's best? No. But I really liked it.
First it is beautiful to just look at. Every scene is gorgeous. Even little details inside the cabin...like you notice in the back of the cabin snow is falling inside, with a little bit of light it almost seems oddly peaceful within the tension of the room.
The screenplay may be one of his best. It could easily be put on stage in NY, 3/4 of the film takes place inside one room. It is an old school/western showdown (no spoilers here).

As for the acting. Again no spoilers. Leigh, in the year of women in movies is getting a lot of well deserved love for her part here as Daisy. She is Dirty/vulgar/funny all rolled up into one ball of fire. So, yes she is getting the well deserved love but I want to note a couple more standouts. Sometimes I think Jackson is such a good actor he makes it seem so easy that he can be overlooked. Jackson is fantastic here, he is the center here, he commands your attention. Also, Tim Roth as Oswaldo, gives a great performance, sometimes scary also a bit hilarious by almost giving play by play in the room.

Negatives? Well 3 hours is long, so yes it could have been edited a bit. Also, it has to be addressed, the N word. It is used so often here it becomes cringe worthy at times. Yes, I understand it was a different time and place, however the word being used every 5 minutes it seems like Tarantino is just using it as shock value.

So, many critics are saying Tarantino's ego got in the way here and the film is him being over indulgent. But what do you expect when going to see a Tarantino film?
A good script. He delivers (still a bit long)
Violence. Oh yes, you get over the top bloody violence.
Humor. Yes you get humor. "Close the door!!!"
So I disagree with most of the critics.
4 stars out of 5 for The Hateful Eight. He delivered a good film that looks wonderful on the big screen.

From  the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Daddy's Home

DADDY'S HOME
Directed by Sean Anders
Screenplay by Brian Burns; Sean Anders; and John Morris
Starring: Mark Wahlberg; Will Ferrell; Thomas Haden Church; and Linda Cardellini



A mild-mannered radio executive Brad (Ferrell) strives to become the best stepdad to his wife's Sara (Cardellini) two children, but complications ensue when their freewheeling and freeloading real father Dusty (Wahlberg) arrives, forcing him to compete for the affection of the kids.

This film surprisingly is not as bad as the trailer makes it out to be. However it still is not very good.
It kind of just sits there.

Many jokes fall flat...in fact most of the jokes fall flat.
The story line is thin, and where it goes is very predictable. The jokes are mainly, as you can tell by the trailer, physical, and unrealistic.
Almost every one is irritating including the wife Sara. Thomas Haden Church gives us some of te best laughs just by telling stories.
On the other side there is a sweetness at the end and a funny conclusion that makes the film almost less....detestable I guess. It finishes well, if that is anything. Plus Wahlberg and Ferrell again have pretty good chemistry, they play off each other well.
One of the huge problems is they market this as a family film and it is far from a family film. There are some scenes that are rather...I guess sexual in subject. Who is this for? I guess teens. The market for this may be thin.

2 stars out of 5 for Daddy's Home. Well there are more laughs than Sisters. If that helps.

From the shadows as alwaysthanks for your time

New Film Review: THE BIG SHORT

THE BIG SHORT
Directed by Adam McKay
Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
Based On The Book bY: Michael Lewis
Starring: Christian Bale; Steve Carell; Ryan Gosling; and Brad Pitt



Four outsiders in the world of high-finance who predicted the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s decide to bet against the big banks for their lack of foresight and greed.

It is almost irritating to watch this film. To watch greed. To watch cover ups. To watch how the government will protect itself before protecting it's people. It is all just hard to watch, and at the end you just sit and stare at the screen in total sadness.  However I am not saying it was not well done.
The good:
Shockingly this film is directed by Adam McKay. Yes Anchorman....Talladega Nights...Step Brothers, that Adam McKay. And he does the best he can with the not so...I guess...flamboyant..material. He fully understands that this film is packed with information that more than half the audience will not understand. Because of this he almost makes fun of the audience. He understands that the average American knows more about entertainment than what their own money is doing. He uses that by braking the fourth wall and having people like Margo Robbie in a bubble bath explain things. It is hilarious and sad at the same time!!!
The acting in this film, as you can imagine with the star power is fantastic. Steve Carell is getting the most notice for his wonderful performance but also please note a great performance here by a socially awkward Christian Bale.
The problem, and a big problem is.....tension. There is no tension. You really do not care for anyone (except maybe Brad Pitts character) here. Even tough you do not want them to succeed, you understand what has to happen for them to succeed. It is a problem from the start. A big problem. I do not get into politics on this blog, but I thought of President Obama often here. I always think, because of his background in community affairs, he underestimates corporate greed often. This is basically corporate greed and government cover ups. And I think of Obama because as the film says...things really have not changed.
Look at Spotlight.  Like The Big Short, a tough subject. Going in you know the end game. However you really are cheering for the reporters because they are making a change. Doing the right thing. Here....not so much. 3 1/2 stars out of 5 for this well acted and directed film that needed editing.
 Interesting subject....and yes critics are saying one of the best films. I think this is one of those films, that I say often, are critic sheep films, where they do not want to look stupid so they fall in line with other critics and say it is the best. Me? I will be honest with you, probably wait until home viewing. As a matter of a fact it probably should have been an HBO film.

If you are interested in seeing what the ramifications of all this is watch a film available for home viewing called 99 Homes. Starring Michael Shannon who just got a Globe Nomination for the film.
Again it is greed and it shows more people turning a profit on others loss.

Well from the shadows as always thanks for your time.

This Weeks New Releases For Home Viewing

Well not a great week for new releases. Two of significance.

PAWN SACRIFICE
Directed by Edward Zwick
Screenplay by Steven Knight; Stephen J Rivele; and Christopher Wilkinson
Starring Tobey McGuire; Live Schreiber; and Peter Saarsgard



Set during the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (McGuire) finds himself caught between two superpowers and his own struggles as he challenges the Soviet Chess Champion (Schreiber).

Hmmmmmm. A film about playing chess. Okay. Sounds boring. However it puts the chess game right into the middle of a tense time and place. This makes the chess game more stressful and it worked.
Other than the chess match, I really did not care about Bobby Fischer. Yes, he clearly and sadly had mental issues, it seems to be paranoia and over the top obsessive compulsive behavior. Still it went ignored by all around him because he was thrown into, or threw himself into the middle of political situation. This makes it difficult to watch. Fischer is so unlikable it makes the film feel .....trying to find the right word...ugly I guess. Yes Fischer had many a mental issue, and those issues are going unchecked, so I can only go with who he is in the film and that is....a jerk with a huge ego. And again it makes the film very agitating.
Positives? The acting was spot on. Schreiber, as the Russian champ, and Saarsgard as an almost handler of Fischer  were really good in their roles playing off the paranoid McGuire in a real soft calming way.

During the credits, sadly you see the Bobby Fisher never really changed or got help for his many issues. It is just an unlikable film 2 stars out of 5.


PAN
Directed by Joe Wright
Screenplay by Jason Fuchs
Starring Hugh Jackman; Levi Miller; Garret Hedlund; Amanda Seyfried; and Rooney Mara



12-year-old orphan Peter (Miller) is spirited away to the magical world of Neverland, where he finds both fun and danger, and ultimately discovers his destiny -- to become the hero who will be forever known as Peter Pan.

This film is a mess.
It is dark, starting with an orphanage and then an island of kids looking for pixie dust or something.
It is just a mess, dark for kids and boring for adults. The story is awful. Jackman looks like he stepped out of some broadway show singing in a costume that is as ridicules as his character. He even breaks out in Nirvanna song. Yes you read that right, him and children singing Nirvanna music. This is a bad story and a bad look. The director Joe Wright (maybe he was trying to be anotherr Baz Luhrman} who last directed the awful Anna Karenina, seems to have become all style and no story, and here the style is too dark. He should never be given a boatload of money to spend again, maybe he is better, aka when he directed Pride And Predjudice, with films on a smaller scale.
The good:
 Levi Miller as Peter is pretty good.
Rooney Mari as Tiger Lilly is really good. The movie was criticized by a group upset that she, a Caucasian, got the part ahead of a Native American. This is ridiculous on two parts: A Native American does not mean a Native Neverlander. Plus...this group should be happy a Native American is not involved in this mess.
Amanda Seyfried as Wendy is very good in a small part.

1 1/2 out of 5 stars only because of the above three performances. A big budget bomb.

As always thanks for for your time ...from the shadows.

New Film Review: The Danish Girl

THE DANISH GIRL
Directed by Tom Hooper
Screenplay by Lucinda Coxon
Based on the book by David Ebershoff
Starring Alicia Vikander and Eddie Redmayne



A fictional love story inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda's marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.

The key word above is "Fictional".
So we have to go with what is in the screenplay.
First lets get the acting out of the way. Two fantastic performances by Redmayne and Vikander. Both picking up well deserved Globe Nominations.
The problem here is in the screenplay. The screenplay comes across as cold. Cold in many ways.
Einar makes the decision to become Lili, okay fine, but the ramifications of that are never talked about. Meaning the ramifications of their relationship. The decision by doing one thing...destroys a marriage and it is never spoken about or reacted to. It seemed cold. Not saying he should not have done what he did, I am just saying he almost comes across as unstable and selfish by not having the discussion with his wife bout their future.  Now, because of this it all seems cold and unrealistic and odd. Now I did not read the book, maybe they did have conversations, but I can only go by the film. Yes she is supportive. Yes she loves him and her. She comes across as just as brave as Einar. Still it seems sterile and cold. And because of this the film seems ..odd..and off a bit. It almost becomes a story of a very cold break up....with no reaction.
3 1/2 stars out of 5 for the well acted The Danish Girl.

As always from the shadows thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Sisters

SISTERS
Directed by Jason Moore
Screenplay by Paula Pell
Starring Amy Poehler and Tina Fey



Two sisters decide to throw one last house party before their parents sell their family home.

I do not know who Paula Pell is. I looked her up and apparently she is a writer for Saturday Night Live. I really do not understand why Paula Pell is the writer here. You have two wonderful female writers in Poehler and Fey. So not only is Pell guilty of this awful mess...but both Poehler and Fey are just as guilty for not seeing how bad this is and making adjustments.
This film is shockingly bad. Shockingly not funny. Shockingly unrealistic. Shockingly irritating.
Lets watch a bunch of 30..something...40 something adults act annoying and throw a party.
Soooooooooooo many jokes fall flat.
Bright spots? The second time this year John Cena shows up in a comedy (Trainwreck) and gets many a laugh. In this film he gets the only laughs.
This film is really bad and I wanted to walk out half way through. Then out of desperation they try to throw in the I learned to be a good mother card. No!!!
1/2 a star out of 5. Not even worth a look on home video when it comes out.

From the shadows thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Spoiler Free Star Wars The Force Awakens

STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS
Director J J Abrams
Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan; J J Abrams; and Michael Arndt
Based On The Characters by George Lucas
Starring Daisy Ridley; John Boyega; Oscar Isaac; Domhnall Gleason; Adam Driver; Harrison Ford; Carrie Fisher



30 years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat rises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a ragtag group of Heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.

"Real sets. Practical effects. You have been here before but you do not know this story. Everything has changed but nothing has changed". As the above video noted that was viewed at Comic-Con.

It all starts and ends with J.J. Abrams. He is the master here and it works.
I was worried in the beginning that the story was  familiar with an individual finding a droid. At that point it moves, thankfully, in a different direction.
I am spoiler free here...so I am going to do my best at getting my points across. J.J. Abrams.
Did I mention J.J. Abrams? I can write so much about this film but I will stick with J.J.. It is all him.

His casting. Was just spot on:
From Names from past Star Wars films: Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.
To people we know from other movies:
Adam Driver (Girls)....Deliciously evil as Kylo Ren
Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina).... as the brave fighter Poe Dameron. Who plays the dry straight man here very well.
Domhnall Gleason (Harry Potter films/Brooklyn/ExMachina) Is soooo well cast as the evil General Hux. It is against type because we are so use to seeing him as a stuttering, bumbeling kind of character.
 To casting faces we never have seen before:
John Boyega as Finn is fantastic as the every man hero played with dry humor. He becomes us. Tackling certain situations with a hold your breath...I have to do this...with fear and lack of enthusiasm.
Then we come to Daisy Ridley. She is the film. She is the star. This Kierra Knightly look alike carries this film (with BB-8--the cutest thing in movies this year). I hope she gets at least some Oscar consideration. She is strong. She is funny. She is a ball of emotions. I can not note enough how amazing she is. It is a credit to J.J. by just finding her.

The look.
This film is beautiful. Some scenes are breathtaking. So again credit goes to J.J. for bringing in Cinematogropher Daniel Mindel. There were a couple times in this film where I thought..."Oh that will make a great poster!" I would avoid 3D here to get the scope of the colors and landscapes.

The music:
He brought back John Williams!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean you get chills from the start when the score plays and he sets the tone throughout the film.

Negatives?
I was shocked by how stiff Carrie Fisher is as an actress. Maybe I just did not notice it before.
A couple big parts you clearly can see what is going to happen. J.J. Telegraphs a little too much including what may becoming in future episodes.
And my final negative which is a common complaint of mine when dealing with films that are set up for future episodes. Every film should have a clean ending. There are some loose strings here that left me wondering who is alive and who is not. I always feel you pay your money you should get a clear ending for a film that you paid to see. You should not have to pay for another film to see what happens. Each film should be go clearly from beginning to end on it's own.

Well 4 1/2 stars out of 5 for this almost perfect film. May be the best film I have seen all year. It is amazing that it actually lives up to its hype. Great for the whole family. The torch has been passed. Starts with J.J. Abrams...did I mention that before?

Now some fun spoilers to look for:

J.J.'s favorite actor friend is in another of his films....Greg Grunberg. Look for him. In all of J.J.'s film Greg is like where's Waldo.
Listen and look for the stormtrooper who says "I'll tighten those restraints scavenger scum!" That would be Bond James Bond. Yes Daniel Craig is that stormtrooper!!!

From the shadows as always may the force be with you!!!

This Weeks New Releases For Home Video featuring MI Rogue Nation

With four movies to mention this week why not start with Four...meaning the Fantastic Four.

Fantastic Four
Directed by Josh Trank
Screenplay by Jeremy Slater; Simon Kinberg; and Josh Trank
Based on the books by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Starring Miles Teller; Kate Mara; Michael B Jordan; and Jamie Bell



Four young outsiders teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe which alters their physical form in shocking ways. The four must learn to harness their new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.

This will not be a review but a look back at why things went wrong.
1- It starts with this and because of this...every thing else snowballs down a cliff. Just look at the Avengers. They each had their own films. Thus during those said films they had plenty of time for character development. So we come to The Fantastic Four. We have four main characters played by four of the best young actors in Hollywood. There is just no time for character development and we almost do not care about them.
2-Because 1, we get more talking then action.
3- Because of 1. when we get action we see a lot of just watching, then throw in bad special effects.

I did not hate the film as much as most critics, and on for home watching it is worth a look see..2 stars out of 5 for one of summers biggest disappointments. After many tries at The Fantastic Four, it may be a film that just cannot be made properly.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ROGUE NATION
Directed and Screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie
Starring Tom Cruise; Jeremy Renner; Simon Pegg; Rebecca Ferguson; Ving Rhames; Alec Baldwin; and Sean Harris

Alec Baldwin, representing the CIA, wants to disband the IMF. Why? I don't know, but I can tell you this spy vs spy movie is better than any new James Bond film (And recent Bond films have not been that bad). It's exciting, and funny, and full of energy.There are great and fun action sequences on an airplane; in an opera house; under water and on a motorcycle, that can put those CGI filled Fast And Furious films to shame. Plus knowing Tom Cruise likes to do his own stunts it leaves you holding your breath. Director Christopher McQuarrie should also get a lot of credit for this excellent  and intense action thriller. From London to Morocco the film looks great, and the action sequences with a shaky cam puts you in the action.
As for the plot? I was confused often but I went with it because the film kept pushing forward at high speed. There are betrayals and deceptions around all the turns in this spy thriller, you really do have to just pay attention and hope it gets cleaned up and understood in the end.

One of the big differences in this film is Cruise lets his costars take center stage often. We see a lot more of Simon Pegg, which means a lot more humor, in fact there are some very funny moments. We also see a strong female character in Isla Faust a British Intellgence Agent played by a new comer, a fantastic Rebecca Ferguson. We also have Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames playing, well, Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames. And most important it would not work without a really good bad guy in Sean Harris.

Negatives? Maybe a few plot holes and maybe the film could have been shortened (maybe cutting short some chase scenes).

Still.....4 out of 5 stars for MI Rogue Nation. The best Mission Impossible yet...hands down. Real fun.
 

TED 2
Directed by Seth McFarlane
Screenplay by Seth McFarlane; Alec Sulkin; and Wellesley Wild
Starring Mark Wahlberg; Amanda Seyfried; and SethMcFarland (Voice)



Newlywed couple Ted and Tami-Lynn want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.

I have to start off by saying Ted, the first film, I was not a big fan. In fact I thought it was a one joke lazy screenplay of a film. I was pulled into Ted 2 because I thought the trailer was funny. Well I was kinda right. TED 2 I thought was a little bit funnier. Still....not a very good movie.
Problems: The film is all over the place with tone. It goes from a foul mouthed Teddy Bear to a long love song being sung by Amanda Seyfried to a funny bit with a pot field with the Jurasic Park score.
I think the problem is that McFarland's writing is more appropriate for television, where it is a 22 minute episode usually surrounded by one joke. With feauture length films, he sticks to a joke and runs it into the ground and over a span of two hours (he needs better editors) it falls flat. The bear jokes; the pot jokes; the running of movie stars in and out of the movie just falls flat.
The positives? Wahlberg should get more credit playing off a bear who is not really there, he makes it believable, it must be hard to do. Seyfried as a young pot smoking lawyer, is really funny in her second outing in a McFarland film (A million ways to die in the west).
Ted 2 I give 2 out of 5 stars for another McFarland disappointment. Maybe I just do not get his, pounding a joke to death humor. Well, at least I got more laughs in this one than the first Ted, just not as many as I hoped.

MAZE RUNNER THE SCORCH TRIALS
Directed by Wes Ball
Screenplay by T.S. Nowlin
Based on the book by James Dashner
Starring: Dylan O'Brien; Ki Hong Lee; Kaya Scodelario; Dexter Dafdan; and Thomas Brodie Sangster



In this next chapter of the epic "Maze Runner", Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) and his fellow runners face another challenge: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with the smell of death. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD's vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all.

I was surprised by how much I liked The Maze Runner. I think it may be because of O'Brien. He is so damn likable. He has no special powers by creating fire or jumping and climbing off buildings, he is just a smart kid that happens to run fast. And yes there are a bunch of effects in each of these films but O'Brien makes it work.
They find out the Maze was just a test and now they must decide who is with them or against them. I love everyone of the characters including two new "Runners"  Jacob Lofland and Rosa Salazar. Also they added three great adult actors into the mix in Lili Taylor; Barry Pepper; and Giancarlo Esposito. Throw in the return of Patricia Clarkson who I still cannot decide whether she is good or bad, which adds more tension to the series.
As for the film and screenplay. It is a exciting yet violent film. Almost shockingly violent for a youth film with zombies (that really freaked me out) and many a bloody gun battle. The film was 2 hours and 20 minutes, maybe a little long but it kept me interested, again that goes back to the likability of O'Brien.
A negative would be what most of these adapted youth novels have a problem with. They do not have an ending with the second book or film. It shows maybe how great of a writer J.K. Rowling is because she was able to create a resolution or ending to all her books. In this film and Divergent and Hunger Games there really is not an ending in the second round, so comes across as a place holder without a defining ending. This is a problem we do not put money down for a film without an ending.
4 out of 5 stars for this exciting and well acted scary film.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.        

The Shadows Thoughts On The Golden Globe Nominations

Well the Golden Globes nominations came out on Thursday and there were some thumbs up and some down from me. I will ignore the SAG award nominations which seemed pretentious. So here are my thoughts on this years nominations.
First I have to pat myself on the back.....over and over this year I have been posting this is the year of Alicia Vikander. Thursday she received two nominations, for The Danish Girl and for Ex-Machina. In my opinion Testament Of Youth was her best performance,,,and that was not nominated. Yes it was the year of Vikander.
Well any way, enough of me bragging...

Best Motion Picture – Drama
“Carol”
“Mad Max: Fury Road”
“The Revenant”
“Room”
“Spotlight”

As strange as it sounds I do not have a problem with any of the nominations here. I was not a huge fan of Mad Max...however..I understand the passion for it. I may have left out Mad Max and added Creed. Or Brooklyn!! Also people seem to forget the wonderful The End Of The Tour!!

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
“The Big Short”
“Joy”
“The Martian”
“Spy”
“Trainwreck”

Well unlike the drama category, I have a lot of problems with this one. Spy???!!! The Martian??? A comedy??!!
Left out? How about Inside Out? How about Ex Machina...It could be a drama also. As a comedy, a pure comedy, Trainwreck should win this hands down.

Best Director – Motion Picture
Todd Haynes (“Carol”)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu (“The Revenant”)
Tom McCarthy (“Spotlight”)
George Miller (“Mad Max: Fury Road”)
Ridley Scott (“The Martian”)

I think Ridley Scott should win this...I have no problems with the list.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Bryan Cranston (“Trumbo”)
Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant”)
Michael Fassbender (“Steve Jobs”)
Eddie Redmayne (“The Danish Girl”)
Will Smith (“Concussion”)

Bryan Cranston I would have left out. It seemed like a one note performance. I would have added Jacob Tremblay for Room. I know he was nominated for a supporting role by SAG. However he is in every scene!!! He is the lead!!n He carries the movie!!
Also did the Hollywood Foreign press forget Jason Segel in The End Of The Tour? He was incredible!

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Cate Blanchett (“Carol”)
Brie Larson (“Room”)
Rooney Mara (“Carol”)
Saoirse Ronan (“Brooklyn”)
Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”)

All very good performances.  I would have given some thought to Blythe Danner for I'll See You In My Dreams. However I do not know who I would leave off this list.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Christian Bale (“The Big Short”)
Steve Carell (“The Big Short”)
Matt Damon (“The Martian”)
Al Pacino (“Danny Collins”)
Mark Ruffalo (“Infinitely Polar Bear”)

Very weak group. I do admit I have not seen The Big Short Yet. Matt Damon should win this handedly. Even though it was not a comedy. I am glad Al Pacino received a nomination for Danny Collins, his best performance in years.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy
Jennifer Lawrence (“Joy”)
Melissa McCarthy (“Spy”)
Amy Schumer (“Trainwreck”)
Maggie Smith (“The Lady in the Van”)
Lily Tomlin (“Grandma”)

Schumer and Tomlin should be the front runners here. McCarthy? Really? How about Mae Whitman in The Duff?! How about Patricia Clarkson in Learning To Drive?!

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Paul Dano (“Love & Mercy”)
Idris Elba (“Beasts of No Nation”)
Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies”)
Michael Shannon (“99 Homes”)
Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”)

Love some of the nominations in this catergory!!!
Stallone!!! Well deserved!!
Dano!!! They did not forget his performance!!
Shannon!! This film, if you have not seen it, kind of falls in line with The Big Short. It is available for home viewing. It is disturbing but true. Shannon is great.
Rylance, of this group is the favorite I imagine. Just a great soft performance.
I would have left out Elba. Nothing against him but this movie was released wide on Netflix and was produced by Netflix and only showed once in the theater for it to be eligible. I am old school!! This should be up in the TV category not the movie category.
I would replace him with either Del Toro for his amazing performance in Sicario! Or Oscar Isaac for his performance in Ex Machina.

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Jane Fonda (“Youth”)
Jennifer Jason Leigh (“The Hateful Eight”)
Helen Mirren (“Trumbo”)
Alicia Vikander (“Ex Machina”)
Kate Winslet (“Steve Jobs”)

Winslet is probably the favorite.
I would have considered Olivia Cooke in Me And Earl And The Dying Girl. She was wonderful. I fact, except for Vikander, youth is not being served in many categories.

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Emma Donoghue (“Room”)
Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer (“Spotlight”)
Charles Randolph, Adam McKay (“The Big Short”)
Aaron Sorkin (“Steve Jobs”)
Quentin Tarantino (“The Hateful Eight

All good choices but I would have left out Steve Jobs just because a lot of it was not true and went with The End Of The Tour.

Best Original Score
Carter Burwell (“Carol”)
Alexandre Desplat (“The Danish Girl”)
Ennio Morricone (“The Hateful Eight”)
Daniel Pemberton (“Steve Jobs”)
Ryuichi Sakamoto Alva Noto (“The Revenant”)

I would have considered The Martian. Great score. Also Spectre. Or even Inside Out.


Best Animated Feature Film
“Anomalisa”
“The Good Dinosaur”
“Inside Out”
“The Peanuts Movie”
“Shaun the Sheep Movie”

The Hollywood Foreign press not giving a best picture comedy nod to Inside Out makes me feel like there will be an upset here. Shaun The Sheep out of England I predict will win. I am glad that Minions did not get a nod.

Well there are my Golden Globe thoughts. The Globes will be January 10th.

As always, from the shadows thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Ron Howard's In The Heart Of The Sea

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA
Directed by Ron Howard
Screenplay by Charles Leavitt
Based on the book by Nathaniel Philbrick
Starring Chris Hemsworth; Cillian Murphy; Brendan Gleeson; Benjamin Walker; and Tom Holland



Based on the 1820 event, a whaling ship is preyed upon by a giant whale, stranding its crew at sea for 90 days, thousands of miles from home.

Well I hoped you watched the trailer. The film looks like it is filled with action. Well not really. The film is about two hours long and only about a half an hour has action in it. The rest of the film feels like kind of a shell of a film. Like there is something there but it seems as distant as they are out in the water away from land. There really does not seem like a connection. I think the film lacks character development. So we are on the boat with these men but we are not really vested in their well being.
The good?
The film looks amazing!! Every scene we know is filled with CGI, but Howard does a fantastic job of making every frame look real and beautiful.
Also, Cillian Murphy is fantastic in this film, as he is in most films, as Matthew Joy. He is the one you care about the most. He draws you in, with you as the viewer only knowing a little about his past. He probably draws you in because next to the incomparable Gleeson, Murphy is the best actor on the screen.
It is just a hard film to like. Watching a bunch of men suffer. Well 2 1/2 out of 5 for a great looking film. I would say wait to see it at home and until then read the book.

As always from the shadows thanks for your time.

New Releases For Home Viewing This Week: Minions And Ant-Man

Well this week there are only two releases worth noting. We will start with Minions.

MINIONS
Directed by Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin
Screenplay by Brian Lynch



Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.

Well! Like everyone else in the world I agree, the Minions are cute.
Problem here is...they are cute in short spurts. In a 91 minute film? Waaaaay too long!!!!
They became annoying at the 20 minute mark. Around the 45 minute mark I atarted losing interest. Around the 60 minute mark I wanted to shut their mouths, I had to stop myself from walking out of the theatre.
The story line is kind of cute but, like noted, I started hating them at 60 minutes so I stopped caring.
Maybe in short spurts at home they may not be so annoying.
2 stars out of 5 for Minions for the adults.
3 stars out of 5 for Minions for the children.


ANT-MAN
Directed by Peyton Reed
Screenplay by Edgar Wright; Joe Cornish; Adam McKay; and Paul Rudd
Starring Paul Rudd; Michael Douglas; Evangeline Lilly; and Corey Stoll



Armed with a super-suit with the ability to shrink, but increase in strength, former criminal Scott Lang (Rudd) is asked by Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas), plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

I did not look forward to seeing another superhero film, they are starting to run together in my head and they all seem to come close to having the same plot lines. Then here comes ANT-MAN. This is much different and it works.
What works?
First, the script. It is more of a heist film, where the ANT-MAN and his helpers of insects and people are ploting to break into a lab to destroy a dangerous agenda. Think Oceans 11, but much weirder.
Casting! The casting was spot on, Douglas as a mentor. Lilly as the instructor of sorts. Stoll as a great bad guy. Michael Pena, who is always good, as Lang's friend. We even get Anthony Mackie showing up as the Falcon. Still, best of all is Rudd, perfectly cast with his everyman good looks and his comedic timing which is much needed with the ridiculousness of, well, being the size of an ant. It all works.
Negatives? The plot moves slow, in fact the first hour is all about the training of Lang to be the ANT-MAN. It takes awhile for things to happen.
Also there is a fight scene at the end that seems to go on waaaay to long, and as opposed to crushing office building which most superhero fights are these days, this one just destroys a house.


Well 4 out of 5 stars for ANT-MAN. Also, make sure you watch the middle and end of the credits.


As always thanks for your time from the shadows.

New Releases This Week For Home Viewing

Only two new releases to note for home viewing this week.

AMY
Directed by Asif Kapadia



"You are only as good as the people you hang out with". We have all heard this line. The strange thing after watching this documentary is...I think she was a good person and yet the people around her were not so much.
There has to be someone trustworthy in charge of the machine as it moves at full speed, be it the Beatles (they had Freda); Rolling Stones; New Kids; Backstreet Boys; One Direction; and Taylor Swift. They all have that one thing in common, they became/become more than their music. The sad thing is...Amy Winehouse had no one to control the machine and sadly at 27 she passed away after years of alcohol and drug abuse her body just gave out.
I went in to the documentary not really knowing much about Amy. I knew a couple of her songs that is about it. In fact I felt out of touch after seeing how popular she was in the film, especially in England.

 The film is remarkable for the fact that there is so much to see. Music videos, photo sessions, concert footage, paparazzi shots, TV interviews, smart phone footage. She always seemed to be watched some how some way. Of course no one wants to take the blame for her health issues, from managers who say, "we could have slowed down if she said so". To friends who wanted to be in her presence at parties. To husbands/boyfriends (Blake Fielder-Civil) who seemed to always be pointing her in the wrong direction and no one around her stepped in. To a father who cashed in on her daughters fame. The machine had no one in charge to watch out for her.

I took away from the documentary that Amy was an overrated singer. To me most of the jazz songs seem to be all in the same tone or rhythm. However at the same time I found her to be an underrated writer where she seemed to be a Taylor Swift of that time writing about personal issues and relations. In fact it seemed like director Kapadia was also taken aback by her lyrics and made a very good decision of showing all her lyrics while she sang on the screen almost like in subtitles.

Like I noted I did not really know much about Amy going in but it left me close to tears because she seemed so overwhelmed and it is sad...you want to reach through the screen and stop the machine. I  wish there were more Andrew Morris's in her life, Andrew was her bodyguard and saw everything, the look of sadness on his face is heartbreaking at the end.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars for Amy.

 

MISTRESS AMERICA

Directed by Noah Baumbach
Screen play by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach
Starring Greta Gerwig and Lola Kirke



A lonely college freshman, Tracy,  (Kirke) life is turned upside down by her soon-to-be stepsister Brooke (Gerwig).

I love Greta Gerwig. In  fact I was disappointed when they decided not to film How I Met Your Father with Greta starring. However here, shockingly, she is the weak link in this film. Yes her character is hard to like, she is very self absorbed and she seems to be living in a world where she is caught between dreams and the reality of a cruel world. So yes, she is hard to like, but the main problem is she seems to be just reading her lines. It was odd, a couple times I just shook my head wondering what was that, she seemed to be reading and not showing emotions. She was one of the writers of the film, maybe she got caught up in her own words, almost like she was doing a table reading.
The film is odd, New York is a big character in the film, however while they were in NY, this film is annoying, then it changed. It changed when they went to visit Brooke's ex-boyfriend and his wife who stole said boyfriend away! That part of the film takes place in that house for about 40 minutes of the short 82 minute film, and it turns the whole film around. At that point it turns into a stage play and everyone of the actors led by by newcomer Lola Kirke give fantastic performances. There are about 7 people in that house and they all attack their roles/characters. Funny, sad, desperate, lonely, and even snotty. Loved it!! When they do finally leave the house I was kind of sad, and then, back to New York, and.....it felt a little lame again.

3 1/2 out of 5 for Mistress America. Highlighted by newcomer Lola Kirke. 

As always thanks for your time from the shadows.

New Film Review: Spotlight

SPOTLIGHT
Directed by Tom McCarthy
Screenplay by Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
Starring Rachel McAdams; Mark Ruffalo; Michael Keaton; John Flattery; and Live Schreiber



The true story of how the Boston Globe Spotlight Team uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

This is a really good film. One that many will not go see. "Honey lets go out to the movies and watch the story about priest molesting children". Yeah. That is not going to happen. However I will tell you anyway...it is a very good film.
Why?
It takes you back to All The Presidents Men. When newspapers did not have an agenda. They just worked hard on a story to get the truth out. And, as in this story, you push for the truth despite all the obstacles in front of you. Lets face it. These reporters wee not just fighting priests they were fighting the beliefs of most of Boston who were catholic. In the face of all the push back...they worked very hard to get the truth out to the public. These reporters were heroes who opened up a can of worms.
Why?
Every single actor in this film gives a fantastic performance. Highlighted by Ruffalo as Rezendes. He pushes and pushes and gets emotionally involved.
Yes. it is a hard film to see. However it probably is the front runner for an Oscar. Would it get my vote for the Oscar? Probably not. Just because of the subject matter and I tend to lean toward less depressing films. Still....I am open minded enough to tell you...this is the frontrunner right now with Jenifer Lawrence's Joy. And Dicaprio's Revenant still to come.
If you want to see a really good film the harkens back to All The Presidents Men and good journalism go see this 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

As always from the shadows thanks for your time,

New Film Review: Trumbo

TRUMBO
Directed by Jay Roach
Screenplay by John McNamara
Based on the book by Bruce Cook
Starring Bryan Cranston; Diane Lane; Elle Fanning; and John Goodman



In 1947, Dalton Trumbo was Hollywood's top screenwriter until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs.

The film sounds deep and thought provoking, touching on the Hollywood Blacklist. However in reality, the film almost comes across as funny, because of the combination of Trumbo's eccentric behavior and the way he got around being black listed.
There is a lot of talk about Cranston being a front runner for an Oscar here. I know so far it is a weak field as we wait for the Dicaprio film, but I just think that this performance is one note and that is hold the cigarette and lecture. Also, his character is mean, which makes it hard to cheer him on. He treats everybody around him like employees including his family. Communist or not, he is sort of an ass.
 Diane Lane really does not have much to do here, Her talents were wasted. Elle Fanning (My favorite young actress) also, not much to do here. John Goodman however as Frank King a producer is awesome and hilarious, and maybe could get a best supporting Oscar nod.
Louis CK as Arien Hird is quietly good as a friend of Trumbo who also gets treated like an employee also. His part is just sad.
Well it was an interesting film, it just seemed, a little better than okay. I never felt bad for Trumbo. I felt bad form his friends and family, and I do not think that was suppose to be the point of the film. 3 stars out of 5.

As always thanks for your time from the shadows.

New Film Review: Hunger Games Mockingjay Pt2

HUNGER GAMES MOCKINGJAY PT 2
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong
Based on the book by Suzanne Collins
Starring Jennifer Lawrence; Josh Hutcherson; Liam Hensworth; Julianne Moore;  and Donald Sutherland



As the war of Panem escalates to the destruction of other districts by the Capitol, Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant leader of the rebellion, must bring together an army against President Snow, while all she holds dear hangs in the balance.

I am kind of glad I did not read the books. I hear that this film has a lot of differences from the book. I can clearly judge this based on just the film, and it is a very good film. In fact I would rank it 2nd best just under the first Hunger Games film.
It is a very exciting film, it is pretty much a war movie, and because it is a war film it is violent.
I am almost shocked this was a youth novel. Still this film was just under 2 1/2 hours and it flew by going from one battle scene to another. Just edge of your seat excitement.
Negatives?
I never really took to Peeta/Josh Hutcherson. I thought he was miscast and always annoying and to the end I never really saw what Katness did see in him. That negative I have is a big flaw I find in the film because it is the underlying theme of the film, love and war.
I also thought the character of Gale Hawthorne/Liam Hensworth was not really fleshed out (However I hear he was in the book). Which is sad because I found him more interesting than Peeta.
My final thoughts:
Two actors. First Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. I know a lot of people are waiting to see if her performance in Joy is Oscar worthy. Well what about here? Katness has been in almost every scene in all 4 films. Here in the last one, she is an emotional mess and you feel for her and cheer her on. Yes, I know the best actress field this year is crowded but there should be room for her for this role.
Donald Sutherland as President Snow. The evil button pusher. Through the past films he has had a slow burn coming into this one, where here he shines at pure smiling evil. Best Supporting Oscar Nomination??!!
Well 4 out of 5 stars for Mockingjay Part 2. Coming off the awful part 1, the series redeemed itself in the big finally.

As always thanks for your time from the shadows.

New Film Review: Pixars The Good Dinosaur

The Good Dinosaur
Directed by Peter Sohn
Screenplay by 7 people



What if the big meteorite missed. Thus begins an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.

Yes going in I knew that this Pixar film has had a lot of trouble. I mean 7 writers. I hear that at one point they scrapped a storyline and all the artwork and had to start over again. I also knew going in that this Pixar film had the tough job of following in the foot steps of this years Inside Out. I tried to go in however with a fresh look. Just judging the film on its own merits. This film is not bad but it really has many a problem.
Yes you can see that they had an idea boy meets dinosaur but I really don't think they knew where to go with it. It felt like I was watching the same scenes over and over again, Walk attacked walk attacked walk attacked. It became boring a bit. Another problem I did not care for the dinosaur or the boy. I found them both annoying, and like most good Pixar characters you fall in love with them and care about them. Here, not so much. This film just seemed flat and by the way...very violent. Animals are getting eaten constantly it seems like. The film can be scary.
Now I know this film is not meant for me, it is for kids and the kids in the theatre seemed to sit still and enjoy it. So I will push my rating up a notch just for that.... 2 1/2 stars for The Good Dinosaur. A Pixar miss.

As always from the shadows thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Brooklyn

BROOKLYN
Directed by John Crowley
Screenplay by Nick Hornby
Based on the book by Colm Toibin
Starring Saoirse Ronan; Domhnall Gleeson; Emory Cohen; Jim Broadbent; and Julie Walters



An Irish immigrant (Ronan) lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a new romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.

I will not go long with this review, I just feel just talking about it will give up spoilers.
Ronan as Ellis gives an Oscar worthy performance as a confident and brave yet scared Irish girl establishing a new life in Brooklyn. Ronan says so much by just a look.....just wonderful.
I love a good dinner table scene and in this film there are many highlighted by another Oscar worthy performance by Julie Walters who is hilarious as the house mother for all the girls.
Now the real stars in this film are Yves Belanger the cinematographer and Odile Dicks-Mireaux as the costume designer. This film looks beautiful, every seen is perfectly shot. The look almost steals the film away from the great acting and screenplay.
Acting....screenplay...look...altogether a wonderful film. 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. A must see romantic, beautiful film.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Creed

CREED
Directed by Ryan Coogler
Screenplay by Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington
Starring Michael B Jordan and Sylvester Stallone



The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.

I love a good sports film that really is not about sports. The Natural ...Good vs Evil/Darkness vs Light. Rocky to prove he is not just a bum from the streets. League Of Their Own...women finding their way in war time. Cinderella Man...surviving during the depression.
Now we come to Creed!! It is wonderful. Close to perfect. How does it work?
Well you have to have Sylvester Stallone be willing to take a backseat. Not only to Jordan but also letting Coogler direct and Coogler and Covington do the writing. By stepping back, Stallone gives an Oscar worthy performance. Maybe his best performance since the original Rocky.
Michael B Jordan here reteams with Coogler after they did Fruitvale Station together, like Stallone, is perfect in this film. He may not get the recognition that Stallone gets in this film just because his character is angry and seems to always keep his head down and almost growls. He just does not get the funny and touching lines that Stallone gets.
It is a sports film but it is more of a film about two characters finding out who they are at different stages of their lives and finding purpose.
Exciting (The boxing match), Funny (Cloud), even touching (The last scene on the art museum steps). Finally the city!! The city looks beautiful. Philadelphia the city I love.
4 1/2 stars out of 5 for Creed. Close to perfect (That damn silly bike scene??!!). One of the best films of the year. What a great surprise!

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.