7
HELL OR HIGH WATER
Directed by David Mackenzie
Screenplay by Taylor Sheridan
Starring Jeff Bridges; Chris Pine; Ben Foster; and Gil Birmingham
I think about films and TV shows that show bank heists, that the viewers seem to always cheer on the bank robbers. Even here, with Jeff Bridges as Marcus Hamilton, a pit-bull of a Sheriff who is doing the right thing. Even here with Hamilton's side kick Alberto Parker played wonderfully by Gil Birmingham as he puts up with Hamilton's off color jokes. Even here with Ben Foster, in another of his great performances, as a wacky unlikable bank robber Tanner Howard who shoots before he thinks. So why do we cheer for the bad guy to get away with a bank robbery? This film touches on it. Here in modern times especially, banks are looked upon as the bad guy. This movie touches on this often, and that makes the film even more interesting. We as viewers are kind of split in our emotions. We love a successful bank robbery but we also want Hamilton to catch the robbers, to be successful as he winds down his career.
It is well acted, in fact all four actors deserve consideration during awards season. Maybe the best performance of Chris Pines career. He is like us, he knows he is doing wrong but has to push forward with his plan to rob the banks. The same banks that he feels are doing his family wrong and in the long run will help his said family.
The script by David Mackenzie is one of the best if not the best of the year. Kind of a western....kind of not. Kind of a story about the economic plight of land owners in the south, yet kinda not. It has you thinking to the end.
If I had a complaint I thought the ending was too open. Yes I want that final showdown. However maybe the last conversation is all the showdown that was needed. Even that conversation had me thinking. No spoiler reviews as always.
So.......before I end this, Jeff Bridges. He is smart, yet rude, yet obnoxious, yet a little sad. He mumbles like he is always saying his thoughts. He is great, just great here.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars for one of the best, interesting, exciting, well written films of the year. Find it, see it.
6
THE NICE GUYS
Directed by Shane Black
Screenplay by Shane Black and Anthony Bagarozzi
Starring Russell Crowe; Ryan Gosling; and Angourie Rice
Holland (Ryan Gosling), who is a kind of a swindler and a kind of a showy private eye. Jackson (Russell Crowe) a kind of sloppy tough guy private eye. They team up to try to find the reason for the suicide of Misty Mountains a porn star in 1977, and the connection her suicide may relate to some other person they are looking for.
Right to the point. This film is very funny and entertaining.
What works?
Black and Bargozzi's script. They do a great job walking that tightrope between comedy and action and mystery.
Shane Black as the director, brings us into the 70's. A time where there are no cellphones, so investigations meant a lot of leg work. Also a time where parties with way too many drugs were being used and trying to get information from people at said party is a job within itself.
Then we come to some fantastic performances:
Crowe is wonderful playing Jackson. He is overweight and almost downtrodden. He is a big star who is okay playing the straight-man to Gosling. Gosling as Holland is so over the top funny as a single dad and investigator. He is a caring father and at the same time an awful father. He straddles the line of being almost smart to being just comical. Crowe and Gosling have the best chemistry in a comedy action film maybe since Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon movies.
Final note ...... Angourie Rice as Holly, Holland's daughter!!!! Wow, she seems to steal many scenes from the two leads. Lets face it, that is saying something when she is acting with two of Hollywood's best actors. She was so spot on I had to look her up to see what else she has done because she comes across almost fearless acting with these two stars. She really has not been in many films to scream about. She is a find!!
The film gets a little loose and odd at the end but I still loved it. 4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars for The Nice Guys. Just a fun time. Plus, they left it open for a sequel.
5
LION
Directed by Garth Davis
Screenplay by Saroo Brierly and Luke Davies
Starring Dev Patel; Nicole Kidman; Rooney Mara; and Sunny Pawar
It is rare that I go into the theater to watch a film that I really do not know much about, well Lion falls under that category. What a surprise. A well written, well acted, beautiful looking, and an edge of your seat emotional true story. And I said there is one more real life story in my 10 and here it is!!
I really liked this film about a 5 year old boy played wonderfully by Sunny Pawr, who gets lost hundreds of miles from home. Then we see him as a young man trying to find his way home.
Go see this film. It has an Oscar nomination, and it is well deserved, and it is still in the theatres.
Dev Patel and Sunny Pawar are really amazing in this.They really do not have many lines but they say so much with expressions and look.
Now Nicole Kidman is good also, however I am not getting the Oscar love. Just because she is barely in the film. She does not have much to do or say. Still she plays an important part in this film.
If I had a negative comment it would be two things:
I felt like the front end with Pawar could have been edited a bit. While the back end seemed rushed with a story about Patel's adopted brother seemed like it was getting in the way of the story. That could have been cut out then the back end of the story could have more time.
Also one of my favorite actors Rooney Mara seemed wasted here. I think it goes back to the back end being rushed cutting out some character development.
Still, it is a wonderful film 4 1/2 out of 5 stars for Lion. Find it. See it.
4-3-2 coming up Wednesday!!
From the shadows as always thanks for your time.
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