CRIMSON PEAK
Directed by Guillermo Del Toro
Screenplay by Guillermo Del Toro and Matthew Robbins
Starring: Mia Wasikowska; Jessica Chastain; and Tom Hiddleston
Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) is running away from a family tragedy. She marries Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston), a mysterious stranger. She comes to live with him and his sister, Lady Lucille Sharpe (Chastain). She starts to find out that the Sharpe's home is filled with ghost, secrets, and danger.
You watch this film because you want a scary, thrilling, ghost story. It delivers.
I am not a huge fan of Del Toro. I feel he is all about style and the look. He often forgets to add a cohesive story to all that look and style. Here I have to tell you that I think it is his best film.
Is it perfect?! Far from perfect, but it is pretty good.
The spotlight here is on Wasikowska, she is perfectly cast as the frail brilliant young woman who wants to be writer. Hiddleston is miscast as Thomas, I just did not buy him as a handsome debonair guy, and Wasikowska and him had no chemistry what so ever. Chastain here as Lady Lucille is amazing!!! It is a juicy role (as opposed to her role in The Martian which came off a bit flat), and she was nothing short of awesome.
Problems?:
For a horror film it runs too long at two hours. More editing was needed.
The script. Yes one of his better scripts and it builds slowly (if not too slow). However Edith, who comes across as a very bright woman in the first hour, acts really unintelligent in the second hour (Honey. The house has a giant gaping hole in the roof and it is snowing in the house!! And there is clay under the house!! That should warn you.). And as usual for Del Torro's films....what was that ending?
Another quick note: The last 20 minutes of this film is very violent. Like...reaaaaally violent. Just a warning.
4 stars out of 5 for this scary beautiful looking film. I cannot believe it did not get an Oscar Nom for set design. It is a tough film to review because I do not like spoilers but I think I gave you enough here, at least I hope.
SPECTRE
Directed by Sam Mendes
Screenplay by John Logan; Neal Purvis; Robert Wade; and Jezz Butterworth
Starring Daniel Craig; Christoph Waltz; Lea Seydoux; Ralph Fiennes; Ben Wishshaw; and Naomie Harris
A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.
If this is indeed the end for Daniel Craig as Bond, this film does a good job of putting a bookend to the Bond Craig action. The plot almost puts an umbrella over the past three films and picks apart Bond's demons. No spoilers here but the trailers does give up that plot point. Well any way it works well for fans. If you have not watched the last 3 Bond movie you may be a bit lost and you will just have to go with it.
The movie is exciting, with car chases and helicopter fights and car chases and train fights and car chases. It also adds in a little romance and some humor. In addition to all the ...well car chases.. the film looks beautiful. Every landscape shot has an, almost smoke/haze faded look that engulfs the characters, it almost steals the film. Every shot is just framed perfect and beautiful. The interior scenes are also perfect with clean lines, and almost a "sterilness". As for green screen work? I really could not tell what was filmed with stunt people or on green screen. Again the look of this movie is fantastic.
As with most Bond films, I come to the score!!! The score plays during every second of the film. It sets the tone and it is just fantastic.
As for Craig's costars? They let Ben Wishshaw as Q and Naomie Harris as Moneypenny do a lot more in this film and they are an important element. I just love both of them! No spoilers here
Bond is only as good as the bad guy and as you would expect...the great Christoph Waltz is a very good bad guy.
The negatives?
At 148 minutes, I do not know if a film that is not based on a book should be that long. Editors?
I keep debating this in my head if I am nit picking. There are a lot of coincidences that happen in this movie. I mean from helicopters and cars and boats that happen to be there. To one big scene where he lands on a couch. To one scene where there is an elaborate trap set up but he just seems to stumble on it. How did the bad guys know he was going to be there. Then I think if this was Sean Connery, in the 60's maybe I would not question it, maybe just I would go with it and enjoy, I mean maybe that is what makes Bond films fun. Maybe we are to sophisticated as movie goers now. Not sure. However what I do know is this comes down to FOUR SCREENWRITERS!! There are holes yes, however it did seem that part of plot comes really close to Mission Impossible Rogue Nation. Plus, the Madeline Swann part seems like it was taken out of Man From U.N.C.L.E. Again four screenwriters?
Lea Seydoux (Blue Is The Warmest Color) is okay as the Bond Girl, Madeline Swann. However the age difference is soooo glaring. What is bothersome is that the great Monica Bellucci, is in the film, and is being promoted as being in the film, but is really only in the film for 5 minutes. If you have her available why couldn't she have been the Bond Girl?! She is beautiful. A great actress. Most important she is more toward Craig's age. I am just saying.
Sooooo many scenes with no one around. Either they did not want to pay for extras or wanted to keep the script quiet. Either way..well when you see the film...The Train Scene.
Okay okay I am too negative about a movie I really enjoyed and I think you should see because it is a fun watch. Yes, I am picking a bit. 4 stars out of 5 for Spectre. I hope Craig does just one more, he is so good!
My Favorite Bond/Craig films?
1-Casino Royal
2-Skyfall
3-Spectre
4-Quantum Of Solace
LOVE THE COOPERS
Directed by Jessie Nelson
Screenplay by Steven Rogers
Starring Diane Keaton and John Goodman
When four generations of the Cooper clan come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday.
There is a lot going on in this film, so I will break it down for you.
Hank Cooper (Ed Helms) and Angie ( Alex Borstein), are divorced. Hank is soft and struggling to find work. While Angie is on him about being soft. Not an interesting story and kind of negative.
Charlotte and Sam Cooper are the parents of the family who are trying to get through one last Christmas then they are getting divorced. It seemed unrealistic and a downer.
Charlie Cooper (Timothee' Chalamet) is in love with Lauren (Molly Gordon). They are both teenagers and this part was likable and funny. However in the end it is oddly corny. I like corny but it was more odd.
Ruby (Amanda Seyfried) is a waitress and has a regular customer Bucky (Alan Arkin). They are more like dad and daughter. This worked, however the ending of their storyline fell flat.
Emma (Marisa Tomei), sister of Charlotte, is arrested for shop lifting. We see her drive around in the squad car with Officer Williams (Anthony Mackie). Even though they are both very good actors this story was not needed and could have been left on the floor.
Eleanor Cooper (Olivia Wilde) is just hanging out in the airport stalling so she will not have to visit family. There she meets up with Joe (Jake Lacy) and they have kind of have a Before Sunrise relationship. This was very intriguing and enjoyable to watch, until you start to realize that Eleanor is not just funny/smartass, but she is an asshole and you then want Joe to run away quick.
At the end the stories get wrapped up into one big Christmas Bow. However I do not know how it got from sadness in point A to hugs in Point B. It was like the screenwriter tried to push...this will be a happy ending dammit if it kills me!!
The film tries desperately to be Love Actually....there is just too much of an umbrella of sadness to enjoy, like we all enjoyed Love Actually. Yes Love Actually had sad parts but it also had joy and hope. This kind of lacked that. 2 1/2 stars...mainly for a couple story lines for Love The Coopers.
OH!!!! The dog is damn cute!!
GRANDMA
Directed by Paul Weitz
Screenplay by Paul Weitz
Starring Lily Tomlin; Julia Garner; Marcia Gay Harden; Judy Greer; and Sam Elliot
Lily Tomlin stars as Elle who has just gotten through breaking up with her girlfriend (Greer) when Elle's granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) unexpectedly shows up needing $600 bucks before sundown. Temporarily broke, Grandma Elle and Sage spend the day trying to get their hands on the cash as their unannounced visits to old friends and flames end up rattling memories and digging up secrets.
Coming in at just 79 minutes it is barely a feature film, it more like a long short film. Contrary to what the trailer wants you to believe this is not a comedy. This film is more of a road trip taking place over the time span of a day. It is a bit heavy but strangely enjoyable, maybe because I am a sucker for road trip films.We follow, as Sage does, learning about grandma, her regrets and her aspirations and her accomplishments. As they ride around we see a collection of fine actors including Elliot who for the second time this year (I'll See you in my dreams) pops into a film and you really want him to stay around longer.
As for Julia Garner. She is almost Pixyish and she plays the part well, almost knowing to step back and let Lily work. She brings a fragility to the film. Almost a feeling of someone drowning in life and reaching out to anyone for help. She is really good.
The screenplay, like I noted before, is heavy with little bits of humor thrown in. There is an umbrella of sadness that is hard to shake, whether you are pro or con it does not matter. The screenplay tries to soften it with showing Elle, after parting ways with her granddaughter, showing that she, herself, learned a lot during the day. She changed during the day like her granddaughter and daughter. Almost finding a purpose.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars for Grandma. A very short film.
99 Homes
Directed by Ramin Bahrani
Screenplay by Ramin Bahrini and Amir Naderi
Starring Michael Shannon; Andrew Garfield; ad Laura Dern
A recently unemployed single father (Garfield) struggles to get back his foreclosed home by working for the real estate broker (Shannon) who is the source of his frustration.
This film could be called The Big Short Part 2. It literally is what happens after the Big Short.
You follow brokers taking advantage of people who cannot pay their mortgages by undercutting the value of their homes and buying out the mortgage. They get the owners up against the wall..
Like The Big Short there really is no one to cheer for.
It has very good script and it is real. So real it is hard to watch most of the time.
Well acted by Laura Dern playing the mother of Garfield.
Garfield is really good here. He disappeared for a time after the Spiderman films and he makes you remember in this film without special effects that he is a very good actor.
Then I come to Michael Shannon who is just perfect He received a SAG Nom and a Globe Nom for this part. He is sleazy and has no remorse what so ever for what he is doing..
It is not a pleasant film,l however it is real, and this did happen and is happening.
99 Homes The Big Short Part 2 get 3 1/2 Stars out of 5.
From the shadows tanks for your time as always.
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