Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Review: The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.


   This 60's-set spy thriller simply spills over with style.

   The Man from U.N.C.L.E. forces me to pose a question that I don't think has ever been asked before.  Can a movie be too stylish?  Going in I knew this movie would be both stylish and a little stylized.  It was obvious that director Guy Ritchie was hamming up the 60's setting to maximum effect.  And he does.  But it's also obvious that the studio - Warner Bros. - gave the director more creative freedom than he has had in the past.  And this doesn't always go well.  When a major studio film does something out of the ordinary it is usually the case that the director managed to sneak something by the studio.  When a major studio film does TONS of things out of the ordinary it is usually the case that the director has earned the trust of the studio and they are letting him do as he pleases.  For an example think of Interstellar last year.  The editing was strung out, the pace was relatively slow, and there were spots where you couldn't even hear the dialogue on purpose.  That's a director doing as he pleases.

   The result here is that The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is very stylish and very stylized.  The cinematography and editing are a mix of classic 60's era technique and typical Guy Ritchie panache.  It was hard to tell if I was seeing the future of editing or the past.

   The musical cues were a joy.  I've never actually seen a Tarantino film (gasp!) but if I did I have a feeling the musical cues would be very much like this.  It's just pulpy 60's style stuff taken to the max.  It fits right into this movie.

   The costuming and the production design were spot on.  Not like Captain America: The First Avenger, for example, where one minute you're in war-torn WWII Europe and the next you're having shootouts with laser guns in hallways from the starship Enterprise.  The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was not like that.

   There are a couple funny things to note about the casting in this movie.  Both the American CIA agent and his American handler were played by Brits.  Meanwhile the Russian agent was played by an American.  And finally the main English character was played by a Swede.  Truly an international cast then, even if it is a bit silly.

   Speaking of the actors, Henry Cavill did a great job.  It's easy to tell that Guy Ritchie must have been unrelenting on the matter of Napoleon Solo's voice (that's Henry's character).  It's very distinct and a bit overplayed in my opinion.  But I have to wonder, really, because that's kind of the idea with this whole movie - to be overplayed.  It's fun!  Armie Hammer was my favorite of the three main characters as Illya, the Russian Agent.  And Alicia Vikander was a fine Gaby.

   I guess I really should say a bit about the premise!  The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is based on a TV spy show of the same name that aired in the 1960's - when this movie is set.  The show and the movie are about a special team comprised of agents from both sides of the Cold War.  They are tasked with handling anything that represents a threat to both nations.  So . . . typical super spy stuff.  It's all good fun.  In the movie at least.  I haven't seen the show.

   Overall I would say the style of the movie was almost overwhelming.  It certainly would have been if it wasn't so darn fun!  But it kind of felt uneven or incoherent with all the different styles they attempted to cram into one.  I say kind of because my instincts tell me that there was a coherent style and I just couldn't pin it down with one viewing.  Anyway my only word of warning is that this is pure romanticized Cold War spy action.  And very stylized.  We're talking almost as stylized as Ang Lee's Hulk was in 2003.  But that is, perhaps, just what this movie needs to really set itself apart from the likes of Jason Bourne, James Bond, and its fellow 1960's American spy TV program - Mission: Impossible.  And the style really does set it apart.


      Big Shot Critic

Friday, August 7, 2015

Review: Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four


   I didn't like it that much.  Most critics seem to have really hated it, but it wasn't that bad.  I will list the problems and discuss any that need it.

   They should have used a real monkey.  A real monkey could have easily done what their computer generated monkey did.

   Director Josh Trank should have used different takes and better cuts for almost every shot of dialogue in the entire movie.  The takes he chose for the final edit were stiff, flat, and they felt like words being read off a page rather than different characters discussing things and communicating.  I blame Josh Trank because these actors have shown their skills elsewhere.

   The editors should have polished the action scenes better.  The last two were good (the very last one was a bit too easy and a bit short).  Before that they were good, but could have been a lot better.  The early action scenes - heck, a lot of the first half of the movie - just felt uninspired and a little lifeless.  It's as if the characters were being physically restricted from coming through on camera.  The performances were muted for some reason (not literally).

   What did they do well?  The sound mixing was good, the sound design was good, apart from the monkey the special effects were good, the production design was good, even the writing was good but the delivery was so not good in so many places.

   I almost forgot one scene where the editing and directing were really bad.  There's a small race scene that was pathetic.  No other words for it; it was pathetic.  But maybe I just felt that way because I recently watched all of the first six Fast & Furious movies.

   Yesterday director Josh Trank was in the news for tweeting that he had "a better version" of this film a year ago that the studio didn't go with, and that his better version would have been a critical hit.  Okay, this is the director of this film!  The lack of professionalism in a tweet like that is ASTOUNDING.  He has since deleted the tweet, but he knew news outlets would pick it up quick enough - and they did.  I couldn't believe he would tweet something like that.  He'll be lucky to ever work on a major studio film again!  Everyone (everyone like me) knows that directors on major studio pictures are going to be making compromises with the studio on creative decisions.  It's a give and take.  You have a vision, they have experience AND they want to protect their investment.  But they wouldn't have hired you if they didn't like your ideas.  When directors understand that and work with the studio everyone wins!  When you fight it and challenge every decision the studio makes and try to preserve your vision one hundred percent everybody loses out!  That's what happened to Avengers: Age of Ultron earlier this year (not bad at all but could have been better) and that's what has happened now to Fantastic Four.  I go into all this because it's a real shame.  Fantastic Four could have been A LOT better than it was.  There is still potential!  Loads of it!  I would like to see Fox continue with this version and hire a new director for the sequel a la Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  There are interesting characters and stories in there, Fox, I just know it!  And somewhere there's a director who will work with you to bring them out!

   But hey, my friend Adam liked the movie.  Maybe you will too!


      Big Shot Critic

Thursday, August 6, 2015

August Preview - 2015

August 7

Fantastic Four


It has been a generous eight years since the last Fantastic Four movie came to theaters.  Is that long enough?  Will audiences respond?  Early reviews are not good.  And while I like the trailers and ads there's something about them that feels like begging.  It's hard to pinpoint but sometimes you can tell that an ad campaign is actually begging you to see the movie.

The critics agree that the four leads are well-cast at least.  I still don't know why Johnny Storm is black and his sister Sue Storm is white, but since their father is black I'm gonna say she was adopted.  That's very politically correct and all, but I'm gonna come out and say that I have never in all my life heard of a white girl being adopted by a black family.

Miles Teller plays Mr. Fantastic, and he is an actor that I started out not liking but now I like him.  His work in the Divergent series is what won me over.

Proceed at your own risk to see this movie.  I can't even tell if I would like it or not.

The Gift


This is sort of a thriller movie.  Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall's characters are married.  Joel Edgerton's character went to high school with Jason Bateman's character.  Joel Edgerton's character was weird then and is weird now.  Only difference is that now we know he's a psychopath out for some kind of revenge from high school.  Did you follow all that?

The one part about this that makes it more interesting than a typical late summer filler movie is that it's the directorial debut of Joel Edgerton.  By choosing to play the psychopath antagonist, Joel Edgerton has made one interesting directing choice already.  You see what I mean?

Ricki and the Flash


After all these years we are still subject to movies written by Diablo Cody.  Just because you win an oscar doesn't mean you're a consistently good writer.

I respect Meryl Streep as an actress.  She's really good.  But I'm not a fan.  And I really hate movies that try to glamorize dysfunctional families.  Normalizing dysfunctional families is one thing.  That would be a message I could get behind.  To say, "some of us are in messy situations that we can't control so just do your best" is one thing.  But to say, "your family is screwed up but that's awesome because you still love each other sometimes or whatever" can be unhealthy.  It's good for people to try to improve and expect more from each other in a healthy way.  Movies like Ricki and the Flash suggest to the mind that dysfunction in the family is acceptable or even something you should embrace.  It's not.  It's something you should work with and try to make better - loving your family as much as you can along the way.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Ricki and the Flash is about Meryl Streep, a divorced rocker/flower child who returns to her estranged family upon learning that her daughter was unceremoniously dumped after being engaged.  They reconnect and all that and it's sappy, you know.  While Ricki and her family side with the daughter in vilifying the would-be son-in-law, Ricki is forced to face how similar her actions were when she left her young family twenty or so years prior.  Therein is derived the drama - not bad really.  A little bit interesting even.

I will say that as movies about dysfunctional families go this one looks like one of the better ones.

Shaun the Sheep Movie


From the creators of Wallace and Grommit.  What more do you need to know?  It's probably going to be hilarious.

August 14

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.


Simply put, during the Cold War Soviet Russia and the United States team up their best operatives (the two on the poster) in order to stop a third party that is trying to start a nuclear war between the two nations.

Interesting notes: It's based on a TV series from the same vein as the classic Mission: Impossible TV series.  It's directed by the ever so stylish Guy Ritchie.  And the two leads were both contenders to play Superman in Man of Steel (obviously the one on the left won the role).  Expect this one to be great and stylish fun.  You can count on Guy Ritchie to make full use of the 1960's setting.

Straight Outta Compton


I don't know anything about N.W.A. but I know a lot of people do and a lot of people liked their music.  I know any rags to riches story inspires Americans.  And I know this will probably be a hard R rating.

Underdogs


This movie was made a while back but is only getting a wide US release this month.  I couldn't find a poster in English and the name likely doesn't translate directly to "Underdogs" but that is the US title I promise.

It doesn't look good.  Foosball players (like the actual wooden men on the sticks) come to life to help their player win a real life soccer game.  Not sure what else to say.  It looks pretty bad.

August 21

American Ultra


Let me just start by saying I have a really hard time with Jesse Eisenberg.  I think he is a contender for the most punchable face in the world.  Maybe even more punchable than that one guy.

that one guy

In American Ultra Jesse Eisenberg plays a CIA sleeper agent.  He doesn't know he's a highly trained killer.  He gets into a big mess with his super spy skills and with his girlfriend (Kristen Stewart - another actor I have a hard time with) he tries to make his way through it all without dying.  I don't know about this one.


Hitman: Agent 47


Lots of super spies in the movies these days.  The Hitman franchise started its life as a video game.  I know almost nothing about these games.  I do know there have been three movies now.

As I understand it these hitmen are genetically altered human beings that are stronger, faster, etc, than normal people.  And now the bad normal people want the altered agents to make more altered agents?  Maybe?  I don't know.  It's an in your face crazy action movie.

Sinister 2


Gosh, I hate horror movies.  They're so stupid.  And so not scary.  These days horror movies are all about supernatural stuff and they just make up their own rules about what the scary monster can and can't do.  If they need it to do something scary they just decide that it can do this scary thing.  And the rules are all made up and that makes them feel fake and that makes them completely not scary.  Give me horror movies with rules that apply to all characters and I will give you horror movies that work.

The only reason horror movies work these days is because they are so cheap to produce and thus it is easy to get a big return.

Do I even have to tell you what this one is about?  THEY'RE ALL THE SAME!  Some evil presence that terrorizes a family or some kids or a house.  What's the difference?  Does anybody actually care?  I can't stand today's horror movies.  So dumb.

August 28

No Escape (Wednesday Release - Aug 26)


Black Hawk Down meets The Impossible.  Owen Wilson and his family have relocated to an unnamed country in Southeast Asia.  They meet and become friends with Pierce Brosnan, another expat from England (or maybe they let him use his native Irish in this one, I don't know).  Civil war breaks out and Owen has to find a way to keep his family safe in the crossfire.  Expect very hard and gritty action with a hard R rating for violence.

Also expect lots of people hiding behind railings, and lots of back sweat (it is Southeast Asia).

hiding behind a railing

back sweat
railing

sweat



We Are Your Friends


Zac Efron and his friends are aspiring DJ's in Los Angeles itching to be discovered by some big time producer.  Zac Efron starts on the track to success faster than his friends.  Drama ensues.  This could be good.  Maybe.


   Big Shot Critic

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Review: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation


   If you're wondering if Rogue Nation is a worthy installment into the franchise let me just put that to rest right away: it is.  It's all the fun of the more recent Missions with a story almost as smart as the first!  Maybe even as smart.  I hesitate to say because I always forget all the details of the first one until watching it again.

   2011's Ghost Protocol had everything a Mission Impossible movie should have except a good villain.  The villain was almost entirely forgettable.  Rogue Nation addresses that and gives us a great villain!  In my opinion this villain would even be worthy of the James Bond franchise!  He's conniving, he's dangerous, and he's a bit creepy.  So overall just right.

   The stunt work in Rogue Nation was maybe the best I've ever seen.  A lot of it was done for real and it shows big time.  The motorcycle chase sequence was especially well done.  It was very apparent that these were the real actors on the bikes and they were actually taking those turns at high speed.  It was all very thrilling.

   Writer/Director Christopher McQuarrie has only directed two major motion pictures and both make me excited for his future.  He has a way with action and drama that is unflinching but not gritty or gratuitous.  The bottom line is that he makes good movies.

   The very basic (and spoiler free) premise of Rogue Nation is that there is a secret organization of super spies that operates without detection disrupting governments everywhere.  From there it gets deeper and takes some twists here and there but remains interesting and coherent.  It's no secret that I enjoy it a lot when a movie can keep me guessing even a little bit and this one did.  In my mind Rogue Nation takes the Mission Impossible franchise and places it solidly above the Bourne franchise (but still not quite to the Bond franchise).


      Big Shot Critic