Films – Page 53 – Spinning Platters

Film Review: Into the Woods

The cast is great/The film is good/Into the woods/To go to the movies!

The Baker (James Corden) and his Wife (Emily Blunt) venture Into the Woods.

Director Rob Marshall, who was nominated for an Oscar for his film version of the musical “Chicago” back in 2003, returns this holiday season with another big screen adaptation of a Broadway hit musical. This time he takes on Steven Sondheim’s storied (pun intended) 1987 mega-hit Into the Woods, an extraordinarily entertaining mishmash of several of the Grimm Brothers classic fairy tales. Produced by Disney, the film had been the subject of widespread speculation that the darker edges of the Sondheim/James Lapine fantasy might be smoothed too much. Purists need not worry, however; Marshall’s version retains the mature themes and disquieting tone of the original, and has the added benefit of a terrific cast.

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Film Review: Unbroken

Fierce performances, incredible true story balance picture’s limited scope

After 47 days adrift at sea, Phil (Domhnall Gleeson) and Louis (Jack O’Connell) have the additional misfortune of being rescued by a Japanese war ship.

Based on Laura Hillenbrand’s popular book of the same name, Unbroken boasts impressive credentials: directed by Angelia Jolie and co-written by none other than the Coen Brothers, the movie generated much pre-release buzz. While the film succeeds immensely as a riveting survival tale, it often feels a little repetitive and one-note.

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Film Review: Top Five

Rock in top form with Top Five

Rosario Dawson’s Chelsea and Chris Rock’s Andre get to know each other.

With Top Five, Chris Rock gives us his first directing/writing/acting trifecta since 2007’s relatively unknown I Think I Love my Wife. Top Five should fare better, as it has something for everyone; it combines the raunchy humor of today’s most popular comedies with more cerebral humor. If the Farrelly Brothers had directed Birdman, the result might look something like Top Five. While the result often feels a bit disjointed, the film always succeeds in eliciting laughs.

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Film Review: Exodus: Gods and Kings

Exodus highlights the ongoing battle between traditional and modern filmmaking, and neither side really wins.

Battle Moses. Complete with armor, shiny sword, and unidentifiable accent.

Exodus: Gods and Kings was bound to be a spectacular epic, considering the biblical source material and the director at the helm, Sir Ridley Scott. Scott echoed this projection when he said that Exodus: Gods and Kings is his “biggest” movie yet. Considering his long resume of major titles, that’s quite a statement and yet it’s true. The sets, the action, the effects, and the scope are all monumental, and these are mainly where the movie succeeds. It’s heartwarming to know that there’s still room for traditional sandal epics in the modern film business, featuring a good amount of built sets and armies of real actors (as opposed to CGI backdrops and armies…though these are still employed here as well). But trying to keep to tradition comes with a price, and some poor decisions. Exodus is weakest (and most controversial) in its casting choices and artistic breaks from the source material, but these falters can’t keep Exodus from providing a mostly exciting experience.

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Film Review: Horrible Bosses 2

A solid second ride thanks to great chemistry

Buddies Nick, Kurt, and Dale show off their new shower buddy.

From the co-writers of Dumb and Dumber To, the disappointing comedy sequel, comes Horrible Bosses 2, the slightly-less disappointing and still quite funny comedy sequel. Yes, we know that comedy sequels rarely work since the humor isn’t as fresh and the jokes are often forced. Horrible Bosses 2 is definitely not as funny as the original 2011 hit which took the dark fantasies of all white collar workers and spun them into a hilarious story of three down-and-out losers trying to kill their horrible bosses. But, HB2 still has plenty of great moments, primarily due to the chemistry between the three leads, and will likely entertain any fan of the first film (like myself) and coerce a few belly laughs from newcomers. But there’s no denying that considering the incredible cast of the new film, the film could’ve reached even greater comedic heights.

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Support Norton the First: America’s Emperor on Kickstarter

Emperor Norton — America’s Emperor needs your help in bringing his story to life.

While it’s easy to be appalled by the overwhelming amount of bad behavior that abounds in Silicon Valley, just remember one thing: from the Gold Rush to the tech boom, the greater Bay Area has always been a haven for misfits looking to make a fortune. Colorful characters have fueled its expansion and gained notoriety for living by their own rules. However, few of its most notable eccentrics have been as beloved or celebrated as Joshua Norton.

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Film Review: Foxcatcher

Carell’s performance is main event in otherwise slow wrestling movie

John du Pont (Steve Carell) gives wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) an earful.

Director Bennett Miller returns to the big screen this month with Foxcatcher, his first feature since 2011’s Moneyball. Like that film, Foxcatcher also draws its inspiration from a true-life sports story, but, ultimately, Foxcatcher is really more of a psychological character study. While it’s a compelling look at descending madness, the film proves itself a rather static, chilly narrative, albeit one with some exceptionally strong performances.

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Film Review: Dumb and Dumber To

Better late than never? Maybe not this time.

Why is Dumb and Dumber To disappointing?… Is it because the new movie has six writers instead of three like the original? Is it because the 90’s style of humor just isn’t funny anymore? Or is it that Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels just don’t carry the same onscreen charm they did twenty years ago? None of the above (well, maybe the first one). The best aspect of Dumb and Dumber To, the highly anticipated (and worry-inducing) sequel to the Farrelly brothers’ classic side-splitting 1994 comedy, is seeing the Carrey-Daniels duo back on screen together. The worst aspect is that Peter and Bob Farrelly lost sight of their own character creations, making them more mean-spirited now rather than the lovable dimwits they were before. Dumb and Dumber To isn’t without its funny moments, and there are a few nuggets, but twenty years should have yielded a more loyal and clever return to the world of Harry and Lloyd.

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Film Review: Big Hero 6

I dare you not to buy an action figure or stuffed toy within the next 48 hours after seeing this film.

Before saying what Big Hero 6 is, let’s start with what it’s not. It’s not the 6th movie in a series; it’s the beginning of a new one. It’s not a Pixar movie, but John Lasseter’s involvement in it is evident from both the quality of animation and the thought put into the characters. It’s not a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even though it’s based — loosely — on a Marvel comic book. It’s not necessarily a kids’ movie, although the ready-for-the-toy-store robot BayMax is going to appeal to kids … of all ages. Finally, it doesn’t take place in San Francisco; rather, in San Fransokyo. What’s that, you say?

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Film Review: Interstellar

A space opera. A sci-fi blockbuster. A heavy hitter. Just enjoy the ride.

Matthew McConaughey gives the thumbs up to space travel.

*NOTICE: Many people have tried tirelessly to avoid exposure to any spoilers or plot details (or anything, really) regarding Interstellar. I found it hard to write about Interstellar without mentioning ‘anything, really’, so be forewarned*

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