Film Review: A Coffee in Berlin

You still got me: Benjamin Braddock as a German millennial

Tom Schilling’s Niko just wants a cup of coffee.

If you’re looking for a respite from X-Men, Spider-Man, Transformers and other big budget blockbuster men of all types, look no further than German writer/director Jan Ole Gerster’s subtle yet compelling A Coffee in Berlin, an indie about a flailing young man in modern-day Berlin who’s about as far removed from those purposeful heroic types as you can get. Geared toward the millennial set, the picture nevertheless has a universal appeal, and will resonate with those who have ever felt lost, confused, and unsure of their place in adult society. Continue reading “Film Review: A Coffee in Berlin”

Film Review: 22 Jump Street

School in the summer has never been so awesome.

The unlikely success of 2012’s 21 Jump Street prompted the production and release of the sequel, 22 Jump Street, which ends up being funnier, more ridiculous, and more exciting than it’s predecessor. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller must be on cloud nine right now since the writing/directing duo has experienced unbelievable success with 21 and 22 Jump Street, the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs series (they wrote and directed the first and produced the sequel), and one of the top rated and grossing movies of the year, The Lego Movie. Lord and Miller find creative ways to inject a constant stream of humor into their films. In the case of 22 Jump Street, they once again exploit the infectious chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum and deliver a script that has no shortage of joke types — including slapstick, sight gags, witty banter, and an abundance of self-referential and meta humor. With such a clever script and the chance for us to revisit the budding bromance at its core, 22 Jump Street is comedic gold and perfect summer fun.

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Film Review: How to Train Your Dragon 2

A worthy return to Berk, where the kids are all grown up now.

'Night fury in the sky, I can fly twice as high' — ‘Night fury in the sky, I can fly twice as high’

In 2010, How to Train Your Dragon surprised audiences with its incredible cinematography and emotionally resonant central relationship between a young nerdy Viking, Hiccup, and Toothless, the elusive and dangerous Night Fury dragon. Nearly 4.5 years later we are treated to the follow-up, How to Train Your Dragon 2 (the second installment of an intended trilogy), which thankfully has Dean DeBlois (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon) returning as director. DeBlois successfully incorporates the same sense of discovery, wonder, and emotional gravitas into the sequel that were so prevalent in the first film. How to Train Your Dragon 2 gets just about everything right — it expands the story’s universe without overreaching, lets the characters mature without forcing the issue, and keeps the focus on the powerful central storyline in a way that remains fun and engaging.

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Film Review: Edge of Tomorrow

More like… ‘Edge of your seat’.

Saving Private Ryan meets Aliens — Groundhog D-Day

With films like The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith under his belt (as well as Swingers and Go), director Doug Liman is no stranger to directing top notch action sequences that simultaneously contribute to clever storytelling. Edge of Tomorrow has some of the most gripping battle scenes in quite some time, but also clever humor, solid action, and a surprisingly engaging yet quasi-familiar plot. All the pieces work together. Tom Cruise, one of the last remaining movie stars (in the traditional sense of the term), is terrific as usual, but he doesn’t carry the film. Neither does a strong co-lead in Emily Blunt. Nor do the insanely gripping action sequences and phenomenal effects. No, Edge of Tomorrow is carried proudly on the shoulders of everyone involved. It’s a fast-paced A-grade blockbuster through and through, one that provides the intense action, clever plot twists, and smart sense of fun that most blockbusters fail to deliver.

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Film Review: The Grand Seduction

A small glass of Irish Canadian schmaltz, please. Thank you!

No matter how predictable, cliché, or improbable a story is, it’ll translate into a worthwhile movie-watching experience if it’s executed well (I’m ready to argue about this). This is definitely the case for Don McKellar’s The Grand Seduction, a remake of the 2003 French film, La Grande Séduction. The Grand Seduction is an incredibly charming film filled with great laughs, lovable characters, and a quaint story that befits the film’s soothingly calm pace.

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Film Review: Maleficent

I don’t know you, I may have walked with you once upon a dream…

Well. Well. What magnificent horns you have.

…but honestly, who are you?

This is not the Maleficent from Disney’s 1959 animated classic, Sleeping Beauty. There’s a physical resemblance, sure. For about 10-15 minutes, the story and tone seems to reflect the Disney version as well. But mostly this is a completely new retelling, including new environments, and newly structured characters and motives. Unfortunately, it’s the title character that suffers the most from the creative liberties taken. Yet, it’s still Angelina Jolie, playing the title character of Maleficent, who ends up stealing the show from start to finish with her powerful features, dark silhouette, and devotion to her character — no matter how weakened the character is now.

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Film Review: X-Men: Days of Future Past

Back to the future past!

So. Damn. Magnetizing. — He’s just so…magnetizing.

The only actors seemingly capable of producing the same intense chemistry with onscreen conversations as Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellan do…are Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy. Put them all in a movie together and it’s practically a how-to on acting. Throw in Hugh Jackman and Jennifer Lawrence and you now have one of the most talented ensembles ever. Oh, wait, Tyrion Lannister, err… Peter Dinklage, too?! With this billed cast, it could’ve been a biopic about the GEICO gecko and I’d get in line. Luckily for everyone, it’s actually X-Men: Days of Future Past, one of the best entries in the X-Men series (including all spinoffs, etc.) and an insanely fun film.

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Film Review: Words and Pictures

No matter how you paint this picture, there’s only one word for it: Bad

Clive Owen pretends like he’s in Dead Poets Society.

Australian director Fred Schepisi has an impressive resume; he’s directed the critically acclaimed pictures Roxanne, Six Degrees of Separation, and A Cry in the Darkness, among others. So naturally it’s disheartening that his newest film, Words and Pictures, is such a disappointment, especially considering it stars two high-caliber actors – – Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche. Unfortunately, writer Gerald Di Pego (Message in a Bottle; Angel Eyes) doesn’t give them much to work with, and Schepisi’s direction seems to echo the mediocrity of Di Pego’s script.

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Film Review: Godzilla

Roaring (and lumbering) back into action!

Godzilla's so vain, he probably thinks this movie's about him. — Godzilla’s so vain, he probably thinks this movie’s about him.

In comparison to 1998’s embarrassing excuse for a blockbuster, Godzilla (directed by Roland Emmerich), most popcorn flicks look Oscar worthy. What’s refreshing about 2014’s Godzilla, directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters), is that it shows off some remarkably cool modern sequences while embracing the traditional look and feel of the classic Godzilla films and the summer movies of the late 70’s that established the blockbuster sub-genre. After the overload of monsters and CG destruction we see in movies these days, it’s a relief to know that there’s still room for a film to embrace the origins of both and still surprise us. Welcome back, Godzilla.

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Also in Theaters — 5/16/2014 — Chef / God’s Pocket / The Double

Film Review: Chef

Review by Gordon Elgart

This is one food truck you don't want to miss. — This is one food truck you don’t want to miss.

Jon Favreau writes, directs and stars in Chef, which is clearly a passion project about the passions of others. HIs main character, Chef Carl Casper, is a genius chef who’s been working for ten years in the restaurant of a man who does not appreciate genius chefs. One big night, a reviewer is coming to the restaurant to see what Chef Carl is making these days, and writes a scathing review which starts the events of the movie in motion. Chef Carl needs to put his life back together while balancing the relationship he has with his son, a child of his divorce.

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