Film Review: Bad Times at the El Royale

Bad times at this hotel make for good times at the cinema  

A disparate trio of guests (from l., Jon Hamm, Jeff Bridges, and Cynthia Ervio) wait to check in to Lake Tahoe’s El Royale hotel.

Mad Men fans still mourning the end of that show have reason to rejoice: Jon Hamm revisits the late ‘60s in Bad Times at the El Royale, a period noir mystery that has stylistic echoes of Matthew Weiner’s acclaimed series. Imagine if Don Draper were a southern appliance salesman (still with a deep secret, of course) instead of a New York ad man, and you’ve got a sense of Hamm’s role here. But Hamm’s return to a 1969 persona is just one small reason to see this well-crafted and well-acted thriller, which has retro style and clever twists to spare.

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Film Review: Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters panders then panders some more, and only delivers when embracing its own originality.

Mighty ghostbustin' foursome.
Mighty ghostbustin’ foursome.

It’s obvious, or maybe just to me, that director/writer Paul Feig was under serious pressure to cater his entire effort in relauching Ghostbusters to the fans of the original films. Possibly due to the stupid backlash against the production for casting four women in the lead roles, and for the sake of protecting a cherished 80s title, Feig decided to include an unfathomable amount of shout-outs, throwbacks, and cameos alluding to the original Ghostbusters films. The cast, and Feig, are incredibly talented. The best moments of the new Ghostbusters film happen when the original 80’s films are out of its sights, and instead, it embraces the comedic timing and inventive action that the actors and director are each capable of, respectively.

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Film Review: In the Heart of the Sea

A disappointing whale of a tale.

The tail is mightier than the sword.
The tail is mightier than the sword.

‘There once was a man from Nantucket’… Pardon my immaturity, but I really couldn’t think of a better way to begin this review of the forgettable wannabe seafaring epic, In the Heart of the Sea. Based on the account of the true story of the whaling ship, the Essex, which in turn inspired the story of Moby Dick, one must wonder if anyone actually wanted or needed to see this story set to film. Director Ron Howard must have felt the need to see it through, because it seems that the filmmakers spared no expense in making it— no matter how bad the visuals, erroneous the 3D transfer, or weak the emotional storyline. In the Heart of the Sea is disappointing on so many levels, and yet its tough to figure out exactly what would’ve righted the wrongs. Hence, maybe the film, which was delayed, would’ve been better off shelved entirely.

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Film Review: Blackhat

Blackhat is a real hack job.

Hacker Hemsworth looking as confused about 'Blackhat' as we are.
Hacker Hemsworth looking as confused about ‘Blackhat’ as we are.

Blackhat is a film about a good guy hacker team trying to stop an elusive bad guy hacker.   It had a lot going for it, considering it’s directed by Michael Mann (Collateral, Heat), stars ultra-manly Chris Hemsworth (Thor), and as we can all attest to, its cybercrime theme is very relevant.  So why is Blackhat such a bad movie?  It’s bad because it’s messy, miscast, and poorly put together.  Not Michael Mann’s trademark digital lensing nor Hemsworth’s chiseled abs can save Blackhat from plodding through grating dialogue, an unrealistic plot and a pointless romantic subplot.  Aside from a solid supporting job from Viola Davis and some beautiful night shots of cities around the world, Blackhat basically fails on all fronts.

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Film Review: Thor: The Dark World

All brawn and little brain, but still…all brawn, glorious BRAWN!

Thor readies himself for action.
Thor readies himself for action.

Kenneth Branagh, who directed the first Thor movie, stepped down from the director’s chair and left it to Alan Taylor, who has quite the resume — including credits directing episodes of Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and The Sopranos.  Thor: The Dark World is therefore very well directed; the action scenes are easy to follow and filled to the brim with marvelous visuals.  There’s nothing technically problematic about Thor: The Dark World, either.  All the pieces fall into place to create a very fun superhero tale.  But what’s missing is that extra uniqueness that made Thor a surprising success.  Chris Hemsworth as Thor was definitely part of that box office attraction, but, in my opinion, Branagh’s handling of Shakespearean themes (familial betrayals and royal tensions) helped Thor really separate itself from the rest of the superhero fare.  Thor: The Dark World lacks that maturity.  Instead, this film relies on explosive adventure and playful Whedon-esque humor to carry the full load.  It succeeds at the blockbuster surface level, but it fails to carry over its predecessor’s dramatic character arcs (except for Loki – -as always… damn, Tom Hiddleston is good.)

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Film Review: Rush

Rush is a fantastic, tense drama, and character driven.

Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl revving their dramatic chops
Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl revving their dramatic chops

I don’t care for racing.  It doesn’t interest me and I think the culture surrounding it is silly and uninviting.  That being said, if I were forced at gunpoint to choose a type of car racing to watch, it would be Formula 1 racing.  There’s a dynamic of risk and impending disaster, along with more beautiful environments, in Formula 1 racing.  Rush, the new movie from director Ron Howard about a 1970’s rivalry in Formula 1 racing, is not only a great racing movie and a great sports movie, but a great drama.  Spearheaded by solid direction and terrific performances, Rush also contains all the right pieces fitted together to complete the whole package — impeccable editing, strong writing, and thrilling cinematography.

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Film Review: “Snow White and the Huntsman”

Charlize Theron in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

starring: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Nick Frost, Toby Jones

written by: Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, Hossein Amini

directed by: Rupert Sanders

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and brief sensuality

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Film Review: “The Avengers”

Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson in THE AVENGERS

starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgard, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow

written by: Joss Whedon (story and screenplay), Zak Penn (story)

directed by: Joss Whedon

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference

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Film Review: “Thor”

Chris Hemsworth in THOR

starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Colm Feore

written by: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne (screenplay); J. Michael Straczynski, Mark Protosevich (story); Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby (comic book)

directed by: Kenneth Branagh

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence.

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