Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Elysium.
Written & Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Review #228
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout.
Run Time: 109 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Matt Damon...Max
Jodie Foster...Delacourt
Sharlto Copley...Kruger
Alice Braga...Frey
Diego Luna...Julio
Wagner Moura...Spider
William Fichtner...John Carlyle
Jose Pablo Cantillo...Sandro
Maxwell Perry Cotton...Young Max
Faran Tahir...President Patel
Neill Blomkamp made a name for himself in the sci fi world not with District 9 but the short film he made that was the inspiration for District 9. Alive in Joburg. The popularity of that short got him the support to make District 9 and the rest as we say is history. If you haven't seen District 9 then you should be ashamed of yourself. After you've come to your senses do yourself a favor and SEE THAT MOVIE! It was one of the best films of 2009 and is way more than just a movie about an alien invasion in South Africa. Needless to say the immense positive response critically and publicly launched Blomkamp into cherished directorial territory. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that he's 33 years old?
So what did he have in store for a follow up?
Matt Damon wearing a robotic exoskeleton! SIGN ME UP!
Most of the time when an unknown or small film comes out I hit the geek sites and try to find out as much as I can before I make my decision to see it. With Elysium there was no need to research. Blomkamp earned my trust and loyalty with District 9. Then I saw a trailer and I was jazzed. Then I see the film and I wasn't so jazzed after. That's not to say that Elysium was a bad film. Far from it.
It's just not as good as District 9.
The biggest problem with Elysium is the disconnect with the script.
Blomkamp visually expresses the gap between both society's. Earth pictured above is filthy, dying and apocalyptic. Elysium pictured below is clean, serene and eden like.
It's within the society's where Blomkamp misses the mark. Somewhere in the narrative
the balance gets lost. The film spends more time on earth which makes
sense considering the film's main character lives there. However,
despite seeing it, while on earth you don't get the sense of
impoverishment and on Elysium you don't get the sense of opulence. This
is more evident on Elysium. Too many establishing shots of people
enjoying life and not enough feeling that the people are pissing away
their privilege. Those kind of scenes would get you to root more for the people struggling to make ends meet.
Another unfortunate issue with the script of the lack of character development within the story. This primarily revolves around Kruger played masterfully by the spectacular Sharlto Copley. This guy was a bad ass and for some reason lived on earth despite working for the Elysium government. It didn't make sense for him to be there. The film gives him something to do while down there to establish his character but it wasn't enough to give Kruger the development he needed and deserved. More background behind his character would also have helped flesh out what happens to him at the end. When it gets to that point it feels out of left field which was sad because he was so cool to watch on screen.
The same thing happens to Matt Damon's Max only it's not as profound. Because he's the main character he gets more time to attach himself to us as the audience. That being said there wasn't enough there to make us care about him until the very end which was as predictable as you could get. Damon's performance was fine. I just wished there was more behind him than the unnecessary flashbacks of when Max was a kid. It didn't help his character and spoiled the end of the film if you paid attention.
Now let's talk about the good in this film. Just like in District 9. The world Blomkamp created was visually stunning. He had a bigger budget to work with here and it shows. Since the film takes place in two very far away locations the scale and look of those places had to be specific enough to meet the requirements of the story. They pulled that off. Earth was a place you definitely didn't want to live and Elysium was pure paradise.
The look and design of the security droids were also impressive. The CGI was so convincing that it was tough to tell what was real and what wasn't. This came as no surprise to me because Blomkamp always had a great eye for visual effects and world building. He's doing it the smart way by creating his settings from places he's known all his life. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa he grounds his fantastical locations grounded by his home turf. It gives the look of the world his films are in a rough yet realistic feel and presentation.
Bottom line is Elysium though not as strong as District 9 is still a step in the right direction for Neill Blomkamp and his sci fi stylings. I'm sure the powers that be that killed his involvement in the Halo film are kicking themselves right now. If not then they should be because his next film Chappie has already been green lit even before Elysium's release. If that film is anything close to the plot synopsis then Blomkamp will be 3 for 3.
I for one will be rooting for him. The guy is a rising star that demands your attention.
On the 5 star scale. Elysium gets 3 stars. With a "Go See It!" recommendation.
Thats a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
The Butler
Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is The Butler.
Directed by Lee Daniels.
Written by Danny Strong.
Review #227
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some violence and disturbing images, language, sexual material, thematic elements and smoking.
Run Time: 132 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Forest Whitaker...Cecil Gaines
David Banner...Earl Gaines
LaJessie Smith...Abraham
Mariah Carey...Hattie Pearl
Alex Pettyfer...Thomas Westfall
Vanessa Redgrave...Annabeth Westfall
Oprah Winfrey...Gloria Gaines
David Oyelowo...Louis Gaines
Colman Domingo...Freddie Fallows
Terrence Howard...Howard
Cuba Gooding Jr....Carter Wilson
Lenny Kravitz...James Holloway
Robin Williams...Dwight D. Eisenhower
John Cusack...Richard Nixon
James Marsden...John F. Kennedy
Liev Schreiber...Lyndon B. Johnson
Nelsan Ellis...Martin Luther King Jr.
Alan Rickman...Ronald Reagan
Jane Fonda...Nancy Reagan
Every once in a while a movie will come out and pull a con on the audience. For the most part these cons have disastrous results. We are sold one film and go to that film full of anticipation and are given something entirely different. Different meaning bad. Then there's the film where the con turns out the other way.
The Butler is a con film. A damn good one too.
Plot
As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.
Lee Daniels put his name on the map thanks to a little film called Precious. That film did more than showcase the acting talents of Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'nique. It showcased Daniels' storytelling prowess. The man took us on a journey that scratched and clawed at your heart. His second film The Paperboy was not as successful both critically and financially. This led to some of the shine coming off his name.
The Butler returns some of that shine.
Of course when looking at why this film succeeds you need look no further than the lead. Forest Whitaker is a tremendous actor that has FINALLY been given the respect and recognition he's deserved. Is he in Poitier's or Denzel's class.
No but he's knocking on the door.
This isn't his best performance to date. That title still stays with his portrayal of Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. What he does differently here was giving Cecil the same power and presence that Amin had but did so with a quiet confidence and stoicism. This was a direct result of his training as a server in the south. He was taught to comply and act as if no one is in the room while he's in it. Cecil took his job seriously for the obvious and not so obvious reasons. The obvious ones being steady work and pay to support his family. The not so obvious ones being.
Nice try. I ain't giving those away. You have to figure them out for yourselves.
Whitaker along with the rest of the cast were good but the best part of this film is that you're not watching a film about a butler. This movie is without question a civil rights picture. You are taken down the path of history where our country was at it's worst when it came to matters of humanity. The unique twist is that you take this journey through the span of Gaines' life and career as a butler for The White House. This was an interesting and in my opinion very welcome development and change to the narrative. I walked in thinking I was going to see a biopic and instead I saw two films that played together seamlessly and organically.
The Butler posed several debates. While the country was dealing with civil rights battles. Cecil's family was battling each other over ideas and principles. It was a very predictable plot point that has been done in other films so as the movie progressed between acts you knew what to expect. This was an unfortunate and unavoidable side effect. This film takes place in a time where there weren't many outcomes to the problems that were presented, and none of the outcomes were pleasant. What kept The Butler from spiraling out of control was the interactions between Cecil and the several presidents he served. Those moments provided much needed breaks from the highly charged scenes of racial discord and violence. It also gave Whitaker the opportunity to put his skills to work as he played the server one minute and father/husband the next.
The Butler in addition to being a biopic/historical piece. It was also a story about family and keeping it together during those difficult times. Cecil experienced the brutal reality of racism first hand and wanted no part of that for his family. However, he couldn't stop his son from choosing his own path and seeing where it led. This was a very interesting dynamic the film exposed. How does a father handle the reality that his son is willing to defy his wishes of maintaining peaceful ways of attaining civil rights for a more "direct" approach. This exchange between the Cecil and Louis played out similarly to the confrontations that took place on the streets at the time. It was a very interesting and entertaining way to weave through the social unrest.
Finally, the film did a pretty good job with the presidents. Most of the actors resembled the men they were playing. It was nice to see proper detail placed in the casting of these roles. Sometimes films don't pay attention to the "minor" roles even though they may be former presidents of our country. Having said all of this, The Butler does have one flaw and it's a big one. The film is too long. It drags a bit and that takes away from the experience. There were too many scenes that felt repetitive and overbearing. I realize that this story is being told of the man who served several decades as a White House butler but there was way too much outside stuff that felt unnecessary. I get what Daniels was trying to do but for the sake of the story. A trim or two or twenty would have made this a much better film.
On the 5 star scale. The Bulter gets 3.5 stars. With a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is The Butler.
Directed by Lee Daniels.
Written by Danny Strong.
Review #227
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some violence and disturbing images, language, sexual material, thematic elements and smoking.
Run Time: 132 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Forest Whitaker...Cecil Gaines
David Banner...Earl Gaines
LaJessie Smith...Abraham
Mariah Carey...Hattie Pearl
Alex Pettyfer...Thomas Westfall
Vanessa Redgrave...Annabeth Westfall
Oprah Winfrey...Gloria Gaines
David Oyelowo...Louis Gaines
Colman Domingo...Freddie Fallows
Terrence Howard...Howard
Cuba Gooding Jr....Carter Wilson
Lenny Kravitz...James Holloway
Robin Williams...Dwight D. Eisenhower
John Cusack...Richard Nixon
James Marsden...John F. Kennedy
Liev Schreiber...Lyndon B. Johnson
Nelsan Ellis...Martin Luther King Jr.
Alan Rickman...Ronald Reagan
Jane Fonda...Nancy Reagan
Every once in a while a movie will come out and pull a con on the audience. For the most part these cons have disastrous results. We are sold one film and go to that film full of anticipation and are given something entirely different. Different meaning bad. Then there's the film where the con turns out the other way.
The Butler is a con film. A damn good one too.
Plot
As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.
Lee Daniels put his name on the map thanks to a little film called Precious. That film did more than showcase the acting talents of Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'nique. It showcased Daniels' storytelling prowess. The man took us on a journey that scratched and clawed at your heart. His second film The Paperboy was not as successful both critically and financially. This led to some of the shine coming off his name.
The Butler returns some of that shine.
Of course when looking at why this film succeeds you need look no further than the lead. Forest Whitaker is a tremendous actor that has FINALLY been given the respect and recognition he's deserved. Is he in Poitier's or Denzel's class.
No but he's knocking on the door.
This isn't his best performance to date. That title still stays with his portrayal of Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. What he does differently here was giving Cecil the same power and presence that Amin had but did so with a quiet confidence and stoicism. This was a direct result of his training as a server in the south. He was taught to comply and act as if no one is in the room while he's in it. Cecil took his job seriously for the obvious and not so obvious reasons. The obvious ones being steady work and pay to support his family. The not so obvious ones being.
Nice try. I ain't giving those away. You have to figure them out for yourselves.
Whitaker along with the rest of the cast were good but the best part of this film is that you're not watching a film about a butler. This movie is without question a civil rights picture. You are taken down the path of history where our country was at it's worst when it came to matters of humanity. The unique twist is that you take this journey through the span of Gaines' life and career as a butler for The White House. This was an interesting and in my opinion very welcome development and change to the narrative. I walked in thinking I was going to see a biopic and instead I saw two films that played together seamlessly and organically.
The Butler posed several debates. While the country was dealing with civil rights battles. Cecil's family was battling each other over ideas and principles. It was a very predictable plot point that has been done in other films so as the movie progressed between acts you knew what to expect. This was an unfortunate and unavoidable side effect. This film takes place in a time where there weren't many outcomes to the problems that were presented, and none of the outcomes were pleasant. What kept The Butler from spiraling out of control was the interactions between Cecil and the several presidents he served. Those moments provided much needed breaks from the highly charged scenes of racial discord and violence. It also gave Whitaker the opportunity to put his skills to work as he played the server one minute and father/husband the next.
The Butler in addition to being a biopic/historical piece. It was also a story about family and keeping it together during those difficult times. Cecil experienced the brutal reality of racism first hand and wanted no part of that for his family. However, he couldn't stop his son from choosing his own path and seeing where it led. This was a very interesting dynamic the film exposed. How does a father handle the reality that his son is willing to defy his wishes of maintaining peaceful ways of attaining civil rights for a more "direct" approach. This exchange between the Cecil and Louis played out similarly to the confrontations that took place on the streets at the time. It was a very interesting and entertaining way to weave through the social unrest.
Finally, the film did a pretty good job with the presidents. Most of the actors resembled the men they were playing. It was nice to see proper detail placed in the casting of these roles. Sometimes films don't pay attention to the "minor" roles even though they may be former presidents of our country. Having said all of this, The Butler does have one flaw and it's a big one. The film is too long. It drags a bit and that takes away from the experience. There were too many scenes that felt repetitive and overbearing. I realize that this story is being told of the man who served several decades as a White House butler but there was way too much outside stuff that felt unnecessary. I get what Daniels was trying to do but for the sake of the story. A trim or two or twenty would have made this a much better film.
On the 5 star scale. The Bulter gets 3.5 stars. With a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Kick Ass 2
Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Kick Ass 2.
Written & Directed by Jeff Wadlow.
Based on the Comic Book Kick Ass 2. Created by Mark Millar & John Romita Jr.
Review #226
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and brief nudity.
Run Time: 103 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Plot
Today's review is Kick Ass 2.
Written & Directed by Jeff Wadlow.
Based on the Comic Book Kick Ass 2. Created by Mark Millar & John Romita Jr.
Review #226
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and brief nudity.
Run Time: 103 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Aaron Taylor-Johnson...Dave Lizewski / Kick-Ass
Chloƫ Grace Moretz...Mindy Macready / Hit-Girl
Morris Chestnut...Detective Marcus Williams
Clark Duke...Marty / Battle Guy
Augustus Prew...Todd / Ass Kicker
Donald Faison...Dr. Gravity
Matt Steinberg...Mr. Radical
Steven Mackintosh...Tommy's Dad
Monica Dolan...Tommy's Mum
Garrett M. Brown...Mr. Lizewski
Christopher Mintz-Plasse...Chris D'Amico / The Motherfucker
John Leguizamo...Javier
Jim Carrey...Colonel Stars and Stripes
Robert Emms...Insect Man
Lindy Booth...Night Bitch
Daniel Kaluuya...Black Death
Andy Nyman...The Tumor
Tom Wu...Genghis Carnage
Olga Kurkulina...Mother Russia
Iain Glen...Uncle Ralph
Kick Ass was an underrated comic book film. It was very entertaining but it wasn't your "normal" comic book movie. No superpowers. No alien invasions. No billionaire vigilantes. Kick Ass took place in the "real" world where superheroes stayed in the books and imaginations of kids everywhere. This allowed a ton of freedom to examine what life would be like if there were real superheroes running around the streets stopping crimes the cops couldn't. The Kick Ass comic dives into that theory in a very twisted and violent way. Matthew Vaughn's film version does the same thing minus a few cuts here and there. Fast forward a few years we are finally getting a sequel that goes through several changes.
Some good. Some not so good.
Some good. Some not so good.
Plot
The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal
citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile,
the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass
knows.
Kick Ass 2 picks up pretty much after the first film. Dave and Mindy are adjusting to life after the events at the D'Amico building. Dave has hung up his costume while Mindy continues to live the Hit Girl life. Circumstances bring the duo back together and we're off to the races. There's a lot of good in Kick Ass 2. However it's missing a very important element that made the first film so amazing.
Matthew Vaughn.
Matthew Vaughn.
He was the mastermind of the first film in both page and screen. He kept the grittiness and balls that the Kick Ass comic had while injecting some very necessary humor. The subject material is very raw and in your face. Vaughn found a way to keep all of that without turning the audience away from all of the violence and innuendo. Scheduling conflicts forced him to step down from the sequel leaving the duties to Jeff Wadlow and no offense to him but it shows big time.
Wadlow also wrote the screenplay and clearly went a different route. Gone was the maniacal nature of the first film. instead he replaced it with jumbled, repetitive, plot threads that send the film spiraling down the rabbit hole that you don't want your film to go. The continuity from the first film is in place but the different direction and tone doesn't mesh well. Think of it like the sequel is rejecting a kidney the first film donated. That being said, it doesn't make Kick Ass 2 a bad film. Far from it. It's just a different film and in this case different was good because Wadlow did the smart thing and made his film.
FUN!
Once the Red Mist/Motherf#cker decides to go into hell bent revenge mode on Kick Ass, the film becomes so much fun to watch because it turns into a superhero war. Both sides team up and acquire members highlighted by two specific characters. One on each side.
For the bad guys we have....Mother Russia!
These two characters stood out in a film that was full of memorable characters both new and old. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why Stars and Stripes was so good. Jim Carrey was AWESOME as the leader of Justice Forever. The scene stealer was Olga Kurkulina as Mother Russia. Clearly she is a bodybuilder but she possessed so much power that it was scary. She played Mother Russia exactly how you would expect someone called that to be played. Her facial expressions combined with her unmatched physical skills were a treat to watch.
Her fight at the end with Hit Girl was a true highlight.
Which segues nicely to the end of the film which culminates in this massive superhero vs supervillain mega brawl. This fight was chaotic but so much fun to watch. All of these characters were so cool because they were grounded in a world based in reality. If there were people dressed up in costumes committing crimes or fighting crimes. This is how they would look. I said it before and I'll say it again. Wadlow made Kick Ass 2 a lot of fun and this brawl at the end was the final punch to the collective gut of the audience.
I have no idea where the future of the franchise is headed. A third Kick Ass comic is on the way so I wouldn't be surprised to hear a third film announced. Despite it's poor opening weekend numbers. Wadlow did an admirable job continuing the legacy of Kick Ass. The next step is to marry the missing elements from the first film with the fun of this one and we could be talking about one of the greatest comic book films of ALL TIME!
On the 5 star scale. Kick Ass 2 gets 3 stars. With a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Fruitvale Station
Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Fruitvale Station.
Written & Directed by Ryan Coogler.
Review #225
MPAA Rating: Rated R for some violence, language throughout and some drug use.
Run Time: 85 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Michael B. Jordan ... Oscar Grant
Melonie Diaz ... Sophina
Octavia Spencer ... Wanda
Kevin Durand ... Officer Caruso
Chad Michael Murray ... Officer Ingram
Ahna O'Reilly ... Katie
Ariana Neal ... Tatiana
Coming off the heels of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case. The Weinstein Company in a genius coincidence (or maybe not) nationally released Fruitvale Station. I honestly don't remember that much about what happened with exception to how it ended.
It was a tragic story and the film doesn't soften the blow which is both a good thing and a GREAT thing.
Plot
The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.
Fruitvale Station was the rage at Sundance. It's common for a film be the top dog at festivals but sometimes that film doesn't effectively transition to the national stage. This one should and it's because of one person.
Michael B. Jordan.
He is unquestionably the BEST element of this film. I have no idea what Oscar Grant was like before he was shot so I am taking Jordan's performance on faith that it's an accurate portrayal. With that being said, Jordan does an AMAZING job giving Grant heart. This kid is a tortured soul, dealing with the demons of being a father, a boyfriend and a son. All while trying to escape the inescapable shadow cast over him by being an ex con. Director Ryan Coogler does something with Fruitvale Station that feels fresh with a film of this subject matter.
He gives you both sides of Grant's story.
Grant's death was an avoidable tragedy but the fact remains that he was not a saint. He served time and had a very violent temper. Those parts of his life were undoubtedly the catalyst that led to his too soon departure from the world. Fruitvale Station does not dismiss that. Coogler and Jordan make a concerted effort to give us Oscar's life and his final days with as much accuracy as humanly possible. That means showing us Grant's Jekyll and Hyde. This was vital to the integrity and credibility of the film. The more weight put behind Oscar's good and bad side, the stronger your feelings for him become when the fateful moment happens.
This is ONLY possible because of Jordan.
He's been acting since 1999 but his breakout role was playing Wallace in Season 4 of HBO's The Wire pictured above. His performance during that season was mesmerizing which is saying a LOT because Season 4 was the BEST season of The Wire's run and it was PACKED with standout stories and performances. The ironic thing about Jordan playing Wallace and Grant is that their characters are tangentially linked. Their stories contain similar DNA that frighteningly and sadly come to the same conclusion.
Jordan has gone on to have other noticeable roles but his performance here is by far his GREATEST and in my opinion Oscar worthy.
Which begs the question. Why did Harvey Weinstein release this film so early? I realize that mentioned up top that the timing is right when you factor in what's going on in Florida and around the country right now. However, it's clear that the Weinstein company are planning to make an Oscar push for this film. Releasing it in late July is a big time gamble. Potential Oscar films tend to get released after the summer. After all the kids have had their fill of capes and cartoons, the studios turn their attention to the mommy's and daddy's of the world that are starving for deeper forms of entertainment.
I really hope that Fruitvale Station doesn't suffer because of an unforeseen factor created by the calendar.
Fruitvale Station is a MUST see. It's deep, emotional, thought provoking and most importantly eye opening. The film forces you to come to the realization that passing judgement on people based on their past is counterproductive and irresponsible. It also shows you the true and harsh reality that comeback stories don't always end happily because of the nature of people.
Do yourselves a favor and SEE THIS MOVIE!
On the 5 star scale. Fruitvale Station gets the honor of receiving the first 5 star score of the year. With a resounding "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is Fruitvale Station.
Written & Directed by Ryan Coogler.
Review #225
MPAA Rating: Rated R for some violence, language throughout and some drug use.
Run Time: 85 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Michael B. Jordan ... Oscar Grant
Melonie Diaz ... Sophina
Octavia Spencer ... Wanda
Kevin Durand ... Officer Caruso
Chad Michael Murray ... Officer Ingram
Ahna O'Reilly ... Katie
Ariana Neal ... Tatiana
Coming off the heels of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case. The Weinstein Company in a genius coincidence (or maybe not) nationally released Fruitvale Station. I honestly don't remember that much about what happened with exception to how it ended.
It was a tragic story and the film doesn't soften the blow which is both a good thing and a GREAT thing.
Plot
The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.
Fruitvale Station was the rage at Sundance. It's common for a film be the top dog at festivals but sometimes that film doesn't effectively transition to the national stage. This one should and it's because of one person.
Michael B. Jordan.
He is unquestionably the BEST element of this film. I have no idea what Oscar Grant was like before he was shot so I am taking Jordan's performance on faith that it's an accurate portrayal. With that being said, Jordan does an AMAZING job giving Grant heart. This kid is a tortured soul, dealing with the demons of being a father, a boyfriend and a son. All while trying to escape the inescapable shadow cast over him by being an ex con. Director Ryan Coogler does something with Fruitvale Station that feels fresh with a film of this subject matter.
He gives you both sides of Grant's story.
Grant's death was an avoidable tragedy but the fact remains that he was not a saint. He served time and had a very violent temper. Those parts of his life were undoubtedly the catalyst that led to his too soon departure from the world. Fruitvale Station does not dismiss that. Coogler and Jordan make a concerted effort to give us Oscar's life and his final days with as much accuracy as humanly possible. That means showing us Grant's Jekyll and Hyde. This was vital to the integrity and credibility of the film. The more weight put behind Oscar's good and bad side, the stronger your feelings for him become when the fateful moment happens.
This is ONLY possible because of Jordan.
He's been acting since 1999 but his breakout role was playing Wallace in Season 4 of HBO's The Wire pictured above. His performance during that season was mesmerizing which is saying a LOT because Season 4 was the BEST season of The Wire's run and it was PACKED with standout stories and performances. The ironic thing about Jordan playing Wallace and Grant is that their characters are tangentially linked. Their stories contain similar DNA that frighteningly and sadly come to the same conclusion.
Jordan has gone on to have other noticeable roles but his performance here is by far his GREATEST and in my opinion Oscar worthy.
Which begs the question. Why did Harvey Weinstein release this film so early? I realize that mentioned up top that the timing is right when you factor in what's going on in Florida and around the country right now. However, it's clear that the Weinstein company are planning to make an Oscar push for this film. Releasing it in late July is a big time gamble. Potential Oscar films tend to get released after the summer. After all the kids have had their fill of capes and cartoons, the studios turn their attention to the mommy's and daddy's of the world that are starving for deeper forms of entertainment.
I really hope that Fruitvale Station doesn't suffer because of an unforeseen factor created by the calendar.
Fruitvale Station is a MUST see. It's deep, emotional, thought provoking and most importantly eye opening. The film forces you to come to the realization that passing judgement on people based on their past is counterproductive and irresponsible. It also shows you the true and harsh reality that comeback stories don't always end happily because of the nature of people.
Do yourselves a favor and SEE THIS MOVIE!
On the 5 star scale. Fruitvale Station gets the honor of receiving the first 5 star score of the year. With a resounding "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
The Wolverine
Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is The Wolverine.
Directed by James Mangold.
Written by Mark Bomback & Scott Frank.
Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Len Wien, Herb Trimpe, John Romita Sr. & Roy Thomas.
Review #224
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, some sexuality and language.
Run Time: 126 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Hugh Jackman...Logan
Tao Okamoto...Mariko
Rila Fukushima...Yukio
Hiroyuki Sanada...Shingen
Svetlana Khodchenkova...Viper
Brian Tee...Noburo
Hal Yamanouchi...Yashida (as Haruhiko Yamanouchi)
Will Yun Lee...Harada
Ken Yamamura...Young Yashida
Famke Janssen...Jean Grey
X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a flat out HORRIBLE film. Despite my fairly positive review. Common sense kicked in to the reality that the movie not only made one of Marvel's most popular cinematic characters forgettable. It killed a franchise. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was supposed to spawn a series of "Origins" films with Magneto on deck to follow everyone's favorite mutant. The critical venom spewed by fans scared 20th Century Fox from going forward with the "Origins" franchise.
Instead they decided to start over with Wolverine....Better choice.
Plot
Summoned to Japan by an old acquaintance, Wolverine becomes embroiled in a conflict that forces him to confront his own demons.
After the first Wolverine debacle. The reboot had to be done right. The step in the right direction was to adapt possibly the most popular storyline the character ever had. They took Logan to Japan. Back in 1982 Chris Calremont and the incomparable Frank Miller gave Wolverine a character face lift by sending him to the land of the rising sun. What followed was the biggest reception the character has ever had since his first appearance against the Hulk in issues #180-181. Is The Wolverine a direct adaptation of Calremont's and Miller's run?
Yes and No.
More importantly the core and heart of the story is there which already makes it better than the first film.
That being said. The Wolverine is not without it's problems. The biggest one being the overcomplicated plot and overabundance of subplots. The intent is to give Logan more emotion and heart by throwing different narrative arcs at him. It was a good idea in theory. The result was a bloated story that could have been better served with a trim or two.
The two biggest ones that could have gone was Logan's holding on to Jean's memory. By doing this, The Wolverine is linking itself to X-Men: The Last Stand. NEVER a good idea. That film was just as forgettable as Wolverine's first film so connecting the dots here feels tacky. I realize the hero needed to be conflicted which provides the motivation for him going to Japan so making him depressed over killing his love is better than leaving him with memory loss like how Origins ended. The problem with this MacGuffin is that director James Mangold goes to it too many times. We don't need Logan to constantly wrestle with the pain and psychosis Jean's death gives him. You take half of these scenes out and the film is much tighter.
The second subplot revolved around the Viper character. She was a nice antagonist but her motivations were underdeveloped to the point of non existence. Her involvement in the film became clear towards the end but up until that point, her contributions to the film became more of a hindrance than a help. Her inclusion to the story also combined other subplots that just got out of control. Similar to Jean, you trim her scenes a bit and you get a much smoother film. This could have been a byproduct of the several rewrites the script went through.
Not to mention a MAJOR change in directors.
When this film was announced. Darren Aaronofsky was attached to direct. This sent shock waves through the geek community and put a HUGE smile on my face. Wolverine is a twisted, violent character and a director like Aaronofsky would have done WONDERS with this material. He was also coming off the success of Black Swan so at the time he was HOT! Then as always is the case with blockbusters. Studio interference drove Aaronofsky off the project. So here comes Mangold to save the property from caving in on itself. He does an admirable job but doesn't properly capture the ferocity Wolverine exhibits and is famous for.
One of the ways Mangold tries to give Logan the toughness we remembered from the earlier X-Men films was to load his movie with fights, fights and more fights. I got no problem with that but you have to make sure that the action serves a bigger purpose than just to see Wolverine claw through people. Some of the fights maintain story integrity but some of them were just filler action. The biggest sin Mangold commits to the character was stripping away Logan's trademark attitude. Logan spends a lot of the time gruff and pissed off which is accurate. The problem is his dialogue. It was entirely too stiff and angry. Part of what makes Wolverine so popular was his unique sarcasm.
Here's a good example.
In X-Men, Wolverine realizes Rogue is hiding out in the back of his truck. He pulls over and tells her to get out. This was the exchange between they had as Logan was prepared to leave this girl on the side of the road all alone.
Rogue - "Where am I supposed to go?"
Wolverine - "I don't know."
Rogue - "You don't know or you don't care?"
Wolverine - "Pick one."
That was pure Wolverine all the way. He's doesn't give a flying #$%& about your agenda. That was the attitude that made him so much fun to watch. That was practically non existent here. Instead Wolverine's snappy comebacks were replaced with profanity. A welcome addition to his verbal arsenal but his patented wit was sorely lacking here and it took away from Jackman's performance.
Speaking of Jackman.
If you thought he was fit for the first film. You haven't seen anything yet. This guy was RIPPED! The man loves playing this character and proved it by dedicating his body to the craft. He's also not getting any younger and since Wolverine's mutation slows his aging, the "real" Wolverine needs to compensate for that by renewing his membership to Planet Fitness. It definitely paid off here because aside from the gratuitous shirtless shots. The dude kicked major ass in this film.
There was no doubt in anyone's mind watching this film that Hugh Jackman is The Wolverine!
Jackman displays a ton of athleticism and prowess during the fights. As I mentioned before, this film is full of action set pieces and fights. They were well choreographed but piss poorly edited. Mangold wanted to capture the intensity and ferocity of Wolverine's moves. You don't do that in the edit room. Fight scenes are performance driven more than any other part of an action scene. You need to express the emotion and scale of the combat. Jumping and cutting from angle to angle does not give you a true translation of what's supposed to happen. The bullet train fight was a standout sequence.
If the rest of the action followed suit we would be talking about a no pun intended kick ass film.
The film's final battle with The Silver Samurai was a very impressive sequence as well. The climax was not as impressive. Mangold and company tried their best to hide the gotcha moment but if you're breathing in the theater, you know who is in the suit. This is where we get the final villain monologue that all poorly constructed comic book films are known for. This would have been a deal breaker for me with other films. For some reason it's not as reprehensible. This adaptation went through a series of rewrites and polishes. In fact one of the writers doesn't appear in the credits. Christopher McQuarrie came on board at the zero hour and did a touch up to the script. I'm sorry to say it but it shows. I'm not sure why I'm giving The Wolverine a pass for it's faults. Maybe because it simply does do it's job of obliterating the existence of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
That's good enough for me....for now.
On the 5 star scale. The Wolverine gets 2.5 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is The Wolverine.
Directed by James Mangold.
Written by Mark Bomback & Scott Frank.
Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Len Wien, Herb Trimpe, John Romita Sr. & Roy Thomas.
Review #224
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, some sexuality and language.
Run Time: 126 min
Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page
Cast
Hugh Jackman...Logan
Tao Okamoto...Mariko
Rila Fukushima...Yukio
Hiroyuki Sanada...Shingen
Svetlana Khodchenkova...Viper
Brian Tee...Noburo
Hal Yamanouchi...Yashida (as Haruhiko Yamanouchi)
Will Yun Lee...Harada
Ken Yamamura...Young Yashida
Famke Janssen...Jean Grey
X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a flat out HORRIBLE film. Despite my fairly positive review. Common sense kicked in to the reality that the movie not only made one of Marvel's most popular cinematic characters forgettable. It killed a franchise. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was supposed to spawn a series of "Origins" films with Magneto on deck to follow everyone's favorite mutant. The critical venom spewed by fans scared 20th Century Fox from going forward with the "Origins" franchise.
Instead they decided to start over with Wolverine....Better choice.
Plot
Summoned to Japan by an old acquaintance, Wolverine becomes embroiled in a conflict that forces him to confront his own demons.
After the first Wolverine debacle. The reboot had to be done right. The step in the right direction was to adapt possibly the most popular storyline the character ever had. They took Logan to Japan. Back in 1982 Chris Calremont and the incomparable Frank Miller gave Wolverine a character face lift by sending him to the land of the rising sun. What followed was the biggest reception the character has ever had since his first appearance against the Hulk in issues #180-181. Is The Wolverine a direct adaptation of Calremont's and Miller's run?
Yes and No.
More importantly the core and heart of the story is there which already makes it better than the first film.
That being said. The Wolverine is not without it's problems. The biggest one being the overcomplicated plot and overabundance of subplots. The intent is to give Logan more emotion and heart by throwing different narrative arcs at him. It was a good idea in theory. The result was a bloated story that could have been better served with a trim or two.
The two biggest ones that could have gone was Logan's holding on to Jean's memory. By doing this, The Wolverine is linking itself to X-Men: The Last Stand. NEVER a good idea. That film was just as forgettable as Wolverine's first film so connecting the dots here feels tacky. I realize the hero needed to be conflicted which provides the motivation for him going to Japan so making him depressed over killing his love is better than leaving him with memory loss like how Origins ended. The problem with this MacGuffin is that director James Mangold goes to it too many times. We don't need Logan to constantly wrestle with the pain and psychosis Jean's death gives him. You take half of these scenes out and the film is much tighter.
The second subplot revolved around the Viper character. She was a nice antagonist but her motivations were underdeveloped to the point of non existence. Her involvement in the film became clear towards the end but up until that point, her contributions to the film became more of a hindrance than a help. Her inclusion to the story also combined other subplots that just got out of control. Similar to Jean, you trim her scenes a bit and you get a much smoother film. This could have been a byproduct of the several rewrites the script went through.
Not to mention a MAJOR change in directors.
When this film was announced. Darren Aaronofsky was attached to direct. This sent shock waves through the geek community and put a HUGE smile on my face. Wolverine is a twisted, violent character and a director like Aaronofsky would have done WONDERS with this material. He was also coming off the success of Black Swan so at the time he was HOT! Then as always is the case with blockbusters. Studio interference drove Aaronofsky off the project. So here comes Mangold to save the property from caving in on itself. He does an admirable job but doesn't properly capture the ferocity Wolverine exhibits and is famous for.
One of the ways Mangold tries to give Logan the toughness we remembered from the earlier X-Men films was to load his movie with fights, fights and more fights. I got no problem with that but you have to make sure that the action serves a bigger purpose than just to see Wolverine claw through people. Some of the fights maintain story integrity but some of them were just filler action. The biggest sin Mangold commits to the character was stripping away Logan's trademark attitude. Logan spends a lot of the time gruff and pissed off which is accurate. The problem is his dialogue. It was entirely too stiff and angry. Part of what makes Wolverine so popular was his unique sarcasm.
Here's a good example.
In X-Men, Wolverine realizes Rogue is hiding out in the back of his truck. He pulls over and tells her to get out. This was the exchange between they had as Logan was prepared to leave this girl on the side of the road all alone.
Rogue - "Where am I supposed to go?"
Wolverine - "I don't know."
Rogue - "You don't know or you don't care?"
Wolverine - "Pick one."
That was pure Wolverine all the way. He's doesn't give a flying #$%& about your agenda. That was the attitude that made him so much fun to watch. That was practically non existent here. Instead Wolverine's snappy comebacks were replaced with profanity. A welcome addition to his verbal arsenal but his patented wit was sorely lacking here and it took away from Jackman's performance.
Speaking of Jackman.
If you thought he was fit for the first film. You haven't seen anything yet. This guy was RIPPED! The man loves playing this character and proved it by dedicating his body to the craft. He's also not getting any younger and since Wolverine's mutation slows his aging, the "real" Wolverine needs to compensate for that by renewing his membership to Planet Fitness. It definitely paid off here because aside from the gratuitous shirtless shots. The dude kicked major ass in this film.
There was no doubt in anyone's mind watching this film that Hugh Jackman is The Wolverine!
Jackman displays a ton of athleticism and prowess during the fights. As I mentioned before, this film is full of action set pieces and fights. They were well choreographed but piss poorly edited. Mangold wanted to capture the intensity and ferocity of Wolverine's moves. You don't do that in the edit room. Fight scenes are performance driven more than any other part of an action scene. You need to express the emotion and scale of the combat. Jumping and cutting from angle to angle does not give you a true translation of what's supposed to happen. The bullet train fight was a standout sequence.
If the rest of the action followed suit we would be talking about a no pun intended kick ass film.
The film's final battle with The Silver Samurai was a very impressive sequence as well. The climax was not as impressive. Mangold and company tried their best to hide the gotcha moment but if you're breathing in the theater, you know who is in the suit. This is where we get the final villain monologue that all poorly constructed comic book films are known for. This would have been a deal breaker for me with other films. For some reason it's not as reprehensible. This adaptation went through a series of rewrites and polishes. In fact one of the writers doesn't appear in the credits. Christopher McQuarrie came on board at the zero hour and did a touch up to the script. I'm sorry to say it but it shows. I'm not sure why I'm giving The Wolverine a pass for it's faults. Maybe because it simply does do it's job of obliterating the existence of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
That's good enough for me....for now.
On the 5 star scale. The Wolverine gets 2.5 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
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