 |
| Courtesy of Universal |
(Rated PG-13 for violence, action and scary images, and for some suggestive content and partial nudity.)
The cast: Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Jake Johnson and Courtney B. Vance.
What it’s about: Treasure hunters Nick (Cruise) and Chris (Johnson) accidentally unearth an ancient being (Boutella) set on completing a ritual that will grant her eternal life. As they set out to stop her, a rival archaeologist (Wallis) and her boss (Crowe) reveal they’re part of a secret organization dedicated to stopping supernatural evil all over the world.
The good: As always, Cruise absolutely commits to the film. The trailers suggested a strangely unenthusiastic version of the actor, which I’ve never seen before (even if the movie around him doesn’t reciprocate). Fortunately, that’s just bad editing. Cruise is easily the film’s strongest element, playing a roguish fool rather than the straight-up hero we’re used to seeing him portray. Crowe and Johnson, in their brief screen time, seem to be having fun.
I was also impressed by film’s twisted sense of humor (it winks so hard at the 1981 horror classic An American Werewolf in London that it’s practically a rip-off) and the visual effects, which are used to create some truly creepy mummy/zombie hybrids, as well as a spectacular plane crash.
The not-so-good: Sadly, even though The Mummy is admirably bonkers, it doesn’t add up to a good movie. Director Alex Kurtzman and his team of screenwriters never decide on the tone they want to go for (is it horror? Adventure? Action? Dark comedy?), which adds up to an intriguing but schizophrenic buffet. Plus, the film sets up rules for its characters that it ultimately decides to ignore, which is always a giant pet peeve of mine. (For example: after the plane crash, we learn something surprising about Cruise’s character that is seemingly invalidated in the last act.)
Granted, I’d much rather watch an experimental failure than a mediocre success, but I’m not sure people shelling out $15 bucks to see this will feel the same. The Mummy is supposedly the start of an Avengers-like franchise bringing together all of Universal’s classic monsters, but I’ll be shocked if we get past Bill Condon’s Bride of Frankenstein, which is next on the schedule.
Grade: C
Blu-ray Review: Beauty and the Beast
(Rated PG for some action violence, peril and frightening images.)
The cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson.
What it’s about: A live-action remake of Disney’s beloved animated classic, this update of the bookish Belle’s (Watson) courtship with a cursed prince (Stevens) adds depth and mythology to a story known for its relative simplicity. The enhancements are a mixed bag, frequently enhancing the narrative but sometimes just padding the running time.
The good: Thanks to director Bill Condon’s flair for gorgeous visuals, a strong screenplay (credited to Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos) and incredible casting, this retelling of Beauty and the Beast works surprisingly well. The story’s classic songs, packed with nostalgia, are transformed into rousingly-staged musical numbers, “Belle” and “Gaston” the most successful among them.
Watson is perfect as Belle, bringing emotional complexity to the role that helps erase some of the previous version’s problematic elements. The actress’ version of Belle meets the Beast’s angry attitude with her own headstrong personality. Plus, she falls in love with him because they bond over an enthusiasm for learning – not because she succumbs to Stockholm syndrome.
Evans and Gad are fantastic in what might be career-best performances. Evans is full of arrogant vitality, bringing the cartoonish Gaston to life in realistic fashion while still playing up the character’s over-the-top villainy. Gad’s LeFou is far more three-dimensional, which allows him to acknowledge the consequences of his behavior and come to terms with the company he keeps. It’s one of my favorite additions to the story.
The not-so-good: The film is way too long at 129 minutes. Condon could’ve packed far more emotional wallop into less time by trimming the forgettable new songs and unnecessary subplots. Sadly, some cast members’ decent performances are undercut by disconcerting CGI – especially the Beast and the castle’s various servants/furniture.
Special features: Most of them are the standard fare that typically comes with Disney movies (deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, song selection feature), but there’s one interesting standout. You can watch the cast perform one of the first table reads, complete with some initial ideas for the song and dance numbers.
Grade: B+
Blu-ray Review: Get Out
(Rated R for violence, bloody images, and language including sexual references.)
The cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford.
What it’s about: Chris (Kaluuya) and Rose (Williams) are a young, interracial couple who are about to spend the first weekend at her wealthy parents’ (Whitford and Keener) estate. However, Chris is hesitant since she still hasn’t told them he’s black. Rose swears it’s not an issue and – for a while, at least – that appears to be the case. Her mom and dad are cordial, if awkwardly overcompensating, but Chris eventually learns a horrifying truth about his girlfriend’s family.
The good: We’re almost halfway through 2017 and Get Out is still my favorite movie of the year. The movie’s so unsettling, smart and masterful at using humor that it’s tough for me to talk about it without gushing like a lunatic. That’s partly because the narrative – especially the insane third act – has so many layers that I’ve spent hours analyzing characters’ behavior and motivations, as well as marveling at how every tiny piece of the story links together to create a brilliant piece of social commentary.
The cast: Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Jake Johnson and Courtney B. Vance.
What it’s about: Treasure hunters Nick (Cruise) and Chris (Johnson) accidentally unearth an ancient being (Boutella) set on completing a ritual that will grant her eternal life. As they set out to stop her, a rival archaeologist (Wallis) and her boss (Crowe) reveal they’re part of a secret organization dedicated to stopping supernatural evil all over the world.
The good: As always, Cruise absolutely commits to the film. The trailers suggested a strangely unenthusiastic version of the actor, which I’ve never seen before (even if the movie around him doesn’t reciprocate). Fortunately, that’s just bad editing. Cruise is easily the film’s strongest element, playing a roguish fool rather than the straight-up hero we’re used to seeing him portray. Crowe and Johnson, in their brief screen time, seem to be having fun.
I was also impressed by film’s twisted sense of humor (it winks so hard at the 1981 horror classic An American Werewolf in London that it’s practically a rip-off) and the visual effects, which are used to create some truly creepy mummy/zombie hybrids, as well as a spectacular plane crash.
The not-so-good: Sadly, even though The Mummy is admirably bonkers, it doesn’t add up to a good movie. Director Alex Kurtzman and his team of screenwriters never decide on the tone they want to go for (is it horror? Adventure? Action? Dark comedy?), which adds up to an intriguing but schizophrenic buffet. Plus, the film sets up rules for its characters that it ultimately decides to ignore, which is always a giant pet peeve of mine. (For example: after the plane crash, we learn something surprising about Cruise’s character that is seemingly invalidated in the last act.)
Granted, I’d much rather watch an experimental failure than a mediocre success, but I’m not sure people shelling out $15 bucks to see this will feel the same. The Mummy is supposedly the start of an Avengers-like franchise bringing together all of Universal’s classic monsters, but I’ll be shocked if we get past Bill Condon’s Bride of Frankenstein, which is next on the schedule.
Grade: C
 |
| Courtesy of Disney |
Blu-ray Review: Beauty and the Beast
(Rated PG for some action violence, peril and frightening images.)
The cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson.
What it’s about: A live-action remake of Disney’s beloved animated classic, this update of the bookish Belle’s (Watson) courtship with a cursed prince (Stevens) adds depth and mythology to a story known for its relative simplicity. The enhancements are a mixed bag, frequently enhancing the narrative but sometimes just padding the running time.
The good: Thanks to director Bill Condon’s flair for gorgeous visuals, a strong screenplay (credited to Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos) and incredible casting, this retelling of Beauty and the Beast works surprisingly well. The story’s classic songs, packed with nostalgia, are transformed into rousingly-staged musical numbers, “Belle” and “Gaston” the most successful among them.
Watson is perfect as Belle, bringing emotional complexity to the role that helps erase some of the previous version’s problematic elements. The actress’ version of Belle meets the Beast’s angry attitude with her own headstrong personality. Plus, she falls in love with him because they bond over an enthusiasm for learning – not because she succumbs to Stockholm syndrome.
Evans and Gad are fantastic in what might be career-best performances. Evans is full of arrogant vitality, bringing the cartoonish Gaston to life in realistic fashion while still playing up the character’s over-the-top villainy. Gad’s LeFou is far more three-dimensional, which allows him to acknowledge the consequences of his behavior and come to terms with the company he keeps. It’s one of my favorite additions to the story.
The not-so-good: The film is way too long at 129 minutes. Condon could’ve packed far more emotional wallop into less time by trimming the forgettable new songs and unnecessary subplots. Sadly, some cast members’ decent performances are undercut by disconcerting CGI – especially the Beast and the castle’s various servants/furniture.
Special features: Most of them are the standard fare that typically comes with Disney movies (deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, song selection feature), but there’s one interesting standout. You can watch the cast perform one of the first table reads, complete with some initial ideas for the song and dance numbers.
Grade: B+
Blu-ray Review: Get Out
 |
| Courtesy of Universal |
The cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford.
What it’s about: Chris (Kaluuya) and Rose (Williams) are a young, interracial couple who are about to spend the first weekend at her wealthy parents’ (Whitford and Keener) estate. However, Chris is hesitant since she still hasn’t told them he’s black. Rose swears it’s not an issue and – for a while, at least – that appears to be the case. Her mom and dad are cordial, if awkwardly overcompensating, but Chris eventually learns a horrifying truth about his girlfriend’s family.
The good: We’re almost halfway through 2017 and Get Out is still my favorite movie of the year. The movie’s so unsettling, smart and masterful at using humor that it’s tough for me to talk about it without gushing like a lunatic. That’s partly because the narrative – especially the insane third act – has so many layers that I’ve spent hours analyzing characters’ behavior and motivations, as well as marveling at how every tiny piece of the story links together to create a brilliant piece of social commentary.
I can’t believe this is Peele’s debut film. It’s gorgeously shot (with an assist from cinematographer Tony Oliver), perfectly cast and there’s not a single unnecessary scene. Kaluuya is a magnetic performer who’s destined for stardom, while Williams, Whitford and Keener utilize their typical screen personas to great effect.
Caleb Landry Jones is also a live wire as Rose’s scuzzball brother, evoking Kalifornia-era Brad Pitt. But the film’s not-so-secret weapon is comedian Lil Rel Howery, who plays Chris’ shrewd, hilarious friend and serves as the audience surrogate. He’s like a less annoying Randy from Scream.
Seeing Get Out at a local theater back in February was one of the most enjoyable moviegoing experiences of my life. I didn’t even mind when the crowd broke into applause during the final scene, usually a huge pet peeve of mine. The cheers were completely earned and it served as a welcome cathartic moment.
The not-so-good: I honestly can’t think of anything. Get Out is flawless genre filmmaking.
Special features: My fellow movie buffs will be in heaven with the extras included here. The standouts include a feature-length commentary with Peele, a much darker alternate ending and deleted scenes (also with Peele commentary), as well as a Q&A discussion with Peele and the cast.
Grade: A
Caleb Landry Jones is also a live wire as Rose’s scuzzball brother, evoking Kalifornia-era Brad Pitt. But the film’s not-so-secret weapon is comedian Lil Rel Howery, who plays Chris’ shrewd, hilarious friend and serves as the audience surrogate. He’s like a less annoying Randy from Scream.
Seeing Get Out at a local theater back in February was one of the most enjoyable moviegoing experiences of my life. I didn’t even mind when the crowd broke into applause during the final scene, usually a huge pet peeve of mine. The cheers were completely earned and it served as a welcome cathartic moment.
The not-so-good: I honestly can’t think of anything. Get Out is flawless genre filmmaking.
Special features: My fellow movie buffs will be in heaven with the extras included here. The standouts include a feature-length commentary with Peele, a much darker alternate ending and deleted scenes (also with Peele commentary), as well as a Q&A discussion with Peele and the cast.
Grade: A
Comments
Post a Comment