The Nice Guys

When it comes to the buddy crime film, Shane Black is one of the experts in that category. Films like “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ and the first “Lethal Weapon” are proof of that, showcasing both his clever dialogue and striking vision for action. And with his new film, “The Nice Guys,” I’m sure there’s no sign of him losing his mojo anytime soon.

In 1970’s Los Angeles, Jackson Healy, as a hired enforcer, and Holland March, a Private I, have a business connection with a girl named Amelia. When the two discover this, it leads to a case dealing with political greed, business over family, and pornography…that last part, I didn’t make up.

            After watching this, “The Nice Guys” is easily one of the year’s best films. One of the main reasons this film works is the two main leads. Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling have excellent chemistry and work off of each other so well. Every scene that these two share on screen, it’s hard to keep your attention on just one of them. Crowe’s tough and straightforward attitude, colliding with Gosling’s smart-mouth and cowardly persona is what makes most of the comedy. If they had any other duo working with this script, it might not have worked effectively.

            And it’s not just those two who are great; the supporting cast is also very solid. Angourie Rice, in particular, gave quite a standout performance as Gosling’s daughter, Holly. In any other kind of buddy crime film, the kid character thrown in is dull, annoying, and doesn’t add anything worthwhile to the story, except to pad it out. This is not the case with Holly. Holly is a smartass, quick thinker, and does contribute to how the story plays out, even inheriting certain traits from her father in desperate situations. In other words, she actually fits in with the movie. Rice really did a good job in this film, and I’m hoping to see her do more work in films like these. We also get some great villain performances from Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David, Beau Knapp, and even Kim Basinger.

            While the cast was good, and they all gave good performances, how was the story? It’s actually pretty well thought out, and very interesting. I mean, a political corruption case mixed in with the porn business; what’s not to like? It is a very tight mystery that unfolds nicely as you watch, and at the same time will have you laughing at some of the absurd situations and lines. Or, maybe it’ll keep you entertained by its high quality action scenes. Shane Black is one of those directors that can deliver a great mixture of comedy and action so well, that you’d be begging to work with this guy, even as an extra.

            Overall, if you haven’t seen “The Nice Guys” yet, go out and do so. The comedy is great, the action is solid, the characters are very likable, and the story is very investing. It’s one of the best films of the year, and I’m looking forward to buying it on blu-ray.

Rating: 10/10

The Huntsman: Winter's War

            Back in 2012, I reviewed the summer blockbuster that was “Snow White & the Huntsman.” The film was a retelling of the story of Snow White, giving it a much darker tone and making it somewhat of an action fantasy epic, but in a way that actually worked. You might also remember that I gave the film very high praise, even stated that it almost made my favorite films of the year, and I still stand by that. I love some of the creative liberties they took with the film, the production value was fantastic, and it was one of the better adaptations of fairy tales that I’ve seen in the past few years. I mean, it was definitely a big step up from the other Snow White film, “Mirror Mirror.”

            When Universal announced that they would do a sequel to “Snow White & the Huntsman,” it seemed like things were going in good order…but then things hit a big snag. During the release of the film, there was a massive scandal where it revealed that Kristen Stewart was having an affair with the director of the film, Rupert Sanders. This resulted in both of their current relationship statuses being broken apart, AND the two were fired from the sequel. So the status of the film was left in limbo, until it was announced that the follow-up film would be a spin-off of the Huntsman, Eric, played by Chris Hemmsworth.

            “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” tells us the backstory of Eric, who was one of many children taken from his family by the evil ice queen, Freya. Years later, Eric and the other children are trained to be Huntsmen, warriors of Freya’s kingdom to do her bidding, with him and Sara, his girlfriend, being the two best. Freya however separates them for having a forbidden love, and years later the two reunite to fight against Freya, before she gets the Magic Mirror that belonged to Ravenna, the evil queen from the first movie.

            Okay, while the premise does sound interesting, how the rest of the story unfolds is pretty damn flimsy. What I mean is that the film is trying so hard to be both a prequel AND a sequel, but it fails to find a proper balance. It’s made even more troublesome when the film tries informing you about events that happened in the last film, yet you still feel like you’re missing something.

            I will give credit to the cast that plays our heroes. Chris Hemmsworth and Jessica Chastain do try their best, they have good chemistry, and they can do their action scenes fairly well. The problem is that the script barely gives them enough material to work with that it’s hard to buy their relationship. Hell, some of their dialogue tends to feel sappy, so much to where it almost reaches Anikan and Padme levels of sappy. Also, Nick Frost returns as one of the dwarves, but he’s the only one of them that actually reprises his role. The other three dwarves in this film are new characters, two of which are female dwarves to act as love interests, and again, do a good job as these characters, but the script gives them barely anything to work with.

            Charlize Theron returns as Ravenna, and I’ll give credit to her trying to make this work…but why did she even need to come back? The minute she pops up on screen, she takes over the role of the villain, plotting against Snow White, who doesn’t have much to do with this story. They go into this backstory on how she obtained this mirror, and how after using it, made it into a horcrux or something like that…how? When? But let me just say the worst character and by far the worst performance came from Emily Blunt as the Ice Queen, Freya. Freya is this loveless bitch, who figures if she can’t have love then nobody will, all because her baby was burned alive, and she was led to believe it was the man she loved…oh, spoiler alert, like anyone would care. Over the years, I’ve grown fond of Emily Blunt as an actress, especially with her performances in “Sicario” and “Edge of Tomorrow,” but this is by far her worst performance. Why? Because you can obviously tell that she did not give one ounce of a shit about this film and didn’t even bother trying. That is how uninteresting this was.

            Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, the director of this film and the visual effects artist of the first film, does show some form of promise, being this is his directorial debut. The action scenes and production value do look nice, but that’s not really much to praise about, is it? Maybe if it had a better script to work under, this probably could have turned out to be something decent. Who knows?

            Overall, “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” was just unnecessary. It’s not the worst film I’ve seen this year, but it’s not good either. Do yourself a favor and just watch “Snow White & the Huntsman” instead, you’ll have a much better time watching that.

Rating: 3/10

Sing Street

Two years ago, I talked about John Carney’s “Begin Again,” which was about an ex-music producer teaming up with a musician’s ex-girlfriend to make an independent album made on the streets. You might also remember that it was among my favorite films of 2014, and for very good reason. It was a sweet little film with a neat story, likable characters, and fantastic songs. It made me really become aware of John Carney’s work again, and got me excited for what this guy was going to do next. Which brings us to “Sing Street.”

            “Sing Street” focuses on Connor “Cosmo” Lalor, a young Irish lad who transfers to a new school, and isn’t exactly doing well socially. When he finds attraction with a girl named Raphina, he decides use his passion for futurism to put together a band and make music videos, featuring her in them. While it may seem like the typical, ‘play music to win the girl’s heart’ story, “Sing Street” handles its execution with such ease and passion put behind it. It’s the kind of coming-of-age story that fits in with those who pursue the music that calls their names.

             Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Cosmo really does a great job, portraying the outcast turned rebel. When we first see him, we get a good glimpse at what his life is like before going to the new school, seeing that his family isn’t in the best spot right now. The passion for music and that eager futurist look on life is what truly pushes him to decide to take a couple risks in life, even if it may be at a cost. Lucy Boynton plays Raphina, a dropout turned model, who dreams of London. The chemistry that she shares with Cosmo is deeply touching, helping him get the confidence he needs to keep taking risks no matter what the cost, and her to realize that the people who work their best to make music or videos is something to truly be fascinated by. All I can say is that I want to see these two in more performances.

            Jack Reynor, who you may remember as the Irish boyfriend from “Transformers 4,” plays Brendan, Cosmo’s brother. When you see him and Cosmo share the screen together, you really feel that sibling connection between them, especially through their love for music and the future. Even if Brendan didn’t play his cards right, he knows that Cosmo still has a chance and wants to see him succeed with music in a way that Brendan himself couldn’t do. It’s nice to see Jack Reynor deliver work that proves he’s a solid actor, and I’m hoping that continues on throughout here. I also have to talk about the other members of the band. I really enjoyed watching these guys perform, whether it was just to meet up or when they were performing, they were all very fun to watch. The manager, the multi-instrument player with his mom, the two casual classmates that are recruited from the flyer, they’re all very likable. Hell, even the school bully who becomes a good friend is very well developed, when asked to be a body guard for the band.

            This brings us to the songs. While a good majority of the soundtrack consists of songs by Duran Duran, The Jam, Hall & Oates, and Motorhead, the original songs by John Carney and Gary Clark are really damn catchy. “Drive It Like You Stole It,” “Up,” “Brown Shoes,” they all really stick in your head and you’ll be humming them by the time you finish watching the movie.

            Overall, “Sing Street” is another great film that John Carney has given us, and I’m glad I was able to catch when I could. Great characters, great coming-of-age story, and, best of all, great songs. If you liked Carney’s other films, then I’m sure you’ll love this one. And like I’ve said with “Begin Again”: if “Once” can make it to Broadway, I’m hoping “Sing Street” will do so as well.

Rating: 10/10

Money Monster

While most associate her with her magnificent performances, Jodie Foster is one of those actor-turned-directors that have really turned out well. She hasn’t directed much, but when she does, the material she gives us is very well done. “Home for the Holidays,” “Little Man Tate,” “The Beaver,” and even episodes of “Orange is the New Black” and “House of Cards” are handled really damn nicely. Today, we’ll be looking at her newest work, “Money Monster.”

            The film tells of a TV personality named Lee Gates, who hosts a show called “Money Monster,” talking to his audience about Wall Street and commerce. When he talks about the IBIS Global Capital Stock losing $800 million, a bankrupt viewer named Kyle Budwell takes the studio hostage, and demands answers in justice or else he’ll set off a bomb vest that Lee wears.

            What “Money Monster” delivers is a tense and intriguing film that satirizes those schmucks with get-rich-quick schemes and mock the unlucky ones, who may end up at their breaking point, and addresses that even guys like those are suckers to the corrupt bastards of Wall Street. Foster shows us just how far things can be taken and how dire this kind of situation can be in the eyes of the public.

            George Clooney delivers a great performance as Lee Gates, keeping the smug attitude and egocentric personality that most TV hosts like these are known for being, but still keeps the sense of humanity. Sure, he mostly tries to do this to keep himself alive, but there is that point where he wants to do some good and fix what was wronged. Julia Roberts as Lee’s director, Patty, also gave a good performance, trying to put the pieces together on this situation as fast as possible for the sake of her dear friend. You can definitely get the sense of dread that fills Patty’s head as the situation goes on further, and the audience feels that too with every passing minute. Other cast members like Caitriona Balfe, Christopher Denham, Giancarlo Esposito, and Lenny Venito are all very good as well.

            However, the performance that truly steals the show is Jack O’Connell as Kyle Budwell. O’Connell really nails this performance as a young New Yorker who had his trust broken and lost all his finances. As the film goes on, you feel the desperation in his voice, not to be paid back, but just to understand why all of this happened to him and millions of others who were cheated. I’m really happy to see O’Connell do well in a much better film, especially after the disappointment that was “Unbroken.” If anything, I wouldn’t mind if O’Connell got a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Yeah, that’s how good he was in this film.

            Now if I had any complaints with this film, it would be with Dominic West as the CEO of IBIS. The character was a corrupt businessman and he played it straight…and that’s it. There’s not much else to it that really sticks out to me. I guess with how great everybody else was in the film, he’s the only one that didn’t really stick out that much to me.

            Overall, “Money Monster” is a film that I happily recommend. The tension works strongly, the story is very investing, and the performances from our three main actors are very strong. If you get a chance, definitely give this film a watch.

Rating: 9/10

Captain America: Civil War SPOILER ALERT!!

            After eight years of bringing superheroes and their stories to life, Marvel Studios has finally reached the third phase of their Cinematic Universe. From the beginnings with “Iron Man,” to the insanity of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” each of the films have been very successful in both box office numbers and favorable reviews across the map. And with the characters in place and the world spinning in progress, it’s time to start the summer blockbuster season with a war. But not just any war, but “Captain America: Civil War.”

            I’ve talked about the previous “Captain America” movies before, but here’s a bit of a recap. “The First Avenger” still stands as my favorite of the Phase 1 films, and is one of those films that I love more, every time I watch it. It gets me with its great World War II setting, the underdog story, the lovable characters, and all around fun atmosphere. What Joe Johnston gave to us was a love letter to that era of propaganda films, where we root for the All-American icon that we aspired to be, during times that were at their worst. Hell, that’s what Captain America was when the comic was first released.

            “The Winter Soldier,” directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, took a lot of the elements that were great about the first film and turned it up to eleven. The action was better, the acting was better, but the writing is what really sells it. Not only was it a superhero film, it was an action spy flick. The protagonist going undercover, hiding from allies that are double-crossers, limited people to back him up, discovering an evil organization still alive and working, it’s all so enticing to watch. To me, this was Marvel Studios best written film and my favorite of the MCU…that is until “Guardians of the Galaxy” took the latter spot.

            Now when it came to “Civil War,” I was in a bit of a mix here. On one hand, the Russo Brothers were returning to direct, but on the other hand, it had to follow up “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Ant-Man,” which were both underwhelming, especially when trying to follow up the two before them. So did “Civil War” live up to the hype that it was building up since its announcement? In some ways, it really does.

            After a mission in Lagos goes wrong, the United Nations decides to put up a bill restricting the Avengers on their missions, which divides the team up. Tony Stark believes it’s for the better to keep the world safe and the team in check, but Steve Rogers believes it’s against everything he stands for. And with Bucky still on the loose and framed for murder, it becomes an all-out war between Team Iron Man and Team Captain America.

            Now let me say, the action in this film is spectacular and very exciting. It really keeps the intense and “fuck yeah!” nature that “Winter Soldier” had, and never gets boring. Each of the main players gets their time in the spotlight, showcasing what they can do, and none of them get overshadowed by the other. The Russo Brothers really nail their eye for action, and I’m glad that they’re taking the helm for “Infinity War.” The best scene by far is when the two sides clash at the airport, which I’m sure fans had a huge nerdgasm while watching.

            I also enjoyed how they addressed the issue at hand that makes Tony and Steve go head to head. Not everyone is safe from harm during the Avengers’ missions, and that people still die no matter the situation. Heroes are always going to make sure people survive, but it isn’t always going to be 100% successful. What’s the better solution to handling it: restricting one’s self to the government’s control or keeping one on the loose, both for the sake of the people? It felt like this was the film “Batman V Superman” was trying to be, only this one felt more balanced. As you watch the film, both sides have very convincing arguments, and that there isn’t really a good or bad side to any of this…that is, except for one thing, but I’ll talk about that soon.

            The returning actors from previous MCU films all do great. They show a great deal of growth from the previous encounters, and when they take sides, you do see where they’re coming from. As the film’s release was approaching, there were two characters that had me either excited or nervous. The one that made me excited was T’Challa aka The Black Panther. Much like with Wonder Woman in “BVS,” it was such a magnificent sight to see the ruler of Wakanda finally realized in a big budget action film. His storyline was very interesting too, having a vendetta against the Winter Soldier for the death of his father, and going with the side against him to make sure his vengeance is satisfied. It really fleshes out nicely, and I have to give props to Chadwick Boseman for his brilliant performance in the role. After “42” and “Get On Up,” it really pleases me to know that this fresh actor is getting more work in the future. Now the one character that made me nervous was of course Spiderman. Now my worry about this character being in the movie wasn’t because Andrew Garfield wasn’t playing him anymore (which I was still upset about), but rather that the film was possibly going to exploit him as to say “WE GOT THIS CASH COW, AND WE’RE GOING TO MILK IT AS LONG AS WE CAN BEFORE SONY TAKES IT BACK!” But I’m happy to report that they treated Spidey very decently. He may only show up for a small margin of the film, but I think it’s a pretty good introduction to the character. As for Tom Holland’s performance, I thought it was pretty good. The way he embodied his performance kind of reminded of “The Spectacular Spiderman” (the best Spiderman cartoon by far). He was a smart alack, he’s quick with his reflexes, but is still inexperienced. Is he the best actor to play Spiderman? Well…I can’t confirm that yet, at least until his solo film next year, but with what I’ve seen, I’m liking it.

            Now with all the praise I’ve given it, is it the best MCU movie? No, not really. In fact, I don’t think it’s the best “Captain America” movie either. Why? Well, the villain of this movie sucks. Zemo is just a generic waste of time, especially compared to Crossbones. Yeah, Crossbones, who appeared in “Winter Soldier,” is in this film…for about 10 minutes. For a film called “Captain America: Civil War,” you’d think it’d have a Captain America villain. Or better yet, with a film that already has conflict between the two sides, why do we even need a villain? That, and the climax of this film, while good, felt tacked on. With how big of a brawl the airport scene was, did we really need to pause and go to a new location for a two on one battle? And it goes back to Zemo, where his big plan is to show Iron Man, Cap, and Bucky a recording of Howard Stark being killed by the Winter Soldier. Okay, two things. First: didn’t we already establish that Bucky killed Howard Stark in the “Winter Soldier” movie? It’s been a couple years, so I might be wrong on this, but I believe they did establish that. And two: what would have happened if Iron Man didn’t show up? Seriously, Zemo was planning on Iron Man showing up, after getting info on Cap’s location from his team. What if they didn’t tell Stark were to go at all? Think about it. As for the two post-credit scenes, are they worth sitting through? Not really. On the plus side, there are teases for upcoming Phase 3 films, but they don’t really say that much aside from what we know now. You won’t be missing much.

            So with all that I’ve said, do I recommend “Captain America: Civil War?” Yes, I do. While the climax might not be as big as the Avengers brawl, and the villain is awful, the rest of the film is still really solid. The action, the story, the themes, the characters, everything else about it is definitely worth seeing. And if you’ve been watching these films up to this point, might as well continue on.

Rating: 8/10