Bleed for This

            Miles Teller has truly been becoming one of my favorite actors within the past few years. I mean, sure I enjoyed him in films like “Rabbit Hole” and “The Spectacular Now,” but it was his performance in “Whiplash” that told me that this guy was something special. Sadly, he doesn’t seem to get the kind of credit he deserves from others, because they only look at his lesser accomplishments, like “Fant4stic” and “The Divergent Series.” However, I was recently reminded of why I love this actor, with his newest film, “Bleed for This.”

            Based on a true story, “Bleed for This” tells of Vinny Pazienza, the boxing champ of the late-80’s and early 90’s, who reclaimed his lost title, only to lose it after a severe car accident. Despite this, he still has that strong urge to keep fighting, even after his family and trainer say it’s too dangerous.

            So did I enjoy the film? Damn right I did. Ben Younger, the director and co-writer, really delivered one of the most tense, nail-biting, dramas that I’ve seen this year, and I have to give him props for showing us the immense grit that is exposed here. Whether it’d be from the matches that Vinny has, or his struggles to try and move around after the accident, it really keeps you squirming at the edge of your seat at what’s going to happen.

            Miles Teller does a fantastic job as Vinny, portraying him as a very stubborn, but confident guy. He always keeps an optimistic attitude about his situation, even if it puts his life at serious risk. Also, seeing photos of Teller in the film and Paz in his prime, you do see a pretty good resemblance between them. I also like how the movie doesn’t immediately have him attempt training after the accident, and just tries to relax and heal up, allowing him to soak in the reality that’s hit him. He really brings the image of a crippled boxer to life on screen, and I’d definitely say this is one of his best performances, right up there with Andrew Neiman and Sutter Keely. Aaron Eckhart plays Kevin Rooney, the former trainer of Mike Tyson who taught Vinny, and his scenes with Teller are essentially the highlight of the movie. The banter that they share between a stubborn boxer and an alcoholic trainer give off a charming feel to the movie. Despite wanting his student to see the light of day tomorrow, he still shows some compassion in wanting to help him keep up his durability as a fighter.

            The supporting cast is great, but the ones that truly stand out are the ones that play Vinny’s family, particularly Ciaran Hinds as the father. This is the one who pushed his own flesh and blood to fight to begin with, but still has concern over whether the process that his son goes through will be putting it too far. That deep concern over what could go wrong constantly clouds his mind at any given point, and you really feel that through Hinds’ performance. Also gotta give props to Katey Segal as the mother and Amanda clayton as the sister.

            I also like how the film showcased only three boxing matches, to signify each act. The first fight showing our protagonist in a struggle, the second one representing the rise and sudden fall, and the third to bring him back on track to greatness. And each of the fight scenes are well directed and excellently shot. Kudos to Larkin Seiple, the cinematographer, and Zac Stuart-Pontier, the editor, for constructing a well put scene, as well as incorporating the actual footage of the real life Vinny Paz to emphasize the realism.

            The only problem I did have with the film was that it did drag a little bit here and there. If a couple scenes were cut a little bit shorter, it would have worked better and paced things out in the second act a little better. Other than that, nothing else really bothered me that much.

            Overall, “Bleed for This” is a film that I had great time watching. From the performances by Teller and Eckhart, to the solid fight scenes and excellent cinematography, it’s a film worth give your time to. If you get the chance, check it out and see for yourself.

Rating: 9/10

The Edge of Seventeen

            A lot of times when we see high school teen movies by today’s standards, we tend to make comments about how they’re not as good as they used to be in the 80’s. I think a prime reason for that is because most of them don’t seem to take as many risks, preferring to get box office revenue from a watered down PG-13 version of what high school was supposedly like, as opposed to what John Hughes did by showing us the full on reality. Sure, there are films in recent memory like “The Spectacular Now,” “Paper Towns,” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” that manage to capture it right, but at the same time you’ll get films like the remake of “Endless Love” and the “American Pie” franchise that just make you cringe at how aggravating it makes itself out to be. However, there is a sliver of hope, with today’s topic, “The Edge of Seventeen.”

            The film is about the life of Nadine Franklin, a teenage girl entering her junior year of high school, but isn’t quite the social butterfly. When her best friend, Krista, sleeps with Nadine’s douchebag brother, Darian, their friendship ends up in deep shit. This leads to Nadine going through a bit of a transitional period about how things have turned out in life.

            So what did I think of this film? Surprisingly enough, this turned out being one of my favorite movies of 2016, and I’m proud to say that. Writer/director, Kelly Fremon Craig, delivered an excellent film that just about everyone can find something to relate to, even if it’s a coming-of-age story about a teenage girl. Everyone has had that awkward phase in high school, regardless of who or what they were, moments where it feels like proper socializing is only something everyone but you can do right. We’ve all been there at some point.

            Usually when it comes to stories like these, we either have to deal with stereotypes like the meat-headed jocks or the ditzy dumb sluts, depending on whose perspective it’s taken from. However, this film doesn’t go that route on any of them. Each of the characters in this film feel like actual people, especially with their dialogue, leaving you in tears from laughing or from feeling sympathetic for their situation.

            Ever since her film debut in the remake of “True Grit,” Hailee Steinfeld has only been getting better and better with each passing role. And as Nadine, she truly brings to life one of the most likable protagonists that I’ve seen this year. At first, you think she’d just be some angsty teen who acts moody because of one really bad day, but not exactly true. She’s had this attitude throughout her life, thinking that only a select few people really understand her and the rest of the world thinks she’s just a whiner. Same can be said for the rest of the cast, consisting of Blake Jenner as Darian, Haley Lu Richardson as Krista, and even Hayden Szeto as Nadine’s awkward admirer, Erwin. They all have traits that just about everyone in the audience can relate to and have a deep connection with.

            However, the scene stealer is, of course, Woody Harrelson as Nadine’s teacher. A lot of what he says would typically be something a teacher would risk their job saying, but Harrelson’s delivery makes it feel so genuine that it’s hard not to appreciate. Whether he’d have something helpful to say or make some kind of sarcastic comment, you can’t help but love it. The scenes that Steinfeld and Harrelson share together are definitely the best parts, and they alone are worth recommending.

            While there are some big blockbusters out right now, such as “Arrival,” “Fantastic Beasts,” and “Moana,” don’t let this film get lost in the crowd. Much like “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “The Spectacular Now,” it feels like a love letter to the films of John Hughes, and that his legacy has left an impact on future film makers. I expect this film will be looked back on with fond memories in ten to twenty years, much like “The Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles,” and I hope more people feel the same way. It’s definitely one of my favorite films of the year, and I can’t wait to buy this film when it comes out on blu-ray.

Rating: 10/10

Doctor Strange

            If you couldn’t tell, I have been a little bit disappointed with Marvel Studios last three films. Don’t get me wrong, they weren’t bad, but after seeing films like the first two “Captain America” movies and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” the other films they released after haven’t been able to reach the kind of heights as those three. Sure, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Captain America: Civil War” were big fun spectacles that had a lot to say, but it felt like they were trying to put in too much, even after thirteen films. “Ant-Man” just felt like a cash-grab, so not much to say about that. With that said, this brings us to the newest installment: an origin story, despite producer, Kevin Feige, saying they wouldn’t do another origin story…and so, we have the next hero introduced, “Doctor Strange.”

            After a car accident renders his hands almost completely useless and western medicine fails to help, Dr. Steven Strange, an expert surgeon, heads to Nepal to seek spiritual medicine. It’s there he begins his training in the Mystic Arts, especially that of the Eye of Agamotto, as he ends up in a battle between dimensions, against a former student who fell to the darkness.

            One of the main comparisons that have been made toward this movie was how it felt like a mix between two of Christopher Nolan’s movies: “Inception” and “Batman Begins.” The similarities are very noticeable, from the rich broken guy being trained to his fullest extent, to the film looking like everything is disoriented. There are even comparisons to “Iron Man,” with the main character being snarky and sarcastic.

Despite this, the film still manages to stand as its own entity, by taking those similarities and warping it into something very creative. By the time we reach the point where Steven experiences a taste of what the mystic arts these people have to offer, you know that things are only going to get better from here. While you do get the feeling this is a Marvel Studios movie, it takes the spot of being the most visually creative one they’ve done since “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

            Benedict Cumberbatch is outstanding as Steven Strange, bringing to life another famous character we know, but adding his own signature flare to it. You get a real sense of desperation of wanting to fix what made him who he was, only to find a new purpose that could lead to a stronger life. His arc is definitely the most interesting part of the movie, and even if the rest of the film wasn’t that strong, I’d still say see the movie just for his performance alone. Rachel McAdams as Steven’s love interest, Christine Palmer, is very likable in the role. She still keeps herself as level headed as possible, and does show great support for Steven, even after all the fights they go through. I like how they kept the relationship a bit more grounded, not letting the relationship be too in your face with it, but still letting it have some use in the story.

Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One, one of Strange’s mentors, is really damn good with what she gives. You always have a sense that she’s got some hidden secrets, but she always has something up her sleeve to keep you distracted from what it may be, with something that is far more valuable to the situation at hand. While a lot of people complained that the character wasn’t played by a Tibetan, at least Swinton gives a good performance and the character is written well. Same with Chiwetel Ejiofor as Kari Mordo. Since he and Cumberbatch worked together on “12 Years a Slave,” it you definitely feel a comfortable relationship between these two actors. I especially love the training scenes between these two, as they get to show off their physicality and mental strategy one on one. That, and the witty dialogue they share is quite funny. Other cast members like Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, and Scott Adkins really sell it as well. We even get a cameo from Chris Hemmsworth as Thor, so that was pretty cool.

So with all that I’ve said, what didn’t I like about the film? Well, much like “Civil War,” I didn’t care much for the villains. Mads Mikkelsen, while he was better than Zemo and does a good job with what he’s given, isn’t particularly memorable. Sure, he has some cool moments, but nothing else really sticks out about this guy, except his eyes. I also thought the finale, while creative with its use of time travel, felt a bit too recycled with the whole “giant rift in the sky is going to kill us all” cliché. I think that’s starting to become one of my most hated clichés now after “Suicide Squad.”

Aside from that, I feel very comfortable recommending “Doctor Strange” to everyone. I had a fun time, regardless of my complaints with the film, and I look forward to seeing Cumberbatch in future MCU movies as the good doctor. The characters, the visuals, and action are all worth a viewing. Also, the score composed by Michael Giacchino is fantastic!

Rating: 8/10