Category Archives: Drama Movie Reviews
The Counselor (2013)
The Counselor (2013)
Ridley Scott is a man who knows how to direct a film. I have seen almost all of the movies that he has directed, and I have never been disappointed in his work. Sure, there have been a few movies of his that I did not enjoy as much as the others, but he has always done an outstanding job as a director. I could list off his resume to prove my point, but his work speaks for itself. His movies are always of the highest quality that they can be. If you have seen his movies, then you know what I’m talking about.
Knowing what I know about Ridley Scott’s films, I knew that I would have to see his latest movie, The Counselor. Like most of Scott’s other films, The Counselor has a stellar cast. What do you usually get when you cross a highly gifted director with a bunch of talented actors? The answer is a powerful movie.
The Counselor is about a lawyer (Michael Fassbender) who turns his life upside down when he becomes involved in drug trafficking.
The film was written by Cormac McCarthy and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Bruno Ganz, Rosie Perez, Sam Spruell, Velibor Topic, Dean Norris, and John Leguizamo.
I did not know quite what to expect before watching this movie. I knew it was not going to be a happy-go-lucky film because it is about drug trafficking and living on the edge, but it had to be entertaining.
Surprisingly, the film was a little slow, at times. It was also a little hard to follow until things became clearer in the middle of the movie. I think this was because the film started in the middle of a story, rather than telling the story from the beginning. Little by little, you figure out exactly what is going on, but it takes its time getting there while it jumps around. With all of that being said, it took me some time to get into the story.
The scenery in the movie was flashy and beautiful. There was a lot of money floating around in the film and this was made very obvious with all of the expensive sports cars and elegant mansions. It was a great depiction of an extravagant lifestyle gone awry because of a few very bad decisions. In fact, that seemed to be the overall theme of the movie. Bad choices will come back to haunt you. If you live on the edge for too long, eventually you are bound to fall off.
The Counselor had a lot of great and unique characters. They were made great by the exceptional actors portraying them. They were made unique by how they were portrayed. Each of the five main characters looked like they came out of a dark comic book or video game about how drug trafficking can be dangerous. Whether it was the hair, the make-up, or the clothing, they were certainly a bunch of characters.
The movie was in-your-face. It was oozing with sexuality, violence, harsh language, and disturbing images. All of this was done with originality. There were times when the movie was hard to like, but because of how well-made it was, overall, the film was hard not to like. I credit Ridley Scott for taking a hard to enjoy tale and making it likable. The actors were the icing on Scott’s cake, but he chose the flavor and the taste.
I rate this movie a 7.5 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Rent.
All is Lost (2013)
All is Lost (2013)
Usually you cannot go wrong watching a Robert Redford movie. All is Lost is like no other Redford film because he is the only person in the entire movie.
Of Course, the concept of only one person in a movie has been done a few times before. Usually movies like this one give the actor the opportunity to show what they are really made of. Movies like this are risky because one person has to literally carry the whole film on his back. In Redford’s case, it is up to him whether he sinks or swims.
All is Lost is about a lone sailor who rips a hole in his boat after crashing into a shipping container in the middle of the ocean. He is forced to use whatever he has on board to try to stay afloat in order to survive.
The film was written and directed by J.C. Chandor and as I mentioned before, Redford is the only person in the movie.
Redford has been behind the camera more often in recent years than he has been in front of the camera. All is Lost is the second film that he has been in this year. The first one was The Company You Keep (2012). Redford is now 77 years old. It is almost like he has realized that he is not getting any younger and has decided to try to go out with a bang. What better way to do this than to be the only star in a film and showcase all of your acting skills for the world to see. He did exactly that in All is Lost and in my opinion, it was his best performance since the film The Natural (1984). It may also, quite possibly, have been Redford’s best movie overall since The Natural.
All is Lost is not a feel good movie, but it is a movie that might make you feel better about life after watching it. It is definitely a film that will stick with you.
Because the film is a one-man-show, there is not a lot of talking. Not just anyone could have starred in this movie, and to me, it was more meaningful that it was Robert Redford who did. It is a hard story to tell and an even harder part to act.
I think that All is Lost is Redford’s third best movie behind The Sting (1973) and The Natural. It is hard to beat those two films, and given that they were made 29 years ago and 40 years ago, you really can’t compare them.
Fans of Redford will not be disappointed with All is Lost. I think that it is one of the best films of the year. He deserves an Academy Award nomination for best actor and the film should be nominated for best picture.
I rate this movie a 9 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
If you liked All is Lost, then you will most likely enjoy the following films:
127 Hours (2010)
Buried (2010)
Brake (2012)
Cop Land (1997)
Cop Land (1997)
Cop Land is the first movie that I remember hearing about where an actor or actress severely changed their weight for a part in a film. Sylvester Stallone gained 40 lbs. for his role in the movie. I remember thinking how crazy he was for doing that. 40 lbs. is a lot of weight to gain, and it is a lot more to have to lose again. Now, 16 years later, I realize that it was just Stallone’s awesome dedication to doing what he loves that allowed him to do what was necessary for his role in Cop Land.
The film is about an army of corrupt New York City cops with ties to the mob who buy themselves a chunk of New Jersey. They are virtually untouchable until the sheriff of their little “Cop Land” (Sylvester Stallone) becomes wise to their ways.
The movie was written and directed by James Mangold and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Robert Patrick, Peter Berg, Michael Rapaport, Annabella Sciorra, Janeane Garofalo, Noah Emmerich, Cathy Moriarty, Frank Vincent, John Spencer, Arthur J. Nascarella, Edie Falco, John Ventimiglia, Robert John Burke, Michael Gaston, Bruce Altman, Tony Sirico, Frank Pellegrino, Vincent Laresca, Victor Williams, Paul Calderon, and Malik Yoba.
They brought in all of the big guns to make this film. The cast list is so staggering that I am sure that I left someone out. You couldn’t ask for a better cast in a movie.
Because of the type of movie Cop Land is, and especially because of the cast, you can expect a lot of violence and language, but mostly, powerful performances.
Cop dramas don’t get a whole lot better than this one. Cop Land is one of those movies that gets better every time that I watch it.
It is interesting because a number of actors in the film were cast against type. Guys who usually play bad guys are now playing cops. But, it works out because some of them are corrupt. So, I guess they are just bad guys with a badge.
It is no surprise that the movie has a bit of a Goodfellas (1990) and The Sopranos feel to it, because a number of the cast members were in those shows. A couple of them were also in the film Beautiful Girls (1996).
With so many great actors in the movie, none of them really stood out over another because they were all acting on the same level.
Overall, Cop Land is a unique, underrated cop drama that packs a big bang. Like a fine wine, it gets better with age.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Only God Forgives (2013)
Only God Forgives (2013)
Before Only God Forgives, the last 5 full-length movies that Ryan Gosling starred in were all high caliber films. That being said, I did not know a whole lot about Only God Forgives before watching it, but I figured that with Gosling’s track record, it had to be good.
Only God Forgives takes place in the slums of Bangkok. Julian (Ryan Gosling) is part of a drug-smuggling family. After Julian’s brother is murdered, Julian’s mother wants him to find and kill the man responsible. Things get more complicated after Julian finds out the reason why his brother was killed.
The movie was written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm, Tom Burke, and Sahajak Boonthanakit.
Let me just say, I figured way wrong!
The film was painstakingly drawn out. It was dark, graphic, weird, awkward, hard to follow, boring, pointless, and just plain bad. It tried way too hard to be something special, but it just turned out to be one of the worst movies that I have seen all year. In fact, it might just be the worst movie of the year. It is certainly Ryan Gosling’s worst movie.
I wanted to turn the movie off halfway through. I kept waiting for it to get better, but it never did. It just got worse, and worse.
I try not to be so blatantly harsh when it comes to reviewing films, but I am going to make an exception with this one. Let me just be blunt, and honest. Overall, Only God Forgives is just crap.
To all of you Ryan Gosling fans out there, he is bad in this movie, but the movie is even worse. I am a big Gosling fan. Do not waste your time with this film.
I rate this movie a 1 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? RUN!
Brubaker (1980)
Brubaker (1980)
I have been a fan of Robert Redford ever since I watched the film The Sting (1973) for the first time when I was a little kid. Brubaker is a Redford movie that I had not seen, until now.
The movie is about Henry Brubaker (Robert Redford), the new warden of a prison in Arkansas who initially poses as an inmate to try to figure out just how corrupt the system is before revealing his true identity as the new warden. Brubaker is a hard-nosed man who will stop at nothing to reform the deteriorating prison.
The film was directed by Stuart Rosenberg and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Murray Hamilton, Jane Alexander, David Keith, Matt Clark, Morgan Freeman, Yaphet Kotto, M. Emmet Walsh, Albert Salmi, Everett McGill, Noble Willingham, and Wilford Brimley.
The movie was a little hard to follow in the beginning. It was all over the place showing what it was like inside of the prison. The film took a turn for the better when it started focusing on Redford’s part of the story.
For a prison movie, it was slower than I expected. This turned out to be a good thing because it allowed for plenty of character development.
It was refreshing to watch a movie for the first time that has Robert Redford in his prime. He gave a convincing, solid and powerful performance of a stubborn man trying to do the right thing no matter how much trouble he gets himself into.
Freeman’s part was very minor, but it was fun to see him much younger than he is now. He seemed to have a few less freckles, too. I know that is completely random, but I found it interesting.
Being that the film takes place in a prison and it is rated R, I expected there to be a lot of cussing, and there was a good amount. However, for a movie that was made in 1980, I was surprised at how many F-bombs there actually were. It wouldn’t be considered a lot by today’s standards, but it felt like a lot for a movie that was made 33 years ago. Actually, if the film had been released today, it would only take a little bit of minor tweaking to give it a PG-13 rating. All they would have to do is edit out the 5 seconds of nudity and some of the F words.
Overall, the movie told a unique story of right vs. wrong. If you are a fan of Redford, then you will most likely enjoy Brubaker.
I rate this movie a 7.5 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Rent.
Note: I couldn’t help but think of Morgan Freeman’s other prison movie, The Shawshank Redemption (1994). In The Shawshank Redemption, Freeman’s character has been in prison for a long time. Brubaker was made 14 years before The Shawshank Redemption. Each character that Freeman played in those films is not a big stretch from one another, except for the fact that his role was very minor in Brubaker.
Captain Phillips (2013)
Captain Phillips (2013)
Captain Phillips is based on the true story of when a US flagged-cargo ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. This was the first time that this had happened to an American cargo ship in 200 years. Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) was the captain of the ship.
Back in 2009 I had a warehouse job that enabled me to listen to the radio all day long during my shifts. I remember having my ears glued to the little radio that was set up in my work station as I listened intently for updates about what was happening with Captain Phillips, his crew, and the Somali hijackers.
It was already 4 years ago, but it feels like yesterday. I remember how America responded to this act of terrorism and that made me curious to see how the film would portray the situation. I figured if the movie followed the truth closely, than it might have the potential to be a quality film and an Oscar Contender.
The movie was directed by Paul Greengrass. Billy Ray wrote the screenplay, but Richard Phillips wrote the book that it is based on, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea.”
The noteworthy cast includes Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Michael Chernus, David Warshofsky, Chris Mulkey, Max Martini, Omar Berdouni, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, and Mahat M. Ali.
Hanks has not had a great part for a while, until now. There was a time when he had one excellent movie after another. This will be the movie that puts him back into the spotlight (it already has). The role fit him like a glove and he wore it well. His performance should be worth an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and if he wins, it would be well deserved (another one to add to the collection). The film also deserves a Best Picture nomination.
The film does not follow the facts completely, but the few things that it does change only serve to make the movie more powerful, more entertaining, and more enjoyable. The things that were changed were done so tastefully. After all, with Tom Hanks in the driver’s seat, Hollywood has to dress the story up a little bit to turn it into a blockbuster.
Captain Phillips is an edge-of-your-seat suspenseful thriller that is one of the best movies of 2013. It is one of those films that hits home a little harder because it is based on a true story.
I rate this movie a 9 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Gravity (2013)
Gravity (2013)
There are countless films and television shows that have taken place in outer space. Often, many of these shows are very similar to each other and lots of them, not all of them, are cheap and awful.
Most science fiction shows take place in outer space at one point or another. As a general rule, I am not a big fan of the science fiction genre. There are certain aspects of science fiction that I love, but for the most part, I cringe when I first hear mention of a science fiction film.
What don’t I like about most science fiction movies? There is usually one aspect of the film that is way too unrealistic. The unrealism spreads like a cancer and attacks the credibility of the rest of the movie. This causes me to lose interest because what I am seeing on screen is too bogus for me to attempt to believe my own eyes. Things are hard to enjoy when they seem completely fake.
Over the years, special effects have been the root cause for me not liking science fiction movies. At first special effects were so cheap that they would make everything look phony. Eventually technology got better and better until finally, filmmakers could make almost anything that was super outrageous look unquestionably real.
So, what changed? Movie makers felt that they had to outdo one another. Special effects became so real that they made everything look like a counterfeit copy of reality. If you know that a hundred dollar bill is a counterfeit, than it is no good. But, if you can’t tell that the hundred dollar bill is a “fugazi”, than you might be able to pass it off as legitimate currency.
Occasionally a science fiction film will boast legitimate special effects and those are the ones that I seek out. It’s best if I stay away from the rest of the “fugazi’s” because they only cause disappointment.
I was a little unsure of Gravity before going to see it because for a change, the trailer did not give away too much. The trailer only showed legitimate special effects.
Gravity is about two astronauts who must fight for their own survival after an unfortunate accident causes them to be stranded in outer space a long way from their ship.
The film was written by Alfonso Cuaron and Jonas Cuaron and directed by Alfonso Cuaron. The noteworthy cast includes Sandra Bullock George Clooney, and Ed Harris.
The trailer tells us that Bullock and Clooney are in for a wild ride on the gravity train. What the trailer does not tell us is that the film is an insane trip.
The trailer only showed legitimate special effects, because there is no other kind of special effects in Gravity. The film has the best special effects that I have ever seen in a movie. It is the most realistic that outer space has ever looked on a screen. Both of those facts are a big deal. On top of that, the extreme intensity and suspense will blow your mind and the phenomenal performance by Bullock makes Gravity an extraordinary journey that doesn’t stop until the credits roll.
Gravity is a must-see. It’s a top notch science fiction movie (because of the outer space aspect) that has Oscar written all over it. It should be nominated for an Academy Award in almost every category and it could win most of them. It is easily one of the best movies of 2013.
I rate this movie a 9 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
The Frozen Ground (2013)
The Frozen Ground (2013)
Nicolas Cage and John Cusack have both been pretty much hit or miss for about the last 6 years. Oddly enough, their downfall started around the same time. I have been a huge fan of both actors ever since I can remember. Even though they are both not consistently in great movies any longer, I still give them the benefit of the doubt every time I watch one of their new movies. I guess I just hope that one day they will bounce back from whatever funk they got themselves into and start making great movies again. One can always hope right?
So, that is the attitude that I had before watching The Frozen Ground. I would have been less enthusiastic about wanting to see the movie if it was only Cage or Cusack in it. But, it’s not just Cage or Cusack, it’s both. If both of these struggling actors are in the same movie then it is bound to be awesome right?
The film is based on actual events that took place in 1983. It’s about an Alaska State trooper who teams up with a woman who was able to get away from a serial killer named Robert Hansen. Together the duo works to find Hansen and bring him to justice for the murders that he has committed.
The movie was written and directed by Scott Walker and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Vanessa Hudgens, Dean Norris, Kevin Dunn, Radha Mitchell, Michael McGrady, Matt Gerald, and 50 Cent.
The Frozen Ground has an overall dark tone which is fitting because of the dark subject matter.
The movie was missing a lot. It was hard to follow and full of wasted talent. There was hardly any character development, so you couldn’t really feel anything for the characters.
It is yet another letdown from Cage and Cusack. The list of bad movies that each actor continues to make just keeps getting longer.
It really felt like both Cage and Cusack were just going through the motions. However, the writing and filmmaking overall, really did nothing to help their cause. Occasionally both actors would show a slight spark that would quickly go out. I think that if they keep making movies like this one, their careers could be doomed. It’s a real shame.
The film started out like it could have potential, and then it got boring quickly. The scenes were choppy and the acting and dialogue all felt forced.
Don’t waste your time or money with The Frozen Ground. If you would like to try to preserve the memory of when Nicolas Cage and John Cusack both made good movies, don’t watch this one.
I rate this movie a 3 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Run.
Don Jon (2013)
Don Jon (2013)
I have always been a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I grew up watching his films and television shows. When I was a little kid, I liked him in the films Angels in the Outfield (1994), Beethoven (1992), A River Runs Through It (1992), and the television shows Family Ties, Murder, She Wrote, and Roseanne.
As I grew older, I watched Gordon-Levitt grow up and his roles slowly mature. When I was a teenager I enjoyed his part in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You(1999), and I liked him in the television shows That ‘70s Show, and 3rd Rock from the Sun.
Shortly after 3rd Rock from the Sun ended in 2001, Gordon-Levitt started accepting edgier roles. For the most part, he stuck with low-budget independent films until the blockbuster Inception (2010) boosted him to superstardom.
Ever since Inception, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been on fire. He was excellent in the film 50/50 (2011), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) speaks for itself, he made Premium Rush (2012) watch-able, Looper (2012) was awesome, Lincoln (2012) was a film of epic proportions, and he has returned to his roots of independent, edgy filmmaking with Don Jon.
Don Jon marks an impressive new milestone for Gordon-Levitt. It is the first film that he has written, directed, and starred in. Also, he bulked up a lot for the movie.
Don Jon is an atypical dysfunctional drama that hits on a touchy topic, porn addiction. Jon (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a New Jersey man who seems to have all of his priorities straight except that he is a total ladies man and he is addicted to pornography. When Jon meets Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), the most beautiful woman that he has ever seen, she changes him. He is forced to confront his porn addiction and how he treats women.
The rest of the noteworthy cast includes Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Brie Larson, Rob Brown, and Jeremy Luke.
The movie is definitely an adult drama. It tackles the subjects of pornography, masturbation, and addiction. There is a lot of nudity and language.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a very solid track record when it comes to acting and I was very excited to see Don Jon because of his writing, directing, and starring credits. He does not disappoint. The film was delightfully different from the norm. It touches on topics that people tend to shy away from and it throws them in your face. Although it will be considered a controversial movie and it proves that Gordon-Levitt likes to takes risks, Don Jon has a lot of heart.
I saw Don Jon two nights ago and I have been thinking about it ever since. It stuck with me. The more I think about it, the more that I like it. It’s a good date movie if you have an open mind.
The cast is awesome! Gordon-Levitt was a rockstar both on and off camera. The chemistry between Johansson and Gordon-Levitt was perfect. They also had their accents down wonderfully. Moore was a great addition to the movie and it was fun to see Danza and Headly acting again.
Don Jon deserves a few Oscar nods, in my opinion. Joseph Gordon-Levitt should be recognized with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor or Best Director, or both, and the film should be nominated for Best Picture. Johansson and Moore also gave Oscar worthy performances.
Don Jon is one of the best, if not the best movie that I have seen all year. Prisoners (2013) and The Iceman (2012) are my other favorite films of 2013.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has proved himself to be a very capable filmmaker. I’m excited to see what he will do next.
I rate this movie a 9 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Note: The first movie that I remember seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt in was Angels in the Outfield (1994). That film was also the first movie that I remember seeing Tony Danza in. It’s interesting to me how almost 20 years later Gordon-Levitt has gone on to be a superstar and Danza’s career has tanked. If this movie does not revive Danza’s career, then nothing will. If Danza suddenly pops up in everything, it will be because of his comeback in Don Jon.
Prisoners (2013)
Prisoners (2013)
Before seeing Prisoners, I guaranteed to people that it would be good. Sometimes it is as if I just know. I did not have any doubts about this movie at all. I am not narcissistic. I just sort of have a sixth sense. I am like Haley Joel Osment’s character in The Sixth Sense (1999). However, instead of seeing dead people, I see good movies.
Can’t you just hear me whispering softly? “I see good movies.”
Bruce Willis responds, “In your dreams?”
I shake my head no.
“While you’re awake?”
I nod.
“Good movies like, in graves? In coffins?”
“Walking around like regular movies. They don’t see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don’t know they’re good.”
Bruce Willis asks, “How often do you see them?”
I whisper, “All the time. They’re everywhere.”
Prisoners is about two little girls who go missing. Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) is the father of one of the girls. He will stop at nothing to find out who took his daughter and will do whatever is necessary to get her back.
The movie was directed by Denis Villeneuve and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrance Howard, Maria Bello, Melissa Leo, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, Wayne Duvall, Len Cariou, David Dastmalchian, and Dylan Minnette.
Prisoners was gripping. It did not take long to pull me in to the disturbingly chilling story. It’s the next day and I’m still thinking about the film.
It should go without saying that it’s not exactly a feel good movie. Two little girls disappear. There is nothing good about that. Because of the subject matter, some aspects of the film are hard to like. However, the film was so well-made that it doesn’t pull any punches, and rightfully so. You have to see the bad in order to appreciate the good.
The movie is brutally violent and gory. There is plenty of language and blood. It captures the eeriness of the twisted plot perfectly.
Jackman plays a broken man who does not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to get his daughter back. His performance was excellent. It might be his best and more realistic role yet. It is Hugh Jackman unplugged like you haven’t seen him before.
Gyllenhaal plays the detective on the case. He is obsessed with his job and has solved every case that he has been assigned to. He is not about to fail now. This movie is equally Gyllenhaal’s movie as much as it is Jackman’s.
The rest of the supporting cast all play their parts well and Leo stands out among them.
The film is just over two and a half hours long, but I was so in to it that I did not notice. Time flies when you’re have fun, or watching a good movie. Prisoners never gets boring. It absorbs you and keeps you guessing until the end.
Jackman, Gyllenhaal, and Leo all gave Oscar worthy performances and the film itself is the best movie that I have seen so far this year.
I rate this movie a 9 on a scale on 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
If you liked Prisoners, then you will probably enjoy:
Mystic River (2003)
brockingmovies 