Blog Archives
The Company You Keep (2012)
The Company you Keep (2012)
The Company you keep is based off of the novel with the same name written by Neil Gordon.
The film follows a journalist (Shia LaBeouf) who discovers the true identity of a former member of The Weather Underground (Robert Redford) who is wanted in connection to a murder.
I was excited to see this movie because I often enjoy movies about investigative journalism, not to mention the cast is fully loaded with talent. Redford directs and stars alongside LaBeouf, Julie Christie, Susan Surandon, Stanley Tucci, Terrence Howard, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Richard Jenkins, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Elliot, Stephen Root, Anna Kendrick, Brit Marling, and Jackie Evancho. Redford may be getting old, but he still has the star power to bring together a big A-list group of actors to make a movie.
The Weather Underground is an anti-war activist group that was around during the Vietnam War era. I had heard about this group before, but I went into the film knowing absolutely nothing about them. The movie explains what the group was all about, but given the fact that the story is based off of a novel, they sort of mix fact with fiction.
Like most films about investigative journalism, the story moves along at a slow to steady pace as the reporter tries to figure things out about the story that he is trying to tell. There is plenty of time for character development and the dialogue is well-written. Great actors tend to pop up out of the woodwork like weeds when these types of movies are made and The Company you Keep is no exception.
It was refreshing to see Robert Redford acting again. He hasn’t been in a movie since Lions for Lambs (2007). Although he has always been a tremendous actor, he really has aged. They tried to make him seem younger in the film by dying his hair and having him jogging in one scene. But, when all is said and done, the movie icon was too old for the part he was playing. This fact took a little bit away from the film.
The person that really stood out the most was Shia LaBeouf. He has strong screen presence, and when he is not doing a Transformers movie, his charisma can really take over a movie. The rest of the cast played their parts well but, LaBeouf was the glue that held the film together.
The Company you Keep was quality filmmaking with a few flaws. The flaws weren’t very noticeable until a little over halfway through the film. Redford did his best with the story that he had, but ultimately the movie was anticlimactic and it became predictable. The dialogue was great, the acting was superb, but there were few surprises along the way to make the movie stand out.
The film was worth seeing, if only to watch masters of the acting craft at work.
I rate this movie a 7 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Rent.
If you liked The Company You Keep, then you will probably enjoy the following films:
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
The Place Beyond the Pines was not exactly what I expected it to be. The film was unique because there were multiple layers to the story as well as to each of the characters. The storyline flowed nicely even though each layer of it seemed to change who the main characters were. The mood of the movie was rough and intense throughout with a darkness that few films are capable of.
Luke (Ryan Gosling) is a motorcycle stunt driver whose life gets turned upside down after finding out that he is a father. In order to try to provide for his kid, he quits his job and begins robbing banks. Avery (Bradley Cooper) is an honest cop. Eventually both men’s paths cross.
Rounding out the rest of the cast is Eva Mendes, Ben Mendelsohn, Mahershala Ali, Ray Liotta, Bruce Greenwood, Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen, Rose Byrne, Harris Yulin, and Olga Merediz.
The film is written and directed by Derek Cianfrance.
Gosling is cast against type. He does not usually play the rebel outlaw type, but he proves once again that he is capable of widening his range as an actor because he nails his part.
Cooper has a strong presence and when his character arrives, it changes the whole dynamic of the movie.
I felt like Mendes did a good job, but we could have gotten more out of her character. I fault the writers for that. She did great with what she had to work with, but her character could have been developed better.
Liotta seems to have resurfaced after being pretty washed up the last few years. In this film he carried himself like the Ray Liotta of old. He did not seem like the train wreck that he was becoming. This was a welcomed surprise.
Both Cooper and Gosling continue to make smart decisions when it comes to which films to act in. This film is guaranteed to keep them both in the spotlight.
The Place Beyond the Pines is a movie filled with tough subject matter mixed with raw emotion portrayed by a fantastic cast of actors who are very passionate about their work. This combination makes for a very exciting and suspenseful film about people leading hard lives.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
Crazy, Stupid, Love. is one of the better “dramadies” that I have seen in a while.
Sweet-talking ladies man Jacob (Ryan Gosling) takes newly, almost single Cal (Steve Carell) under his wing and tries to help him get back out into the dating scene. This sets off a dysfunctional chain reaction in both of their lives and hilarity ensues along with craziness, stupidity, and love.
The film has just the right blend of laughs and drama. It may go a little overboard in one direction or the other at times, but that just helps to capitalize on the subject matter and keep the film exciting.
Carell does better when more comedy is involved and Gosling is more of a serious actor. Both actors’ styles complemented each other very well and I think that working together enabled them each to go a little bit out of their comfort zones as to what is usually the norm for them. Gosling pulled off being funny and Carell managed to get serious. Carell has proved that serious doesn’t usually work for him (i.e. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)), but it did in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Gosling didn’t become a comedian by any means. He has always managed to be pretty witty and clever, but he added funny to the mix.
The movie also has strong female characters played by Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, and Marisa Tomei. Each woman was able to bring a level of wholesomeness to their roles with a touch of quirkiness. This complemented the film quite well and helped to make it a bit unpredictable.
Other supporting cast includes Kevin Bacon, Analeigh Tipton, Jonah Bobo, Joey King, Beth Littleford, John Carroll Lynch, Josh Groban, and Liza Lapira.
Josh Groban proved that he should stick to singing and leave the acting to the actors.
The film was directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.
If you are looking for a good date movie (whether you are married or not), look no further than Crazy, Stupid, Love. It is humorous and touching at the same time. It is not a “chick flick.” It is a film that both men and women will enjoy.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
If you liked Crazy, Stupid, Love., then you will probably enjoy:
Trailer for The Heat (2013)
The Heat (2013) (click on the title for my full review)
Another comedy for Sandra Bullock. This movie looks suspiciously similar to Miss Congeniality (2000). In fact, it could just be part 3 without the oficial title. Everything about The Heat looks similar to Miss Congeniality. We have seen this movie before, twice. I’m sure it will still have its moments of humor, but I think I’ll wait for the DVD.
Besides Bullock, other notable cast includes Melissa McCarthy, Marlon Wayans, Michael Rapaport, Thomas F. Wilson, Bill Burr, Luis Da Silva Jr., Jamie Denbo, and Michael McDonald.
The movie is directed by Paul Feig and is set to release on 6/28/13.
Oblivion (2013)
Oblivion (2013)
With Tom Cruise in the driver’s seat of this Sci-fi thriller, all that he has to do is do what he does best, act. Forget about his crazy private life. He may have had a lot of drama with his marriages (jumping on Oprah’s couch and whatnot, etc., etc.) and his religious beliefs (Scientology) may seem a bit weird, but lets face the facts. The guy can act and he can act well. He is one of the most solid actors of our time and he still draws a crowd. Tom gets comfortable in his character, hits “Cruise Control” and all of the viewers in the audience are in for a treat. He proves it time and time again that he is highly capable of carrying the majority of a movie on his back. Oblivion is no exception. In fact, the majority of Oblivion is Tom Cruise in one way or another.
After the world has been virtually destroyed by nuclear war and natural disasters, a couple (Tom Cruise and Andrea Riseborough) become part of “the cleanup crew” to help salvage the remaining natural resources that the world has to offer. They are also there to protect their mission and make sure that it runs smoothly. After a while things may not be what they seem.
I am not a huge fan of a lot of Sci-fi movies. Many Sci-fi movies these days are filled with so much special effects that they make the movie seem totally fake. I do not watch movies simply for the special effects. I enjoy Sci-fi movies where the special effects are tastefully done to the point where it doesn’t take away from the movie. The film also has to have an interesting plot, solid characters that can act, and a well written script and story to tie it all together nicely. Oblivion fulfilled all of my requirements of a great Sci-fi movie quite nicely.
Joseph Kosinski does a superb job of writing and directing Oblivion.
The special effects are not overdone. They are beautiful and awesome and some of the greatest that I have seen, but they are not too much.
The film does not have too many characters in it and that is okay. Tom Cruise is great as always, and everybody else is as good as they can be. Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau all performed to the best of their abilities with what they had to work with.
The plot had many twists and turns which made it very entertaining. The story itself was very original. However, a little bit of the movie was hard to follow and I left the theatre scratching my head. I love movies that really make you think as you put each piece of the story together. I figured out the gist of it, but I felt like it could have been explained a little better. That was one of the only problems that I had with the movie.
Given that I am not much of a Sci-fi fan, I was very pleasantly surprised by how good Oblivion was. It is definitely worth seeing in the theatre and because of the excellent special effects, it will certainly be better on the big screen.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Inglourious Basterds is a World War II film of epic proportions. I think the title of the movie is enough to turn some people off from wanting to see it. That is unfortunate because those people don’t know what they are missing. The film is absolutely incredible. At the time that I saw it, I did not think that Quentin Tarantino was capable of making such a perfect movie. He writes, directs, and has an uncredited part in the film.
“Once upon a time in Nazi-occupied France…”
A group of Jewish American soldiers known as The Basterds, along with a famous German actress and, a Jewish girl seeking revenge, all find themselves in a plot to try to kill high ranking Nazi leaders.
Inglourious Basterds is one of my favorite films of all time. It is definitely in my top 5 and maybe even in my top 3. I wish I had seen it in the theatre. I was a little bit skeptical of the movie when it first came out, and therefore I ended up waiting to watch it on DVD. Big mistake! If they brought it back to the theatre tomorrow, I would see it in a heartbeat.
The film has everything. Love, hate, blood, guts, war, beautiful landscapes, spies, traitors, loss, tragedy, revenge, hope, tension, an excellent story, a huge cast of amazing characters, a great director, a perfect script, and just enough humor to bring everything together.
Inglourious Basterds is probably Brad Pitt’s best movie. It is definitely his best character, but it is a toss-up between this movie and Fight Club (1999), although in recent years he has chosen his roles very wisely.
Quentin Tarantino managed to not only get a perfect cast, but somehow he got the best possible performances out of most of them. It is amazing how incredibly awesome everyone in the movie is. This is Tarantino’s best movie. He may come close, but I don’t think that he will ever top this film.
Christoph Waltz broke into American movies with his part in this film. Up until Inglourious Basterds, he was basically just a well-known foreign actor, mostly in Germany. His performance in the movie was nothing less than perfect and nobody could have done a better job. He did receive the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor which he wholeheartedly deserved. As I mentioned in my Django Unchained (2012) review, he received the same award in back-to-back Tarantino directed films. Those are both 2 characters that have really stuck in my mind. He got the role of a lifetime twice.
Like Waltz, Melanie Laurent came out of nowhere and was just astonishing. I can’t think of an actress off the top of my head that in recent years has done a better job than she did in this film. The only actress that could maybe come close is Diane Kruger also for her role in this film.
Eli Roth gave the best performance of his acting career.
The not very well-known Daniel Bruhl made his mark in this film and let his presence be known.
Til Schweiger has been acting for a while, but his breakout performance was definitely in this film. Any reference to him will be a reference to this movie.
This was Mike Myers best movie since Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002).
Michael Fassbender was an up-and-comer before he made this movie and now he is a household name.
Samuel L. Jackson plays the part of the narrator and you also hear the voice of Harvey Keitel.
The movie also includes Gedeon Burkhard, B.J. Novak, Omar Doom, August Diehl, Denis Menochet, Sylvester Groth, Martin Wuttke, Julie Dreyfus, Richard Sammel, Alexander Fehling, Rod Taylor, Samm Levine, Christian Berkel, and Lea Seydoux.
If you have not seen Inglourious Basterds then after you finish reading this review, stop what you are doing, drop everything and go out and buy it immediately. It is that good. I am not kidding. Go now!
I rate this movie a 10 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? BUY!
Trailer for R.I.P.D. (2013)
R.I.P.D. (2013) (Click on the title for my full review.)
R.I.P.D. looks like a cross between Beetlejuice (1988) and Men in Black (1997).
The movie is directed by Robert Schwentke and stars Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, Robert Knepper, James Hong, Mike O’Malley, Stephanie Szostak, Devin Ratray, Larry Joe Campbell, Marisa Miller, Josh Sussman, Alexandra East, and Tobias Segal.
This action comedy looks like it will be right up my alley.
The film is set to release on 7/19/13.
Trailer for Star Trek into Darkness (2013)
Star Trek into Darkness (2013) (click on the title for my full review)
For those of you who know me, you know that I am not a huge Star Trek fan. With that being said, Star Trek into Darkness actually looks semi-decent. I just may have to check it out when it releases. If I like it, I may have to go back and give some of the other movies a second look. This new Star Trek does not look like your average Star Trek. Even the poster looks intriguing for a Star Trek movie.
The film is directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Alice Eve, Jon Lee Brody, Simon Pegg, Zachary Quinto, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, Nolan North, Nick Tarabay, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Tom Archdeacon, Heather Langenkamp, and Christopher Doohan.
The movie is set to release on 5/17/13.
Trailer for The Purge (2013)
The Purge (2013) (click on the title for my full review)
I’m not sure that I agree with this concept, but it will definitely be a controversial movie. It will be interesting to see how this movie pans out. How could you end a movie like this?
The film looks like it will probably be pretty brutal. It would really be a scary world to live in if all crime was legal for one day out of the year. I don’t think that would solve any of the world’s problems.
I’m not sure if this would be classified as a horror movie or a thriller. Probably a thriller.
Ethan Hawke continues to choose eerie and gritty roles.
The movie looks intense, but I’ll totally have to see it.
Lena Headey co-stars. You might recognize her as the bad woman from Dredd (2012)
The rest of the cast is hardly worth noting. It seems like the majority of the cast includes actors who have had very small roles in movies and are not popular. You probably would not know who I am talking about if I listed anybody else in this movie.
It is written and directed by James DeMonaco and produced by the people that brought you Paranormal Activity (2007) and Sinister (2012).
The film is set to release on 5/31/13.
brockingmovies 