Movie Review - Mechanic: Resurrection

Mechanic: Resurrection

Starring: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh, Sam Hazeldine, John Cenatiempo, Toby Eddington, Femi Elufowoju Jr., Anteo Quintavalle, Yayaying Rhatha Phongam, and more.

Directed by: Dennis Gansel Screenplay by: Philip Shelby and Tony Mosher Story by: Philip Shelby and Brian Pittman Based Upon Characters Created by: Lewis John Carlino and Rachel Long Cinematography by: Daniel Gottschalk Music by: Mark Isham

Premise: Having faked his own death, Bishop's been leading a normal life down in Rio. But someone from his past has tracked him down and he tries to blackmail him into killing three people. Bishop says no and escapes. Hiding out on a remote island in Thailand, he meets Gina. Someone else being blackmailed by the same man. It's time to make other plans. (Rated R)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Jason Statham does what he does well - flawless looking action. He excels at deadpan and brooding expressions mixed with quick glimpses of his inner self. Jessica Alba brings out a little humor and even smiles from the troubled Bishop. She also shows some spunk and isn't just a helpless female. Tommy Lee Jones is a hoot as Max Adams. 

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Explosions, grenades, bullets, and more! The fight on the ship put bullet holes everywhere! 

A really neat effect is the effects of a chemical reaction Bishop tests for one of the jobs. Nice!

3) Plot/Story - Neutral: You don't expect a lot of plot from these types of actions films, but there are limits. Though they mention multiple times how important it is for the deaths look "natural", the first one has Bishop propping up the dead man in prayer. Using items to hold him up. Uhm, how would that look like a natural death to anyone? Especially with his drink all splattered on his clothes? And the bruises from a fight? Hello?

Somewhat soured the rest of the film for me. And it's a pity, as they get very creative on the jobs he pulls off! Which in its own way made the trouble worse since the guy is super intelligent and ends up doing a super stupid thing. (Which no one notices?) Ugh.

Crain's motivation wasn't well thought out either. Why wait so long to get revenge? There was no catalyst for it. Also, the whole "Father's Watch" bit didn't work. If Bishop was an orphan and was sold to a group to be trained to fight, they would have never let him keep the watch. I'd half expected it to have a GPS locator in it, so it would have some function, but they let that opportunity pass.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: All the stunt guys get a major workout on this one. There are a bunch of close quarters fighting and shooting. They looked great! The fight on the big boat was too fun to watch. And wait till the battle in the submarine bay. Sweet!

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The locations for the film were all over the world - Bulgaria, Thailand, Australia, Brazil, and Malaysia. So there are a ton of gorgeous vistas and different architectures used to add flavor to the film. 

The cinematography was very well done - taking full advantage of most of the locations. The guys will definitely enjoy the lovely photography of Jessica Alba swimming in the clear waters in Thailand. :P

Conclusion: If you like tons of action, action, action - the Mechanic: Ressurection delivers. Plot and consistency wise? Not so much. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review - The Family

The Family

Starring: Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron, John D'Leo, Tommy Lee Jones, Jimmy Palumbo, Domenick Lombardozzi, Stan Carp, Vincent Pastore, John Freda, and more.

Directed by: Luc Besson Screenplay by: Luc Besson and Michael Caleo Based on the Book by: Tonino Benacquista Cinematography by: Thierry Arbogast Original Music by: Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine

Premise: Adjusting to life under Witness Protection has not been easy for the four members of the Manzoni family. After being forced to evacuate yet another location, this time they end up in Normandy, France. Each of the family members try to do their best to fit in, but being normal is contrary to their natures and they get in trouble no matter what they do. Which might inadvertently call attention to them - and this could mean their lives. Don Luchese, the mob boss Manzoni helped put in jail, is desperate to find them to exact his revenge. (Rated R)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Robert De Niro was a lot of fun as the head of the dysfunctional Manzoni family. The tone he sets for the character and the reading of the memoirs he ends up writing were delightful. Michelle Pfeiffer clearly showed Maggie's disappointment with her current life, yet also the strong drive to make it work as best she can for her family. Even more fun was watching her subtle manipulations of the CIA agents assigned to them, so she can gather intelligence on those around them and more. Dianna Agron and John D'Leo just about upstaged their older counterparts. They were just too fun to watch. Tommy Lee Jones was a great foil for De Niro, their little conversations totally amusing. The family dog even had great parts.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Though at first it might not appear to be the kind of film needing a lot of special effects, there were definitely a lot of them. Between three different explosions and a second invasion of Normandy, the department was kept quite busy.

3) Story - Neutral: The premise for the story is great. And plenty of issues are covered in the film - from Italian bias, to expected American excess, to making fun of the French (the book the movie is based on is French - and picks on his own people), to bureaucrats that hurt others more than the mob ever could. The relationships built by the story and the motivations of the characters and how they all intermingled was definitely entertaining.

The way the family gets found by Don Luchese and how it had absolutely nothing to do with Manzoni (despite Agent Stansfield certainty to the contrary) only served to show the weirdness that is life.

The film has many mafia movie related jokes. A lot of the cast is from tons of other gangster films. There are even some Scorsese in-jokes as well (He was the executive producer of this film).

Where I felt the film let the audience down was in how it kept building and building and building suspense as they teased the audience not only about the family being found, but especially about there being unusual reasons as to why a perfect mobster like Manzoni had turned snitch. And while the film has a great payoff with regards to the being found angle, they were either much too subtle in giving the answer to the second big item, or possibly never gave it at all. They'd done so much to make us want to know what had driven Manzoni to turn on his mob family, then it was yanked away as if it held no importance whatsoever. This was very disappointing. So much so, it almost ruined the film for me as a viewer.

4) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Though there doesn't seem to be an available recording (at least not any that I could find) the background music for the film by Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine was perfect. Their tracks had lots of fun variations on mobster or Italian themes with some other flavors thrown in. Very nice.

Conclusion: A fun, dark comedy with a nice action payoff - as long as you don't mind being teased and not given an answer on Manzoni's motivation. Though if you go see it knowing they're not going to tell you, you might end up enjoying it all the better.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review - Emperor

Emperor

Starring: Matthew Fox, Tommy Lee Jones, Masayoshi Haneda, Eriko Hatsune, Colin Moy, William Wallace, Masato Ibu, Toshiyuki Nishida, Takataro Kataoka, and more.

Directed by: Peter Webber Screenplay by: Vera Blasi and David Klass Based on the book by: Shiro Okamoto Cinematography by: Stuart Dryburgh Original Music by: Alex Heffes

Premise: After General MacArthur and his entourage arrive in Japan for the occupation after the country's surrender, he tasks Brigadier General Bonner Fellers with finding proof, one way or the other, with regards to Emperor Hirohito's involvement in the decision for Japan to enter World War II. While Bonner struggles to complete the seemingly impossible task within the ten days he's been given, he's also searching for the woman he fell in love with years before - the Japanese beauty, Aya.  (Rated PG-13)

Review: 

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Matthew Fox did a great job as Fellers. The tensions pulling his character in different directions between his hope and despair about finding Aya; his need to find evidence one way or the other about the Emperor; trying to respect Japanese traditions even as they make his efforts more difficult; his pain and horror at the devastation of places he'd frequented before the war; Matthew Fox brought these forth for the audience to see and feel with him every step of the way.

Tommy Lee Jones was wonderful in his portrayal of the enigmatic General MacArthur. Colin Moy had us guessing as he kept trying to sow discord to make things go his way. Eriko Hatsune embodied Japan's promise as well as imparting different views and troubles for women of that time.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The film showed some of the best and most realistic looking decimated areas - and they spanned the breadth and depth of the screen without looking like they'd been added on. The shot of Tokyo's burning skyline was horribly eerie.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: The story is told from General Bonner Fellers' point of view. As we follow him during his investigations, the audience also gets to see into his past, to understand some of the needs that are driving him. Being acquainted with both worlds, he's the perfect medium by which to introduce all the different sides and points of view on both the war, the world, the Japanese people, and what drives them.

Adding in the concurrent story of his search for Aya, we also catch a glimpse of the feelings the survivors felt as they searched for loved ones and saw places they loved totally destroyed beyond recognition.

It was utterly fascinating seeing into this period of time. The many ways it could have all gone so terribly wrong will make you shudder.

4) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Filmed in Japan and New Zealand, there was no shortage of great locations - the outside of the real Imperial Palace, old fashioned Japanese classrooms, country homes with beautiful gardens and ponds. Many places seen in the flashbacks are revisited, shocking us with the devastation brought upon them during the war. Others appear untouched by the bombings, but the wounds are hidden inside, for many of those who'd lived there are now gone.

5) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: Fantastic job by the costuming and makeup departments. Great attention to detail with the styles of clothing and hairstyles popular in the different places and times.

Conclusion: An emotionally moving, fascinating, and multifaceted view of a pivotal time in history. Matthew Fox was outstanding. The longer the film went on, the more human he became, and the more layers were uncovered in the complexity of those manipulating the times. If you're only looking for something full of action and explosions, though, this won't be for you.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review - Lincoln

Lincoln

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hal Holbrook, John Hawkes, Jackie Earl Haley, Bruce McGill, Tim Black Sheldon, Joseph Cross, Jared Harris, and many more.

Directed by: Steven Spielberg Screenplay by: Tony Kushner Based partially on the book by: Doris Kearns Goodwin Original Music by: John Williams Cinematography by: Janusz Kaminski

Premise: After four brutal years civil of war, the end might be near. Yet previously having been unable to pass the 13th Amendment, Lincoln must hurry and do all he can to get it passed before peace comes, or the measure will most likely be killed once the country is unified again. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: There are so many familiar and loved faces starring in this film it took my breath away. Daniel Day-Lewis gave an outstanding performance as Abraham Lincoln. Sally Field did a marvelous job of portraying the migraine riddled, possibly bi-polar, yet intelligent and intuitive Mary Todd Lincoln. James Spader totally surprised me as the comedic relief, a task he performed excellently. There were no bad performances here.  


2) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: Lincoln is portrayed as a real person, good habits and bad. The story shows him in all environments, as president, as husband, as father, as human. He has his quirks and fallacies just like any other man, giving even more weight to the choices and steps he makes through this time.

Though the film only covers the last four months of Lincoln's career, there are many inserted bits to recall previous matters and give a bigger historical picture. The carriage accident Mrs. Lincoln got hurt in, (which was believed to have been an assassination attempt on Lincoln, but who'd ended up not taking his usual ride), which aggravated and added several health issues for Mary Todd. The fact the White House had been in utter disrepair when handed over to the Lincolns (back then there was no budget for keeping the president's residence - all the previous presidents had been well off and had been expected to pay for the upkeep from their own pockets). They even mention the fact Mary had been investigated due to the fact she was a Southern Bell as there were those believing she was handing information to the enemy.

One factual matter not mentioned (though since I didn't see Seward in the death room, it looks to have been implied) were the two other assassinations planned to occur at the same time as Lincoln's. Those two, at least, did not entirely succeed.

The film moves well and quickly. Cute, poignant, and comedic moments are sprinkled throughout. Watching the machinations of the Democratic and Republican parties was absolutely fascinating. All sides and reasons were well represented and done in an impartial manner, which gave the film real depth.


3) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Gorgeous reconstruction of locals and superb attention to detail. The scene of current combat at the beginning was as amazing as it was brutal. Towards the end, the field of the dead was horrifying in its scope.

4) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: The costumes were fantastic. You could almost identify which state they represented by their clothing. One super subtle, yet very telling, clothing items were the shawls and inside coats Lincoln and Seward wore, hinting at heating issues and cost cutting at the White House.

Conclusion: A fabulous film well worth taking the time to see. A lot of awards deserve to be won by this one.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Totally Worth Full Price of Admission.)

If you find the film as fascinating as I did, I would very much recommend Barbara Hambly's The Emancipator's Wife - It is a fictional account of Mary Todd's life, but it's from a top-notch historical researcher, so she kept it as factual as possible. The books skirts past most of the story of Lincoln himself and focuses on Mary Todd and the culture the couple grew up in and the troubles that came along with being the wife of a non-wealthy president. Very enlightening and fantastically written.

Movie Review - Men In Black 3

(Well, this is super late due to computer issues. Eventually gave up and decided to post it while I was off at A-kon. Wheee!)

Men In Black 3

Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mike Colter, Nicole Scherzinger, Michael Chernus, Alice Eve, and many more.

Premise: An alien criminal that Agent K captured forty years before escapes from prison and is looking to change the past to a better outcome. When K won't tell J the details of the case, their partnership is put in jeopardy. But then K suddenly disappears and so does everyone else's memories of him except for J's. J must now take a leap into the past to rescue K and the Earth's future. (Rated PG-13)

Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld  Based On The Malibu Comics by: Lowell Cunningham Written by: Etan Cohen Original Music by: Danny Elfman Cinematography by: Bill Pope

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin all had great chemistry. Josh Brolin did an awesome job as Young Agent K. Not only did he bring a lot of the mannerism of the familiar older Agent K, but he also made the younger agent a different man on several levels, the better to contrast with the events which made Agent K the somber, seemingly withdrawn man he is today.

In a fun turn of events, I loved watching Agent J dealing with his altered future's younger partner, switching J and K's usual roles, and making J look at his own partnership in a slightly different light. Too cute! Tommy Lee Jones also imparted a lot of emotion and subliminal information once he realized his old nemesis Boris had escaped. Great job!

Not all of the old friends from the original MIB film are back, but those not present are definitely represented. Loved how they sneaked Frank into the film though his character was not involved. It was very creative and cute. But don't worry, the worms are there, throwing out their usual fun one liners.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: The special effects team did a wonderful job. Boris is in many ways as disgusting, if not more so, than Edgar was in the original Men In Black film. Boris may look human, but as the movie progresses we are shown more and more that it is but a veneer of a strangely symbiotic creature. Totally fascinating!

The weapons, vehicles, ships and more were outstanding. The same look and feel as the modern tech used by MIB, but in a more developmental phase.

The time traveling itself was not in your usual way and incredibly impressive. The fact they were even able to throw in some dark humor into the whole process made it even better. The unexpected visitors right before J goes back in time were all in the background yet spoke volumes in presentation. Nicely done!

The scene with the baseball park was marvelously done.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: The story works with serious issues served up with lots of great one liners and comedic bits. A lot of foreshadowing, which is in itself a 'red herring', the outcome not the one you'd expect.

The story did have some fun with J being sent back to the 60's on several levels. But also didn't overdo it and even twisted one cliche around for a funny moment.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: With a ton of action comes a ton of stunts and they were all excellent. From attacking aliens, to prison escapes, to the street chases, they were all very visual and smoothly carried out.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Several gorgeous views of the New York landscape from multiple times. The Cape Canaveral shots integrated with original footage and recreations were great.

It was also fun seeing the differences between the MIB headquarters then and now.

6) Costuming/Make-up - Total Thumbs Up: Great work on this category as well. Lots of attention paid to 1969 to make it look and feel as it would have back then. Also between the make-up department and Josh Brolin's acting acumen , you never doubted the actor was a younger K.

Conclusion: MIB 3 is a fun, fast paced film which brings back all we loved from the original MIB film and more!

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price To See Again)

Movie Review - Captain America (YES!)

(Uhm, yeah, I was bad. I went to the movies today. I was feeling good enough after being released from the hospital. Went early so no crowds. Now relaxing, resting at home. I am! Really! I need to get super well!)

Captain America

Starring: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, Richard Armitage, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Neal McDonough, and more

Directed by: Joe Johnston Screen Play by: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely Based on the Comic Books by: Joe Simon and Jack Kirby Original Music by: Alan Silvestri

Review:  This movie was so much fun! Thoroughly enjoyed it. A nice current day teaser for the beginning and then we go back to the 1940s for the Captain's origin and more.

Loved, loved, loved several things about the film. One was several nicely sneaked in items that tie the movie to the Iron Man and Thor films, coalescing the movie universe of the three - the World Expo, Howard Stark, the origin of where Stark got the idea of the energy project which he abandoned but yet became so important to Tony Stark's survival and future, and even a tie in to the gods, which connects to Thor. Nicely done!  And you're not hit over the head with any of it. It's there to catch if you can, otherwise it is just part of the Captain's story.  Kudos!

The second thing I loved was that though Steven Rogers is successful as the experiment (as expected), due to things that happen, he's not actually used for anything! He ends up going on a totally different direction to help America during the war, a none fighting direction. I loved this! He had to go out there and do what there was to do, and eventually when an opportunity does arise, he lives to the truth of himself and shows what he can truly do as a one man army.

The acting from everyone involved was excellent. Even a bit shown in the previews takes a whole other tone when see in context. Lovely! You'll see a ton of familiar faces. Great work from everyone.

Great special effects, tons of explosions, shoot outs, and best of all, flying shield action! Oh yeah! And Red Skull, woohoo! And Hydra has such cool toys!  Red Skull's personal car is like a German Batmobile. Hee hee. Loved it! It was great seeing the characters from the early Captain America comics as well as the original uniform. And of course, the Stan Lee cameo. What Marvel movie would be right without one? Heh.

A fun, fast moving, great film! Make sure to sit through the credits!!!!  There's a preview to the Avengers movie at the very end to wet our appetites for the summer of 2012!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating - Would Pay Full Price of Admission Again!)