Ratchet & Clank

One's a feline alien, and the other's a robot. Together, they fight Galactic crime. They've done it on Playstation games since 2002. And now, Ratchet & Clank are together on the big screen. It's an admirable adaptation of a video game, though nothing Oscar-worthy.

Ratchet the Lombax (James Arnold Taylor) is a mechanic on Planet Veldin. He's the only Lombax on this side of the galaxy, or perhaps ever. Employed and raised by Grim (John Goodman), Ratchet wants to leave the planet and join his heroes, The Galactic Rangers. What luck that they have open tryouts on Veldin just now. But he's immediately rejected by the Rangers' egotistical doofus commander, Captain Qwark (Jim Ward). So it seems Ratchet has to resign himself to mediocrity. It's not like adventure will fall out of the sky...

Oh wait, it does.

The evil Chairman Drek (Paul Giamatti) wants to make his own ideal planet. He sets out to build it with the help of his De-Planetizer space-station. But since it, well, blows up planets, The Galactic Rangers set out to stop him. But not if Drek and his War Bots can stop them first. A glitch results in one War Bot that's small and nice. This "defect" is Clank (David Kaye), and he escapes termination from Drek's henchbot, Victor Von Ion (Sylvester Stallone).

Back to the second paragraph...

Clank crash-lands on Veldin and is found by Ratchet. Ratchet and Clank join forces to stop the War Bots from killing the Rangers. They become instant celebrities, which threatens Qwark's stardom. That gives Drek some ideas on how to deal with the Galactic Rangers.

The plot sounds like a lot of animated movies. But its sense of humor saves it from banality. The captions which introduce a new location come with a joke ("Cue Bad Guy Speech in 3 ... 2 ... 1" took me by surprise). There's also a few bits of slapstick and referential humor here and there. Game fans are sure to find delight in the game references; meanwhile, I found Ratchet's Ranger crash course funny as Qwark gets exhausted by the weapon screwups. But the villains provide the best humor. In particular, the games' longest-running foe, Dr. Nefarious (Armin Shimerman), makes for a delightfully over-the-top scientist.

The problems come with the story. Its 93 minute runtime is paced both exceptionally fast and exceptionally slow. A certain character turns evil, realizes he's been betrayed, and is still evil until Ratchet tells him not to be (Was something jumbled in writing?). Ratchet gets blamed for the first attack on Drek going south for reasons that weren't adequately explained. Although they were voiced well, the characters felt too one-dimensional at times.

Like any good video game, Ratchet & Clank looks good. The animation and scenery is detailed and colorful. The character designs are good updates of the original PS2 designs. The new characters fit right in with established favorites. This was great work for a $20 million movie.

For all of its faults, Ratchet & Clank at least attempts to make a story out of a video game. It wasn't a great story, but it's the thought that counts. Newcomers to the franchise won't get lost in the shuffle. Longtime players will also find some fun out of it. Perhaps the great Video Game movie will come. But we'll just have to wait at its now loading screen.

The Huntsman: Winter's War

In my review of Snow White and the Huntsman, I called it "already decent." Maybe decent wasn't the best word. Because other than the visual design, everything else was pretty drab. Maybe that's where it's half-prequel/sequel The Huntsman: Winter's War will end up in a few years.

It took forever, but the follow-up that Universal wanted is here. The first film's Oscar-nominated Co-Visual Effects Supervisor, Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, has been promoted to the director's chair. The first film's Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), who we find out is named Eric, is the star. But let's see if it's the follow-up the general public wanted.

While evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) was conquering kingdoms, her sister Freya (Emily Blunt) was falling for a nobleman. They have a daughter, but the nobleman sets the infant on fire. So Freya sets him on ice. Yes, Freya has ice powers and she goes up north to build herself a kingdom as the Ice Queen. She sets out to conquer and pillage and recruit kids of conquered lands as Huntsmen. She gives them one rule: no love.

Two of the Huntsmen, Eric and Sara (Jessica Chastain), fall in love. They elope and Freya finds out. She has them fight their way out to prove their love. But Freya is a cheat and separates them with a wall of ice. Eric gets knocked out just as he sees Sara stabbed in the back. Eric is tossed into a river.

Seven years and one movie later, Ravenna is dead and Eric is still a brooding Huntsmen. The Magic Mirror goes missing and Eric has to find it for Snow White's sake. Two dwarves, Nion and Gryff (Nick Frost and Rob Brydon), join him. Two more dwarves, Doreena and Bromwyn (Alexandra Roach and Sheridan Smith), join them. And so does Sara, who is not dead (but Elsa Freya made Eric think she was with illusionary powers), but bitter. Freya wants the mirror to conquer and pillage. She'll be surprised once she sees what's in the thing.

Its plot twists are certainly no surprise; sloppy seems a better word. Sara's survival hinges on Freya's other powers that aren't brought up before or after that scene. Ravenna's role in jumpstarting Freya's villainy was obvious from the start. On the other hand, I expected Freya's child to actually survive and grow up into somebody important; she didn't. So maybe that's one plus.

The "Ice Queen" herself is meant to be a sympathetic antagonist. But I'm reminded why Disney had to adjust Elsa's personality to make Frozen work. Whereas Elsa wants to be alone, Freya jumps off the icy slippery slope from the start. Her plan to conquer and pillage was her idea. Her separating Eric and Sara with McGuffin powers makes her a vindictive cheat. She wants to conquer and pillage until Ravenna comes back into the picture. I didn't really feel sorry for her.

The only fun comes from the dwarves. They're much more likable and funnier than the main cast. The "female dwarves are ugly" jokes are too numerous, but their relationship with each other is endearing. Going back to the main cast, Hemsworth and Chastain are serviceable in their character types. Nothing more, nothing less. And Theron still hams it up as the evil Ravenna.

The visual design still works. Freya's ice powers and citadel are wonders of visual effects and production design. Her wardrobe and Ravenna's are where Coleen Atwood's costume design does its best. The digital face swap used for the dwarves was seamless. A molten river of gold and slave in the mirror are also highlights for the FX team.

The Huntsman: Winter's War's icy atmosphere lends itself to a typical dark fairy tale. A Snow White film without Snow White is one thing, but this Grimm tale doesn't distinguish itself that well from all the others. It's nothing bad, but nothing special. A film on either end of the movie thermometer might certainly have its own identity. See it only if you want to.

The Jungle Book

Now this is the law of the cinema, as old and true as the sky.

A good story that worked before someday gets another try.

The Jungle Book is one story that worked for Disney before,

first animated 1967 and then in live-action in 1994.

This newest Disney version has a live-action Mowgli and a CGI zoo

directed by Jon Favreau, best known for Iron Man 1 and 2.

The Man-Cub Mowgli is part of Akela and Raksha's wolf pack

A home in the Jungle is what Mowgli does not lack.

But Shere Khan the Tiger shows up to say
"give up Mowgli or you shall all pay."

Bagheera the Panther escorts Mowgli to the village of Man

so that terrible tiger can't threaten his lifespan.

Mowgli doesn't want to be forced back to Man,

and wants to get to the Wolves any way he can.

On his travel, he meets that old bear Baloo

and King Louie, who sings "I wanna be like you."

Mowgli needs to defeat Khan to save the day

so the fauna can safely make their way.

(Switching to prose now.)

The film has a sparse human cast, primarily Neel Sethi as Mowgli, interacting with CGI animals. These animals interact with humans and actual backgrounds believably. When Baloo (Bill Murray) floats down a river, he really looks wet from an actual river. The wolf pups who call Mowgli brother look like real wolf pups. King Louie (Christopher Walken) makes for a convincingly intimidating great ape. On principal, you can tell its CGI, but its CGI done right.

The film is more serious than the 1967 movie. Shere Khan (Idris Elba) is much more hostile than his suave animated counterpart (George Sanders). His presence is legitimately intimidating. So is Kaa (Scarlet Johansson), who's much bigger than her (male) animated counterpart and comes dangerously close to eating Mowgli. But Baloo saves the day with his comic relief and fighting prowess. 

Jon Debney's score incorporates bits from the animated film. Richard Sherman, the surviving Sherman Brother, even returns to rewrite King Louie's big number to accommodate him being a Gigantopithecus. The re-orchestrations are a great listen; the new material is just as memorable. Whether new or old material, the music sets the movie apart from the animated movie.

Anyone who's seen the animated Jungle Book will know the new film's beats, but there's enough new stuff to keep them involved. The well-cast actors, both live-action and animated, make these familiar characters compelling. The story and plot goes at a fine pace throughout 105 minutes. It's certainly a good (yet intense) introduction to the story for new viewers. 

And about stories being told again and again? Someone decided to make another Jungle Book at Warner Bros. This version, directed by Andy Serkis, who will also be Baloo, will hit screens either next year or the year after that...

Batman v Superman

COURT TRANSCRIPT

PROSECUTOR: State calls the case of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to order. We allege that there is no place on the big screen for two DC superheroes. Or a dozen. This will decide ... (sees a note.) No, I don't want peach tea.

JETHRO comes in and shoos out the courtroom. The Courtroom EXPLODES with whipped cream.

JETHRO: It could've been worse. Like the movie.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice stacks a lot of eggs in one basket. It's a sequel to Man of Steel, Superman's movie. But then there's Batman. A few supporting characters from their lives. And Wonder Woman. And cameos from other DC Comics stalwarts. They were in a hurry to get their movies started, weren't they?

Anyway, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) was in Metropolis when General Zod wrecked the place and fought Superman (Henry Cavill) in a cataclysmic free-for-all. Bruce is mad that a few employees were among the casualties. So he revives his old alter-ego, Batman, to get back at Superman. Meanwhile, antisocial rich nerd Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) hates Superman too, so he invests in Kryptonite to kill the Man of Steel. He also covertly harasses Batman and Superman to get them at each other. 

All Superman wants to do is the right thing. But a lot of people, especially Batman, think he'll go evil. It doesn't help that Bruce has nightmares of Superman as king of the world. So what's a Superman to do? Fight? There's a lot of that. Meanwhile, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), the Amazon known as Wonder Woman, comes into the plot. And Lex has something cooking in the remains of Zod's ship.

I've just realized something: typing The Amazing Spider-Man 2's synopsis was easier than this.

Zack Snyder, working from a script by David Goyer and Chris Terrio, is the director again. The screenplay, as previously stated, throws in a lot of DC Comics stars into the mix. The most obvious nods are cameos by our heroes' future co-stars of the Justice League; take them out, and we'd lose little. What're they doing in the movie with little explanation? Luthor's henchmen, Mercy Graves and Anatoli, are major DC characters, but their backstories don't weigh down the film (then again, they don't have much development).  A lot of story elements are resolved questionably. Then, there's big action. 

But I tolerated this film. Despite the multiple story elements crashing in, there was a compelling story. It, at least, tries to integrate the action scenes into the story. There was also humor rising above the self-serious tone. The visual effects were serviceable, never intrusive. Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL's score was a memorable collaboration. The only thing that would've killed the film was a loud theater sound system.

The cast helps a lot. Ben Affleck, as Batman, made for a great hero. His first scene had him drive into the Metropolis chaos and helping a few survivors. He'll act even if he gets in danger, too. Cavill, as Superman, was much more relatable here than he was in Man of Steel. Gadot needed more space in the story, but from what we have, we have a strong, fearless heroine. Her first appearance in her super alter-ego was met with applause at my screening. Eisenberg's Luthor swings between affable and petty. But when he gets petty, he gets dangerous and scary. No actor was out of place in this DC movie.

Batman v Superman just needed a narrower focus to get a better story. But if you want big action, you won't be disappointed. And if you are disappointed, at least we have The Lego Batman Movie coming next year. I'll bet that one, like almost everything, is awesome.

10 Cloverfield Lane

Cloverfield proved that a film made in secret can stomp triumphantly to the bank. Eight years after that giant monster movie, producer JJ Abrams brings back the name for another covertly produced sci-fi thriller, 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) leaves Baton Rouge and her fiancee, Ben, for who knows where. She didn't want to end up in the path of a speeding pick-up. But that's where she ended up. When she comes through, she's trapped in Howard's bunker.

Howard (John Goodman) is the conspiracy theorist who brought Michelle to safety. Emmet is the local who invited himself into Howard's bunker. They both tell Michelle the same thing: a major catastrophe has made the air outside unbreathable. They're all Michelle has for company for the next few years or so.

Michelle doesn't find Howard's violent mood swings hospitable. So she and Emmet try to find some way to the surface. But what if Howard is right? What if something unimaginable wrecked the world?

This $15 million thriller marks the feature directorial debut of Internet celebrity Dan Trachtenberg (The Totally Rad Show). It's a perfectly claustrophobic thriller. Michelle spends much of the 105 runtime in the confines of the bunker. Howard isn't nice, but we slowly get clues that whatever happened outside isn't nice either. We wait in anticipation as to how Michelle gets out of it. Let's hope Trachtenberg doesn't end up like Josh Trank, whose low budget success story Chronicle was followed by the big budget mess Fantastic Four.

John Goodman, as Howard, adds to the tension. He's a control freak who swings between nice and scary in a second. In fact, he's so domineering that his niceness is open to scrutiny. All he wants from Michelle and Emmett is for them to behave. Even them holding hands is enough to set him off. Whatever is outside can't be worse than him. Right?

Michelle is an equally capable protagonist. You can't blame her for greeting her situation with skepticism. It's a nightmare even if it wasn't because of a catastrophe. She uses any chance she gets to escape. And by the end, she goes from running away (like from Ben) to facing her problems head on. It's a very compelling arc.

The sound mix, cinematography, production design and score complete the claustrophobia. Those elements make 10 Cloverfield Lane one of the best thrillers out there. It'll stay in the public memory just as long as the first movie. Don't be disappointed when the ending hits. I thought it was a sensible one.

Zootopia

Not even a month has passed since Inside Out won the Oscar for Animated Film and the first candidate for its successor is here. Zootopia's first ad played before the aforementioned Pixar hit last year. It looked like a fun anthropomorphic animal adventure. What we get is a profound, fun anthropomorphic animal adventure.

Judy Hopps is the first rabbit police officer in the city of Zootopia, "where anyone can be anything." In Zootopia, Predators no longer crave Prey, so at least Judy's neck is safe. But Chief Bogo assigns her meter maid duty on her first day. Meanwhile, her fellow officers are assigned to investigate the disappearances of 14 animals (even an otter). Judy is bummed out over this. But it's during her shift that she first meets Nick Wilde, a sly hustler fox.

Judy almost gets herself fired when she goes cowboy cop on a crook. But it gets her assigned to the case of the missing otter. Judy conscripts Nick, a key witness, as her partner. Their investigation takes them across Zootopia's giant ecological regions. They slowly realize that something - or someone - is out to turn Zootopia's Predator and Prey populations against each other. Judy and Nick have to move past stereotypes to solve the case.

Seven writers contributed to the film's story. But all those cooks didn't mess up the kitchen. They instead perfectly beat up prejudices by deconstructing animal stereotypes. Sly animals like Nick, for instance, act so because that's what society labels them. And holding stereotypes or being victims of stereotyping hurts. The film does engage in some stereotyping (an Arctic Shrew mafioso, Sloths as the staff of the DMV), but these are minor faults in the bigger picture. The big picture balances out its drama with plenty of funny moments.

It helps that its cast of characters are great. Judy is the endearing optimist who stands for the little folks ... and is a little folks. Nick is the lovable rogue. They make an excellent pair together as partners and friends. Judy's fellow officers, from tough-but-fair Bogo to lovable cheetah Clawhauser, are a good bunch. Even the aforementioned mafioso, Mr. Big, isn't that much of a bad guy. The main mastermind helps out Judy so willingly that their reveal is quite surprising. The cast will settle in quite nicely in Disney history.

Zootopia is another artistic achievement. Its various regions, from the rain forest to the frozen tundra, are amazingly rendered. The character designs make the cast more lovable. The animation even looked realistic at times. The always reliable Michael Giacchino sets the movie to another fine score. It's another 3D artistic achievement.

Zootopia is another great film parents and kids can enjoy together. It's a well-executed mystery film with an articulate anti-discrimination message. If it inspires better understanding between folks, then the film has done its job.

Deadpool

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a pretty forgettable movie, but one thing almost saved it. That was Ryan Reynolds as the loony assassin Wade Wilson, alias Deadpool. But they wasted it by turning him into a joyless "mutant killer" played by another actor.

Flash-forward to now and Fox and Reynolds are ready to try again. Deadpool has his own movie now. And it's the opposite of joyless. Who better to explain the plot than the merc with a mouth?

Yay!

So I'm Wade Wilson, former special forces guy turned protector of the innocent. I have a hot girlfriend, Vanessa (that's good!), and cancer of the everything (that's bad!). The guys at my favorite bar bet on which of us will bite it first. That's the Deadpool from which I get my super identity. But I think I'm getting ahead of myself.

Yes, you are.

Quiet you.

A guy shows up offering to cure my cancer and make me a superhero. So I turn guinea-pig. That's when I meet Francis (Ed Skrein) and his partner, Angel Dust (Gina Carano). Francis is the censored scientist who tortures me so my dormant mutant genes can give me a superpower. I get a healing factor (that's good!) that roadblocks my cancer (that's awesome!) and destroys my good looks (that sucks!). And then Francis leaves me to die when the place goes up in smoke. (It was kind of my fault. I made the place go boom.)

But I'm still here. And I can't bring myself to see Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) in my condition. I want some payback. I put on a red suit and go hunting for Francis. These two X-men, Colossus (body by Andre Tricoteux, voice by Stefan Kapičić) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), want me to join them. But I don't wanna. Francis decides to nab Vanessa to get to me. So I have to get their help.

And since you're reviewing the movie ... Deadpool out.

Yes, I am.

The movie prides itself as an anti-superhero movie. There is, of course, all the blood and language X-Men Origins never had. But we also have Deadpool break the fourth wall like it was never there. The opening credits give jokey descriptions to the cast and filmmakers (i.e. Stan Lee is "A Gratuitous Cameo"). There are also left-hooks delivered to Deadpool's portrayal in X-Men Origins. The metaphysical violence makes for the best laughs of the film.

Deadpool and his supporting characters are memorable. His first scene endears him to the audience as an honest, goofy anti-hero. He says he's not a hero, but his heart's in the right place. His relationship with Vanessa is endearing; Vanessa herself is much better than typical damsels in distress. His sidekicks are capable straight men to Deadpool's zany one. I just wish there was more of one of his non-mutant sidekicks, Blind Al (Leslie Uggams).

Director Tim Miller makes the most of $58 million. The visual effects are amazing for the budget, especially the opening shot, which travels along a spinning car with Deadpool and bad guys. The mutant powers are also nicely realized. The editing helps punctuate the action and humor. The fight scenes are exciting and tense. These elements help make it a fun movie.

Exercise caution if you take your kids to Deadpool. Or don't bring them at all. Those who come won't be disappointed. It's a much more memorable portrayal of the title character than last time. It's also much smarter and mature than advertisements might portray it. It stands with the best superhero films rather than on top of their smoking carcasses. And that's a good thing.

Hail, Caesar!

Joel and Ethan Coen won the Palme d'Or for their sendup of 1940's Hollywood, Barton Fink. Now they deal with Hollywood in the 1950's for their latest farce, Hail, Caesar! It's the kind of film you'll appreciate if you know your Hollywood history.

In 1951, Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) runs entertainment powerhouse Capitol Pictures. He's also a "fixer" who maintains his stars' good public images. He feels trapped in his job and life. So an offer to work at Lockheed seems tempting. But first, he has to manage his studio's latest biblical epic, Hail, Caesar!, which has a PR disaster looming. Its star, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), has been nabbed by a Communist cell called "The Future." And they want lots of cash.

Meanwhile, The Coens let us see what else Capitol Pictures has in the pipeline. A classy drama, Merrily We Dance, whose star, singing cowboy Hobie Doyle (Arden Ehrenreich), can't shake off his drawl. An Esther Williams-esque musical, whose star, DeeAnna Moran (Scarlet Johansson), is pregnant out of wedlock. And a Gene Kelly-esque musical starring Burt Gurney (Channing Tatum), a major player in Whitlock's plight. Mannix has to keep those productions running smoothly.

Whether or not you get the jokes depends on your knowledge of film history. The Communists count influential philosopher Herbert Marcuse (John Bluthal) as one of their members. Many of the characters are substitutes for real-life figures (or use their names). And the whole process of old time film-making gets skewered. That last part provides some accessible jokes, especially editor C.C. Calhoun's (Frances McDormand) near-fatal encounter with her Moviola.

The best part is the Coens' depiction of moviemaking. It's a highly-exaggerated process that makes one wonder how "The Dream Factory" made worthwhile products. One of Mannix's first scenes has him discuss Hail, Caesar! with religious leaders. They make themselves look foolish by arguing over the specifics of God and Christ and ... something. The in-film itself has odiously-exaggerated accents that would derail a modern epic. And they expect this to be their "prestige picture?" Meanwhile, Merrily We Dance has director Lorenz (Ralph Fiennes) deal with Doyle's miscasting. Those scenes provided the best in-universe outtakes of the film.

The Coens have a great crew to visualize old time Hollywood. Their longtime cinematographer, Roger Deakins, makes the films-within-a-film look authentic. Their equally longtime composer, Carter Burwell, provides another good score. Burwell also co-wrote a few songs, including Gurney's catchy dance number "No Dames." Jess Gonchor's production design gives us some nice sets within giant soundstages. And the costume designs by Mary Zophres give us plenty of elaborate 50's fashion. The most elaborate fashion comes from the Thacker Sisters (Tilda Swinton), twin take-offs of Hedda Hopper.

Hail, Caesar! is a lot more optimistic than Barton Fink. The latter film is about a screenwriter stuck in Hollywood purgatory by the end. Hail, Caesar! is about finding joy in what you do. It's a lot more optimistic than many of the Coens' filmography, especially their most recent works. But the Coens' farcical talents are still on display. The various subplots and cameos stall the plot a bit, but they all become useful at the end.

Even if the references fly over one's head, the cast and crew the world of old Hollywood feel authentic. So all in all, Hail, Caesar! is a goofy farce about Hollywood as it was. And it works on those terms. 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a small fortune must be in want of running shoes to get away from the undead.

Huh?

Seth Grahame-Smith rewrite of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, became an instant classic in 2009. Lionsgate had the foresight to buy the film rights that same year. But they couldn't get it off the ground right away.

Seven years later, the zombies have finally arrived in cinematic Regency England. And it's Sony's Screen Gems which distributes the end result (and Lionsgate in the UK). 

The undead have risen to conquer England. Mr. Bennet (Charles Dance) has his five daughters - Jane (Bella Heathcote), Elizabeth (Lily James), Mary (Millie Brady), Kitty (Suki Waterhouse) and Lydia (Ellie Bamber) - trained in the Shaolin Martial Arts to fight them. Meanwhile, rich folks like Catherine de Bourgh (Lena Headey) train in Japanese Martial Arts. And Mrs. Bennet (Sally Phillips) wants to get her girls to the altar right away.

A rich gentleman, Mr. Bingley (Douglas Booth), moves into a nearby manor. He and Jane develop feelings for each other. So do Elizabeth and Bingley's friend Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) - animosity. But they have to set aside their differences to fight the ever-growing horde of Zombies. There appears to be someone leading the undead into battle. Our heroes will have to find this man before doomsday comes.

Writer/Director Burr Steers moves the story along at a good pace for 108 minutes. Austen's classic story beats are still recognizable even with the walking dead around. The story elements Steers adds were pretty unique. My favorite story element was making most of the zombies sentient. This made them much more of a threat as they can now lure prey into a false sense of security before attacking. A few elements aren't fully developed but they didn't detract from the overall experience that much.

The cast has plenty of fine actors. James and Riley make for a great on-screen couple. Their characters are both prideful but they aren't unlikable. Them learning humility makes for an endearing arc. The other couple, Jane and Bingley, are likable right off the bat. Matt Smith has the best moments as the Bennets' cousin, the obnoxious Parson Collins. 

The fight scenes are pretty good. They would've been better if they didn't engage in rapid fire editing. The special effects were decent. There were explosions, creating London's own great wall and even zombievision. The opening scene had all-too obvious CGI but I forgave it because it was unnerving. But for the rest of the movie, they did their job quite well. I have no complaints about the production design, Julian Day's costumes or Fernando Velazquez's score. They did the best jobs to fuse Wuxia, Zombies and Austen into one package. 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies might annoy fans of Austen and Grahame-Smith with its liberties. But I didn't mind the changes. They at least kept me hooked as I wondered how the story would go. The action is as bloody as PG-13 ratings allow, but it's still bloody. So don't fear any zombie sanitation. It works as a martial arts film, a zombie film and a classic literature adaptation. And that's a good combination.

Youth

Paolo Sorrentino's previous film, The Great Beauty, won Italy its latest Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. His latest film is the English-language existential drama Youth. It's an odd character study that keeps the Fellini style alive into this century.

Fred Ballinger (Michael Caine) is a retired composer best known for his arias entitled the "Simple Songs". Mick Boyle (Harvey Keitel) is a still-working director in pre-production for his last film, his "Testament." They're on Holiday in an Alpine resort. Their personal lives come to ahead.

An Emmisary for Queen Elizabeth wishes to recruit Fred for a Birthday Concert for Prince Phillip. But Fred won't do it. Mick's son Julian (Ed Stoppard) was married to Fred's daughter, Lena (Rachel Weisz). But then Julian left her for pop star Paloma Faith (as herself). Lena is already on strained terms with her father.  Meanwhile, actor Jimmy Tree (Paul Dano) joins Fred and Mick on their outings as he prepares for his newest role: Hitler.

Luca Bigazzi's cinematography covers both the surreal and mundane. There's a running gag about a Buddhist monk who supposedly can levitate which pays off. A few dream sequences. Long takes (such as the first shot). And of course, the Swiss Alps in all their glory. It certainly delivers in the visuals.

The problem is that I don't know what to make of it. The first dream sequence, where the resort seemingly floods, I didn't question. But when Lena's marital woes are visualized in a music video, I felt like I was watching another movie. A scene with Lena and her new rock-climber boyfriend was ruined by awful green screen. The breakdown of aged starlet Brenda Morrel (Jane Fonda) was a bit unintentionally funny (going berserk on an airplane). The tone shifts in ways I never thought surreal films could do. And they put me off.

But the music was good. David Lang's score was memorable, the highlight being the now Oscar-nominated Simple Song #3. We hear the opening violin notes a few times before soprano Sumi Jo sings it in the end. The orchestration of that song is powerful and its lyrics are ... well, simple. But it tells a lot about Fred's current life.

Youth is obviously not for those who want conventional narratives. I recognize its themes, including lost youth and loneliness, but I didn't connect. The slow pace and especially the tone shifts were its greatest weakness. I'm sure people of a certain age will connect with its themes. And I hope they'll love it more than me.

Trumbo

I had the foresight to pick up a copy of Bruce Cook's biography Dalton Trumbo back in September, but lacked the motivation to read it. Somebody who did read it was screenwriter John McNamara, who used it as the basis for the biopic Trumbo.

In 1947, Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) is one of Hollywood's top screenwriters. He's also a member of the Communist Party, which gets him subpoenaed to HUAC. Trumbo gets thrown in Prison when he refuses to answer the Politically-Biased committee. The Hollywood Studios subsequently blacklist him and his friends for their beliefs.

But this doesn't stop Trumbo and co. from getting work. They subvert the system by using fronts and aliases on their future screenplays. Frank King (John Goodman), proud producer of Z-Movies, is Trumbo's chief employer. Two of Trumbo's screen stories, Roman Holiday and The Brave One, both win Academy Awards. His secret business puts a strain on his relationships, especially with his wife, Cleo (Diane Lane), and daughter Nikola (Elle Fanning). Gossip Maven Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) threatens to expose him. Trumbo's secret is just the answer to smash the blacklist.

The film doesn't really demonize HUAC and its cooperators. Those that renounce their friends, like Edward G. Robinson (Michael Stuhlbarg), do so under extreme duress, which earns them audience sympathy. John Wayne (David James Elliot), All-American he is, won't doubt Robinson's motives for testifying when Hopper does. They believe they're doing the right thing but are just stubborn about it. Hopper, the most underhanded of them all, is dumbstruck when the blacklist crumbles.

The screenplay's biggest problem is that it speeds through obstacles. The Motion Picture Alliance threatens boycotts and citizens show contempt for Trumbo and his fellow commies. But they don't do much other than rattle sabers. Trumbo and co. just profit by ignoring their threats. They're never in danger of even almost getting exposed.

Trumbo's greatest strength is its cast. Bryan Cranston as Trumbo makes for a likable rogue; his Communist beliefs are well-intentioned rather than malicious. His supporting cast includes great emotional support from Lane and Fanning, as well as Louis C.K. as a fellow blacklisted writer. Goodman also stands out as Frank King; his best scene was him chasing out one of Hopper's cronies with a bat. Helen Mirren makes for a fine villain as Hopper.

 Dean O'Gorman and Christian Berkel also stand out as Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger, whose hiring of Trumbo for their epic films Spartacus and Exodus, helped kill the blacklist. Berkel, in particular, turns the infamously authoritarian Preminger into awesome comic relief.

Trumbo is a well-meaning portrait of a film legend. Its script isn't perfect but the cast sure is. The look into a screenwriter's life makes this a fascinating watch for aspiring writers everywhere. It at least shows how much a screen credit means for people.

Kung Fu Panda 3

Kung Fu Panda 3 is probably the last film you'd expect to get released in January. And it originally wasn't: it was supposed to come out last month until Fox/Dreamworks realized that opening anywhere near Star Wars was financial suicide. Fortunately, Po is here to provide some quality for the month best known for sub-par releases.

Po the Panda (Jack Black) still defends China from the forces of evil. Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) retires and promotes Po to Kung Fu Master. His first day of teaching Kung Fu goes hilariously awry. And then a fellow Panda, Li Shan (Bryan Cranston), shows up. Po and Li Shan slowly catch on that they're father and son, while everyone else gets it right away. Meanwhile, Mr. Ping (James Hong), the goose who raised Po as his own son, doesn't like this development.

The evil warrior buffalo Kai (J. K. Simmons) comes back to life on a mission for chi (life force). He already defeated Shifu's Shifu Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) in the spirit realm and he's now hunting for the chi of China's Kung Fu Masters. Li Shan takes Po back to their Secret Panda Village to learn chi control. They'll have to do it quick, for Kai's and his army of "Jombies" (Jade Zombies) are coming closer.

This threequel keeps up the franchise's artistic standards. The animated cinematography and production design is just as grand as the previous two entries. The use of color, especially its use of green and gold, is striking. Its fight scenes mix humor and action quite well. And the character designs are all unique, even the Pandas'.

The characters themselves are adequate. The Kung Fu Panda himself is a delight, never obnoxious or crude. Po's antics are amusing, his endurance and determination are admirable. If they keep it up, the next few movies still won't get tiresome. Li Shan is just as fun-loving as his son and just as good. A new Panda, Mei Mei (Kate Hudson), speaks softly but with dialogue more suited for a "louder" actress. And Kai was a basic bad guy only redeemed by some backstory.

Hans Zimmer shared composer duties with John Powell in Parts 1 and 2. He now has sole duties this time around. His score complements the epicness of its visuals quite nicely. He even arranges two grand versions of Kung Fu Fighting, one of which is a Chinese translation!

Kung Fu Panda 3 feels like the end, even though Dreamworks wants to press on. Po's series-wide character arc is completed satisfactory. China's security is safe in his paws. Its only flaw were that its 95 minutes ran too fast, which deprived some characters of decent screen time. But that was a minor flaw in this animated epic. If the franchise continues, I hope that Dreamworks has a good plan for it.

The Revenant

Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu struck Oscar gold last year with Birdman, the fictional story of an actor's mental breakdown. He's mining again this year with The Revenant, the true story of frontiersman Hugh Glass.

In 1823, Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is part of a hunting party of fur trappers. An Arikara War Party is on their trail, suspecting them of abducting their chief's daughter. Morality and supplies are low on Glass's party after an Arikara attack. Captain Henry (Domhnall Gleeson) orders the party back to base. John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), a party member in it for the money, opposes the plan. He especially doesn't like Glass and his half-Pawnee son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck).

Glass soon picks the wrong Grizzly cubs to aim a rifle at. Their very angry mother rips him up before he kills her. Broken and bruised, he's left into the care of Fitzgerald, Hawk and Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) while the others go on ahead. Fitzgerald gets tired of waiting for Glass to naturally expire, so he decides to ditch him. When Hawk protests the plan, Fitzgerald kills him.

But Glass is very much alive. By shear force of will, he drags himself across the wilderness in search of Fitzgerald. It's not an easy process for him or the viewer.

The film relies on its visuals more than dialogue. Those visuals come courtesy of Emmanuel Lubezki, Oscar's reigning champ for cinematography for the last two years (and with this, possibly three). The wilderness is cold, bleak, and magnificent at the same time. The natural lighting does wonders to convey the film's dark mood. Lubezki's stock-in-trade long takes make the action scenes brutal and shocking.

The Grizzly attack is the primary reason why it has an Oscar nomination for visual effects, so let's give it a paragraph. A CGI bear inflecting realistic wounds on a real actor. Mama Bear's breath showing on camera. And for a final disgrace, Mama landing on Glass after both tumble down a hill. The whole scene lasts for about four minutes but you won't forget every bit.

The sound experience works too. The Oscar-nominated sound design adds to the movie's brutality. The opening Arikara attack, at one point, fades down the voices and sound effects to let Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto's haunting score take center stage. The Grizzly attack is punctuated by vicious thuds, roars and screams. And the aftermath of that scene? Mama's cubs moan for their dead Mama and we feel sad,

And what of the acting? DiCaprio makes for a convincing frontiersman. His body and spirit are broken, but he still soldiers on. Even when he gets his revenge, the last scene focuses on his eyes, as if he's wearily asking "now what?" Fitzgerald establishes himself from the beginning as a brutish, bigoted, greedy snake. As portrayed by Hardy, he's so easy to hate before he betrays Glass. And while Bridger had a hand in the desertion, he did so reluctantly and was remorseful, and he earns the audience's sympathy. Meanwhile, Captain Henry endears himself to the audience as the most upstanding man in the movie.

The Revenant's 156 minutes make it a tough sit on principle. You'll see blood and guts fly with non-stylized grace. It will disgust some and keep others away at an arm's pace. For better or worse, the imagery will stick with you long after the long movie ends. Its story is stretched out in places, I can tell, but its individual scenes kept me invested. Don't expect a simple walk in the woods. It's a dark epic movie, but an epic movie nonetheless.

Joy

I've had Joy on my schedule ever since its Christmas Day release. Or, I would have if I wasn't lazily putting it off every time I intended to see it. But I can't ignore it any longer. So here I go...

[After the movie ends...]

Why did I put this off?

Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) is Joy Mangano, though her full name is never said. Her ex-husband, Tony (Edgar Ramirez), lives in her basement. Her mother, Terri (Virgina Madsen), lives on her bed watching soap operas. Her father, Rudy (Robert DeNiro), is an obnoxiously blunt mechanic who's now romancing a rich widow. Her half-sister, Peggy, hates her guts. Only her grandmother, Mimi (Diane Ladd), her two kids, and her best friend Jackie, give her sanity.

Joy also has a gift for inventing. One day, she draws up the Miracle Mop with crayons. The aforementioned rich widow, Trudy (Isabella Rossellini), is her primary investor. Joy needs someone to sell her new invention. That's where Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper) and QVC come in.

Director David O. Russell opens the film as a quirky dysfunctional family comedy. This is established right away with scenes set in Terri's favorite soap opera, the main character of which is named Danica (Susan Lucci). The soap opera plays up the absurdity of its medium to a T. And even Joy herself has quirky nightmares in that world. But then the drama comes front in center. You'll miss the quirkiness when it's gone.

Jennifer Lawrence, as Joy, makes the film worth it. She's a strong-willed woman held back by the world. But she'll find a way to light her darkest moments. She knows what she's doing unlike the first QVC spokesman for her Miracle Mop. Her first time on QVC gives her convincing stage fright, but a good phone call gives her a boost. She is as real as her main source of inspiration.

The supporting cast also helps. There are several characters (Rudy, Peggy, Joy's manufacturers) that you'll come to hate right away. And some you'll get to love (Tony, Neil). The actors really sell you on their characters' personalities. Among the cameos, Melissa Rivers stands out as her mother, Joan. She gets the latter's accent down perfectly.

Production designer Judy Becker wonderfully recreates both suburbia and QVC headquarters. The latter, with its rotating set and all-white kitchen, makes it a unique place to work. One highlight is a local musical that Tony gets Joy to star in. The sets, along with Linus Sandgren's cinematography, turns the moment from their stage characters falling in love to them falling in love. It's just a fine moment. The four editors (one of whom is reigning Oscar champ Tom Cross) create a cohesive project that gets you in the right moods.

Joy itself says that it's "inspired by true stories of powerful women and one in particular." It may not be Mangano's true story, but it is a compelling story of a woman who stood her ground and won. You'll be rooting for her every step of the way.

Carol

Patricia Highsmith created The Talented Mr. Ripley and those murderous Strangers on a Train to mainstream success. Her second novel, The Price of Salt, was released to controversial success. And now, this defining work in Lesbian literature is visualized by director Todd Haynes' latest film, which names itself for one of its two leads: Carol.

Christmas season, 1952. Therese Belivert (Rooney Mara) is a department store shopgirl. One day, she does business with the alluring socialite Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett). Carol leaves her gloves behind, so Therese mails them back to her. That's when their relationship goes from business to personal. Very personal. Therese is unprepared for the emotion when Carol's soon to be ex-husband, Harge (Kyle Chandler), shows up.

Harge starts a custody battle for his and Carol's daughter, Rindy, using Carol's past affairs against her. So Carol invites Therese for a long road trip. They'll be OK as long as they have each other. As long as the world doesn't intrude on them...

The technical experience is one reason why Carol works. The world of 1950's New York is rendered in soft, elegant colors. It's the cinematic equivalent of a quiet date with soft music. The best part of it is that we see what Therese sees in Carol. Carol is simply beautiful and mysterious. The cinematography, costume design and makeup complete her alluring, upper class look. Carter Burwell's score adds to the romantic mood without overdoing it.

The acting is the other reason. Blanchett is perfect, as usual, playing Carol as both confident and vulnerable. Therese, as played by Mara, is less sure of herself but good-hearted. Their romantic chemistry is just as believable as the best "traditional" cinematic couples. Chandler's Harge is both a brutish bore and a desperate fool whose actions are unsympathetic and desperate. Abby (Sarah Paulson), Carol's ex-lover and still friend, sternly stands between Harge and the two lovers with ease.

Carol attracts Oscar attention with graceful subtlety instead of loud begging. That makes it the right kind of Oscar Bait. A casual moviegoer will experience a great cinematic love story. Its themes of romance and friendship will transcend any reservations about its "un-traditional" subject matter.

The Danish Girl

I've followed news on the production of The Danish Girl ever since it was first announced in 2009. Then, Tomas Alfredson was to direct intended producer Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron in the true life story of Lili Elbe. It wound up with Tom Hooper directing Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander in the most controversial film of their careers. So I'll have to word my review carefully.

It's 1926, and Gerda Wegener (Vikander) is an artist with a problem. Her friend, Ulla (Amber Heard), was supposed to model for her latest painting, but she ran late one day. So she asks her slender-framed husband, fellow artist Einar (Redmayne), to literally step into Ulla's shoes. This inspires Einar to try on more women's clothing. One day, Gerda lets Einar dress up as a woman named Lili. She thinks that letting Einar pose as his own cousine would be fun. But...

Einar gradually realizes that he, or rather she, was meant to be a woman. Gerda doesn't know what to make of it. The psychologists they see aren't sympathetic. But soon, Gerda realizes that letting her husband transition to Lili is the best thing for them. And there's a doctor who might help them.

(As this is based on a real person, some spoilers might be unavoidable.)

Lucinda Coxon's screenplay reworks David Ebershoff's fictionalized biography of Lili Elbe into feature form. It's a screenplay that favors text rather than subtext. We see that it's hard for Lili to transition, but not why. To give an example, Lili's first bit of romance with a man, Henrik (Ben Whishaw), causes her to become physically ill. I wish it explained why that was. It might have foreshadowed her death except that it didn't.

The casting of Redmayne, a cisgender man as a transgender woman, was criticized from day one. His performance is fine, but not perfect. As Einar, his enthusiasm is high and his near-permanent smile is wide. As Lili, his over-emotional performance becomes obvious. But we still empathize with Lili just the same. Lili's last scene, where she dies from surgery complications, but at peace with herself, is a powerful moment.

Vikander's performance is also tops. The movie is also about Gerda's struggles to accept her husband's transition. Her frustrations with the situation are born out of confusion, not hatred. She still loves Einar even when Lili takes over. And that's why she earns the audience's sympathy throughout the picture.

Hooper's crew helps out a lot. The production and costume designs, by Eve Stewart and Paco Delgado respectively, paint a pretty picture of 1920's Europe. The makeup team helps Redmayne cross the gender barrier with ease. The score by Alexandre Desplat is perfectly serene. Danny Cohen's cinematography is sometimes lambasted for putting actors off-centre, and he does it here too. But his best moments are the landscape shots. They're colored in a way that looks like a painter painted this movie.

The Danish Girl is an admirable movie. Its creative decisions might put off some people. But its story of a couple staying together in tough times is endearing. If this movie raises awareness of transgender issues, and makes people think seriously about them for a long time, then it did something right.

The Hateful Eight

Here without protest is Quentin Tarantino, delivering another quotable display of ultra-violence. This is The Hateful Eight, a film which internet pirates nearly killed when they leaked the screenplay. But it's now time for these characters to do some killing.

Years after the Civil War, bounty hunters Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) and John Ruth (Kurt Russell) deliver justice their ways. Warren prefers to shoot down outlaws where they stand, while Ruth prefers to let the hangman deal with his quarry. One day, they get on the same stagecoach together. Warren has three dead outlaws in his custody, while Ruth has Daisy Dommergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a live and very-bitter murderess. Their destination is the town of Red Rock, whose new sheriff, Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), also joins them.

A nasty blizzard forces them to seek shelter at a lodge called Minnie's Haberdashery. There, they meet Red Rock's hangman, Oswaldo (Tim Roth), a cowboy named Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), a Mexican named Bob (Demián Bichir), and an old general named Samford Sanders (Bruce Dern). Ruth doesn't want anyone to come between him and the $10,000 on Daisy's head. But it turns out somebody wants to do just that. Maybe more than one...

Tarantino, that old movie enthusiast, made his latest film into a roadshow presentation. Yes, the format made famous by such epic movies as Ben-Hur and The Sound of Music, is alive and well. The ultra wide, Ultra Panavision 70 cinematography by Robert Richardson results in truly epic shots of snow-covered Colorado. There's even an overture and intermission to push the film to a whopping 187 minutes. The overture and intermission are absent in the general release edition, which I saw, which runs a still massive 167 minutes.

There's a reason why the roadshow format died out: more and more of these films became long, expensive dullards. The Hateful Eight is long, but it's neither expensive ($44 million) nor dull. The cast brings life to their misanthropic, brutal characters. We even feel sorry for these pieces of work at certain points, such as when Ruth abuses Daisy (and he does that a lot). Their dialogue, even if it's a ten minute monologue, builds up the tension in every word. Their brutal deaths are shocking, sometimes quick, sometimes blackly humorous (how much blood can a man vomit when he drinks arsenic? a lot).

The aforementioned overture and intermission, along with the rest of the film's score, was by the revered Ennio Morricone. His dark, eerie themes are sure to remind one of his work on multiple spaghetti westerns and The Thing. It even uses unused tracks from the latter! The end result is a dark, moody score that fits the film's grand scale. It's another winner for the 87-year-old composer.

The Hateful Eight is not for people who are turned off by ultra violence, unapologetic displays of racism and sexism, and extreme movie lengths. If you can get past that, you'll find a suspenseful locked room mystery thriller. The screenplay and characters are sure to keep your eyes on the screen. Before you know it, the extreme length will go by quick.

The Big Short

I never expected an Oscar-material picture from director Adam McKay. Silly and enjoyable, maybe, but nothing that would get the Academy's attention. But here he is with The Big Short, a story of banks behaving badly. And it's ready for some Academy attention.

McKay and Charles Randolph reworked Michael Lewis's non-fiction book of the same name into their screenplay. A lot of names were changed to protect the innocent and not-so innocent. But the anger you'll feel when you see what happened is real.

In 2005, Michael Burry (Christian Bale) realizes the housing market is broken. Burry decides to bet against the housing market to get rich once the market goes bust. Meanwhile, a few investors discover Burry's plan. These include Mark Baum (Steve Carrell), Charlie Geller (John Magaro) and Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock), and the film's narrator, Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling). They all want to try their luck. It takes a matter of time before they realize that once they win, the world economy itself will go bust. 

It's far-more restrained than The Wolf of Wall Street, another film about corrupt money men, by a country mile. But that doesn't mean it's a typical Hollywood story. The characters, especially Vennett, constantly break the fourth wall to explain themselves. Vennett introduces random celebrity cameos (like Margot Robbie) as themselves to explain big banking terms. There are even diagrams. The humor may throw off people most of the time. But I found a few laughs (highlight: one character's monolgue, in English, after we were told he doesn't speak it). 

But this was one angry satire. All the exposition helps us realize how inept big banks were in managing themselves. They brag about their accomplishments with no remorse. One banker will gladly buy rapidly-declining stock from a soon-to-implode Bear Stearns. Almost none of these quacks went to prison. These idiots would be entertaining if not for the consequences. There is righteous rage waiting for them.

And editor Hank Corwin is there to build up that righteous rage. We may know what happened, but to see it unfold on-screen is like seeing it in real life. A great example is near the end with a seminar concurrent with the collapsing Bear Stearns. Text messages say it all: down, down, down. The archive footage the film uses paints a picture of the time period it came from. 

The Big Short is all about the evils and stupidity of greed. At the end, our protagonists don't feel like celebrating their successes (except for Vennett). Don't let Adam McKay's filmography turn you off. This film's message is worth listening to.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Revenge of the Sith promised that the Star Wars saga was complete. But that was before George Lucas handed the keys to his Galaxy to the Walt Disney Company. So now the story of the "galaxy far, far away" is back in The Force Awakens. And it is the film fans are looking for.

The Galactic Empire is long dead, but the new First Order is here to continue its dreams of Total Subjugation. The only thing in its way is the rebuilt Galactic Republic and its Resistance force. The First Order has the Starkiller Base, a super-duper successor to the Death Star and aren't afraid to use it. Meanwhile, its resident evil Jedi Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) has an incomplete map to the location of the recluse Luke Skywalker. He wants nothing more than to complete it.

Resistance Pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) had the last piece, but he gave it to his droid, BB-8, before Kylo Ren got him. Finn (John Boyega), a First Order Stormtrooper with a conscience, helps Poe escape. Finn gets separated from Poe on the desert planet Jakku. There, he meets BB-8 and a scavenger, Rey (Daisy Ridley), and escapes with them on the Millennium Falcon. When they meet Han Solo and Chewbacca, our heroes' jobs become much easier. Sort of.

Director J.J. Abrams went from one galaxy to this one and the results are spectacular. The new characters he introduces are destined to be franchise favorites. Their chemistry is entertaining and their personalities are excellent. The returning characters are sure to please the fans with their mere presence, even if some of them have mere presence.

The Force is strong with the crew. The visual effects don't overwhelm the screen like the prequel films often did. The creatures and places they create are part of the universe as much as the human actors. The action scenes are coherent and exciting. For every CGI advancement on-screen, there's proof that practical effects can do wonders (like an alien hippo!). The sound design combines old and new sounds seamlessly. And the always reliable John Williams is here to set these scenes to some rousing music.

The basic plot seems like a rehash of the first film. But it has enough twists to keep it from being a total rerun. The story works if you have the most basic familiarity with the older films. If not, the standard title crawl will bring you a bit up to speed. If there's one complaint I have, it's that the nature of Starkiller Base wasn't clear even after the exposition.

Overall, The Force Awakens moves along at a nicely paced 136 minutes. I was never bored once during the film. It's an exciting, well-written continuation to one of the greatest Space Operas ever made. It's sure to please both fans and newcomers alike. This was certainly worth the wait.

Room

No, not The Room. Room.

The first title is an infamous Independent F-Movie that inspired a book, The Disaster Artist, the film of which is in production now. The second is an Independent A-Movie by director Lenny Abrahamson and writer Emma Donoghue, who translated her own novel into cinematic terms.

All 5-year old Jack (Jacob Tremblay) knows is Room. That's where he and his Ma (Brie Larson) Joy live. That's where Old Nick (Sean Bridgers) brings them "Sunday Treats" like clothes and toys. That's where Jack sees TV, and sees things that seem imaginary to him. That's all he knows.

Old Nick is the pervert who snatched away Joy seven years ago. Jack came along two years later (you do the math). Room is Old Nick's garden shed. He tortures Joy every night, either in-person or not. Joy has a plan to get help and she needs Jack to pull it off. When Jack finally escapes, he's overwhelmed by the real world. But he gets used to it more than Joy.

The first half of the movie is within the freakishly claustrophobic confines of "Room." It's pretty normal when Joy and Jack are by themselves. But it's emotionally overwhelming when Old Nick shows up. He's such a scumbag that Room itself feels smaller when he's there.

It's not long before Jack and Joy find freedom. Jack's escape from Old Nick's pickup and the cops locating Joy from Jack's scant details was exhilarating (Stephen Rennicks' score helped a lot). Joy's father (William H. Macy) inability to acknowledge Jack as his grandson, for better or worse, was tense. Jack adjusting to the world was just nice. It gets sad when Joy can't do the same. All these mood swings and it's officially rated R for language?

Jack's narration makes the mood swings bearable. His naive viewpoint provides some needed comic relief. It's a miracle that Jack is actually well-adjusted, albeit stubborn, considering his upbringing. Joy earns the audience's empathy with her selflessness and intelligence. They feel like mother and son rather than actors playing mother and son. It's just that real.

Room is not an easy film to sit through. You can probably tell that from the premise alone. But its tone works because the dark scenes are followed by uplifting ones. The ending shows Jack and Joy leaving their past behind and hopping aboard the future. There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

In The Heart Of The Sea

JETHRO'S LOG

 DECEMBER 16th, 2015

The following is the account of the character, Jethro T. Cat. Not me, the author. 

So I'm walking out of the cineplex when an old-man comes up to me. "Call me Ishmael..." he says.

"I'll call you Ishmael if you call me a cab." I respond. "Because I need to get home from watching In The Heart Of The Sea yesterday."

"There was a ship, quoth he."quoth ... he.

Now you're quoting Coolridge.

Next thing I know, he takes my arm. "Unhand me, you grey beard loon!" I shout as I yank my arm away from him. I realize now I'm quoting Coolridge too. I proceed with the review.

FIRST PARAGRAPH

Director Ron Howard's sea-faring adventure In The Heart Of The Sea was supposed to come out back in March. But Warner Bros. decided to make it their December event movie. Why? I don't know. Let's see what I know about this movie.

PLOT

In the framing device, downtrodden Thomas Hickerson (Brendan Gleeson) reluctantly talks to author Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw). Melville has a whale of a tale to tell, one he calls Moby Dick. But he'd like to hear Hickerson's tale for more inspiration.

In 1820, the whaling ship Essex sets out for its latest voyage. The captain is George Pollard (Benjamin Walker), a stuck-up rich man. His first mate is Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), a humble farmer. Tom Hickerson (Tom Holland) is the cabin boy. They set out to fill 200 barrels of precious whale oil. When they reach the South Pacific, they find lots of moving targets. But they're really sitting ducks when they go for a certain White Whale. The Whale sinks their ship and leaves them stranded at sea.

What follows for the Essex crew is the worst three months of their lives. They starve, go insane and bicker. Meanwhile, the White Whale stalks them across the seas. Mr. Pollard and Mr. Chase have to co-operate if they want themselves and their crew to survive.

GOOD and BAD

The screenplay came from Nathaniel Philbrick's non-fiction book of the same name. It spends its first hour or so showing the "fine" details of whaling. It moves along quicker when Moby Dick shows up. The dramatic scenes give us plenty of characters who are mostly given little detail. That makes it hard to feel sad when they start dying. The tense relationship between Owen and George made the long parts watchable. But young Hickerson barely did much in the plot...

The chief attraction of the film is Moby Dick himself. His size is enormous but his temperament makes him terrifying. He stalks the crew even after he sinks the Essex and is so persistent that, for all we know, he might do the same to whatever ships pick them up. Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle captures his size perfectly, though the film's murky blue-yellow look might turn some off.

AND SO...

In The Heart Of The Sea is another well-meaning account of a fascinating subject. But its storytelling makes this voyage a slow boat ride to wherever. You might say its pace comes from its fidelity to fact, but it takes liberties with the facts too! But if you must see it, see it for the "real" Moby Dick. He may barely be in the movie, but Moby makes for an impressive movie monster.

EPILOGUE

And now if you excuse me, "Ishmael" is back.

Brooklyn

Last year, he translated Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild into cinematic form. Now, author Nick Hornby has done the same to Colm Tóibín's historical novel Brooklyn. As realized by director John Crowley, this is an engaging romantic story.

Around 1951, Eilis Lacey (Saorise Ronan) lives and works in her Irish town. Her sister Rose (Fiona Glascott) arranges for her to move to Brooklyn for a better job. She lives in a boarding house run by feisty Mrs. Kehoe (Julie Walters). But soon, Eilis starts missing her home and family. She then meets Tony (Emory Cohen), a good guy from an Italian-American family. They fall in love but are threatened with separation when home calls for Eilis.

That's the basic premise of the movie. And it works because of the characters. Especially so with Eilis. She's a hard-worker, but not exactly prepared for life away from home. The movie is all about her adjusting to life not just overseas, but in general.  The audience will like her every step of the way.

The supporting cast adds to the goodness. Mrs. Kehoe is hysterical and her other boarding house tennants are likable. Tony's brother Frankie was great comic relief. Crowley did right when he cast these roles. Everyone of them is a memorable character.

Crowley's crew helps visualize 1950's New York. Odile Dicks-Mireaux's costumes are eyecatching pastel designs. The photography by Yves Bélanger is just as pleasant as the sets and costumes. Speaking of sets, its depiction of Coney Island makes for an appealing promotion. The score by Michael Brooks sets the romantic mood well.

Brooklyn easily reminded me of An Education, which Hornby also wrote. Both are simple romantic stories told well by endearing characters. Seeing both protagonists wiser at the end was the payoff. When Brooklyn is done, you'll have gone through an endearing 112 minutes.

Spotlight

The 1994 movie Street Fighter is often dismissed as a dumb video game movie. In one scene, its character Dhalsim, paraphrasing Edmund Burke, said "when good men do nothing, that is evil enough." That phrase sums up half of why the Boston Archdiocese scandal was so devastating. That scandal is personified in Spotlight.

In 2001, the Boston Globe welcomes its new editor, Marty Baron. Its Spotlight investigative team is hard at work on its latest scoop. But Baron throws a new scoop on their desk. One of their other reporters covered the story of a Priest's unsavory activity across six parishes. Baron wants them to expand on the issue.

The members of the Spotlight team take up the scoop. They go through church records to find all the Priests on "sick leave." They interview the still-traumatized abuse victims and other involved persons. There were a lot of people who knew what was up but couldn't, or wouldn't, come forward. And it's Spotlight's job to illuminate their activities.

Director Tom McCarthy and his co-writer Josh Singer give the four Spotlight members their own part of the plot. Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) and Mike Rezendies (Mark Ruffalo) interview survivors while they struggle with their faith. Meanwhile, Rezendies struggles to get a hold of key documents. Matt O'Carroll finds himself a block away from the story. Walter Robinson (Michael Keaton) is the man holding them together. They all get decent screen-time and proper character development. Among the minor characters, Stanley Tucci as lawyer Mitch Garabedian stood out the most.

The screenplay will certainly outrage and darkly amuse you as the Church's transgressions come to light. You'll also pity those who couldn't come forward. It also humanizes certain people who wouldn't come forward. It also raises the issue that the crooked Priests were themselves abused. You'll definitely feel disappointment when the cycle of Karma Houdinis continues even after Team Spotlight exposes the scandal.

The technical crew also puts in equal effort. Production Designer Stephen H. Carter perfectly recreates the Boston Globe offices on screen. You wouldn't figure out that they were on a sound stage unless you were told. The music by Howard Shore is melancholic and memorable. The cinematography and editing, by Masanobu Takanayagi and Tom McCardle respectively, keep the serious mood going throughout its 129 minutes.

The end credits detail how many Church abuse scandals were exposed since Boston's. Let's just say there were a ton of them. Spotlight's focus is to remind people why they shouldn't stay silent when bad things happen. It was a very enlightening movie and worthy of the Oscar buzz it's receiving.

Creed

Sylvester Stallone's cinematic alter-ego, The Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa, has enjoyed a long cinematic life. Some might say it's been too long. But in his seventh round, Creed, he sits back and lets new talent call the shots. And it's a winner.

Adonis "Donnie" Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) is a desk worker by day and an underground boxer by night. Donnie is also the illegitimate son of boxing champ Apollo Creed, who died in the ring before he was born. He quits his day-job and heads to Philadelphia to go pro-boxing. His first and last choice for trainer is Rocky himself.

Old and weary, his friends and family either dead or estranged, Rocky doesn't want to get back in the ring. But Donnie's determination wins him over and soon, Rocky gets in his corner. Meanwhile, abrasive boxing champ Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew) is about to go to prison for assault. His managers want Ricky to have one last fight and they think the son of Creed will do. Donnie accepts the challenge. His father's shadow and Rocky's health threaten to derail Donnie.

Director Ryan Coogler goes 2-0 after his first film, Fruitvale Station. The story plays like an updated Rocky, even down to the conclusion. But the cast plays it out with sincerity. From Jordan's determined hero to Bellew's abrasive champ, the characters are well-rounded people. You'll understand and sympathize with them even if you wouldn't in other movies.

The boxing matches are intense and powerful. Although it's PG-13, the film gets downright brutal at fight time. They're masterfully edited by Claudia Castello & Michael P. Shawver, and shot great by cinematographer Maryse Alberti. The makeup effects adds to their impact. Ludwig Göransson's score makes great use of the franchise's signature theme, "Gonna Fly Now." The technical crew in Creed's corner was a great one.

The franchise that started with Rocky is in great hands now. Creed is a great boxing movie and a natural sequel for the Italian Stallion. If they keep the quality up in its own sequels, perhaps the filmmakers won't make moviegoers cringe at the thought of Creed 5 .... million!

The Good Dinosaur

As I previously stated, The Good Dinosaur was supposed to be Pixar's family event of Summer 2014. But it went back to the drawing board to revise its story, plot and even its cast. The end result is admirable even if the tone is questionable.

65 million years ago, a meteor zipped by Earth. The Dinosaurs went on with their lives. In the present day, Arlo the Apatosaur and his family run a good farm. Arlo wants to earn the right to put his paw-print on the family corn silo. He'll earn the right when he catches the "critter" eating their corn. He chickens out when he sees the critter, a feral human boy, and lets him escape. So Arlo is forced to join his Poppa Henry on a quest to find the thief, but a storm hits and Henry is washed away by the river.

Arlo's farm goes downhill without Henry around. When he next sees the thief, he chases him down to the river and they're both washed away. Far away from home, Arlo's only companion is the thief, who he doesn't like at first. But overtime, Arlo and "Spot" become best buds on a quest for survival.

Director Peter Sohn was brought in to replace Bob Petersen when the film stalled. He also voices the film's best bit-character: a weird Styracosaurus named Forrest Woodbush. The animals that rest on his horns are all amusing characters on their own. The film's best laugh is when Woodbush introduces one animal, but forgets her purpose for being there.

The animation department delivers on their Pixar quality. The cartoony characters can say as much with their eyes as they do with their mouths. That makes the Arlo and Spot interaction scenes easy to get behind. The digital scenery is some of the most photorealistic work Pixar's ever done. Woodbush's entrance, in which he appears camouflaged in a forest, is amazingly rendered. It's another artist's delight on-screen.

Unfortunately, the expressive animation gets too expressive when characters get hurt. It gets downright uncomfortable watching Arlo bruised, limping or getting conked on the head with rocks. On the writing side, the film goes from light-hearted to touching as Arlo and Spot bond. There's that scene where they trip out on berries ... weird. The film's physical antagonists, a trio of Pterosaurs, are so subdued and weird that they're frightening when they reveal their true colors. Inside Out knew what it wanted to be at least.

The Good Dinosaur is finally here after much uncertainty. It's not the best Pixar film, but it's an admirable effort that knows how to express itself. Just be prepared for a weird emotional roller-coaster.

The much anticipated short Sanjay's Super Team opens the feature. In it, a young Indian boy's love of American cartoons and his Hindi heritage culminate in a colorful daydream. It was an achievement of art design and made the feature worth it.