Well, it really isnt. For me it seems to play very, very safe. Zwick is known for directing action well (The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond); so going in I thought that he would be able to make the elements of the action stand out. While there are moments that do, overall it is really nothing special. Reacher is a character known for having above average skills when it comes to hand to hand combat. While he does use scenes where Reacher literally punches through a car window, he doesn't really go as far as I think he could have. While yes some of it does has to be believable to a point, but you have the ability and leeway to stretch it beyond normal action because that is essentially who the character of Jack Reacher is. While I think the actions scenes are only what makes this film watchable, there could have been a lot more done here.
The main problem I had with the film was the character of Turner. For me, I felt that Smulders did not fit the part at all (and I love her from How I Met Your Mother). While I think she has the ability to be an action star, due to her role in The Avengers, she just seems very out of place and uncomfortable here. There was very little chemistry between her and Cruise; which we were forced into believing in the beginning of the film through a series of phone calls between the two. I found it hard to care for her character because the film glossed over the backstory of who she was. We already know who Reacher is so why not spend some time establishing someone who turns out to be an asset for him? She seemed to deliver the lines very stiff and forced that it was hard not to be distracted by it. If the writers had given more time to delve into her backstory, than I think he character would have been a lot stronger and effective. One other aspect that I think sounds good on paper but does not transition over well to the screen is the character of Samantha. (SPOILERS TO FOLLOW) Samantha turns out to might actually be Reacher’s daughter. I like the idea of Reacher having someone that he has to care for, when throughout really his whole life he has been a loner. This is a good concept to bring in because it allows the audience to see a different side of him that we haven't seen essentially at all. He becomes more caring and compassionate. While that all seems fine to talk about, the transition to screen does not really work. While I do think that Yarosh had more chemistry with Cruise than Smulders, her character proves to be the typical trope of someone that gets in the way at the most costly of times. There really isn't all of a need for her character once she is introduced and as we follow her further throughout the film, she seems to only be there as an escape. While she ultimately becomes a part of the climactic moment, once that point came I really didn't care much for what was going on anymore. Bottom Line: The second installment for Jack Reacher doesn’t really compare to its predecessor.
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Here are a few other films that I have seen and rated. For some of the films I will write a brief sentence or so on what I thought. Reviewer: Pat Brennan  The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Rating: 3/4 Director: Tobe Hooper Writers: Tobe Hooper, Kim Henkel Cast: Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul. A Partain, William Vail, Teri McMinn, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow ——————————————–  Unfriended (2014) Rating: 2/4 Director: Levan Gabriadze Writer: Nelson Greaves Cast: Shelley Hennig, Moses Storm, Will Peltz, Renee Olstead, Jacob Wysocki, Heather Sossaman, Courtney Halverson - On paper this sounds like a dumb concept. An entire film taking place on a computer screen can be hard to accomplish. It is hard to keep the audience engaged for that long. But in the end, Unfriended is able to keep you entertained just enough, all while using technology that is very relevant to our lives today. For me the plot was what ultimately separated this film from being a game changer in the horror genre, to just an average horror film. It is the classic story of revenge that is be hard to relate to because all of the characters because are perceived as terrible people (even the girl who is seeking revenge from the dead). Even though the plot is pretty ridiculous, the idea of a horror film taking place all on a computer screen doesn't seem too far fetched now. ——————————————–  The Visit (2015) Rating: 3/4 Director: M. Night Shyamalan Writer: M. Night Shyamalan Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Kathryn Hahn, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie - For me, this is M. Night's comeback film. He is able to go back to his old roots in generating a thriller that keeps the audience questioning if what they are seeing is real. He brings back his classic idea of the twist at the end, which for me is his specialty. He is able to take the idea of found footage horror and blend it together within a family dynamic, which can make it more relatable to the audience. Although I still feel that his dialogue can be a little weak at times, he is able to get away from the big budgeted studio projects and get back to what made him a household name. ——————————————–  The Last Airbender (2010)
Rating: 1/4 Director: M. Night Shyamalan Writer: M. Night Shyamalan Cast: Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Shaun Toub, Aasif Mandvi, Cliff Curtis, Seychelle Gabriel - I don't even have to explain this one. ——————————————– 
What makes this documentary so shocking is how the police and journalists turned the story in the direction that they wanted it to go. The police were able to force the narratives that they wanted and charge whoever they suspected, without actually taking the precautionary steps. A major suspect who may have actually committed the crime, Rudy Guede, was simply brushed to the side. He was convicted of being an accomplice in the murders and sentenced for his crimes, but ultimately was never really talked about. For the journalists who covered the case, it didn't fit the narrative. “Foxy Knoxy” was the narrative and they just wanted that story. Pretty disturbing when you sit back and think about it. For the police and journalists, Amanda was the story no matter what facts or evidence were presented.
The police made it seem as though this type of murder could never happen in a small town in Italy. It could only happen in America. They were more worried about defending the honor of Italy, rather than defending the law. The main detective who is interviewed is very much set on the fact that Amanda and Raffaele did it. He bases his entire detective beliefs on being a version of Sherlock Holmes, investigating crimes as he would in novels. The wrong people were put on this case and whole thing was just mishandled from the very get go. What I think that this documentary does well is that it doesn't pick a side. It just states the facts and lays them out for you to decide what ultimately happened that fateful night. It perfectly shows that the media doesn't give a damn about anyone or anything; just the story. They will do anything to get a juicy story. It doesn't matter what happened or didn't happen. The lives effected will never be the same and they will never be able to escape this. Bottom Line: Is she guilty or innocent? Perhaps we may never know, but I think by the end of this documentary your own conclusion will leave you satisfied. 
What Burton is able to do to contrast the two different time periods works really well. When Jacob is in 2016, there is a very cold and blueish tint in the frame, which resembles Jacob perfectly. In his own time period, he has always felt out of place and that he didn't belong. He has always been seeking an adventure for as long as he can remember and until he finds one he will never be truly feel like himself. By having his world feel and look very cold, the audience is able to see why he seems out of place. When we switch over to the older time period (when we get to Miss Peregrine’s home) the image becomes a lot warmer and brighter. For me this was a great way to show that even though this is a completely new world for Jacob, he feels as though this is where he belongs.
For me, the problem lied within the last act. It did not seem to fit what we had been watching throughout the film up to that point. I don't want too spoil what happens but one thing I did want to mention is how Jacob eventually becomes the leader of the children, which seemed very out of place because he didn't know them for too long. The children seemed to look to him for the answers and to be the leader. Up to that point Jacob is still trying to figure out who he is. It just seemed too fast of a transition to me and too forced for Jacob’s character. I guess I just wanted to see more scenes between Jacob and the rest of the children to get his sense of connection with them and make the switch more relevant. With a run time of just over two hours it can be tough to keep the audience engaged for that long; especially with long dialogue scenes. However, I do feel those types of scenes are necessary to have in the middle of the film in order to establish a stronger connection between the characters. One other problem I had was that some of the acting and dialogue was just subpar. I didn't really fell that Asa Butterfield was the right choice for this role. He certainly looks the part of the outcast in this story, but I just wasn't buying him as the character. That isn't to say that I did not like any of the acting. Eva Green is fantastic as always and Ella Purnell really stood out for me as well. I guess I was just expecting more from Butterfield. And you are probably thinking, “well this is a fantasy film so how real can the dialogue really be?” True, but when some of the dialogue is overall very basic, it can be hard to see how this is different than anything we have seen before. Some of it felt forced in order to move the story forward. I did enjoy some parts though (especially the scene where Miss Peregrine reverses time back) which made the film entertaining at parts, but some of the scenes were just let down by the dialogue. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was just an overall disappointing film for me. With a great premise, great actors and being in the hands of Burton I was expecting this to be another classic experience from him. The film delves into the classic “coming of age” story, but seems to fall apart by the third act. Bottom Line: Die hard fans of Tim Burton’s work will probably enjoy this fairly well. But if you are looking for another classic film of his, this one just isn't there. Here are a few other films that I have seen and rated. For some of the films I will write a brief sentence or so on what I thought. Reviewer: Pat Brennan  Audrie & Daisy (2016) Rating: 3/4 Directors: Bonnie Cohen, Jon Shenk - Netflix's new eye-opening documentary follows two different stories of teenage sexual assault in high school. What I think the documentary does well is show the role that social media can portray when it comes to these types of cases. Even though these two teens were sexually assaulted at such a young age, it is still pretty insane to see how the communities react to the events. The documentary does try to compare the two situations of both Audrie and Daisy, but it still leaves you wanting to hear more of their stories. While I feel that the film should have been more centered around Daisy's story, I do believe that it does enough to garner a watch. ——————————————–  The BFG (2016) Rating: 3/4 Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Melissa Mathison Cast: Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall, Bill Hadar ——————————————–  Suicide Squad (2016) Rating: 2/4 Director: David Ayer Writer: David Ayer Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Jared Leto, Ike Barinholtz, David Harbour, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevigne, Joel Kinnaman, Scott Eastwood, Adam Beach, Karen Fukuhara - Looking back on Suicide Squad I feel as though I watched two different films. The first half introduces the characters in a creative way; showing us their backstories and how they came to be. The second half takes a weird shift in tone and does not really connect with the first half at all. This may have been due to the reshoots ordered by Warner Bros. to try and lighten up the film and make it have a more comedic tone. And trust me, it is very noticeable. The editing is just not good which seemed to downplay the story and the characters actions. The performances are solid (Robbie, Smith and Leto performing great as always), but it still just wasn't enough to make this memorable. Is it great? No. Is it entertaining? Somewhat. Warner Bros just need to get their act together. ——————————————–  Lady in the Water (2006)
Rating: 1.5/4 Director: M. Night Shyamalan Writer: M. Night Shyamalan Cast: Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeffrey Wright, Bob Balaban, Sarita Choudhury, M. Night Shyamalan, Freddy Rodriguez, Bill Irwin ——————————————– ***GREAT FILM*** 
Then comes D-day. Easily one of the greatest film sequences of all time and Spielberg directs the hell out of it. WWII veterans have even said that “they got everything right but the smell.” I feel like I do not need to go into too much detail here because words just wouldn't do it justice. What I love about it is at the end of this sequence, Spielberg decides to show us a montage of the dead in the most beautiful way that he can. “Yes it is. Quite a view….” Never have words meant more than in this moment. We hear Williams score come in again as we see the dead who have sacrificed everything. It is a view we will never get again and hope to never see again. I just feel it is a moment we all need and remember what those men gave their lives for. A beautiful and important moment in all of cinema.
As the film moves along we follow Captain Miller and his troops as they try and locate Private Ryan. Along the way, lives are lost within the group and the true effects of the war start to take its toll. What I think Spielberg does effectively, with help from the brilliant cinematography from Janusz Kaminski, is that he slowly starts to isolate each of the characters. Not so much that they are alone, just that he starts to break them up with both his staging and visuals. The scene after they attack a German outpost in a field is the beginning of the end for the group and Spielberg makes that very evident. After that moment, they are never the same and have slowly kind of drifted away from one another. Even though they come together to help dig the graves, the stress and toll of this mission has already reached its tipping point. Spielberg to me is one of the best at staging scenes and knowing where to move the characters. The final battle is a perfect example of this. As the battle rages on, we jump around from character to character and see that they are each separated from one another. Yes they are with other American soldiers, but those soldiers are not who they have been fighting with throughout the film. And as we come to find out, they will also die away from one another as well. And I think that I what is most important about this journey. Casualties will be lost in order for the greater good. Those that are lucky enough to survive have a chance to “earn this” or earn what is now given to them. A new life. Saving Private Ryan to me is not just a war film but really a reflection on a band of brothers. A group that sacrificed their lives so that others could live. Spielberg is able to craft a gripping and mesmerizing film that will hold up for generations to come. How this didn't win best picture is beyond me, but we can all agree that this will stand this test of time and that we will never see anything like this again. Bottom Line: What Spielberg has achieved here is nothing short of brilliant. One of the greatest directorial efforts and films of all time. Here are a few other films that I have seen and rated. For some of the films I will write a brief sentence or so on what I thought. Reviewer: Pat Brennan  The Color Purple (1985) Rating: 3/4 Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Menno Meyjes Cast: Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Willard E. Pugh, Akosua Busia, Deserta Jackson, Adolph Caesar ——————————————–  The Blair Witch Project (1999) Rating: 3/4 Directors: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez Writers: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez Cast: Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams - Said to be the grandfather of found footage horror films, The Blair Witch Project was certainly a game changer in the industry at the time of its release. What I feel makes this film so effective is that the audience never actually sees the witch. We hear terrifying noises and disturbing images that only place the fear further inside of us. Not being able to see what is happening to the characters brings us to the fear of the unknown. It is scary to see what is making the noise, but it is even more frightening to not see what is making the noise. ——————————————–  The Terminal (2004) Rating: 3/4 Director: Steven Spielberg Writers: Sacha Gervasi, Jeff Nathanson Cast: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci, Zoe Saldana, Chi McBride, Diego Luna, Barry Shabaka Henley, Kumar Pallana - Steven Spielberg's The Terminal touches on the idea of immigration. Tom Hanks plays Victor, a man stuck in an airport with no valid passport and no country to call home. I think this film can very much relate with what is happening in the world today. Yes there is a love story aspect to it, but it touches on certain social issues that deal with identity and where one comes from. Too often we judge people by how they look or where they grew up and not actually see the person that they are. Victor falls straight into that category. At first people just think he is another person lost in a sea of many. Once we pull back the curtain and see what he represents as a human being, we get to Victor for who he truly is. ——————————————–  Cafe Society (2016)
Rating: 2.5/4 Director: Woody Allen Writers: Woody Allen Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, Blake Lively, Sheryl Lee, Richard Portnow, Jeannie Berlin ——————————————– Here are a few other films that I have seen and rated. For some of the films I will write a brief sentence or so on what I thought. Reviewer: Pat Brennan  War Horse (2011) Rating: 3.5/4 Director: Steven Spielberg Writers: Lee Hall, Richard Curtis Cast: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Tom Huddleston, Niels Arestrup, Benedict Cumberbatch, Celine Buckens, Toby Kebbell - Steven Spielberg's WWI film is not merely just a war film, but rather an exploration between man and nature. Throughout the film we follow a horse named Joey as he passes through many different lives while the war rages through Europe. What Spielberg is able to do is allow Joey to be the main character of the film. Even though horses cannot speak, we get the sense that this horse has a lot to say. We see the effects that war has not only on humans, but on nature as well. War can change the landscape of not only a country, but most certainly life and Spielberg certainly succeeds in doing just that. Joey truly is a "miraculous kind of a horse". ——————————————–  Pete's Dragon (2016) Rating: 3/4 Director: David Lowery Writers: David Lowery, Toby Halbrooks Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley, Oona Laurence, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban - Pete's Dragon is a solid remake of the 1977 classic Disney feature that brings back the feeling of what it was like to go to the movies as a kid again. At least that is what I felt while watching it. I think that is what Lowery was going for when he made this. A straight forward kids movie that doesn't have to take itself too seriously. I fairly enjoyed the performances and thought the relationship between Pete and his dragon Elliot can relate to say someone having a dog and feeling a strong connection towards them. Lowery is able to take an overall decent script and make it something for a whole new generation to enjoy. ——————————————–  1941 (1979) Rating: 2/4 Director: Steven Spielberg Writers: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale Cast: Dan Aykroyd, Ned Beatty, John Belushi, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Christopher Lee, Tim Matheson, Treat Williams, Toshiro Mifune ——————————————–  Don't Breathe (2016)
Rating: 2.5/4 Director: Fede Alvarez Writers: Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues Cast: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto - I have to say, I was a little disappointed in the outcome of this film. After hearing some many good things about it, I went in with high expectations and was somewhat let down. Alvarez does succeed in giving the audience the sense that these characters are unable to escape the house that they are trapped in. The performances are strong, mainly from Levy and Lang, which are able to keep the audience engaged and on the edge of their seats. I think the third act is where I started to become disconnected with the film but it is overall a decent thriller that most will probably enjoy. ——————————————– 
The surrounding characters are fine in their own ways. Most notably Eckhart (playing the co-pilot Skiles) who has solid chemistry with Hanks and they both seem to work well off of each other. Linney is limited in her role as the wife of Hanks. We never really get to see her interact with anyone besides over the phone, which somewhat takes us away from her character. Not that that is a bad thing. It just limits us to what we get of her and the feelings of what her character is going through. However, this film is about Sully and how he deals with the aftermath of this event. Everyone else is just along for the ride.
What I really enjoyed about this film is that Eastwood and Komarnicki give us different scenarios of what could have happened instead of the emergency water landing. Played back through visions and dreams, we get to experience with Sully and see how he is coping with what could have happened during that testing flight. I think that is what is the most important here to analyze. Sully seems to be struggling with the idea of “did I screw up even though everyone survived?” or “did I make the right call?”. Even though everyone is safe and no lives were lost, the media storm and the FAA push Sully into thinking that he caused this. That is where this film is at its strongest and most effective. Eastwood re-teams with his longtime cinematographer, Tom Stern, to create a sense of unease and often times loneliness within the frame. Hanks often seems to be shot alone, which makes sense for his character. He at times is alone in his decision making and even though various characters have his back throughout the film, he is the one who will ultimately be judged. During the crash scene, Stern and Eastwood are able to put us in an atmosphere of a cold and slow panic. This event did happen in January and it is certainly felt when watching it. You can feel the cold and panic throughout the various passengers, who have no idea what to do as the plane slowly starts to sink into the freezing cold water. Great job on both of their ends. There were a couple of things in the film that I did have problems with though. There is the character of an Air Traffic Controller that seems to be very forced and has questionable actions that kind of come out of nowhere. The whole sequence of his character took me out of the film. I think it could have been more effective had we heard him and not seen him. Another thing that I seemed to be struggling with was that I kept wanting the film to take that extra step and it just didn’t. It does kind of end abruptly leaving you wondering if they had more scenes that were just taken out. There are weak moments in the film with dialogue and certain side characters (again with the Air Traffic Controller), which may have kept it from taking that extra step for me. The overall script often at times can seem to be very basic and predictable which can hold the audience back of seeing something great. What I am saying is that since you already know what happens, it can take away from the overall feeling of suspense of what is going to happen. Bottom Line: Is this Oscar worthy? Probably not. But, Eastwood and his team are able to able to create an overall solid film that I think most would enjoy. ***GREAT FILM*** 
The main plot of the film revolves around Kubo going on a quest to find a magical suit of armor in order to stop the evil forces that are hunting him down. It is overall a fairly simple plot to follow. He is joined by Monkey (Theron) and Beetle (McConaughey) who each guide Kubo and shape the journey that he is on in really a beautiful way. Monkey and Beetle are able to play well off of each other and provide some great comedic relief, as well as moments that will for sure put a smile on your face. The Sisters (Mara), who are hunting down Kubo, bring the tension and darkness that can sometimes scare us and always seem to be chasing us. Even though the story on the outside seems simple, it is done with complete perfection that you are still in a state of admiration.
For me this film almost seemed like it an entire dream sequence. We know that Kubo is a great storyteller and has a gifted imagination, so why wouldn't this be just another one of his stories. And I think that’s what makes the film so great. We are able to have these memories and stories of different events in our lives, whether it be people or places, that we can go on these journeys and seem to be almost living through those events. We can create a journey with those memories and always have them near and dear to our hearts. That seems to be the overall message that Kubo and the Two Strings is trying to say. We accept life and death but we never have to forget. Even though we lose those that we love, they will always live in the memories and stories that we continue to tell of them. Kubo is that story that we can all relate to. Bottom line: With gorgeous animation and a beautifully crafted story, Kubo and the Two Strings further proves why Laika is the company to bet on. Excellent. 
Having been adapted to film before (the 1967 Disney animated film being the most popular) it is safe to say that most people have heard of The Jungle Book. The plot of this new film is basically the same as the animated classic. Mowgli (Sethi), is forced to leave his home when the tiger, Shere Khan (Elba), makes a threat on his life. As he journeys throughout the jungle, Mowgli searches for is truth path in life along with the help of a few friends Baloo (Murray) and Bagheera (Kinglsey). Drawing along those same elements as the original animated classic, the film is able to once again adapt on the main theme of self-discovery. Ultimately this is a story about finding ones self and ones true path in life. Mowgli’s path to self-discovery is filled with many obstacles, but it is with the help of some friends that he is able to overcome them.
The one thing that I did want to mention was how great the casting was. This is Neel Sethi’s first film and he did remarkable job. Being the only one physically acting on the screen is one thing. Having it be your first role is another. He clearly shows that he is able to carry the film and will certainly have a long career in front of him. Elba is casted perfect as Shere Khan. Every time he speaks, you truly are frightened at the sheer power his voice can achieve. A perfect casting. Everyone else is great as usual, with Murray being a standout as the comedic relief and Kinglsey fitting in nicely as the father figure. Two moments in the film really stood out for me. The first being the scene with Kaa, voiced to perfection by Scarlett Johansson. Even though I felt her character could have used more screen time, it didn't take away from the power she had while she was on screen. I felt as though she was not only inside Mowgli’s head, but mine as well. The second scene was the encounter with King Louie, voiced by Christopher Walken. He does a remarkable job at bringing a new take to this character and making the audience afraid of his every word. A visual grand scene that will certainly excite audiences. Just an all around great casting job. Bottom Line: The Jungle Book is a visually beautiful film that allows audiences to once again enjoy this classic tale. As I start the blog back up, I thought I would give my top 10 of last year. It was pretty hard to narrow down the list and put them in order but here is what I thought. I will be talking about each of these films later on. (I also put some honorable mentions at the bottom) 10. Brooklyn  9. Sicario  8. Spotlight  7. Room  6. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens  5. Inside Out  4. Steve Jobs  3. The Revenant  2. Ex Machina  1. Mad Max: Fury Road  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mentions:
- The Hateful Eight - The Martian - The Big Short - Creed - Trumbo Here are a few other films that I have seen and rated. For some of the films I will write a brief sentence or so on what I thought. Reviewer: Pat Brennan  Ted (2012) Rating: 3/4 Director: Seth MacFarlane Writers: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, Wellesley Wild Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale, Giovanni Ribisi, Patrick Waterburn, Jessica Barth - Ted tells the story of a childhood teddy bear that comes to life through the wish of a little boy. As they grow up together, John Bennett (Wahlberg) and Ted (MacFarlane) have their friendship tested when Lori (Kunis) wants more from John in their relationship, instead of him hanging out with Ted all the time and smoking weed. Now I particularly like MacFarlane's type of humor from "Family Guy", so I think this film is pretty funny (though I haven't seen A Million Ways to Die in the West). MacFarlane does a good job at creating a strong dynamic between both himself and Wahlberg through his humor. The writing makes the relationship between the two believable, even though you still take a step back and think "I am watching a film about a teddy bear who comes to life and ends up smoking weed all day". The concept in itself is pretty damn funny. If you haven't seen this film, or don't particularly like MacFarlane's type of humor, I would still recommend giving this a shot because overall it is one of the better comedies I have seen in quite sometime. ——————————————–  Happy Valley (2014) Rating: 3/4 Director: Amir Bar-Lev Writer: Amir Bar-Lev ——————————————–  The Duff (2015) Rating: 1.5/4 Director: Ari Sandel Writer: Josh A. Cagan Cast: Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Bianca A. Santos, Skyler Samuels, Romany Malco, Nick Eversman, Ken Jeong, Allison Janney - The Duff tells the story of Bianca (Whitman), a high school senior who is seen around the school as the "Designated Ugly Fat Friend" (aka. The Duff). Throughout the course of the film, Bianca tries to separate herself from the label put on her and makes herself standout amongst the school. I kind of went into this film seeing at as sort of a tribute to Mean Girls, and it is in a way. That is what must have been the problem for me. It was hard to separate this from Mean Girls because it was trying so hard to be on the same level. The Duff is something that we have witnessed time and time again, so it is hard to see it as being rememberable. The acting isn't at fault but I think with a weak script and cliche and predictable moments, it is easy to see where this film falls flat. ——————————————–  Casting By (2012)
Rating: 3/4 Director: Tom Donahue Cast: Marion Dougherty, Woody Allen, Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, Ned Beatty, Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood, Danny Glover, Robert Duvall, Mel Gibson, Diane Lane, John Lithgow, Ellen Lewis ——————————————–  NBC's Hannibal is truly a risk for a network show. It stretches the boundaries between what can be seen as going too far when it comes to network programming. Even though the third season of the show (currently airing) will be the last, it does not take away from how captivating this series has been. Hugh Dancy plays Will Graham, an FBI criminal profiler who is able to go into the mind of a serial killer and become one with them. Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played brilliantly by Mads Mikkelsen, develops a strong relationship with Will and helps him control the emotions that illuminate from his mind to shape the person that he is becoming. The chemistry between both Dancy and Mikkelson is so strong and fascinating that it is hard not to want them to succeed in their friendship. Rounding out the rest of the ensemble are Caroline Dhavernas, Hettienne Park, Scott Thompson, Aaron Abrams, Gillian Anderson, and Laurence Fishburne. I do give NBC a lot of credit for giving this superb show three seasons. It is not easy to do with this sort of subject matter and they have given this show the life that it deserves. Each episode looks and feels like a painting, that could be digested and discussed for hours on end. The cinematography is some of the best I have ever seen for a TV series and probably will be for quite sometime. From the incredible acting, to the fantastic writing, Hannibal is a series that has been overlooked for too long, which it should not be because this is, in my opinion, one of the defining series of all time. It is truly a masterpiece. Fair warning: there is a lot of blood and gore so be prepared.   With the second season of this hit HBO anthology series well underway, it is time to pay nod to one of the best TV series to come around in a while. True Detective has become a groundbreaking detective drama that has continued to captivate audiences week after week. Originally planned to just be a mini-series, the show became so popular that HBO asked writer/creator Nic Pizzolatto to adapt it into an anthology series where each season is a different story with different characters. The series has been able to obtain some of the more popular actors today, like Woody Harrelson, Matthew McConaughey, Michelle Monaghan, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Vince Vaughn, and Taylor Kitsch. The first season (which stared McConaughey, Harrelson, and Monaghan) took place over a 17 year span in New Orleans. McConaughey and Harrelson played detectives in a serial murder which took them on almost a two decade case that had both both of the characters lives tested. The new season (which stars Farrell, Vaughn, McAdams, and Kitsch) takes place in California, where the lives of three police offers and a career criminal are also tested when the murder of a city manager is uncovered. As the second season slowly starts to unfold, it will be interesting to see how Pizzolatto creates an entirely new environment with new characters and be able to keep the audience guessing. In my opinion, it is hard to compare this to the first season because it is an entirely different piece of material with different characters and a new story. The first season was a masterpiece, so it will be hard for Pizzolatto to return back to that. With that being said, it would be a crime (no pun intended) not to watch this series because it is cutting-edge television.  |
Authors:Pat Brennan: Recent Film grad from Temple University with a love for all aspects of film. David Fincher for life. Archives:
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