With an excellent cast in Jonah Hill (Finkel), James Franco (Longo) and Felicity Jones (Jill), it was pretty easy for me to be intrigued by this drama. All three have proven over the years that they have the ability to give fantastic performances and going into this film I thought this could be another home-run for each of them. Needless to say, I was disappointed in the outcome. For me, the acting throughout seemed quite forced and did not often fit the scenes. I think the main problem I had, was that I had a hard time believing Jonah Hill as he was portraying Mike Finkel. Now I am not saying he did a bad job or his acting was terrible, it is just for me he did not seem to dive deep into who Finkel was. I had a hard time caring for what was happening to his character and just overall had a hard time trying to relate to the things he was going through. Felicity Jones, to me, was completely underutilized. Her character of Jill often seemed completely forced in order to create some sort of conflict, whether it being with Finkel or when she randomly started to talk to Longo. Her interactions with Longo seemed to strictly be in there in order to advance what was happening and did not fit the story at all.
For me the standout performance in the film was James Franco. His portrayal of Christian Longo gave me this sense of unease and had me questioning what his real motives were. He kept you guessing as to what really happened that night his family was killed and drew you in to show how he can change your opinion on Longo as the film moves along. He kept the story flowing smoothly and I continued to want to see more of his character to try and understand who he was as a person. There are good moments in the film that do make it worth seeing. Masanobu Takayanagi provides beautiful cinematography throughout. The opening shots of the film completely drew me in and reminded me of the look Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners had. The story itself is also intriguing enough to keep you tied into the plot to see the ultimate outcome of each character. True Story is not a bad movie in any sense, it just had the potential to be a great film and for me it started off strong then slowly started to fall flat.
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Probably one of the most underrated shows on television, Archer blends the idea of a James Bond like secret agent with hilarious humor, which pokes fun at the idea of being a part of a government agency. With having just recently rapped its' sixth season, Archer continues to stride towards the top as one of the best comedic shows on television. Each character is written perfectly for their roles (Krieger to me is the standout supporting character) and each fit in perfectly with the smart writing and hilarious dialogue.
With an excellent voice cast that features H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash, Chris Parnell, Jessica Walter, Aisha Tyler, Adam Reed, and Lucky Yates, Archer is able to hit all angles of comedy and continues to rise each and every season. I highly recommend checking this show out (past seasons are on Netflix) because it is a show that tries not to take itself too seriously, while at the same time focusing on issues taking place in the world (i.e. tensions with Russia). Trust me, you will not be disappointed with this show. ***GREAT FILM***
which doubles as a research facility, secluded high in the mountains where there is almost no human contact. By shooting almost the entire film in one location, it can be hard to create a compelling story. Garland is able to go above and beyond that to create an environment that blends Sci-fi with reality. By creating that strong environment and allowing the story to unfold before the audience, Garland is able to place the audience at the center of the story themselves to test the robot and change the way that Sci-fi films can ultimately be looked at.
One major element for a story like this to be successful is the acting. If the acting does not seem right or feels out of place, than the story will feel disconnected. The three main leads are perfectly chosen for their roles. Gleeson plays, Caleb, who was sent there to test the A.I., Ava. What separates him from the other characters is that he is essentially an audience member. He too has no idea what is going to happen next. Gleeson is able to express his character’s emotions through his facial expressions (especially in his eyes), which in turn reflects back on how the audience is viewing Ava. We see him feeling more and more connected to Ava which in turn causes us to become more connected with her. Vikander plays Ava, the A.I. created to change the world, and in my opinion gives the best performance of the film. What makes this the best performance is the fact that there are moments when we cannot separate her from either being a robot or a human. By not being able to separate her from who she really is, shows the depth that Vikander is able to achieve in making the audience almost love Ava. We in turn want her to become part of our world. That brings us to Oscar Isaac who always gives a phenomenal performance no matter what he is in. By playing Nathan, the “villain” in the film, he is able to express his emotions in a physical and intimidating manner. Whenever he is on screen, you almost feel uncomfortable watching him and never know if he is going to snap or not. By giving the audience this sense of confusion and unease he is able to make you question who he is all together. With these amazing performances, along with beautiful cinematography by Rob Hardy and an excellent score from Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, Garland is able to bring all of these elements together to create a Sci-fi masterpiece. By bringing us into a world that seems like reality, he is able to tell a story of not only love and understanding, but also a glimpse into possibly the future of the human race. By allowing the audience to test Ava, we are able to place her in reality and see her as one of us. ——————————————–——————————————–——————————————– An Audience Perspective (Mike Welsch): How many times have you checked Facebook today? Instagram? Twitter? Snapchat? If you are anything like me then I would suspect the answer to be similar: too many times already. There is no denying that technology has and continues to progress at an exponential rate, not only from a technical perspective, but socially as well. From iPhones to MRI machines, technology has sparked a worldly evolution within the past decade that will change the way humans think, interact, and communicate for the remainder of our species' existence. We are creatures drawn to creation and innovation, enthralled by discovery and the unknown, and possessed with intelligence. We have always asked ourselves how we can reach that next technological breakthrough and such has instigated our culture of ignorance to the real question: at what cost do we reach it? Ex Machina paints a vivid and disturbing picture of Man's obsession with advancement and the role that artificial intelligence plays in the evolution of our species. The film dances around a key theme to the story: what is alive? Does being alive mean being able to speak and to communicate? Does it mean being able to feel and sense pain? Perhaps it means being able to employ logic? Or to know fear? Empathy? Love? I say the film is disturbing because it forces us to dissect what makes us human and what truly makes us alive. The film's primary specimen of artificial intelligence, Ava, may be made of glass and metal hardware functioning by means of computer logic and electrical circuitry, but what if "she" can do and feel the things mentioned above? At what point does something meet the requirements for what it means to be alive and conscious? It is oddly fascinating as well as terrifying to consider the possibility that we as a species have reached a technological level in our intellect that allows us to mimic, or otherwise create, a functioning replica of a human being. "To erase the line between man and machine is to obscure the line between men and gods." There is plenty of speculation regarding the current progress of artificial intelligence as it exists in today's world, but the very concept alone signifies that we are indeed striving for the power of gods. And when we finally realize that power and create a machine that thinks and talks and feels...where will human beings fall on the evolutionary scale? 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 A Serious Man (2009) Rating: 3/4 Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen Writers: Joel & Ethan Coen Cast: Michael Stuhlburg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Sari Lennick, Aaron Wolff ——————————————– Saving Mr. Banks (2013) Rating: 3/4 Director: John Lee Hancock Writers: Kelly Marcel & Sue Smith Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Whitford, B.J. Novak, Jason Schwartzman - Probably one of the more underrated films of 2013, Saving Mr. Banks is not just any old Disney film. This film explores the relationship between P.L. Travers and Walt Disney as they work together in order to adapt the story of Mary Poppins into a feature film. When I decided to watch this I thought it was just going to be a musical about the background of Mary Poppins and more of a glamorized version of the behind the scenes at Disney. It is safe to say, that I was completely wrong. This film has deeper themes and issues that can relate to almost everyone. By exploring the childhood of P.L. Travers and contrasting it with the person that she has become, it shows how she is not easily able to just give away the story she has created. By exploring the effects of alcoholism and the idea of having to become an adult at such a young age, Hancock is able to show how Disney films can become something more than just glitz and glamor. I highly recommend checking this one out. ——————————————– Divergent (2014) Rating: 2/4 Director: Neil Burger Writers: Evan Daugherty & Vanessa Taylor Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Kate Winslet, Jai Courtney, Miles Teller, Andel Elgort, Maggie Q - This is another one of those teenage post-apocalyptic films that seems to come twice a year. This film had potential from the start as it established the characters well and explored the world that it was trying to create, so that we as the audience became familiar with the path that the characters were going to take. After about 20 minutes or so, the film seemed to fall apart. I would say that the overall main problem was the editing. I just felt that action sequences did not fit right and would cut at moments that did not seem necessary. With a rushed story and a very predictable plot, Divergent is just one of those stories that we have seen over and over again. ——————————————– That Awkward Moment (2014)
Rating: 2/4 Director: Tom Gormican Writer: Tom Gormican Cast: Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Imogen Poots, Mackenzie Davis, Jessica Lucas ——————————————– ***GREAT FILM***
Death. That is the underlying theme that the Coen's are trying to express. Death is everywhere and it is the most evil thing of all. The one moment in the film that I wanted to examine in particular is the ending because I feel that this sums up what has just been shown to us. The Coen's always have a way of making you think during the final scene and in this moment in particular, they exceed in doing that extremely well. Below is the final scene in the film. I MUST CAUTION IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS FILM DO NOT WATCH THE CLIP AND STOP READING THIS REVIEW NOW. Instead go and watch the film. Here is the clip: This is my interpretation of this memorable scene above. The first dream he is talking about represents the values that his father had taught him throughout his life. He can't really seem to remember the dream. The roles are switched where he is the older man, while his father is the younger man. "He gave me some money.....I think I lost it". This simple sentence represents not just losing money, but losing the values that his father had taught him. His father is younger than he is but is still much older and wiser in the sense that he obtains those older values.
In the second dream, both he and his father are back in "older times", meaning that they are back at a time where evil was not as strong or present in society. He was going through a pass in the mountains at night by himself; darkness all around him. Cold and alone. His father would ride past him with his head down not saying anything to him or acknowledging him at all. His father was carrying fire with him, which represents the warmth and light of hope in a place full of darkness. Hope for the future. Hope that the evil in the world would not always win and would be destroyed by that beacon of light. His father was going ahead to secure a path that would enable his son to get there and one day join him in a place where there was no evil (Anton's actions throughout the film would represent the evil he is talking about). He would make a fire out in the dark and cold world and wait. Wait for his son to join him when he dies himself. A clock can be heard ticking towards the end of his explanation of this second dream. This is his mind giving a countdown until ultimately he can join his father in the afterlife, away from all this evil. And then, he wakes up. To me this is one of the greatest endings in cinematic history. Not only does it sum up the story in a sense, but it also tells the audience how evil has escalated over the years and continues to become more and more aggressive with each passing generation. Anton's actions of killing Moss, as well as many others throughout the film, show how evil continues to rise and progress and become stronger and stronger. His sense of hope being there with his father, and the light to guide him, will never be present in his world. It will only be in the afterlife. No Country for Old Men is easily in my top ten films ever made. It draws on the theme of death and the effects it has on the human mind. There is no changing the fact that there will always be evil in the world. It is just a matter of how to try and stop that evil from taking over. The film is also shot by, in my opinion the greatest cinematographer of all time Roger Deakins, who often gets greatly overlooked by the work he has done. He helps create that empty environment that gives the story its character. The emptiness becomes the character that drives the story and sets the dark, somber tone and setting for the film. If you haven't yet had a chance to watch this masterpiece of a film, you are certainly missing out. Please go and check it out. You will not be disappointed. 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 True Grit (2010) Rating: 3.5/4 Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen Writers: Joel & Ethan Coen Cast: Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin - An excellent remake from the 1969 John Wayne classic, the Coen Brothers are able to adapted that story into a modern day western masterpiece. What made this movie stand out above all else, was the acting. Jeff Bridges leads a superb cast that features Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Hailee Steinfeld (her breakout role). They are able to create an environment of dismay and gun-slinging violence that makes the film feel as though it is one of those classic western films, channeling the greats' John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. The grittiness of the world and of the story, allowed the Coen's to take risks and trust that the audience will follow them on the journey. I highly recommend this film because it often gets overlooked, even though it is one of the Coen Brother's best films. ——————————————– Friday the 13th (1980) Rating: 3/4 Director: Sean S. Cunningham Writer: Victor Miller Cast: Kevin Bacon, Betsy Palmer, Harry Crosby, Adrienne King, Robbi Morgan ——————————————– A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Rating: 3/4 Director: Wes Craven Writer: Wes Craven Cast: Johnny Depp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Rod Lane, Amanda Wyss, Heather Langenkamp - One of the all time classic horror films, A Nightmare on Elm Street helped redefine the slasher film genre. With horror classics like Halloween and Friday the 13th, this film was able to create a new wave of horror that allowed audiences to see and feel real life scenarios. Watching this film today, it may seem out dated; but that does not take away from the overall terror that this film brings. It even has Johnny Depp in his first role, which would lead him into becoming one of the most famous actors of all time. Wes Craven is able to adapt such a simple idea (a horrific figure that haunts your dreams) into becoming one of the most memorable film characters of all time, even with an extremely low production budget. He does this by making each character on screen seem more human than most horror/slasher films where the characters are only there to die and seemingly have no personality. It is safe to say, that this film can still scare the hell out of you, no matter how old you are. ——————————————– The Ladykillers (2004)
Rating: 3/4 Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen Writers: Joel & Ethan Coen Cast: Tom Hanks, J.K. Simmons, Marlon Wayans, Tzi Ma, Ryan Hurst, Irma P. Hall ——————————————–
Even though everyone already knows the story of Cinderella and knows the story that is about to unfold, the film still leaves you questioning where the story was going next. I mean, I obviously knew what was coming but it was still exciting to see how Branagh was going to get to the climax of the film. He keeps the audience wanting more and more and almost questioning if the story is going to change. What also helped with the originality of the film, was the score. Composer Patrick Doyle is able to generation strong emotion with his score and allows the music to connect with the environment and most importantly with Cinderella. Academy Award winners Dante Ferretti (Production Design) and Sandy Powell (Costume Design) also help to create this beautiful environment that allows the audience to be apart of all the glitz and glamor that this story is known for. Just an overall great production that Branagh was able to put together for this film.
Overall, Cinderella is definitely one of the better films of 2015. With an excellent cast from the evil stepmother (played by the always fantastic Cate Blanchett) to Cinderella herself, this becomes one of the better adaptations of the Disney timely classics that have come out over the years. Branagh continues to push his career to new heights by taking on challenging stories that can be hard to make great. Even though it is still March and there are many months left in the year with huge films coming out, do not overlook Cinderella. You will be glad that you took the time to see Branagh's take on the story and it will want you to go back right away and watch the original animated film. Here are a few other films that I have seen and rated. For some of the films I will write a brief paragraph or so on what I thought. Reviewer: Pat Brennan Men, Women & Children (2014) Rating: 2/4 Director: Jason Reitman Writers: Jason Reitman & Erin Cressida Wilson Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner, Rosemarie DeWitt, Judy Greer, Emma Thompson, Kaitlyn Dever, Ansel Elgort - Technology. That is the main idea of this film. Technology controlling everyone and everything. Director Jason Reitman's latest, Men, Women & Children, tries to connect the idea of technology with everyday interactions. The film opens with the Voyager satellite, hurling through the emptiness space, with no end destination in sight. Reitman tries to connect the technology that is moving towards the far ends of space with the technology that is trying to reach the far ends of the earth. For me this idea did not work. By cutting back to these scenes in space it took away from the overall feeling and tone that Reitman was trying to go for. Those scenes particularly felt out of place and unnecessary. Most of the characters were over the top, especially Jennifer Garner's, when it came to technology. She literally thought that everything on the internet was going to hurt her daughter and was controlling every aspect of her life. It just did not seem realistic and believable. Overall, there was just not much happening with this film. ——————————————– Citizenfour (2014) Rating: 3.5/4 Director: Laura Poitras Cast: Edward Snowden (himself), Glenn Greenwald (himself) - Citizenfour is probably the most important documentary of 2014. By now, everyone knows who Edward Snowden is and knows that he is one of the most famous whistle-blowers in U.S. history. This documentary shows the behind the scenes accounts of the moment when Snowden decided he was going to release all of the documents and how he went about doing it. Filmed in real time, this documentary is one that should be watched by all Americans because it shows just how much privacy, you don't have. ——————————————– ***GREAT FILM*** Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) Rating: 4/4 Director: James Gunn Writers: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close - Easily one of Marvel's best and most surprising films to date, Guardians of the Galaxy blends together humor and intense action in the way that Marvel has come to be known for. The story revolves around Peter Quill (Pratt) and his group of outlaws who band together to stop the evil forces that are threatening to take over the galaxy. With a rising star in Chris Pratt, an excellent supporting cast and memorable soundtrack, it is hard not to love what you are watching and feel emotionally connected to each member of the group. James Gunn has certainly brought forward a different tone which blends comedy, action and drama all in one, to the Marvel Universe. It will definitely be interesting to see where he expands that tone with Guardians of the Galaxy 2. It is safe to say that not only is Guardians a must see, but you will also be continuously saying, "I am Groot" long after the film has ended. ——————————————– Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
Rating: 2.5/4 Directors: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone Cast: George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Geoffrey Rush, Cedric the Entertainer, Richard Jenkins, Billy Bob Thornton - In my opinion, this is probably the Coen's weakest film. There just isn't too much to remember about it. Clooney and Jones are good as always but I was just looking for the film to take that extra step and it just did not. There are a few good comedic moments, mostly from Clooney, but other than that the story just doesn't overall work. It is not a terrible film by any means, it is just kinda forgettable. (Watch No Country for Old Men. Masterpiece) ——————————————– HBO's six-part documentary series, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, has become a hit sensation overnight. The series is about a man named Robert Durst, a member one of the most wealthiest families in New York, who is the main suspect in three different murders; his first wife, his best friend and his neighbor. What makes this story so compelling is that the director, Andrew Jarecki, shows not only the background and evidence of the crimes, but also who Robert Durst is as a person. He delves deep into the background of Durst's family life and his relationships with those around him. I have to admit that I was completely hooked after watching the first episode because there were so many moments where you question who Durst is. It is hard to imagine why Durst would want to be interviewed and talk about the past. Is he doing this as a publicity stunt or is he trying to clear himself from the murders and prove his innocence? When you first start this series those questions way heavily on your mind. As the series moves forward however, those questions seem to become blurred and change to something entirely different. The new question you start asking yourself is "Does he want to be caught?". With the series already wrapped up and with the new arrest of Durst, it is safe to say that this show is something that has changed the dynamic of television. You become a jury member in your own living room and with the last scene of the show being the most chilling and disturbing, you will almost certainly come out with the right verdict.
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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 paragraph or so on what I thought. Reviewer: Pat Brennan Fury (2014) Rating: 3.5/4 Director: David Ayer Writer: David Ayer Cast: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal - David Ayer's WWII drama takes place right in the heart of the war that changed the world. Brad Pitt leads a superb cast which includes Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal, Michael Pena, & Shia LaBeouf. What this film does well is show the horrors of what WWII did to not only the soldiers, but the rest of the world as well. Ayer created an environment that felt so real and powerful that it was hard not to feel emotionally connected to the characters. Each character was developed and defined into being their own, which made them all seem like a tight family. The tank resembles their home and it is the only thing that they can feel connected to because they are with each other. In their eyes it is "The best job they have ever had". ——————————————– Nightcrawler (2014) Rating: 3.5/4 Director: Dan Gilroy Writer: Dan Gilroy Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton - I won't say too much about this film since Mike already did a fantastic review on this (go check it out in his review section), but I just wanted to acknowledge how Jake Gyllenhaal continues to not be recognized for the work that he continues to put out; especially with this film, as well as Prisoners. It is certainly a performance not to be missed. I also wanted to say that Gilroy made an excellent choice in shooting and staging the film as if the audience were part of the camera crew helping Bloom follow the stories. By creating this gritty and dark environment, Gilroy wants to show how characters like Bloom exist in the world and how they will stop at nothing to find the story. ——————————————– The Judge (2014) Rating: 3.5/4 Director: David Dobkin Writer: Nick Schenk, Bill Dubuque (screenplay) & David Dobkin, Nick Schenk (story) Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thorton, Vincent D'Onofrio, Dax Shepard, Leighton Meester, Jeremy Strong - The Judge is one of those films where the trailer does not do it justice at all. The film deals with the relationship between a father (Duvall) and son (Downey, Jr.), who can never seem to come together even under the most difficult circumstances. What I felt this film did well was talk about how families tend to avoid issues and often not speak to each other for years because of those issues. Dobkin was able to tackle these issues and tell the audience to not wait too long to repair relationships with those you love. Looking back on it, this is one of the more underrated films from last year and one of RDJ's best performances. ——————————————– ***GREAT FILM*** Interstellar (2014)
Rating: 4/4 Director: Christopher Nolan Writers: Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Ellen Burstyn, Mackenzie Foy, Wes Bentley, Bill Irwin - The BEST film of 2014. Actually, one of the best of all time. Directed by the great Chris Nolan, Interstellar is one of the movies that comes around once every ten years or so and changes the view of cinema. Nolan creates these worlds that seem so imaginable and authentic that it is shame his films don't get the recognition they deserve. What particularly stood out to me the most was how Coopers' (McConaughey's) children were the complete opposite of each other, but were also two different versions of himself. His daughter resembled the hope for the future and the strive towards achieving a new life for humanity, while his son resembled the working-class farmer who was deeply rooted in family values and remained stuck in the past because he is a family man and puts his family before himself. There is a scene in particular where a moment between the two children shows who they are as individuals, but I don't want to spoil anything. I may do a review on this in the future and break down some scenes but for now just please go and check out this film (and Mike's review of it) if you haven't already. Trust me it is a masterpiece. ——————————————–
That idea ultimately led to another problem, which were the characters. I guess I was just not as invested in the characters as the film wanted me to be. I just did not seem to care about any characters really or truly feel connected to them. What Blomkamp was trying to do was allow Chappie to have a sense of identity to himself and give him feelings that would make the audience see him as a human. That was the true message I thought of when looking back at this film. What Blomkamp was doing was not trying to create a robot that talked but rather a robot that felt as though he belonged in the world just as much as a human does. In his mind he was a human. There were a couple moments where I did feel a little connection with Chappie but overall it was hard for me to really see the point, which could have been due to the side characters around him which tended to bring him down.
Overall, Chappie was not a bad film. It was just, alright. The stand out scenes were definitely the action sequences, which Blomkamp has no trouble mastering. They show his ability as a director to create environments that feel and look real. It was just hard for me to really connect with Chappie. Blomkamp had a great idea with this film, but it seemed to never really take off for me. However, I do have high hopes for his Alien sequel which is due out in 2017. I am really looking forward to seeing his take on the Alien Franchise. ***GREAT FILM***
The film ends, like I said, with the same exact shot as the opening; however there is a completely different tone. This time when Amy turns around she stares right into Nick's eyes as if to say "I am in control now". There is a new tone in the environment surrounding her in that there is warmer color than the beginning and shows a lot more about who Amy really is; a controlling psychopath. The same lines are spoken again by Nick about what will they do to each other and this time it reads completely different. In the beginning, everyone was quick to blame Nick for Amy's disappearance and judge him right off the bat. But, at the end of the film, it was almost as if the message is now saying whose side are you on? Who is the least crazy in your eyes? That is what ultimately Fincher was trying to go for. Marriage being questioned by the audience in not only in the film but also in reality.
The turning point of the film is the most well thought out and creative moment in my opinion. That comes just as we find out that Amy is in fact not dead, but instead framing Nick for her death and describing to the audience her plan on how she will do it. "I am so glad that I am dead. Well.....technically, missing". I had already known that she was not actually murdered so I knew the story was told from two different perspectives. This entire sequence made me love the film even more the second time watching it through. The dialogue is spot on and the pacing is just right, which allows the audience to see that Amy is not a dumb housewife and she is much smarter and deceitful than she actually leads on. The music builds and builds as she describes her plan to show that the control is shifting towards her and the power is in her hands. Her true character is revealed in this scene and it is the moment where the audience has to start deciding what side to choose. So that brings us to main villain in the film and it is not Amy or Nick; it is "marriage". The idea of marriage and the horrors of what it has the potential to bring. Now I am not saying marriage is bad at all, nor is Fincher or Gillian Flynn; I am just saying that marriage is built on trust and even if you have known someone for years, you still might not fully know who they actually are. The real question is, what lies ahead in their future? What will Amy and Nick do to each other? That is what makes the film so fascinating. Fincher always tries to make the audience think about what they have just seen on the screen. Whether that be films like Seven or The Social Network, he always wants the audience to really think about the story and what lies ahead for the characters he has created. It is hard to say what is next for Amy or Nick but one thing is for certain, their marriage is certainly not a normal marriage. They are both so controlling and powerful that in the end they may end up killing each other. So the question becomes, are you #TeamAmy or #TeamNick? 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 Wild (2014) Rating: 3.5/4 Director: Jean-Marc Vallee Writers: Nick Hornby & Cheryl Strayed Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Thomas Sadoski, Michael Huisman - What made this film so strong was Reese Witherspoon's performance. She went above and beyond to connect with and establish the character of Cheryl Strayed, which only further proved why she is one of the more underrated actresses in Hollywood today. Another aspect of the film that I felt was vastly overlooked was the editing. After looking back at this film, it became apparent to me that without the way the entire film was structured, the character of Cheryl would not have come off as powerful as she did. By incorporating the use of flashbacks to help dig deeper into the mind of Cheryl, it allowed me to see how anyone has the ability to overcome the struggles of their past and move towards a new life and a new rebirth. ——————————————– The Fault In Our Stars (2014) Rating: 3/4 Director: Josh Boone Writers: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber (screenplay) & John Green (book) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Tramell, & Willem Dafoe - I decided to watch this film just randomly one day and was very glad that I did. This movie was definitely a surprise for me because I thought it was going to be the same teenage love story that is seen over and over again. I am not afraid to admit that I was wrong on that assumption. With great performances from both Woodley and Elgort, The Fault In Our Stars is a film that takes on the issues of young adults going through the most terrifying and horrific disease known: Cancer. The chemistry between the two is definitely what keeps the film going strong from start to finish. This film shows how the idea of love can overcome any obstacle in its way. Every time you look up to the stars, those that have been lost will be looking down at you and will always be a part of your life. ——————————————– Foxcatcher (2014) Rating: 3.5/4 Director: Bennett Miller Writers: E. Max Frye & Dan Futterman Cast: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller, & Vanessa Redgrave - Bennett Miller is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors. With his first two films (Capote, Moneyball), Miller shows he has the ability as a director to create such strong and mesmerizing characters and that continues with Foxcatcher. With three incredible performances from Carell, Tatum and Ruffalo, Foxcatcher easily stands out as one of the top films of 2014. Although there are some moments in the film that progress a little slow, that does not take away from the overall tone that Miller is trying to show. By creating a sense of unease and often moments of silence, the characters within Miller's world help create the themes of power and control that resonate so deep within the story. This film is definitely one to check out. ——————————————– ***GREAT FILM*** Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Rating: 4/4 Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Writers: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Gincobone, Alexander Dinelaris, & Armando Bo Cast: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, & Andrea Riseborough - Birdman is one of those films that can spark and influence a new generation of filmmakers. The idea of the whole film being one long tracking shot, paves the way for a new technique and a new idea on what it means to make a film. With strong performances from Keaton, Stone and Norton; Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (along with beautiful cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki) is able to create this world that allows the audience to move along with the characters, almost as if we are observing each situation like a fly on the wall, moving from scene to scene. The film acts as though it is a play within a play that shows the behind the scenes of what it takes to put on a production of this scale. The main theme of the film seems to be about the redemption of the main character Riggan (Keaton), and his ability to resurrect himself from being out of the spotlight for so long. By batting his alter-ego that seems to follow him everywhere, Riggan tries to not only save the play that he has been working on for so long but also save his life in the process. This film will easily be looked at as one of the more important and influential films to come out in the 21st century. ——————————————– Sad news was reported today. Legendary actor Leonard Nimoy has passed away at the age of 83. Best know for his role as Spock in Star Trek, Nimoy paved the way for future generations of actors to strive to achieve their dreams and goals. He created an icon in Spock that gave people hope and will never be forgotten. "Live long and prosper" Mr. Spock. You will be missed.
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Authors:Pat Brennan: Recent Film grad from Temple University with a love for all aspects of film. David Fincher for life. Archives:
November 2016
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