Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin (2018)

Starring Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, and Bronte Carmichael

Featuring the vocal talents of Jim Cummings, Brad Garrett, Nick Mohammed, Peter Capaldi, Sophie Okonedo, and Toby Jones

Directed by Marc Forster

Written by Alex Ross Perry, Tom McCarthy, and Alison Schroeder

Summary (in 500 words or less):  Having left behind his seemingly make-believe 100 Acre Woods friends decades ago, a grown-up Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) has an encounter with Winnie the Pooh that makes him question his workaholic ways that leave his wife (Hayley Atwell) and daughter (Bronte Carmichael) longing for his company.

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating: B

Movie Review - Jane Got a Gun

Jane Got a Gun (2016)

Starring Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Ewan McGregor, and Noah Emmerich

Directed by Gavin O'Connor

***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

Loyal readers of this blog may know that westerns are not my thing.  Color me surprised then that through the first act of Jane Got a Gun I was finding myself moderately intrigued with the tale of revenge set in the New Mexico territory in 1871.  Unfortunately, as is the case with most films of this genre, slowness rears its ugly head and the snail's pace of the proceedings hampers the enjoyment.

Jane (Natalie Portman) lives in a secluded house with her five year-old daughter.  After a long absence, her husband Ham (Noah Emmerich) returns home riddled with several bullet wounds inflicted by John Bishop (Ewan McGregor) and his "Bishop Boys" - a group to which Ham had once been a member - telling his wife that John is on the hunt for him and will inevitably be on his way to their house.  Jane enlists the help of her former fiancé Dan (Joel Edgerton) to help save her family whilst we learn the backstory of how Jane, Dan, and John Bishop have all connected in one way or another over the past seven years and just exactly why Jane feels the need to seek out revenge on Bishop and his men.

This film sat on the shelf for years, going through a laundry list of different directors and co-stars for Natalie Portman.  When it was finally released, it ended up being the Weinstein Company's lowest-grossing wide-release ever.  In short, Jane Got a Gun isn't as bad as that damning list would make it seem.  Unfortunately, the film never really rises to the promise that Natalie Portman brings to the table in a strong, stoic performance.  While the back-and-forth time-jumping slowly peels back the layers of Jane's backstory with her three aforementioned male co-stars, the ploy grows tiresome as the film progresses.  Additionally, director Gavin O'Connor stages the film's climatic conclusion in the dark of night, leading to poorly shot moments that are almost indecipherable.  It's a bit of a shame, really, because this started out showing promise before it dissolved into a typically dry, boring western like many of its ilk.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-

Movie Review - Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Audra McDonald Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline, Hattie Morahan, Nathan Mack, Ian McKellan, and Emma Thompson

Directed by Bill Condon

Although I stopped my Disney Discussion before I got to their fantastic 1991 animated classic, it should be noted that the original Disney Beauty and the Beast is my second favorite film of all time.  (Only Psycho tops it.)  Needless to say, I was not avidly looking forward to Disney's live-action remake.  Much like the 1998 nearly shot-for-shot remake of Psycho which proved to be a waste of time when the infinitely superior original exists, I was extraordinarily hesitant heading into a theater to watch the remake of Beauty and the Beast.  While I'd love to say that this 2017 version is a glorious take on the classic animated film, I can't in the slightest.  Instead, I found myself asking the the following question throughout:

Why does this film exist if its creative team is not going to make a single thing better than the original?

Here's the thing about this 2017 version of Beauty and the Beast -- the story still holds up incredibly well.  I was never bored as I watched the tale of Belle (Emma Watson) and the Beast (Dan Stevens) unfold with the layers of their distrust in one another changing to love blooming in its place.  The nuances of Alan Menken's music and the late Howard Ashman's lyrics still paint a lovely picture in song and add pivotal characterizations to the film's core ensemble.  Yet despite a few new songs and some odd and misguided changes to the story, director Bill Condon has assembled a film that hews much too close to the original to have a feeling that it's its own unique piece.  If the only purpose of this film is create the same exact tone and feel of its animated predecessor but to do so in live action, what was the point other than to simply be a major cash grab for the Walt Disney corporation?

Frankly, it's obvious that there was no other point.  This is a cash grab through and through, moreso than any of the previous Disney live action remakes of the past few years.  Despite its epic failure, Alice in Wonderland at least was manically what it was.  Maleficent took on the Sleeping Beauty story from a different perspective.  Cinderella gave us more well-rounded and deeply developed characters.  The Jungle Book provided a sensory special-effects experience that was visually enticing.  This Beauty and the Beast does none of that, instead insisting on staying so close in tone to its predecessor that its reason for existence proves moot.  Sure, the film attempts to give us a little more backstory to Belle and the Beast (hence its 30-minute-plus longer runtime than the richly developed, yet concise original), but that exposition proves to be silly most of the time rather than insightful.  (As an example, one of the few unique moments of the piece -- a journey back in time to when Belle was a child -- seems aggravatingly unnecessary despite its attempt at character development.)

I realize my last parenthetical comment seems contradictory to my biggest qualm with the film.  Here I am complaining about this iteration's lack of originality and yet I'm berating its attempts to be different at the same time.  I was all for "difference" here, but there has to be a reason for it and I found most of the film's changes disappointingly uncreative.  Frankly, the best change is one that's been widely criticized in a large chunk of the reviews I've read.  Following their dance to the titular song (which is a huge let-down in and of itself in both visual and aural execution), Belle runs home to her father who she discovers is being harmed by the maleficent Gaston (Luke Evans -- the one shining aspect of the piece).  The Beast is in emotional shambles, destitute that his one true love (and his one chance of overcoming the horrible spell that's been placed upon him) has run away.  He sings a desperately emotional plea in the new song "Evermore" which, while not quite as emotionally heartbreaking as Broadway's equivalent version of this number "If I Can't Love Her, still succeeds in cluing the viewers in to the Beast's psyche at the time.  This unique moment is what I wanted more of from this film and instead director Condon, writers Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos, and the Disney corporation have just regurgitated nearly everything that made the animated film so fantastic.  The second time isn't always the charm, however, and that's the case here.

Emma Watson is lackluster (though serviceable) as Belle.  She lacks the charisma present in the animated character and while Watson's Belle is perhaps a bit more assertive and "feminist" (in a good way), there's an emotional blankness behind her eyes in many of the scenes.  I'll also never understand why one's singing voice isn't always a top priority when casting actors in a musical.  Sure, some musical films -- La La Land, as an example -- can skate by on the charm of the characters whose less-than-perfect singing actually adds a layer to their cinematic personas.  I simply don't think that works in a movie like this which sets itself up as an old-school stylized musical.  Being able to sing is important here and with the exception of a few adequate moments in the song "Something There," Watson lacks the emotional phrasing needed to succeed when starring in a movie musical.  Dan Stevens as the Beast fares a little better with the aforementioned "Evermore" number granting him an opportunity to give his character some hefty gravitas.  Granted, his performance is essentially crafted by motion capture special effects experts, but I found the Beast to be a well-animated effect at least.

Unfortunately, that's more than I can say for many of the other special effects-created animated supporting cast who take on the forms of candlestick Lumiere (Ewan McGregor), teapot Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson), clock Cogsworth (Ian McKellan), feather duster Plumette (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), armoire Madame Garderobe (Audra McDonald), and piano Maestro Cadenza (Stanley Tucci).  None of these performers (with perhaps the exception of Mbatha-Raw) do a thing to exceed their marvelous vocal predecessors who came before them and their gothic, dark design is almost always visually unappealing.  Essentially all doing voice-overs, the heart and charm of the animated film is lost in this version's characters.  Pivotal moments like "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast" are disappointingly staged, poorly re-enacted, and oddly paced and sung by the likes of McGregor and Thompson, creating emotional vacuums where there should've been charm and heart.

The funny thing after writing all of the above which should seemingly yield a scathing rating below is that inherently the story behind Beauty and the Beast is still a successful one and since this version hardly deviates from the original, it's not an all-out failure.  While nothing in this go-around is better than the original -- although Luke Evans interpretation of Gaston comes awfully close as he fully embraces the hammy machismo that shaped that character in the animated version -- it's tough to say this film is unwatchable.  What I can't understand, though, is why anyone would want to watch this version when a perfect version of this same story is available.  Inherently, I do have problem with Disney reaching back into its animated vault to create live action versions simply to pad its coffers (albeit with boatloads of money if this film's success is any indication).  However, it they're going to have to do it, they need to at least be willing to deviate somehow from the original especially if it's one as perfect as Beauty and the Beast.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - Mortdecai

Mortdecai (2015)

Starring Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, Ewan McGregor, and Olivia Munn

Directed by David Koepp

***This film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime***

I'm not sure movies can come worse that Mortdecai.  A purported comedy, not only did I not laugh once, but I never even found a smile forming on my face.  Johnny Depp is the title character -- an art dealer, but also a bit of a deviant conniver, willing to be a bit unscrupulous in order to try and save his vast English countryside estate from going under due to back taxes.  When an assailant kills an art restorer and steals a priceless painting, Inspector Alistair Martland (Ewan McGregor) enlists Mortdecai's help to try and track the painting.

The problem with Mortdecai - and it's a major problem - is that the film is a jumbled mess in tone and style.  I guess one would call it a spoof of a heist flick, but director David Koepp's cinematic mess never once finds its footing.  There are mild attempts at sex comedy that fall undeniably flat, seemingly in place only to gain the film an R-rating, but even they are so childishly risqué that it seems incomprehensible that the filmmakers felt like a R-rating was the way to go with this one (which is perhaps why you can watch a PG-13 version on Amazon Prime as well).  Action sequences feel out of place and poorly staged, lacking any semblance of excitement.  Dramatic moments are played for laughs which, since this is a spoof, could have been fine, but they play out with excruciatingly mind-numbingly idiocy.

Depp plays Mortdecai so incredibly over-the-top when compared to the rest of the cast (who only play things somewhat over-the-top) that he stands out like a "character" amongst more "real" people which is never a good thing.  Everything about his performance and everything about the movie is so heinously misguided by the director and the screenwriter that after twenty minutes, I desperately wanted to turn it off, but willed myself onward so I could finalize my Worst Films of 2015 list.

I could go on with this one, but quite frankly, I'm already so irritated that I've allowed my life to spend so much time dealing with this one.  Mortdecai is undeniably one of the worst films I've ever reviewed on this blog.

The RyMickey Rating:  F

Movie Review - August: Osage County

August: Osage County (2013)

Starring Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregory, Margo Martindale, Dermot Mulroney, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Misty Upham, and Sam Shepard

Directed by John Wells

I must admit that I avoided August: Osage County in theaters because I had a disappointing experience with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play upon which the film is based.  Four years ago, I remember heading up to Philadelphia on my birthday excited to see both the Phillies play a day game (this was when they were still moderately good, whereas games now are sometimes greeted with exasperation when I have to go) and then go see August: Osage County on stage at night.  The play had garnered gushing rave reviews and won a slew of awards when it had played in New York City, so I told my family that it had to be good.  It wasn't (and my review reiterated this).  I was greeted with a three hour-and-twenty minute soap opera that seemingly kept trying to one-up itself with ridiculous "surprises."  Needless to say, this previous experience with playwright Tracy Letts' material didn't have me awaiting with bated breath his re-working of his own play for the silver screen.  Color me surprised then when I finally put the Blu-Ray into the player and discovered that Letts pared down his play by over an hour and created something that is still steeped in GREAT melodrama, but works a bit better on the screen than it did on the stage.

With a huge esteemed acting ensemble in tow, August: Osage County tells the story of the Weston family whose patriarch Beverly (Sam Shepard) has gone missing at the film's start.  Ailing matriarch Violet (Meryl Streep) calls her three daughters -- Barbara, Ivy, and Karen (Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, and Juliette Lewis, respectively) -- back to their old Oklahoma home to help their cancer-stricken mother find their father.  Taking place almost entirely in and around their childhood home, the three daughters find themselves having to deal with their abrasive and over-medicated mother, her somewhat crazy, though lovable sister Mattie Fae (Margo Martindale), and their own significant others all of whom are creating trouble for their own personal lives.

This is a film that despite being nearly balanced in terms of the gender make-up of the cast is all about the women.  While Ewan McGregor, Dermot Mulroney, Chris Cooper, and Benedict Cumberbatch may try to act like they're important, the core relationship this film is focusing upon is that of Violet and her three daughters and all four of the actresses portraying those characters hold their own.  Of course, Meryl Streep is quite good, playing the incredibly off-putting and sharp-tongued no-nonsense Violet.  In my opinion, however, she's upstaged by Julia Roberts who brings a quiet resilience and strength to Barbara, a character who, in my opinion, is just as much a lead as Violet despite the fact that the film and play may try and convince you otherwise.  Unfortunately (and this isn't Roberts' fault as I felt this was an issue in the theatrical production as well), the character of Barbara is a tiny bit flawed.  [Moderate Spoiler:  Tracy Letts attempts to make us feel that Barbara is "becoming" her mother in terms of personality, words, and actions, but I never was convinced of that.  Despite literally being told, "You're becoming our mother," Barbara is much more grounded than we ever see Violet and, I believe being the oldest daughter, she feels simply that she needs to smack a little bit of sense into her sisters considering that she's had her own troubles and doesn't want to see her siblings fall down a dark path.]

August: Osage County isn't a perfect film, but its flaws abound from the Pulitzer Prize-winning (for some reason) script.  This is absolutely a convoluted family soap opera -- epic almost in its laughable plot twists at times.  Still, thanks to a fantastic cast of actors -- not a single one of whom disappoints in the slightest -- they elevate this sometimes silly material and make us give a damn about this crazy Weston family.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - The Impossible

The Impossible (2012)

Starring Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, and Oaklee Pendergast

Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona

I might as well just start off this review by stating that The Impossible made a tear roll down my face.  There were many moments during this film that caused my eyes to well up, but the saline only fell down my cheek in a single droplet at the film's climax.  I don't know why it fell -- I knew the ending thanks to an interview I had seen with the real life family this film is based upon who were vacationing in Thailand when the horrible December 26, 2004, tsunami hit -- but director Juan Antonio Bayona, screenwriter Sergio G. Sánchez, and the wonderful cast of actors who make up the Bennett family have created something so emotionally riveting that I found it impossible to not become invested in this story.

Expecting a relaxing and calming vacation in Thailand over Christmas week in 2004, the Bennett family made up of mom Maria (Naomi Watts), dad Henry (Ewan McGregory), and sons Lucas, Thomas, and Simon (Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, and Oaklee Pendergast, respectively) are lounging at the oceanside pool at their resort the morning of December 26 when out of nowhere a fairly strong breeze begins to kick in off the water and the birds suddenly take flight as fast as they can in the sky.  The giant wall of water came much too quickly for anyone in the Bennett family to be able to run away and instead they are simply pounded by the force of the ocean engulfing the Taiwanese soil.  Rather amazingly, Maria and oldest son Lucas are carried quite far by the water but somehow manage to stay together.  The first half of The Impossible deals squarely with their struggle of trying to stay alive in the hours immediately following the disaster and trying to find help for Maria who has both internal bleeding and a massive gash in her leg causing her to lose large amounts of blood.  A little over halfway through the film, we discover that Henry is still alive and he is with his two younger sons Thomas and Simon.  Henry is desperate to find Maria and Lucas alive but with each passing hour it gets more and more difficult to hold onto that hope.

Let me start my fawning over this movie with director Juan Antonio Bayana.  In what is only his second film (after 2007's The Orphanage, a horror film which I've seen but remember nothing about), he's crafted something rather fantastic here.  Of course, with the tsunami we're given some wonderful large scale special effects within the film's first forty minutes.  Rather amazingly, I never for one minute felt like I was watching Naomi Watts and Tom Holland in a water tank.  [I realize that sentence sounds obvious -- of course I shouldn't feel like they're in a water tank -- but that often isn't the case in films where it's sometimes quite obvious you're watching special effects.]   Bayana uses a variety of different camera angles -- from above and afar, underwater, close-ups -- to masterful effect creating an incredibly visceral and frightening experience for the filmgoers during this horrific sequence.  How these effects didn't get nominated for an Oscar is beyond me.

While Bayana effortlessly lenses special effects and also moves the film along at a great pace with nary a wasteful or unnecessary sequence, he also gets some absolutely amazing moments from his cast who make the most out of Sergio Sánchez's heartfelt and very strong script.  I don't even know where to start with the fabulous quintet of actors so I'll just begin with the only one who has garnered any awards buzz -- Naomi Watts.  I rarely, if ever, quote other people when writing my reviews, but Reese Witherspoon (of all people) crafted a lovely letter praising Watts' performance that totally sums up my thoughts:

"Your brutal physical performance, the ferocity of your mothering spirit and the soul touching moments where you hold on to life with every part of your being were incredible...such strength and absolute vulnerability in the same performance.  A mother who is determined to teach her son what if means to be a good person even when facing her own mortality...you have created a performance that will stand the test of time."

As if Watts's performance wasn't enough, Ewan McGregor brings quite possibly his best performance to the screen as a father determined to find his wife and son.  There's a moment when McGregor's Henry essentially loses hope and breaks down that is simply heartbreaking and shows us both Henry's strength and vulnerability.

Tom Holland's Lucas is actually the central male character and he more than holds his own opposite the tour de force performance from Watts.  At the start of the film, Lucas is your typical twelve year-old doing all he can to distance himself from what he feels is an overbearing and overprotective mother.  However, after the tsunami hits, Lucas and Maria's roles switch with Lucas needing to take on the role of caring for his injured mother.  There's a moment in the film where it hits Lucas that without his father as a protector, his role in life (at least at this moment) needs to change and Holland expertly conveys all that needs to be said without ever saying a word.

This role is Holland's first film and it's also the first film for the much younger Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Pendergast as Thomas and Simon.  Joslin, in particular, is given a scene in which his father tells the young Thomas that he must look after his brother Simon while he goes out to look for Maria and Lucas.  There's a look in Joslin's eyes that is just heartbreakingly real -- without words, we know Thomas is frightened, but willing to do what is necessary when tasked with something no seven year-old should have to undertake.

The Impossible is not an easy film to sit through even when one is aware of the characters' fates in the end.  The chills one experiences during the tsunami sequence, the uncomfortable squirming as the bruised and bloodied characters search for safety, and the gut-wrenching moments when unexpected reunions amazingly occur all combine to create one of the most engaging, exhilarating, and touching cinematic experiences I've seen in a very long time.

The RyMickey Rating:  A

Movie Review - Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2012)

Starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked, and Kristin Scott Thomas

Directed by Lasse Hallström

Let's be honest here.  With a title as odd as Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and a premise that seems almost too farfetched to be believable, this Lasse Hallström flick was facing an uphill battle.  The trailer seemed to be attached to every Oscar-bait movie last year and it conveyed nothing but boredom to me, hence the reason I never ventured out into theaters to check it out.  Much to my surprise, however, I found this light romantic dramedy quite enjoyable with its story being just different enough that it manages to hold one's attention despite its inherent silliness.

[I will say that there may be a slight favorable bias to films that take place in and around London for the next year or so for me.  After my trip over there this past summer, I find it infinitely cool to say, "I walked across that same bridge they're walking over!" which is something I certainly couldn't say six months ago.  Still, I don't think it adds a whole lot to the experience...it just maybe makes me pay a bit more attention to things than I did in the past.]

Yemeni Sheikh Muhammed (Amr Waked) has grown fascinated with salmon fishing while staying at his residence in England and longs to introduce the sport to his homeland at any cost.  He enlists the help of his financial advisor Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Emily Blunt) who, in turn, seeks assistance from a member of the British Fisheries and Wildlife department, Dr. Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor), who finds the project silly and frivolous, insisting that the climate conditions are not adequate to sustain the foolish whims of the sheikh.  However, after an explosion in Yemen that paints England in a poor light, the Prime Minister's press secretary Patricia Maxwell (Kristin Scott Thomas) sees this as a perfect opportunity to strengthen British-Yemeni relations and forces Dr. Jones to assist in the project.

While the whole thing seems nearly impossible to base a movie around, I found the entire plot to be surprisingly interesting and actually completely believable.  In fact, after the film, I looked up whether the film was based on a true story (it's not) which just goes to prove that screenwriter Simon Beaufoy sold me on the weird concept.  The film certainly ends up delving into the romantic side of things as Dr. Jones and Ms. Chetwode-Talbot end up slowly becoming enamored with one another despite complications in their love lives that should prevent romance from blossoming.  While this is certainly the weakest (and most obvious) part of the film, Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor sold me on it thanks to their charm and pleasant screen presence.  It's tough not to smile when they're onscreen here.  Kristin Scott Thomas also proves to be an absolute hoot as the overzealous, pushy, and often obnoxious press secretary.  That said, there are moments where the director maybe should have reined her in as she goes a bit too over-the-top at times which awkwardly changes the tone of the flick, but it's still nice to see her take on a comedic role -- something the actress rarely does.

I honestly can't believe I'm going to say this, but you really should give Salmon Fishing in the Yemen a chance.  I legitimately had no real desire to see it, but I found myself completely entertained by the flick which is certainly a shock to this reviewer.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - Haywire

Haywire (2012)

Starring Gina Carano, Michael Angarano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, and Michael Douglas

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Haywire is mindless fluff.  That's not meant as a criticism, but it's the truth.  No one's going to mistake this female-led action flick as great cinema, but it's certainly an enjoyable ride.  A day after I watched it, I may not remember much in the way of plot or character development, but I will remember that I had an enjoyable 85 minutes seeing it unfold in front of me and sometimes that's all one needs when watching a movie.

MMA-star Gina Carano is Mallory Kane, a "black ops super soldier" (according to imdb's description) who is used by the government to head out on certain missions for them.  She's good at her job and can kick some serious ass, but she often finds herself a bit at odds with Kenneth (Ewan McGregor), her ex-boyfriend and also the man that sets up her jobs for the government.  When set on a job to Ireland, she quickly discovers that she has been set up by her bosses and must go rogue in order to save her life.

There's nothing special that the story brings to the table, and while director Steven Soderbergh does an admirable job of filming the action scenes and keeping the story rolling at a good pace, things are by the book for the most part.  The acting is all above par, even that of Gina Carino who was criticized in reviews that I read for her lack of acting chops.  I found her perfectly acceptable for what this role asks of her.  Do I wanna see her tackle something a bit more weighty?  I'm not sure, but as an action chick, she handles herself well.

Admittedly, there's not a ton to say about this because Haywire is just a standard action flick, but it's a good one and worth a watch.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge (2001)

Starring Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, John Leguizamo, Richard Roxburgh, and Jim Broadbent

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

As I sit here thinking back on my first viewing experience of Moulin Rouge in probably close to eight years, I'm hemming and hawing about whether this film belongs in my Personal Canon.  I very much appreciate director Baz Luhrmann's "throw everything at you" manic-style direction and insanely quick editing, but at the same time, it's that non-stop sensory overload (particularly during the film's first act) that takes the flick precariously close to cheesiness.  Once he calms down the bombastic nature of the whole affair and gives the film a chance to breathe, Moulin Rouge is a lovely musical that remains surprisingly "hip" and cutting edge over a decade after its initial release.

The doomed tale of a Parisian courtesan named Satine (Nicole Kidman) and her lover Christian (Ewan McGregor), a bohemian poet who treasures "truth, beauty, freedom, and above all else, love," Moulin Rouge is a simplistic tale wrapped up in truly gaudy paper.  Tasked to create an elaborate musical in order to turn the dance hall -- The Moulin Rouge -- into a more prestigious "theater," Christian quickly falls for Satine, the star of the burlesque , but Christian and Satine's love affair is doomed right from the start as the Moulin Rouge's proprietor, Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent), has promised Satine in marriage to "The Duke," the play's investor (Richard Roxburgh).

Utilizing pop songs in rather unique ways -- forming medleys, creating dance mixes, and more -- Moulin Rouge doesn't have a single original tune in its repertoire.  Sure, the lovely ballad "Come What May" hadn't been heard before this film, but it was in fact not written for this movie (hence the reason it wasn't nominated for an Oscar for Best Song...although the film itself was nominated for eight Oscars, deservedly taking home two for its exquisite set design and beautiful costuming).  Admittedly, it's a bit odd at first, hearing such iconic songs as Elton John's "Your Song" or The Police's "Roxanne" in a different manner than what we're used to, however, any odd feelings we have quickly vanish when the lovely voices of Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman croon to each other.

That isn't to say that the music works entirely.  As I mentioned, the manic nature in the film's opening half hour throws more songs at you than you can register...and it's a bit off-putting at first.  And, unfortunately, as the film continues, we're treated every now and then to the occasional odd scene that simply doesn't work.  For example, the "Like a Virgin" number featuring Zidler and The Duke makes me cringe.  It stops the film dead in its tracks just when the love story was picking up steam.  And the uncorked champagne symbolizing "sexual release" is childish and laughable.  Still, there's more good than bad when it comes to the music and there are some truly magical moments (the aforementioned "El Tango de Roxanne" stunned me the first time I saw it and still resonates today...but I'm a sucker for stringed instruments and this tango lets the orchestra shine).

Certainly lifting Moulin Rouge up beyond the sporadic silliness are three fantastic performances.  For the first time while watching the movie, I greatly appreciated Jim Broadbent's role as Zidler, who outwardly is the hard-edged boss, but inwardly truly cares for the ladies working at his establishment.   Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman give some of their best performances of their careers.  McGregor is sweetly charming as the lovesick Christian -- it's easy to see why Kidman's Satine would fall for him.  Kidman is surprisingly sexy, but full of heart.  Sure, it's that typical "prostitute with a heart of gold" character we see often in movies, but it works here...I mean, the whole movie is filled with characters who are broad archetypes, but with the insanity of the visuals, it's surprisingly rather pleasant to have characters that aren't bogged down with anything more than basic traits.

In a way, Baz Luhrmann is like Quentin Tarantino in that I'm not exactly certain either director has any original ideas themselves.  Instead, they take their vast knowledge of film and create loving homages to movies they adore, honoring them while crafting something unique unto themselves.  Filmmakers like Luhrmann and Tarantino are tricky for me to critique in that sometimes I'm great admirers of them and then other days I may think of them as hacky auteurs.  And it's that very reason why I'm not sure if Moulin Rouge belongs in the Personal Canon.  I appreciate its insanity, but there are moments where that craziness is a directorial crutch that impedes the evolution of its story.  Nevertheless, this is still a film I admire greatly...even though I'm completely cognizant of its faults.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - Beginners

Beginners (2011)

Starring Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, and Mary Page Keller

Directed by Mike Mills

After forty-four years of marriage, recently widowed seventy-five year old Hal (Christopher Plummer) reveals to his son Oliver (Ewan McGregor) that he is gay in the opening scenes of Beginners, a lovely film that has a few faults, but in the end is a charming ode to the relationship between fathers and sons.  Much like the title suggests, the film is all about new starts as Hal explores his rediscovered homosexuality which he had been repressing for decades and Oliver embarks on a new relationship with the cute as a button French aspiring actress Anna (Mélanie Laurent).

The film, directed and written by Mike Mills, jumps around in time and the two new beginnings mentioned above don't happen along the same time line.  However, because of this juxtaposition between the two storylines, a certain poignancy is achieved because the newly single Hal is also diagnosed with an inoperable form of lung cancer in the film's opening moments (I promise I'm not spoiling anything with that reveal).  Oliver falls for Anna only after his father has passed away and it causes him to react much differently to relationships than he did when his father was alive.  Thanks to his father's final years, Oliver finds himself much more a "live in the moment" type of guy than he ever was before and he finds himself reawakened much like his father was.

Unfortunately, the film falters a bit when dealing with Oliver and Anna's relationship.  I was along for the ride until about two-thirds of the way through when things change for the lovely couple and cracks begin to surface between the two.  The "problems" that the duo faced never seemed the least bit "real" and I couldn't help but feel like the screenwriter just pigeonholed conflict in the story for the sake of conflict.  It ends up being a rather large detriment to the film as it makes the serious final act of their story seem rather out-of-place with the whimsical charm of the first two-thirds.

That said, the viewer is treated to three very solid performances here.  Ewan McGregor is at his best, playing a lonely bachelor who we can't help but root to find love.  Once he does in the equally engaging and somehow plainly gorgeous Mélanie Laurent, we never want the two to part.  McGregor and Laurent have a palpable chemistry that exudes precisely the right tones one wants to experience in a newfound relationship.  With the exception of the aforementioned troubling moments in the final act of the film, their scenes together are played to near perfection.

Christopher Plummer is seemingly the man to beat for the Supporting Actor Oscar this year and while I'm not sure I'd go that far at this point, he's at the top of his game here.  Simply charming, he conveys a sense of excitement as he embarks on his late-in-life change of heart, while at the same time continuing to provide a fatherly sounding board for his forlorn son, making sure that Oliver knew that he never regretted for one instance the choices that he made to be his father.  When he gets his rather ominous medical diagnosis, it's all that more heartbreaking seeing as how he hasn't really lived his life to its fullest potential yet.

While Beginners was advertised as a piece about an old man discovering his homosexuality, the film is much more than that and is certainly worth checking out in anticipation of this busy upcoming awards season.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - Incendiary

Incendiary (2009)

Starring Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, and Matthew MacFadyen

Directed by Sharon Maguire

***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

When a group of suicide bombers set off an explosion at a British football (AKA soccer) match, over a thousand people are killed, including a mother's son and husband.  The mother (who remains oddly nameless throughout the film), played by Michelle Williams, happens to be having sex with another man (Ewan McGregor) at the time of the explosion so, of course, that simply compounds her guilt even more.  

Ugh...the plot Incendiary reeks of a really serious Lifetime movie and despite a pleasant turn from Michelle Williams, there really isn't much to even discuss here.  The film was little seen and barely released in US theaters in 2009 and it'll remain little seen for all eternity.  I'm all for exploring the aftershocks of 9/11 in film -- United 93 was absolutely riveting and emotionally draining (although I do feel it was an important film to be made in order to depict our country's recent history).  Incendiary, however, attempts to go for the emotional gut punch, but never even comes close to achieving it.

The RyMickey Rating:  D

The Ghost Writer (2010)

starring Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, and Olivia Williams

Directed by Roman Polanski

Roman Polanski may not be the most well-regarded man...and rightly so.  But in terms of his films, I think he is quite the talented director.  Rosemary's Baby is one of my favorite films of all time.

Unfortunately, The Ghost Writer just can't compare with that near masterpiece, and Polanski as the co-screenwriter is partly to blame.  This film had some of the most ridiculous dialog I've heard in quite a while.  When you have, for all intents and purposes, a mature thriller that is aimed at intelligent adults, you need to have dialog that will not cause me to laugh out loud.  Unfortunately, The Ghost Writer is sometimes hilariously inept at showcasing believable conversations.

Ewan McGregor is The Ghost (his character is never named), a writer called in to help pen the memoirs of British politician Adam Lang (Brosnan) after Lang's first ghost writer mysteriously turns up dead, washed up along the shores in a small New England town.  As is the case in most political thrillers, things are not as they seem and twists and turns are inevitable.

McGregor and Brosnan are quite good in the flick, but their female counterparts, Kim Cattrall and Olivia Williams don't step up to the plate, with Cattrall sporting one of the silliest off-and-on British accents I've heard in my many years of movie-watching and Williams being an emotional blank slate.  Plus, while the plot itself was interesting enough and Polanski did a more than adequate job of filming it (there were a couple of really neat shots), in the end the film just didn't excite me one bit.  It was all just kinda blah.  And when blah's the best you can do, it doesn't incite much emotion from me one way or the other.

The RyMickey Rating: C

Movie Review - The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

Starring George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, and Goat
Directed by Grant Heslov

I haven't been this bored in a movie in a long time. Good Lord, I couldn't wait for this thing to end. Thanks goodness it was only 90 minutes...and that was about 50 minutes too long.

The story, told in flashbacks, is that the US Military had some special ops division of the Army that dealt with "new age" forms of combat, focusing on the mind rather than hand-to-hand combat...the notion of a real-life Jedi apparently. Ewan McGregor is a reporter who uncovers this secret division, George Clooney is a man who was a successful "graduate" of the program, and Jeff Bridges is the freak who created the thing.

Ugh...I really don't even want to waste time on this one. It tried to be funny...it wasn't. The quirk was lost. And any attempts at action seemed silly. All the actors were weak, with Goat being the only one who really shined.

The RyMickey Rating: D-

Movie Review - Amelia (2009)

Starring Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, and Ewan McGregor
Directed by Mira Nair

Every time I watch a biopic, I state this: the biopic is my least favorite genre of film. I don't give a darn about them at all because there's never any tension because you inevitably know the ending. I know Amelia Earhart's plane is going to crash.

Still, I wanted to like this movie more than it allows me to like it. It looks rather sumptuous...costumes, sets, and the like look good. But the direction is just silly and several of the flying shots look computer-generated. Plus the script which includes some of the worst voiceover lines I've ever heard was much too philosophical and "new agey" for its own good. Plus, how many times have we seen the tired old biopic set-up of the subject of the pic looking back on their life through a series of flashbacks (and flashbacks within flashbacks!)?

Swank is okay as Earhart, but she was rather stiff (then again, I guess Earhart was a tad on the manly side in terms of her demeanor). Gere was fine, but nothing special. And McGregor's role was simply a throwaway and really amounts to only a slightly lengthy cameo.

I wasn't expecting much and I certainly didn't get much from this.

The RyMickey Rating: D

Movie Review - Angels and Demons (2009)

Starring Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, and Armin Mueller-Stahl
Written by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman
Directed by Ron Howard

So I recently watched The Da Vinci Code and didn't think it was anything special. I said that Angels and Demons wouldn't have to do much to be better than it.

Unfortunately, Angels and Demons isn't able surpass its predecessor (but it wasn't any worse either).

Tom Hanks is "symbologist" Robert Langdon again in this apparent sequel (although I've been told that the book is a prequel), but there would be no need to see the original flick in order to understand this one. Langdon is called upon by the Catholic Church which is facing a scary predicament. The pope has died and the Church's Cardinals have convened to select the new leader of the Church. However, a rogue Catholic group has kidnapped the four Cardinals who were to be the most probable successors of the papacy and plans on murdering them. Adding "tension" to the mix is the fact that this rogue group has stolen some anti-matter particle that will blow up the Vatican at midnight. Langdon's working against the clock in order to save the cardinals...will he succeed? Will we care?

The major problem with the first movie -- that the story was incredibly convoluted and slow-moving -- is not really the problem here. The flick moves quite quickly and isn't bogged down by backstory like the original. The movie takes on a "race against the clock"-type tension, which, although ridiculous at times, is able to provide much more excitement than The Da Vinci Code. However, the movie still is prone (like the first one) to over-analyze and over-talk everything. Every single detail needs to be explained (because we, as an audience, are too stupid to get things) and the expository nature of the dialogue bogs down the narrative.

In terms of acting, everyone's okay, but no one does anything special. Hanks is helped with moderately better dialogue in his one (the first flick had him spout some ridiculous lines...not that this one doesn't either), but he's still a very bland leading guy. His leading lady (Zurer) is certainly attractive, but she goes missing during the middle hour and is nothing more than a person for Langdon to bounce ideas off of. Secondary actors are all fine, but, once again, not given a whole lot to do.

Despite the better story, Howard's direction is weak. Everything is very heavy-handed, and, like I said above, overly (and unnecessarily) explained. The film's final hour is laughable...the "big reveal" at the end is obvious from the get-go (I'm not sure that's Howard's fault, though, as I'm sure the screenwriters were trying to stay true to the original source).

So, overall, while the movie is more exciting than the original, the poor direction and ridiculous ending are enough to make this movie simply be on equal footing to the original film.

The RyMickey Rating: D+