Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Starring Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, Joel Dawson, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury, and Dick Van Dyke

Directed by Rob Marshall

Written by David Magee

Summary (in 500 words or less):  The iconic Mary Poppins returns to help Jane and Michael Banks save the family home on Cherry Tree Lane.

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating:  B

The Sense of an Ending

The Sense of an Ending (2017)

Starring Jim Broadbent, Harriet Walter, Michelle Dockery, Emily Mortimer, Billy Howle, Freya Mavor, Matthew Goode, and Charlotte Rampling

Directed by Ritesh Batra

Written by Nick Payne

Summary (in 500 words or less):  Sixty-something Tony (Jim Broadbent) receives a letter from the estate of the mother of a former college girlfriend stating that she has left him a document upon her passing.  The document is being held by Tony's former girlfriend Veronica (Charlotte Rampling) who Tony hasn't seen in decades.  Completely oblivious to what the document could be, Tony reflects upon his college career via flashbacks that showcase that memory is malleable.

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating: D+

Movie Review - Hugo

Hugo (2011)

Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Emily Mortimer, Christopher Lee, Michael Stuhlbarg, Helen McCrory, Frances de la Tour, Richard Griffiths, and Jude Law

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Perhaps Hugo means a bit more to me, a guy who studied a bit of film in college, than the average viewer, but your ever so humble reviewer found Martin Scorsese's homage to early cinema a visual treat, a fanciful adventure, and a bit of a cinematic film lesson all wrapped into one.  Admittedly, I'm not a Martin Scorsese devotee (I've maybe seen six of his movies and most of those are from the last decade), but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Hugo's whimsical and gentle nature is not a style that would typically be attributed to the much-lauded director.  Still, while Hugo is certainly a film that you can take the whole family to watch, it shouldn't be mistaken for a "kiddie" picture.  Instead, its message about preserving film history for future generations hit a nerve in this filmgoer who already misses the pre-digital days pined over in Hugo in which the actual flickering of a shutter flashed light onto a silver screen in a darkened room.

When young Hugo Cabret's (Asa Butterfield) father passes away, he is sent to live with his uncle in a small "apartment" behind the gears of the giant clock in a huge Parisian train station.  Hugo spends his day fixing and setting the various clocks in the station while also snatching up a few croissants and bottles of milk for a bit of sustenance always being mindful of the Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) whose goal in life seems to be snatching up orphaned children and sending them to the dreaded orphanage.  On one afternoon, Hugo attempts to steal a toy from the toy shop in the station run by Georges (Ben Kingsley) only to find himself caught by the grumpy owner who forces Hugo to work for him rather than turn the kid over to the Inspector.  As Georges begins to discover some of Hugo's secrets, Hugo and his new friend, Georges's goddaughter Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), begin to discover a few secrets about Georges as well which explain why he is the curmudgeon that he is.

While appearing to be a simple tale, there's great depth here as (SPOILER ALERT) Georges is discovered to the famous filmmaker Georges Mélies who magically created some of the earliest, yet hugely complex for their time, cinematic tales.  A true visionary, Hugo turns into a beautiful remembrance of this oft-forgotten director (and older cinema in general), with Scorsese giving time onscreen to such classics as Mélies's  Le voyage dans la lune (from 1902) and the 1923 Harold Lloyd-starring Safety Last.  By acknowledging what came before him and embracing the simplicity of those earlier tales while at the same time crafting a completely "modern" tale utilizing beautiful 3D technology and computer effects, Scorsese has made a film with a lovely blend that balances both the past and the present.

Along with some stunning visuals, Scorsese has culled some very nice performances from Chloe Moretz (of Let Me In fame) and Asa Butterfield, the latter of whom uses his wide eyes to convey moments of both heartbreaking sadness and ebullient joy.  Ben Kingsley as the famous director who had to give up his passion is at first a tiny bit off-putting in his sheer grouchiness, but as his tale is slowly unraveled, his character is given much more depth than I ever could have expected at the film's outset.  [There's an extended sequence where Georges details the reasons he was forced to give up filmmaking that is touchingly handled by both Kingsley and Scorsese.]  Sacha Baron Cohen adds an appropriate amount of humor and there are some lovely small supporting turns from Emily Mortimer, Frances de la Tour, and Richard Griffiths whose roles as Parisian train station customers and workers brought a smile to my face.

2011 (or more specifically that final two months of 2011) seems to be a year where films about moviemaking have been given a chance to shine.  From My Week with Marilyn to The Artist, it's been a treat for a film lover.  Hugo is the latest addition to that mix and it's a beautifully crafted film to watch with a charming story to admire as it unfolds.  Time to go and watch some more Mélies...those few college film class viewings weren't nearly enough.

The RyMickey Rating:  A

Movie Review - Our Idiot Brother

Our Idiot Brother (2011)

Starring Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, Zooey Deschanel, Rashida Jones, Kathryn Hahn, and Steve Coogan

Directed by Jesse Peretz

I'm fairly certain that Our Idiot Brother was supposed to be a comedy.  I mean, there were moments where I probably should have laughed at the sweet, yet entirely too innocent and trusting Ned (Paul Rudd) whose hippie vibe was lovable and charming, but the flick simply didn't elicit chuckles (with the exception of one very odd threesome scene and a game of charades that admittedly cracked me up).  Instead, Our Idiot Brother places a huge focus on Ned's three sisters -- workaholic Miranda (Elizabeth Banks), quirky lesbian Natalie (Zooey Deschanel), and stay-at-home mom Liz (Emily Mortimer) -- none of whom are ladies I'd like to spend any bit of time with.  

The whole affair just plays like some sitcom, jumping back and forth amongst Ned and his trio of sisters whose troubles reach soap opera levels of absurdity at times.  Unfortunately, these problems should have made me give a damn about these characters, but instead they just made me upset that these ladies were such idiots -- for, you see, the absurdity of the flick is that the supposedly sane sisters are perhaps the ones who are more foolish than Ned the Kooky Simpleton.

Despite a game Paul Rudd whose kind Jesus-y hipster Ned is amusing (and is the only thing that saves the flick from being a complete and utter failure), Our Idiot Brother just doesn't ever feel rooted in reality at any point.  Characters are too one-dimensional, predicaments are resolved way too quickly and cleanly, and the final scene was nearly disgustingly treacly.

The RyMickey Rating:  D+

Movie Review - Scream 3

Scream 3 (2000)

Starring Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Jenny McCarthy, Emily Mortimer, and Liev Schreiber

Directed by Wes Craven
***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

The least loved of the original Scream trilogy, the third and final installment of the series (until the fourth film was released over a decade later) earns that "Worst Film in the Series" honor.  However, Scream 3 wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered it being, finding myself being rather impressed with the overarching connection to the previous two films, but disappointed in the fact that the film is really nothing more than a typical slasher film with better acting.

In this third flick we move from Woodsboro (the setting of the first two films) to Hollywood where a third film -- Stab 3 -- is being produced mirroring the life of Sidney Prescott.  Of course, there's a copycat killer on the loose again and this lunatic is wreaking havoc on the movie set and those involved in the production.  What ensues is simply a progression of people getting stabbed in the back again and again and again and again.  And unfortunately, that's where Scream 3 doesn't work.  The kills are uninventive, repetitive, and we have so little connection to these obnoxious Hollywood types biting the dust that we don't really give a damn that they're being offed.  

What does work, however, is the continuation of Sidney's storyline, delving into the reasons her mother was looked upon as such a tramp in the first film and building the Scream mythology in a decent manner.  It also helps that Courtney Cox and David Arquette take a more prominent role than Neve Campbell's consistently bland Sidney.  Their Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley provide comic relief while, at the same time, giving the viewer characters to root for in the midst of the fairly disappointing characters that are thrown into the mix in this third flick.

Despite all the qualms about this one, I was still entertained and, at times, on the edge of my seat.  Sometimes you can't ask for more than that.  Now I'll just have to sit back another month or two until the fourth installment makes its way to dvd (even though I'm fairly upset that I've had a significant portion of the flick spoiled for me thanks to a television interview I stumbled upon two months after that film had been released).  

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - City Island

City Island (2010)

Starring Andy Garcia, Juliana Marguiles, Emily Mortimer, Steven Strait, Domink García-Lorido, Ezra Miller, and Alan Arkin

Directed by Raymond De Felitta
***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

City Island is one of those movies that on the surface I enjoyed greatly.  I wasn't the least bit bored during its 100-minute running time.  I laughed often.  However, there were way too many moments amidst the ha-ha's that had me ridiculing the silly dialog and over-the-top acting.  In the end, City Island is a flawed film, but a pleasant one.

The Rizzos of City Island, New York (an island "suburb" of New York City) are a completely stereotypical Italian family.  Loud, boisterous, and replete with dinner table fights.  Between father Vince (Andy Garcia), mother Joyce (Juliana Marguiles), daughter Vivian (Domink García-Lorido), and son Vince, Jr. (Ezra Miller), there are more soap opera-level secrets the quartet is hiding from each other than the Desperate Housewives (how's that for a out-of-date pop culture reference?).  It's those very secrets (particularly those of the son and daughter) that pull this film completely out of any reality that director Raymond De Felitta created.  However, it's De Felitta's own fault considering that he wrote the screenplay as well, so he has no one to blame for the film's failures but himself.

Despite some of the silliness that De Felitta throws his actors' ways, they all do a pretty admirable job wallowing through the muck.  Andy Garcia is certainly just the usual hard-edged New York Italian, but he's actually quite pleasant and brings a nice easygoing charm to the screen.  Juliana Marguiles is the saucy wife, taking a cue from the Carmela Soprano playbook (on a much smaller scale, mind you) and does nice job.  Even somewhat newcomer Ezra Miller who is forced to be a much-too-wise-beyond-his years wisecracking smartass teen is able to rise above the truly awful storyline his character is given.

In the end, City Island is a movie that could have been a whole heckuva lot better if the whole story didn't seem so childish.  Yes, there's humor to be had and there's good acting on display, but the script bogs the whole thing down.  Still, if you're searching for something moderately entertaining, the flick fits the bill.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - Harry Brown

Harry Brown (2010)

Starring Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer

Directed by Daniel Barber

I knew going into this that Harry Brown was a vigilante actioner with an old man going after the young gangfolk who had killed his best friend.  I had no idea it was going to be so shockingly violent.  That's certainly not a bad thing, but be forewarned that those expecting some scaled-back Michael Caine flick are in for a rude awakening.

I pretty much summed up the story in a nutshell above.  Michael Caine is the title character, a widower living his life with a tiny cloud of melancholy always surrounding him.  That cloud begins to turn into a thunderstorm, however, after his best friend is killed by a local street gang who is running rampant in his apartment community.  With the cops unable to rein in the gang, Harry takes things into his own hands, enacting some badassery on the punk kids who murdered his friend.

If there's a problem with the flick it's that the story is too simple.  The film moves along very quickly but that's because there's not much there.  Still, what is there is better than your average flick, I just wish there was a little more for the great Michael Caine to act upon.  As it stands now, I completely buy his motivation, but a little more background in order to further explain his emotions would have been appreciated.  

Caine is quite good here and the direction by first-timer Daniel Barber is stellar.  I was kind of amazed when I looked at his imdb filmography to find this was his debut.  Despite the lack of plot, I admittedly was on the edge of my seat the entire film.  Considering that I'm in the midst of a Hitchcock fest -- a director known for creating tension-filled flicks -- that's certainly a commendation for Mr. Barber.  Did he take it a few steps too far at times in the violence department?  Maybe...at moments, some of the overtly vicious stuff seemed to be in the flick simply for shock value more than anything else.  But, overall, I think Barber crafted a very good little film.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - Shutter Island

Shutter Island (2010)

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, and Patricia Clarkson

Directed by Martin Scorsese

It's the mid 1950s and patient Rachel Solando has disappeared from a psychiatric hospital located on Shutter Island. Two U.S. Marshals are called in to investigate the case. Little do the two marshals know that the island is home to some interesting and perhaps unethical treatments and they may be the hospital's next "experiments."

That summary is pulled directly from my book review of Shutter Island that I posted last year.  The novel was an enjoyable read, but didn't really work as a whole for me.  There were dream sequences that seemed oddly written and characters seemed to simply appear in order to give a clue to the main character, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (here played by Mr. DiCaprio).

Fortunately, my qualms with the book worked extremely well onscreen thanks, in large part, to some beautiful direction by Martin Scorsese.  Feeling quite old school, Scorsese has crafted big budget "pulp" film.  While those cheaply made film noirs of the 40s and 50s certainly appeared to be made on a miniscule budget (see this as an example), no expense was spared here.  Thanks to some fantastic scenic design by Dante Ferretti, Scorsese proves to be a master behind the camera, crafting some beautiful and ingenious shots that lifted this film way above the average cinematic experience.

While Act Two of the film drags a bit, Act Three proves to be quite engaging...much moreso than the book.  I remember the book feeling like it ended much too quickly, but in the film, I was actually astounded by how Scorsese and screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis allowed the film to play out at a relatively slow pace.  They weren't afraid to explain things, unlike the book which seemed to have a need to bring the tale to an end as quickly as possible.

However, the film isn't perfect.  Leo has an accent that fades in and out which irked me a little bit.  It also seems that Scorsese wanted his actors to "overact" similar to those film noirs of yore, but it seemed a little jarring at times.  My biggest issue -- which would certainly nary be a quibble to most -- is that there were some very poorly edited scenes.  Thelma Schoonmaker is Scorsese's go-to editor, but here there were multiple scenes with inconsistencies.  A raised hand in this shot turns into a lowered hand in the next would be an example.  True, none of these errors affected the story, but they were glaring to me...enough that I'm posting about it here.

Still, overall, this is quite a good film.  A nice homage to cinema of the past.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+