Iron Man

 Iron Man (2008)

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub, and Gwyneth Paltrow

Directed by John Favreau

Written by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating:  C+

Bad Times at the El Royale

Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

Starring Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, and Chris Hemsworth

Directed by Drew Goddard

Written by Drew Goddard

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating: B

Movie Review - The Little Prince

The Little Prince (2016)

Featuring the vocal talents of Mackenzie Foy, Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Riley Osborne, James Franco, Benicio Del Toro, Ricky Gervais, Albert Brooks, Paul Giamatti, and Paul Rudd

Directed by Mark Osborne

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

2016 was a lukewarm year for animation and I was hoping this little flick -- which was supposed to be released in theaters, but was then shopped to Netflix -- would be a quirky venture that I could latch onto.  Unfortunately, the lack of a theatrical release for The Little Prince was probably the correct assessment as it proves to be much too talky and philosophical for a kids' film, but a little too childish to really engage adults.

I don't think I've ever read the popular children's book upon which this film is based so its resemblance to the source material is completely unknown to me.  However, the film revolves around The Little Girl (Mackenzie Foy) whose Mother (Rachel McAdams) forces her to live a very regimented life focused squarely on education rather than having any modicum of fun.  When The Mother and The Little Girl move to a new home, their next door neighbor ends up being a bit of a handful.  The elderly man (Jeff Bridges) was a former aviator who spends his time piecing together an old plane in his backyard.  Much to her mother's chagrin, The Little Girl ends up befriending The Aviator as he regales her with stories of his youth where he met The Little Prince (Riley Osborne) who traveled to Earth and taught him about being a better man.

The Little Prince looks lovely, there's no denying that.  The mostly typical Pixar-esque computer animation is interspersed with some charming paper-y looking stop motion work that is aesthetically appealing.  The voice acting, for the most part, is also quite good (although there are a few performances - Ricky Gervais, James Franco - that seem more celeb-driven than story-driven).  Unfortunately, it's not enough to help the philosophical mumbo jumbo that drives "The Little Prince" segments of the story which take over as the film progresses.  The film really appears to be unsure to whom it's marketing itself -- is this a kiddie film (as the first half would have you believe) or is this some deeper adult presentation about hanging onto the past and never losing the memories of what came before?  The flick isn't sure of that and it shows in its muddled nature.  Still, it's lovely to look at, but a bit boring to watch.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - Hell or High Water

Hell or High Water (2016)

Starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Gil Birmingham

Directed by David Mackenzie

As Hell or High Water opens, brothers Toby and Tanner Howard (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) are robbing the small-town Texas-Midland Bank.  Sure, Tanner's been in jail before, but in general the duo seem like nice enough guys...they're just desperate to save their deceased mother's estate which was just recently discovered to be sitting atop a vast supply of oil.  However, a disastrous reverse mortgage set up by Texas-Midland Bank has the agency wanting to seize the house from the Howard family leading the brothers to formulate the plan to rob the bank's branches and then give the money back to the bank in order to save their property.  The Howards continue on their mission while being pursued by a duo of Texas Rangers -- the retiring Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) and the up-and-comer Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham) -- eager to stop the culprits before they steal any more dough and perhaps do something more deadly.

Much like is typical in the Western genre -- at least for this reviewer -- Hell or High Water is a very slow starter.  Director David Mackenzie's film is lullingly dull in its first forty-five minutes when it comes to plot.  Sure, the rapport between the Howard brothers and the two Texas Rangers provides heart and humor, but the film was lacking forward momentum and drive.  (Once again, this seems typical of most westerns for me, so your mileage may vary.)  The film's second half picks up the pace, racing forward as the two aforementioned duos meet each other following an intense bank robbery, ending the film on a much better note than it started.

While dull at times, the main quartet of four actors solidly delivers.  Ben Foster is charismatic as Tanner whose unhinged personality ultimately overtakes his more subdued brother Toby who is subtly played by Chris Pine with just the right amount of emotional pain to make me truly believe his character's descent into crime.  The two feel incredibly natural together, coming off as believable brothers despite their distinct personalities.  Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham play splendidly off of one another in large part thanks to the wonderfully witty and natural dialog conjured up by screenwriter Taylor Sheridan who has a keen ear for the spoken word (even if the film's plot leaves a little to be desired).

The acting certainly elevates the whole film and is undoubtedly the reason for giving this one a go.  Mackenzie as a director creates an incredibly taut and exciting final act, but unfortunately, the build up to the final moments is a bit slow.  This is a capable film that is perhaps more highly praised this awards season than it should be, but I imagine that's in large part due to the fact that the film ends much more enjoyably than how it begins.

The RyMickey Rating:  B-

Movie Review - The Giver

The Giver (2014)

Starring Brenton Thwaites, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, Odeya Rush, Cameron Monaghan, and Taylor Swift

Directed by Philip Noyce

I never read The Giver growing up so despite the Lois Lowry book being a staple of many folks' youth, it held no revered place in my mind.  I thought that may help things given how the general public opinion of director Philip Noyce's adaptation was that of disappointment upon the film's release this summer.  Unfortunately, it didn't.  While visually appealing, The Giver fails to deliver anything new on a science fiction premise we've seen before.  (Granted, perhaps the novel The Giver gave us this premise first...but in the cinematic world, this movie feels like old news.)

The year is 2048 and following some horrific events, a community has decided to erase all memory of its inhabitants in an attempt to create a "perfect" city in which everyone lives peacefully together.  The experiment is seemingly working as sixteen year old Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) is assigned his career at the annual graduation ceremony.  Jonas is deemed "special" and is granted the right to visit The Giver (Jeff Bridges), the only member of the community who retains the memories of the past.  These memories are utilized by the Giver to advise the Chief Elder (Meryl Streep) to shape the community's actions.  Aging, however, the Giver begins to pass on his memories to Jonas who finds his community's robotic and sterile atmosphere disturbing and decides to do something to shake things up a bit.

Unfortunately, this "utopian" society thing feels so played out nowadays and The Giver comes at (one can only hope) the tail end of this sci-fi subgenre.  While visually appealing (director Philip Noyce begins the film is stark blacks, whites, and grays and only introduces colors as Jonas begins to receive memories), the film feels simplistic and childish at times.  It lacks the metaphorical messages that I assume it wished to espouse.  The young Thwaites is fine, but he's really quite emotionless and his character's romantic subplot with a young gal just weighs the film down with unneeded teenage angst.  Meryl Streep is okay, but certainly nothing special, and Jeff Bridges mumbles so incoherently at times that I felt like I wanted to put on the subtitles.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-

Movie Review - True Grit

True Grit (2010)

Starring Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin

Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

Westerns are not my thing.  I know full well that True Grit is a good movie.  I'd even go so far as to add the qualifier "very" ahead of the "good" in the previous sentence.  However, that doesn't take away from the fact that I've yet to see a western that doesn't have me checking my watch every thirty minutes to see how much time is left.  There's something about the slow pace and the country accents that cannot grab my attention.  Still, despite my random spouts of momentary boredom while watching the Coen Brothers' latest film, I found myself oddly riveted.  I realize that the last sentence is kind of an oxymoron, but my reaction to True Grit is very confusing to even myself, so I can't imagine if this review will make any sense by the time I'm done typing it.

Needless to say, with my lack of affinity towards westerns, I had never seen the John Wayne original upon which this flick is based (although, I'd venture to guess that this 2010 flick may find its basis more in the original novel than in the original film).  So, with that said, I had no prior connection to the plot.  That's probably a good thing as there were a few surprises in the cleverly written screenplay  filled with the typical moments of dry (sometimes absurd) Coen humor.

As is often a staple of Coen Brothers flicks, the acting is some of the best you'll see in cinema. Whether it's the biggest celebrities or some actor you've never seen before (see last year's A Serious Man), the directing duo has a way of getting their actors to shine.  Had Jeff Bridges not won Best Actor at the Oscars last year for Crazy Heart, I'd have to imagine his nomination this year for True Grit would have made him a strong contender in the race rather than just an also-ran.  I, for one, thought he was pretty fantastic in this flick.  The grumbly, mumbly voice he brings to the part of bounty hunter Rooster Cogburn is one of those character choices that an actor makes that may have worried film execs initially, but proves to be a nifty defining characteristic that becomes instantly memorable.

Every bit as captivating is Hailee Steinfeld making her screen debut as the poised and wise-beyond-her-years Mattie Ross who seeks out the help of Cogburn in order to track down and bring to justice her father's killer.  Steinfeld is in nearly every single scene and is the impetus behind the entire film's story, so how she snagged a Supporting Actress nomination (rather than a Best Actress nom) is beyond me.  Nonetheless, she's a joy to watch and is perfectly suited for carrying out the Coens' dialog.

Rounding out the great cast (who will likely be mentioned as a whole in the Best Ensemble category when I get around to naming the coveted RyMickey Awards in mid-March) is Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Barry Pepper, all of whom make the most of their screen time by creating unique and lasting characters.  With everything this film has going for it -- great actors, a clever script, beautiful cinematography -- I have to wonder if there will ever be a western that doesn't have me looking at my watch.  I don't know if it's possible.  Still, I've got to say that despite the momentary minutes of boredom, I really enjoyed True Grit, and it's probably the only western I've seen that I can say I wouldn't mind watching again.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - The Morning After

The Morning After (1986)

Starring Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, and Raul Julia

Directed by Sidney Lumet

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

There's something about the 1980s.  Seeing as how the decade brought us smooth jazz and an overabundance of pastels (both of which get prominent placement in this film), it's ten years that are probably best forgotten.  The Morning After reeks of the year it was made, but I'm willing to give it that fault.  Unfortunately, the flick about an out-of-work alcoholic actress (Jane Fonda) who wakes up in a drunken haze next to the body of a murdered man just doesn't cut it in terms of a thriller.  From the outset, it's fairly obvious who the killer actually is and who the screenplay is simply setting up as the red herring.  Add to that one of the silliest "reveals" in film history and you've got a disappointment.

It also doesn't help that Jane Fonda (in an Oscar-nominated role no less) seems to be overacting to the hilt.  She brings nothing new to the role of "drunk" and instead utilizes all the stereotypical characteristics.  Granted, I wasn't bored when Fonda was onscreen, but, in actuality, despite the film's flaws, I actually wasn't bored by any of it.  Which places me in an odd conundrum.  I can't say that The Morning After should be watched, but I also can't say it was all that bad despite the fact that it doesn't have much going for it.

Of course, it doesn't really matter because the likelihood of anyone reading this actually watching this is slim to zippo.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-

Movie Review - Tron Legacy

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Starring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, and Michael Sheen

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

Mindless entertainment is perfectly fine sometimes.  I don't need everything I watch to be "awards-worthy."  But, on the other hand, "mindless entertainment" does have the responsibility of being entertaining.  I mean, the entertainment aspect is inherent in its name.  I'm not saying Tron: Legacy wasn't entertaining...I just can't help but feel that it could have been better than it was.

Perhaps my major problem with Tron: Legacy is that the action scenes seemed somewhat disjointed from the rather engaging and unique story going on around them.  When Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) inadvertently gets sucked into the virtual gaming world that his father Kevin (Jeff Bridges) created over a decade ago, the young man finds himself on a quest to find his father whom he believes to be trapped in the game as well.  The father-son relationship/dynamic between Bridges and Hedlund worked (I realize this isn't a popular opinion as this was trashed in a lot of reviews I read).  Unfortunately, the action scenes (while thoroughly entertaining) seemed placed in the film only to showcase the 3-D, which, while good, didn't reach Avatar levels in terms of execution.

I understand there innately needs to be some kind of conflict in order for a film to work, but as soon as Sam is trapped in the game, he forced to play a part in some giant futuristic gladiator-style tournament set up by the "ruler" of the gaming world Clu (also played by Jeff Bridges).  In a scene that seems to take forever, Sam battles against faceless robots using light sabers, light rings, and computerized motorcycles. It all looked cool and it was all well done, but I couldn't help but think that it was placed in the film simply because it looked neat.  The film sets up a nice competition of power (of sorts) between Clu and Kevin, but the first twenty minutes in the computer world are simply this game that means absolutely nothing in terms of the grand scheme of the film.  Ultimately, the story came together in a way that worked, but it's once again an action film that didn't need a lot of its action.  It would have been much more successful had certain scenes been deleted.

I realize I'm perhaps being a tad harsh because I did find it better than your average actioner.  I liked Jeff Bridges quite a bit and his duel roles allowed him to play both sides of the spectrum with equal gusto.  I also didn't have any problems with Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde (who plays Kevin's computerized assistant Quorra) who, while both given some silly things to say, were more than adequate in their roles.  And in terms of acting, Michael Sheen was hamming it up as futuristic club owner Zuse.  While the extravagance should have felt completely out of place, I couldn't help but love the over-the-top nature of it, injecting the film with some much needed humor (in fact, it probably won't be surprising to see Sheen on my list of 2010 Best Supporting Actors which I'll post some time in February).

In terms of production values, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Daft Punk's scoring which I thought was probably one of the best scores I've heard this year.  The pumping bass did more to help the mood of the film than any of the computer-generated special effects did (although they were certainly up to snuff as well).

While the film was certainly left open for the possibility of a sequel, I appreciated that it felt wrapped up as well.  I'm not against seeing another Tron, but I'm a little hesitant.  What I enjoyed about this one was the backstory of getting to know these characters and how they got to this point in their lives.  I worry that a sequel will simply be about the action, and in this film, those scenes didn't quite work for me as well as I would have liked.

The RyMickey Rating:  C+

Movie Review - Crazy Heart (2009)

Crazy Heart
Starring Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, and Robert Duvall
Directed by Scott Cooper

We've seen this story before. The plot summary is as simple as this: A washed-up singer has turned to booze, but happens to meet a new lady and tries to clean up his act to be with her. Crazy Heart is not above that cliché. In fact, there's not a single thing in this movie that feels the least bit "new" or "fresh."

Fortunately, Jeff Bridges' turn as the alcoholic has-been Bad Blake more than makes up for the paint-by-numbers storyline. Honestly, in the film's first few minutes, I was rolling my eyes. Bad (as he likes to be called) was simply like any other movie singer I'd seen portrayed -- he drinks, he smokes pot, he spouts profanities, he sleeps with his groupies. Somewhere around the twenty minute mark, love interest Maggie Gyllenhaal is introduced and while her news reporter character, Jean, is nothing we haven't seen before, Bad's reaction to her is what tips the scale in this film's favor. We've seen Bad with other women at this point, but Jean is something special, bringing out tenderness in him that adds that extra layer I was looking for in him. Bridges exudes kindness and warmth that was, admittedly, unexpected.

Bridges is onscreen in every scene and he ultimately won me over after a shaky start. He completely embodies Bad Blake and, while Bad's a walking stereotype, Bridges puts his whole heart into the role and none of it seems the least bit fake or forced. And his singing ain't too shabby either. [Now's a good a place as any to mention that the songs, while sounding slightly repetitive, were a perfect fit.]

This is a showcase for Bridges and that's it. The story isn't there. The direction is simple. Everybody else (from Gyllenhaal to Colin Farrell's younger aspiring country star to Duvall's guardian-angel-esque role) is simply on the sidelines watching Bridges do the heavy lifting. That's not to say that these side characters are lackluster -- in fact, it's the opposite. They certainly add to Bad's story. But in the end, this is about one guy, and while I wish there was a little more to the film, Bridges elevates it to a higher level.

The RyMickey Rating: B

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 - The Big Lebowski (1998)

Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and John Turturro
Directed by Joel Coen (and an uncredited Ethan Coen)

I'm not really gonna go into a summary here as nearly everyone I know has seen it already. There's a lot of depth here for a comedy, both in story and in dialogue. There's an intelligence in the verbiage used here that shines through despite the fact that we're dealing with some dumb (or at the very least lazy) folks...and it shockingly didn't feel out of place. Characters (even the most minor ones) are well defined and each really has their own unique voice and manner of speaking.

It's the characters and the actors that play them who make this movie the comedic gem that it is. Jeff Bridges is genius as The Dude, taking the slacker routine that has been seen so many times on film to a new level. And just when you think you're seeing something great in Bridges, along come John Goodman who has one of the best supporting roles I've seen onscreen in ages. His volatile bitterness and shifts from happiness to anger were ridiculously hilarious. Goodman's role is certainly the stand-out here, but Julianne Moore and Steve Buscemi also are pretty damn good in their smaller roles, making a sizable impression despite less screen time.

Obviously, these actors have the Coen brothers to thank. At this point, this is by far my favorite Coen brothers movie I've seen to date (although I know I've got much more in their oeuvre to go...and I'm not gonna hear the end of it until I see them all). The wit and intelligence they bring to the screen is refreshing. Bring on the rest of their stuff...

The RyMickey Rating: B+