Movie Review - Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, and Brendan Gleeson

Directed by Doug Liman

***viewed in 3D***

Reviews have called Edge of Tomorrow an action-oriented version of the 1990s comedy classic Groundhog Day and that's certainly an apt comparison with Tom Cruise the Bill Murray equivalent here -- a man who is forced to keep living the same day over and over again.  Cruise is Major William Cage, a military man who is the media relations guy for the United Defense Forces, a NATO-fronted organization who finds themselves (in the near future when our film takes place) on the forefront of fighting an alien race known as Mimics who have taken over most of Europe.  Unfortunately for Cage, he's summoned to meet General Brigham (Brendan Gleeson) who orders Cage into combat -- an arena that Cage has never found himself in before and one in which he has no desire to take part.  Despite his qualms, Cage is sent to ship out, taking part in a D-Day style Normandy-esque invasion against the aliens in France.  During the invasion, Cage is killed -- however (and this is why that isn't a spoiler), before he dies, Cage is covered in the "blood" of one of the more "sophisticated" aliens which causes Cage to live this same day and this same battle over and over again.  (There's a reason that I'll leave this vague on purpose.)

What Doug Liman and his trio of screenwriters successfully accomplish in Edge of Tomorrow is providing a unique experience each time Cage ends up reliving his day and, because of this, the film never once becomes the slightest bit boring.  Mixed with humor, Edge of Tomorrow actually ends up being one of the better science fiction-action flicks I've seen since in a long time.  Tom Cruise is certainly charismatic as Cage and does a nice job balancing the action and comedic sides of his character.  Emily Blunt plays Cage's confidante on the battlefield -- a warrior woman who, fortunately for Cage, once experienced the same exact thing he finds himself facing, only to lose the ability to relive the same day through an unfortunate (or perhaps fortunate) event that Cage himself needs to be wary of occurring.  Blunt is certainly the "straight man" to Cage's confusion and humor, but she holds her own as the tough gal in what I believe is her first action role.

I'm not quite sure why Edge of Tomorrow did so poorly at the box office although I'm sure it was a mix of things -- the title sucks, the trailer was very weak and unappealing, Tom Cruise himself isn't a draw and hasn't overcome the Oprah couch-jumping thing despite putting out a string of solid movies as of late (last year's Oblivion as another example).  It's rather unfortunate because, despite a "Hollywood-ized" ending (the film's only fault), Edge of Tomorrow is a perfect summer action flick that rocks and rolls its entire run time, keeping the viewer on the edge of their seat.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - Man of Steel

Man of Steel (2013)

Starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, and Kevin Costner

Directed by Zach Snyder

To me, "Superman" has to come with a little bit of fun attached.  Maybe it's the fact that I grew up with the somewhat tongue in cheek Christopher Reeve version or the very tongue in cheek Lois and Clark tv series (a must-watch every Sunday night for me growing up), but Zach Snyder's Man of Steel was so über-serious that it sucked all the joy out of a fun character.  Granted, we never get to see the journalist "Clark Kent with Glasses" in this movie -- I assume that's being saved for the sequel if the film's final minutes are to be the fodder for what is to come -- and we're forced to endure yet again another origin story which are two factors leading to the lack of frivolity.  Seriously, do filmmakers not realize that these iconic characters don't need their early life stories told over and over again (I'm looking at you Spider-Man)?

After we're told how Superman makes it to Earth from his home planet of Krypton (therein setting up the villain's plotline as well -- which I'll discuss in a bit), we jump ahead in time about two decades and find that the US government is investigating some strange scientific readings in the Arctic.  Intrepid news reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) is on the scene and does a little digging on her own one night, coming upon a Kryptonian space ship wherein she meets Superman (Henry Cavill) who was doing a little digging of his own trying to find his origin.  While on the ship thanks to some weird outer space science, Superman is able to "meet" the holographic image of his father (Russell Crowe) who tells him that Krypton's military commander General Zod (Michael Shannon) is hellbent on finding a way to Earth in order to take it over since Krypton was destroyed decades ago.  Although Superman flies away, Lois is intent on finding out who this man is and discovers that he grew up as Clark Kent in Smallville, Kansas, with a mother and father (Diane Lane and Kevin Costner) who raised him as their own after they discovered his spaceship in their barn.  Eventually, General Zod arrives on Earth and the ultimate showdown begins.

Although I'm certainly no expert on this, Man of Steel certainly feels like it must hold the record for most deaths in a movie.  Granted, we don't see many of these deaths, but during the nearly hour long battle between Superman and General Zod, huge swaths of cities are destroyed and one has to think that the casualties were astronomical.  During this lengthy tête-a-tête, boredom ultimately set in for this viewer.  I was along for the ride for a bit, but then director Snyder just seems to try and want to top himself over and over again with ludicrous one-upmanship.  It begins to wear thin particularly thanks to the drab color palette he conjures up for the piece.

With the exception of the over-zealous (and over-acting) Michael Shannon and his evil minions who chew up the scenery whenever they make an appearance, the acting helps Man of Steel achieve a naturalness that we admittedly don't see in Superman pieces.  Henry Cavill (with whom I'm really not at all familiar) has the down-to-earth All-American Clark Kent-ian vibe to him, but also carries the gravity of the strength of "Superman" quite well.  Although this film didn't really give him the opportunity, I also think he's got the sly comedic chops in him that are needed for the adult Clark Kent journalist role so that's certainly a plus.  Amy Adams brings an intelligence to Lois Lane that I hadn't seen before (sorry Teri Hatcher) and it is somewhat refreshing.  She's still much too intrepid of a character for her own good, but Adams doesn't play her as a damsel in distress (although she is often just that throughout the film).  Nice turns from Diane Lane and Kevin Costner round out the cast.

Man of Steel is decent, but much too dark and serious for its own good.  The Marvel universe has at least latched onto the fact that a little bit of humor has to be instilled into their films in order to poke fun at the ridiculous nature of some of the goings-on.  Man of Steel is just itching for that same dry humor and instead it languishes in a world that's devoid of any joy.  I'd look forward to a sequel out of Zach Snyder's hands, but he unfortunately appears to be back at the helm which doesn't bode well for things to come.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - The Frozen Ground

The Frozen Ground (2013)

Starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and Vanessa Hudgens

Directed by Scott Walker

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

Poor Nicolas Cage.  He (along with perhaps Cuba Gooding, Jr.) has certainly become the butt of jokes about what NOT to do with your career after you've won an Oscar.  Cage has made low budget B-movies his bread and butter over the last five years so much so that people seem to have forgotten that he could actually be taken seriously.  Perhaps The Frozen Ground was Cage's attempt to show that he isn't the joke people thought he was.  While he certainly doesn't embarrass himself here, Cage doesn't exactly redeem himself fully as Alaska State Trooper Jack Halcombe who is investigating a series of murders of young women in Anchorage in the early 1980s.

Admittedly, Cage isn't solely to blame for his lack of restitution.  First time director and screenwriter Scott Walker's virginal chops are evident as he can't quite craft characters and dialog that ring true or feel fully developed.  While he certainly is respectful of the true story upon which this is based, there's a grittiness that's missing despite his attempts to achieve it.  Admittedly, part of the issue is that Vanessa Hudgens simply isn't believable as a prostitute who is the only victim to escape the clutches of serial killer Robert Hansen (John Cusack).  When she dances on a stripper pole or snorts coke, I found myself laughing when I know I shouldn't.  Once again, like Cage, I'm not 100% sure it's her fault.  As an actress, Hudgens fights an uphill battle trying to rid herself of the "Disney image," but with the right script, she may be able to get there (although I'm also not quite sure she has the ability to successfully blossom into a respectable actress either).

Perhaps I'm being a little harsher on The Frozen Ground than I should because the film is certainly watchable with a storyline that consistently builds tension.  The true life aspect of the whole thing adds a disturbing element that gives us a rooting interest in the characters.  Scott Walker hasn't completely struck out with his first film, but he needs to up the ante a bit for any future projects on his horizon.

The RyMickey Rating:  C  

Movie Review - Escape from Tomorrow

Escape from Tomorrow (2013)

Starring Roy Abramsohn, Elena Schuber, Katelynn Rodriguez, Jack Dalton, Daniele Safady, Annet Mahendru, Alison Lees-Taylor, and Stass Klassen

Directed by Randy Moore

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

I can fully acknowledge that part of the reason I found Escape from Tomorrow oddly intriguing is the fact that I'm a Disney nut.  Then again, considering the fact that I am a Disney nut, I could have very easily despised Escape from Tomorrow since Randy Moore's film was shot in secret in Walt Disney World and Disneyland and paints the company in a slightly sardonic light.  There's no denying that this experimental film is out there, weird, and unusually unique, but the Disney side of things gives the audience a nearly universal textual basis of which its oddness can sit and marinate.

As the film opens, Jim (Roy Abramsohn) is standing on the balcony of the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World and is told by his boss via a phone call that he has been fired.  Not wanting to ruin his family's final day at the Happiest Place on Earth, Jim, his wife Emily (Elena Schuber) and their two kids Sara and Elliot (Katelynn Rodriguez and Jack Dalton) trek into the Magic Kingdom where Jim becomes a bit too enamored with two French girls (Daniele Safady and Annet Mahendru) who are MUCH too young for him to be eyeing.  These two girls keep popping up throughout the day and as Jim's obsession with tracking them down grows, the "real" world slowly begins to fall apart for him.

I must remind you that at least 65% of the film was shot onsite at Orlando's Magic Kingdom and Epcot or Anaheim's Disneyland.  So while the above summary may not seem all that odd, consider the fact that this was secretly filmed and I give Randy Moore quite a bit of credit for being able to accomplish this task.  One must also keep in mind that although the above doesn't seem odd, the remaining 35% that wasn't filmed onsite at a Disney location is quite trippy.  Let's just say that the final thirty minutes of this thing go off the tracks and you're either onboard or you're not.  Because of my fascination with the previous hour, I stuck with the film, but I can totally understand those who never even made it to the last act.  This one's an odd duck (and, yes, Donald makes an appearance), but I had a bit of fun with it.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

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 Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Starring Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Shirley MacLaine, and Sean Penn

Directed by Ben Stiller

There's a lot to admire about Ben Stiller's directorial effort The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in which the daydreaming title character -- a photography manager at Life magazine -- ponders all kinds of fantastical adventures that showcase his imaginative romantic and heroic sides.  However, once the unique direction and pleasant acting are pushed aside, you're left with a film that admittedly has a lot of heart, but very little story and substance.  While the technical achievements and unique execution of the film are stellar, I found myself wishing that the film was about twenty minutes shorter which would've certainly condensed the simplistic story down to a length that would've been more successful.

At the film's outset, Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) has just discovered that Life magazine is shutting down its print edition and many of its employees will be given the pink slip by incoming transitional manager Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott).  When Life's premiere photographer Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) sends Walter a new set of photos, he also includes a letter (which he also forwards to Life's bosses) stating that Picture #25 exemplifies the "Quintessence of Life" (or perhaps the "Quintessence of Life") and should be given prominent placement on the cover of the magazine's final print issue.  The problem -- Walter never actually received Picture #25 or, if he did, he seems to have misplaced it.  Obviously, with his job on the line, he can't reveal this to Ted who wants to see the picture ASAP.  So, with the help of his crush Cheryl (Kristen Wiig), Walter sets out to find where exactly the elusive Sean O'Connell is located in order to try and track down Picture #25.

As previously mentioned, Walter is a huge daydreamer and prior to heading out on his mission to find Sean, his simplistic and lackadaisical life is only ever brightened by the vivid imaginative creations in his mind.  These fantasies are cleverly realized by director Stiller although they begin to wear thin prior to Walter setting out on his trek.  Once on his journey, Walter's daydreams nearly become realities as he's forced to find bravery in himself that he never knew he possessed.  While that message came through loud and clear -- and I found it refreshingly simplistic yet surprisingly grown-up for a PG-rated film -- the outrageousness of certain aspects of the plot dragged down Walter's tale.  His journey to become more courageous, outspoken, and self-assured didn't resonate as much as I would have liked.

As an actor, Stiller is fine (although I think part of the aforementioned lack of resonance does stem a little bit from the fact that he makes his character's emotional journey seem a little too obvious), but the real star is Kristen Wiig who is utterly charming as Walter's crush Cheryl.  Anytime she was on the screen, I found myself smiling and truly rooting for Walter to succeed.

The RyMickey Rating:  B-

Movie Review - Paranoia

Paranoia (2013)

Starring Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, Amber Heard, Embeth Davidtz, Julian McMahon, Josh Holloway, Richard Dreyfuss, and Harrison Ford

Directed by Robert Luketic

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

Considering the thrashing Paranoia received from the critics (earning an abysmal 5% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes), I was expecting the absolute worst from this financial thriller.  Admittedly, the only reason I watched this flick is because I read the book (link here), but (and I recognize this is faint praise) it really wasn't as bad as I expected.  The problem with Paranoia is that the film puts Liam Hemsworth in the lead role and gives him a love interest in Amber Heard in an attempt to skew to a younger audience, but the film's story is about two large techie corporations headed by bigwigs Nicholas Wyatt and Jock Goddard (played by Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford) who are trying to one up each other -- a storyline that couldn't be further away from appealing to youths.  This juxtaposition places Paranoia in a bit of "no man's land" with a too-confusing plotline for the Twitter-verse, but a too simplistic tale for the older crowd.

The book upon which this film is based was admittedly a light, fun read, but skewing younger may have been the flick's downfall.  The aforementioned Hemsworth and Heard are both lovely to look at and are actually surprisingly confident in their ability to carry the film, but they just don't fit here.  Perhaps I'm remembering incorrectly, but the book seemed to focus on a thirtysomething guy who fits this high-tech, gadget-filled, "smart" environment a little bit better.  I can't help but think that a few more years and wrinkles on Hemsworth's character Adam Cassidy -- an up-and-coming techie who agrees to snoop on Goddard's company after he gets in trouble with his former boss Wyatt -- would've helped the believability factor a bit.

Undoubtedly, there are better films streaming on Netflix at the moment, but Paranoia moves along at a solid clip and if you're in the market for some mindless entertainment this may just fit the bill.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - The Book Thief

The Book Thief (2013)

Starring Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, Ben Schnetzer, and Emily Watson

Directed by Brian Percival

The Book Thief feels like a low-grade Diary of Anne Frank and, despite being nicely acted and adequately directed, it's one of the least interesting World War II-era films I've seen.  After given up for adoption by her mother, young Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) is taken in by Germans Hans and Rosa Hubermann (Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson).  Liesel's only possession is a book she stole from a gravedigger at her younger brother's funeral and she finds herself bonding with Hans over her desire to learn how to read and become better educated.  With Hitler's army on the rise, Hans and Rosa agree to hide a young twentysomething named Max (Ben Schnetzer), a Jew whose parents were good friends with the Hubermanns prior to Hitler.  The dynamics of this new "family" shape the remainder of the movie...which really doesn't become any cohesive shape at all.

The Book Thief fails to resonate in the slightest.  The family dynamic (which is certainly supposed to be the emotional crux of the film) fails miserably and there's not any unique "war" situation brought to the forefront at all.  With neither family or war packing an emotional punch, the film plays like a WWII film aimed at ten year-olds and, let's be honest, that age bracket would have zero desire to see it in the first place.  And, if they did want to see something of that nature they'd be much better served watching Anne Frank.

The RyMickey Rating:  C- 

Movie Review - Godzilla

Godzilla (2014)

Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, and Juliette Binoche

Directed by Gareth Edwards

Perhaps being my most eagerly anticipated film of the summer (which looks incredibly weak overall movie-wise) did Godzilla in, but I found this reinvention of the classic Japanese monster movie a pretty big disappointment.  Part of me respects the fact that director Gareth Edwards and screenwriter Max Borenstein were ballsy enough to keep the title figure off the screen for all but (seemingly) ten minutes of the film, but the other part of me can't help but think they squandered away their money shots with the creature.

However, let's just say that I'm fine with Godzilla not being the film's focal point.  That notion would be totally true if the film's centerpiece -- the humans who are facing an epic battle between Godzilla and to Mothra-esque creatures -- had any modicum of interesting storyline to latch onto.  There's actually been much talk about Aaron Taylor-Johnson (whose US solider character is the lead) and his inability to emote properly, but I found that the script didn't give him a damn thing to do.  For a film that follows this guy around and tries to make us connect with him by giving him a plotline about returning home to his wife (Elizabeth Olsen) after visiting his crazy father (Bryan Cranston) in Japan, Taylor-Johnson is in this movie solely to react to the CGI-ness of the monsters rampaging around him.  Without being the impetus of a single plot point, I found myself detached too much from his character and the story.

In the film's opening act, we are given a bit of background which admittedly does a decent job about setting up how Godzilla and these two gigantic winged creatures he fights manifested themselves thanks to radiation in the 1950s.  This is essentially where the rest of the film's cast -- Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, and Juliette Binoche -- come into play.  Watanabe and Hawkins are here simply to elucidate the scientific goings-on, Binoche is essentially a walk-on cameo, and Cranston -- well, I'm warning you that I'm about to say something that Breaking Bad fans (myself being one of them) may find utterly sacrilegious -- overacts to a point of oddness.  Cranston's character is the first major player we meet in the film and at first, I actually thought Cranston was paying homage to the 1960s Godzilla films of yore.  However, as the film progressed, I realized that no one else was playing up the "corny factor" and that Cranston was just doing some schticky overly dramatic thing on his own accord.

If the fact that I've not talked about Godzilla much in this review seems a little odd that's because, as I already mentioned, Godzilla isn't in the flick all that much.  Once again, for me, this would've been a perfectly acceptable conceit had the humans in this story been given any type of emotional arc I could've looked to for some meatiness in terms of plot.  With that not being given to me, Godzilla ends up falling flat.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-

Movie Review - In a World...

In a World... (2013)

Starring Lake Bell, Fred Melamed, Ken Marino, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Alexandra Holden, and Nick Offerman

Directed by Lake Bell

Written, directed, and starring Lake Bell, In a World... (which will be ellipsis-free from here on out in this review) is a charming debut for the first-time writer and lenser.  Bell is thirty-one year-old Carol who, at the film's start, is still living with her father trying to make a career out of being a dialect coach for famous actors.  Her father Sam (Fred Melamed) is a famous voice-over artist who is well-known throughout the biz as being the second-most-respected talker behind the world-famous Don LaFontaine (a real-life voiceover artist who died within the past several years).  Sam is a likely successor to LaFontaine's crown, but he recognizes that his time in the business is nearing its end so he's been acting as a mentor to the up-and-coming Gustav (Ken Marino) who is quickly becoming a star in the voice-over world.  What Sam can't seem to fathom is that Carol wants to follow her father's footsteps in a business that doesn't look kindly on females.  When a movie studio decides that it wants to create an epic trailer that harkens back to and honors Mr. LaFontaine who made the words "In a World" so infamous in the realm of movie trailers, Carol, Sam, and Gustav all find themselves duking it out to claim this coveted prize.

While Lake Bell certainly crafted a film about a topic I'm not sure we've ever before seen grace the silver screen, In a World is, admittedly, quite typical in its stories and characters.  While Bell doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to a comedy, what she is able to do extremely well is create characters and dialog that seem believable and relatable.  Sometimes these low budget comedies are filled with people who either (a) wouldn't exist in the real world with their weirdly verbose vocabularies, or (b) you find it a chore to hang out with for ninety minutes.  In In a World, all of Bell's characters seem based in reality -- granted, it's a reality we may not be entirely familiar with given that I've never met nor likely will ever meet a voice-over artist, but it's still a world that I could easily find myself easing into.  There's something charming about the notion that these characters seem so down-to-earth.

Certainly, Bell's cast helps aid this easy-going atmosphere that she created for the film.  In addition to the aforementioned Fred Melamed and Ken Marino (who both are quite funny here), there's a nice repartee created by Rob Corddry and Michaela Watkins (the latter of the recently cancelled Trophy Wife which was the most underrated show of the 2013-14 tv seaston) as Carol's brother-in-law and sister.  Their relationship anchors a good portion of the plot which, in retrospect, does take a little too much of the focus off of Carol, but still doesn't prove overly detrimental to the overall tone of the flick.

I know that In a World isn't a perfect film and as I reflect back on it, I realize that its script could've used a little more refining.  However, for a first go at writing a feature-length film, I think Lake Bell shows a huge amount of promise.  Not only does she excel at creating a believable environment in both her writing and her directing, but she's utterly charming to watch onscreen.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccleston, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård, and Rene Russo

Directed by Alan Taylor

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but 2011's Thor is my favorite Marvel comics movie (not including some X-Men co-productions...for some reason I don't think of them [or Spider-Man] when I think of "Marvel" movies).  There was something about the fun that director Kenneth Branagh brought to the flick that made the sheer ridiculousness of the title character and his hammer wielding an enjoyable summer romp.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Thor: The Dark World which feels like a heavy burden to sit through lacking any modicum of the fun and excitement that was found in its predecessor.  Quite frankly, this one is probably the worst film to come out of the Marvel/Disney pipeline in part because of an awful screenplay and direction that can't really compare to Mr. Branagh's in the first Thor. 

What the sequel really boils down to is this:  Two species in space -- one of which is Thor's people and one of which is someone else -- fought with each other a long time ago.  Thor's people won and buried this other people's energy source (or something) deep in the earth.  Thanks to wormholes (which played a prominent role in The Avengers) this energy source has been found by Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) who has been sitting around in London depressed since Thor (Chris Hemsworth) left her at the end of the last film.  This magical energy source somehow gets transferred into Jane which causes the bad guys to chase after Jane only to have Thor help her.

It's all so ridiculous...even more ridiculous than a guy from space coming down to Earth and fighting people with a magic hammer.  Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman look bored out of their mind in this with Portman in particular a blank slate whenever she appears onscreen (and, unfortunately, she's onscreen a lot in this one).  Tom Hiddleston injects a little bit of pizzazz into the mix, but even his Loki isn't able to overcome the inanity of the plot.

The one advantage the Thor flicks have going for them is that they do seem to understand just how silly their plots truly are.  There are jabs here and there about how ridiculous the goings-on are and I do appreciate that.  However, Thor: The Dark World is such a huge step down from the original that I don't think I'll be looking forward to the next one at all.

The RyMickey Rating:  D

Movie Review - The Past

The Past (Le passé) (2013)

Starring Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, Ali Mosaffa, Pauline Burlet, Elyes Aguis, and Jeanne Jestin

Directed by Asghar Farhadi

I was a huge fan of director-screenwriter Asghar Farhadi's last film A Separation (seriously, if you haven't seen it, don't let the subtitles frighten you), so I was very much looking forward to delving into The Past when I heard it was being released last year.  Veering away from the Middle East (although maintaining characters who reside from there), The Past takes place in France as Marie (Bérénice Bejo) is reuniting with her estranged husband Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) to finalize a divorce after having been separated for several years.  Their relationship is perfectly civil with the duo realizing they simply weren't meant for each other, however, Marie's children (from a previous marriage) fawn over Ahmad much more than they care for Marie's new boyfriend Samir (Tahar Rahim).  Samir comes with a bit of baggage as well in the form of a young son who struggles to accept Marie as a new guardian.  The rest of the plot stems from the fact that Marie wants a divorce because she wants to marry Samir -- and none of the children involved love this notion.  Secrets then are gradually revealed, but, much like A Separation, it's best if you come to the film as unencumbered as possible in order to get the full impact of Farhadi's emotional plot.

Granted, there are times when The Past feels soap operatic (much more so than A Separation), however, the film works for the most part thanks to a strong performance from Ali Mossafa who anchors the flick in reality amidst the chaos that is going on all around him.  Bérénice Bejo (you know her from The Artist) won Best Actress at Cannes last year for this performance, but I can't necessarily agree with that win simply because her character feels a bit too shrill and overly emotional.  I found Marie to be the least "believable" character of anyone in the film and that's not really the fault of Bejo, but moreso lies in the way Farhadi wrote the character.

The film meanders a bit, but really does have a rather interesting final act in which pieces of this simplistic, though highly emotional, family puzzle come together.  I'd have rated this even higher if the film's final scene was a little more clear to me.  It's tough to discuss without spoiling things, but I'll try and be as vague as possible.  The film's final scene packs an emotional wallop as it is, but it ended rather open-ended.  So, wanting to see what the blogosphere thought of the ending, I went online and discovered that I had totally missed a very key element in the final scene.  This element is so nondescript that it's completely obvious why I missed it, but considering that it plays such an important role in the meaning of the ending, I can't help but think Farhadi could've made it a smidge more obvious.  Perhaps it's having to read the English subtitles that made me miss it, but regardless, this important element is incredibly easy to glance over.  The ending still "works" and is still powerful even without this pivotal piece of information, however, it's even more powerful (and gut-wrenching) having the knowledge of what Farhadi really wanted us to see.

The Past is a decent flick -- one that is worth watching if foreign dramas appeal to you -- and it certainly increased my appreciation for director-writer Asghar Farhadi.  However, I'd recommend the director's A Separation before this in a heartbeat.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - You're Next

You're Next (2013)

Starring Sharni Wilson, AJ Bowen, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, Joe Swanberg, Rob Moran, and Barbara Crampton

Directed by Adam Wingard

There's nothing innately wrong with You're Next, a home invasion horror film in which three men in animal masks attack the WASPy inhabitants of a secluded house who have reunited for a family reunion.  However, despite its aspects of dark humor (which provided not nearly as many laughs as I had expected based off what I had heard), Adam Wingard's film doesn't really bring much new to the table.  The acting's decent, the kills are okay, and the direction is perfectly adequate.  But based off the fact that this horror film was "buzzed" about on the horror aficionado circuit, I felt a tiny bit blasé after watching it.

Admittedly, there's not really much else to write here about the low budget slasher.  Don't get me wrong...if this type of movie appeals to you, you could do much worse.  Don't expect a reinvention of the wheel, however.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - About Time

About Time (2013)

Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, and Margot Robbie

Directed by Richard Curtis

For some reason, I thought Richard Curtis was a much more prolific director than he actually is.  The helmer (and screenwriter) of one of the best romantic comedies of all time -- Love Actually -- has actually only gone behind the camera one other time since that 2003 flick with the disappointing ensemble comedy Pirate Radio.  Needless to say, I found myself a bit excited when I discovered he had a new film on the horizon, but About Time came and left the theaters very quickly in November and, admittedly, its trailers featuring a time-jumping main character left me a little perplexed (and, based off the poor grosses, left other moviegoers befuddled as well).

I'm quite happy to say, though, that About Time is a charming piece, lovingly crafted with humor and heart, and features some very nice performances from its cast.  While the film does definitely place an emphasis on time travel, the premise is actually easy to understand.  When we first meet the twenty-one year-old Tim (Domhnall Gleeson), he has had a disastrous evening at a New Years' Eve party at his parents' home in rural England.  While at the party, Tim's father (Bill Nighy) takes him aside and tells him that the men in their family have an unique ability to travel in time to places and times they have been before (hence, no jumping ahead).  The whole process takes some getting used to for Tim, but he eventually grows to utilize it to his advantage in order to achieve success in all aspects of his life including the romance department, particularly when he meets the American Mary (Rachel McAdams).  The two click fairly instantly and their romance blossoms.

Rather surprisingly, the film doesn't throw tons of obstacles in Mary and Tim's way, nor does it really prolong their courtship.  Instead, we look at their loving relationship and how Tim's time travel helps certain aspects of their life.  However, as Tim soon realizes, not every time traveling moment works to his advantage and just because he changes his actions in a "reboot" doesn't mean others around him will react to situations any differently.

The film succeeds on charm and humor and most of that stems from Domhnall Gleeson whom I vaguely remember from the Harry Potter films, but not much else despite being in several flicks over the past few years.  He's charismatic, quite adept at balancing the comedic and dramatic aspects of the plot, and completely sold me on the fact that his character would be a guy someone like Rachel McAdams would fall for.  McAdams' character is admittedly somewhat left on the back burner and, despite this being a film about their romance, About Time ends up focusing moreso on the relationship between fathers and sons -- a rather odd concept in a romantic comedy, but one that (perhaps because I'm a guy) I found refreshing and rather touching.   Bill Nighy is funny as always, but he's a bit more subdued here than in Love Actually or Pirate Radio and it's a nice change of pace.

I've been sitting on this review for awhile because About Time is one of those films that I really liked, but couldn't quite spit out why I liked it so much.  This review didn't really do it justice, but I strongly recommend this one.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund, and Justin Timberlake

Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

My movie-going relationship with Joel and Ethan Coen is an interesting one.  I recognize their importance in the cinematic landscape and that they've crafted some real winners -- A Serious Man, The Hudsucker Proxy -- and also some disappointing flicks that I probably overrated simply because of the supposed pedigree carried by the duo --  O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Barton Fink.  Inside Llewyn Davis unfortunately falls into the latter category as it follows a brief period of time in the life of Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac), a folk singer living in New York City in the early 1960s as he struggles to get a record contract after his former duet partner committed suicide a few years prior.

I'm sure there's something "deep" that I'm missing, but I couldn't help but be bored while watching this.  Oscar Isaac gives a nice performance as the title character, but I never found the script allowed me to really connect with his struggles for some reason.  It's not that he was an unlikable guy or that his plight is unrelatable, but perhaps his lack of enthusiasm towards anything made his status as a lead character particularly humdrum.  Somewhat surprisingly, secondary characters like John Goodman, Carey Mulligan, and Justin Timberlake aren't really allowed to step up and inject a bit of life and humor into the mix either, so the whole thing plays rather one-note stuck between this not-too-dark yet not-too-funny middle ground that never takes off.

The film looks nice and, as I mentioned, the acting is good, but nothing about this film excited me or motivated me to say anything really positive in my review, which in and of itself seems like a fairly damning statement.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - How I Live Now

How I Live Now (2013)

Starring Saoirse Ronan, George MacKay, Tom Holland, and Harley Bird

Directed by Kevin Macdonald
***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

I'm fairly convinced that Saoirse Ronan is one of the most overrated actresses working today.  To me, every role I've seen her in over the past decade has been that of a mopey, angry teenager and How I Live Now is no exception.  It's not that she's particularly bad at playing bitter, but the failure to stretch herself at such a young age (or the failure for casting directors to give her a chance outside of this small box they've placed her in) is a little disconcerting.

In How I Live Now, Ronan is Daisy, an American who moves to England for the summer to live with her aunt and three cousins Eddie, Isaac, and Piper (George MacKay, Tom Holland, and Harley Bird).  Set in the near future, World War III ends up rearing its ugly head in the form of a nuclear attack on London and Daisy and her cousins are forced to fend for themselves as the unnamed enemy begins to traverse across England.  As they struggle to survive, Daisy falls for Eddie and their relationship ends up warming her chilly demeanor.

How I Live Now is a bit weird in that it plays like a young adult romance, but carries the heft of WWIII along with it.  Perhaps similarities to something like The Hunger Games would be apropos, but Kevin Macdonald's film is a bit darker in tone (and that's perhaps saying something seeing as how The Hunger Games isn't exactly light-hearted).  The aspects of the film relating to WWIII actually work okay, but the romance between Daisy and Eddie just fails on every level.  For starters, I'm not quite sure what Eddie sees in Daisy seeing as how she's so stubborn and obnoxious upon her arrival.  Secondly, the whole "cousins in love" thing just provided an uncomfortableness that I could never shake.  Thirdly, the film didn't need this aspect to succeed.  The prospect of WWIII is pretty overwhelming as it is and the film could've taken an intimate look at four kids attempting to survive without forcing in a romantic plotline in order to drive it along.

Seeing as how the film was based on a novel, I guess that left the screenwriters very little choice but to include the romance, but I just didn't get it from a storytelling perspective.  Ultimately, the love story is the film's downfall, taking perhaps an interesting premise and making it seem as if it belonged on ABC Family or the CW.

The RyMickey Rating:  D+

Movie Review - Diana

Diana (2013)

Starring Naomi Watts and Naveen Andrews

Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel

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

Everyone in America (and presumably around the world) is well aware of Princess Diana's relationship with Dodi Fayed, heir to the billionaire owner of Harrod's department store in London.  It was during this relationship when Diana's untimely death occurred in a car accident in Paris.  While Oliver Hirschbiegel's film is bookended with Diana's time with Fayed, the movie focuses on a relationship that is seemingly unknown to many Americans -- Diana's years-long coupling with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.  According to the film, Khan was the love of Diana's life and it was partly thanks to the media and tabloid frenzy surrounding Diana that this relationship was called off in the first place.

Hirschbiegel's film is admittedly a soap opera with nearly two-thirds of its runtime devoted to Diana (played by Naomi Watts) acting like a schoolgirl who has fallen for her first crush.  Still, despite the pettiness of the plot, there's part of me that enjoyed the fact that the film went in this direction.  Diana was quite possibly the most famous figure in the world and the movie tries to give us a more intimate portrait of a woman who was simply a woman and not some figure placed on a pedestal.  While the flick could've certainly used a little more focus and some significant trimmings, I didn't dislike it nearly as much as the critics who seemed to take great glory in trouncing this upon its release.

Granted, I don't know a whole lot about Diana, her mannerisms, or her way of talking, but I think Watts does an admirable job bringing the Princess to life and trying to humanize her a bit more than the tabloid culture allowed.  It's not Watts' fault that the film paints Diana in a lovelorn and lovesick light, but Watts certainly succeeds at giving us glimpses of the Princess as a woman who recognizes the power her status carries while also longing for some moments of normalcy.  It's her relationship with Hasnat Khan (Lost's Naveen Andrews) that centers her, allowing her to feel "normal" thanks to the fact that Khan doesn't treat her as royalty -- a characteristic which Diana finds utterly attractive.

I'm sure there is a better film to be made about Princess Diana, but Diana isn't a bad starting point for a cinematic look at the Princess that England swooned over in the 1980s and 90s.  Diana is a figure that is so highly regarded that no one will ever be pleased with her portrayal on the silver screen should anyone dare to make another film about her.  However, this rather intimate look at a very specific time in her life is acceptable enough.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

REP 2013-14 Season Round-Up

Overall, the University of Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players had a really solid season in 2013-14 -- a definite uptick from last year's slightly disappointing run.  All five of the shows had their merits and while I didn't love them all, I didn't dislike any of them either.  Oddly enough, the season sort of had an upward trajectory with The Mousetrap, Faust, and Wit ending things on increasingly more enjoyable notes.  Once again, undoubtedly, the REP excelled at all the technical aspects of their productions -- I seriously could've nominated every single play in the Scenic Design category with each having their merits for a win -- and the performers all raised the bar this season as well.

I hope as the announcement for next season comes out, we continue to get the nice mix of more modern the classic plays for the troupe to explore...and I'd love to have a season like the days of yore where more than five plays grace their stage, but I think that's just wishful thinking of a bygone era.

Total Number of Nominations

(# of nominations includes Honorable Mentions)

(Click on titles for links to original review)

Faust -- 5
Wit -- 4

The Mousetrap -- 3
The Night of the Iguana -- 3

The Servant of Two Masters -- 3

Best Costume Design

Photo by Paul Cerro

Winner -- Matthew LeFebvre - The Night of the Iguana

Honorable Mentions -- Santi Migneco - The Servant of Two Masters; Andrea Barrier - Faust

Best Scenic Design

Photo by Paul Cerro

Winner -- Joseph B. Tilford - The Night of the Iguana

Honorable Mention -- C. David Russell - The Mousetrap

Best Performances

9. Michael Gotch - Wit
8. Mic Matarrese - Faust
7. Elizabeth Heflin - The Mousetrap
6. Mic Matarrese - The Night of the Iguana
5. Lee Ernst - The Servant of Two Masters
4. Erin Partin (guest artist) - The Servant of Two Masters
3. Kathleen Pirkl-Tague - The Mousetrap
2. Sara J. Griffin (guest artist) - Faust
1. Kathleen Pirkl-Tague - Wit

Best Overall Body of Work

Winner -- Kathleen Pirkl-Tague

Photo by the REP
Kathleen Pirkl-Tague has always been my favorite REP cast member for her ability to so effortlessly shift from comedic to dramatic roles, but this year was really her year to shine.  Her role in Wit is one of the best performances I've seen on stage -- not just at the REP, but ever.  Couple that with a humorous turn as a curmudgeonly older lady in The Mousetrap and even a very tiny, though very funny, role as a nasty German in The Night of the Iguana and you've got a well-rounded set of characters this year that she tackled.  Her role in Wit, however, secured her this spot.

Best Direction

Winner -- Heinz-Uwe Haus - Faust

Honorable Mention -- Sanford Robbins - Wit

Photo by the REP
Sanford Robbins effortlessly crafted Wit to flow through its various fourth-wall breaking, flashbacks, and scene changes without missing a beat (along with directing the performance of the season), but Heinz-Uwe Haus created a stunning visual tableau in Faust that I can't deny his placement as the top director of the season.  His rather ingenious ideas elevated this age-old story into something modern-day audiences could really sink their teeth into without feeling as if they were watching something written centuries ago.

Best Overall Production

Winner -- Wit

Honorable Mention -- Faust

Photo by the REP

I've already praised Wit in my review and there isn't much more to say except that I think it's one of the best productions the REP has ever brought to the stage.  A fantastic performance from Kathleen Pirkl-Tague, a modern play that humanizes both a difficult character and a difficult subject, and perfectly suited design elements all meld together to create something that is emotionally involving.  I can't recommend this one highly enough.

Movie Review - 21 and Over

21 and Over (2013)

Starring Miles Teller, Skylar Astin, Justin Chon, and Sarah Wright 

Directed by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore

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

Everyone knows that old philosophical question, "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around, does it make a sound?"  Well, what about the philosophical question, "If you make a comedy and no one laughs, is it really then a comedy?"  Despite some very strong efforts from its three leads -- The Spectacular Now's Miles Teller, Pitch Perfect's Skylar Astin, and Justin Chon -- co-directors and co-screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore have somehow managed to craft a flick that languishes in its attempts to try and be as absurd as possible, but never creates a hint of humor from its absurdity.

In fact, the only time I found myself laughing in 21 & Over was in the moments that led up to the wild night of insanity as high school buddies Miller (Teller) and Casey (Astin) stage a surprise reunion on Jeff Chang's (Chon) college campus to celebrate his 21st birthday in bar-hopping style.  Jeff Chang has a med school interview in the morning, but agrees to go out for one drink.  Well, one drink leads to a few more and pretty soon Jeff Chang is completely and utterly wasted.  Unfortunately for Miller (the crazy one) and Casey (the centered soon-to-be businessman), they have no idea where Jeff Chang actually lives, so they spend the night wandering around Jeff Chang's college campus trying to find someone who knows where Jeff Chang resides.  [Note:  Is the repetition of the name "Jeff Chang" funny to you?  It's a running joke in the movie that's supposed to make you laugh so I figured I'd try it here.  Yeah...doesn't really work, does it?]  As they explore the wild nightlife, things get a little out of control and take a turn for the worse in that Hangover-esque style.

The Hangover comparison is quite apt as the helmers of this flick also penned that horribly overrated late aughts comedy.  The only real difference between the two is shifting the focus from Las Vegas to a college campus, but beyond that you're really in for the same exact storyline unfolding in front of you.  Ultimately, it's a shame that Jon Lucas and Scott Moore couldn't have crafted something funnier for the film's three stars -- all of whom are incredibly engaging and entertaining to watch, attempting to do all that they can to make the lackluster script shine a little brighter.  Unfortunately, they're unable to succeed.

The RyMickey Rating:  D

Movie Review - Arthur Newman

Arthur Newman (2013)

Starring Colin Firth, Emily Blunt, Sterling Beauman, and Anne Heche 

Directed by Dante Ariola

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

I don't know if I have a false recollection of the trailer for Arthur Newman or if this is one of those films where the marketing people attempted to try and trick everyone into seeing it, but I thought this flick was supposed to be a comedy.  Needless to say, it wasn't.  Even though I wasn't prepared for the film's more dramatic tone, I'd like to think that were a movie good enough, I'd be able to look past the false advertising and see a silver lining amidst the lies.  This one isn't good enough for that to happen.

Colin Firth is Wallace Avery, a middle aged guy who hates his job at FedEx, doesn't really care much for his girlfriend (Anne Heche), and has become so estranged from his teenage son (Sterling Beauman) that his offspring runs away from him whenever he tries to visit.  With nothing to lose, Wallace decides to end his life.  Well, he decides to end Wallace's life by purchasing a new identity and starting fresh.  After offing his old self by drowning in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast, Wallace transforms into Arthur Newman -- an amateur golfer who did some time playing on the Asian golf circuit.  With this new identity, he hopes to start anew and find more reason to relish life in general.

On his first night as "Arthur Newman," Arthur meets Micheala (Emily Blunt) -- a bit of a loony who was nearly arrested for stealing some guy's car.  Mike (as she likes to be called) is not only a loony, but also a bit of a crook who manages to find an ID card with Arthur's old name on it.  She kinda sorta blackmails him into allowing her to tag along on his cross-country trip and, of course, the two inevitably fall for one another as their journey progresses.

The problem with Arthur Newman is that the film doesn't quite know what it wants to be.  The film does begin with comedic undertones, but it abandons them after about twenty minutes and ends up becoming something much darker than its musical score, dialog, and general aesthetic make it appear to be.  This dichotomy causes the film to never really gel and it forces its two leads to never really grasp their characters' motivations.  It certainly doesn't help matters that the romantic relationship that transpires between Arthur and Mike as they become a very low grade (and non-violent) Bonnie and Clyde-ish type couple never once felt believable as played by Firth and Blunt -- two actors whom I typically always like, but appear very out-of-place and emotionally awkward here.

The RyMickey Rating:  D