Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Movie Review by Eric Forthun

Hunt for the Wilderpeople   

Starring Julian Dennison, Rachel House, Sam Neill, and Rima Te Wiata

Directed by Taika Waititi

Rated PG-13

Run Time: 101 minutes

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Opens July 8th

By Eric Forthun of Cinematic Shadows

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a pleasant comedy propelled almost exclusively by dry, character-driven humor. That's a refreshing characteristic in a summer landscape bloated with contrived, action-heavy blockbusters and gross-out comedies led by men and women alike. Writer-director Taika Waititi is a creative force that will be increasingly nitpicked, considering his next film is Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok; independent filmmaking terms will be applied to his work in order to pinpoint how exactly his films can function across all budgets and scopes. Quite simply, he crafts stories around characters and understands their vitality in making a narrative work. While Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a bit too light and skippy to be a truly affecting and essential piece of filmmaking, it still presents an unique and often dry-as-a-corkboard funny vision of two lost souls after tragedies strike them.

The film follows Ricky (Julian Dennison), a child that has flown between foster families often into his teenage years. He is labelled as troublesome, violent, and mischievous, with increasingly stretched reasoning provided by Paula (Rachel House), the social worker in charge of him. He is placed in the care of Aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and Uncle Hector (Sam Neill), a couple living in the hills of New Zealand. Aunt Bella, as the audience learns, is probably the first person to ever show Ricky genuine care and hospitality. He changes in demeanor, begins behaving responsibly, and takes initiative; it's amazing what proper parenting can accomplish. Yet circumstances arise where Ricky and Uncle Hec are paired together and forced to travel through the wild New Zealand bush alongside their dog companion and the other animals inhabiting the forests. A national manhunt begins to find Ricky and bring him back to the foster service, after which he will probably be jettisoned to juvenile detention.

Comedy functions in numerous ways: as observation, as tonal shifts, and often times as a form of tragedy. Waititi's vision relies almost exclusively on tonal shifts, varying widely from character drama to action backed by a percussion-heavy soundtrack to slapstick comedy. These shifts often happen within the same scene to surprisingly strong effect. They not only place the audience on its feet in terms of expectation, but also allow the audience to move through the character's insights and actions while discovering their own approach. The most impactful element of the film is Dennison's committed performance; it's often difficult to distinguish proper acting within a young newcomer, but his comedic timing is undeniably top-notch. His thick accent further helps the dryness of the material. Some audiences will find the humor off-putting or simply not funny, particularly since dry jokes often bring together or isolate audience members. Hunt for the Wilderpeople should do the former and allow for an easy connection with these characters; if it doesn't, at least there is a wonderful appearance by an unforgettable character named Psycho Sam. Waititi is a talented director, and the acting here is strong, particularly from Dennison and Neill. Their chemistry produces some truly affecting scenes, even as the film relies on conventions to move its narrative forward. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is still a delightful romp.

Wiener-Dog - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Wiener-Dog’ sometimes barks up the right tree   

Written/directed by:  Todd Solondz

Starring:  Julie Delpy, Greta Gerwig, Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn, and Kieran Culkin

“Wiener-Dog” – Growing up, I regularly enjoyed trips to my grandparents’ house in rural Pennsylvania.   On any random Sunday, Grandma would whip up a Thanksgiving Day-like feast, Grandpa would make us laugh, and they both let my two brothers and I make liberal – and sometimes admittedly careless - use of their pool table.  Best of all, we played with their dachshund named Samantha.

Samantha was fairly overweight and constantly barked like a dying seal, but there is something about dachshunds that make them completely loveable.  Perhaps, it is because their bodies – with long torsos and stumpy legs - are so utterly impractical that we feel more of a parental bond with them.   Plus, they are so darn cute!

Well, writer/director Todd Solondz pulled together a movie which showcases a very cute dachshund over the course of her life, as she moves between four different owners.  Solondz is known for creating provocative, sarcastic and dark – but comedic - material within the confines of a dysfunctional American experience, and “Wiener-Dog” is no exception.   In this case, the tricky proposition is to insert this loveable pet into the mires of her owners’ depressing and maladjusted lives.

This odd combination of positive and negative charges within various households carries the potential for intriguing cinema and conflict, and in spots, “Wiener-Dog” is successful.  The four stories, however, do not adhere nearly enough connective tissue, and the picture’s overall narrative becomes muddled.  Muddled is an accurate way to describe the attitudes of Wiener-Dog’s owners.  Solondz introduces us to a loveless married couple (Julie Delpy and Tracy Letts) in which cynicism dominates every inch of their gorgeous, modern home, a directionless vet assistant (Greta Gerwig), an aging professor (Danny DeVito) whose ambition left him decades ago, and a sullen grandmother (Ellen Burstyn) living in her not-so-golden years.

For some reason, Solondz does not show, nor explain, the pet handoff between the four households and simply inserts the dog into the individual stories.  It is a purposeful and tactical script decision, but part of the fun of a compilation piece (like this) is to physically see how the dachshund travels from house to house and therefore, not experiencing these transitions feels like a missed opportunity.  Secondly, although the dog (named Wiener-Dog in one story and Cancer in another) is obviously included in each of the four tales, but she only feels integral in the first one.   As the film moves forward, Wiener-Dog or Cancer just seems like window dressing, as the real focus falls upon the depressing pet owners.

Depressing does not necessarily mean uninteresting, because all of the owners generate some thought-provoking moments due to the cast’s cinematic gifts and Solondz’s skilled writing.  As the characters spew acidic feelings, woefully choose the nearest person as a mate, mire in self-pity, or reflect on massive regrets, Solondz peaks our interest into how each individual arrived at these points.  Which wrong life-turns led them to their current state of being(s)?  While we speculate on their past mistakes, the film helps us reflect on any past missteps of our own and immediately want to correct them!

The movie is not a complete downer, however, because it includes some highly engaging visual treats, like carefully-chosen moments of slow motion, one three-minute shot of Wiener-Dog sitting in a glass pen and the pink attire of an unusual artist named Fantasy (Michael James Shaw).   Referring back to his writing, Solondz also does pen some hilarious moments amongst the toxicity, because in this bungled world view of America – complete with convenience stores and nondescript apartment complexes - we have no choice but to laugh.

I did laugh and reflect and also left the theater thinking that humans are not always capable owners who our pets truly deserve.  Perhaps that is the connective tissue between the four stories, but I am just guessing.  Unfortunately, “Wiener-Dog” does not gel into one holistic movie experience.  (2.5/4 stars)

The Secret Life of Pets - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Secret Life of Pets  

Dir: Yarrow Cheney, Chris Renaud

Starring: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Albert Brooks, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, and Bobby Moynihan

I once watched my family dog, Shadow, chase his own tail for nearly five minutes. Shadow would stop momentarily to watch the reactions from the family, we were all laughing loudly, and then continue with the same act. I’m still not sure who was more fascinated with the other; in hindsight Shadow was probably wondering how long the humans would watch his foolish behavior. “The Secret Life of Pets” is the newest animated feature to hit theaters this weekend, animal lovers will be thoroughly entertained but it will also provide sufficient amusement for children and offer a somewhat satisfying time-out for parents during these longer summer days.

Max (Louis C.K.) is a friendly terrier living the good life in a Manhattan apartment complex with his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper). Unfortunately Max’s life is turned upside down when Katie brings home a new dog, a stray mutt named Duke (Eric Stonestreet) who quickly makes himself comfortable in Max’s space. Things get further complicated when Max and Duke become lost in the big city. In order to find their way home the two unlikely partners must cooperate with a group of rogue animals led by an aggressive bunny named Snowball (Kevin Hart).

There is much to like about this film. The humor is especially good, a mix of silliness for the kiddos with a few targeted jokes just for the adults. Helping this aspect is the voice cast, mostly comedians, who each offer a little of their own brand of humor to make things interesting. In the lead is Louis C.K. as Max, while the comedian's brand of dark and painfully honest humor may be significantly subdued throughout this family film, the delivery and execution of the comedic material is very much Louis C.K. Another highlight comes in the form of Kevin Hart as the fluffy, frenzied bunny Snowball. Mr. Hart is unleashed throughout this film, seemingly given freedom to develop a joke and adlib material at will. Snowball many times in the film steals the show with a mix of cuteness and comedy.

It’s unfortunate that the story is many times a dull, reused list of ideas taken from other animated films. The well-developed characters support the “lost animals” story angle but there are times when the narrative operates at such a sluggish pace that nothing seems interesting. There are a few scenes that invigorate the story, like a right-of-passage ceremony orchestrated by the rogue pets involving a scary animal or a chase scene in the busy New York City streets, however the film never reaches the potential the premise invites. The secret enticed in the title has already been revealed, composed better in a film that was released just a few weeks ago “Finding Dory”.

I had the opportunity to watch this film with my 4-year-old and based on the laughing and excitement displayed during the screening it’s fairly easy to say that there is a high recommendation for this film from my little one. While there isn’t much to separate it from other films like it, the voice cast is exceptional and the laughs are enough to tolerate 90 minutes for an enjoyable summer cartoon escape.

Monte’s Rating

3.00 out of 5.00

The Purge: Election Year - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Purge: Election Year  

Dir: James DeMonaco

Starring: Elizabeth Mitchell, Frank Grillo, Joseph Julian Soria, Betty Gabriel, Edwin Hodge, and Mykelti Williamson

Turn to any television network over the next few months and the height for political dissension in America will be at its most aggressive levels. It’s during these specific times that my frustration with the political machine turns the most negative and disheartened, making a film like “The Purge: Election Year” seem more true-to-life rather than a work of fantasy. It’s this aspect, along with a clever marketing campaign utilized during the election year, which makes this third installment in the franchise far more interesting than it otherwise might have been.

Social commentary in genre films is nothing new, George Romero, director of “Night of the Living Dead”, has done it exceptionally well in his zombie trilogy. While “The Purge: Election Year” squanders many opportunities to provide insight through its exploitation, the moments that it does utilize connective social commentary are effectively startling and stimulating. Director James DeMonaco, who has directed all three of the films in the franchise, has grown his dystopian vision from a small home invasion film, into a full blown city of chaos, and finally into a global conspiracy at the highest levels.

The Purge, a night where all criminal activity - including murder - is allowed, is a coveted right for Americans but also a death sentence for those not privileged with affording protection. Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), who has a tragic connection with The Purge, is now the leading Presidential contender with a strong anti-Purge movement to follow. Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), returning from the second installment of these films, is now in charge of protecting Senator Roan so that she can make it to election day. Members of The New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA), the people who established the annual Purge event, conspire to eliminate the Senator. This leads Leo and Senator Roan, along with a market owner named Joe (Mykelti Williamson) and his employee Marcos (Joseph Julian Soria), into the streets of Washington D.C. on the deadliest night of the year.

“The Purge” is a cat-and-mouse home invasion film that very quickly became a by-the-numbers slasher film, the most interesting aspect of that film was wondering what the world looked like outside of the barricaded door. “The Purge: Anarchy” worked significantly better than the original film because of the expanded world that it showcased; it also embraced the more extravagant exploitive attitudes which made it feel more like something made in the 1980’s from the Cannon Group studio. “The Purge: Election Year” takes a little from both of these films while attempting to add some socially aware narrative points that most often work best when utilized as imagery rather than banter. Whenever the group is journeying across the city, the film makes a point to display the madness happening in the streets. Violent scenes that emulate the progression of violence throughout history are displayed. These depictions are unsettling because the acts are so recognizable; whether the use of guillotine in an alley way, the fighting pit of street gladiators with swords, or the hanged corpses swinging from trees, these moments reflect the bedlam of another scene involving a blood stained Lincoln Memorial. Unfortunately these effectively startling scenes are undercut by a narrative that never gets a grasp of what it wants to say but instead boldly embraces the sentiment that violence is bad only to then utilize violence to make amends. The film would have done better to completely embrace its exploitation and subsequent provoking imagery, allowing the audience to make connections far deeper than the simplified back and forth justifications of political figures, one that is yelling “peace” and another yelling “purge and purify”.

“The Purge: Election Year” never finds that middle ground where it can be an entertaining exploitation fantasy and also a reflective commentary on the reality that we live in. Some may contest that the latter in the previous comment is unfairly asking too much from a film like this. I may agree with that assessment because calling your film “Election Year” provokes the sentiment that one will make their decision based on external extravagance and some will make their decision based on what is being represented underneath. Happy election year.

Monte’s Rating

2.50 out of 5.00

Swiss Army Man - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Swiss Army Man’ uses many gadgets but does not connect  

Directed/written by:  Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Starring:  Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe

“Swiss Army Man” (2016) - In “Cast Away” (2000), Chuck Nolan (Tom Hanks) found himself stranded on a deserted island.  Now, human beings are social creatures, and the interaction with others is a vital need that life took away from Nolan on that isolated place.   In order to fill the void, Nolan famously gave a random volleyball the name, Wilson, and it was the only “person” that he talked with on the island.  In “Swiss Army Man”, Hank Thompson (Paul Dano) is isolated on an island too, and like Chuck Nolan, he has fallen victim to loneliness, until he spots something on beach.  That something is a dead body (Daniel Radcliffe).

Hank – who is unshaven, sunburned and desperate – suddenly discovers another person to converse with, but yes, this individual happens to be dead.  From the minds of writers/directors Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, they conjure up a tale from the point of view of Hank’s hallucinating mind, because Manny (Radcliffe) – a dead man - speaks to him.

Dano is so good at playing off-center characters, and Kwan and Scheinert perfectly cast him here.   Dano’s Hank is a disheveled mess who is in dire need of a friend, but after many exchanges with Manny, the audience discovers that – in the real world – acquiring friends was massively problematic for him.   He shares stories of past failures, bad family relationships and his inability to engage in conversation with pretty girls, and Hank’s current seclusion is probably not terribly different than his previous life.   The script and Dano properly establish the character, and they do garner sympathy for him, but Hank’s eccentricities and repetitive fixations of a mysterious girl riding on a bus make it difficult to emotionally connect with him.

That’s a problem.

Hank, however, does emotionally connect with Manny in two ways.   First, Hank’s conversations with him are not one-way.  Obviously, a two-way dialogue (even if Hank is hallucinating) provides a much better experience for the audience, but Hank also teaches life lessons to Manny.   Although Manny is in his mid-20s, he seems to have no memory of his two and a half decades of existence, and therefore, Hank develops into his mentor.  Manny becomes the perfect sounding board while also offering naïve opinions based upon the limited information which Hank provides.   The actors nicely play off one another and generate some hilarious, vulnerable and gracious moments.

The friendly chemistry – under odd on-screen circumstances – between the two leads is only topped by the film’s hook:  Manny becomes Hank’s Swiss army man to survive the great outdoors.  In a host of eye-popping visuals, Manny’s dead body has a surprising array of functions.  He can cut thick logs with one karate chop, fire a metal crutch from his mouth (which is used as a grappling hook) and expel an exorbitant amount of flatulence to create a motor for a human jet ski.  These images (probably) have never graced movie screens before, and each new discovery offers fantastical wonders for the audience.   Although, Kwan and Scheinert “go to the well” too many times with repetitive fart jokes, most of the gadgets emanating from Manny’s multiuse body are the highlights of the film.

While Hank navigates through his sequestration in the wild - with a dead guy who doubles as his best friend - the movie moves towards a few possible directions in the third act.  Unfortunately, the film chooses a direction which unnecessarily advances the story another two plot points farther than it needed to go.   For the audience, the last act feels manufactured, cheap and too smart for its own good.  Worse yet, it feels implausible, and quite frankly, that is vastly difficult to achieve, because we already bought the fact that Hank is best friends with a talking dead person throughout most of the movie.   I believe “Swiss Army Man” wanted to deliver some important messages about the human condition, but it just feels like a bungled experiment.   I do appreciate the ambition and thought placed into Manny’s character, but looking back 16 years, I invested a lot more emotion into a volleyball that Chuck Nolan accidentally lost in the ocean.  (2/4 stars) 

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

The Legend of Tarzan - Movie Review by Kaely Monahan

Tarzan swings…and misses  

Kaely Monahan

Like a thick jungle mist, rumors surrounding The Legend of Tarzan were abundant and ominous. Perhaps the biggest question around this movie was “why?” Why another Tarzan movie? Does the world really need another one?

Apparently Hollywood thought so. Harry Potter director, David Yates led the charge into wilds, taking the well-trodden story and attempting to imbibe it with some fresh movie magic. To start, the film is visually stunning. Yates makes copious use of color to tell Tarzan’s story, which begins, not in the rainforests of Africa, but in London.

Stripped down and dreary, the opening of the film is anesthetized and sterile. So too is the dialogue. The story begins in the middle, with Tarzan/Lord John Clayton running his family estate. A beefy Alexander Skarsgård plays the domesticated wild man who seems intent on fitting in with English society. Even if it means his face looks constipated throughout most of the first act.

The question of how to get Tarzan back from the civilized Clayton is resolved when the American George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) convinces him to take up an invitation to return to the Congo. George is apparently on some sort of undercover mission and needs Tarzan to take him into Africa.

Margot Robbie plays the token character of Jane. Bright eyed, blonde and superficial in her character development, she forces Tarzan to take her with him. Her role is hardly imaginative and is unfortunately but not unexpectedly rote.

Once in Africa, the world bursts with color. Tarzan is greeted by tribes and CGI beasts. The story itself is predictable. Christoph Waltz plays white man baddie, Leon Rom whereas Djimon Hounsou plays evil tribal baddie. There’s a forced feeling of conflict that is faintly reminiscent of Blood Diamond (you may recall Djimon was also in that film also). White man wants to pillage and rape the land of its resources (including humans).

Of course, all Tarzan stories have the man-v-nature element and this film doesn’t disappoint. The battles are brutal in the extreme and actually choreographed quite well. If the bear scene in The Revenant made you cringe, you might grimace at the gorilla smack down in this movie. Tarzan is in no way superior to his ape counterparts, which is a nice surprise. He is in no way the king of beasts.

However, this film just ends up falling flat on its face. The CGI animals are impressive but there is still something off about them. Much like The Jungle Book earlier this year, the animals look great until they start moving about. (Seems like CGI animation has yet to catch up with animal realism.)

When it comes to storytelling this film just disappoints on every level. Jane inevitably gets kidnapped. The pathetic smear of her character development is so bad it might as well have not been there. White man is evil and greedy while the noble-savage trope is flung carelessly around.

And then there is the strange and uncomfortable relationship between Tarzan and George. Tarzan is the consummate jungle master in Africa, while the African American is portrayed as a bumbling fool. There’s something awkward about it and subconsciously racist. Perhaps Yates with Yates being British, he didn’t catch the undertones of bigotry, but out of all the failings of The Legend of Tarzan this one stings the most.

The only thing this film has going for it is the visual direction—even if Tarzan swinging on a never-ending vine is still as ridiculous as its first iteration in 1918.

• Kaely Monahan is an entertainment reporter and creator of the film review podcast Popcorn Fan Film Reviews.

The BFG - Movie Review by Kaely Monahan

Big, Friendly, but not so giant a hit The BFG is entertaining but not memorable

By Kaely Monahan

The BFG is a film which will either delight or disappoint. Die-hard fans of Roald Dhal’s book will (unsurprisingly) be in the disappointed camp. However, fans of Steven Spielberg will probably enjoy his adaptation. While not certainly the best to come out of Spielberg’s imagination, the film does harken back to joyful movies like The Goonies, Hook and even a bit of Indian Jones.

Starring the Oscar-winning Mark Rylance as BFG and Ruby Barnhill as Sophie, the story closely follows the book. However, it runs into some pacing issues. The story kind of stalls out in certain parts. Even so, it feels that it has less to do with the film and Spielberg and more to do with the source material. There are long scenes with very little action and mostly dialogue—which can be boring for kids.

The way the BFG speaks is also a problem. While cute, perhaps on the page, it loses its cuteness after thirty minutes. The other giants, which get more play in the book, are hardly on screen and the sense of danger they bring is more a shadow than a real threat because of it.

However, in true “Spielbergian” fashion, The BFG excels in sets, props and character. Mark Rylance is the heart and soul of the film and despite his characters “mubbly-wubblings” he is brilliant. His double performance of voice and live-action capture is something to see. Strangely, in this instance CGI animation works. Despite the caricaturization of Rylance, there is a level of realism that works. Perhaps it is the slightly goofy appearance that works in BFG’s favor as a CGI character.

Barnhill is overshadowed by Rylance but she does bring the necessary cute factor. Earnest-eyed and precocious, she is a nice change from Spielberg’s usual hero archetype. (The last time he directed a female-led film was 1985’s The Color Purple.)

What truly makes this film great are the visualizations. BFG’s house is a wonderland of weird vegetables and oversized everything. There’s a cringe-worthy moment when Sophie crawls inside one of BFG’s ugly cucumbers to hide from the other giants which is fun. However, most visually stunning is the dream tree sequence. It’s an enchanting scene that you’ll wish to watch over and over again.

The film puttered out, however in the third act. Again this is more due to the source material than Spielberg or the script. The single highlight is the breakfast scene, which is another delightfully visual and funny moment.

In the end, The BFG is geared towards children—which heartily enjoyed the film at my viewing. But it will leave parents and lovers of Dahl’s book with lackluster feelings.

• Kaely Monahan is an entertainment reporter and creator of the film review podcast Popcorn Fan Film Reviews.

Neon Demon - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Neon Demon  

Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Karl Glusman, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee, and Desmond Harrington

117 Minutes

Amazon Studios

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. This statement could not be truer for Nicolas Winding Refn’s new film “The Neon Demon”, a stylish, patient, perplexing, frustrating, arduous journey into the world of an aspiring 16-year-old model in Los Angeles. “The Neon Demon” is unlike any other film playing in the theater this summer, the fact that this film is getting a wide release is fantastic because it should be seen in the theatrical presentation but it’s also a little troublesome because this is NOT a film for the everyday film fan. I also don’t believe that it is a film for every Nicolas Winding Refn fan.

Mr. Refn’s last film “Only God Forgives” seems to have been a practice run for this film. And while both films offer some of the best photography and overall design seen in recent films, they are also equally experiments with varying degrees of success. And while I completely agree that pushing the boundaries and challenging the limits of the film form are the only ways to expand the art of filmmaking, this also comes with a heavy risk. What people connect with from a film like this, one that requires a fair amount of patience during extended/slow building scenes, one that portrays topics like cannibalism as metaphorical and melodramatic, one that shows you the grotesque side of beauty through the eyes of an underage teenager, these elements all compose diverse results as displayed by the screening audience that was a mix of walk-outs, angry Refn fans, confused cinephiles with equal amounts of positive and negative feedback. The beauty here is clearly found with the individual.

The story on the surface is very basic. A young girl named Jesse (Elle Fanning) arrives in Los Angeles, no detailed backstory or purpose is given, she just arrives in a big city with aspirations of becoming a model. Like an innocent sheep wandering alone in dangerous territory the wolves quickly sense her intrusion. Here the wolves are abundant in the form of an amused makeup artist (Jena Malone), two established models (Bella Heathcote and Abbey Lee), and an aggressive hotel manager (Keanu Reeves).

What is this movie about? The loss of innocence? The corruption of fame? The desire to be admired? The obsession with image and beauty? A coming-of-age film aimed at the peak of misguided influences for young woman? Yes, it's about all of that and more. What Mr. Refn does with "The Neon Demon" is more spectacle and less story, he looks at obsession through slow motion scenes that are drawn out to frustrating levels, he blatantly and viscously paints exploitive scenes of sex and violence influenced by Alejandro Jodoworsky, he dabbles with pacing and atmosphere in the ways David Lynch has perfected, he would much rather push the viewer towards annoyance than offer an easy answer for the style and contorted substance. It achieves moments that are grandiose and grotesque, playing with film techniques and genre applications with equal parts feeling influenced by a master of the craft and a student of the form. There were moments when I absolutely admired what I was watching and times when I strongly questioned why things were happening.

Elle Fanning transforms throughout the film in the lead role, her movement is at one moment timid and then suddenly assertive. Ms. Fanning’s performance, along with a confident Jena Malone, completely supports all the artistic paths ventured throughout the film.

“The Neon Demon” is an artistically absurd, stunningly rendered film that will find both high praise and harsh criticism from those that watch it. Regardless of the sentiments that it provokes, it is still a daring, bold, and clearly uncompromised film from a director pushing the limits of the film art form.

Monte’s Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

The Shallows - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Shallows’ works until the script drowns in the last act  

Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra

Starring: Blake Lively, Oscar Jaenada

“The Shallows” (2016) – In March 2016, I joined my brother’s family on their Florida vacation, and we took in many of the sights that Walt Disney World has to offer, but we spent one day at New Smyrna Beach on the Atlantic-side, just south of Daytona.   My brother and my 9 year-old niece were the only ones (of us) swimming in the ocean, but I noticed that they would continually rush in and then rush out of the water.  When they finally returned to “home base” – which was our collection of sprawled out beach towels - I asked him if they had fun.

“Jeff, every time I was waist deep in the water, my daughter pleaded with me to move to dry land or the sharks would eat me.  This went on for an hour.  Oh, it was great,” my brother sarcastically laughed.

Well, after sitting through “The Shallows”, I can categorically state that my 9 year-old niece will not be watching this movie anytime soon, and for two reasons.   One, a shark terrorizes an unsuspecting surfer (Blake Lively) for most of the film’s 1 hour 27 minute runtime.  Given my niece’s apprehension for these predators, the first reason is obvious.  Second, the movie devolves into cartoonish lunacy in its last act, in which the shark in question seemingly develops a personal vendetta against the surfer (Lively).  You see, my suspension of disbelief sometimes drowns when movie animals attempt to settle humanlike scores with human antagonists.

Even though the film’s final 20 minutes fall apart for me, the first hour and seven minutes clearly work.

“The Shallows” stars Ms. Lively, and although her figure is suited for a bikini wardrobe in a surfing movie, she certainly has the acting chops to carry a film, and in this case, she spends almost the entire picture alone on the big screen.   Director Jaume Collet-Serra sets up a small, personal story in which Nancy (Lively) travels to Mexico to surf at a gorgeous beach, a place where her mother discovered she was pregnant with her 25 years ago.    Everything about this isolated, sandy cove – actually filmed in Australia – feels rich with beauty and wonder.   It seems like a perfect spot for surfing or just soaking up some rays, and Collet-Serra and cinematographer Flavio Martinez Labiano gloriously capture this wonderland like a surfing documentary.   When Nancy paddles towards the massive waves facing her, she purposely dives underneath the incoming tides, and the camera follows her underneath the surface and then on top of the water on the other side.   In addition, Collet-Serra films Nancy from overhead, and many of these pre-surfing and surfing moments take your breath away on the big screen.

This trip in paradise, however, falls prey to a shark who snacks on a dead whale carcass about 500 yards from the beach, and Nancy inadvertently swims into its saltwater crosshairs.    In a fight to survive, she finds some refuge in the cove but is stranded hundreds of yards from safety.  The narrative turns into a figurative cat and mouse game, and Lively sells Nancy’s terror like a beer salesman at a Cleveland Browns football game.    In other words, we buy it.  The shifty and nifty camerawork further induces fear, as the audience collectively lifts their feet to avoid many shark bites which plainly do not exist in an air-conditioned movie theatre.

“The Shallows” initially works because we like Nancy and then feel real sympathy for her.  Her situation feels plausible.  She is alone in this precarious deathtrap, and Lively’s on-camera skills humanize her character.  She refers to a lonely seagull with a damaged wing as “Steven Seagull”, emotionally records a last video conversation for her family and taps into a spiritual connection with her mother, and all of it leads the audience towards our on-going support.

Unfortunately, and as previously mentioned, the movie falls apart when – who knows - writer Anthony Jaswinski, perhaps, did not know how to end the film and decided to give the shark “super skills” to up the thriller-ante.   In the last 20 minutes, some laws of physics and reason are tossed overboard, as the film turns into a twisted mosh of woman vs. shark.   This movie – which previously felt authentic – now becomes a “Fast & Furious 7” (2015) car chase sequence, and the narrative loses all of its built-up credibility.  It is disappointing, because the first hour truly offers plenty of shark-induced scares with carefully crafted tension.

Now, I suppose if my niece does stumble upon - and watch – this film without her parents’ knowledge, they (and/or I) should just inform her that there is no reason to be frightened.   It’s just a movie.   Then again, my sister-in-law did a Google search after our trip and told me that New Smyrna Beach is also known as “The Shark Bite Capital of the World”.

Um, I guess my niece’s warnings last March were rightly justified.  Do me a favor…please don’t mention it to her.  (2/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

The Music of Strangers - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Music of Strangers’ hits some high notes  

Directed by: Morgan Neville

Starring:  Yo-Yo Ma, Kayhan Kalhor, Cristina Pato, Kinan Azmeh, and Wu Man

“The Music of Strangers:  Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble“ - In 1936, Hiao-Tsiun Ma, a violinist and music professor, moved from China to France to fuse Chinese music with French composing, but I wonder if he envisioned his son’s grander experiment, taking place 64 years later?   In 2000, Yo-Yo Ma - a master class cellist who played for Leonard Bernstein and President John F. Kennedy - blended together several cultures of music into an ornate and beautiful orchestra called, The Silk Road Project, which eventually became The Silk Road Ensemble.

They have recorded six albums and performed in front of 2 million people in 33 countries, and this documentary covers the history and inner workings of the orchestra and tells the personal stories of some of its key performers.  Director Morgan Neville devotes ample amounts of camera time to Yo-Yo (U.S.A.), Kayhan Kalhor (Iran), Cristina Pato (Spain), Kinan Azmeh (Syria), and Wu Man (China), as we learn about their struggles, triumphs and, of course, their expertise on their chosen instruments.

Some of their instruments, like a clarinet or a set of bagpipes are commonplace, but I did not recognize - let alone remember the names of – others, but with a simple plucking of their delicate strings, they offer lovely sounds to enjoy.  The selected musicians’ stories are intriguing, and Neville interviews them in the U.S. and follows them to their homelands as well.   While the ensemble’s music combines a host of cultures, these quiet moments in Iran, Spain, Syria, and China provide perspective into individual heritages and a small window into their lives.  The film does not tell their stories – or the group’s story – in a linear fashion but instead, in an organic way.

The narrative continually flips between Yo-Yo, Kayhan, Cristina, Kinan, and Wu Man, without seemingly much rhyme or reason, but by the end of the picture, the audience receives clear portraits of these remarkable musicians through cinematic osmosis.  Kayhan and Kinan’s lives are particularly heartfelt, as each man struggles with difficult political climates in their respective countries but seem to manage their internal challenges through teaching and playing music.

The two featured, female maestros – Cristina and Wu Man - are conversely more free-spirited and offer warm smiles, as they blazed their own paths towards Yo-Yo’s orchestra though immense talent and strong independent streaks.  No fear best describes Cristina and Wu Man, and the only trepidation from any of these musicians was the original uncertainty if this concoction of cultures would gel back in 2000.

They obviously survived those initial fears and built something completely new and unique.  Some of the movie’s most enjoyable moments are when this group spreads its collective peacock wings and performs, and the film offers clips from about five of their concerts, including a mesmerizing opening number on a pedestrian street during a pleasant morning.

“The Music of Strangers” delivers more than pleasantries.  More importantly, it explores big ideas placed into action, but as the movie ended, I still had plenty of questions.

How often do they tour? How frequently do the lineups change?  Do they change?  How do audiences and the featured performers feel about the ensemble?

The documentary, unfortunately, does not address these inquiries and instead, focuses on the ensemble’s history and then deeply dives into the five musicians’ lives without a complete and holistic picture of the band.  On the other hand, a moviegoer should walk away with new life lessons and good feelings about The Silk Road Ensemble’s musical union of diverse cultures.

Wu Man mentions, “There is no east and west.  There’s just a globe.”

Well said.  (2.5/4 stars)

Finding Dory - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Finding Dory  

Directed by: Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane

Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence, Eugene Levy, Diane Keaton, Kaitlin Olsen, Idris Elba, Dominic West, Ty Burrell, Ed O’Neill, and Sigourney Weaver

When I was in the third grade I wandered away from my parents in a department store. Fearing they had left without me I went into the parking lot to look for them. Panic and fear immediately set in as I roamed the parking lot looking for anything that looked recognizable. It was an early, authentic moment of fear that led to a significant moment of relief and love when my parents found me.

In “Finding Nemo”, Pixar’s beloved 2003 film, a young clown fish named Nemo was lost in an immense ocean and left to fend for himself. Conquering fears, becoming independent, making difficult decisions, being confident, and understanding the importance of family were all themes utilized in the original film. “Finding Dory”, a charming and heartfelt if somewhat familiar and repetitive tale, explores many of these same themes except from the perspective of the lovable and comical Dory voiced by Ellen DeGeneres.

The film takes place about a year after the events of “Finding Nemo”. Dory is living with Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Rolence) in the corals. Marlin is still a nervous wreck, Nemo is still adventurous, and Dory is still dealing with short-term-memory-loss. However, she begins to remember more about her past, specifically the family that she lost. This leads Dory across the ocean and into an aquarium in search of her parents with Marlin and Nemo in tow to find her and new friends Destiny (Kaitlin Olsen), a nearsighted shark, and Hank (Ed O’Neill), a grumpy octopus looking to escape to Cleveland, along to assist.

From the first moments of the film the directing team of Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane get you reacquainted with the quirks and charms of the characters while also offering some information about the past and how it has influenced Dory into the forgetful character we know. The setup becomes a little repetitious, Dory goes missing and an adventure to find her ensues. It’s basically the same execution from the original film but it also happens rather quickly getting the viewer into the location where a majority of the film takes place, an aquarium filled with an amusing array of environments and the recognizable voice of a famous actress.

This narrative shift was a welcome change; the inclusion of a new environment allows the film to build some necessary momentum that keeps everything in the story exciting, even if the exciting parts sometime stray beyond the scientific marine biology realms. Also the added animal characters, like a pair of sunbathing sea lions voiced by Idris Elba and Dominic West but also an amazingly animated octopus named Hank voiced by Ed O’Neill, add some humorous moments and some sincere ones as well. Hank plays a great counterpart to Dory; his cranky attitude is consistently undercut by his growing concern for Dory’s plight. The themes of family and the dynamic relationship seen within families are woven throughout the interaction of the characters in the film. It’s never forcefully implied that these themes are key factors in composing the foundation of the story, but you can easily recognize it. Probably the best of the themes found within the film comes in the composition of Dory and Nemo, two characters dealing with being different from everyone else yet still displaying powerful traits that make them unique. It’s the most obvious of the themes but it is done exceptionally well, this is a quality that many Pixar films excel at over other animation studios.

“Finding Dory” is good film to take the family to. Kids may get a little squirmy with the 100-minute running time but there is more than enough excitement to attract their attention throughout the film. While it may not be as memorable as some of my favorite Pixar films, “Wall-E”, “Up”, and “Inside Out”, it is still a good sequel and will more than likely please fans of the original film.

Monte’s Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

Genius - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Memorable performances make ‘Genius’ a smart choice  

Directed by:  Michael Grandage

Written by:  John Logan

Starring:  Jude Law, Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Linney

“Genius” (2016) – “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” – Thomas A. Edison

In 1929, genius enters New York City’s Charles Scribner’s Sons publishing house in the form of a novel.  This book – which actually is a monstrous stack of unbound pages – sits upon Max Perkins’ (Colin Firth) desk, and he picks up “O Lost” and intently reads this story about life in Asheville, NC in his office, on the train bound for home, in his living room, and deep into the night.  The next day, Thomas Wolfe (Jude Law) - the unkempt, emotional and spirited author of the previously-mentioned novel - steps into Max’s office to thank him for reading his story and appears resigned for another rejection, when Mr. Perkins says that he wishes to publish the book.    In this moment, the unlikely two-person team of Max and Thomas is born.

Director Michael Grandage conducts this engrossing tale of Mr. Wolfe’s bio, but truly, this picture’s main scope is the friendship between Max and Thomas over a number of years, as they attempt to edit and publish two books.  On the surface, editing books might seem like a boring proposition as a fulfilling movie experience, but Firth and Law’s splendid performances engage the audience, and “Genius” becomes a celluloid page-turner in the form of a two-person, character-driven story.

The two are polar opposites in a multitude of ways, and at a foundational level, Max is a family man with a wife (Laura Linney) and five daughters, while Thomas is not the settling-down type, and instead, has taken up a relationship with Aline Bernstein (Nicole Kidman), a married woman who left her husband.  Thomas carries a strong zest for living, and his passion for life pours into his books, while Max leads his family and work with a quiet and strong hand.   Max certainly totes zeal for his life as well, but in a controlled, stable and common-sense fashion.   Nearly the entire film narrows its focus with this responsible editor catching a tiger by the tail and attempting to tame him by editing his first and second books, but Thomas becomes ferocious at the prospect of Max trimming his mountain of pulp.

Edgy and entertaining results ensue as Law’s Thomas argues his case for every page inclusion like a stoked lawyer crouching down his knees and spiritedly pleading – with a slurred, alcohol-induced cadence - towards a jury of one.   Max has previously worked with the greats, like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, but he calculates the cost/benefit analysis of collaborating with this eccentric human being, and the results seemingly always fall on the positive-side of the ledger.

The two workaholics also need to balance their singularly-focused project with the women in their lives, and Louise (Linney) and Aline (Kidman) take vastly different approaches to vie for more attention.  Linney is very good as the dutiful - but growing impatient - wife and strikes a nice balance with Max’s conformist demeanor.  Meanwhile, Aline and Thomas’ relationship seems born out of toxicity, and Kidman’s effective performance best compares to a vampire whose fangs can no longer extract blood and therefore, lashes out like an ineffectual - but sometimes sympathetic - monster.  Her important supporting performance helps justify Thomas’ increasing leanings towards Max as a father-figure or friend.  Since Max does not have a son of his own, he reciprocates in kind.

The movie properly clarifies their working relationship, but it purposely films with a smoky lens throughout much of the 1 hour 44 minute runtime.  Grandage and cinematographer Ben Davis get the look and feel of the 1930s right from a multitude of New York City’s slates, tans and browns on the streets and inside offices to Max’s gray fedora, in which he almost always sports.

“Genius”, unfortunately, does not give the audience a sporting chance to absorb the details of Wolfe’s novels, and other than some narration (within the film’s first 15 minutes) and some casual mentions, it is difficult to comprehend why they were so successful.   Although, that is not the point of the film.

Instead, when the movie ends, we successfully and organically recognize that Mr. Edison’s definition of genius is probably right.  (3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle - has penned film reviews since 2008 and graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

The Conjuring 2 - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Conjuring 2  

Director: James Wan

Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Madison Wolfe, Frances O’Conner, Lauren Esposito, and Simon McBurney

While waiting inside a darkened theater a young woman wearing a nun outfit with a painted white face wandered around the theater scaring unsuspecting moviegoers. While watching the playful theatrics help assist in building the optimal atmosphere for watching the newest summer scarefest, I overheard a young man telling his girlfriend “when it gets scary just tell yourself that it’s only a movie”. This comment immediately made me think of the tagline for Wes Craven’s 1972 horror shocker “Last House on the Left” that says “To avoid fainting, keep repeating: It’s only a movie, it’s only a movie, it’s only a movie”. In todays oversaturated horror genre market it’s unlikely that a film will affect audiences as much as Wes Craven’s film did in the 1970’s but it’s nice to see some film directors are still trying.

Much of the recent resurgence in the demon/apparition/ghost storytelling in film can be attributed to the creative mind of James Wan and his 2010 film “Insidious”. Utilizing clever effects and playing the genre characteristics for all of its knowing jump scares and anticipatory frights helped bring the scares back into the mainstream market. Though it wasn’t until 2013’s “The Conjuring” that Mr. Wan succeeded in capturing the essence of the traditional ghost story.

Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren return as the famed ghost hunters in “The Conjuring 2”. The two, now very famous personalities, are making appearances on talk shows defending their apparitional findings. However they are not received as respected authorities, in fact they are considered more charlatans than conjurers. This doesn’t stop them from having a connection to the unknown; specifically it doesn’t stop Lorraine from having visions of a terrifyingly ghostly nun offering a warning. A warning the couple ignores when a young girl becomes possessed by a malevolent spirit in England.

Let’s get this out of the way, “The Conjuring 2” will make you jump, it made me jump a few times. When you can evoke this quality for a horror fan, many followers of the genre can spot a jump scare coming a mile away, you've achieved something special. James Wan has been doing this for years. Mr. Wan is an excellent director who understands the composition of horror films, who understands how genre characteristics work with one another, who understands that in order to trick the intelligent horror fan he needs to do things differently. That was makes Mr. Wan so good at his craft, he pays attention to the little details and puts as much effort into the small elements as he does the big ones. In this regard “The Conjuring 2” does a lot of things really well.

Unfortunately Mr. Wan has also gone bigger and bolder with his visions as his film career has expanded. Perhaps this is what makes him a good choice to direct something like DC Comics upcoming “Aquaman”. However in this horror film, one that states that it is "based on a true story" and grounds itself firmly in the reality of this family from England, there are quite a few moments that don’t seem to fit the construction of the world crafted. The use of a walking CGI scare element, a character similar to one seen in the film "The Babadook", is out of place as are some of the scares that will provoke a jump but quickly begin to replay themselves without much effectiveness. And at over 2 hours in length the film begins to feel more drawn out than dialed in. Still, during this time Mr. Wan gives us sights, specifically a nun character, that is bound to be seen walking the neighborhood at Halloween this fall.

"The Conjuring 2" is a worthy sequel, that's a hard accomplishment to achieve in this genre. While the film will undoubtedly have some audiences squirming with frightful anticipation, these scares are great in the moment but won't last long after viewing like they did with the first film. While some will appreciate the vagueness of the story elements, some will be asking for more details; regardless the film does a good job of creating drama with the characters and displaying the dynamics of a family and married couple struggling to comprehend the unknown. Director James Wan is doing a lot of familiar things very well in "The Conjuring 2", providing a little bit of everything to cover all tastes returning to the haunted house.

Monte's Rating

3.25 out of 5.00

Now You See Me 2 - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Now You See Me 2’ conjures too much silliness to believe its magic  

Directed by: Jon M. Chu

Written by: Ed Solomon

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Radcliffe, and Morgan Freeman

“Now You See Me 2” - “Generally, magicians don’t know what to say, so they say stupid and redundant crap like, ‘Here I am holding a red ball.’” – Teller

After sitting through over two hours of “Now You See Me 2”, the magicians on hand definitely know what to say, but, unfortunately, they are conversing and performing in the confines of a silly, uninspired and sanctimonious story.   Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Jack (Dave Franco), Merritt (Woody Harrelson), and Dylan (Mark Ruffalo) are back for a follow-up to the commercially successful 2013 flick.

Altas, Jack and Merritt are three of the original team who called themselves The Four Horseman, but alas, Henley (Isla Fisher) decided to ride towards greener pastures.   Within the first 10 minutes of this picture, however, the film introduces us to a sassy and wisecracking replacement named Lula (Lizzy Caplan), and hence a new Girl Horseman squares up this magical quartet.   Now, the Horseman have been in hiding for a few years, but they reappear at a phone app (OCTA) launch in New York City and are poised to sabotage it.  Apparently, the OCTA app will do very bad things to your phone and tap into photos of your Great Aunt Alice’s cat and nab your 401K’s account password.

Since The Four Horseman are a team of do-gooders who follow orders from a mysterious, Illuminati-like group called “The Eye”, they are set to expose the truth and prevent a horrible wrong.  Their plans, however, fall sideways and so do their bodies (literally), as they materialize into the lair of a young entrepreneur who forces them to commit an impossible-to-fathom heist.

“Now You See Me 2” is a polarizing film in which one either buys into the action, intrigue and big sequences or one does not.  Please place me in the latter category.

Director Jon M. Chu and writer Ed Solomon certainly offer big ideas and magical eye candy, including the aforementioned heist of a paper-thin computer card.  The 10 to 15 minute caper offers a dazzling sleight of hand as the Horsemen flip, dip and slip the card between themselves under the watchful eyes of several security guards.  Even though the card defies all physics logic and flies with the help of obvious CGI, the wild sequence does evoke intrigue and tension.

For me, this card-flipping scene and the final trick were the high points of the film, and everything else pushed the narrative to absurd heights.

We get a flashback to Dylan’s childhood, constant references to the ever-present - but never seen - Eye, a leadership tug-of-war between Dylan and Atlas, and lots of quips between the magicians, which are much more amusing to them than the audience.  Iongs Magic Shop in Macau garners lots of play and Merritt’s evil twin brother - also played by Harrelson - makes some dastardly appearances as well.  Chu places all of Solomon’s ingredients into this very busy and showy soup, and rather than handing us a spoon, he tosses us a funnel to ingest the concoction.

The screenplay wants us to simply guzzle the cinematic junk food while ignoring the shredded narrative threads. The inviting A-list cast, dazzling tricks and fancy locales look and feel good at the moment, but the end results and big reveals do not offer much sustenance or satisfaction.

“Now You See Me 2” is not (completely) stupid or (entirely) filled with redundant crap.  I just did not believe in it, and believability is a very important ingredient for an effective magic trick...and a winning movie.  (1.5/4 stars)  

Now You See Me 2 - Movie Review by Kaely Monahan

The Four Horsemen return at more of a trot than a gallop. The sequel to “Now You See Me” tries to capture the magic but fails to capture the thrills of the first film. Most of the cast returns. Noticeably, Isla Fisher, who played Henley, is gone. Replacing her is Lizzy Caplan as Lula—handpicked by Mark Ruffalo’s Dylan Rhodes. The film starts with a young Dylan watching his father perform his final trick. The tragedy is a stark contrast to the previous “Now You See Me.” The emotionally heavy introduction feels out of place and probably should have been left as subtext, like in the first film.

Return to present day, “Now You See Me 2” shows the idle existence of Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) and Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson). They have been forced into a year of hiding by underground magic organization The Eye. The three men are itching to get out in front of an audience once more but none more so than Atlas.

He resents Dylan’s leadership and seeks to take over the Horsemen as ringleader. The setup is rather “blah” and reminiscent of one too many teen-angst films. Meanwhile, Morgan Freeman reprises his role as the magic buster Thaddeus Bradley. And he has a bone to pick. He still maintains that he was framed.

The troop, now with Lula, get their first gig at last. Once more they are using illusion to bring down a baddie—one who is able to get people’s private information. There’s a back and forth throughout the entire film between privacy and the public space. The topic is fascinating, but ill-handled in by writers Ed Soloman and Pete Chiarelli.

The new heist to overthrow the baddie fails and the Horsemen find themselves part of a magic trick. They end up in China and come to meet the real villain. A delightfully narcissistic Daniel Radcliffe as Walter. (Evil Harry Potter?) Walter intends to use the Horsemen to do some stealing for him.

More heists, more angst, all culminating in a citywide trick on New Year’s Eve in London. The problem with “Now You See Me 2” is there is so much chatter. The characters spend more time talking than performing magic, which is what we’re here to see. While not an outright awful film, it could have had tighter character arcs and sharper dialogue. It tried to grasp at relevant topics such as privacy but that ended up bogging the action down.

The film fails to capture the thrills of its predecessor, but if anything redeems it, it’s Daniel Radcliffe.

• Kaely Monahan is an entertainment reporter and creator of the film review podcast Popcorn Fan Film Reviews.

Warcraft - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Despite impressive visuals, ‘Warcraft’ loses its way  

Directed by:  Duncan Jones

Starring: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, and Daniel Wu

“Warcraft” – Life on the Orcs’ world of Draenor seems pretty difficult.   Brutal wind storms plague the rocky and arid terrain, a place that makes the setting in “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) look like a tropical paradise.  Draenor is a dying planet, and the Orcs need a new place to call home.  Fortunately (for them), Gul’dan (Daniel Wu) knows some horrible magic tricks, and he summons energy - by stealing the life forces from thousands of prisoners in one massive swoop - to open a cosmic portal to a beautiful, green planet called Azeroth.  This is the framework of an animated movie based upon a video game with the same name, “Warcraft”.

Admittedly, I never played “Warcraft”, but I imagine that fans of the game hold an abundance of anticipation and excitement over a feature-length film experience.  For me, I blindly walked into this movie.   My eyesight very much appreciated the effort expended into creating incredibly intricate set designs and detailed animated characters, and the overall narrative felt straight forward, but the individual subplots were very confusing and nonsensical.  Clocking in with a runtime of 2 hours 3 minutes, the film unnecessarily meanders through about a half dozen threads that appear to be edited with a meat cleaver.   As an unbiased, but also uniformed, viewer, the film feels like a four-hour story ratcheted down to 123 minutes, and several pieces in this cinematic puzzle seemed blatantly missing.

For instance, Lothar (Travis Fimmel), a battle-tested knight, falls for Garona (Paula Patton), who is half-human and half-Orc.  In the movie’s last act, the script implies that they have a deep connection, but it comes as a surprise to the audience, because they do not share much quality screen time.  Well, I guess that they must have had an off-screen romance.

In another scene, an ambush takes place in a large canyon, but suddenly, one of the groups intended for the trap safely sits on the summit’s peak and away from the danger without any explanation.  I suppose their ascent up the rocky ledge found itself on the cutting room floor, or they developed a teleportation device so cunning, not even the audience saw it.   Personally, I’m betting on the former.

Now, I commend director Duncan Jones for the film’s visuals and the “Avatar”-like spectacle in IMAX 3D.  The special effects team impressively created the film’s creatures, like the Orcs, and they seamlessly move like real beings throughout the picture. The Orcs, in particular, are massively intimidating.  Standing approximately 8 feet tall, bulging with Hulk-like muscles and welding stone hammers to smash their enemies’ heads like helpless watermelons, Orcs terrorize their opponents like a fictional fight between UFC’s Brock Lesnar and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) from “The Big Bang Theory”.

They simply present a wildly insane physical mismatch, and individual confrontations and large-scale battles impress even the most layman of “Warcraft” viewers.   Jones also features Durotan’s (Toby Kebbell) personal story, and even though this Orc is part of the Horde, he is a family man too and simply wants a better life for his wife and son on Azeroth.

On the other hand, the Orcs invade Azeroth and are bound and determined to conquer kingdoms run by humans, dwarfs and other races similar to those from “The Lord of the Rings” (2001).  As previously stated, the overall narrative between Azerothians and Orcs is clear, but the actual ground-level developments are not only confusing, but repetitive as well.  We endlessly shift from little-explained places like The Guardian’s (Ben Foster) Tower of Babel to Llane Wrynn’s (Dominic Cooper) castle to some random fights in woody surroundings, and this cycle repeats without much apparent thought until the eventual final encounter.

It is all a bit perplexing, but interestingly enough, after the first 15 minutes of “Warcraft”, one could walk out of the movie theatre, return to one’s seat an hour later and not really miss any advancement of the plot.    In other words, attempting to analyze the choppy scenarios or just turning one’s brain on autopilot will yield the same result for the moviegoer.  Yes, life on Draenor proves to be difficult, just like my first “Warcraft” experience.  (1.5/4 stars)

Me Before You - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Clarke’s bright star turn lights up ‘Me Before You’  

Directed by: Thea Sharrock

Written by: Jojo Moyes

Starring: Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, and Charles Dance

“Me Before You” (2016) - Sunny days do not usually reign over the United Kingdom, and the lack of ample amounts of sunshine can potentially sour anyone’s mood.   For Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a wealthy 31-year-old with the rugged good looks of an Abercrombie & Fitch model, he suffers from a steady diet of gloom, but not because of the weather.  Two years earlier, a traffic accident left him paralyzed from the chest down, and his parents, Camilla and Stephen (Janet McTeer and Charles Dance), now care for him.  Will lives in their mansion in Wales adjacent to Pembroke Castle in the lap of luxury, but without the ability to waterski, jump off of a rocky cliff, run, or simply walk to the bathroom, he feels lost, a shell of the person that he once was.

Enter Louisa (Emilia Clarke).

Camilla hires her to help look after Will from Mondays through Saturdays, 8am to 5pm, but without any formal care worker training, Louisa feels woefully ill-prepared for the job.  Fortunately, Will’s full-time nurse, Nathan (Stephen Peacocke), explains that she just needs to be his friend.

Now, writer Jojo Moyes adapted her novel for the screen, and director Thea Sharrock and she bring “Me Before You” to life, but it is the 29-year-old Clarke who brings so much heart and soul to the movie.  The camera loves Emilia and her character, Louisa.  Almost always bathing in eternal optimism and wearing a radiant smile which sometimes crinkles her eyes nearly shut with happiness, Louisa could lighten anyone’s spirits.  Her radiant charm force can only be matched by her offbeat and colorful wardrobe, complete with butterfly blouses, heart-covered dresses and flowery heels, and after months of daily visits, she seemingly never wears the same outfit twice.  I might be as fashion illiterate as the next American male, but even I noticed that Louisa’s vibrant apparel matched her engaging personality, and Will gradually warms up to her peachy appeal.

Even though their slow-building romance is soaked with predictability, Clarke’s innocent allure and onscreen chemistry with Claflin help us ignore the familiar storyline.  Less familiar - at least to American audiences - are the natural and manmade surroundings that Pembrokesire, Wales certainly offers, and Sharrock does a beautiful job of capturing its natural and manmade surroundings.

Under an unusual multitude of bright days, the rolling and green landscape also carries a stark contrast between the have and have-nots, as an imposing ancient castle props itself above the modest housing below.  Not unlike the feudal systems of centuries past, the film highlights the lifestyle contrasts between Louisa and Will’s families.  Both households provide love and support to their respective children, but Louisa’s father delivers slight verbal jabs in her direction.  He probably does not even realize it, but they seem to contribute to her lack of initiative.

Louisa worked as a waitress at The Buttered Bun for six years, and if not for slow business, she probably would have labored there for 30 more.  Will does notice her self-imposed limitations and encourages her to fly away from the mundane and break the cycle of “just getting by”.  You see, Louisa’s gifts of kindness, virtue and warmth are (finally) reciprocated by Will in the aforementioned ways, and Louisa responds in kind.

The narrative dances with these exchanges throughout much of the movie, and it hits its best moments when both boy and girl grow as human beings while sharing their genuine love affair.  Of course, one problem certainly exists, and it is Will’s paralysis.  Will’s physical state of being is non-issue for Louisa, but he views it as a horrible stumbling block from which he cannot figuratively or literally dodge. The film’s third act effectively follows this one-sided argument to one of two possible conclusions, while Will and Louisa continue to show their affectionate harmony.

In addition, Sharrock does not hurt her film’s cause by placing the leads in gorgeous locales like a posh music hall and a tropical paradise.  These locations and Will’s paralysis help disguise the fact that a love story between two people from very different backgrounds has already been told in thousands of movies, but – as previously mentioned - I became blind to the similarities because of Emilia Clarke’s bright star turn.  Inside or outside the UK, I foresee many sunny days in her future.  (3/4 stars)

Weiner - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Weiner’ unbelievably captures a disastrous political train wreck  

Directors:  Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg

Starring:  Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin

“Weiner” (2016) - “The name of a man is a numbing blow from which he never recovers.” – Marshall McLuhan

This quote from Mr. McLuhan appears on the screen during this documentary’s opening moments about a former, seven-term U.S. congressman, and - in some ways – it obviously fits, but Anthony Weiner’s actions, not his name, delivered a fatal blow to his 2013 campaign to become New York City’s mayor.

Directors Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg probably believed Weiner’s shenanigans were behind him when they began filming a behind-the-scenes mayoral election run, but they stumbled into one of the most infamous train wrecks in modern political history.   In addition to providing a first-hand look at the inner workings of a large scale political campaign – complete with pushing signs, making phone calls and deliberating communication strategies -  it offers a clear and transparent view into the devastating consequences of betraying the trust of coworkers, staff members, supporters, and most of all, one’s spouse.  Make no mistake, this film – at times – is very painful to watch, but it presents a fascinating, disastrous reality show that truly is difficult to fathom.

Well, the movie documents Weiner’s experience in running for mayor, 13 weeks out until Election Day.  At first, Kriegman and Steinberg refreshingly find that voters climbed on the bandwagon, rather than anticipating a future train wreck.   Weiner conveyed honest, public contrition about sending salacious – although clothed – photos to a few women over social media back in 2011, and, after plenty of counseling, his wife, Huma Abedin, forgave him.

We see Huma stand with her husband at a fundraising luncheon, and she states, “I love my city, and I believe in my husband.”

Although the overall pleasantries look appropriate and cordial, one notes that Huma did not say that she loved her husband, and this public statement “miss” – deliberate or not – presents a bit of unfortunate foreshadowing.

New York City voters, however, seem behind him, as the camera picks up Weiner darting through city streets at midday and high-fiving hundreds of people like a pro wrestler running around a ring before his match.  Small groups and large crowds offer him smiles, acceptance and – most importantly – a second chance.    His popularity actually is a feel-good story, because a sizable portion of the public seemingly has forgiven him.  With about eight weeks until Election Day, the polls have him leading the crowded race, when without warning, disaster strikes.

New personal and more explicit photos of him appear everywhere on the news, and Anthony Weiner suddenly has to explain his behavior all over again.   The press and general public alike believed all of the vulgar pictures, texts and chat room material were previously flushed out, but new evidence of additional chicanery dramatically changes the mood of the previously-mentioned entities.

The film shows entertainment and news personalities like Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, Lawrence O’Donnell, and the press, in general, immediately pounce, as Weiner’s 2011 fall from grace repeats itself in 2013.

Weiner takes countless questions – whether in person, over the phone or on television - such as, “Are more women going to come forward?”, “What are you hiding today?” and “What’s wrong with you?”

Not unlike the Looney Tunes’ Wile E. Coyote holding onto an ACME anvil and falling (and crashing) from a rocky ledge over and over again, he has no choice but to stand there and take his beatings.   His constituents rightfully are not in a forgiving mood either, and they throw their collective hands up in disgust.

“Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Kriegman and Steinberg’s cameras catch Weiner stoically stewing and suffering during private moments in the bare, white and impersonal campaign rooms and in various places in his apartment.  The point is that Weiner has no escape hatch, but neither do his friends, colleagues and wife, because emotional collateral damage does not discriminate.

Huma suffers the most indignation and humiliation during the entire downfall, and she communicates her pain and disgust in mostly nonverbal ways.   During the film’s last hour, the words, “that poor woman” scream in our brains, as we see her reactions to this horror show of past poor judgment play out publicly - and amazingly - in front of a pair of documentarians in her own home.

Mr. McLuhan could be right, but I do not know if Huma will ever recover.  As a viewer, it will be a while before I do. (3.5/4 stars)

Maggie's Plan - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Make casual plans to check out ‘Maggie’s Plan’  

Writer/director: Rebecca Miller

Starring: Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph

“Maggie’s Plan” - New York City is known a “city that never sleeps.”   Since Maggie (Greta Gerwig) is a New Yorker and has 24 waking-hours per day at her disposal, she finds time for not one plan - as the film’s title suggests - but two.  Gerwig is experienced and so proficient at playing quirky, well-intentioned - but also a bit chaotic - urban dwellers, and see “Frances Ha” (2012) and “Mistress America” (2015) for a pair of prime examples.  She offers a similar performance here, except this time, her character, Maggie, is more mature and enjoys a fulfilling career.

She creates business plans for talented artists and teaches at a nearby college, and although monetary security is a non-issue, she does not believe that romantic security and children are in her future.  Maggie exclaims that men lose interest in her only after a few months, so her best chance to raise a child is not through a life partner but via artificial insemination, aka her first plan.   Now, I chose to ignore that Rebecca Miller’s film is numerically misnamed, because, namely, “Maggie’s Plan” owns eccentric charm.

The film - like a Woody Allen picture - invites the audience into the lives of some New York intellectuals whose biggest problem is their over or under analysis of their own relationships.   Miller introduces us to the aforementioned individuals, as they point out their partners’ shortcomings or grumble about living sans a spouse while also casually mentioning their background in art history or research in fictocriticism.

Maggie clearly is the most likable, as the others carry around their own personal gray clouds above their heads, but the very talented supporting players - including Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore, Bill Hader, and Maya Rudolph - balance their characters’ semi-gloom-and-doom with amusing subtleties.   Moore steals nearly every scene as Georgette, a self-absorbed professor with a thick Danish accent.  Others - including her husband John (Hawke) - demonize Georgette as an overly-pragmatic, unfeeling opportunist.   Once we finally see her on-screen, she certainly possesses these unflattering qualities, but Moore skillfully delivers them with welcoming, comedic charm while also generating some surprising sympathy for her character.

Maggie elicits sympathy too.  As she makes headway with her first plan, she unexpectedly falls in love as well, and as the collective-they say, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”   Hence, Maggie dreams up a second plan to untangle her way out of her first.   Gerwig owns the cinematic chops to carry the film’s narrative to a logical conclusion, but while watching “Maggie’s Plan”, it is nearly impossible to not compare her character to her work in the previously-mentioned New York City comedies.

In “Frances Ha” and “Mistress America”, her characters make clumsy mistakes, but they bounce back with youthful exuberance while simultaneously processing their miscalculations.  Here, Maggie is also aware of her missteps but is more victimized, in an emotional and neglectful way.  Gerwig makes it a breeze to root for Maggie, but we, the audience, comply under a more concerning eye, and these emotions bruise the comedic tone into something more subjugated.

Luckily, the second half of picture takes a major turn towards John and Georgette, which smartly diverts from Maggie’s romantic difficulties and the somewhat heavier spirit.  On the other hand, this change also meanders, and the movie ends up feeling like two hours when its actual runtime is just 98 minutes.

Although the excitement admittedly wanes at times, Moore, Gerwig and the rest of the cast hold our attention towards this small group of New Yorkers and their relationship problems.  Maybe their lives would be better served if the city garnered a least a couple hours of “figurative sleep” each night.  Well, sleep or no sleep, as we all know, issues of the heart are universal.   (2.5/4 stars) 

X-Men: Apocalypse - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

X-Men: Apocalypse  

Dir: Bryan Singer

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Oscar Isaac, Rose Byrne, Evan Peters, Josh Helman, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Lucas Till, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Olivia Munn

Director Bryan Singer is one of the early creators responsible for the superhero movement in filmmaking, an explosion that currently floods the market. Way back in 2000 Mr. Singer directed "X-Men" with exceptional success, bringing together a team of mutant heroes with extraordinary powers that includes the adamantium clawed fan favorite Wolverine, still played by Hugh Jackman today. The franchise has had its share of ups and downs. Still, even at the low points fans were still lining up for the next installment in the series. Just when it seemed like everything was heading towards a dead-end, "X-Men: First Class" retooled the story and recast the film bringing a new aspect to the franchise with fresh faces mixing in with franchise familiar ones. Building upon this success "X-Men: Days of Future Past" was released and crafted one of the best films in the history of the franchise.

The X-Men have a villain to fight against, the ancient mutant named En Sabah Nur, otherwise known as Apocalypse, played in heavy make-up by Oscar Isaac. Apocalypse has been trapped underneath a pyramid but has been released; his mission is to annihilate the world with an army of powerful mutants, one of which is Magneto played again by Michael Fassbender. Magneto tried to live a peaceful life in Poland, with a wife and child, but a heartbreaking tragedy turns Magneto hate-filled once again. Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is running a school for gifted students, taking in a young Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) and Scott “Cyclops” Summers (Tye Sheridan), both characters you will remember from the first movies. Apocalypse recruits his team of extraordinary individuals to destroy the world and it’s up to the X-Men to stop them.

There is a whole lot of movie going on here but with a running time of 144 minutes there is ample time to tell this extensive tale. Unfortunately filling the time with a good story and engaging characters doesn’t seem to have been high on the list for the creative team here. “X-Men: Apocalypse” isn’t terrible, in fact there are quite a few moments that are actually very good. There is another entertaining slow-motion scene with Quicksilver (Evan Peters), the connections to the original material and the groundwork established through the entire franchise make for some interesting moments, and there is even a small cameo from a franchise favorite that sets into motion a really exciting story arc. So what’s the problem? Aside from the final minutes of the film and an occasional moment from Apocalypse, we’ve seen this all before. As mentioned before Quicksilver steals the show with another slow motion scene, Magneto returns to Auschwitz in an almost pointless scene, and a majority of the dramatic action moments move and operate in the same way that it always has. It’s old material just repackaged in a new movie. It may be stated by some keen film fans out there that this method is what most films do anyway, remake, reimagine, and repackage properties. However there are moments in this film where the only new aspect is a new character.

Still, there are moments when the film simply functions as a vehicle of pure entertainment. Most of this sentiment is due to the efforts of the talented cast; even the small characters seem to fit their role especially well. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are again good; they have built chemistry over these films that displays their character’s admiration and disdain for one another, similarly to the former two actors playing these roles Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan. Newcomers to the franchise Sophie Turner and Tye Sheridan are good also, even when they get lost in the mix of characters on display here. Unfortunately Olivia Munn, playing Psylocke, is reduced to standing around and making her best superhero pose behind Apocalypse.

“X-Men: Apocalypse” has a few high points that are sure to entertain and excite fans of the franchise, however it also has quite a few low points. At times it feels like a really long and cluttered setup to another story coming in the future, hopefully the next outing will spend more time creating a narrative that makes the viewer care about these characters again.

Monte’s Rating

2.75 out of 5.00