The 15:17 to Paris - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The 15:17 to Paris’, a less than ordinary trip about an extraordinary story

Directed by:  Clint Eastwood

Written by:  Dorothy Blyskal

Starring:  Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, Jenna Fischer, and Judy Greer

“The 15:17 to Paris” – “Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary.” – Gerard Way

Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler are 20-something Americans.  Friends since childhood, the three decided to travel to Europe on a semi-impromptu whim, but they never thought that their lives would be forever-changed during a Thalys train ride from Amsterdam to Paris. 

Specifically, the 15:17 on Aug. 21, 2015.

Director Clint Eastwood tells Spencer’s, Alek’s and Anthony’s story on this particular train ride, but also their personal tales outside of the 15:17 in a most unique way:  Without big screen acting experience, the three men actually play themselves and recreate the events on that fateful August day.    

Eastwood’s vision is a bold and noble one, but as the film plays out over 1 hour and 34 minutes, the narrative is noticeably and deeply flawed.  Not necessarily because of the first-time actors, but unfortunately, there is not enough story to stretch over an entire feature film.  Other visual avenues like a 20-minute news segment or a 45-minute documentary seem like more appropriate platforms.   

Before Eastwood transports the audience to an Amsterdam train platform, he sends us to Sacramento in 2005.  

Spencer, Alek and Anthony were preteens or barely teens back then, and child actors William Jennings, Bryce Gheisar and Paul-Mikel Williams play them, respectively.  Although these scenes – which comprise a surprisingly lengthy 40 minutes or so – transpire in the 21st century, they feel like the 1950s, an arguably more innocent, wholesome time when the Internet was not a thought and moms sent their boys outside to play at 8:00am and added, “Be home for dinner at 5.”

These scenes radiate some “Stand by Me” (1986) vibes, but without any edginess or drama.  When the boys are not playing war with paintball guns or expounding on their 13-year-old worldviews, they dive into relatively harmless trouble.  Their only conflicts are self-induced, as they stand in school hallways sans hall passes, back talk in gym class or exhibit general apathy.  That apathy transmits off the screen though, as these long stretches have all the cinematic excitement of lukewarm oatmeal. 

The only reprieves from the monotony are the gently humorous moments with various teachers or faculty (Tony Hale, Thomas Lennon) who seem to possess other life distractions that impede their understanding of the average junior high student.  Actually, a couple flash-forwards to the 15:17 do also briefly pop on the screen, but they haphazardly appear and distract, rather than add insight or intrigue, as this critic wondered, “Okay, when do the events on the train actually start?”

The answer is: 1 hour and 14 minutes into the picture, but not before we see Spencer, Alek and Anthony – in the second act - as adults, attempting to make lives for themselves.  Actually, Spencer is the main focus, as he joins the U.S. Air Force.  Alek enlists in the U.S. Army National Guard and serves a tour in Afghanistan, while Anthony formulates his next move in California. 

Some of these moments garner vital importance for the film’s final act, but much of this time feels like filler, especially during the guys’ trip to Europe.  Now, Spencer and Anthony do tour a couple iconic locales in Italy before joining Alek in Amsterdam, but their travels oddly and figuratively feel pedestrian through the beautiful sites.  

For some reason, Dorothy Blyskal’s screenplay does not prioritize deeper insight into their personas, as Spencer’s, Alek’s and Anthony’s exchanges do not rise above typical conversations during anyone’s own vacation. 

Declarations like “Let’s go get some food or something” or “I’m about to go to sleep” do not exactly channel inspiring cinema, as their European holiday might evoke feelings of sitting through two hours of your cousin’s home movies during a forgettable Thanksgiving dinner. 

The moments on the train, however, raise different tones, as a Moroccan man attempts to cause lethal havoc in tightly-closed spaces.  Eastwood, Spencer, Alek, and Anthony recreate these events with visceral realism and angst that might have audiences squirming in their seats.  In that way, “The 15:17 to Paris” does an admirable job of honoring these brave men (along with Chris Norman, a Brit on the same train) and their quick actions that placed them in the direct line of fire and violence.

Spencer, Alek, Anthony, and Chris truly are heroes, and moviegoers will most likely feel very thankful to know their story, but it will take a lot of patience and deep breaths to get through a less than ordinary picture about these extraordinary men.  

(1.5/4 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.

Permission - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Permission

Directed by Brian Crano

Written by Brian Crano

Starring Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Morgan Spector, David Joseph Craig, Gina Gershon, Jason Sudeikis

Although they are not defined as bank holidays, where the federal government closes its offices, every month in the Gregorian Calendar has a holiday associated with it. February, the shortest month of the year, is associated with Valentine’s Day, the celebration of love. With just a bit of digging, I discovered that the holiday is named for a Saint Valentine, a 3rd-century Roman saint who was martyred. It is the martyrdom aspect of his relatively unknown history, that I approach Brian Crano’s “Permission.”

Starring Rebecca Hall as Anna and Dan Stevens as Will, they are two twenty-somethings living in New York City. They have been in a long term relationship as Will, a furniture maker by trade is working on refurbishing a brownstone, their dream home. She is attending Julliard studying music theory, and she is on the cusp of graduating. They have been in their relationship for so long, that they don’t know anyone else. At dinner one night, Hale (David Joseph Craig) suggests at dinner one night that they should seek out other relationships to see if their relationship is as strong as they believe it is.

The beauty in Brian Crano’s script is its brutal honesty as each partner seeks out another relationship. The story is very sex-centric as they focus on finding what makes the other tick and it was amusing to see who they each pick. There is a perversion about their choices and about the way they interact with the various characters in the film.

Despite a search for spice in their relationship, Mr. Crano’s story felt very static. We know to an extent where the film will end up based on the opening frames. The performances salvage a lot of the story and that’s because of the actors’ commitment to their craft. I first encountered Ms. Hall, who also produced the film, in “Christine.” She has such a dominating personality and it was hilarious to watch her release her inhibitions, especially against Dane (Francois Arnaud). On the other hand, as Mr. Stevens explores his desires, we find him less enthused to do so. That is until he encounters Lydia played by the amazing Gina Gershon. Though I found their relationship more believable of the two, Mr. Stevens played the role by-the-numbers, which makes the reveal at the end of the film less convincing. His performance was very convincing though and I admire his desire to stay true to himself.

There is a parallel story concerning Hale and his partner, Reece (Morgan Spector) as they go through their own challenges. Mr. Craig’s interactions with Jason Sudeikis were the least uncomfortable parts of the film, and offered some measure of hope, which the film needed. Mr. Sudeikis is funny in any situation, but it was his tender and dramatic side that fit so well into this cast.

It is easy to refer to this film as ‘soft porn,’ which it is not. It is however, humorously perverted and Ms. Hall and Mr. Stevens work overtime to make it all stick. The self-important nature of the story doesn’t allow it to come full-circle, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

2 out of 4 stars.

Peter Rabbit - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Peter Rabbit

Directed by Will Gluck

Screenplay by Will Gluck and Rob Lieber, based on “Peter Rabbit” by Beatrix Potter

Starring Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, Sam Neill, Daisy Ridley, Elizabeth Debicki, Margot Robbie, James Cordon

There is something to be said for the anti-hero archetype. As an audience, we know that their intentions are good, even if they need to push someone out of the way to achieve their objective.  We relate to these characters because we inherently believe that we are better people; that we wouldn’t encounter the same trials or tribulations. Yet, when push comes to shove, we know deep down that we would do the same thing if we had to.

We just don’t think about it consciously.

Will Gluck’s latest film, “Peter Rabbit” is the epitome of the anti-hero. Featuring James Cordon in the titular role, Peter and his family live in the countryside, inhabiting a rabbit hole next to the McGregor estate and Bea (Rose Byrne), an artist-in-the-making. An ongoing feud between Peter and the elder McGregor over the McGregor’s bounteous garden results in misfortune, bringing the younger McGregor, Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) in to the picture. The overworked and overwrought Thomas brings a new kind of mischief to Peter and his family.

The use of live-action background and 3D characters has been tried before with mixed results. Mr. Gluck expertly weaves the two together, making for a pleasing look throughout the film. The film feels a lot like a short take on the classic “Home Alone,” but there’s a more mature storyline as Peter realizes he is not the injured party, and that’s what makes him the perfect anti-hero. On the flipside, the script by Mr. Gluck and Rob Lieber pits one anti-hero against another in Mr. Gleeson’s Thomas. Thomas’ justification is preservation of his land and Bea is all that stands between sanity and total annihilation.

Fortunately, Peter has the benefit of having three angels on his side, in the form of his three sisters, Cottontail (voiced by Daisy Ridley), Flopsy (voiced by Margot Robbie) and Mopsy (voiced by Elizabeth Debicki). There is a lot on in-fighting between the siblings, but it serves a purpose as Peter works to solve their dilemma. Peter’s strongest ally is his cousin, Benjamin Bunny (voiced by Matt Lucas), who I shared an affinity for. He was the voice of reason amidst the chaos, even if no one wanted to listen to what he had to say, least of all Peter. The story works through the pettiness of their differences and Peter and Thomas try to one-up the other in their gamesmanship.

It leads to disaster, and inevitably a song and dance number, because it’s cute to see dancing, talking animals sashay across the screen. The biggest problem that the story encounters is the fact that there are two anti-heroes. They don’t necessarily cancel each other out, but their antics do. As with any children’s story, it inevitably leads to a reconciliation. As fun as it was to see Mr. Gleeson continue to explore his lighter comedic side, it came off as being a bit over-the-top. But, gosh, do I want to see more of it, just not as an anti-hero.

“Peter Rabbit,” based on the children’s series of books by Beatrix Potter is a fun romp. It’s a bit more mature than I was expecting, which I enjoyed. It should appeal to families, but a lot of it might go over the heads of younger children.

3 out of 4 stars.

The Insult - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Insult’ offers more than words

Written and directed by:  Ziad Doueiri

Starring:  Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha, Camille Salameh, Christine Choueiri, Rita Hayek, and Diamand Bou Abboud

“The Insult” – “Lebanon is a peculiar place, so bicultural, it goes along with you.  There is a Western influence, an Eastern influence.  Most people are fluctuating between those identities.” – Director Ziad Doueiri

Tony (Adel Karam) and Yasser (Kamel El Basha) productively work and fruitfully live within the vibrant heartbeats of Beruit, Lebanon.   Tony owns a busy auto repair shop and enjoys his happy marriage with Shirine (Rita Hayek), who is pregnant with their first child.  Yasser is a hardworking construction company foreman and meticulously hones his chosen profession while contently married to his supportive wife, Manal (Christine Choueiri).  

During an ordinary day, Tony’s and Yasser’s paths suddenly intersect via a fairly harmless – but real - oversight, one that can be resolved through a cordial conversation.  Their introduction, however, is quite the opposite.  Caustic, abrasive and uncompromising.  All of the initial hostility emanates from Tony towards Yasser, who shows more patience, probably grown from a couple more decades of navigating through life’s interpersonal conflicts. 

Although, Yasser’s patience does wear thin.  They trade insults, which then escalate in ways neither one could have imagined. 

“The Insult” – nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar - was created through the thoughtful imagination of writer/director Ziad Doueiri, who was born and raised in Lebanon, but left for the U.S. to attend college during his country’s civil war.  Doueiri states some of Lebanon’s cultural complexities in the aforementioned quote, and he pits a current source of the nation’s tension into a harsh disagreement between two individuals. 

Tony is a Lebanese Christian and Yasser is a Palestinian immigrant. 

“Us vs. Them” conflicts can be explored within any nation’s sociological textures, and one does not need to look very far to witness tangible struggles in the United States.  Nevertheless, tensions in the Middle East can be volatile, and Doueiri explores a particularly combustible dynamic within Beruit in his effective character study with larger implications.

Karam and El Basha deliver convincing performances, as Tony carries a deep-seeded anger from some distant place that continues to seethe, and Yasser is unwillingly provoked by wounds from his past.  Now, viewing their argument in isolation, Doueiri and Karam portray Tony as an overstepping transgressor and clearly in the wrong, as audiences will immediately flock to Yasser’s defense.   At the outset, one might argue that blurred antagonist and protagonist roles would make a more gripping narrative, but Doueiri sows more complicated histories that help explain his characters’ current dispositions.  Hence, after the initial insults (where words can most certainly hurt), those lines do become fuzzy.    

The film’s high points lie with the onscreen exchanges between the leads and also with their respective wives.  In fact, Shirine delivers the film’s biggest truth, when she proclaims that Tony wants to burn everything down and is unwilling to turn the page…with Yasser and his own past.  As these interactions progress, Doueiri pulls an absolute need from the audience to grasp Tony’s and Yasser’s motivations, and a court case between the two becomes the eventual vehicle for their reveals during the movie’s second half.

The courtroom moments do contain some intrigue, two big surprises, and the competing lawyers (Camille Salameh and Diamand Bou Abboud) skillfully offer sharp arguments and rebuttals.  Abboud is particularly terrific as Yasser’s defense lawyer, Nadine, who is young, brilliant and trying her first case out of pure principle.  For each argument presented by the prosecution, Nadine seems to take a few seconds to process her next move and then delivers a successful counterpunch.  Like the moments between Tony and Yasser, battles between Nadine and the prosecution, Wajdi (Salameh), present compelling cinema. 

Speaking of compelling cinema, two specific Tony-Yasser confrontations reminded this critic of tense showdowns in an American western, but in these cases, sans the guns.  Within the spaces of the individual characters, the picture shines, but when Doueiri visually inserts bigger set pieces to nationalize Tony’s and Yasser’s dispute – like protests or television interviews – the movie loses momentum, as they feel a bit staged. 

These scenes are not necessary, and rather than occasionally explain the court case’s broader impacts, that additional time would arguably be better spent on more introspection when international cultural histories are weighed upon Tony, Yasser, their families and friends.   Still, Doueiri’s script and all of the performances provide an absorbing look at a “peculiar place” and its shared worldwide experiences of the human condition.

(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.

Oscar Snubbed by Monte Yazzie

Oscar 2018: Five Movies That Should Have Been Nominated

The 2018 Oscar nominations were announced this week; as with most years the usually favorites make the cut but there are always some surprises. This is the Super Bowl for the film industry and film fans do the arduous task of picking their favorite film, actor, or director for who they think should win the big prize.

However, amidst all the films nominated over the course of history for the Academy Awards, there are always films that barely missed the cut, films that got the infamous snub. It’s interesting how history can treat a film, while some don’t always stand the test of time, some have aged far better than they were received at the original time of the their release. So, here are five films that should have been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Five Films

Night of the Hunter (1955)

There are images in director Charles Laughton’s film “Night of the Hunter” that are simply iconic, breathtaking images have influenced cinema in ways that are too great to truly grasp. Peaked with a performance that is still as haunting and malicious as any performance today, Robert Mitchum’s character is the epitome of evil. Populated with romantic dramas in 1955, leaving no room for a film noir as dark as “Night of the Hunter”, the Best Picture winner would ultimately go to Delbert Mann’s “Marty”.

Zodiac (2004)

Director David Fincher’s atmospheric, unnerving film “Zodiac” is undeniably one of the best films of the last two decades. The film is a masterclass of procedure, with Fincher quietly filling the frames with nuanced performances and plotting the chase for a serial killer with deliberate attention to the mood of the 1970’s and the hysteria caused by the media. While it may not have been enough to overtake Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby”, it’s a film that gets considerably better as time continues to age it.

The Long Goodbye (1973)

It was a tough year sneaking into the Best Picture category in 1973, with heavyweights like “The Exorcist” and “Cries and Whispers” filling the ballot and the winner “The Sting” maintaining much praise with an all-star cast that included Robert Redford and Paul Newman in leading roles, I like to think that there is still room for Robert Altman’s detective story “The Long Goodbye”. Lead by a stellar performance from Elliot Gould, Altman weaves an impressive story that restructures the characteristics of the crime genre.

City Lights (1931)

Charlie Chaplin’s influence on comedic performance is legendary. The film’s Chaplin produced over his career are lauded for numerous reasons, whether it’s performance, political satire, or it’s insights into human nature, Chaplin’s catalog is a must watch for any film fan. While all of Chaplin’s work could be categorized as his best, “City Lights” for me is the crowning achievement of the Little Tramp’s career. While Chaplin was more than likely well ahead of his time, it’s a shame that this film wasn’t recognized for its monumental achievement.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western “Once Upon a Time in the West” is one of the best western films of all time. While it’s a shame that western genre films like “Rio Bravo” and “The Searchers” were overlooked for Best Picture nominations, “Once Upon a Time in the West” seemed to have the best chance considering “Oliver!” was the winner of Best Picture in 1968. Leone would again be snubbed sixteen years later for the film “Once Upon a Time in America”.

The Final Year - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Final Year’ fills the screen with grace and a ticking clock

Directed by:  Greg Baker

Starring:  Barack Obama, Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes, and John Kerry

“The Final Year” – If a doctor said that you had one year left to live, what would you do?    Just before that moment, you might believe that time is a forever-companion, and after it, realize that it is an extraordinarily precious commodity.  Whether attempting to experience previously-evasive fruits of life, tether distant relationships or write the next great American novel, the clock is ticking.  It is counting down, impossible to ignore.

Conversely, a high school student enters a scholastic institution with a clearly-defined, four-year construct, and even though an individual’s path via freshman to senior is unknown, the timetable – barring some rare expediency or lag in studies – is set.  Four years.  Of course, some kids could be plagued by a condition called senioritis, defined by Google as a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.  You know, a time when movies, the mall, parties, and/or a three-hour discussion about the future, music or relationships seem more important than a book report due on a random Wednesday.

“The Final Year” does not cover a patient’s last year to live, nor does it chronicle a 17-year-old’s senior year, but this documentary prominently features a ticking clock and the end of a four-year construct, actually an eight-year one. 

Director Greg Barker gives an insider’s look into the last year of Barack Obama’s presidency, and the 44th President of the United States does appear on Barker’s camera.  Secretary of State John Kerry does as well, but the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power and Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes are the film’s two prominent guides on this White House/worldwide tour.  

Power - an altruistic, confident voice on President Obama’s staff - operates with a calming presence, as she travels the globe and leverages opportunities for partnership.  While juggling – what seems like – 18-hour days, listening to concerns and speaking about humanitarian issues, she also finds herself sometimes negotiating with her preteen son. 

Baker’s role is more of a bureaucratic heavy.  He manages similar hours and travel schedules, as his intense persona gladly absorbs endless responsibilities.  He acts as a tireless defender for President Obama and a stressed taskmaster who first explores and then levels rocky, unknown terrain for him. 

President Obama, Secretary Kerry, Ambassador Power, and Advisor Rhodes all have agendas to accomplish, but during this final drive in 2016, Barker effectively captures their awareness of the limited time left.  The audience is aware too, while the aforementioned public servants strive for the impossible: to complete their work by January 2017, comprised of a never-ending list of tasks, concerns and events. 

“I feel like we should have a clock with the days counting down, because what we have set in motion…all of that is at stake.” – Samantha Power

What rings true in Barker’s picture is that any administration only has four or eight years to actively bestow its imprint.  The hope?  It will last beyond its time in power.  

The elephant in the room is the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, and while Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump fight for the right to continue or reverse President Obama’s imprint, Power and Rhodes occasionally glance at a television or casually mention the heated contest, as it preys as a source of looming anxiety.  In 2018, of course, we know the election outcome, but not only does the film provide insight into the inner workings of the White House, but it accurately operates as a microcosm of how democrats felt in 2016.  This also includes the reaction on election night, which will be a relived-nightmare for liberals and a joyous I told you so for conservatives.  

Thankfully, “The Final Year” truly avoids petty politics, name calling, ugly partisanship, and negative bile from both sides of the aisle.  This is not a Trump-bashing movie.  Instead, it rises above fray – at least on camera – with a nearly constant stream of grace.  No matter how one feels about President Obama’s administration, there is no denying its grace, led by the man at the top from January 2009 to January 2017, and Baker’s film surely captures that last year…along with a ticking clock.

(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.

A Look at Oscar's Best Picture Nominees by Ben Cahlamer

And, the Best Picture Oscar nominees are . . .

Now that the initial reaction to this year’s Academy Award-nominations is over, and has had a chance to breathe, it is as good a time as any to work our way through the nominees. I’m not going to use words like ‘snub’. That’s not the intent of the Oscars and I don’t see someone or a film not getting a nomination as a validation of their work. That’s what the box office is for. Instead, this is a chance for the industry to recognize their peers, to celebrate accomplishments and achievements and to take a break for an evening.

Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water leads the pack with 13 nominations

As Hollywood prepares for its evening of glitz and glam, we’re going to take a look at the films that did get nominated and why they are worthy of being nominated for the 90th Academy Awards ceremony.

Call Me by Your Name – in my conversations with colleagues and movie goers, this is probably the most divisive film. Luca Guagadino’s film is a coming-of-age story, but it is much, much more. It is in theaters now, and I would encourage you to check it out. It was number three on my Top 10 of 2017.

Darkest Hour – Joe Wright’s film was the fourth in 2017 to feature Winston Churchill and the third to have a role in the Dunkirk Campaign. It features Gary Oldman in his Golden Globe-winning role as the vociferous military strategist. As it rolls back into theaters, it is worth a look.

Dunkirk – Christopher Nolan’s film about the Dunkirk Campaign is one of the most talked-about films in this year’s Best Picture pool. It is a story told from three vantage points, using sound as its guide. It took the summer by storm and is now out on Blu-ray, Ultra High Definition Blu-ray and on all the major VOD platforms. With all of this in mind, if you missed it last summer, take some time to catch it in theaters when it returns in a few weeks. It has the second most nominations this year with eight.

Get Out – Jordan Peel’s nightmarish dark comedy took the world by storm early last year with its strong social commentary. Daniel Kaluuya was nominated for his performance, Jordan Peel was nominated for his direction and for his screenplay. It is also on home video now, but it should be seen with a crowd (or a bunch of friends.)

Lady Bird – The other coming-of-age story, indie darling Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut is sensational. Saoirse Ronan is incredible in her Academy Award-nominated turn. The film is still in theaters and is worthy of your time.

Phantom Thread – The film that marks Daniel-Day Lewis’s final role is absolutely beautiful. Paul Thomas Anderson’s peak into a fashionable dressmaker’s life is pure joy to watch unfold. It’s not for everyone, so take my commentary with a grain of salt, but it’s production is exquisite. It expanded this weekend to theaters across the nation.

The Post – The story is simple, the history is complicated, but Steven Spielberg’s look at The Washington Post’s role in the Pentagon Papers scandal is a rousing story for our modern times.

The Shape of Water – Guillermo del Toro’s passionate story of love and acceptance is as futuristic as the look of the film. It is very adult and contemporary while remaining accessible. Claims to it being a take on The Creature from the Black Lagoon are somewhat unfair, but I understand why they’re being made. Despite this, it’s a unique love story worth checking out.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Martin McDonagh’s third film is probably the most divisive film out of this crop of Best Picture nominees. Its characters are strong willed and determined, their motives are less than pure and the cynicism runs high. It won the Screen Actors Guild Ensemble Award and Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell have won multiple awards in their respective categories, leading up to their Academy Award-nominations. It was my number one film of 2017, it is still in theaters and, love it or hate it, it’s worth your time.

The 90th Annual Academy Awards presentation will air on ABC on Sunday, March 4th, 2018.

Maze Runer: The Death Cure - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Maze Runner: The Death Cure

Directed by Wes Ball

Screenplay by T.S. Nowlin, Based on The Death Cure by James Dashner

Starring Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scoderlario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Walton Goggins, Barry Pepper, Will Poulter, Patricia Clarkson

I find it a rather interesting exercise in thinking about why futuristic films aimed at young adults always paints a picture of fractured love or a dystopian future in which hope is the only way out. Films that I might think about from my childhood include Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, The Never Ending Story, The Running Man, The Terminator . . . all three films present very adult themes, yet they are aimed specifically at young adults because at the time the films were released, we were future. The Maze Runner series is very much an amalgam of these films because they paint a fractured relationship in a dystopian future and the only way out is hope. And maybe just a little bit of team work.

Ah . . .  team work. As a species, even if the rich and the powerful ever gain complete control over our society, the collective mind can be stronger. And, in Wes Ball’s Maze Runner: The Death Cure, the collective works together to get through the Ivory Gates, so to speak. In this instance, a rag tag group of Maze Runners is on the lamb, and WCKD wants them.

We don’t necessarily know why they’re wanted, but we’re not expected to. As viewers, we’re expected to go along for the ride, which unfolds over two hours and 20 minutes. It’s a run to be sure, but Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Frypan (Dexter Darden) are up to the challenge. After a rather strong chase to find their colleague, Minho (Ki Hong Lee) doesn’t pan out, they begin a journey towards the Last City, where they learn Minho is being tested on for a Flare cure.

It is on this journey, where friends and foes band together in one final assault on the walls of the Last City. It was nice to see Will Poulter is a less serious, but more dramatic turn than his turn in Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit. And, before you crucify me for turning my nose up at Detroit, I thought he did a magnificent job there. This role here required less aggression and more drama/action. It’s a nice turn for him. Walton Goggins also has a smaller role which I enjoyed, but felt it could have been expanded. Giancarlo Esposito is one of the highlights of the film in his role as Jorge, the leader of the resistance.

On the inside of the Last City is Teresa, who was Thomas’s love interest in the first Maze Runner film. She turned tables on the team to work with WCKD to find a cure. Running as security for the facility is Janson (Aidan Gillen). His role takes an interesting twist towards the end of the film, but ultimately felt unsatisfying. Patricia Clarkson continues to surprise me. She can walk on the screen and, much like Meryl Streep, there’s a grace and an elegance about her that the camera loves, and it fits her role here perfectly. Then the third act happens, and as I mentioned with the Janson role, as the walls of the Last City crumble, so does the third act.

The film looks great. The effects were convincing and the danger felt real. The action sequences keep the momentum of the film going. There were several homages to classic Sci-Fi films which I appreciated. But the characters, and ultimately the payoff, didn’t truly materialize because the story’s focus was solely on Thomas. It is his story after all. However, the length of the film affected how the other characters in the story interacted with him. It was as if they tried to tie up too many loose ends from the other films in the series.

In theaters and on IMAX screens now, Death Cure offers many of the same tropes as the films I mentioned earlier. It just doesn’t work as well as the other films.

2.5 out of 4

Small Town Crime - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Small Town Crime’ is a middling curiosity

Written and directed by:  Eshom and Ian Nelms

Starring:  John Hawkes, Octavia Spencer, Anthony Anderson, and Robert Forster

“Small Town Crime” – “Well, I was born in a small town.  And I live in a small town.  Probably die in small town.”  -  John Mellencamp, “Small Town”

Mike Kendall (John Hawkes) lives in a small town, out west in the high desert, where blue skies reign, the ground sports varied shades of brown and snowcapped peaks hold court in the distance.  Writers/directors Eshom and Ian Nelms filmed outside Salt Lake City, Utah, but within the movie, the exact locale is not important.

Mike’s own well-being is not terribly important to him either.  An alcoholic, he trudges to several job interviews and deliberately fails in order to preserve a steady stream of unemployment checks to keep afloat and drink massive quantities of beer.  He has seen better days but is not even slightly interested in returning to them.  Drowning in regret remains Mike’s best viable option – in his mind - until he finds a reason to pick himself up.

He finds one. 

Mike discovers a young woman – barely alive - left on the side of the road, and he, an ex-cop, vows to find the perpetrator. 

“Small Town Crime” is a story of redemption, and it uncovers secrets, marches into violence and steps into noir, even under blue skies.   As a noir picture, it visually hits the mark of a modern-day - but still desolate - west.  A place that stocks a little more civility and populace than the locations in “U Turn” (1997), “Breakdown” (1997) and “Blood Simple” (1984), but carries that same uneasy feeling: gunplay or criminal freewill could erupt at any time.

Obviously, an engaging story and interesting characters are vital for a movie’s success, but for a low budget indie, these cinematic ingredients become infinitely more important.  Unfortunately, the featured mystery loses steam and falls into conventional criminal spaces last seen in television shows like “Starsky and Hutch” and “The A-Team”, but without escorted, cheesy action-adventure soundtracks and with more cursing.   With limited options, there is only so much blood that Hawkes can pull from a stone, as Mike snoops around the local bars and looks for connections that dangle both outside and within his reach.

Hawkes, 58, performs more than admirably and fills the screen with his portrayal of a crafty underachieving sad sack, hampered by the constant lure of alcohol, and physically, he perfectly fits the part.  Mike is an aging 45.  With a slim build and deep lines etched across his face, one can almost visualize every argument, bar fight, drunken stupor, and failed dream throughout his life with just a few seconds glance at the man.  Other than Hawkes, however, the only other intriguing characters are a local pimp, Mood (Clifton Collins Jr.), and a bearded mercenary with mod glasses curiously named Orthopedic (Jeremy Ratchford).  The rest of the main players - Octavia Spencer, Anthony Anderson and Robert Forster - are just not given enough to do.  

Actually, one other character is given a lot to do, and that is Mike’s muscle car.  Although Mike shows little regard for himself (at least at the beginning of the picture), he shows great pride in his shiny, black muscle car.  The Nelms brothers show off every angle and several Herculean roars of this impressive automobile, and might one swear that they are channeling their inner “Two-Lane Blacktop” (1971).  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but when a man and his car become – by far - the two most absorbing entities in a noir mystery, a problem certainly exists. 

“Small Town Crime” does reveal some fun novelties, including an effective shootout, some visual eccentricities and odd, sudden shifts in tones from comedy to crime, however at the end of the day, the film adds up to a curiosity.   Like stopping at a diner on a lonely road while traveling cross-country.  A monster omelet and bottomless cups of warm coffee are memorable and the hospitality felt nice, but not enough to unpack the car and set up permanent camp. 

(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.

Forever My Girl - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Forever My Girl’ does not last

Written and directed by:  Bethany Ashton Wolf

Starring:  Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe and Abby Ryder Fortson

“Forever My Girl” – Eight years.  A lot can happen in eight years. 

A fourth grader will become a high school senior.

A U.S. president can spend two terms in office.

The French could build four more Eiffel Towers.

Americans built a manned rocket that landed on the moon, and actually, it only took seven years from JFK’s famous “Moon Speech” to Apollo 11.

The point is a lot can happen in eight years.   For Liam Page (Alex Roe), he left the love of his life, Josie (Jessica Rothe), at the altar, but not a lot happened between them for eight years.  In fact, nothing did. 

While Liam shot into superstardom as a country music star, making records and selling out arenas all over the world, Josie remained in St. Augustine, La. (nicknamed Saint).  She was heartbroken, but not deterred from moving on with her life.   The two, however, did not speak to one another since that infamous day, four Eiffel Towers ago.

Eight years later, due to an awfully unfortunate event, Liam found himself back in Saint, and he awkwardly attempts to reconnect with Josie, with a hopeful possibility that they could fall in love again.

Based on the 2012 young adult novel by Heidi McLaughlin, writer/director Bethany Ashton Wolf’s picture paints a modern-day fairy tale in Cajun Country, but this story is very difficult to believe.

The film’s primary problem is that life’s rough edges are continually smoothed over or ignored in this bizarre alternative universe, an on-screen place where consequences for specific characters’ actions are never addressed in rational ways.

To start, in St. Augustine, the townspeople apparently circled the wagons and helped Josie cope with her grief and a specific subsequent consequence (that shall not be named in this review).  In effect, the entire town picked sides and chose Josie, while Liam circled the globe and performed his music.  He did not speak to her, but he also did not contact anyone in his hometown, including his father for eight long years.  (Also, for the record, Liam’s dad, Brian (John Benjamin Hickey), is a local pastor, but even he lost faith in talking with his son.)

One would think in the world of social media, at least one Saint person – including a family member – would connect with Liam at least once, even by a fat-fingered smartphone accident.  Alas, perhaps passive aggressiveness runs strong Saint.  Also, Liam did not reach out over Facebook or Instagram either, even though he was hurting every single day – per his words – after inexplicably skipping town on his wedding day.

Liam looked for comfort, and he unfortunately soothed via substance abuse for several years, but upon his return to Louisiana, no hint of these problems appear to exist.  Surely, moviegoers are not rooting for Liam to turn to drugs or alcohol while recourting Josie, but not addressing the issue feels all too convenient.   

Curiously, the script doubles down in this space. 

While home, Liam feels that Josie’s family plays life too safely, so he preaches, “Sometimes you got to let go, walk on the wild side and everything will be okay.”  

With a history of substance abuse, walking “on the wild side” is probably not the best advice to offer, but Josie and her family gladly accept these words of wisdom without batting an eye.  More key plot fulcrums raise some head scratching moments, such as Liam finding some magical off-screen time to write a brand new album that his manager keeps badgering him to do.  Liam apparently wrote a collection of brand new inspirational tunes in a blink of an eye. 

With key bats and blinks, “Forever My Girl” – again - steps into an alternative, illogical universe.

Admittedly, this universe is a pleasant and light one, so it is best not to take the events of the PG-rated, 1-hour 44-minute story too seriously, however, are these the healthiest life lessons for younger audiences?  

Rothe does portray Josie as a strong woman, but is semi-emotionally holding onto Liam for almost a decade the best choice, and why exactly didn’t Liam ask for help over eight years or anyone on his management team notice?

These types of questions are never explored, and Roe and Rothe do not really receive very many chances to click into deeper themes or tap into on-screen chemistry.  As a consolation, at least Liam finds time to open his dad’s eyes to better coffee in the morning.  Hey, coffee is important! 

An important point to note: Roe never sang in public before taking this role, and the actor does a very convincing job of portraying a country superstar.  Roe makes it look seamless, and audiences will be impressed with his bravery and stage presence.  

Well, what can Liam and Josie do for an encore in “Forever My Girl 2”?  Not exactly sure.   Perhaps, they can make better use of eight years and construct a manned rocket to Mars.

(1/4 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.

Happy End - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Haneke’s ‘Happy End’ illustrates that money can’t buy happiness

Written and directed by:  Michael Haneke

Starring:  Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Mathieu Kassovitz, Fantine Harduin, and Toby Jones

“Happy End” – Money can’t buy happiness.

After watching writer/director Michael Haneke’s new movie, one could easily picture the aforementioned, famous saying as the film’s title, because the wealthy family featured – the Laurents - lumber in a constant state of dysfunction.   Most Haneke fans – who appreciate this filmmaker’s frequent and wholehearted dives into cynical, offputting material - will embrace “Happy End” and leave the theatre satisfied, but not necessarily happy.

With Haneke, that’s generally the point.

Rather than driving home his points through a specific, sweeping story arc, Haneke captures a Laurent-slice of life over the course of 1 hour 47 minutes and repeatedly and successfully leaves the audience numb, horrified or occasionally caught in nervous laughter because of pure disbelief.

Filmed in the beautiful coastal location of Calais – the very northern point of France and a scant few miles from Great Britain across the English Channel – the Laurents should be enjoying a luxurious life as the principal owners of a construction company/real estate firm that, theoretically, should run itself.   Although a snag of epic proportions suddenly arises on their latest building site, and actually, the problem is the polar opposite of the word: rise.  The matriarch, Anne (Isabelle Huppert) – the most grounded in the family - attempts to smooth out this rocky occurrence. 

As the story unfolds – however - this physically enormous business-setback pales in comparison to the troubles within the clan, their associated, individual character flaws and poor judgment.  Anne, Anne’s father George (Jean-Louis Trintignant), her son Pierre (Franz Rogowski), her brother Thomas (Mathieu Kassovitz), his daughter Eve (Fantine Harduin), and his wife Anais (Laura Verlinden) spend a vast majority of time existing in broken and isolated relationships, and also within the Laurent home, a local hospital and a few other indoor locales.  The camera does occasionally nuzzle with the gorgeous Calais scenery, including a warm, sunny beach sequence - but many times the audience is placed inside, accompanied by cold, unhealthy on-screen behavior, with an occasional open window revealing blue skies and green trees, but those comforting locks of nature seem far, far away. 

Anne is a steady source of comfort and manages the toxic behavior when it becomes visible to her, as evidenced by her concern for Pierre, who lacks focus and direction, except when trying to sabotage the family during public gatherings.  Anne worries about his destructive tendencies, but, unfortunately, she does not know how to emotionally reach him.   Pierre isolates, like the individual Laurents frequently do.  Much of the family’s detrimental behavior goes unnoticed by Anne, but not by the audience via Haneke’s reveals, sometimes voyeuristically and other times in plain sight.

Like the windows revealing soothing weather so far away, Haneke masterfully frames his subjects or settings by simply placing his camera in one spot for lengthy periods, while letting the eventual movement or narration dictate anxiety.  This effective practice harkens back to memories of “Cache” (2005), but Haneke is not – by design - as singularly-focused here as in that film. 

Actually, he does uncover a truly startling connection to one of his previous movies in a moment of conversational enlightenment that does help rationalize one character’s specific behavior.  Appropriate rationales are certainly not the norm, including another Laurent’s monstrous tendencies, and of course, the film links them with an audience’s fears during the picture’s most vulnerable moments.

Money may not buy happiness, but – as “Happy End” illustrates - mass quantities of wealth do not address humanity’s vulnerabilities either.  With satire, sorrow and secrecy bathing in dark corners and also in broad daylight, don’t worry, be happy never felt so difficult.

(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.

12 Strong - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

12 Strong

Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig

Written by Ted Tally and Peter Craig, based on Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Pena, Navid Neghban, Trevante Rhodes, Geoff Stults, Thad Luckinbill

The greatest thing that any human can do for another is to sacrifice themselves. Each situation determines the level of sacrifice, however, no greater level of sacrifice occurs than when our servicemen are called to duty. Following the events on September 11th, 2001, the military swiftly and deftly moved in to Afghanistan.

Based on the novel Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton, Nicolai Fuglsig’s 12 Strong focuses on the elite group of 12 Green Beret members of Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 595. While Task Force Dagger was the lead company responsible for those early operations, ODA-595 was on the ground, pushing through the Taliban’s strongholds using unconventional warfare.

Chris Hemsworth plays Captain Mitch Nelson, the leader of ODA-595. Mr. Hemsworth’s approach to the character was to infuse it with his trademark humor. He also approached the character as a deeply committed man to his family, something we get early on, to his country and to his men and the mission, most importantly. He earns our trust in the early stages of the film as well, especially as Chief Warrant Officer Spencer, played by Michael Shannon, comes to his aid. Michael Pena plays Sergeant Sam Diller who offers his own brand of humor while the acclaimed Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight) plays Sergeant Ben Milo. Both performers enhance the team on the screen, especially during the action sequences and both add to the unconventional nature of the film.

What makes Mr. Fuglsig’s directorial debut so interesting is its unconventional nature. The script by Ted Tally and Peter Craig builds trust quite quickly in our hero with his swift call to action. This is necessary because part of ODA 595’s mission was diplomacy. Captain Nelson not only needed to fight a war in unconventional means, but he also needed to build the trust of General Abdul Rashid Dostum (Navid Negahban) while getting in-country support and the lay of the land. The film only touches on this aspect in passing, but does it with the flair of a Jerry Bruckheimer production.

Bruckheimer staple William Fichtner makes an appearance as Colonel Mulholland, the leader of Task Force Dagger. His dry sense of timing and humor enlightens us as to the precarious nature of this mission and the dangers awaiting ODA-595. One of the best sequences in the film is played between Mr. Fichtner and Mr. Hemsworth and is a highlight of the film. Comedian Rob Riggle is yet another unconventional choice if you follow his stand-up and television career, but did you know that he was a Marine? In fact, the name of his character is the name of the man who he reported to as a Marine. It was a delight to see him share screen time with both Mr. Hemsworth and Mr. Fichtner.

Mr. Tally and Mr. Craig’s script uses all of these elements build us up to a moment of pride, as we see ODA-595 on horseback, riding through the mountains in yet another unconventional aspect of this mission: the mountains that make up the geography of Afghanistan are some of the most treacherous in the world that they cannot be walked with great ease, which makes for an ideal place for the Taliban regimes to hold out. Never underestimate the determinism and resolve of the United States military though. This is the hallmark of the producing team that brought us Only the Brave last fall.

The combination of the two production styles truly shines in Mr. Fuglsig’s hands. Mr. Fuglsig is a journalist by trade and much like the subjects of this film, Mr. Fuglsig’s past experiences prepared him for this moment. His eye for photography shines in this film through Rasmus Videbaek’s (The Dark Tower) eyes.

The amount of pride generated from this film sets aside many of the challenges the story has. It is as if the energy and the bravado from The Rock met the bravery and the heroism of Only the Brave with just a sprinkle of Lawrence of Arabia for good measure.

3 out 4 stars.

Den of Thieves - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Den of Thieves

Directed by Christian Gudegast

Written by Christian Gudegast and Paul Scheuring

Starring Gerard Butler, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Pablo Schreiber, O’Shea Jackson Jr, Evan Jones, Dawn Olivieri, Mo McRae, Max Holloway

Bank heists have served as the foundation of some of the most ingenious films. Kathryn Bigelow’s “Point Break” immediately comes to mind as does Michael Mann’s “Heat.” Each of these films uses a bank heist as its central thesis to build the main characters; both films have rogues on either side of the law who are hell-bent on achieving their end goals, with no regard for others. Since the trope seems to be on the verge of “rinse, wash, repeat,” someone must’ve thought it was a good time to try and update the formula with a few new tricks. Here enters first-time director Christian Gudegast’s “Den of Thieves” featuring Gerard Butler.

Mr. Butler plays Nick O’Brien, the leader of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Major Crimes unit who, with his elite team, investigates the theft of an armored truck. Their investigation leads them to an elite crew looking to take down a major score. O’Shea Jackson, Jr, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Pablo Schreiber co-star.

Character motives are key to a bank heist story. On the surface, Mr. Gudegast and Paul Scheruing’s (TV’s ‘Prison Break,’ “A Man Apart,” “The Experiment”) script misses this mark. We get murky characters who move throughout the film, whose function is to essentially stop one another. Yes, they are calculating, but they are doing it without any thought. Now, one would think that this is the prime reason for being a rogue. And, yet, there was no motive.

Mr. Gudegast understands his frame, and so the look of the film flows with an acceptable pace. However, his use of flashbacks distracts us, and apparently himself, from the key objective. Secondary to this, is the rehashed trope of a “detective on the edge”. In contrast to Al Pacino’s Vincent Hannah from “Heat,” Mr. Butler’s Nick O’Brien takes his self-abuse further. It’s an interesting experiment on the character. In the hands of another actor, it might have worked better, but I think both Mr. Butler and Mr. Gudegast put the character so far into ‘overdrive’ that the side story became irrelevant because it didn’t change his motive.

The rogues on the wrong side of the law have even fewer personal motivations, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t cool to watch on the screen. The trouble is that none of them are relatable, although as the investigation uncovers their histories, questions arise, which ultimately remain unanswered. I don’t necessarily think these details were meant to be addressed, but they felt like these details subverted the true potential of the film.

There’s a scene in the middle of the movie that pays homage to several other bank heist films and its linkage with the third act is probably the most ingenious part of this narrative. This is because the cast and crew are firing on all of their cylinders. It, unfortunately, leads into a protracted third act and the payoff.

The characters and the story deliver the payoff. But, it is not well-earned and that’s this film’s biggest flaw. A lack of motivation doesn’t yield the results you seek, even if you busted your ass to get there.

It’s funny the way Hollywood works out its release schedule. For two weeks in a row, two of the creatives behind “London Has Fallen” have had their respective releases: Babk Najafi’s “Proud Mary” and now Mr. Gudegast’s debut film here. I’d like to see more of what Mr. Gudegast has in his gas tank because I think he can go the distance. “Den of Thieves” has glimmers of his brilliance, but it isn’t there just yet.

2 out of 4 stars

An Interview with the Special Forces Soldiers Portrayed in 12 Strong by Jeff Mitchell

It is not every day that one meets two U.S. Special Forces team members in-person, but on Jan. 8, the Phoenix Film Festival did just that!  Mark Nutsch and Bob Pennington stopped in Phoenix to share their experiences and thoughts on director Nicolai Fuglsig’s action film, “12 Strong”, the real-life story of the first Special Forces unit sent into action in Afghanistan after 9/11.  Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon play Mark and Bob, respectively, but their on-screen names were changed to Captain Mitch Nelson and Chief Warrant Officer Hal Spencer.

Mark and Bob offered generous amounts of their time and positive energy with the Phoenix Film Festival and other media outlets during this group interview, as we intently learned about their unique and dangerous workplace. 

“12 Strong” arrives in theatres on Friday, Jan. 19.  

Q:  What struck me about this movie is that all 12 men were singularly-focused.  They were looking forward to this mission and wanted to be the tip of the spear.  Is that always the mentality of Special Forces, or was there something extra, because of this circumstance?

BP:  This is the World Series.  This is the Super Bowl, the pinnacle of what all Green Berets dream about. This is going into a country and conducting the one principle task of the nine principle tasks that we have: unconventional warfare.    

MN:  Yes, the historic fact was not lost on us.  This is right after 9/11, but (today), there are Special Forces teams internally competing to get the best missions, the best training and to deploy to probably 80-plus countries around the world.  (Missions like) working with local partners and trying to tackle immense challenges with security or extremism, or to advise towards improving economic development.

Someone has to go out there to those far edges. The best people to do that are Special Forces.

BP:  I just retired only a year and a half ago, (and) I “did” over 30 years.  These last 10 years have been busy and so hard on the Force itself, but you don’t hear the guys (saying), “I’m not going to do that mission.” 

You hear, “What’s the (next) mission?  I want that.  Can I get it?  How can I fight for it?”

That’s how it is.  That’s how all Green Berets think.  Yet, we get tired.  We do get rundown, and it is happening more so.  The Force has to build back up, so we can continue to fight throughout the world.  That’s what it is, it’s a fight throughout the world. 

MN:  Our team’s attitude was: “Send me.  We are the team to go.”  

We had been picked, and by Sept. 15, 2001, we knew (that) we were going.  We didn’t know what the mission was, but we had been picked.  We deployed out early to a secret location, and I assure you (that) it was not as built up (as portrayed in the movie).   We had 48 hours from the time that we accepted the mission to be ready to insert.  Our entire operation’s order consisted of two pages, and because it was so early, there was nothing known.  (The U.S. had) to send someone in to figure it out, and we said, “We got it.  Send us, Sir.”  

Q:  Did your individual trust in each other mature as well as it did in the movie, or did it take time? 

BP:  Here’s the thing.  (Mark) already built the team for two years, and then they pulled him off.  When 9/11 happened, I wanted to get him back.  I had 14 years of experience, and most of that was as a Green Beret.  When 9/11 happened, they said that we might be aligned to do this mission.  I needed to get my team back to 12.  I needed Mark back.  He knows the team (and) the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).  Why would I spin up somebody else?   They looked at me and said, “That makes sense.”

MN:  I had been with the team for two years already, and we deployed a half-dozen times to the Middle East, and I had about as much experience as a Special Forces officer could have in preparing for this mission. 

The team already trusted each other, because we had been through some pretty grueling training already.   Our team had incredible amounts of experience.  The average years of service was eight.  We were not a young team.  Our average age was 32.

BP:  Eleven of the 12 team members were married. 

MN:  Ten of us had kids.  Just incredible amount of experience - nine qualified snipers - but there were some adjustments on the ground.  We had to adapt to (ride) horses (and) the situation.

We learned quickly.

We had to continue to trust each other.  Every guy on the team provided input and played a critical role in what had to happen that day for our own safety, to help us survive the next five minutes, the next hour. 

Q:  It sounds like your experience in all of your other missions really prepared you for this on-the-ground situation.

BP:  Absolutely. 

MN:  Special Forces guys typically come from different backgrounds.  I grew up on a cattle ranch in Kansas and “rodeoed” through high school and college.  Who knew how critical the ability to ride, understand horsemanship and maneuver-warfare on horseback would be?

Q:  This film is based on Doug Stanton’s 2009 book called “Horse Soldiers”.  Were you involved with the book?

BP:  Some of it.  Now, I talked to Doug for at least five or six hours, a little more than Mark was able to. 

MN:  Doug had limited access to our team.  After those initial interviews, we were not involved in Doug’s book.  We talked more with Doug since the book was published.  It’s a complex story.  There were other Special Forces teams in other parts of the country who did amazing thing also.  Some had books written about them.  Some have not, but yet did amazing things that are known in our community. 

Bob’s reaction to Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon playing Mark and him, respectively:

BP:  Mark always wanted Thor (to play him).  I wanted Ryan Reynolds, since I’m a little bit of a clown, (but) I talked to Michael Shannon for two or three days, and he’s a pretty thoughtful guy. 

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.

An interview with Alex Roe, star of Forever My Girl by Jeff Mitchell

Actor Alex Roe recently starred in “The 5th Wave” (2016) and “Rings” (2017), but his latest film is a distinct departure from science fiction and horror.  In “Forever My Girl”, he plays Liam Page, a country music superstar who returns to his hometown in Louisiana and reconnects with his ex-fiancée, Josie (Jessica Rothe).  Alex stopped by Phoenix on Jan. 11 and 12 and graciously sat down to chat with the Phoenix Film Festival about his new movie and the surprising fact that he never sang in public before playing Liam!  Wow!

“Forever My Girl” is rated PG, and it arrives in theatres on Friday, Jan. 19.

PFF:  Alex, you never sang in public before, but you seem like a natural country music performer on the big screen.  Did you take singing lessons as a kid?

AR:  We had drama and singing clubs at school, so I got to act and sing, a little bit as a kid.  I always just (sang) in the shower or when people were out of the house.  I’d go through phases of singing in my room, so I was a bit of a closeted singer, I guess. 

(Also), my mom bought me a guitar when I was about 12, so I picked it up and taught myself, now and then. I was obsessed with Elvis Presley when I was a kid, so when this script came along, (I thought) the possibility of playing a country star was really cool. 

PFF:  That’s terrific, and you traveled to Nashville for the film as well.

AR:  Yes, we went to Nashville to experience the country-scene and met quite a few singers.  We saw Luke Bryan and Little Big Town. I was lucky to get (some insight) about how it feels to perform in front of 50,000 people and then try to come back to your trailer or just (go) home.  So, that helped me understand where Liam was coming from, and how he got sucked into this world of fame.

PFF:  When Liam moved away, he was having personal issues early in his career.  Was it because of his new celebrity-status, the heartbreak of leaving Josie or a mix of the two?

AR:  [SPOILER] I think that it’s a mix.  He also lost his mom just before he left town, so I think that he was dealing with the pain of that, or “not dealing” with (it).  He left the love of his life and dealt with the regret of that, and I think that fame for him became this temporary fix, a way to forget about those issues.  He’s running away, basically.  It’s not until he comes back home and reconnects with his family, his hometown and his roots that is he really able to come to terms with (his troubles).

PFF:  Now, when Liam left Josie, she was hurt but not necessarily hardened.   Since Josie emotionally picked herself up after Liam left, do you think that was an important ingredient for the two to possibly reconnect?  

AR:  [SPOILER] Yea, because Josie moved on with her life.  She had a (daughter), Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson), and by anyone’s standards, they are a happy, successful family.  It takes a village to raise a child, and I think that was definitely the case.  They were fine without Liam.  When he comes back into their lives, there’s this undeniable feeling that he was the missing piece to the puzzle in some way.  If Josie and the family hadn’t been okay, the romance (would) be less (likely) to develop.  Forgiveness is allowed to happen.

PFF:  Liam says, “Sometimes you got to let go, walk on the wild side, and everything will be okay.”   Do think that applies to you, by playing a country western star?  Did you say to yourself that you’d walk on the wild side and give it a shot?

AR:  Let’s have a go!  Yea.  Definitely.  I think it’s really interesting that you bring that up too, as far as the missing piece.  Liam brings a little bit of that into Josie’s and Billy’s lives, this carefree attitude, and especially for Billy.  (For example, Billy) doesn’t want to take her rabbit out of the cage, because she thinks it’s going to bite her.  She doesn’t want to get into a convertible, because of the statistics of surviving an accident are really low.  I think that’s where the missing piece of the puzzle comes in.  Liam does walk on the wild side a little bit and encourages that, because it’s necessary in life to do both.  To be cautious, but also to be carefree.  They are both important.

PFF:  So, Liam carries around this old cell phone.  It’s eight years old and held together with duct tape. How old is your phone? 

AR:  My phone is a year and a half old.  By (current) standards and upgrades, I think it’s pretty good.  Actually, I broke it, and I had one of those (older) cell phones (for a while).  It was really nice to just text and have phone calls and not be available on email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It was really refreshing!  So, I am jealous of Liam for that.

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.

Phantom Thread - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Phantom Thread

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, and Lesley Manville

Paul Thomas Anderson directed a film called “There Will Be Blood”. It is a cinematic masterclass, a film that continues to grow stronger amongst the heavyweights of film history because of Mr. Anderson’s attention to detail and the rigorous composition of a character named Daniel Plainview.

Portraying this murky, dense character in the film is one of the greatest thespians to put performance to celluloid. Daniel Day-Lewis, a three-time Academy Award winner, is an actor who completely, obsessively embodies the characters he portrays. Mr. Day-Lewis played the 16th President with subtle, quiet attention in “Lincoln”, the resilient Christy Brown in “My Left Foot”, and a patriotic, murderous butcher named Bill in “Gangs of New York”; the actor can do just about anything in a performance.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson and actor Daniel Day-Lewis are similar in that they strive for a unique, personal purpose in film and rally for perfection in everything they do. “Phantom Thread”, the second film together for these two cinematic titans, is a complicated love story, one that harbors themes of dominating control, deep and dangerous emotional connections, and a passion that is not easily defined.

Reynold Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a dress designer in London during the 1950’s. Working with royalty and the upper echelon, the designer passionately crafts masterpieces with needle and fabric; his stern and particular personality assists in the meticulous creations, each of which have a secret message sewn into the seams by the artist. Reynold’s meets a waitress named Alma (Vicky Krieps) while on vacation, the two begin a personal and professional relationship, one that challenges Alma’s independence and ideals about love while disrupting Reynold’s obsessive and tormented world.

“Phantom Thread” is a beautiful film, filled to the edges with meticulous detail. The gorgeous costume design is the most obvious elegance, each dress fashioned as a nod to the character’s, and most likely the filmmaker’s, sensibilities. The score, composed by Johnny Greenwood from the band Radiohead, is exceptional; a blend of melodic harmonies that sway throughout the shifting tones of the film.

The composition of the characters here is intriguing and at times arresting. Mr. Anderson utilizes three characters to dictate the subtle and drastic changes in tone throughout the film. Whether the modeling of a new dress design, a stroll along a blustery beach, or the preparation of dinner, the director controls these scenes and guides the audience in ways most filmmakers would struggle to maintain. The film has an inherent sense of humor, one that is manipulated in numerous amusing ways through an offhanded comment or a sly remark. It walks the thin runway of comedy, drama, and melodrama, though it is dependent on the viewer to make that determination, that’s the fun of it all.

Daniel Day-Lewis is again impressive, from start to finish, in moments that are spoken and unspoken, Mr. Day-Lewis is intoxicating to watch. How does one challenge this powerful performance? You cast Vicky Krieps as the equal counterpart. Ms. Krieps, a relative newcomer, steals the show many times throughout the film. Her performance is pure confidence.

Anderson paints an image here that will linger long after it is over, not because of anything offensive or obscene but because of the startling and subtle emotion portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicky Krieps. Paul Thomas Anderson doesn't need a big canvas to paint his portraits, even with a film that has three primary characters with most of the scenes taking place inside closed doors, the final product is still a work of art. This is supposedly Mr. Day-Lewis’ last film, if so, he ends on a fine note.

“Phantom Thread” is a strange love story unlike many you’ll see in the multiplex, it’s a tale of complicated lust and love, a psychological battle of wits between two passionate people, and a comedy about evolving relationships. Relationships are complicated and romance is unique and subjective; “Phantom Thread” never hides those qualities in the seams.

Monte’s Rating

5.00 out of 5.00

The Commuter - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Commuter’ takes too many familiar turns

Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra

Written by: Bryon Willinger, Philip de Blasi and Ryan Engle

Starring: Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sam Neill, and Elizabeth McGovern

“The Commuter” – “You have no idea who you are up against.” - Oliver (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), a train passenger

Michael MacCauley (Liam Neeson), a New York City insurance agent who just lost his job, finds himself mired in two seemingly impossible situations.   He and his wife, Karen (Elizabeth McGovern), are financially struggling, and now, Michael is out of work.  Cutting back on expenses and eating ramen noodles seven days a week will not save enough money to cover their mortgage and son’s upcoming tuition to Syracuse University.  

(By the way, according to Google, SU tuition is $43,318 a year, and that does not even include books, housing, all-you-can-eat chicken wings, and beer money.)

Next, a mysterious stranger named Joanna (Vera Farmiga) sits across from him on his commuter train and offers him $100,000, if he will do “one little thing.”  The problem?  Right away, one can only assume that “one little thing” surely means a complicated, very big thing.  

And how!

Our hero finds himself in a race against time to find someone on a busy train who stole something from Joanna and placed it in his or her bag.  As it turns out, Michael needs to solve this mystery, or Joanna will ensure that people will be hurt.  Killed, actually.  If this sounds closely familiar to Neeson’s 2014 film “Non-Stop” – which took place on a commercial plane - you are not alone.  Not so coincidentally, “The Commuter” director Jaume Collet-Serra also piloted “Non-Stop”, and unfortunately, this story feels terribly recycled and dances in preposterous spaces.  

One of these spaces is that Joanna and her associates have eyes and ears everywhere on this train and can track all of Michael’s movements.  Is Michael playing ball or is he making overtures for help from his fellow train passengers?  Joanna always seems to know, but how?   

Does she have cameras and microphones located in every conceivable nook and cranny on this train traveling from Manhattan to Cold Springs?  Does she have operatives - on board - intently watching Michael?  The film is not entirely clear, but when Joanna knows a random passenger’s phone number and calls him (Andy Nyman) in order to talk to Michael - who does not have his phone - one is simply forced to assume that she possess a magical white pages directory that can tap anyone on this particular train.  Ah, eyes and ears, I guess.

In order to keep us guessing, Collet-Serra offers a number of suspicious characters who might have this infamous package in their bag, including an early 20-something woman with a lousy boyfriend, a rough-and-tumble bouncer type, a musician, and more.  The intended intrigue partially rests with Michael using deductive reasoning to uncover the covert target, but the film does not offer enough clues for the audience to play along.  Instead, Collet-Serra zips and zags from one nondescript, suspicious passenger to the next, as Michael grasps at possibilities to untangle this confounding knot.  Rather than build cinematic tension, the constant misdirection and the always watching/always listening, omnipotent antagonists - who don’t seem to play by this universe’s rules – ironically create an aura of passivity for the audience.  Well, at least for this audience member. 

Then again, moviegoers might find joy when watching Neeson’s Michael work his magic.  Neeson is popular in these types of films, and Michael is a very likable character.   Collet-Serra and Neeson also deliver a couple crowd-pleasing moments that specifically address the fleeting reach of the “American Dream”, so that does not go unnoticed.  It is also nice to notice McGovern’s on-screen appearance, and the only regret is that the script does not give her much to do.  

Conversely, the script gives Neeson plenty to do, but most of his work feels emotionally distant because of his aforementioned circumstance on the train.  Even though, Michael has no idea who he is up against, it is regrettably easy to determine how this story will ultimately unfold.  Maybe, we should just catch the next train, or will Collet-Serra set “The Commuter 2” on a cruise ship?

(1.5/4 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.

Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool

Directed by Paul McGuigan

Written by Matt Greenhalgh based on Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool by Peter Turner

Starring Annette Bening, Jamie Bell, Vanessa Redgrave, Julie Walters, Kenneth Cranham, Stephen Graham, Frances Barber, Leanne Best

One might disagree with this assertion, but in today’s ever-expanding, global cinema, there are few stars in the traditional Hollywood-sense; someone who when you saw them on the screen, the camera just absolutely embraces them, heightening our awareness of genuine talent. Now, I haven’t seen one iota of Gloria Grahame’s oeuvre, but based on the pre-release buzz, she was a starlet for the ages.

It is with a sense of remorse that I begin my journey of absorbing her body of work with a biography of her last years with us. Matt Greenhalgh’s script, based on Peter Turner’s biography of the same name goes to lengths to demonstrate just how steadfast Mr. Grahame was at trying to hide her weakened condition. Annette Bening plays the famous star, and she radiates the dwindling beauty. Jamie Bell plays Peter Turner, a reserved, yet passionate man. He is able to stand strongly next to Ms. Bening; neither of them overshadow the other.

Their love affair is at the center of the story as they meet during rehearsals for her first UK performance in 1978. She tries to avoid dealing with her declining health in Liverpool, instead allowing Mr. Turner to seduce her. Mr. McGuigan uses many classic filming techniques, especially rear projection, to build out the environment of the late 1970’s. Key to this is the Turner’s home in Liverpool where Peter convinces his family to take in Ms. Grahame, not realizing the severity of her condition. The story makes clear that the family is aware of their affair. In fact, Bella Turner (Julie Walters) goes out of her way to treat Ms. Grahame like she’s family.

The story flashes back to Ms. Grahame’s life in California, showing the struggles she faced growing up. The sentimentality of these flashbacks draw attention away from Ms. Bening’s performance, a byproduct of the script reaching too far into why she struggled so much. If this were more about her life rather than her affair with Mr. Turner, I certainly would have been more interested in her backstory.

Mr. McGuigan certainly created a grand image of Ms. Grahame and the era in which the film is set in. Seeing elegance of modern London set against the drab motif in Liverpool was a nice juxtaposition. All of this, however, is nothing much without Ms. Bening and Mr. Bell inhabiting their roles. The story knows this too, and while their performances are the standout, the story doesn’t really serve them in the same, favorable way.

2 out of 4 stars

Paddington 2 - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Paddington 2

Directed by Paul King

Written by Paul King and Simon Farnaby based on Paddington Bear by Michael Bond

Starring Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Brenda Gleeson, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw

The story of Paddington Bear by Michael Bond is as famous as Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robbin, never mind the fact that they’re both British in origin. As children’s books, they highlight adventures that youngsters, including this one, could follow with great ease whilst at the same time, they carry very adult themes which are designed to teach youngsters basic manners and customs. Paul King and his co-scribe, Simon Farnby caught the essence of both in Paddington’s latest adventure, Paddington 2.

In this adventure, the marmalade sandwich – loving Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw), seeks to get his mum the greatest gift he possibly can for her birthday. More in appreciation for everything she gave him as a young cub, he finds the most perfect pop-up children’s book in Mr. Gruber’s (Jim Broadbent) antique shop. The pop-up book attracts the interest of other parties, much to Paddington’s troubles.

Mr. King’s direction is first rate as we learn more about what makes Paddington tick. The supporting cast is first rate, and I don’t mind saying that I’ve never seen Hugh Grant look as deliciously evil as he does here. Sally Hawkins continues to impress in a smaller, but no less active role as we’ve seen recently. Hugh Bonneville is wonderfully wooden as Paddington’s dad, Henry. Samuel Joslin and Madeline Harris are standouts as Judy and Jonathan, Paddington’s human sister and brother. Brendan Gleeson applies his tough guy routine to his character here and it pays off perfectly.

Paddington the character wouldn’t be much without the softly spoken Ben Whishaw voicing the character. His inflections are perfectly suited to the subtleness of Paddington’s emotions, yet his affection for those around him really convey his sense of finding the good in everyone he meets.

Beyond the story is the technical achievement in not only creating Paddington, but integrating him into each scene. There is a significant amount of action for this character. The technical team was up to the challenge, and it is amongst the best looking I’ve seen in a while. As much fun as the film is, there is always an element of danger and Dario Marianelli’s score lyrically carries us through Paddington’s adventures.

There might be a few nitpicks with the story, but they are too few to mention here and really don’t detract from this wonderful time at the movies. Make sure to take the entire family. You won’t be disappointed.

3 out 4 stars.

Hostiles - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Hostiles

Directed by Scott Cooper

Written by Scott Cooper

Starring Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Wes Studi, Jesse Plemons, Adam Beach, Rory Cochrane, Ben Foster

One of the greatest cinematic experiences I had as a teenager was when my dad took me to see the Academy Award - winning Dances with Wolves. I was at that age where I didn’t want to see an epic; I wanted to see explosions and special effects. What I realized as that film opened up, was the great sacrifice men and women were willing to make as this nation expanded westward. It was with this same sense of teenaged excitement that I anticipated Scott Cooper’s Hostiles.

In Mr. Cooper’s story, Christian Bale plays the war – wary Captain Blocker, a man on the verge of retiring from service. For his final mission, he agrees to escort Chief Yellow Hawk, a dying Cheyenne war chief played by Wes Studi and his family to their home land.

Mr. Bale’s approach to the character puts his motives front and center and we are never given an opportunity to question his hatred. What was interesting about the approach was in the way he and Mr. Cooper layered in post-traumatic stress. It made the character feel more authentic, especially as he engaged with other characters in the film.

As the escort makes its way across the mountainous region between New Mexico and Wyoming, Captain Blocker encounters a widowed Rosalie Quaid, played by Rosamund Pike. Ms. Quaid’s progression is very much the opposite of Blocker’s. Mr. Cooper infused her character with an opposing post-traumatic stress to Blocker’s own experience, offering her a strength built out of pent up rage. It was something that was interesting to watch unfold on the screen.

In the end, they were forced to become hostiles in a foreign land through others actions.

Of itself, this might make for a boring drama. What makes it interesting is the addition of Chief Yellow Hawk. His performance was that of a quiescent man; someone who knew his time on this mortal earth was coming to an end. He had made peace with this fact. Yet, his own self-worth would not allow his family, Black Hawk (Adam Beach), Elk Woman (Q’orianka Kilcher) and Little Bear (Xavier Horsechief), to be harmed. Neither Captain Blocker nor Yellow Hawk trusted one another, but they knew they needed each other to survive the trip.

Mr. Cooper infuses a significant amount of emotion into his story and his characters. His use of the camera, especially light, conveys much more than the dialog of each character can. The slowly unwinding bonds of distrust melt away throughout the course of the film, leaving the story wanting for more drama and action.

And, that’s the trouble with this story. Where each character fills the requisite nature of a “hostile,” there is a need to introduce a new scenario which carries the escort’s journey from the beginning of the film through to its end. There is one major subplot which, on paper probably made absolute sense, but its execution is marred because of where it falls within the story; it isn’t needed to explain Captain Blocker’s motives, and if anything it diminishes his own progression as a character.

The supporting cast is used to nuance our experience. Rory Cochrane as Master Sgt. Metz was probably the best supporting character of the film, as someone who held on to his sanity by the thinnest of strings. Stephen Lang as Col. Biggs plays his character with the same gusto as we got when he played Col. Quaritch in James Cameron’s Avatar. Though he is onscreen for a few minutes, he chews up every frame like it was his last. It’s a lot of fun to watch. Bill Camp plays Jeremiah Wilks a journalist, who knew enough about Captain Blocker to push his buttons, goading him into taking the mission. Their interaction doesn’t serve a great deal of purpose other than reinforcing the captain’s need to take the mission, something that Col. Biggs does very well on his own. I liked Mr. Camp’s performance, even if it felt very similar to the Timmons character that Robert Pastorelli played in Dances with Wolves.

Unlike Dances with Wolves, I found Hostiles to be very icy towards the Native American experience. If this was by intention, it renders our main character’s resolutions mute. For all the nuances that the story builds, layering emotions and trauma, they don’t pay off very well.

Audiences should find quite a bit to like in this film. The story is serviceable, full of strong, if uneven performances. This is not the fault of the performers, but rather the way the story makes use of them.

Now in theaters, Scott Cooper’s Hostiles should be respected for what it tries to say, even if the end result is marred by its intentions. My teenaged excitement has been irrevocably extinguished.

2 out of 4 stars