Searching - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Searching

Directed by Aneesh Chaganty

Written by Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian

Starring John Cho, Debra Messing

We live in a world where everything happens on a screen of some sort. Heck, even as I’m writing this review, I’m paying attention to the news on my smart phone. We’re more interconnected to one another than just the words that comprise my review of Aneesh Chaganty’s “Searching,” which expanded this weekend after a strong limited debut.

In what is sure to be one of the more unique mainstream releases of 2018, “Searching” was shot entirely using a computer screen. John Cho plays David Kim, a father of one. He is adept at using the technology in front of him, being able to communicate with family members and conducting general life events.

His daughter, Margot (Michelle La) is a typical high schooler – she uses the internet to communicate with her dad, a point the story makes is that even a father can chastise his child and the words on the screen still have that “unwavering parental finger wagging” that I would get as a kid and in person; it’s that powerful.

When Margot goes missing, David reacts like any parent would: “where is my child?!” But it takes time for him to come to that ultimate conclusion.

At some point he involves the police and Detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing) is brought on. This is where the script by Chaganty and Sev Ohanian gets even better, because you think you know your child and you realize you don’t leading David to frantically dig into his daughter’s past to find clues about what’s become of her.

The reason why this tried and true story works as well as it does is because the audience is following the clues along with David. You can feel his pain and anguish when a clue doesn’t yield the results you’d expect, or a well-placed camera catches an outburst.

Cho is sublime as a desperate father. He has to adapt as he scours the internet and the character grows as a result of this situation. Messing is direct, even blunt in some instances as she must be. As the case unfolds, it was interesting to see, not only their conversations, but also the visual cues carrying the story towards its rather shocking conclusion.

Web cameras play a huge role in some aspects of this story and cinematographer Juan Sebastian Baron needs to be acknowledged for his inventiveness. There’s a scene about a third of the way through the film where David confronts his brother, Peter (Joseph Lee). Using multiple camera angles, Baron composes the conversation and the result and with multiple vantage points, an energy is created that makes this particular scene the most relatable to audiences.

I had an opportunity to speak with the film’s producer, Timur Bekmambetov at South by Southwest earlier this year in relation to another movie where he mentioned that, through his production company Bazlevs, they were going to continue to explore this style of filmmaking.

“Searching” is the modern equivalent to watching the now-infamous O.J. Simpson Bronco chase down the 405 in 1994: we are seeing life unfold in real-time. It is harrowing, it is funny, it is sad, it is messy, but it is genuine and it is powerful.

I for one will be first on line this weekend to catch “Searching” again and I look forward to what is in store for Aneesh Chaganty.

3.5 out of 4

The Little Stranger - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

The Little Stranger

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson

Written by Lucinda Coxon based on The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter, Charlotte Rampling

The horror genre wears many faces, and if I weren’t writing a review on a film that takes its horror seriously, I’d be laughing at myself for that ludicrous opening statement. When I was a kid, I was afraid of horror films. I tried watching them, but could never get myself over the tension.

As an adult films like Lenny Abrahamson’s “The Little Stranger,” appeal to me. It’s a strange dichotomy, but I’ve learned to accept it.

Much like the film, a lot of my own fears were reflective, not reflexive.

During the summer of 1947, Dr. Faraday (Domhnall Gleeson) is summoned to an ailing young housemaid at the Hundreds Hall home, a once-stately manor now fallen into disrepair. As he completes his work, he is introduced to Caroline Ayres (Ruth Wilson) and Roddy Ayres (Will Poulter), the son and daughter of Angela Ayres (Charlotte Rampling). From that first meeting, Dr. Faraday takes on Roddy, who was injured during a war and suffers from PTSD.

The beauty of The Little Stranger is in Lucinda Coxon’s dialog. It is sharp and witty, in a dignified way that befits the Hundreds Hall home and the differing social climate in post-war England. Faraday, the son of a housemaid who once was on staff at the home during its heyday.

The strongest attribute of the film is in the casting. Gleeson is sedate at first as he gets his bearings. As he becomes more comfortable around the family and the house, his demeanor changes. There’s a twinge of guilt that hangs on his every word at the beginning turning into reverence, but never respect.

Ruth Wilson’s Caroline is aloof, a preening heir more concerned in taking care of her brother than finding a relationship. As she warms up to Faraday, the air of responsibility gives way to fear. Her body language says one thing, but her actions and words say something completely different. Caroline is as strong as Faraday, but for different reasons much like Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay’s pairing in Abrahmson’s “Room.”

I could sit in a room and watch Charlotte Rampling just staring out a window all day and not be bored, she is that much of a presence. She lends her grace and dignity here, which suits the role of the head of the home quite well. She is the type of actress who says more with her eyes, speaking only when necessary and when she does, her words are as sharp as a knife. There is authority in her presence.

Will Poulter continues to surprise me in that he started out in comedy and has moved into far more dramatic roles, something that I think suits the actor. As Roddy, he has the double duty of acting through an appliance while trying to be the man of the house. The way Abrahamson and Coxon treated his character, you tend to think one thing about his motives.

Lenny Abrahamson understands his characters and their function. As with “Room,” “The Little Stranger” is walled-in, meaning the characters are the story leaving very little room for the story to balance out the characters. Some may find that challenging as the narrative unfolds, but the characters are so interesting that I didn’t mind it.

3 out of 4

Kin - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Kin’ misfires its laser gun story

Directed by:  Jonathan and Josh Baker

Written by:  Daniel Casey, Jonathan and Josh Baker

Starring:  Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor, Zoe Kravitz, Dennis Quaid, and James Franco

“Kin” –  Speaking from personal experience, many preteen boys who grew up in the late 1970’s enjoyed “Star Wars” (1977) and wished to own laser guns similar to Han Solo’s and/or Chewbacca’s.  Sure, sheriffs and outlaws firing rifles during “Bonanza” reruns carried a certain admired machismo, but laser guns discharging explosive light missiles provided an indescribable allure.

With certainty, a significant subset of these anxious, excitable kids asked their fathers, “Dad, have ‘they’ invented laser guns yet?” 

Again, speaking from personal experience.

In 2018 Detroit, one would be hard-pressed to find a nearby laser gun manufacturer, but Eli (Myles Truitt) – a 14-year-old who collects scrap metal and wiring for resale – miraculously stumbles onto a bizarre, futuristic rifle sitting in an abandoned factory.  Wow, a kid’s dream come true.  It’s a thin, metallic box about two feet long and 9 inches high, but when he slides his thumb over a lighted corner, a scope rises, a trigger appears and a gun barrel extends from this contraption.

This thingamajig could do some damage.

Eli’s family has suffered some damage as well.  His mom passed away, his older brother Jimmy (Jack Reynor) sits in jail and his dad Hal (Dennis Quaid) weathers their personal storm with occasional curt conversation and a permanent semi-scowl.  Father and son are mourning without tears.

Jimmy, however, just finished serving his six-year prison sentence and returns home, much to the displeasure of Hal, who still harbors resentment for his eldest son’s mistakes.  Even though Jimmy hopes for a new start, trouble has followed him home, and soon after, Eli and he begin a rocky journey across the country.

“Kin” is a road picture.  A generic and shaky one that dives into predicable spaces in repeated, painful examples of we’ve-seen-this-movie-before.  During their trip, the brothers catch up over six years of lost time and bond a bit, but their haphazard jaunt – led by an ex-con’s faulty instincts – is, of course, destined to fall apart.  You see, Jimmy keeps a secret from Eli, but some future, unlucky circumstance will inevitably pry it open.  The script also calls for a female ally, and eureka, Milly (Zoe Kravitz) – a small-town stripper – makes a marvelous new life-choice by joining this ex-con and teenager on their adventures. 

Sounds solid. 

Milly lands on this decision after meeting the boys for about six minutes of screen time.  Well, let’s be fair.  It may have been eight minutes.  Eight minutes or eight days, the three instantly gain each other’s trust, and Milly develops a maternal instinct for Eli.  

Even though they speed down various highways, this thinly-constructed narrative runs in place with the exception of Eli’s aforementioned weapon.  Rather than wonder if Jimmy and Eli will strengthen their rapport and/or ponder when Milly will decide to rob them blind, the film begs for more laser gun time. 

Directors Jonathan and Josh Baker do feed the greedy need for exploding deeds, but the futuristic shootout-grandeur infrequently occurs.  This critic didn’t tally up the exact number of laser blasts, but it didn’t feel like enough.  Every once in a while, Eli will reluctantly fire at a standing object or person in between Jimmy’s declarations of hope that his little brother would refrain from trouble.  Then again, who took him on the road, encouraged him to drink at a strip bar, stop in a casino, and shoot bad guys?

In addition to the gun, the other notable character is Taylor, a bad dude played furiously by James Franco.  Franco has a celebrated history of selecting curious roles, and he brings a real sense of danger to the film.  One hopes that Taylor might show a brief moment of levity, but this character may have reinvented the term bad to the bone, and admittedly, furnishes a legit reason for Jimmy’s desire to hit the pavement at 90 mph. 

If only the police could help, but no law enforcement appears anywhere during the first two acts, while Taylor uses his bottomless freewill to commit felonious aggression.  Actually, plenty of John and Jane Q. Laws arrive in the third act, and the Bakers pay homage to – arguably - the seminal action picture of the 1980’s, but despite this tribute, “Kin” regularly misfires.  Most likely, kids and adults of all ages probably won’t be dreaming of finding Eli’s laser rifle anytime soon, but then again, with the amount of gun violence in today’s climate, perhaps we should all thank the filmmakers for their movie’s unintended public service.

(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.

Operation Finale - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Operation Finale

Directed by Chris Weitz

Written by Matthew Orton

Starring Oscar Issac, Ben Kingsley, Melanie Laurent, Lior Raz, Nick Kroll, Haley Lu Richardson, Joe Alwyn

Winston Churchill once said, “History is written by the victors.” This might appear callous, or even cruel when used in reference to The Holocaust and the subsequent Nuremberg trials.

However, in the context of Peter Malkin, a Mossad agent who successfully captured the Holocaust mastermind, Adolf Eichmann in a secret intelligence operation, it puts into perspective just whom the victor really was.

Such is the subject of Chris Weitz’s dramatic period piece, “Operation Finale” featuring Oscar Isaac as Malkin. When word reaches the Mossad ranks that they have located Adolf Eichmann in Argentina, they plan to retrieve Eichmann in secret and return him to Israel for trial.

Weitz’s direction is assured as we learn more about the character of Peter Malkin, and what drives him. The beginning of the film depicts Malkin as a less-than-capable officer and an even more unfortunate lover. He is a flawed human being, haunted by a past that he could not control, yet he cannot accept.  His ingenuity in planning the mission is his strongest characteristic and Isaac performs this beautifully.

As Eichmann, Ben Kingsley is superb, though a little too tan. His take on the role was quiescent as he tried to blend in to a nation of supporters. He, his wife and their two kids lived simple lives and he worked as a supervisor.

The strongest scenes in Matthew Orton’s script are when Malkin and Eichmann are playing mind games with one another, one learning about the other in the hopes of gaining an advantage. The film captured passion behind their performances as Isaac and Kingsley try to outdo one another. Their scenes are emotionally charged as each lays bare their own secrets.

The supporting cast is just as strong. Melanie Laurent plays a very strong willed Hanna, a doctor and a former agent who is called back in to service. Nick Kroll plays Rossi, the logistics man. His humor cut through the story’s tension.

Two standout performances go to Joe Alwyn as Klaus Eichmann, Adolf’s young and impressionable son and to Haley Lu Richardson as Sylvia Herman. They are the younger version of Malkin and the senior Eichmann, at odds over religious ideologies and standing up for what each believes amidst a country full of supporters who would like nothing more than to see the rise of the Reich. Richardson’s performance in particular rises above her character’s principals.

Weitz is a strong visual storyteller and cinematographer Javier Aguirresanrobe captured a classic, romantic look at 1960’s Argentina along with the risks Malkin and team took to bring Eichmann back. Their work truly transports you back to that time while Alexandre Deplat’s brassy score brightens a somber film.

Despite the strong performances, the story felt overdramatized, to the point where it became anti-climactic. As each new problem arose, Weitz and Orton didn’t leave us room to digest each situation as they leached into one another. There are moments of levity and the focus remained on the Malkin-Eichmann conversations. For a 122 – minute run time, I would have appreciated some down time, but in this story there is no real victor as Eichmann is allowed to tell his story even as a people see justice for his crimes.

The victims are made whole, but they can never reclaim that which is lost. Perhaps the beauty of this story is in being able to let go of the past and move towards the future.

2.75 out of 4

The Miseducation of Cameron Post - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ offers an unsettling look and lesson into conversion therapy  

Directed by:  Desiree Akhavan

Written by:  Desiree Akhavan and Cecilia Frugiuele, and based on the book by Emily M. Danforth

Starring:  Chloe Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, John Gallagher Jr., and Jennifer Ehle

“The Miseducation of Cameron Post” – Conversion therapy is the practice of changing an individual’s sexual preference from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual using psychological techniques or spiritual interventions, citing Wikipedia.  

One might think that this alarming tradition ended decades ago in the United States, but that’s not true.

According to a January 2018 study from UCLA’s The Williams Institute, 698,000 U.S. adults (ages 18 – 59) have received conversion therapy.  These rituals are not behind us either, because the same study added that 57,000 U.S. kids (ages 13 – 17) will receive conversion therapy before they reach 18. 

Will receive.

Why are U.S. kids still possibly subjected to conversation therapy?  Well, a July 5, 2018 NBC News article stated that only 13 states have banned licensed mental health service professionals from administering this therapy on kids under 18 years-old. 

Only 13, and Arizona is not one of those states. 

As frightening as that seems, “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” – which won the 2018 Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize - jumps right into the alarming material.  

This feature film is about a teenager’s experience and state of mind, when her guardian drops her off at a religious camp to fix her homosexuality.  Director Desiree Akhavan and Chloe Grace Moretz, who plays Cameron or Cam, take the audience down an uneasy, uncomfortable path into a world that few moviegoers have experienced.  Then again, almost 700,000 U.S. citizens have a deep understanding of this twisted form of therapy all too well.

Cam had no idea that her life - in 1993 - would take a dramatic left turn during a double-date at a school dance.  After an awkward reveal that night in the back seat of a car, she is now stuck/trapped/ensnared at God’s Promise – a sprawling camp remotely located somewhere in the middle of a Northeastern forest – as the counselors try to cure her. 

Akhavan deliberately creates a world of isolation for Cam (Moretz), physically and emotionally.  For instance, when Cam is left at God’s Promise, Akhavan captures the scene from atop of the camp’s living quarters and shoots down towards a nearly empty parking lot.  It’s nearly empty, because this unnerved teen stands alone without another soul close by.  She’s on her own.  The program begins soon after, and Cam does not express her deepest thoughts with her new roommate Erin (Emily Skeggs).  Erin seems to accept God’s Promise’s purpose, while Cam appears too dizzy from the drastic changes in her living and schooling arrangements to begin to share her feelings. 

Moretz delivers a very effective and realistic performance as the shell-shocked teen, and Cam regularly answers, “I don’t know,” or “I’m fine,” to most questions.  She makes it nearly impossible for the counselors and the other teenagers to gain an imprint of her feelings.  Is she really fine, or is she just reciting programmed answers that the counselors and teens want to hear? 

She makes it difficult for the audience to discern too. 

During an Aug. 7 Phoenix Film Festival Summer Showcase screening of this movie, our audience was split.  Some moviegoers thought that Cam was too stunned to convey her true feelings, while others believed that her responses were calculated. 

It’s very possible to see both.

Speaking of both, Cam’s main interactions reside with two counselors and two new friends, and they equally impact her journey over 91 movie-minutes, in different ways, of course.  Lydia (Jennifer Ehle) – who always seems to ominously wear red – and Rick (John Gallagher Jr.) believe that they are performing God’s work through their consultations, sermons, lectures, and prayers to blaze a path for these kids towards heterosexuality.  Ehle and Gallagher Jr. do not play their characters as malevolent, but they are resolute.  Lydia takes on a bad cop role, as opposed to Rick, who is more soft-spoken and understanding.  (Note: Although Lydia’s and Rick’s methods are uncomfortable, some historical conversion therapies have also used harsher techniques, so the movie may present a tamer version of the practice.)

Are Lydia’s and Rick’s messages reaching these kids?  Over the course of the film, the audience discovers their success rates with Cam and others.

Thankfully, Cam finds a pair of allies with Jane (Sasha Lane) and Adam (Forrest Goodluck), as this inseparable trio offers a close space of frank discourse.  Similarly to Cam’s parking lot scene, the three always feel disconnected from their surroundings, and especially during one particular shot.  Akhavan isolates Cam, Jane and Adam sitting in chairs in the last row of a large karaoke activity.  With plenty of other teens close by, the camera slowly pulls back and leaves Cam, Jane and Adam deeply alone and distant from everyone else.  At least they feel detached as a cohesive unit from the group. 

Cam’s detached journey of supposed, new self-discovery feels like a colossal waste of time for her, because every moment ultimately points to a disorderly split with God’s Promise.  The film, however, gives no promises or clues how Cam will separate, but yes, the teacher-student relationship seems ultimately doomed.  Meanwhile, conversation therapy feels as ineffectual on-screen as one can imagine it off-screen. 

(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.

Juliet, Naked - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Juliet, Naked

Directed by Jesse Peretz

Written by Tamara Jenkins, Jim Taylor, Phil Alden Robinson, Evgenia Peretz

Based on Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornsby

Starring Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O’Dowd

As Jesse Peretz’s latest film, Juliet, Naked opens, Duncan Thomson (Chris O’Dowd) is neck deep into his Tucker Crowe fan website. Crowe, played by Ethan Hawke mysteriously disappeared during a concert some years before and Thomson uses his passion to keep the myth of Tucker Crowe alive. Thomson comes across as a know-it-all as he whittles away hours in a headset and web cam talking to other fans across the globe.

His live-in girlfriend, Annie (Rose Byrne) isn’t remotely interested in Duncan’s exploits or the music of Tucker Crowe. She spends her days working for the mayor’s office on a jubilee exhibit project and her nights with her sister, Carrie (Megan Dodds).

A previously unpublished recording put Annie and Duncan at odds and eventually leads Annie to the real Tucker Crowe. This is where director Jesse Peretz shines. Peretz, who started his career as a bass guitarist with The Lemonheads and has since worked on shows like Girls and Nurse Jackie has the right instincts when it comes to the Crowe character. Ethan Hawke carries the loveable grunge look. But it is his tender side to playing the aging hipster without being cynical about it.

Rose Byrne plays off those charms. Much like You’ve Got Mail, the relationship between she and Tucker starts out more as pen pals. Tucker’s situation requires him to head to London where they meet for the first time. Their first meeting is probably the most awkward part of the film as Tucker’s family politics makes the situation schmaltzy.

Part of the problem with this is that the script written by Tamara Jenkins, Jim Taylor and Evgenia Peretz (Phil Alden Robinson has an uncredited turn as well) is that it is a paint-by-numbers love story. What wakes the film up is of course the performances by our three leads.

Once Annie and Tucker start communicating on a deeper level, Ms. Byrne perks up a bit more.  It is a part of the character as Nick Hornsby originally envisioned her. And there’s enough of a relationship difference between Annie and Tucker to make the transition less awkward, again a compliment to Ms. Byrne and Mr. O’Dowd’s acting chops, and comedy chops too.

Chris O’Dowd is best known for his comedy and here his body movements and language is as important as the lines he delivers. Though he is stuck in his man cave, and there is a humorous scene when Tucker happens upon Duncan’s lair, he could be a good match with Annie. But his comedic nerves get the better of him and we’re left with the one relationship that truly works.

Once Ms. Byrne and Mr. Hawke finally settle down with each other, we find that they are what one another needs. The jubilee celebration scene really cements this aspect as an elderly member of the community compliments Annie on her photo, the recollection of the past so clear. Then, the mayor who has just learned who Tucker is, brings him on stage to sing acapella. It’s a beautiful moment that symbolizes what newfound relationships are all about.

The film does a lovely job of painting the dynamics of relationships without necessarily reflecting on the aging process. It layers in the messiness of past, broken relationships, even if some of those moments in the film don’t necessarily work. The cast is first rate and is the primary reason to catch this film.

Rating 2.75 out of 4

Papillon - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Papillon

Directed by Michael Noer

Screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski

Based on Papillon and Banco by Henri Charriere & Papillon (1973) Screenplay by Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr.

Starring Charlie Hunnam, Rami Malek, Eve Hewson, Tommy Flannagan, Roland Moller, Michael Socha, Yorik van Wangeningen

Escapist stories are one of the principal reasons why we go to movies. Whether it’s a Rom Com (check out Juliet, Naked this weekend) or a Marvel film (Black Panther is on home video and Avengers Infinity War as well as Ant-Man and the Wasp are winding down in theaters), or horror (I hear Slender Man is not worth the time) you’re sure to find something to suit your tastes.

However, few movies this summer will truly allow you to escape your everyday life as Michael Noer’s updated Papillon does.

Featuring Charlie Hunnam as Henri Chamiere, whose memoirs of his incarceration and his subsequent escape attempts from the French penal colony on Guyana are the basis of this modern adaptation. Steve McQueen played Chamiere in the Franklin J. Schaffner classic, which I sadly have not seen. Rami Malek (Mr. Robot, the upcoming Bohemian Rhapsody) plays a quirky counterfeiter, Louis Dega, a role originally played by Dustin Hoffman.

As the film opens, a freewheeling Chamiere struts through the swinging streets of Paris as he seeks the company of his girlfriend. He is a safecracker and knows how to get himself out of a jam. After he crosses a local enforcer, he is framed for a murder he didn’t commit. Through his incarceration, he meets Louis Dega, whom he offers to protect in exchange for helping him to arrange an escape.

Once they are on the penal colony, Chamiere spends more than 11 years attempting escape.

If you know anything about Chamiere, you know how the movie ends. But, I won’t spoil it for you here. That was a part of the pleasure of seeing Noer’s version: I didn’t know much about Chamiere nor did I know about his exploits.

Though Guzikowski’s adaptation runs a bit flat and seems repetitive, the energy from Hunnam and Malek is so palpable, that you could have cut it with a butter knife. Noer’s direction also helps, as the pacing doesn’t let up, allowing the tension to build: “will Chamiere escape?”

It’s very easy to see why this would have been a starring vehicle for Steve McQueen and why Hunnam was such a good choice for this role: Hunnam plays cool very well with a sophistication about him that doesn’t allow the audience to question his motives as a character. His need to escape, whether it’s from his own mind in solitary or protecting Dega in order to physically escape prison, you believe in Hunnam’s tenacity as the character.

Dega is very meek, almost as quiet as a church mouse. He knows how to get around, but he cannot handle himself and every other inmate is a threat to him. Malek’s understated approach to the character fits very well. He’s a thinker who can calculate his odds very quickly. Though he cannot handle himself, he understands the risks involved and is a good match for Chamiere.

The film is as visually exciting as the acting is. The theme of growth is a cornerstone to this story. Literally translated, papillon is French for ‘butterfly’.  As we know, a butterfly does not start out as such, but as a caterpillar, slowly growing out of its larval stage, ready to spread its wings.

“Why the entomology lesson, Professor Ben?”

Chamiere’s imprisonment and his escape attempts represent the larval stages. He starts out as a caterpillar, unable to escape his fate. With each successive escape attempt, he becomes more emboldened. More importantly, he must escape psychologically.

Visually, Noer uses a gorgeous reproduction of the Moulin Rouge both in the beginning of the film and repeated again midway through the film. They represent the psychological and metaphorical transformation of the character.

I like what Michael Noer’s modern interpretation of this classic represents and the time in which it is being served up to audiences. Though this story may have some flaws about it, Michael Noer has a steady hand about his direction. Some may still prefer the McQueen classic, Hunnam is no slouch and neither is Malek. Together, they make for a very intelligent pair.

Papillon is great escapist fare and should be enjoyed on a big screen near you.

3 out of 4

The Happytime Murders - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘The Happytime Murders’ shoots itself in the foot

Directed by:  Brian Henson

Written by:  Todd Berger

Starring:  Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Leslie David Baker, and Joel McHale

“The Happytime Murders” – “It ain’t a crime to be warm and fuzzy, but it might as well be.” – Private Investigator Phil Philips  

Yes, society treats puppets as second-class citizens in 2018 Los Angeles.  Puppets work, play and live with humans but are considered inferior or inherently subordinate, because their primary color fabric-exteriors and pillowy interiors make them different from people.  This overt racism is now coupled with a recent puppet-killing spree, and Phil Philips (Bill Barretta) – a scorned former police detective - is determined to find the perpetrator. 

Wait, is this a Muppet film?  It is, but not a typical one, as director Brian Henson (“The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992) and “Muppet Treasure Island” (1996)) steps into the seedy, adult world of murder-mysteries and drug use.  This adults-only, Muppet-meets-crime comedy is rated-R, and admittedly, it delivers some awfully big laughs.  It takes chances, and the overall experience is an amusing curiosity, but the gritty tones do not exactly gel with the Muppets’ inherently comedic nature. 

It just isn’t as fun as it should be.

The straight-forward plot follows heavy, traditional crime film themes, as Phil – a puppet - uncovers clues in unlikely places, feels regret from past mistakes and reconciles with old colleagues.  One can easily predict the overall story arc, and therefore, the film’s obvious value rests with Henson’s creative Muppet-integration over a 91-minute runtime.

Of course, he includes his Muppets in unexpected places, and they delightfully arrive in all shapes and sizes, including a motley crew of poker-playing criminals, a Santa Monica Pier bodybuilder and a bunny rabbit with a porn addiction.  A porn addiction?  The visual ingenuity of the Muppets’ construction and the actual mechanics of bringing them to life never cease to amaze this critic, and the filmmakers solidly and wholly deliver in these spaces.

The Muppets and human characters – like Phil, his loyal secretary Bubbles (Maya Rudolph), Det. Connie Edwards (Melissa McCarthy), and others surprisingly fill many spaces with curse words at a pace that almost rivals 1983’s “Scarface”. 

Well, not quite that bad, but the cast swears a lot!

After the initial shock of seeing and hearing a Muppet expel the f-word within the movie’s first two minutes, the constant puppet-cursing soon loses its impact and does not serve a purpose, other than to tonally match with the downer-narrative. 

Some stand-up comics receive similar criticism for delivering numerous obscenities that do not add substance to their acts.  The adult cartoon-movie “Sausage Party” (2016) – about living and breathing grocery store items - runs into similar problems.  Sure, a potato about to be peeled over a kitchen sink deserves to decry some verbal vomit, but excessive salty language is unnecessary during – basically - every conversation throughout 89 animated-minutes.   

Speaking of conversations, “The Happytime Murders” features three very distasteful, riotous moments that will stir plenty of discussion.  Depending on one’s point of view, these controversial scenes will either bring the down house or engender groans of disgust.  (The first scene actually appears on-screen way too early, and it unfortunately lessens the impact of the most zany, over-the-top sequence in the second act.)   

“The Happytime Murders” runs into discord in another way.  Those said over-the-top high points are separated by frequent, long spaces of dull police-procedure mechanics and continued exploration around Phil’s angst and hopeful redemption.  While strolling through the anticipated steps of a standard whodunnit, the film is in desperate need of pick-me-ups, and for some reason, music is noticeably absent.  Some colorful song and dance numbers like “This Puppet has a Heart”, “Crime Pays Big Time” or “Muppets are People Too” could have filled those voids.

Hey, musical numbers work extremely well with Muppet features.  Who could forget “Movin’ Right Along” from “The Muppet Movie” (1979)?

Looking into non-Muppet, rated-R territory, “Team America: World Police” (2004) is an infinitely-offensive, but highly-effective puppet film.  “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone dive headfirst into provocative material, and they match the tone(s) with an absurd and hilarious soundtrack with lyrics like “Freedom isn’t free……Freedom costs a buck ‘o five.”  

How about a musical number from “The Happytime Murders”?  Ironically, as soon as the film ends, a catchy and enjoyable 80’s singalong blasts on-screen, and this music video with Muppets delivers the most gratifying three minutes of the entire picture. 

What if Phil sang “It ain’t a crime to be warm and fuzzy, but it might as well be,” instead of moping about it?  

Just a thought.

(2/4 stars)

Mile 22 - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Mile 22’ is a long way from a satisfying action movie

Directed by:  Peter Berg

Written by:  Lea Carpenter

Starring:  Mark Wahlberg, Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais, John Malkovich, and Ronda Rousey

“Mile 22” – Twenty-one years ago, film critics and fans began taking Mark Wahlberg’s acting career very seriously with his memorable performance as Eddie Adams (aka Dirk Diggler), an awkward bus boy turned porn star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s wild 70s piece “Boogie Nights” (1997).  With Wahlberg’s charisma and built-in bankability via his music career, he excelled as an action hero and leading man in “Three Kings” (1999), “Rock Star” (2001) and “The Italian Job” (2003), but raised the bar in 2006 with a Best Supporting Actor nomination as Dignam, a fast-talking detective in Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed”.  

In “Mile 22”, he teams up with director Peter Berg – after their collaborations in “Lone Survivor” (2013), “Deepwater Horizon” (2016) and “Patriots Day” (2016) – in an espionage thriller set somewhere in Southeast Asia (that resembles Indonesia, but was actually filmed in Colombia), and Wahlberg channels a small portion of Dignam’s persona as Lt. James Silva.  Silva is a special ops soldier - for Overwatch, a group of good guy/girl mercenaries - but he carries noticeably less charm than Dignam and a lot more talk. 

A lot more.  Let’s call it chatter. 

Actually, let’s call it incessant chatter, because Silva does not seem to stop expressing his hardened views about Overwatch’s duties and the horrible consequences if they fail their missions.  In fact, in a terribly distracting job of editing, Silva seems to randomly spew extensive monologues for no reason whatsoever.  For instance, our stressed-out lieutenant screams at a computer programmer about the fallout from the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, while she’s already succumbing to enough pressure trying to crack an impossible code.  Other times, supporting characters engage in various discourses in office settings, but Berg – for unknown reasons – suddenly drops in long stretches of Silva rambling on and on - to someone else entirely - about his team members and that “they are very real and get s*** done.”

During the film’s 95-minute runtime, Silva’s long-winded, painful soliloquies of gunplay, teamwork and attitude probably comprise 35, and this estimate may be light.  No one on-screen seems to be listening, and this critic certainly tuned him out after the first act.

Oh, what takes place during the first, second and third acts? 

Silva and his tactical team - including Alice (Lauren Cohan) and Sam (Ronda Rousey) – need to transport a cagey undercover agent named Li Noor (Iko Uwais) from a nondescript special operations complex to a small airfield, and the distance is 22 miles.  You see, Li Noor handed over a cryptic file that spells out several locations of radioactive material, and he will reveal the secret code once he is safely flying out of the country. 

Take away Silva’s nonsensical diatribes that brandish his machismo, and that leaves about 60 minutes of an actual story.  Most of it is positioned in an urban setting with Silva’s small team shooting limitless numbers of faceless bad guys who feel compelled to capture or kill Li Noor.  The action is nonstop and kinetic, but not particularly suspenseful.  Even though Silva’s team copes with distress, the constant gunfire feels like a video game with no real stakes, and other than Alice - fiercely-played by Cohan – it is difficult to muster emotional investment with anyone else. 

Meanwhile, Berg cannot seem to hold a shot for more than two or three seconds, as both gunfights and average hallway conversations needlessly cut and jump in a dizzying overediting job perhaps not seen since “Moulin Rouge!” (2001).  That’s not a compliment.  

With thousands of bullets filling the second and third acts, “Mile 22” is actually best complimented during two enclosed hand-to-hand brawls featuring Li Noor and Alice, although they do not fight each other.  The movie could have used more such moments, and Rousey barely has chances to show off her close-range fighting skills, except briefly in the opening sequence.  That doesn’t make sense, and neither does Silva’s uncanny ability to solve jigsaw puzzles.

Jigsaw puzzles?

“Mile 22” is a head scratcher, as it unfolds like a watered-down combination of “Black Hawk Down” (2001) and “The Raid: Redemption” (2011).  Fans of those films might find glimpses of them here, but will also be reminded that “Mile 22” is an inferior version.   Speaking of “Black Hawk Down”, why doesn’t Silva just rent a helicopter to transport Li Noor over those fateful 22 miles, instead of slogging it out in the streets?  That would seem easier, but perhaps he was too busy gabbing to think of it. 

(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.

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

Directed by Matt Tymauer

Starring Scotty Bowers

You might not have heard the name Scotty Bowers, but he has secrets. No, not classified, government grade secrets. He has Hollywood secrets. The kind of secrets that, now, most people know. See, he was a pimp in Hollywood from the 1940’s to 1980’s and he was responsible for getting things and for making connections with Hollywood’s elite.

The documentary, by Vanity Fair special correspondent Matt Tymauer opens the books on four plus decades of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes as we are invited into his myriad of storage places, chock full of material. So much so, that one might be inclined to think that Scotty is a pack rat. But, even at 95, he is still one of the most influential and recognized connections in the Hollywood gay community.

The film, which screened last fall at TIFF and this spring at the Phoenix Film Festival, exudes happiness, both from Scotty and as Scotty spoke of his subjects; he genuinely wanted to make people happy. The documentary, based on his memoirs, paints a picture of skepticism: did he really connect all the people he said he had?

Tymauer starts us in modern LA as Bowers recounts his beginnings at the Richfield Oil gas station on Hollywood Blvd. It was a hopping place and Scotty, a man who was and is interested in the human connection, was able to help people connect sexually.

More importantly, he secretly connected a lot of Hollywood’s leading men into gay relationships. Of course, we’ve suspected for a number years on some of the relationships, but the level of information provided leaves no doubt. Tymauer efficiently weaves a rather dramatic tale of posh encounters as a party bartender who really wanted everyone to be happy.

The most interesting aspect of the man? Every secret is in Bowers’ head and to hear him recount his incredulous experiences throughout the documentary is amazing. The wealth of details within his recounting opened up four decades worth of Hollywood history that many assumed was too good to be true. Yet, within three houses willed to Scotty by actor Beach Dickerson can attest to the voracity of his own mind.

As a matter of fact, in a moment of sadness, one of the homes was sold and we see him start the process of decluttering one location. His wife, a conservative cabaret singer reluctantly talks about what little she knew about his excursions: she didn’t know about them until recently and that’s what makes this documentary so much more tantalizing. Even as you believe the content, there is still a nagging question about it all.

Buried within the secrets was the morality code the studios put in to place in Scotty’s heyday, protecting subjects that were taboo to the conservative Christian sensibilities of the time, which included the thought that homosexuality was a mental disorder that could be treated. Scotty even connected Alfred Kinsey, the pioneering sex researcher with female subjects, so Scotty’s connections swung both ways.

At the end of the day, this richly told documentary sheds light on a man, a myth and the closely held secrets of Hollywood’s elite. It furthers the discussion of sexuality at a time where that notion is starting to go out the window. A must see!

3.5 out of 4

Alpha - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Alpha

Directed by Albert Hughes

Story by Albert Hughes

Screenplay by Daniele Sebastien Wiedenhaupt

Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Natassia Malthe, Joannes Haukur Johannesson, Jens Hulten

As a kid, one of my favorite, and ultimately saddest moments in movie watching came from Wolfgang Petersen’s “The Never Ending Story,” where Atreyu’s horse, Artax drowned. You learn very early in that film that Atreyu is a character with deep feelings and attachments. As an impressionable 8 year old, it captured my attention; it is something that’s stayed with me through today.

No, Albert Hughes’s “Alpha” is nowhere near as depressing as you might think. But, it is every bit as dramatic. Set in Europe approximately 20,000 years ago, Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee) undertakes a journey of self-discovery as he is separated from his hunting group following an encounter with a steppe bison.

Part “Dances With Wolves,” part “The Black Stallion” Albert Hughes offers a deft direction from his original story; the screenplay was written by Daniele Sebastien Wiedenhaupt. The biggest theme of this film is friendship and Hughes approaches it with a lot of heart as Keda follows his path, both physically and mentally.

Keda’s endurance is put to the test multiple times, but nothing can prepare you for how his own journey starts. One of Hughes’s choices was to start the film at the actual hunt, we are left hanging awaiting Keda’s fate. But we learn very quickly of tribal society 20,000 years ago. I’m surprised to find that that aspect of modern society hasn’t evolved beyond tribalism, but that quality is what allows humans to survive.

Hughes’s choice to develop a language and use subtitles in a film aimed at children is a bold one. I found that the visual interactions on screen focused on the intimate details while the subtitles carried the story. It was interesting to watch Keda’s relationship with the wolf develop. There was a bond of trust which formed naturally (or as naturally as you can in a 96-minute film.)

Thematically, Alpha has many meanings in this film’s story as the balance of power, or better control, shifts from character to character. The progression is a natural one as Keda gains the wolf’s trust and they learn to survive together.

Creating the visual environment of 20,000 years in the past fell on the shoulders of cinematographer Martin Gsclacht (“Goodnight Mommy”). A large majority of the production was shot in Vancouver and had remote locations in Iceland as well as in Alberta. The images the Gsclacht captured were stunning. From intimate family gatherings in the teepee to treacherous savannahs to sheer cliff walls there is a reverential feel to Gslacht’s cinematography which managed to keep Keda and the wolf front and center.

I managed to see the film in 3D and though it doesn’t create any additional emotional connection to the characters or their environment, it certainly helps to keep your attention. I found myself white-knuckling the theater chair armrests even though I knew what would potentially come next. I don’t want to leave you with the idea that the story telegraphs its resolution. Intuitively, it does that from the trailers. But there’s so much story that the 3D does indeed grab you and doesn’t let go.

There were some moments of incredulity where you might be inclined to say “that’s not believable.” Those moments are not enough to put you out of the movie. It’s a great family adventure in the tradition of “The Black Stallion” and “The Never Ending Story” and children will be enthralled by the adventure and the story of friendship.

3 out of 4.

Crazy Rich Asians - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ offers a wealth of fun but the script needed a tighter budget

Directed by: Jon M. Chu

Written by: Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, based on the novel by Kevin Kwan

Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, and Ken Jeong

“Crazy Rich Asians” – Singapore is a wondrous place.  Located just one degree above the equator in Southeast Asia, this small island city-state (only 31 miles by 17 miles) bustles as a massive business hub and hosts over five million residents.  Malay is Singapore’s single national language, but the country proudly boasts three additional official ones: English, Mandarin and Tamil.  The multi-lingual culture is no accident, because the island’s gorgeous, tropical beauty, towering skyscrapers and commercial importance are universal attractions.  

In director Jon M. Chu’s film, he wholly and beautifully captures Singapore and all three of the said qualities in a splashy, two-hour romcom based on Kevin Kwan’s 2013 novel, about an American woman visiting her boyfriend’s family in the Lion City for the first time. 

This particular critic enjoyed two astonishing visits to Singapore about 18 years ago, so on a personal note, I hope that this film will inspire moviegoers to travel to this incredible place.  If one can brave – and afford - a 17-hour flight from Los Angeles and appreciate year-round 90-degree highs, many emotional and visual riches await. 

Chu conveys several emotional highs and visuals throughout his picture and some terrific supporting characters amp up the humor to keep pace with the setting, but several puzzling script choices partially derail the narrative and ruin the movie’s chance at enjoying a cinematic triumph.   

Well, Rachel (Constance Wu) and Nick (Henry Golding) feel like their one-year-relationship is a blessed triumph.  These two young professionals live in New York, treat each other respect, and one day, Nick invites Rachel to Singapore to celebrate his best friend Colin’s (Chris Pang) wedding.  Rachel has never been to Nick’s home, so when the two arrive, she experiences the first-time wonders of Singapore, like most of the movie-audience.  Chu wonderfully flaunts seafood flavors at a massive hawker (food market) center, soaring concrete towers (like the futuristic Marina Bay Sands Hotel), blue coves, and hot weather.  In fact, Rachel’s bouncy, initial experiences might tempt audiences to remove their jackets in air-conditioned theatres, briefly step out to concession stands and ask for shrimp, noodles and hot sauce.

Rachel does not confront any friction at first, but the main rub revolves around Nick’s money.  Actually, his family’s money.  The Youngs are the wealthiest developers in Singapore, and like the film’s title says, they are crazy rich.  Rich enough to buy a pair of 1.2 million dollar earrings during a random stop at a jewelry store. 

The problem is that Nick’s mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) and grandmother Ah Ma (Lisa Lu) have other plans for him, and they do not include Rachel.  Sure, Rachel is a bright economics professor at NYU, but she comes from a single-mother household and does not possess the wealthy lineage that Eleanor and Ah Ma expect.

So, the film is constructed as a hopeful rags-to-riches princess story with Rachel learning about Nick’s other life and attempting to gain the Youngs’ acceptance. 

Tall orders.  Unfortunately, Nick isn’t much help.

After a year of dating, he never mentions that his family is loaded, because he enjoys that Rachel loves him as a person, not his money.  One would think that after 365 days, his affluent home life might pop up once in conversation, but no.  This unwittingly sets up Rachel to suddenly confront an overwhelming barrage of wealth and his family’s judgment, when they arrive in Singapore.  

In short, he blindsides her.   

Even worse, Nick does not offer much comfort, while Rachel copes with Eleanor’s attempts to make her feel unworthy and navigates through various locales filled with jealous women.  The script keeps Nick and Rachel separated quite a bit during the second act, and assumingly, this is done so she can overcome the arranged hurdles on her own.

Nick, however, is supposed to be prince of sorts and is actually referred to as one.  He mainly provides good looks, dignified talk and some “I love you” moments, but – sadly – he remains very clueless in protecting his girlfriend from the forces conspiring and siding up against her.  Nick sometimes seems aloof, like Prince Edward (James Marsden) from “Enchanted”, and - spoiler alert – that particular 2007 movie-character does not get the girl at the end. 

Screenwriters Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim do not pen another protagonist, so Nick is it!  He’s the only guy for Rachel, and at least for this critic, that begs the question:  Does a romcom work if one roots for the featured couple to go their separate ways? 

The film runs into other problems too.  Here are a few.  One of the most intriguing supporting characters is Nick’s cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan) from Shanghai.  Astrid has beauty, panache, brains, and wealth (of course).  She carries all the potential to work extremely well within her own story and as a close ally to Rachel, but Chu doesn’t give her much to do, other than deal with a troubled marriage.  She becomes a victim of sorts, and the script does not offer any memorable Astrid-words-of-wisdom or notable moments, except purchasing the aforementioned diamond earrings.  As far as Astrid’s husband Michael (Pierre Png), well, he oddly steps out of a steamy shower in his first scene.  In retrospect, that may make sense, because Michael doesn’t add any conversational interest throughout the rest of the movie.  

In another thread, Colin builds up plenty of negative interest against his chief antagonist Bernard (Jimmy O. Yang), a sophomoric bachelor party host, but his arc becomes lost sometime after he shoots flares with a bazooka.  Don’t ask.   

Feeling the need to rewrite some key characters and removing or puffing up specific subplots probably are not ingredients for a great romcom either.  “Crazy Rich Asians” is supposed to be the first of a trilogy, so that may explain some script choices, but the film does not benefit as a two-hour, self-contained experience. 

Having said that, Chu’s film also includes lots of pomp and circumstance, glitz, glamor, and fun.  At times, it’s a dizzying Las Vegas act that also includes covers of “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Cheryl K  and “Material Girl” by Sally Yeh.

Awkwafina, Ken Jeong and Nico Santos always seem to deliver laughs during every minute of their screen time, by playing Rachel’s friend Peik Lin, Peik Lin’s dad and Nick’s cousin Oliver, respectively.  The film needed these three characters on-screen more often, and granting them bigger roles to further assist Rachel would have been very well-served. 

“Crazy Rich Asians” does nicely serve Singapore and its princess storyline.  The wonderful financial excesses are a blast to behold, and it is amazing that Chu and company made the movie – filmed in Singapore and Malaysia - for just 30 million dollars.  Wow!  But the script?  Well, it needed a tighter budget.

(2.5/4 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.

Summer of 84' - Movie Review by Guest Contributor, Matthew Robinson

Opening on August 17th is International Horror & Sci-Fi Selection, Summer of '84. We've brought in guest contributor, Matthew Robinson to take a special look at this one. 

You can find Matthew's weekly reviews over at Darkofthematinee.com  

Nostalgia is everywhere these days, particularly for the 1980's. The success of Stranger Things has created a market for thrillers set during this time involving young adults. The directing trio of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell hit all the marks of films like Super 8 or It and yet there is something a missing from Summer of '84. The film feels like a cover of a great 80's song and depending on your appetite for nostalgia, you may find enough here to satisfy. 

The opening voice-over reminds us that "Even serial killers live next door to somebody." This sets up a familiar yet fun plot of suburban paranoia that evokes Disturbia which evoked Rear Window. Davey Armstrong (Graham Verchere) and his friends Tommy (Judah Lewis), Dale (Caleb Emery), Curtis (Cory Gruter-Andrew) and Nikki (Tiera Skovbye) get caught up in believing a neighbor of theirs is killing children in their sleepy town. Worst yet, he is a cop named McKay (Rich Sommer). They soon begin investigating and spying on their neighbor, their curiosity driving the plot forward. 

The characters here are pretty standard for this type of story. Davey is pure and just, leading the friends. Dale is the fat kid, who seems like a token character for horror films involving young kids. They don't stand out as dynamic characters. This is largely the fault of the screenplay that reduces them to archetypes and never gives them much depth. The cast of teens do a fine job and do create chemistry between them. This helps to overshadow the fact that they don't necessarily make sense as a collective. How the hot girl and the bully team up with the fat kid and the nerd is a bit illogical and yet in the moment, you may not mind thanks to some funny dialogue exchanges. 

The same is true of the plot which will feel familiar to any horror fan. We can guess early on if Davey is right about McKay. That isn't to say there isn't a fun surprise or two within Summer of '84, just that one shouldn't expect anything they haven't seen before. The film is well paced and directed with an eye for era. Le Matos's score pulsates and evokes the synth-wave music of the time.

Sommer as McKay, is particularly good. His performance keeps you guessing if he is evil or not thanks to his balancing of creepy yet good cop-like behavior. He keeps the film interesting even as it hits so many familiar beats. Sommer wisely avoids going big in the finale as well, keeping McKay a complex and unsettling mix of sinister and socially adjusted. There is never a question of how a cop like him could potentially be a killer and go unnoticed. 

Summer of '84 is worth your time if you can't get enough of the 80's nostalgia wave. While it isn't original, it does satisfy what you want from a film like this. The kid cast is solid all around but McKay is the standout here, giving a genuinely unsettling performance. The directing team recreate elements of 1984 and give the film an authentic look on what is clearly a low-budget. Kudos to them for achieving a convincing suburban setting. The film shows promise from them and I look forward to seeing what they do next.

3/5

The Meg - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

The Meg

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Starring: Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson, Cliff Curtis, Ruby Rose, Page Kennedy, Robert Taylor, and Jessica McNamee

You think shark, you think “Jaws”. Steven Spielberg’s iconic film that was responsible for making audiences scared to go in the water; it’s a masterclass of suspense and ingenuity, a film that somehow ages better as years continue to move forward. “Jaws” is also historic as one of the first summer blockbuster films, spending 14 consecutive weeks at the top of the box office. It changed the way films and filmmaking were done and continues to influence today.

The summer blockbuster has continued to grow since “Jaws”, with films boasting bigger budgets and bigger spectacle. “The Meg”, directed by Jon Turteltaub and starring Jason Statham, takes the most superficial quality of “Jaws” and exploits it. The great white shark is replaced for IMAX screens with an even bigger monster, a prehistoric water beast known as a Megalodon.

A team of researchers are working in an underwater facility, they are exploring uncharted depths of the ocean. During their history making dive, the team encounters a gigantic beast that leaves the crew in the voyaging submersible stranded. With time running out and a monster stalking their moves, the research team call rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) to save the day. As Jonas ventures to help the stranded team he comes face to face with the ancient monster.

I enjoy a film that embarrasses its B-movie qualities, especially when it comes to creature features. “Deep Rising”, the 1998 cruise ship caper starring Treat Williams, and “Piranha 3D”, the ridiculous 2010 go-for-the-gore fish film, are two examples of genre films embracing the simplistically silly premises and turning them all the way up. “The Meg” tries to do the same but never fully commits to embracing its outlandish qualities. Yes, the shark is bigger, way bigger, but the carnage and suspense that should go along with a beast of such magnitude is never accomplished. Mr. Turteltaub tries to make things suspenseful but the execution feels so cliched and the payoff fails to have the satisfaction you’d expect from a big shark movie.

Part of why “The Meg” doesn’t work is because of the script. The story succumbs to predictable setups and stiff characters. Even the usually charismatic Jason Statham, who saved B-movies like “The Transporter” and “Crank”, isn’t given much opportunity to make the role his own. And there are other talented actors hampered with paper thin roles in the film; Rainn Wilson plays an annoying billionaire and Cliff Curtis is stuck playing the sidekick role. Any suspense that the film could build when these characters are in peril is lost because of their composition.

But some viewers aren’t here for character development or story structure, some are simply here for the shark. The pure summer movie escapism factor may be the biggest reason for some to seek out “The Meg”. If that’s the case, you’ll probably have a good time watching the computer generated shark chase super-charged submersibles or stalk a crowded beach where hundreds of people are wading in the water. Still, even with that perspective in mind, it seems like there is something missing. The charm that the film should wear proudly on its sleeve is seldom appreciated. Instead the film lingers somewhere near the surface, never pursuing the depths of genre that it feels like it was aiming for.

Monte’s Rating

1.50 out of 5.00

Dark Money - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

‘Dark Money’ sheds light on a massive political problem

Directed by:  Kimberly Reed

Written by:  Kimberly Reed and Jay Arthur Sterrenberg

“Dark Money” – Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission (2010) – “Political spending is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment, and the government may not keep corporations or unions from spending money to support or denounce individual candidates in elections.”

No matter your political stripe, it is difficult to declare that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 decision on Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission is good for the country’s democracy.  This ruling – a 5-4 decision - opened up the floodgates for corporations to spend unlimited funds to influence elections, while simultaneously minimizing citizens’ voices.  This impacts democrats, republicans, independents, and other voting blocks, and the only ones who benefit are big businesses, political action committees and wealthy individuals.  Naturally, these latter groups carry their own viewpoints and/or agendas, and they now have the legal avenues to advance them in public elections. 

In director/co-writer Kimberly Reed’s documentary, she explores the impact of dark money (political advertising dollars spent by unknown sources) and spends most of her time on one specific state, Montana. 

With Montana and its residents still suffering from a brutal history of corporate corruption, the state government – decades ago - proudly passed very strict campaign finance laws, but the Citizens United decision encroaches on these protections.  Unfortunately, Montana’s state legislature - made up of teachers, farmers, homemakers, and others who still maintain their full-time jobs - becomes highly vulnerable to dark money’s adversarial influence.  

Reed sets up her picture as a whodunnit, and she introduces Montana in two ways: as a unique case study and a microcosm for the country. 

Montana is nicknamed “The Treasure State” due to its vast, mineral resources.  It’s the 4th largest state but is ranked just 44th in population, with less than a million residents.  Due to the disparity between its actual physical size and population, Montana’s politics is inherently exposed to corporate influence.  Dark money is also a national problem, and the issues plaguing this state can be found just about anywhere in the U.S.

This mystery also doubles as a horror show, because negative and false advertising can flood into local mailboxes and behave like sickening airborne viruses that float from unknown locations.  These campaign messages can shape public opinion, and investigative journalist John Adams explains that determining the original sources can prove impossible.  

This documentary carries similar bleak tones and viewer-frustration as Best Documentary Oscar winner “Inside Job” (2010), which explained – through interviews, Matt Damon’s narration and several flowcharts – the root causes of the 2008 housing collapse.  “Dark Money” steps into comparable muck, as Adams, several Montana state legislators and U.S. Senator Jon Tester help untangle the knotty concepts of corporate campaign cash. 

Reed does venture on a slightly odd turn with Adams’ personal story as a struggling print reporter living in a digital age.  This tangent does not exactly fit into the film’s premise, but Adams’ role as a truth-teller pits a human face against a massive, faceless problem. 

Reed’s film explains the problems caused by dark money, but the most powerful one is the colossal – and now abandoned – open-pit mine in Butte, Mont.  The mine is not only a brutal eyesore for the locals, but - even worse - it’s a heartbreaking, toxic disaster.  The doc would have been well-served to spend more time on this specific superfund site – one that behaves like a manmade lake of stomach acid - but perhaps that is a different movie.

“Outside Job”?  

Well, “Inside Job”, “Outside Job” and “Dark Money” are enough to inspire this critic to run for elected office, but then again, who are the corporate opponents?  Don’t know.  Great question.

(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.

Never Goin' Back - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Go towards the unruly, raw comedy ‘Never Goin’ Back’  

Written and directed by:  Augustine Frizzell

Starring:  Maia Mitchell, Camila Morrone, Kyle Mooney, Joel Allen, Kendal Smith, and Matthew Holcomb

“Never Goin’ Back” – “I know that in my past I was young and irresponsible, but that’s what growing up is.”  - Lindsay Lohan

Angela (Maia Mitchell) and Jessie (Camila Morrone) are young and irresponsible. 

They dropped out of high school, waitress at the Buttermilk Café, barely make ends meet, and begrudgingly live with other housemates, including Jessie’s brother Dustin (Joel Allen).  Ending their diploma-pursuits was not a terribly wise and graceful career move, but the girls stumble into a series of additional missteps that completely exasperate their delicate financial state of affairs in a raw comedy full of foolish antics. 

Angela and Jessie spew directionless vibes reminiscent of Dante (Brian O’Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) from “Clerks” (1994), as the girls - as well as Dustin and his friends Brandon (Kyle Mooney), Tony (Kendal Smith) and Ryan (Matthew Holcomb) – regularly engage in horrible lapses in judgment throughout the film’s 85-minute runtime.

So many bad decisions.  So little screen time.  

Writer/director Augustine Frizzell, however, makes plenty of good decisions in her directorial debut.  “Never Goin’ Back” is a very funny story about the bumpier turns of adolescence and new adulthood, a time when youthful intuition does not consider an impending consequence that can appear one year, one month, one day, or one hour after a risky choice. 

Frizzell clearly establishes a small-town Texas setting through a series of visual choices, when Angela and Jessie walk to work.  The girls pass several local business – like Bo Bo Delight Donuts and Quickway Shopping – that sit on empty concrete parking lots with thin swathes of tangled grass that rise in the pavement cracks.  Economic prosperity and upward mobility left decades ago or never existed in the first place, and no one appears thrilled with their current surroundings.  Although, an 8-year-old Buttermilk Café customer enjoys pouring a jar of maple syrup on Angela’s foot, when she takes his mom’s order. 

Ah, hopping on the I-10 freeway and heading west to California feels like unattainable-heaven, but Angela surprises Jessie with a more affordable version of bliss.  She dropped their rent money on an ocean-front cottage in Galveston!  Angela’s plan?  They work their scheduled shifts over the next group of endless days and earn enough dough to cover their rent and upcoming trip. 

Sounds perfect.  What could go wrong?

Well, from a supervisory perch, one can imagine several potential mini-calamities, and yes, many come to fruition.  Through a series of miscues, dead ends and vulgar blowups (accompanied by a sluggish rap soundtrack that may dull your senses) at least Angela’s and Jessie’s constant support and love for one another is a positive constant. 

Although the teens crudely disrespect two authority figures and regularly give each other bad advice, Mitchell and Morrone devote encouraging, best-friend energy into their characters. 

Angela and Jessie may not have the inquisitive knowhow and limitless vocabulary of Dante and Randal, but Frizzell does not write her characters with slick vernacular.  They are a sheltered pair without visible paths to expand their potential, so they lumber on life’s hamster wheel while coping with Dustin’s dumb schemes and their bad luck.  Meanwhile, their Galveston vacation seems terribly, terribly distant.

“Never Goin’ Back” is an offensive, purposely-unpolished and comedically-effective movie experience that also never distances itself from the beautiful intimacy of a close friendship.  Through massive dysfunction, this particular bond is vitally important to these young and irresponsible kids, and hey, that’s a valuable lesson for everyone, including responsible adults.

(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.

Far from the Tree - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Far From the Tree

Directed by Rachel Dretzin

Starring Andrew Solomon

A parent’s love is, or rather should be, unconditional. I don’t make this assertion lightly because I’ve known it first – hand. I know a good deal of what my parents had to endure to raise me and I feel their love even today. I am no different than the subjects in Rachel Dretzin’s documentary, “Far From the Tree,” which opens in Phoenix on Friday, August 10th.

Based on the bestselling book of the same name by Andrew Solomon, the documentary features Mr. Solomon’s story of his struggles with his sexuality and his acceptance of his parent’s support. A mother and her son are determined bring Down syndrome into the light, couple learn how to communicate with their nonverbal autistic son, a young woman deals with what it means to be the only little person in her family and parents whose love for their son only deepens after he has committed an unspeakable crime.

Dretzin’s documentary really sheds light on each subjects’ courage to persevere in the face of societal adversity in addition to their own adversity. Perspective is key in each of the stories being told and it celebrates the diversity, even as some tribal instincts seem to bubble to the surface in an effort to protect their uniqueness. As we explore each of our subjects, their own uniqueness comes to light and there is a parent or parents, or even family to provide support.

Solomon starts the story out from his own experiences of being gay, his journey and his parent’s reactions: “All parents deal with children who are not what they imagine.” This led him to look at the concept of family, not just gay families, but all families.

What Solomon uncovered is beauty in the face of adversity, that it should be celebrated and not feared. Yet, when your perspective is limited because you aren’t understood, it makes it difficult for us to cope. Dretzin takes us on a journey of self-discovery, a journey of compassion, something we don’t see too frequently, a journey of life.

There is a segment in the film that I had a challenge with, though I think it encompasses the parent’s struggles more confidently than other segments; it captured the essence of parenting, acceptance and life after a tragedy. Whoever created the trailer must’ve understood this experience as well, because it is front and center amongst all the other stories, but is no less or more important than the other experiences.

Families need to experience the joy of other’s uniqueness, especially kids. There were several instances where the subjects would mention difficulty with other kids in school settings. Acceptance of everyone is critical and understanding our differences is what makes us human.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and your idea of “normal” will be challenged at every corner of “Far From the Tree,” especially as our subjects discover themselves for what seems like the first time. The concept of “family” has just been confidently expanded, and its name is “Far From the Tree.”

Rating 3.5 out of 4

BlacKkKlansman - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

BlacKkKlansman

A Spike Lee Joint

Screenplay by Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott

Based on Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth

Starring John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace, Alec Baldwin

There is something beautiful when the film release schedule aligns to give audiences multiple different perspectives on the Human Condition. There is something even more beautiful when a film strikes the right balance between ‘topical’ and ‘human’. Following on the heels of “Get Out,” 2018 has been been lucky to have films such as “Blindspotting,” “Sorry To Bother You,” “The Equalizer 2” and now “BlacKkKlansman,” the latest Spike Lee Joint.

Each film has been able to reflect on modern society without pandering to its audience. “BlacKkKlansman” is the story of Colorado Springs police rookie Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) and his ‘true’ story of the infiltration of the Klu Klux Klan in 1979. The particulars of Stallworth’s story aren’t germane to this review because the world that Lee creates is much more than his story.

The script by Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Watchtel and Kevin Willmott is as elegant as it is incendiary. The script focuses on the characters and their settings. Stallworth is a cool cat who is out to keep peace between  . . . well, everybody. Much like John Shaft and Cleopatra Jones, Stallworth knew the risks to achieve his ends, using his intellect to gain others trust, especially his partner, Flip Zimmerman.

Much like Boots Riley’s “Sorry To Bother You,” Lee uses key phrases and pronunciations to punctuate the dialog as Ron and Flip work together to become one personality. Adam Driver’s sarcasm works perfectly with Washington’s straight-laced rookie. As I watched Ron and Flip’s characters develop, I was reminded, perhaps too easily of Riggs and Murtaugh from the “Lethal Weapon” series: there was an initial lack of trust in one another, but as they learned how each other ticked, they found a rhythm – neither individual was perfect, but as a duo, they were terrific. This is the film’s greatest strength.

While trying to avoid getting either he or Flip killed, Stallworth falls head over heels for Patrice Dumas (Laura Harrier). She is the stunning personification of Pam Grier and Tamara Dobson: she is as intelligent as Ron, is less trusting than he of authority and is of strong character; she is not vulnerable and that’s an important distinction in her character as the film progresses.

Topher Grace personifies “Make America Great Again,” from a 1970’s perspective. The interesting dynamic with his character is how gullible David Duke was. Grace’s performance plays right into the idiosyncrasies inherent in Stallworth and Flip. That’s because Lee understands the context of the characters and their framework.

The supporting cast is no less important than our main characters. If anything, they are the fabric of this story. Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton”) plays Kwame Ture, a freedom fighter organizing the local college students in a protest. Jasper Paakkonen plays Felix Kendrickson, a member of the local Klan. His distrusting nature makes the character unintentionally funny. You laugh at his prejudices, but you find a common ground with which to understand his position as well, not that you agree with it. Paul Walter Hauser (“I, Tonya”, “Super Troopers 2”) spends much of the movie in a drunken slur, but he plays Ivanhoe as a loveable twat. Like Felix, you know there’s a dangerous side to him, but we’re dissuaded from exploring it. Ryan Eggold’s Walter Breachway is the bridge between the two worlds as the local Klan leader. He’s straight laced, but is less distrusting than Felix, making it easier for the story to flow.

Alec Baldwin plays Dr. Kennebrew Beaureguard, who narrates the story. His soft voice sets the tone, but never takes us out of the story.

If I’ve spent too much time talking about the characters, it’s because they are so integral to the story and the world that Lee created. Equally important are the technical crafts. Chayse Irvin’s cinematography captures the essence of 1970’s Colorado Springs by way of upstate New York. The number of interior shots and the lighting recreated the shadowy feel of the 1970’s, where distrust ruled the day. Key interior locations were framed to capture the mood of each scene.

The key to this film’s success is in its pacing. While it runs 135 minutes, Barry Alexander Brown’s editing is superb. We get a sense of who these characters are and we want to be a part of their world. This is Brown’s sixth collaboration with Spike Lee, and it shows. Jazz musician Terence Blanchard is also a frequent collaborator with Spike Lee. In fact, people familiar with their works will recognize a familiar piece of music towards the end of the film. Blanchard keeps the pacing of his score light while underscoring the dramatic tension.

I could spend all day talking about my love for this film. It is no coincidence that Focus Features planned the release date with the one year anniversary of the Charlottesville rally. The fight for equality continues even today. We can share a chuckle at these characters and their situations. Hopefully this brings us closer to the table where we can find our commonalities, a continuing struggle for the Human Condition. Spike Lee’s Joint reflects on what was while playing towards our modern sensibilities.

Rating 4 out of 4 stars

Christopher Robin - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Christopher Robin

Director: Marc Forster

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Bronte Carmichael, Jim Cummings, Brad Garrett, Nick Mohammed, Peter Capaldi, Toby Jones, Sophie Okonedo, and Mark Gatiss

“Silly old bear”. After a pleasant picnic and day of doing nothing, young Christopher Robin sits atop a grassy hillside with his best friend Winnie the Pooh. Christopher is leaving the Hundred Acre Wood to go to school and his friends are having a celebration to say goodbye. Then an event that is rarely explored in children’s stories happens, Christopher Robin goes to boarding school, gets married, goes to war, has a child, and grows old of childish things.

Director Marc Forster adapts author A. A. Milne’s poems about the lovable stuffed bear and fellow forest friends into a whimsical tale that stresses the importance of family and the bonds we have to the past. Mr. Forster approaches the story with a steady emphasis on the simplistic joy that the stories of Winnie the Pooh brought but also the harsh realities of adulthood.

Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) has grown into a preoccupied corporate specialist for a luggage company. Failing sales leads to Christopher being tasked with working an entire weekend to make cuts to personnel at his job, it also means that he is going to have to bail on a weekend getaway with his wife (Hayley Atwell) and daughter (Bronte Carmichael). But as Christopher is about to forget the lessons he learned as a child, his old friend Winnie the Pooh leaves the Hundred Acre Wood to find him in London.

“Christopher Robin” is functioning on pure nostalgia for a large majority of it’s 104 minute runtime. The story is simple and reminiscent of “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “Where the Wild Things Are” without the deeper complications or metaphors found in those films. Director Marc Forster focuses on telling a heartwarming tale and not much else; the film operates without much to worry about except to reacquaint and introduce viewers to a story about friendship with Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet. It’s a sweet yet unfortunately hallow experience.

The computer generated composition of the furry characters is jarring at first but quickly turns into something quite amusing because it looks like the human characters are actually interacting with stuffed animals. The voice work is also nicely rendered; veteran voice actor Jim Cummings gives Winnie the Pooh the relaxed and easy-going demeanor the character is known for while Brad Garrett steals the show as the deadpanning Eeyore.

The character Christopher Robin, played by Ewan McGregor, seems to be the biggest problem with the film. The overdone development of the character feels forced when compared with the simplistic tone the film is obviously aiming for. When Winnie the Pooh and friends join in the adventure the film takes on a mixture of wonder and whimsy that works very well. Once Christopher mets up with his childhood friends the film moves into a awkward realm that disregards the coming-of-age aspects and instead focuses on the rigors of adult life. It never finds the balance achieved when Winnie the Pooh and friends are left to their own guidance.

Still, there is something magical about the characters from the Hundred Acre Wood. When Christopher Robin returns, crawling back into the world he helped create as a child, it feels like you are entering the pages of the storybook. You begin to feel why these characters are so powerful even in their most basic structure. Call it nostalgia, call it movie magic, either way it’s a feeling that makes you forget about the real world for a short time. I wish the film did more of this, “oh bother”.

Monte’s Rating

3.00 out of 5.00

Puzzle - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Macdonald shines and warmly fits in ‘Puzzle’ 

Directed by:  Marc Turtletaub

Written by:  Polly Mann and Oren Moverman, based on Natalia Smirnoff’s original screenplay

Starring:  Kelly Macdonald, Irrfan Khan and David Denman

“Puzzle” – “Every day is sort of a jigsaw puzzle.  You have to make sure that you’re putting the most important things first.” – Julia Hartz, Eventbrite CEO

“I might be good at this.” – Agnes (Kelly Macdonald)

Louie (David Denman) is content.  He enjoys fixing cars at his auto repair shop in a small town located about a half hour from New York City.  He married Agnes, they have two boys (their youngest Gabe (Austin Abrams) is ready to graduate high school) and they own a beautiful  getaway cabin on a scenic lake.  He has it all.  His life fits.

Based on her experiences, expectations and available choices, Agnes’ life fits as well.  A homemaker, Agnes is sweet, introverted, always puts her family first, and carries out her responsibilities – like shopping, making dinner and keeping a nice home – to perfection, although not obsessively so. 

In fact, her oldest says, “You do a million things, and you are good at all of them.”

Modesty is another of Agnes’ virtues.

On her birthday, she received a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, completed it within a morning and unknowingly begins a new passion and tangential journey. 

Director Mark Turtletaub and writers Polly Mann and Oren Moverman – who adapted this story from director/writer Natalia Smirnoff’s Argentinian picture “The Puzzle” (2009) – starts the audience’s journey by squarely presenting Agnes’ space in plain view within the movie’s first few minutes.  Turtletaub dims the lighting within Louie and Agnes’ house.  Not only during her evening birthday party, but no matter what time of day - other than the first sight of morning in the master bedroom – their place feels slightly dusky.

During the film’s first hour, Agnes, however, discovers her own light through a new and encouraging friend Robert (Irrfan Khan), who has a similar affinity for solving jigsaw puzzles.  Khan plays Robert as a bit of a lost soul, but a confident one within his own abilities, and Agnes learns self-assurance through him.  They spend their time conversationally, due to the nature of their shared interest, but their talks are not casual in nature.  Since Agnes is a woman of few words and rarely expresses her own needs and wishes, their moments of discourse don’t demand our attention, but organically draw us in, as we hang on every movement and sound. 

Macdonald shines as the lead, and her movements and spoken words feel authentic and true.  Macdonald has been a recognizable, successful actress for two decades now, beginning with her celebrated debut as the object of Mark Renton’s (Ewan McGregor) affections in “Trainspotting” (1996).  She always seems to bestow rich supporting performances and sometimes transforms or camouflages within her work.  Her turn as Llewelyn’s (Josh Brolin) inquisitive wife Carla Jean in “No Country for Old Men” (2007) is a prime example.  Agnes and Carla Jean are quite similar.  Both wives truly hold gifts that go unutilized and unnoticed, and they are married to men who earn all (or nearly all) the household’s income and make every significant life-decision.

Here, Agnes gradually begins to notice her potential through Macdonald’s gentle energy and nuanced feelings that peek through small looks, glances and thoughts.  Macdonald delivers the warmest, most welcoming performance of the year (so far), and naturally, her completed puzzles reflect Agnes’ cordiality.  Even though this housewife’s current existence appears ordinary, the images in her puzzles are moving, classical artworks or contemporary images splashed with vibrant colors.  That’s no coincidence. 

Oh, but cinematically, is constructing multiple puzzles a palatable viewing exercise for moviegoers?  Yes, because Agnes is connecting to much more than a hobby or passion, and she just might launch her desire to put the most important things first.

(3.5/4 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.