Rapid Reviews: St. Vincent and Men, Women & Children

The Philadelphia Film Festival delivered a special treat on its Opening Night. With Alejandro G. Inarritu's Birdman as the main attraction, the evening also featured a viewing of Theodore Melfi's directorial debut, St. Vincent, starring the legendary comedic performer Bill Murray.

St. Vincent is a charming little film that's rough around the edges thanks to Murray's wonderful title-character turn as a grouchy Vietnam War veteran who's cornered into taking his new neighbor's son under his wing. Broke and desperate for a steady source of income, Vin becomes an unconventional babysitter of sorts as he leads young Oliver on trips to the race track and teaches the boy how to defend himself. This appealing tale transforms the typical anti-hero into a special kind of role model on the backbone of Murray's innate ability to muster up the laughs. In addition to Murray, comedic forces such as Melissa McCarthy and Chris O'Dowd offer their own bright spots to St. Vincent and the overall effect is a winning effort for the film's first-time director.

Although St. Vincent is nothing groundbreaking or exceptional, it's a solid film that's destined to please the mass audiences. Fans of Murray will not be disappointed, as the actor gives the level of performance that has an outside chance of earning him the type of awards season recognition he hasn't seen since in nearly a decade.


Stars: 3 stars out of 4

Grade: B+




Just prior to the onset of the Philadelphia Film Festival, I was able to catch a screening of Jason Reitman's technology centered drama, Men, Women & Children. Reitman's career got off to a brilliant start with adored titles such as Thank You for Smoking, Juno and Up in the Air, all of which represent a caliber of filmmaking that catches people's attention. However, Reitnman's more recent work has fizzles into mediocre lately with last year's Labor Day and now his newest release.

Weaving together multiple interconnected stories between local families in a small community and the effects that technology has on their lives, good or bad, Men, Women & Children is an ambitious attempt that never feels as grand as its obvious intention. Adam Sandler embraces a return to dramatic acting and performs well in his role as the husband of a distanced couple who both test the extramarital affair waters. Yet, the most intriguing story of the bunch comes from two phenomenal young talents, Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars) and Kaitlyn Dever (Short Term 12 and Laggies), who most effectively capture the emotions of the audience. However, their gripping love story can only take the film so far and Men, Women & Children is otherwise bogged down by multiple hollow stories.

Reitman's ambition is certainly commendable, yet his final result never quite stacks up. 2013 delivered a similar themed film called Disconnect that also shed light on technology's powerful force on human life and interaction, but did so in a much more impressive fashion. While I would suggest skipping on Men, Women & Children, I highly recommend seeking out Disconnect for anyone interested in the film's subject matter.


Stars: 2 stars out of 4

Grade: C+

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Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Film: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Starring: Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice), Emma Stone (The Help) and Edward Norton (Moonrise Kingdom)

Director: Alejandro G. Inarritu (Babel)

U.S. Release: October 17th, 2014 (Limited Release - Rated R)

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 119 minutes


The 23rd annual Philadelphia Film Festival kicked off last night in a less than grand fashion. After an unexpected last-minute issue with the projector, a venue change was quickly arranged and delayed the evening by nearly an hour and a half. Set to jump-start the festival was Alejandro G. Inarritu's latest cinematic achievement, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Inarritu has taken the industry by storm with prior successes such as 21 Grams, Babel and the foreign hit Biutiful, so needless to say the buzz was swirling for his upcoming release. Unfortunately, for me, the expectations soared high above the finished product.

Michael Keaton stars as Riggan Thomson, a has-been actor who once ruled the entertainment world as the lead man behind the iconic superhero franchise, Birdman. Since his time atop the proverbial mountain, Riggan has faded from the limelight but is making one final attempt to reclaim past glory with the premier of his Broadway play. However, Riggan struggles to balance his overwhelming ego with a volatile new castmate (played by Edward Norton) and a crumbling family life.

Films like Birdman make for easy critiques. Guaranteed to be a polarizing watch, one that my gut believes the general public will find disappointing on many levels, Alejandro G. Inarritu's new title leaves the door open for massive amounts of discussion. On one hand, the technical accomplishments surrounding Birdman are nothing short of immaculate. Intended to feel like an uncut and unedited film, which is by no means an easy task, Inarritu's effort requires fully committed performances from all of its actors. And believe me, there is no shortage of brilliant tour de force performances here. It all begins with the feature's leading star, Michael Keaton, who shines brightest. Keaton feels like an all-around perfect fit for the role, only to be complemented by other towering performances from co-stars Edward Norton, Emma Stone and Zach Galifianakis. Thankfully, each and every character is delivered with a soulful turn that ultimately keeps an otherwise damaged film afloat.

For all of Birdman's technical conquests and wonderfully acted efforts, Inarritu's film is a falsely advertised and tiresome tale. Being pitched as a dark comedy, the laughs are far too sparse to justify such a label. And for anyone expecting an action-fueled superhero-eque type of movie, you couldn't be further from the truth. Instead, Birdman straddles the line of surrealism in order to tell the unoriginal story of a man's obsession with reclaiming the spotlight and, more importantly, leaving behind a legacy. After nearly two hours of the same old song and dance, the film blows past a golden opportunity to gift wrap its message and regrettably overextends its finale in an irritating fashion.

Birdman is well deserving of its praises as a spectacular piece of filmmaking, further elevated by grand performances from a long list of gifted actors. However, Inarritu's common history of poor pacing and prolonged endings leaves a bitter mark on the film. While I entered the Philadelphia Film Festival with the belief that Birdman was a viable contender for Best Picture, I certainly have my doubts now.


Stars: 2 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: B-

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A November to Remember

While I was running over my tentative movie-watching schedule for the 23rd annual Philadelphia Film Festival, which kicks off tomorrow night with two high profiles films, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's powerhouse Oscar-contender, Birdman, and newcomer Theordore Melfi's St. Vincent, I began to think about the huge slate of titles coming to theatres this November. Whether you're in the mood for highly-touted festival darlings with Academy Awards aspirations or new installments to blockbuster franchises, November is sure to offer a little something for everybody.

On November 7th the wait is finally over for Christopher Nolan's long-awaited epic sci-fi drama, Interstellar. With a slow but steady stream of new footage constantly being released in all of its many theatrical trailers, moviegoers are beginning to formulate what the film's about and it could be downright spectacular.

Then, just one week later in a limited capacity, Bennett Miller's gripping dark drama, Foxcatcher, will finally arrive in theatres. As someone who's been waiting desperately for the film ever since it dropped out of last year's awards season contention, I couldn't be more excited. Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo all appear to give knockout performances as a mentally ill multi-millionaire and the pair of Olympic-wrestling siblings he paid to train at his Foxcatcher Farms facility. We've officially been given our first in-depth look at Foxcatcher with the release of its newest trailer (below), and it looks to have all the makings of a major Oscar-contender.





There are plenty of other festival-circuit films coming to the big screen this November that could make a splash at the Academy Awards. First up is Morten Tyldum's The Imitation Game, a Centerpiece selection at this month's Philadelphia Film Festival which comes out in limited release on November 21st. The World War II drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch won the highly-regarded Audience Award at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. Almost all of the recent winners have gone on to have successful awards season runs.

Two other Oscar-hopefuls include Jon Stewart's Rosewater (11/14 limited), which tells the story of a journalist who was unjustly imprisoned in Iran for over 100 days, and the Stephen Hawking biopic, The Theory of Everything (11/7 limited). Both have played marginally well on the festival circuit and have moderate to outside chances at receiving some recognition from the Academy.

And finally, if the Oscar talk is not really your "thing", there are plenty of blockbuster options coming to theatres this November as well. First up is the long-awaited sequel Dumb and Dumber To (11/14 nationwide). While I've openly denounced the idea of a follow-up feature, especially after 20 years since its initial debut, there's still no doubt that I'll venture to the movies to catch what happens next with Harry and Lloyd.





With a brand new official trailer for the comedy sequel Horrible Bosses 2 (11/26 nationwide) that's featured above, fans of the off and running franchise can look forward to its trio of imbeciles getting caught up in all crazy kinds of shenanigans once again. The last, but not least, title finding the big screen in November is the action blockbuster, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (11/21 nationwide). Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss in the first of two parts for the franchise's final story.

There will be something for everyone to enjoy this November. Make sure you take advantage of the fantastic slate of features and savor the movie-theatre experience on a big screen ... the way movies were meant to be watched.

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The Imitation Game and Focus Trailers

After taking home the highly coveted Audience Award from the Toronto International Film Festival, Morten Tyldum's The Imitation Game instantly became an early front-runner in the Best Picture race. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as English mathematician Alan Turing who built a machine that helped crack the Nazi's Enigma code and change the course of World War II. As a Centerpiece selection at this year's Philadelphia Film Festival later this month, The Imitation Game hits theatres everywhere in late-November.





In 2015, directing duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa return to the con-man comedy genre with Focus. After a successful indie debut with I Love You Phillip Morris, the pair of filmmakers hit it big with 2011's beloved comedy, Crazy, Stupid, Love. Their upcoming release finds Will Smith as a brilliant con artist who takes a beautiful seductress (The Wolf of Wall Street's Margot Robbie) under his wing. Things really get difficult, however, once these two untrustworthy criminals get romantically involved. Focus finds its way to the big screen in late February, 2015.

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DVD Outlook: October 2014

October has arrived and theatres everywhere are starting to fill with worthwhile options such as Gone Girl and this weekend's newcomer, Kill the Messenger. But if you've already muscled through all of September's exceptional DVD selections, this month also has plenty of stellar titles to choose from. Here are a few films definitely worth checking out on DVD throughout October.

Million Dollar Arm - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

I know what you're thinking. Here's another hokey and overly sentimental sports story from the Disney collection, but you couldn't be further from the truth. Million Dollar Arm tells an interesting true story of a financially strapped sports agent (played by Jon Hamm) who takes one last shot at tapping into the Indian market for the next wave of MLB pitching prospects. While there, he discovers two talented young men desperate to try anything in order to turn their fortunes around. Outside of a remarkable true tale, Million Dollar Arm boasts a plethora of fun and lovable characters that add an enormous amount of charm to the feature. It's in no way one of the greatest sports movies of all-time, but the film does stand out as a worthy viewing option. (October 7th)




Begin Again - 2 and a half stars out of 4 - (Read my condensed review here)

Best known for his 2006 romantic Irish movie musical, Once, director John Carney continues to embrace the music theme in this year's film, Begin Again. Mark Ruffalo stars as Dan, a binge-drinking record executive who's fired from the same company he helped build. Across the city Keira Knightley plays Gretta, a talented musician whose boyfriend (played by Maroon 5's Adam Levine) is becoming a huge star. After he breaks off their relationship, Gretta performs an original song at a small bar in the city where Dan catches the performance and it ignites a desire to make a record. Together they embark on a journey of rediscovery and musical passion. Begin Again is full of laughs, emotion and redemption. Begin Again tells a simple, yet tender, story that's delivered well thanks to strong performances from its leading duo. (October 28th)




The Grand Seduction - 2 and a half stars out of 4 - (No review available)

One of the finest goofball comedies of the year was Don McKellar's, The Grand Seduction. A personal favorite of mine, the underrated Brendan Gleeson, stars as Murray French, an aging and unemployed resident of a tiny fishing village called Tickle Cove. When Murray discovers that his village needs a doctor in order to secure a local contract for a factory that will help save Tickle Cove from financial disaster, the community bands together to lure a young physician (Taylor Kitsch) into sticking around. The Grand Seduction is full of legitimate laughs that help ease an otherwise long-winded affair. Gleeson, Kitsch and company all play their parts very well and help elevate The Grand Seduction into a well-made crowd-pleaser. (October 7th)


Honorable Mention: Two major titles I haven't seen but keep hearing rave reviews about are X-Men: Days of Future Past (10/14) and the sci-fi thriller Snowpiercer (10/21). At Sundance I enjoyed the George Takei documentary To Be Takei (10/7) and the indie comedy Obvious Child (10/7) proved to be a breakout for its female lead, Jenny Slate. Mediocre efforts like Tom Cruise's Edge of Tomorrow (10/7) and the horror sequel The Purge: Anarchy (10/21) find their way to DVD this month as well. And finally, I recommend staying away from the new Seth MacFarlane comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West (10/7) and the indie zombie comedy Life After Beth (10/21) but both films are also available in October.

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American Sniper and Interstellar (NEW) Trailers

Clint Eastwood's directing career has been on a bit of a down swing lately after misfires such as Jersey Boys, J. Edgar and Hereafter. But Eastwood's at it again this year with American Sniper, a Navy SEAL's (Bradley Cooper) account of the 150+ confirmed kills during his military career. And as this debut teaser trailer confirms, the situations and intensity turn American Sniper into an eye-opening examination of an usual and sometimes difficult career path.





We're only about a month out from Christopher Nolan's latest work, Interstellar. A more dramatic and ambitious effort finds Matthew McConaughey as a masterful pilot who joins a team of explorers on a mission to the far reaches of outer space in order to discover a new world capable of sustaining human life after Earth's resources begin to dwindle. Nolan put his stamp on the superhero genre with his The Dark Knight trilogy, and this November he hopes to do the same with an epic sci-fi adventure like nothing we've ever scene. Be sure to check out the newest Interstellar trailer below.

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Gone Girl

Film: Gone Girl

Starring: Ben Affleck (Argo) and Rosamund Pike (The World's End)

Director: David Fincher (The Social Network)

U.S. Release: October 3rd, 2014 (Rated R)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 149 minutes


There aren't many directors floating around Hollywood who can churn out high quality films at an expedited rate like the great David Fincher. Although this master of dark-natured cinema has only found himself at the big dance twice, nominated for The Social Network and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fincher has branded himself as one of the premier filmmakers in the industry with gritty works like Se7en, Fight Club and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And to be perfectly clear, the director's latest addition to his overflowing portfolio, the adapted mystery Gone Girl, manages to stack up pretty well against any of his other previous hits.

When Nick Dunne (played by Ben Affleck) returns home on the morning of his 5th wedding anniversary, signs of a struggle and no word from his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), prompt him to alert the authorities. As Nick battles to process this chain of events, all signs of the investigation slowly begin to point to him. With the world turning against him, thanks to an onslaught of media-driven finger-pointing, Nick will stop at nothing to prove his innocence. But one haunting question still remains ... did he do it?

This year's latest blockbuster release, Gone Girl, is an entertainingly wild affair filled with twists and turns at every corner. Nothing is ever what it seems, and all of the suspense and mystery boils down to an edge of your seat thrill ride that proves to be utterly unpredictable. Ben Affleck gives one of the strongest performances of his career, but still happens to be overshadowed by the onscreen brilliance of his counterpart, Rosamund Pike. Move over all you Hollywood starlets, Pike has officially "arrived" and her jockeyed position in the Best Actress race feels all but assured. I think it's safe to say we can all expect to see a lot more of Pike in the upcoming years. In addition to a pair of leads who do an exceptional job of carrying the film, director David Fincher manages to get the most out of his secondary characters with noteworthy turns from Carrie Coon, Tyler Perry and Kim Dickens as well. Gone Girl's performances and unforeseen story help catapult the film into one of the best pictures of the year.

Despite the movie's impressively eerie tone, something Fincher always tends to capture well, a few mitigating factors are apparent. With a sluggish third act that could admittedly go on forever, Gone Girl's nearly 150-minute running time doesn't go unnoticed. However, each and every shocking surprise you encounter makes it worth the ride. Furthermore, it's impossible to ignore the unrealistic manner in which some of the police and hospital procedures are conducted. Although it's mostly meant for dramatic effect, ignoring standard protocol lessens the authenticity to some extent. Yet, all of Gone Girl's shortcomings eventually fade to the background and allow the audience to be consumed by a whirlwind of intrigue and anticipation.

With a screenplay written by author Gillian Flynn herself, fans of the best-selling novel are guaranteed to appreciate David Fincher's brilliantly directed adaptation. And for everyone who never read the book, much like myself, you will also be impressed. From top to bottom Gone Girl is a stellar piece of filmmaking that sets the bar high for countless other late-year releases. Make sure you get to the movie theatre and enjoy one of 2014's finest features.


Stars: 3 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: B+

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Rapid Reviews: The Equalizer and This Is Where I Leave You

The anticipated collaboration between Training Day director, Antoine Fuqua, and actor Denzel Washington, who received an Oscar Nomination for his role as a crooked cop, has opened to some impressive box office numbers and wavering reviews. Yet, The Equalizer is a far cry from the earlier success the tag-team attained over a decade ago.

While Training Day exemplified clever writing, gritty performances and a perfect up-tempo pacing, The Equalizer struggles in each of these important areas. Denzel is in usual form, but nothing spectacular. And as a result, the rest of the feature's flimsy components fail to sustain a winning effort. Outstretched to a fault and including the unforgivable trait of having events transpire conveniently for the plot's sake, The Equalizer unravels in a disappointing manner.

Perhaps elevated expectations enhance my dissatisfaction, but the fact remains that The Equalizer misuses its elements of action and suffers from severe pacing issues. If you're seeking out a worthwhile trip to your local movie theatre, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.


Stars: 2 stars out of 4

Grade: C




Another film currently out in theatres is the Tina Fey and Jason Bateman dramedy, This Is Where I Leave You. The film proves to be a letdown on multiple levels. While it struggles to scrape by on it's humor, the jokes are few and far between. Even when the movie swindles a laugh out of you, it's never very sustained.

Rather than deliver a high volume of comedy, screenwriter and author Jonathan Trooper attempts to lure the audience with dramatics, all of which feel insincere and misplaced. Unlike some other recent Saturday Night Live alumni who have tackled serious acting with natural ease (i.e. Kristin Wiig and Bill Hader in The Skeleton Twins), Tina Fey has proven to be a bit out of her league. I will always appreciate her knack for perfectly timed humor, yet every storyline involving Fey's character is flimsy and ineffective.

Then there's Jason Bateman. I've been an admittedly harsh critique of his in the past, however, I found an reasonable amount of appreciation in this role. But despite my affinity for Bateman's performance, a prolonged ending and over-dramatized vibe prove to be the overriding factors.


Stars: 2 stars out of 4

Grade: C

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