THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY  Part I    3.0***

 

            It seems that it has become an unofficial Hollywood money-making policy that, when adapting successful young adult novels for the screen, the last entry in the series must be divided into two separate films. The Harry Potter series did this to great financial effect, as did The Twilight Saga.  The upside to this approach is that filmmakers don't have to pare down the final book as much; they can include more of the story by spreading it out a little. The downside is that the first half of the finale tends to be a lot of setup for a payoff that comes about a year later. That can make it a less-than-satisfying experience in and of itself.  Mockingjay – Part 1 suffers from that downside  but still offers something new to the franchise which helps mitigate the half-a-story syndrome.

 

The plot picks up with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in District 13 after the spectacular ending to the last Games. President Coin of District 13 (Julianne Moore) and former Game maker Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who rescued her, are leading a rebellion against the oppressive Capitol. They want Katniss to be the face of that rebellion. She initially resists, but then learns that President Snow (Donald Sutherland) has Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) at the Capitol, and is using him to campaign against the rebellion. In order to save Peeta, Katniss reluctantly agrees to become the public symbol of the rebellion. Katniss is filmed in a series of dramatic propaganda TV videos designed to encourage everyone in the remaining districts to rise up.

 

The movie is a worthy entry in the series because it does something very important. Mockingjay – Part 1 is an astute examination of a political rebellion and how masses are motivated and manipulated.  The film explores concepts of propaganda, myth-making and the ethics of deciding when/how to put people in danger.  It's fascinating stuff which makes the relative lack of big-ticket action go down a little easier  while also sergving as a huge promo for the big 2015 finale.  As always, Jennifer Lawrence anchors it all, bringing raw emotion to her role. Political machinations can be interesting in and of themselves, yet having such a relatable heroine gives them genuine weight here. Lawrence provides Katniss with just the right amount of hesitation. She may not be fighting for her life this time, but she's most definitely fighting for her soul and her morality, so the stakes are still high.

 

The look and feel of the film is different from the first two. There is much less action ( no games and none of the spectacle) and the Capitol scenes are brief and mostly in tight shots focusing on Snow, Peeta, or the unctuous interviewer Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci). We do get a sense of the sparse military/living conditions in District 13, where  Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) can’t get any alcohol drinks, Effie (Elizabeth Banks) can’t get any  make-up or costumes, and even Katniss has to demand that her sister be allowed to keep her cat.

 

Another problem  with the movie is the story doesn’t come to a satisfying end but rather to an abrupt intermission-type ending with a I year wait for the finale. Those who haven’t read the books will likely feel frustrated and those who haven’t seen the other movies shouldn’t even bother.

 

Clark

 

INTERSTELLAR  3.8***

             “Interstellar” is an epic story about the earth dying, with its soil no longer able to sustain crops other than corn, and the inevitably extinction of humanity. Our hero is an ex-NASA test pilot named Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a typical ordinary-guy-in-an-extraordinary-situation  who's also a dedicated family man, especially toward his daughter, Murphy.  Cooper is summoned by a now-defunct NASA to become humanity's last hope in finding a new home, for they have found a wormhole near Saturn  which will time-warp the astronauts’ spaceship to another galaxy in a quest for a habitable planet.  

 

Many filmgoers will find similarities to  Stanley Kubrick's “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) in the sense that they are not whiz-bang sci-fi action movies  but more of a  slow-building, thinking person’s sci-fi movie . The space scenes are serenely suspenseful just like in last year’s “Gravity”, but unlike the documentary feel of Gravity, there's a real gusto and pace to these scenes. The visuals  are majestic and very innovative, particularly in the third act where whole new dimensions of time and space are created and thus where you should be prepared for unexpected twists. “Interstellar” is more than just sci-fi, it is also a human drama intertwined in space and a time loop.

The emotional core of this story is the relationship of  McConaughey's character, Cooper,   and his daughter, Murphy  ( by the way, three very talented actresses play the character of Murphy at different ages: Mackenzie Foy, Jessica Chastain & Ellen Burstyn).  For the role of Cooper, they needed an actor who could be an everyday guy who is experiencing incredible circumstances and McConaughey plays the role perfectly, and masterfully displays the emotions required of a man who has to drop everything, especially his family when he knows he probably may never see them again. You can see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice and your heart rises and falls with his emotions  . Anne Hathaway,  Michael Caine, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Ellen Burstyn and other actors do a fine job as the supporting characters. ( NOTE; the cast has  6… yes 6 Oscar winners.. count them). Also, it should be noted that there are two robots that accompany our heroes in this difficult journey….robots unlike any you’ve ever seen before. They add a touch of humor and fascination to the film, which helps to offset the at times depressing, dramatic, and sometimes really dark atmosphere.

 

But this unparalleled adventure of space, time and humanity would not have happened but for the vision and creativity of Christopher Nolan who co-wrote and directed the film. As with his other notable movies, Nolan works with the very best technical talents, many of whom are award-winners in their fields, and very likely will be nominated for this film  At the end of the day, all I can say is that” Interstellar” is a grand film. It is monolithic, thoughtful, sentimental, sophisticated, visceral and has few flaws ( those being  a less than smooth flowing script and the length at 169 minutes ( that’s only 11 min. short of 3 hrs)) .

 

I highly recommend you see this on a big screen at a movie theatre and preferably at an IMAX theatre.

 

Rated PG-13 for some intense perilous action and brief strong language ( but a “soft” PG-13)

 

Clark

 

NOTE: RE Director Christopher Nolan, here is a list, and what a list it is, of the movies he has directed:

 

 2014 Interstellar

 2012 The Dark Knight Rises

 2010 Inception

 2008 The Dark Knight

 2006 The Prestige

 2005 Batman Begins

 2002 Insomnia

 2000 Memento

 1998 Following

 

   

Birdman: or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) 3***  

       

            This is a story about Rigger Thompson (played masterfully by Micha4el Keaton) a man who once was a BIG time movie star as the hero in 3  “Birdman” comic book movies. After he found the sequels and franchise being less an artistic venture and more  a money making gimmick, he quit.. He then has to suffer through a 20 year gap where he was never able to toss the cape and  simply be an actor. He hopes to make a comeback as director, writer, and starring actor in his Broadway play . The movie begins 3 days before opening night of the play.

 

Michael Keaton has been given the definitive role of his career, and he puts the opportunity to awesome use. The supporting ensemble cast including Emma Stone as his estranged daughter;  Zach Galifinakis as his manager; and Naomi Watts and Edward Norton as his fellow actors in the play are all also great. It's obvious everybody sank their teeth into their roles with abandon. The level of intensity is on a par with the ultra-intense 1966 "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"  about four people having emotional meltdowns. In this story, it's Keaton's central character who's losing his grip on reality, and the audience is along for the strange and  tumultuous ride. Along with some gritty realism comes  an interesting touch of magic :  telekinesis and flying (real or imagined ??), both not so weird given the creative energy that seems to come out of the walls.

 Visually, this film has done what few films even attempt to do. Using the 'one shot' technique where the whole film looks as if it is one seamlessly continuous shot is not only a brilliant piece of camera work, but also gives you the sensation of it unfolding right before your eyes in real life. Other films use the element of fast film  with jump cuts and time lapses and you tend to  lose track of where you are and what’s happening. In this movie the transitions are utterly seamless. It is a joy to watch such beautiful pacing in a film. The cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezi will surely be nominated for an Oscar and should be a front-runner as will Michael Keaton for Best Actor.

 

A few caveats: Parts of the script are predictable  and the story premise itself isn't original and has had variations done many times before (a middle-aged former superstar actor  who's fallen on hard times goes for one last shot at redemption in a winner-takes- all gamble). Having said that, the combined talents in this movie manage to put together an extraordinary work of art, flaws and all, and for those who are tired of Hollywood caped crusaders and CGI explosions, will find this to be a fascinating alternative. A feast for the eyes, ears and brain..

 

Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content and brief violence.

 

Clark

 

 

 

 

 

NIGHTCRAWLER  3.0***

 

        A “nightcrawler” is an ugly and slimy animal that surfaces at night and feeds upon live and dead organisms,  a more than apt title for  this riveting  new film. In “Nightcrawler”, the creepy crawly creature  is one. Louis Bloom. Bloom ( Jake Gyllenhaal) is a true sociopath, lacking any kind of empathy or feeling for anyone. In fact the only living thing he seems to care about is his house plant that has pride of place next to the TV. He's a scavenger and a thief, completely unemployable. That is until he happens upon a car accident on the highway, stops to investigate, and bumps into a news crew video filming it. He suddenly gets an epiphany - that's what he wants to do with his life; that's how he can earn himself a lot of money.

 

The film then follows him as he embarks on his new “calling” and each instance sees him pushing the boundaries of legality and morality a little bit further… all to get the most graphic bloody shots. .Louis is the extreme embodiment of some of today's worst paparazzi. He has no care for his subjects - just getting the best shot of them to earn him the most money. But there's more. He's egotistical, ambitious, manipulative, and curious. There isn't much he won't do in order to further his goals including  threatening and blackmailing those around him. Bloom is one of  the most detestable character I've seen in ages. He's a soulless scavenger rummaging through the misfortunes of others, feeding off accidents and violent crimes, sometimes while they're still happening. But the TV news station keeps buying what he's selling as viewer ratings spike with each successive gory scene shown.. For the TV news the saying is : “If it bleeds, it leads” .

 

Gyllenhaal arguably gives one of the  best performance of his career in a role that substantially differentiates from his earlier work. He looks gaunt and creepy… he lost over 20 lbs and worked out diligently to create the scary appearance.

 Gyllenhaal's performance is flawless and terrifying. His creepy, relaxed composure is a perfect foil for the madness he hides inside. Rene Russo is quite good  as a veteran TV news producer whose moral compass has spun out.  

 

Nightcrawler is a  riveting and disturbing story set against the haunting backdrop of night-time L.A. This is definitely not an easy film to watch.  It can  be rather disturbing at times. And you find yourself feeling guilty for  rooting for Bloom even though you know you really shouldn't. All in all, this is  one of the most riveting and engaging films I have this year.  

 

Rated R for violence including graphic images, and for language.

 

Clark

 

FURY  2.5***

 

           It’s April, 1945, as the Allies make their final push into Germany.  A battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy ( Brad Pitt) commands a Sherman tank (named “Fury”) and  his crew now includes a rookie soldier with no combat experience. The story is your typical band of brothers squad: you have your messed up in the head character, your overly religious character, your emotionally scarred leader, an innocent inexperienced young man and a Mexican This time it is a tank squad, which offers a different perspective on war and its battles.

 

'Fury' strives to capture the insanity and chaos of war, not only that created by the 'enemy in the distance' but also by Allied fighters. Just as Nazi soldiers are displayed gunning down civilians, we also see Fury's crew harassing German citizens and coldly executing captured unarmed soldiers. In contrast, there are other scenes where not only Fury's crew, but also German soldiers, are seen acting humanely and selflessly. The message would appear to be that war can bring out both the worst and the best in people, regardless of their affiliation.

 

Fury is unapologetically messy and brutal. The crude realistic nature of the film is more than just visual as we have the cast using unrefined profanity mixed in with the usual military jargon. While the cinematography is splendid, it's nothing near as glossy  as  other war movies. Instead, this is an unfiltered portrayal of war. It goes out of its way to display the gritty, bloody, brutal, ugliness of war. In other words, this is not for the fainthearted  as bodies and body parts are vividly shown being terribly wounded or killed or blown up and apart.  The movies doesn't dwell on  gore for shock purpose, it simply shows rather graphically mortally wounded  and burning bodies as if they are normal occurrences, which of course they are in battle.

 

The movie strives to be authentic:   All outfits and weapons in the film were real and acquired from museums around the world; a genuine German Tiger I tank was used, the only fully functioning Tiger tank in the world; genuine allied Sherman and Grant tanks were also used; the cast (including Brad Pitt) underwent a rigorous month long course of boot camp and had to know how to fully operate their tank ; two brands of cigarettes are used in this movie, Lucky Strike and Camel and even the cigars being smoked were genuine Cubans.  

 

But despite the movies’ attempt at authenticity, the movie drastically fails in this regard when it comes to the major battle scene toward the end of the movie. It is ALL Hollywood and in no way close to the reality of an authentic battle given the odds and skill of the soldiers.. I won’t say more so as not to spoil the movie for you except to say that it could be compared to a possible different Hollywood outcome for Custer’s Last Stand if Custer and 5 of his soldiers were fighting from a covered wagon at night with a couple of extra rifles against several hundred armed indians….NO WAY.  

 

Rated R for strong sequences of war violence, some grisly images, and language throughout.

 

Clark

ST. VINCENT   3.3 ***

 

       Bill Murray plays a cantankerous old man named Vincent who forms an endearing friendship with his new preteen neighbor Oliver (played by Jaeden Lieberher). Vincent is a chain-smoking, alcoholic Vietnam veteran who gambles at the racetrack, is in deep debt, and enjoys the company of a pregnant Russian prostitute/stripper named Daka (played by Naomi Watts). When Oliver's mother, Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), is forced to work late hours to make ends meet, Vincent offers to babysit Oliver for a modest fee (in order to pay his various debts).During their time spent together, Vincent attempts to teach the mild-mannered and polite Oliver a thing or two about the real world while Oliver, through his childhood innocence, starts to break down some of the crotchetiness of Vincent.  

 

Bill Murray obviously steals the show and further demonstrates his incredible range of acting, but not without a few supporting one-liners from McCarthy and Watts. Chris O'Dowd also delivers a good supporting role as Brother Geraghty , Oliver’s teacher at his Catholic school.  And  Jaeden Lieberher as Oliver,  delivers a fine performance and demonstrates real chemistry with Murray on screen.

St. Vincent works because although it is designed to give us a positive message, it never overdoes it. It has salty language, some questionable characters, and people have flaws, but it also has a positive heart that doesn't quit, and it's willing to laugh at itself and lets us in. It doesn't merely tug at the heartstrings, it plays two-part harmony with it..

 

Rated PG-13 for mature  material including some sexual content, alcohol and tobacco use, and for language…but it is a “soft” PG-13.

 

Clark