MASTER AND COMMANDER, The Far Side of the World   4.0**** 

   Peter Weir is a Director who has made some interesting movies over the years, for example: The Truman Show, Witness, Dead Poet's Society and  Fearless,  But, for me, Master and Commander ( played in 2003) is not only his best, but also one of the best period epics for its authenticity in all respects. Based on a novel written by Patrick O'Brian, it follows Captain Aburey and his ship HMS Surprise, as it seeks out and does battle with a larger and faster French ship around 1805.

Movies like “Master and Commander” only come around once in a while, and not often enough. It is, without question, the finest movie ever made about tall ships and their sea battles.  The cinematography is superb, as is the music through-out the movie. The climax of the movie, a fantastic battle between and on the ships is gripping, well shot and very exciting. I've read that the way the battle is shown is also historically accurate. I can believe that.

The casting is spot-on. There are probably not many actors who can pull off a part like Captain Aubrey, but Russell Crowe is one of them. Aubrey as Captain has to be a strong leader, but also an almost father figure to the young boy officers on board his ship. He certainly has to look the part when he has to fight. and in all these areas, Crowe easily convinces.    But this is not totally Crowes' movie. There is a fantastic performance from Paul Bettany as Mauturin, the ship's doctor, and Aubrey's close friend. The relationship is at the heart of the movie, despite the clashes with the French vessel, and both actors are very convincing. Aubrey and Maturin are particularly bound together by music and are never in more accord than when they are playing together the cello (Bettany) and violin (Crowe learned and actually plays the violin during the movie).  For many who have seen the movie, they remember it for its music.
  
Master And Commander was nominated in 2004 in 10 Oscar categories and won 2 (Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing). It was beaten in its other categories by Lord of the Rings, Return Of The King (which won everything else!). I think in any other year, it would have also won best film and director.

 

Clark

       THE MARTIAN  4.0***

          From director Ridley Scott, the amazing visionary behind the sci-fi classics  Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982) (and other genre films:: Blackhawk Down(2001), Gladiator(2000) & Thelma & Louise(1991)) comes a visually stunning science fiction survival movie. . Matt Damon plays astronaut Mark Watney whose team is sent on a mission to Mars. The mission has to be aborted when an intense dust storm hits and Watney is left behind when he is injured and presumed dead.. Watney wakes up and discovers he is now stranded alone on a deserted planet . Watney must put all his skills and intelligence to the test in order to survive. As luck would have it, Damon's character is a botanist, and his biggest problem is having enough food to survive on until the next manned space crew can come back to rescue him.. So he gets to work planting crops using his own  body waste for fertilizer.  He also has to figure out a way to communicate with NASA back home. It's “Cast Away” meets” Apollo 13”, a survival thriller with men/women using ingenuity and good old fashioned brainpower to get the job done.. and dogged determinism that it makes what could otherwise be a very  depressing film upbeat and hopeful . However, when he has to put on his dramatic chops in certain scenes, he truly commits to  the situation adding to the suspense and sizzle of the movie. The supporting cast, everyone involved, all do great work as well. Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara and particularly Chiwetel Ejiofor.  

The visual effects and cinematography are awesome. With the Wadi Rum Valley in Jordan serving as the backdrop for the filming of Mars together with the addition of marvelous CGI, the audience is treated to the most realistic depiction of Mars ever shown in cinema . Another delightful aspect is the storytelling. Unlike most sci-fi films where there is a continuing sense of urgency and doom, this film carries a very hopeful tone and the characters remain optimistic, particularly as to Watney saving himself, and then the  others to rescuing him.  The “Martian” is a must-see on the BIG screen for all sci-fi fans, and actually everyone else. Matt Damon is amazing  and the almost 2 1/2 hour story never disappoints. I believe this film has  Oscars Nominations on the way for Best Visual Effects,  Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing and perhaps Best Actor and Best Picture/Director.

This is the best science-fiction movie I've seen in the last few years, equal to and even better than “Gravity”. It is now in my top 5 to 10 Best Sci-Fi movies of all time.

 

 

SICARIO  2.5***

 

     This is another time I disagree with the critics who are hailing this movie as excellent, saying it’s one of the best films of the year. A majority of the audiences seem to agree. I do not.

Yes, Sicario is well-made — in the sense that it looks, feels and plays like a professional piece of filmmaking. Yes, it is well acted by its stars. No complaints so far, but in my opinion it is quite overrated.  It is slow,  confusing and even obtuse. It takes what  is basically a lurid thriller and tries to make you believe there is  significance that simply isn’t there.  Apart from an exciting opening sequence (that promised a far more intriguing film than was delivered), this is basically just another violent movie about drug trafficking. It’s efficient enough at what it does, but what it does is neither new nor significant.

 Following the  opening in which two FBI agents are killed, a seemingly naïve FBI lead agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) finds herself   recruited to work with a shadowy agency  to fight a Mexican drug cartel. No one seems to be even slightly inclined to tell her exactly who her new bosses are — the flip-flop-wearing  Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and his perplexing partner Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) —  or who they work for.. She goes along with it because she’s idealistic and because she’d like to get revenge for the two dead agents.  

At this point, the movie turns full throttle on drug war stuff that feels  like it’s playing on a kind of Donald Trump view of all-things-Mexican. As presented in the film, everything in Mexico  is corrupt and no one can be trusted. But, for that matter, things don’t seem that much better stateside, and that, I suspect, is the supposed point of the film. The rest is for you to see and try to figure out (good luck) although I don’t recommend seeing this one..

Despite being well-made and well-acted, what we end up with is essentially just another violent crime drama straining — and failing — to make a significant statement.

 

Rated R for strong violence, grisly images and language.

Clark

     THE  WALK    3.5***

   “The Walk” is not just a  retelling of the story of Phillipe Petit's "coup" of a tight-wire walk  between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in the 1974, it’s also a moving tribute to those beautiful icons. I actually felt a sense of loss when I looked upon the towers’ majestic beauty on the amazing IMAX 3D screen and could almost feel  Petit’s sense of wonder and awe upon his first seeing them and their immenseness.  Director Robert Zemekis (  Back to the Future I, II, and III, Forrest Gump, Cast Away, and Polar Express) has bought them back to life so well it was nearly impossible to believe that they are actually gone.

The slow build up covering Petit's early life as a street performer in Paris, France and his first and then many steps/walks on a high wire made the last 30 to 45 minutes of the film all the more remarkable. Even though I knew of his audacious plan and it's outcome through having seen the excellent 2008 documentary "Man On Wire", the heart stopping moments of  the culmination of the actual walk still had me on the edge of my seat.  When you see the  magnificent and captivating  scenes surrounding Petit's walk , you’ll agree that it was a spectacular event that was unspeakably tranquil yet grippingly suspenseful . The way Zemeckis and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski  focus on the sky, the clouds and New York spread out below ( make that 110 stories below ) during the walk ( a distance of 140 feet), the audience can feel the risk and  danger that comes with this unimaginable feat and thus the film transcends fiction in a way that gives audiences a real experience ( Petite had NO safety wires or anything else…if he fell , he was a dead man !!!)

 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt did a solid job playing Philippe Petit. He really got into his character because he actually learned wire walking and how to do it correctly by Philippe Petit himself. I know a lot of people have been talking about and criticizing  Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s  French accent in the movie… but you get used to it . And here's the thing, Philippe Petit apparently doesn't have an normal French accent and  Gordon-Levitt did a great job of  emulating that.  Also, Gordo- Levitt does a fine job of bringing Petit's "joie de vivre" eccentricity and earnestness to the screen.

 

“The Walk”  give us some of the most amazing and marvelous  visuals of the year and in so many ways the film is a gorgeous love letter to the Twin Towers

 

See this in 3D and IMAX if you can. It's worth it.

 

Clark

 

WAR ROOM     3.0***

 

 

      This is a movie by Christian writers, producers and directors who pull no punches in sharing their faith and beliefs. Christians will love the movie, and hopefully non-Christians will consider the message.

 

While many Christian films sacrifice good writing and acting for the sake of having a spiritually authentic movie, "War Room" makes no such sacrifice. I recommend this movie to all, keeping in mind that faiths outside of Christianity and more so those with no faith are not likely to get the same message from this movie as will Christian audiences The. film touches on the concept of prayer in a very effective and hard-hitting way and the power of God/Christ in a person's life.. Themes such as adultery,  marital distress  and parenting are also addressed as difficult challenges the main characters  must face. 

 

Tony, a pharmaceutical salesman and his realtor wife Elizabeth along with their son have a great life materially, but their marriage is in serious trouble. Then Elizabeth meets Miss Clara, an older Christian lady who teaches the power of prayer. The acting starts off wooden but gets better, and there are some genuinely good moments, such as when Elizabeth exorcises Satan from her home (it's way better than it sounds) or when Tony helps the antagonistic V.P. of his Company who made things difficult for Tony. .There are also some nice touches of humor. When Tony describes his wife's prayer closet to his Christian gym buddy, the buddy replies "Dude, this is serious. When did you ever hear of a woman giving up closet space?"

The writing, acting, and directing are competent and above average for this genre but would probably be slightly below average for the film industry in general. Not enough character development nor enough explanation for  why the family h gotten into trouble in the first place. Nonetheless, It is a heart-warming, inspirational movie, and a good reminder to Christians that prayer is important, powerful, and something we could all stand to do a lot more often.

Clark



  

 

 

THE INTERN .. 4.0***

 

You know how every once in a while a film just all fits together perfectly? Well, “The Intern” is one of those films. Absolutely delightful, perfect casting, with just a little tension because you're not sure where things are going.  

 

“The Intern” brings you to the life of a 70 year old who doesn't want to live an average retired old man routine because he still feels he has some sizzle left in him. So he applies for and gets a senior intern job at a very successful online fashion company with a youthful environment and people that are quite different from any he was used to. . He meets the founder  and is assigned to be her intern..

 The story is simple and very well knit. The characters have been well conceptualized and sketched. What is interesting to see is how a rapid fire, anxious, no non-sense, always on top of everything boss (Anne Hathaway of the Millennium generation) works with a composed, experienced, 70 year old  intern (Robert De Niro of the Baby Boomer generation).  With pros like Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro, one doesn't  need to worry about the acting. But even so they do a great job  projecting the aspirations, principles, beliefs and challenges their respective generations  not just in terms of dialogue but also with their expressions and mannerisms.    

I especially liked the way the movie focuses on projecting how two different generations can working together  and learn from each other rather than showing the friction we normally see. This gave the entire movie a very nice feel good quality.  Furthermore for me, also being in my 70s, it was refreshing to see  how the character of Robert D'Niro was written, how even after being 70 he is still enjoying his life to the fullest anal knows  how to be a .true gentleman.  

 

There really wasn't a single thing or character I would change in this one, and that's saying something. The casting, the plot, the dialogue, and  especially to be  praised is the fact that it was a funny, touching, enjoyable picture with NO foul language and  NO overly-suggestive scenes that often  make you  cringe. It was well written, well -acted, and well presented. All rare these days where writing ability in particular seems to have dwindled into the dirt. This one is evidence that there are still creators, directors and actors who value values !. More movie producers should make a point of seeking them out! This is a fun movie that you are going to be recommending to everyone. It is one of the best feel good movies my wife and I have seen in some .

 

Clark