Tag: Wes Bentley

Quick Thoughts – July Mega-Post – ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ ‘Sorry to Bother You’ ‘Skyscraper’ ‘The Equalizer 2’

Mission: Impossible – Fallout

My affinity for these movies is fairly well-documented, from the first one to the last one.

And why not?  After all, when the consensus “worst film” in your franchise is a John Woo guns-motorcycles-doves-knives spectacular, you know you’re doing something right.

A lot of that credit belongs to J.J. Abrams for resurrecting things in 2006 (and staying on as a producer ever since), which was perfect timing, because when the James Bond franchise zigged to more gritty and grounded, Mission: Impossible zagged to what classic Bond always was: a globetrotting, fun, high action, insane stunt-filled series.  The key difference is that where the Bond actors would step aside for a stuntman (or stunt driver, or stunt pilot), Tom Cruise, more often than not, gets in there and does these amazing feats himself, and Fallout is no different; so much so in fact that to me the movie played more like a Bond Greatest Hits album than a Mission: Impossible film, which is fine by me.

Hate him all you want for whatever reason you want, I choose to respect Tom Cruise for this: he was an action star at 27, and is still an action star at 57, and while this may be the last Mission: Impossible movie with him in the lead, it looks like he’ll be an action star for at least a few more years.

All that said, and it’s hard to put my finger on exactly why, the script for Fallout feels like a step back compared to the last two films (not to mention my boy Jeremy Renner feels conspicuously absent).  However, I will still give it four stars because the action and stunts are more than big-screen worthy, and because the movie does reward long-time fans (making reference all the way back to the first, and yes, second one).

Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Sorry to Bother You

Often times, when I find myself having to sit through a movie’s trailer dozens upon dozens of times (*COUGH*EighthGrade*COUGH*), I become resentful and refuse to see it on the principle of how annoyed I am, but in the case of Sorry to Bother You, I was always looking forward to it, just because it looked so refreshingly original, which it most definitely is.

In fact, not only is it an original script from writer/director Boots Riley, he also contributed a number of songs to the film’s soundtrack with his band, The Coup, so the whole project has a real homegrown vibe to it (but in a good way, not a crappy student film way).

Fair warning, the third act goes off the rails, which will divide people, but in terms of comedies with social commentary and satire, it’s the best I’ve seen since Ingrid Goes West (though the style of much of the satire is akin to the original Robocop, which, again, is a good thing).

It’s definitely not a movie for kids, and I’m sure it’ll piss some people off, but I enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend it to adults with brains.

Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Skyscraper

I know I’m not making a revelatory statement when I say that this movie is like if Die Hard and The Towering Inferno had a baby in Hong Kong.

In fact, it’s safe to say that not only do most people going to see this already know that, but the movie knows that they know that, and therefore delivers exactly that.

What I’m trying to say here is that the movie knows what it is: a fairly mindless yet relatively satisfying piece of popcorn entertainment.  Is it dumb?  Yes.  Is it as dumb as it could be?  No, and I appreciate that.

It’s nothing special, and you’re either on board or you’re not, but if you are, you’ll have a good time (and I even noticed and liked some of the music, which feels so rare these days).

Rating: ★★★½

 

The Equalizer 2

Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m starting to get the sense that Antoine Fuqua is not a great action director, because though I think these movies are okay (largely because Denzel is Denzel), I have issues with both that hold me back from enjoying them as much as I theoretically think I should.

My major problem with the first one was I felt the “badassness” was way overwrought, and I thought the movie would have been better served by underplaying it a bit; but I guess be careful what I wish for, because the sequel swings the pendulum hard the other way, but overall I didn’t find the story as interesting as its predecessor, so, I don’t know.

There are some satisfying moments and plotlines, and I really can’t hate on the slower pace (and the James Bond-esque cold open was kind of nice), but, I can’t say I’ll be all that disappointed if they never announce an Equalizer 3.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Movie Review – ‘Pete’s Dragon’ – Summer Magic

Directed by David Lowery
Written by David Lowery & Toby Halbrooks (screenplay), based on a screenplay by Malcolm Marmorstein, based on a story by Seton I. Miller and S.S. Field
Cast: Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oona Laurence, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Isiah Whitlock Jr., John Kassir (Elliot vocals)
Soundtrack: Daniel Hart

Apparently, I missed the memo notifying us that 2016 would be such a great year for family films shot in New Zealand.

First came ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople‘, and now we have ‘Pete’s Dragon’, although no one would accuse them of being the same movie (though there are a few similarities).  Whereas ‘Wilderpeople’ is something of an oddball Kiwi comedy, ‘Pete’s Dragon’ is a classic “Disney movie” Disney movie (and, though shot in New Zealand, takes place in the Pacific Northwest).

Now, you may recall another Disney movie called ‘Pete’s Dragon‘ from 1977, a live-action/animated musical film, which, while fascinating in its own regard, is not-so-secretly creepy.  While comparisons are fair because they share the same name and are based on the same story, the old doesn’t really provide much context for the new.  The most striking difference is that this new version is not a musical, but also the setting is updated (though still a period piece, somewhere in the late 1980s, I assume), and pretty much everyone outside of the boy and his dragon is a brand new character, not to mention the new dragon is basically a giant dog with wings (which I’m totally fine with).

In short, it’s not a “remake” so much as a re-imagining, but enough talk about the past.

‘Pete’s Dragon’ is a labor of love from writer/director David Lowery (in his big budget/major studio debut), and is the heartwarming tale of an orphaned boy named Pete and his dragon friend named Elliot.  For six years, they have lived freely in the woods, until one fateful day, Pete makes contact with the outside world, and their lives, and the lives of everyone they meet, change forever.

Flat out, I really enjoyed this movie.  The set-up is perfectly done (it could have easily been distasteful), the dragon is great, the story tugs at your heartstrings, everyone in the cast is giving their all, and, perhaps most importantly, the kid actors are on point, especially Oakes Fegley as Pete.  I don’t know where he came from, but I’d say he’s going places, because he did an incredible job, especially given that he plays so much against a CGI character.

Now, that’s not to say the movie doesn’t have flaws, because I do have some criticisms.  For one thing, there are some relationships between characters that could be more firmly established for the audience, namely brothers Jack and Gavin (Wes Bentley and Karl Urban), and there also comes a point where Gavin decides to take certain action and his motivation doesn’t feel all that fleshed-out.  Perhaps there were scenes explaining all of this that were shot that just didn’t make it into the final cut, or maybe they were never in the script to begin with, but, either way, the movie could have used them.

Also, the story, at least for grown-ups, is a bit predictable.  About half-way through you can see all the strands and where they’re likely headed toward, but, the movie is charming enough that you can forgive this.

All-in-all, ‘Pete’s Dragon’ is a feel-good movie for the whole family, but I think there’s some general audience appeal as well.  It’s adventurous, it’s heartwarming, and, if you let it, it might just take you back to your childhood, when your imagination was less hindered.

Rating: ★★★★☆