Game Night - Review

Game Night

Kyle Chandler, Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star in the adult comedy “Game Night”. A story about 3 couples of very close friends who ritually get together each Friday night to play games which are highly competitive especially for husband and wife Max (Bateman) and Annie (McAdams).

At the start of the film we see Max and Annie getting ready midweek to have the food and beverages for the coming “Game night” which it typically held at their home. Only on this occasion it’s a more unique gathering in that Max has asked everyone to park down the street and come as quietly as possible to their house so as not to alert their neighbor they haven’t invited him. They don’t particularly care for his company socially largely because he is a poor game player, he is recently divorced and he is a cop who oddly never wants to take off his uniform. Also, Max super internationally successful wealthy brother is back in the country and is coming over for a visit.  While they both love each other, his older brother Brooks (Chandler) always reminds Max how more successful and wealthy he is to no annoying end.

When it’s time to go home Brooks insists that the next “game night” be at his lavish new home he bought nearby. Only this time his game night rules will be predicated on staging a fake home invasion of masked men who will kidnap Brooke while leaving some clues as to where he might be hidden in the city. The winner gets a priceless new car that everyone wants.

But when game night comes at Brooks home there is one major problem. Instead of the fake kidnappers arriving first some real international mercenary types take Brooks away leaving the 3 couples naively in the dark that it’s all part of the game night prank. Little do they know that Brooks and their own lives are in real danger and can only be spared if they comply when someone calls with a mysterious augmented voice who insists that if they all want to live they have to break into another man’s wealthy home to retrieve a priceless Faberge Egg. Let the game night adventure begin.

REVIEW: Running 1:33 minutes "Game Night" overall is both fun to watch with some decent hilariously funny moments inside it's viewing as well. It also has some dimwitted and loopy moments as well. But the real strength of this film is the steady pacing of the plot with some good twist and turns along the way, largely led by the natural chemistry and interplay between Bateman and McAdams as husband and wife Max and Annie. It’s their loving relationship as well as their somewhat neurotic exchanges that keep the film fast action and dialogue from ever getting boring.

There was also very imaginative moments that made me laugh out loud including a scene of a bullet being removed from an arm, an ongoing dispute between one of the couples who while they were dating had affairs before they got married, a dimwitted male actor gets by on his charm, the creepy police officer neighbor frustration in not being invited to game night anymore and a funny twist at the film’s end with actor Michael C. Hall formerly of Showtime’s “Dexter”.

The less I say the better as overall “Game Night” is funny, stylish, at times sexy, and at times a smart and very good looking film as well. In the end both the movie and its “Game Night” players were very good company to keep for me whether it was a game they were playing or not. I had fun watching them have fun.

3.25 Stars

Annihilation - Review

Annihilation

Academy Award winning actress Natalie Portman and Oscar nominated actors Oscar Isaac and Jennifer Jason Leigh comprise a strong cast, along with up and coming Director Alexander Garland (28 Days Later and Ex-Machina) who brings author Jeff VanderMeer’s first story in his best-selling Southern Reach Trilogy titled “Annihilation”. A rare combination effort that is equal parts action - adventure, intimate drama, science fiction, fantasy and biological horror film.

In the beginning of the film we see a meteorite falling directly to earth that eventually explodes on impact at a beach directly through the base structure of an old lighthouse. But rather than simply leaving an enormous crater it creates something else referred to “The Shimmer”. A moving kaleidoscope of translucent, purple-tinted bubble mist of energy that oddly crackles like an approaching thunder storm. As time goes by it is obvious that this “shimmer” is starting to slowly swallow up day by day more stretches of the Florida coast line.

The federal government comes in to set up a research facility on the outer edge of the phenomenon called Area X. Unable to ascertain from simply observations what the shimmer actually is, teams of scientist and military soldiers are repeatedly sent in to conduct hands on analysis. The only problem is each time a team has been sent in none have ever returned, accept once when Capt. Kane returns.

Slightly disoriented Army Captain Kane (Oscar Isaac) comes back to his grieving wife Lena (Natalie Portman) who had assumed he was dead. But shortly after his joyous return home Kane starts to experience massive organ failure and is rushed to a military medical facility. It is while he and Lena are at this facility does she learns why her husband could not tell her before he left what his secret mission was about. She also learns that if they can’t find what actually happen to Kane inside the shimmer he will die.

Lena who is a seven-year Army vet herself and currently a top professor at Johns Hopkins in molecular biologist decides to join a new team of scientist (all women) going back in inside the shimmer on the path her husband took only this time lead by a top government researcher named Dr. Ventress, a spooky and aloof woman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who seems oddly to have other motives for going inside the shimmer besides just research. But what will this highly accomplished team find? That is the films major question.

REVIEW: Weird and wild, gorgeous and occasionally disturbing “Annihilation” will bait your intrigue imagination DNA with a prevailing question “what if”. And while the overall arc of the actor’s performances are perfectly subdued and restrained, the plot of the film itself steadily moves along with what feels like a brainy, high-end science fiction film. And for the most part it is. And the other times it’s a total “mind expletive deleted”.

Still to Director Garland’s credit with his “Annihilation” he never allows the typical Hollywood directing norms and protocols compel him to deliver a single scene one could describe as cliché or predictable through it’s its 2:00 hour running time. No, it is a film that is consistently rich with daring plot creativity and intellectual ambitious all the while feeling like something that is oddly natural and unnatural to watch that will keep you glued to your seat wondering what is lurking around the next corner.

But it’s the ending or should I say the last 20 minutes of the film that had me scratching my head. Not out of any personal confusion on my part; oh I get the message in the film. Specifically, instead of watching such a promising smart cinematic journey come to an strong crescendo end, you end up with having just a weird finale that unfortunately seemed  disconnected from everything else that had happen up to the moment. AND YET is still manages to pose some seriously profound questions of our time about human DNA, life on our  planet as humans and the science behind evolution.

Some critics have hailed “Annihilation” as a masterpiece and a few call it a sputtering dud. I am in-between as I genuinely believed it gives its audience a lot to see and a lot to think about and for that I found the film entertaining. The overall story and its questions are definitely good enough to watch, but just remember going in that it’s the picturesque journey that will leave you entertained and not the pulling up to the driveway final destination.

3.00 Stars

Black Panther - Review

Black Panther

Director Ryan Coogler whose previous works include “Fruitvale Station” and the impressive reboot of the Rocky Balboa franchise “Creed”, takes on the challenge of one of Marvel Comic’s many superhero character in the way of the highly anticipated “Black Panther”. Coogler cast includes versatile actor Chadwick Boseman, Oscar winners Forrest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) and Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave), Oscar nominated Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got to Do With It”) and Michael B. Jordan.

The “Black Panther” story delves in two time periods. The first very briefly in 1992 Oakland, California with the rest of the bulk of the film’s 2:05 minute running time in the fictional nation of Wakanda in contemporary time. And it’s here in the current time frame we discover the mysterious Wakanda African country that we are introduced to its young new leader named  “T'Challa” (Boseman) who is ready to ascend to his rightful place as king after the death of his father which occurred in the previous 2016 Marvel Comic film titled “Captain America: Civil War”.

But shortly after “T'Challa” has taken the throne a powerful old enemy named “Klaw” suddenly reappears testing T'Challa's mettle as its king and as Black Panther. “Klaw” is a mercenary looking to get control of a rare, powerful and healing substance called Vibranium that fell to earth centuries ago and is only found in their native country. “T'Challa” also discovers a family secret that his father took to his grave that will also come to beset terror on his land with it potentially leading to global conflict with nations both friend and foe. With the fate of his beloved Wakanda at risk the new king uses his powers as Black Panther to rally his nation and allies to fight off treachery and personal conflicts to hopefully defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.

REVIEW: “Black Panther” is marvelous, stunning, spectacular, magical, mystical and a lot, lot more. Figuratively speaking it’s less about brute strength and superhero capabilities and more of an original complex masterpiece of reimagining of the super hero character’s composition. A new super hero genre if you will with more recognizable, believable and appreciated qualities of human decency and human intellectual prowess that are adroitly interwoven into displays of physical strength and cutting edge special effects. Director Coogler has skillfully stripped away the typical format of showcasing the latest Marvel Super hero’s story line of endless destruction without any consequence.  No more one note one man wrecking crew of indomitable strength conquering enemies for some greater good. Instead Coogler has infuse his “Black Panther” character with real human virtues and real human depth with subplots dealing with morality, ethics, decency, integrity and goodness. All of it tightly crafted into a truly imaginative new cinematic universe where the look and feel of this film stands solely on it’s on as a game changing piece of work like no other. Think of a film that is at the intersection of previous films like Star Wars, Avatar and Braveheart all meet. It’s a complete new story line approach of telling the tale of good versus evil.

Yes, it’s a unique transcendent film who’s plot lies in the integrated crossroads of a futurist modern technological society and also where that same society maintains a respectful celebration of one’s ancient heritage, cultural traditions, tribal clothing and the transcendent lessons learned from parents who have moved on to the hereafter. A wonderful land of sweeping vistas of uninhabited open spaces, cascading waterfalls and high majestic mountains that share the same space of a city scape filled with electro magnet trains, hover crafts and modern technology.

As the performances go all of the actors have equal time on the screen to great effect. But one of the more surprising and enjoyable elements of “BP” was the development and realization of the women characters in the film. Collectively they are all smart, appropriately funny, endearing, fearless, intelligent and on par with their male counterparts in every way to the core of the film’s overall plot. Especially the characters “Shuri” played by Letitia Wright who was the chief science officer of Wakanda and “Okoye” played by Danaid Gurira who is also on the acclaimed “The Walking Dead” as the dreadlock sword wheeling “Michonne”. Both of them give genuinely fine performances as women of intelligence, some humor, physical strength and complete modern womanliness.

Going forward I cannot imagine you will see ten better films for all of 2018. And while the film is largely an ensemble effort cast, Director Coogler is truly deserving of some Best Director considerations in 2019, as well as Best Picture and a boat load of technical categories considerations in Special Effects, Production Design, Lighting, Editing, Costume Design and Makeup and Hairstyling.

On the subsurface Black Panther delves mildly into issues of modern colonialism, mercenary exploitation and institutional systems of corruption. But it’s much larger, broader and more redeemable themes are about the importance of preserving ways of life. A way of life that is more about the pursuit of peace and personal harmony while moving forward with the use of science and technology. A way of life that looks at the first option being quality over any concerns of quantity. A way of life where the importance of acquiring knowledge for the greater good and human healing take precedent over seductive pursuit of profits and material conquest. A way of life where the responsibilities of leadership should be filtered through a prism of modesty and humility verses personal ambition and greed.

While I am certain that Director Ryan Coogler will be a force in film making for decades to come it maybe a little too early to make any similar proclamation about his “Black Panther” and how it will eventually settle out with its obvious 2 sequels to come. But at a minimum something tells me from a cultural point of view this film may end up being remembered the day both the consciousness and the collective appetites of film fans and Hollywood producers changed for generations to come. Maybe, just maybe even in the same triumphant changing way Star Wars did 40 years ago with its array of actors we didn’t know much about with a story that was refreshingly new.

Yes, just maybe “Black Panther“ will have the same impact of Star Wars offering something refreshingly new for generations to come that is joyfully, groundbreaking, dazzling, cool, modern, thrilling, epic, formidable, beautiful and a lot, lot more.

"Don't freeze"............................SEE THIS.

4.00 Stars

Lester’s 2018 Oscar Predictions

Lester’s 2018 Oscar Predictions

Best Supporting Actor – Will Win - Sam Rockwell *

Best Supporting Actor – Should Win  - Willem DaFoe

Best Supporting Actor – Upset Win - Only A Two Way Race 

Best Supporting Actress – Will Win - Allison Janney *

Best Supporting Actress – Should Win - Allison Janney

Best Supporting Actress – Upset Win - Laurie Metcalf

Best Actor – Will Win - Gary Oldman * 

Best Actor – Should Win - Gary Oldman - 100% Lock

Best Actor – Upset Win  - None  

Best Actress – Will Win - Frances McDormand *

Best Actress – Should Win - Frances McDormand - Almost A Lock

Best Actress – Upset Win - Sally Hawkins

Best Director – Will Win - Guillermo Del Toro *

Best Director – Should Win - Martin McDonagh - Not Nominated

Best Director – Upset Win - Christopher Nolan

Best Picture – Will Win - Three Billboards, Ebbing Mo *

Best Picture – Should Win - Three Billboards, Ebbing, Mo

Best Picture – Upset Win -  Razor Close - T. Billboards vs. S.Water

• Best Adapted Screenplay –  “Call Me By Your Name”
• Best Original Screen Play –  “Get Out” (Close)
• Best Animated Feature – "Coco" Lock
• Best Cinematography – “Blade Runner 2049” 
• Best Costumes Design – “Phantom Thread” Lock
• Best Documentary - “Faces Places” 
• Best Documentary Short Subject – “Edith + Eddie”
• Best Film Editing – “Dunkirk
• Best Foreign Film – “A Fantastic Woman”
• Best Make Up / Hairstyle – “Darkest Hour” Lock
• Best Production Design – “The Shape of Water”
• Best Original Song – “This is Me" - The Greatest Showman
• Best Original Score – “The Shape of Water”
• Best Sound Editing – “Dunkirk”
• Best Sound Mixing –  “Dunkirk”
• Best Visual Special Effects - “War Planet Apes" (Close)
• Best Animated Short Film  – “Dear Basketball” (Kobe Bryant Wins) 
• Best Live Action Short Film – “DeKalb Elementary"

The 15:17 to Paris - Review

The 15:17 to Paris

From legendary Actor – Oscar winning Director Clint Eastwood comes “The 15:17 to Paris,” which tells the real-life story of three a typical men from Sacramento, California whose lives changed in an instant second from obscurity to internationally known famed heroes by their brave acts during a high-speed railway ride in Europe.

In the early evening of August 21, 2015, the world watched in stunned silence as the media reported a thwarted terrorist attack on the German Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris. The three courageous young Americans on board that day who were also lifelong friends from their adolescent days when they met in a private Christian schools were traveling through Europe on holiday when a terrorist attack occurred. The film follows the course of the friends’ lives from the early days of their struggles of childhood to finding somewhat their footing in life in the military and college, to the unlikely events that coincidentally lead up to the attack.

Throughout the harrowing ordeal, their friendship never wavers, making it their greatest weapon and allowing them to save the lives of the more than 500 passengers on board that day. The story tells the heroic trio story of best friend Anthony Sadler, best friend Oregon National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, and best friend U.S. Air Force Airman First Class Spencer Stone (who was severely wounded but survived) who are all playing themselves in the film.

REVIEW: First I went to see this film mostly for the reputation of Clint Eastwood to deliver some of the finest films over the past 25+ years (Changeling, Mystic River, Unforgiven, Letters from Iwo Jima, American Sniper, Sully, Million Dollar Baby, The Bridges of Madison County, Invictus, High Plains Drifter, Outlaw Josey Wales, Pale Rider, Gran Torino, The Gauntlet and A Perfect World). I also saw this film because I thought the story of these three men saving lives was potentially a compelling story.

So, what was my take?  Well, “The 15:17 to Paris”….Ah, hold on while I take a sip of my Tanqueray gin, tonic and lime………………………..aaaaaaaaaaaaah nothing like a tasty beverage. OK where was I………….Oh yeah…………..Hold on, hold on, just one more sip of my Tanqueray gin, tonic and lime………………..aaaaaaaaaaah, man that is a smooth Saturday afternoon drink. I needed that.

OK,  where was I again? Oh yeah “The 15:17 to Paris”...........it's not good. It is also not the worst film I have ever seen. The problem with the film besides the three real life characters playing themselves who can’t really act, is the film is less a cinematic dramatic movie about their lives that lead up to life changing events and more of 1:34 minute film with a production budget of $30 million dollar of an ordinary home video of three goof offs who did a great thing.

For 1 hour and 15 minutes we watch these three men get in trouble in school, drink beer, and eat pizza. Then they get older, get in minor trouble, drink beer, eat pizza and talk about girls. Then we watch them a bit older taking somewhat charge of their lives by two of three young men choosing the military as careers and the other enrolling into college and then again we watch them (only in Europe now) drink beer, eat pizza, eat gelato, talk and date girls, ride tourist boats, take lots of selfies and have hangovers. It’s only in the last 15 minutes does the film resemble anything being a dramatic story worth seeing in the theater.

Look, I applaud the brave act these three young American men and one other man from Germany did on that day. Trust me when the terrorist struck on the train those three men at great peril to their lives gave him a “Grade A South Central Los Angeles good old fashion American ass kicking”. This scene was truly dramatic and remarkable to say the least. But my criticism and my role (such as it is) is to review not their lives but review the film and while it is not unwatchable it is simply not very good at all.

Their three back stories are not compelling enough overall story to make it a feature film. It’s a mile wide and one inch worth of material that Director Eastwood was working with here and man oh man did he stretch the hell of this film for 75 minutes with some dialogue and screenplay so poorly written it felt like it was done less on Microsoft Word and more on Mattel’s Etch a Sketch. And while the three young men tried their best given their lack of professional training in acting, they worked hard trying to get the audience to like them (and generally you do) but in the long hall all you really remember is their acting or lack thereof.

“The 15:17 to Paris” with obvious limitations wants to be a story of real-life heroism under lethal and deadly circumstance. It also wants to be a transformative film about what makes American’s notably proud, gutsy and brave. But in the end, all it is, is a home video of 15 minutes of some extraordinary heroism that should be recognized and acknowledged by all but not nearly enough for you to drop $20+ dollars just to see it in the theater.

Watch the film's trailer 3 or 4 times, it delivers a better story.

1.75 Stars