Star Wars Epsiode VII: The Force Awakens Review

After ten years, three trailers, and countless hyped rumors, the first in a new series of Star Wars movies is finally here, already smashing box office records with every passing day. Fan reactions have been widely positive, with many detractors trying desperately to find anything to deter these rabid individuals. Yet, does this film deserve all the attention it’s receiving? Many films in the past, including the franchises own Phantom Menace, have been portrayed as great films simply because of the name attached to the product, when in reality they are lackluster at best. I’m happy to say that these praises, while a little overblown, are not unwarranted.

                Taking place many years after Return of the Jedi, the heroes of the original films have all gone their separate ways as a new force known as the First Order has risen to finish what the Empire started, leaving the Rebels to reform and continue to fight this force. While on the planet Jakku, a droid is given a secret message to hide until the Rebellion can come back for it. The droid finds Rey, a young scavenger full of wanderlust for the X-Wing pilots and Jedi of the past, and Finn, a Stormtrooper turned rogue who’s looking for a purpose in life now that he’s left the only thing he’s ever known. The two must now get the droid back to the rebellion and stop the Order from unleashing their newest weapon upon the galaxy.

                What is apparent from the first frame of the film is that Abrams, and to an extent Disney, understand what made Star Wars great and what people disliked about the prequels. The focus of the film is on characters, expanding the universe, and clever fan service, which The Force Awakens excels at on all of those fronts. The new characters in the film are all interesting, well-acted, well written, and generally likable. It’s easy to care for these people, and they all have something to offer. I realized how much I liked these guys when Fin and Raye are escaping the Order in the Millennium Falcon and Fin shoots down a Tie fighter. In response, he joyfully jumps in the air, pumps his fist, and gives an endearing yell that made me react in a similar fashion. The script is also very funny, more so then I was originally expecting. While not every joke is winner, there are more laughs then whimpers in The Force Awakens.

                The new locations and aliens are also cool, if a bit familiar. Jakku is Tattoine, the snow planet is Hoth, etc. Yet, there are enough different things done with these planets to make them somewhat unique. Jakku has more dunes and mountainous terrain, while the villages and inhabitants are different from the ones in A New Hope, the ice planet is full of trees and is more akin to a tundra rather than an arctic desert. These also play into the well done fan service, which was done at the right moments in just the right ways. Many of the old characters, like Han Solo and Leia return, but they are important to the story and their roles do not feel forced. Their respective actors are also fantastic, with Harrison Ford joining Stallone from Creed on the list of returning actors who should get Oscar nominations for their performances.

                Yet, the fan service is not perfect. It does seem somewhat alienating at times to those who are coming into the film franchise for the first time. While not every reference is this way, I do feel that some scenes will be lost on new viewers. I’m also unsure of how to feel about how heavily The Force Awakens’ plot steals from A New Hope. This has been a major criticism from most people, and I would agree entirely if I did not think the series is going to do something different with the next few films. My ideal set-up for the new trilogy is that eight and nine will be their own films, ones that build upon this one and tell their own story with the original films remaining legends that are used to inspire a new generation. I feel like The Force Awaken is the trilogy’s way of easing viewers into this new series by giving them something familiar first to show that not only can they make a great film, but that it’s not going to be like the prequels or spin-offs the fans have disliked in the past. Only time can tell if the plot similarity will be a necessary exception or a lazy fault.

                On a more positive note, the action scenes are truly exciting and do a good job of sparingly using CGI. They are filmed extremely well and are great at building tension. I especially like the few lightsaber battles in the film, making these fights more special and unique. A nice touch is how each person’s style of lightsaber fighting is different and reflects their character or their current state of mind.

                The Force Awakens is not only the best Star Wars movie in over twenty years, it’s also a fantastic holiday blockbuster. Well filmed, acted, written, and made, this movie is one that deserves all of the praise it’s getting and left me reassured that this new trilogy will be something great.

               

"F for Fake" Review

"F for Fake" is one of the most interesting films I've personally seen. It's also one of the most difficult to describe. It's a film, but it's also a documentary, and yet it's also been described as a film essay. It is purely original, and ironically about tricking others into thinking you are original. Orson Welles has crafted a film unlike any other, and he knows it.

'F for Fake" tells the story of Elmyr de Hory, a famous art forger of the 1960's and 70's. His art was so close to the originals that it even fooled the artist themselves. At the same time, there's Clifford Irving, the biographer of Hory and of famed introverted socialite Howard Hughes, or was he? Yet Hughes is also a historic fraud, and what about self proclaimed charlatan Orson Welles, how is he connected to the story?

Describing "F for Fake" is like listening to child after seeing an exciting summer blockbuster, they want to describe every single detail, but there are too many threads to keep up with. So they'll go back and describe an earlier event and then eventually get back to the point. Eventually, you will get lost and assume the story is something crazy and impossible to understand.

Then, you actually see the film, and it all makes sense. The movie deals with individual stories that are all interesting enough to have their own hour and a half film. Yet, they are all used here in tandem with one another in just under 90 minutes.

The key to making all these threads make sense is Welles' editing of the film. He connects the stories not by a timeline of events but rather through ideas and themes. If Hory talks about why his skill is evident through his ability to copy others, the film may cut to a scene of Irving countering this point. They may even have a conversation through this editing, their individual points creating a dialogue that was filmed years apart but made evident through the power of film.

 This editing style is why many of called "F for Fake" a film essay. It jumps from story to story, flowing as a well written essay would. Welles states the thesis from the start: "This is a film about trickery, fraud, about lies.", and then proceeds to support it with documentary footage, anecdotes, tangents, and a bit of trustworthy comedy. 

Enough credit cannot be given to Orson Welles. Filling most of the required cast and crew, including one of the staring roles, "F for Fake" is Welles' film. While his editing has been discussed, his personality comes out in his narration, which serves to make the connections even easier to understand. The narration even adds a bit of fun and comedy to the film, with Welles pointing out ironic coincidences and even making fun of himself and the "players" in his film.

I'm at a loss for what else to say. Half of the fun of "F for Fake"is not knowing about it, going in blind as to how it will all play out. It is a film unlike any other, plain and simple. If you want to see something original, funny, powerful, and expertly crafted, then Orson Welles' "F for Fake" should be next on your list of must sees.

If my words have not convinced you, then please watch this analysis of film editing from "Every Frame a Painting", who uses "F for Fake" a case study for expert editing.

Box Office Report 08-17-15 (Straight Outta Compton, Man From U.N.C.L.E)

I've decided to try something a little different. I've always been a fan of websites or video channels that report on the box office earnings of movies every week. After listening and watching so many, I've started to find this information on my own and form my own opinions. After doing this independently for many months, I've decided to use this useless knowledge to my advantage and form a new article series. So, without further ado, here is the top 5 for the week of August 17th, 2015!

#5

The Gift - $6.5 Million

In it's second weekend, the Joel Edgerton directed and produced thriller is holding strong at number five, moving two places down the list. Down just over 40%, "The Gift" is already a hit for Blumhouse productions, with a current total of $23.5 million, which more than covers its $5 million budget. It would seem that Blumhouse's strategy of making movies on the cheap is continuing to payoff, after hits like "The Purge" and "Insidious", and lesser but still successful films like "The Lazarus Effect" and "The Gallows".  "The Gift" is also on the short list of non-horror themed releases from the company, joining the likes of Oscar winning "Whiplash". Mixed with its incredible reviews from critics and good word of mouth, "The Gift" will likely stay in the top 10 for a few more weeks, but it may not last through September as bigger releases start to roll in, including Blumhouse's own "Sinister 2".

#4

Fantastic Four - $8.1 Million

What a train wreck this has been. Premiering at number two last week, Fox's "Fantastic Four" reboot has only sunken further down the list. Falling 68.2%, which is abysmal for summer blockbusters, this film has been plagued with terrible critical and audience reactions (It currently has 8% critic approval and 22% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes), which have been blamed for its poor performance. Having only made $42.1 and needing to double $120 million, it's unlikely that even the worldwide box office can save this flop. In the end, "Fantastic Four" was doomed from the start, and it's likely to fall out of the top 10 by the end of month, if not sooner.

#3

The Man From U.N.C.L.E - $13.4 Million

While not as big a disaster as "Fantastic Four", "U.N.C.L.E"'s lack luster opening weekend leaves a lot to be desired. The reboot of the 1960's t.v. series has been in production for decades, but now it would appear to have been a lost cause. Though it has a cast of movie stars in the making, "Man of Steel"'s Henry Cavill and "The Lone Ranger"'s Armie Hammer in the leading roles, this spy film just couldn't catch any heat. With a reported $75 million budget, this film has the possibility of being saved by the foreign release, but that remains to be seen.

#2

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation - $17.1 Million

Slightly dropping from its two week rain at number one, the latest "Mission Impossible" sees another profitable weekend in the face of more competition. With a 39.7% drop and a total gross of $138.3 million, the Tom Cruise franchise is shown to still have some legs in the heavy

 blockbuster season. Now that a sequel is most definitely in the works, it looks as if Cruise's rise back to stardom has found its place with "Mission Impossible", but hopefully he can keep the momentum going after three years of solid films. 

 #1

Straight Outta Compton - $60.2 Million

The highly acclaimed bio-pic about 90's rap group N.W.A has shattered previously held predictions of a $40 million opening and is currently the fourth biggest opening of August, right ahead of "Signs" but missing "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" by five million, but at this point who's complaining. The film's success can be attributed to multiple factors; there's the overwhelmingly positive reactions from critics and audiences, who all came out of the theater with glowing praise. Another is the appeal to multiple generations, those being the youth of the early 90's who lived through this and the youth of today who know the names (Ice Cube, Dr. Dre) but not the origins. There's also the timely issues of police brutality and the worth of black lives, which are central themes of not only the film but N.W.A's music. While it's not a surprise that "Compton" was a hit, no one expected it to be as big a hit as it is, especially with an R rating and cast of unknown actors. 

Next Week's Predictions

There are three big releases this weekend, "Hitman: Agent 47", "Sinister 2" and "American Ultra". "Sinister" is expected to be the biggest earner, while "American Ultra" will find a comfortable spot somewhere in the middle. "Hitman" will be the black sheep, probably bombing hard in the next few days. Yet, none of them will top "Straight Outta Compton", which is expected to hold its throne for a least one more week. 

   

 

"The Gift" Review

I find that every year there are a few of those movies that catch me off guard. The one’s that I’ve never heard of suddenly getting recognition, the one’s I’d forgotten about that leap onto the scene. And then there are the ones like “The Gift”. Produced by Blumhouse (Paranormal Activity, Insidious), this film looked like your standard suburban thriller, one that we had seen thousands of times before. Yet, the movie intrigued me with its casting choices, specifically of Jason Bateman as the husband and Joel Edgerton as the supposed awkward antagonist. Once I heard the good word of mouth this movie was receiving, I knew I had to check it out.

                “The Gift” follows married couple Simon (Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) who have just moved from Chicago to the upper suburbs of California. Things are looking good for them, Simon has a good job that can lead to a promotion, and Robyn has the opportunity to start up another business. A few days into their move, a strange man walks up to Simon in a furniture store saying he knows him from high school After some awkward banter, the man reveals himself to be Gordon (Edgerton), or “Gordo” as he used to be known in high school. Simon recognizes him and reveals that they used to be friends in high school. After this encounter, Gordo starts to leave gifts in front of their house, slowly edging his way into their life. Yet, the closer Gordo gets, the less likely it is that he may be nefarious and it becomes more obvious who the real villain is in the group.

                One of the best things I can say about “The Gift”, out of the many things it does right, is that it does a fantastic job at messing with the audiences expectations. At the beginning, everyone can see where it’s going, we’ve all seen it a million times before. Gordo will try to get close, the couple will shoo him away, he’ll get angry and try to get revenge as it’s revealed he’s insane and a murderer.  Yet, halfway through the film it becomes obvious that this is not your average thriller. It starts to take sharp story turns and flip the characters on their heads, fleshing them out as it goes. At this point, I thought I had the movie figured out, even if the initial twist was clever. Then, it flips the film again and goes places I would never expect. By the end, I was stunned and excited by how effectively the movie had messed with me.

                What carries this twisty story are the actors, especially Joel Edgerton, who has triple duty as director, writer, and actor. Obviously this has been something he’s been wanting to do for a while, because Gordo is at once unnerving and sympathetic, which are not two emotions one usually associates with Edgerton. Bateman and Hall give great performances as well, walking the fine line of their characters quite well. Yet, they still don’t hold a candle to Edgerton. 

                Also surprising is how effective Edgerton is behind the camera. While nothing earth-shattering, the cinematography is unique and fits the tone of the film overall. There are even a few interesting camera tricks and uses which show that he knows his way around a set. One interesting touch is that early on in the film before Gordo is introduced, he can be seen in the background simply standing and staring at Bateman and Hall, yet he blends in so well that it’s hard to notice at first. The script is nothing to sneeze at either, rarely becoming melodramatic or unnatural.

                “The Gift” is a welcome surprise during this already solid summer season. A film that has the courage to not only be different, but to trust its audience enough to go along with it. By the end, viewers will either be on board with what it’s trying to accomplish or will feel cheated, and will be lesser for it. If you want thrills on a smaller scale after all the blockbusters, “The Gift” is certainly worth your time.

"Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" Review

Spanning five films and almost twenty years, the Mission Impossible franchise has had its up and downs. Starting in 1996, the films have been varied in quality, with the last one, “Ghost Protocol”, being by far the best. With its focus on teamwork, death-defying stunts, and general fun, that film become one of my favorites of 2011. Now, four years later we have “Rogue Nation”, a film that touts itself as having not only impressive stunts, but real ones that Tom Cruise performed himself. Going in, I had high expectations not only from the quality of the last film but also from the overwhelmingly positive critical response it has received. The only question is, did it live up to the hype?

                Picking up years after “Ghost Protocol”, Ethan Hunt is still with the IMF and is still active in crazy missions. For over a year, Hunt has investigated into a conspiracy involving an agency made up of missing or presumed dead agents named the Syndicate. They seem to be involved in major deaths and events across the globe all involving political figures. Before Hunt can fully reveal his findings, he is kidnapped by the Syndicate. At the same time, the IMF is shut down by the CIA, leaving Hunt alone and on the run. After six months of silence, Ethan Hunt returns to recruit his old IMF buddies to finally take down the Syndicate.

 

                Just like the last film, the plot of “Rogue Nation” is overly complicated and nonsensical. There were many points where I had no idea what was going on or why the team had to do certain things. Yet, it’s obvious that story was not the main focus of the film and is made up in the characters and parts of the script. Everyone has a funny line or good banter with each other, Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames especially. Simon Pegg is also funny as always, yet they do feel somewhat useless. Pegg is utilized multiple times, but Renner and Rhames are only there to spout some lines of dialogue and tag along for Cruise to shine in his action scenes. In the end, I’m still glad they were included, since they give the film a comedic edge that makes it seem like the filmmakers are in on the joke with audience, that being that “Rogue Nation” is a silly movie at heart and should not be taken seriously.

                While the story is lackluster, the action is anything but. As I stated earlier, Cruise did most of his own stunts, included the scene where he hangs off the plane as it takes off. 

Yes, that was real. 

Many of the set pieces are a step down in scale and sheer insanity from “Ghost Protocol”, but they are made impressive by the fact that they were done on set with very little CGI utilized. There is a scene that requires Cruise to be underwater with no oxygen tank for three minutes. In order to shoot the scene, he learned how to hold his breath for six minutes. That kind of crazy dedication elevates these scenes from a downgrade to probably more impressive than the last film. It cannot be ignored though that many moments are implausible and ridiculous. Cruise wipes out while flying at high speeds on a motorcycle, yet he immediately gets up and acts as if nothing has happened. He should be dead, or at the very least have giant wounds on his entire body. While the film has a somewhat silly tone, that does not excuse the lack of logic, even if it does lead to cool and exciting action sequences. 

                Yet, something feels lost in the transition from “Protocol” to “Nation”. There is less focus on the team and instead returns to being the Tom Cruise show. While not a huge issue, it is sad to see many of the side characters reduced to background props when they could have bigger roles. Also, there seemed to be less tension in the action scenes. While they are still impressive, they never left me on the edge of my seat or gave my panic attacks like “Protocol” or even this year’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” did. The action has a better behind the scenes story then an actual bearing on the plot. 

                “Rogue Nation” is not a bad film by any stretch of the imagination, in fact it’s up there as one of the better Mission Impossible movies. Yet, it cannot be ignored that it is a step down from its predecessor and is an above average summer blockbuster when taken on its own merits. I do recommend “Rogue Nation”, as it stands out from many other offerings in this waning summer season, just go in with lowered expectations.