Bryan Caron's Blog, page 24

Movie Mayhem – Best & Worst of 2015

After ringing in the new year with no new releases (unless you count The Hateful Eight, which technically opened over Christmas and went wide this weekend), it’s time to reflect on the year that was and reveal my picks for the top 10 movies of the year. This list is compiled from the 110 movies I saw in theaters in 2015, 51 of which were graded an A- or above. What it doesn’t include, are some of the most recent releases, such as The Revenant and the aforementioned Quinten Tarantino joint, as I haven’t had the chance to see them yet. But enough with the small talk. Let’s get to my top ten movies of 2015 (and the 5 worst movies of the year). Be warned: some of these choices may shock even the mast ardent of film buffs.

Top 10 Best

Bonus Choice (#11) — The Gift



Joel Edgerton’s first foray behind the camera as a writer and director is a quiet exploration of the psychological consequences that bullying and rumors can have on children, and how those experiences may affect a person as an adult. Jason Bateman is fantastic as always, and Edgerton gives such a subtly creepy performance, you’re never quite sure whether he’s genuine in his need to forgive, or has something much more sinister up his sleeve.

#10 — Spotlight



Based on the true events surrounding the 2002 sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic church, Spotlight takes us behind the scenes with the Boston Globe journalists who fought to uncover the conspiracy and get the information out to the public. Mark Ruffalo is the standout among a stellar cast that includes another strong performance by Michael Keaton, whose career as of late has gotten a good shot of adrenaline. If only more journalists were this devoted to the truth.

#9: The Walk



Robert Zemeckis has been a favorite director of mine for a long time, and the way he carefully crafts the true story of Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is at times humorous, at times serene and at times breathtaking, as we not only experience the majesty of Petit’s famous tightrope walk across the now infamous twin towers, we also walk with him along his journey into his own cloud of infamy.

#8: Paper Towns



I’m not sure what it is, but I found this adaptation of John Green’s novel to be extraordinarily well done. From the sincerity of the actors to the perfectly structured beats of the story, Paper Towns deserves more credit than I believe it was given, delivering a touching story about teenage crushes and life-affirming truths without pandering to its audience with a typical Hollywood ending.

#7: Steve Jobs



Supported by a cast who all bring their A-games to the table, Michael Fassbender gives an award-worthy performance as Steve Jobs. But what I most appreciated about the film was the way in which screenwriter Aaron Sorkin structured the story around three major events in Steve’s life —which were all to announce new products that he had developed. Comparing it to 2013’s attempt at stepping into the mind of the mastermind behind Apple (Ashton Kutcher’s Jobs) would be like comparing a Michelin-starred meal cooked by Gordon Ramsey to something thrown together at Carl’s Jr.

#6: Ant-Man



Over the past seven years, Marvel has all but redefined cinema with the advent of serialized movie-going. But once they had capitalized on their most well-known properties, the question became, can they reach the same level of success with their lesser-known titles? The answer, as Ant-Man so perfectly proves, is yes. And they did so with a movie that returned the Marvel cinematic universe to a very personalized, simple story that didn’t involve aliens, magic or universal consequences. Well done, Marvel. Well done.

#5: Kingsman: The Secret Service



I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this film going in, but coming out, my head felt like exploding into fireworks. The style of the film is so perfectly fresh that you never want it to end. Yes, the evil master plan put forth by Samuel L. Jackson’s lisping, blood-averse megalomaniac may a bit weak on the surface, but a well-written script, fine acting, spirited action, plenty of winks and references to the spy genre in general and a couple of surprises that had me shocked, confused and cheering all at the same time certainly made up for that.

#4: Ex Machina



I love a story that isn’t afraid to stay intimate, relying on the strength of only three actors to tell a riveting, compelling story that reaches to explore humanity and the dangers we all face when we as humans decide we’re ready to play God. Add in some brilliant special effects and what you get is a masterpiece of art, cinema and storytelling.

#3: Inside Out



Pixar does it again! Taking a concept that isn’t necessarily new (I remember watching Herman’s Head on television way back when) and making it fresh and relateable proves how powerful the storytellers at Pixar really are. Yeah, they don’t always make the most brilliant movies, but as their track record proves, their worst film is better than 95% of movies that are made in the Hollywood system. This is a story of emotions who, along with their human vessel, learn that sometimes it’s just as important to allow yourself to be sad as it is to be full of joy and happiness. Uhg… I’m tearing up just thinking about it.

#2: Chappie



A love-it-or-hate-it chapter in Neill Blomkamp’s repertoire, Chappie is one of those movies that if you’re not on board from the jump, you never will be. I, for one, was completely absorbed into the Short Circuit-inspired storyline, as it showed us the major role family plays in forming someone’s identity and how it can affect one’s actions — something I myself have written about. Chappie hits every beat with precision, giving us a crazy, loving portrait of a man who isn’t even real coming into his own and finding his soul.

#1: Star Wars: The Force Awakens



Because it’s Star Wars, and I’m biased. (Which is why I included the bonus pick!)

Top 5 Worst

#5: The Gunman



I’ve never really liked Sean Penn as an actor. He always seems so smug and full of himself, and though I don’t usually let politics or what someone does in their personal life affect me when it comes to what movies I’ll watch, with Penn, his personal mindset bleeds into his performances, making them incredibly unbearable. That’s not to say I’ve never enjoyed any of his movies — his performance in Mystic River was hypnotizing. With that said, his turn as the gunman is so rote and dry, the movie flounders in a mucky place of inconsistency and confusion.

#4: Love the Coopers



I have a soft spot for Christmas movies, especially ones that revolve around dysfunctional families. But there was something about the dysfunctionality of the Coopers that never truly clicked, producing a rather bland, routine holiday film.

#3: The Boy Next Door



Jennifer Lopez is an above average actor who doesn’t ever seem to pick the right material. She’s a little out of her element as a forty-ish high school teacher who has an affair with a student… who’s already over the legal age limit? Wait, what? I thought this was supposed to be scandalous. It’s because of this decision to choose the safe road in a PC-enabled world that keeps this film from being the scintillating, surprising, icky and politically incorrect film it was meant to be.

#2: Child 44



What a waste of time. This slow burn of a film had me nearly falling asleep several times. Maybe that’s why I can’t quite remember anything that happened. But whatever it was, Tom Hardy labored through a script that is so full of nothing, my mind couldn’t bear to keep watching.

#1: Seventh Son



If Child 44 was a waste of time, Seventh Son was just a waste. Jeff Bridges snores his way through a typical story that doesn’t try anything new. In fact, none of the cast (which includes an awful bout of scenery chewing by Julianne Moore) seem to want to be there. Nor do the filmmakers, who rush through everything to churn out a product for the sake of churning out a product.

So there you have it. What do you think? Am I wrong? What are some of your top and bottom movies this past year? What do you think will be the best and worst movies of 2016?

Independent Reads For 2016

When I posted my blog for my 2016 resolutions, one of them was a pledge to read (and support) independent writers by reading and reviewing at least one book a month by a self-published author. Now, I’d like to take a minute to expand a little on my plans and help you understand where my head’s at and what you can expect from me.

I’m an independent author with 4 self-published novels under my belt (with a fifth currently in the final stages of editing). I understand how hard it can be to get noticed when you’re a super small fish in a enormous sea of sharks. Some authors don’t have quite as hard a time as others in finding a following, as some are better at marketing, some are more social, some just have a plethora of friends ready to help them out, and some are just talented enough to get noticed right out of the gate. For those who aren’t, it’s a struggle, but with persistence and hard work (and a little touch of luck), dreams can happen. And I want to be able to help that dream become a reality. Not with dishonest or unethical means, but with the purchase of a book and a clear, detailed, honest review.

I’m not going to sit here and boast that my blog or my Twitter feed (or any of my social media channels, for that matter) have even the slightest bit of influence that other social media mavens might have. But my platform is growing (slowly but steadily), and the more I learn brings me that much closer to my ultimate goals, which hopefully, will in time, help other independent authors with theirs.

With that said, I want to give a little back to the independent authors out there who need a little love. By independent, or self-published, I’m referring to those authors who have taken it upon themselves to learn what they can about publishing and marketing, have worked hard and maybe have spent a little of their hard-earned cash to create the best product possible, and were brave enough to put themselves out there because they believe in their material that much. Any book that has been published by a small or independent publishing house do not count under my standards.

Because there are so many books out there to choose from, I want to try and limit the list a little and give you a chance to promote your book on this site. So if you are self-published, please feel free to list your book in the comments section. Be aware, though, that just because you’ve listed your book here, it doesn’t mean I am going to purchase a copy or review it. I am very picky (with just about everything in life), and I will do my homework before buying your book (that is, read a sample if one is available and check out your blog, your Twitter and any other social media channels you may have). I have to not only like the story, but I will also judge the book by its cover; if I think any of it is amateurish or not worth my time, I’m not going to spend my money on it. And don’t look to offer a free copy for an honest review. That’s not how I operate. The only time I will accept a manuscript from an author for free is if it’s an ARC (that is, an advanced review copy), and you’re looking for an honest pre-release review. Even then, if I don’t like the pitch, I’m going to have to pass.

And be warned: This isn’t a site that will pander to the author or the book. If I read a book that I don’t like, I’m still going to review it, however, I’ll do so in an intelligent, respectful way. It hurts to get a bad review, I know, so if it turns out that a book I choose to read isn’t very good, I will go into detail as to why, with the understanding that it may just not have been for me. Believe me, I want every book I read to be an excellent adventure, but I already know that will unfortunately not be the case. It never is, and if I only give good reviews, it makes me seem disingenuous. But because I’m so picky, generally that means that the books I do review will have good to glorious reviews.

So, without further ado, here are the books I’ve come across over the past year or so that I’m excited to read over the next few months.

This month, I will finally be reading Cemetery Tours, by Jacquline E. Smith.

In February, Shizzle, Inc. by Ana Spoke is on board.

I will devour I Am the Lion by Andrew Toy in March.

And finally, supernatural fantasy fills April when I read Creeping Shadow by Carolyn Peckham.

None of these authors have asked me to review their books (let’s face it… a few of them don’t need my help). I’ve been following the authors’s blogs and/or Twitter feeds for a while, and though I may be late to the game on some of them, these are the books I’ve found most intriguing enough to buy. I know there are plenty of hidden gems still out there ready to be absorbed, so if you’ve self-published a novel (or have an ARC you’d like me to read), give me a heads up. I’ll take a look, and if I like what I see, I’ll purchase a copy and add it to my list starting in May.

Resolutions of Time

Another year has come to a close, so it must be time to reminisce about the year we’ve left behind and look forward to the year ahead. It’s also when a lot of people begin to make plans to once again get their weight under control, eat better and exercise more… anything and everything to be a healthier person.

Not me.

Don’t get me wrong, if all of the planets were in alignment and you built a chain of the world’s people, from healthiest to unhealthiest, that stretched from the Earth to Pluto (yes, Pluto is a planet), I’d probably be hovering somewhere between Saturn and Neptune. But I’m fine with that. I don’t need to exercise two to four hours a day to be happy. Life isn’t about how many years you live, but what you do with the years God gives you that counts, and I simply choose to spend that time on other efforts.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to focus all of my resolutions this year on discipline and efficiency of time. Earlier this year, I couldn’t understand why I didn’t seem to have as much time to write as I would have liked. Yes, I’m still busy building my business, but it seemed like I was losing time that I used to have when I worked for another company. Bottom line, I was getting a heck of a lot done, and yet, I felt I wasn’t getting anything accomplished. So over the last few months, I’ve been tracking my efforts and how I spend my time. What I found was a lot of procrastination, time that could be better spent finishing my new novel, marketing my work, networking and making richer connections to help me become a better writer, a better author and a better all around business person.

The proverbial ‘they’ say we all have the same twenty-four hours in a day; successful people simply know how to best utilize that time. So in an effort to exponentially grow my success in both business and writing, here’s my plan, effective January 1, 2016 (the year of my 20 year high school reunion! Ack! Where’s the ice-cream?!?)

Develop efficiency in my day

Around September of this year, I started outlining each week depending on the work I had scheduled, networking opportunities and necessary responsibilities. But as the months waned down, when I compared my scheduled tasks to the actual tasks I accomplished, I was losing an average of over 5 hours a week doing menial unrelated things that had nothing to do with what I had scheduled. What suffered most? My writing, which, unfortunately, became the lowest priority on the totem pole. I hope to change that mindset in the new year, but for that to happen, I have to stay disciplined when it comes to getting things done within the time I set, and only doing activities in the specified time frames. Of course there will always be unexpected events that will force me to rearrange my schedule, however, if I remain disciplined with my time management, these unexpected detours shouldn’t affect my progress and my schedule as bad as it has been.

Read more independent authors

Reading, it turns out, has also fallen by the wayside when it comes to priorities. I read a whopping one and half books last year, which is a travesty! (Especially for a writer!) That’s also going to change in 2016. I’ve decided to read at the very least, one book a month. But, as an independent writer, I know how hard it is to get noticed, much less build a fan base in an industry where thousands of books are published each month. So, I want to use this resolution to support more independent authors. I’ve already chosen the first handful of books I’m going to read this year, but I still have half the year to flesh out. To do that, I’ll be giving independent authors a chance to request I read and review their books throughout the year. I’ll be posting a separate blog with full details about this over the weekend, so stay tuned.

Begin my newsletter

Ever since starting my business two years ago, writing a newsletter has been on my list of things to do. It’s high time I make it happen. It will be a monthly publication and include sample movie and book reviews, tips and tricks for design, writing and video, updates on my novels, updates on work I’ve done, short stories, company and author spotlights, special offers and discounts, and other fun stuff I think everyone will enjoy. I have a decent recipient list thus far, but I’ll also be posting the newsletter online for anyone to read and enjoy.

Improve my social media presence

Thanks to the wonderful ladies at Cover Story Communications, I’ve learned a lot about how to navigate social media channels. I’m hoping to use the knowledge I’ve gained to continue utilizing my social media channels to boost my online presence, find new clients and readers, and grow my business and writing career even further. I am looking to write more blog posts on the craft of writing, promote others more often (by retweeting and sharing), provide more updates and content on Facebook, and post more on Instagram and Twitter (which is actually really hard to do when you don’t have a smartphone or iPhone that has you constantly plugged into the Internet), bbut do so as efficiently as possible.

I was blessed this past year with a surge of growth in my business and the addition of many followers on my social media channels. But my writing, even with the publication of a brand new novel, was stagnant. That’s my biggest goal for the new year, as the plan to publish my new novel, The Spirit Of… at the end of the spring is still on track. But it won’t be if I continue to mess around and waste time. So, I’m afraid I must now sign off.

Thank you all for reading, following and supporting me. Here’s hoping everyone has a terrific 2016!

Movie Mayhem – Daddy’s Home

The end of a movie — that is the climax and resolution — can sometimes make it break it. If the end is good, it can raise the stature of the rest of the movie and help you overlook its flaws. If the end is bad, it can kill a relatively good movie and make the two hours you spent following the characters through their journey feel wasted. And then, of course, there are times when the end of a film is so killer, as is the case with Daddy’s Home (who’s last fifteen minutes are pure magic), it reminds you of how disappointing the road traveled actually was.

Daddy’s Home — 2015; Directed by Sean Anders; Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardelinni, and Thomas Haden Church

In an effort not to give anything away, Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg give brilliant performances in the last fifteen minutes, raising the comedy bar that lingered just above sea level throughout the rest of the film. All of the developing storylines converged surprisingly well, ending with a perfect bout of comeuppance that beautifully demonstrates the meaning of karma. By the time I was leaving the theater, I couldn’t stop wondering:

What happened to the rest of the movie?

The answer comes down to the tired familiarity of antics that permeate the script. Daddy’s Home is the second collaboration between Ferrell and Wahlberg, the first being The Other Guys, a second-rate cop comedy that never found its voice. We get more of the same here, as neither actor can find anything different to say with their branded comedy styles. Ferrell again plays the upstanding, emotionally wimpy geek he’s come to rely on so heavily in most of his films, trying to do too much while milking his own sense of inferiority. Wahlberg plays the emotionally unavailable thug with abs ripped from the headlines (though not quite as prominent as they were in the far superior Date Night) and an arrogant, narcissistic personality to match. Both leave much to be desired. Do we really need another comedy moment where another man asks Wahlberg to put a shirt on because the other guy feels emasculated around him? Do we really want to keep watching Ferrell cry his way through his pathetic act? Maybe, if both actors could step away from their comfort zones and deliver something more. But laziness shines bright, turning a rather fun premise into a boring game of That Was Funny, Wasn’t It? Wasn’t it?

It’s a shame, because there are glimmers of hope sprinkled throughout. Ferrell is Brad Whitaker, the stepfather to two adorable kids, Megan (Scarlett Estevez) and Dylan (Owen Vaccaro). All he wants is to be a good father after an accident with an X-Ray machine at the dentist made him infertile. The kids hate him at first (as any five to eight year-old kid might act around the man trying to steal their mommy away — or replace their real daddy) but quickly grow to accept him enough to stop drawing pictures of him dead and ask to talk to him about troubles at school. Everything is coalescing nicely until Dusty (Wahlberg), the kids’s biological father, decides to come home to see them. Brad tries to find common ground with his better looking, cooler parental unit, but Dusty’s manipulative nature throws everything into chaos, mostly because he’s jealous someone has moved in on his turf and is trying to steal his family away.

Thus starts the passive-aggressive ego war, one that does little to prove either is more worthy than the other. Brad tries to prove he can be cool too by lying to the kids about riding a motorcycle or skating a half-pipe, both of which end up nearly killing him; Dusty convinces Brad to fire a handyman (which supposedly comes off as racist; not sure I buy it, but some people are just that sensitive), only to then invite said handyman (Hannibal Buress) to stay with the family; Brad does what he does, volunteering with a bunch of kids groups to show his involvement, so Dusty tries to prove Brad is infertile so that he can slide back in and give his ex-wife, Sara (Linda Cardellini), what she secretly wishes for  — a third child. It’s all very well set up, however, the execution of it all comes off a bit stilted, mostly because Ferrell and Wahlberg can’t seem to connect well enough to pull it off.

Nothing seems to come from a natural place. The need the characters have to one-up each other somehow leaks into the film making process, leading to a few scenes that are too outlandish for a movie that tries to take itself somewhat seriously. If director Sean Anders had chosen to make a spoof or a heightened comedy, those particular scenes might have worked, but because a lot of the movie feels grounded in a sincere reality (especially when they come to the more emotionally resonant sequences), the goofiness of those unrealistic aspects feel forced and tear you out of the movie. And it takes time to once again build back the trust.

But as I said, there are little highlights throughout that manage to keep you invested long enough to get to the awesome conclusion, and the biggest one has to be the kids. Estevez does everything right and gets some of the best lines while Vaccaro has one of the better story arcs, helping to show both men who they are and bridge the gap of respect between them. And then there’s Thomas Haden Church as Brad’s wildly blunt boss, who basically represents the essence of the movie. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of him at first, but as the movie went on, he had both highs and lows until the point where I was on board. He’s a tough nut to crack, and though we’re all familiar with the contents, a jolt of lightning helps turn what’s inside into a delicious treat, making the overall journey more satisfying, if not a little stale.

My Grade: B

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Next week, my list of the ten best and five worst movies of 2015 .

Movie Mayhem – Star Wars: The Force Awakens

For the last few months, I’ve been praising the marketing department at Disney for the way they’ve handled the marketing of Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens. They’ve meticulously given fans a taste of what’s to come without revealing any major spoilers or giving us a clear plot. All we knew was it involved a stormtrooper with a guilty conscious who meets a young recluse, both of whom are thrown into the middle of a brewing war led by a sinister Darth Vader worshiper. All of this secrecy led up to the ultimate question:

Where is Luke Skywalker?

Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens — 2015; Directed by J.J. Abrams; Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill

There have been a massive amount of rumors and speculation as to why Disney and director J.J. Abrams have been hiding Luke from all marketing, including the trailer, the poster, the toys and even the press junket. Based on early pics of Mark Hamill in his Jedi beard and the infamous table read shot, we all know he’s in the movie, so what’s the deal? It turns out, his disappearance is just another genius marketing device, not only because it got fans excited for Luke’s ultimate reveal (what are they hiding?), but it drives the central plot of The Force Awakens. As John Willaims’s most memorable score (and that’s saying something) begins and the title scroll emerges, we learn Luke Skywalker is missing, and everyone — good and evil — are looking for him.

Brilliant.

Thus begins the next chapter in the Star Wars saga, a breathtaking return to the essence of a franchise that, although I still immensely enjoyed the prequel trilogy, did get a little sidetracked with fun new toys and visual effect giddiness. Here, Abrams’s promise to return to using practical effects, make-up, animotronics and puppetry paid off immensely, immersing us into a new world in a way the “fakery” of the prequels didn’t allow for. Yes, there are plenty of CGI characters and elements within the building blocks of the universe, but because they’re limited to necessity rather than the focus of every living scene, they are hidden within the magic of what’s around them.

But that’s just eye-candy. What really matters are the characters and their journeys, and how well they would connect to the audience. Before even one word of the script was written, we knew The Force Awakens would be set some thirty years after Return of the Jedi and would mix new heroes and villains with those of lore. The question was, would the new crop of upstarts be as fun, charismatic and resonate with fans the same way the original cast did back in 1977, and would the old-school regime be as remarkable as you remember them? Fortunately, the answer to both is a resounding YES! The new and old mesh together like peanut butter and jelly, providing us a classic tale of lost souls reconnecting to who they really are and what they’re meant to be.

We begin our journey on the planet Jakku, where hotshot pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), one of the leaders of the resistance against the rising First Order, has found new information as to the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker. Poe doesn’t get a lot of attention throughout the film, but from the moment we meet him, Isaac expertly balances the leadership qualities, the excitement, the one-liners and the drama that once upon a time made Harrison Ford a household name. When Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), one of the sinister leaders of the First Order (alongside Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, a perfect successor to Grand Moff Tarkin) who want the information to track down and destroy Luke once and for all, captures Poe, their first interactions together set the stage for what’s to come, both in tone and visual magnitude.

During this stunning opening sequence, we also see the “awakening” of a stormtrooper, FN2187 (John Boyega). Plucked from his family as a child to be programmed to become a by-the-numbers trooper for the First Order, Finn (as he’s dubbed later in the film) sees what evil truly is and breaks from his training to escape their clutches. At the same time, Poe’s astromech droid, BB-8, has taken the information into hiding. He eventually runs into Rey (Daisy Ridley), an orphaned scavenger of mechanical parts whose just as handy with her tools as she is her fists. She knows the little droid has important information the resistance needs, but it isn’t until she gets caught up with Finn (and is subsequently marked as an enemy by the First Order) that she reluctantly decides to leave Jakku and return the droid to his rightful owner.

Both Ridley and Boyega give outstanding performances, connecting with each other on a brother/sister level, clashing with each other while remaining respectful of each other’s talents and emotional turmoil. Harrison Ford only adds to the mix when he joins them in getting BB-8 back to the resistance. At this point in time, he’s just as lost as his young counterparts, and to see him look on Rey as a protege rather than just another piece of cargo is a joy to watch. He’s matured, but sees a lot of his younger self in her, especially after she steals the Millennium Falcon from a junkyard to escape the First Order, an action sequence that looks incredible and feels majestic in its artistry. Abrams really touches on what made the action sequences in the original trilogy so fun and breathtaking by not trying to do anything too fancy, though there is one exception that occurs approximately halfway through the film. I’m not sure what it was, but the scene felt more like something out of Galaxy Quest or Men and Black than it did Star Wars. It just didn’t strike the right chord with me at all. There are also a couple of emotional beats that didn’t quite click, but those are very minor issues when compared to the emotional beats that do work, one of which is devastating in its simplicity and its honesty.

Take this review with a grain of salt, if you must. I am a fan of the entire franchise (when someone asks me what my favorite movie is, my answer is the Star Wars Saga), and the movies will always set the bar for all other movies. But taking a step back from that, and doing my best to be objective, The Force Awakens does everything I hoped it would, and flaws aside, delivers on its promise to give us a satisfying, respectful, rip-roaring adventure for a new generation.

My Grade: A+

Take Our Poll

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Next week, new movies include The Hateful Eight, Daddy’s Home, Point Break, Concussion and Joy. If you would like to see a review of one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – In the Heart of the Sea

At one point in Ron Howard’s compelling drama, In the Heart of the Sea, Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) takes a break from transcribing the tale of the whaling ship Essex (used as the inspiration for the famed novel, Moby Dick) to iterate his fear over his ability to interpret the devastating story, not because he can’t tell it well enough, but because he may not be the right person to write it. It’s a sentiment that digs into the depths behind the meaning of the film: can one rise above their fears to accomplish the impossible, whether that be writing one of the most treasured books ever written, or surviving at sea for three months with hardly any food or water at your disposal. Dare I say the story told in In the Heart of the Sea is better than its product? That’s not to say the film, based on Nathaniel Philbrick’s award-winning non-fiction book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, is better written than the classic novel, but the story in some ways certainly feels more raw than Melville’s interpretation.

In the Heart of the Sea — 2015; Directed by Ron Howard; Starring Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, Cillian Murphy & Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson gives a stellar performance as Tom Nickerson, the last remaining survivor of the Essex, which was capsized in 1820 by a whale some 1200 nautical miles into the Pacific Ocean. Nickerson’s pain and anguish over the events that transpired during that voyage are stamped all over every nuance in his body language even before we know what really happened after the ship sank. It’s clear the secrets he’s held onto are eating him alive, and as he reluctantly tells his tale to Melville, the anticipation for what may be coming next hurts as much as it inspires.

The tale revolves around two men: Captain George Pollard (Benjamin Walker), a well-to-do son of a family of whaling ship captains who’s been handed everything he’s ever gotten, including this new assignment; and his first-mate, Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), a “landsman” who has had to work his butt off his whole life to claw his way up the ladder, only to have his rank of captain be stripped away in favor of the establishment. There’s actually an A Knights Tale vibe running under the current as Chase desperately seeks to change his stars, doing whatever he needs to do to earn honor in a world of controlled nepotism. But unlike Heath Ledger, whose arrogance and confidence are offset perfectly by his fanciful charm, Hemsworth is devoid of innate charisma. He seems to carry a haughty attitude that plays more snobbish than enchanting, turning the majority of his characters into smarmy egotists. It works well-enough for Thor, but if he wants to continue a career outside of Marvel, he needs to find humbleness and vulnerability. Once he does, there’s no doubt he can become a likable, bankable star like, say, Chris Pratt.

I know this because Hemsworth understands how to build chemistry with his fellow actors. He plays perfectly off of Walker, butting heads in a show of both disdain and respect for one another. But the most heartfelt relationship, other than the the brief interaction with his wife (Charlotte Riley), is the one he builds with a young Thomas Nickerson (Tom Holland). Not only does he see himself in the kid, a sailor with aspirations of earning the coveted symbol of an expert whaler, but Thomas comes from humble beginnings, and Chase takes him under his wing as a surrogate father figure, harsh and cruel, yet soft and compassionate. He teaches him what it means to be a whaler, from the highs to the very lows (which includes climbing into the carcass of a whale to get the last drops of “mucus” for oil production), as well as what it takes to be a leader. Rounding out the cast is a boat-load of degenerates from all walks of life, including an underutilized Cillian Murphy, who plays a one-time drunkard who’s banned himself from drinking anything due to an unknown incident from his past (a story I’m very interested in seeing). He does a terrific job with what he’s given, but I would have liked to have seen the character developed much more than Howard allows.

Where Howard shines is in his direction of the action sequences. With the likes of Apollo 13, Backdraft and Willow under his belt, Howard is no stranger to action. The authenticity he’s able to capture, especially in the whaling sequences, keep us thoroughly engaged with taut excitement and tension that engages all of our senses. One of the highlights of the film comes halfway through when the great white whale attacks the Essex, a breathtaking sequence that combines the best aspects of cinematography, visual effects and emotion. What takes place is clearly the motivation behind Ahab, and witnessing that need to destroy this beast, from both the man and the animal’s perspectives, adds just the right amount of depth to help lead us into the latter half of the movie, which takes a very brutal and dark turn.

Having never read In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, I’m not sure how well the movie follows the book, but the pacing in the second half becomes a bit staggered. I like where the story goes here, showing the hardships and the maddening  decisions the men of the Essex must endure to survive (and those who decide it best to let go of life), but it never felt as if it went as deep as it could. It wants to show some very unsettling things, but by alluding to them mostly off-screen limits the impact these decisions have on the men, reducing them to “stories” rather than events that changed their lives — and to some extent, their very souls. If Howard had been brave enough to go as far as the men had to go, not only would the impact on Nickerson had been that much more effective in the scenes with Melville, but the effects on the characters themselves (especially Chase and his need to return to his wife and newborn child and how what he does effects them) would have helped raise the second half to match the exhilarating first half, turning the film into a masterpiece truly deserving of Moby Dick‘s legacy.

My Grade: A-

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Next week, new movies include Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Sisters and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. If you would like to see a review of one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

A Book Lovers Christmas

With Star Wars: The Force Awakens just a week away, it means Christmas is upon us. Have you gotten something for everyone on your list yet? The grumpy grandpa that doesn’t like anything? The geeky brother who’ll string you up if you confuse Star Trek with Star Wars (or vice-versa)? The cousin you don’t know well enough to shop for? The little sister who wants nothing but expensive Santa gifts?

What about the book lover in your family? You know, the one who is never without a book in their hand, or has so many books, you’re about ready to cast them on Hoarders. You’re in luck, because I’ve compiled a quick list of quirky, off-the-wall and practical gift ideas for a very, merry book lover’s Christmas.

Clip-On Reading Light

For the bookworm who can’t get to sleep without first reading a good book (and doesn’t want to disturb their bed mate).

Tissue Box Cover

For those who cry when the books are over.

Talking Bookmarks

For those who like to be told where they are in the book.

Book Scented Candles or Perfume

For those who just can’t get enough of that powerful literary smell!

Personalized Library Embosser

For those who lend books and want to (try to) guarantee their safe return.

Magnetic Poetry Kit

For those who like to tool around with words. (I used to play around with this at work with co-workers!)

Leather Book Cell Phone Case

My dad has one of these; it makes your phone feel much more classic.

Barnes and Noble Gift Cards

And of course you can never go wrong with a good ‘ole fashioned Gift Card to Barnes and Noble.

What do you think? Have any other ideas for book lovers this Christmas?

Movie Mayhem – Krampus

Krampus is one odd little duck. Coming out of the theater, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Was it supposed to be a “run/hide from the demon” style horror film or a goofy, Gremlins-esque horror romp? Given the cast, which includes straight-man Adam Scott, award magnet Toni Collette, funnyman David Koechner and snark-master Conchata Ferrell, it could have gone either way. But with such a roller coaster of tones running through the film, I couldn’t lock down whether it worked well or was a complete mess. After a few days of assessment, I’ve come to the conclusion that Krampus is a film that might have gained a cult status… had it gone more in the direction of Gremlins mayhem than the standard dysfunctional family gets attacked bedlam.

Krampus — 2015; Directed by Michael Dougherty; Starring Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Emjay Anthony and Allison Tohlman.

Scott plays Tom, the patriarch of a family who has lost their sense of tradition. His wife, Sarah (Collette), doesn’t seem to have time to spend with their son Max (Emjay Anthony) as she always does a few days before Christmas (which causes Max to act out), and their daughter, Beth (Stefania LaVie Owen), doesn’t care about anything but her boyfriend. The only person who still believes wholeheartedly in Christmas, its traditions and meaning, is Tom’s mother, Omi (Krista Stadler).

 

Losing faith in the season is the crux of the film’s plot, so when Sarah’s sister, Linda (Allison Tolman), and her family (including husband Howard (Koechner), their four kids — who aren’t worth talking about in detail, as they are nothing more than fodder to kill off so the filmmakers don’t have to kill the cast that matters — and Sarah and Linda’s Aunt Dorothy (Ferrell)) arrive to spend Christmas, Max grows even more distant. In one key scene, one of Linda’s daughters taunts Max by reading his recent letter to Santa — a poignant letter wherein everything he asks for is unselfishly real. This moment of realization that things will never be the same as they used to be leads to Max ripping up his letter and sending it to drift into the wind. Enter Santa’s evil shadow, Krampus (voiced by Gideon Emery), who comes to remove all of the non-believers from the world.

The movie starts out psychotic enough during the opening credits when we’re subjected to a slow-motion montage of what looks like Black Friday crowds trampling people and fighting over gifts. It sets a comically dark tone of mass hysteria and choas — one that never fully develops until near the end of the second act. Which is disheartening because if they would have managed to utilize that tone throughout, the film would have had better legs to stand on. Instead, it devolves into a slow-moving family drama for the next hour, killing time before finally getting to the good stuff.

Even though he tries to build a sense of captivating tension, director Michael Dougherty leaves us to wallow in the tedious snow-drift waiting for something to happen. The snowman that appears out of nowhere after a blackout wipes out the entire city? None of that gives us any real sense of danger, as not much ever comes of it (except for the fact that in the dark, with no heat, comes the hand of icy cold). The bag of Christmas gifts that show up on the doorstep with no explanation? No one ever notices it, or makes much of a fuss about it, which reduces the power of the payoff when that bag of gifts finally comes into play. Beth heading out into the snowstorm to check on her boyfriend? Though there’s one taut scene that Owen plays well, the entire idea is a little wasted (especially because Beth bites it so early). Tom and Howard go out looking for her, but for what purpose? To find a truck they will never use? To nearly get eaten by a snake-like something in the snow? The entire thing is virtually useless and leads into about a half-hour where the pace stalls, almost as if Dougherty had an idea, had a cool final act, but was unclear of how to get to that final act.

But what a final act. Just as I was about to write the movie off as a boring failure, Dougherty kicks it into high gear and throws the kitchen sink at you without remorse. One of the best things to come out of this movie is Dougherty’s decision to buck the trend of using digital effects to tell the story and utilize an effective mix of practical effects, animatronics and CG to give the film a retro feel while keeping it current and up-to-date — a manic, old-school B-movie that plays like an 80s horror flick that’s so bad it’s good. When you see the scene with the nail gun-toting gingerbread men, you’ll wonder where all of this had been in the first two-thirds of the film.

All of it leads to a finale that spins your head around with its roller coaster of changes, from a masterful twist that devolves into a cliché ending, which then reverts back to another shocking twist all in the space of about five minutes. There’s certainly a love-hate relationship with Krampus, and though I wish Dougherty had gone all-in on the schlock, I thought the adult cast worked really well together (playing off of each other the way a real family who doesn’t get along might) to at the very least, hold the film together enough until we could finally unwrap the gift taunting us from underneath the tree.

My Grade: A-

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Next week, new movies include In the Heart of the Sea. If you would like to see a review of this, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

 

Charles Dickens—Using Symbol, Theme & Allegory to Create Enduring Stories

Originally posted on Kristen Lamb's Blog:

Why are there certain stories we just can’t get enough of? Why do some stories fade away while others become staples for every generation? Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been made into all kinds of movies, plays, cartoons, musicals and there are countless variations of Dickens’ original story: A grumpy old miser who is transformed by the power of love.

Today we are going to explore the many brilliant layers of a very simple and timeless tale and maybe even extract some lessons to make our own writing even better.

One of my all-time favorite movies for the holidays is The Muppets Christmas Carol. I believe I’ve seen this movie a few hundred thousand times. I’ve worn out three VHS tapes and at least three DVDs. I play the movie over and over, mainly because, well, duh,  MUPPETS! I drive my husband nuts playing this movie over and…

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Movie Mayhem – The Good Dinosaur

Over the years, I’ve learned never to underestimate John Lasseter and his team at Pixar. Before the fledgling studio became the phenomenon it is, I remember seeing the trailer for a movie like Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. or Cars and beeing underwhelmed, only to have my mind blown upon seeing the film. Has every Pixar outing been excellent? I’m afraid not; have they all been high-quality pieces of art that raise the bar for everyone else? Yes, and I respect Pixar much more for that, as even their poorest work far exceeds the majority of films churned out by other studios. The reason for this quality-infused renaissance stems from the the integrity of Pixar as a company; they won’t simply release a movie because it’s on the schedule, or because they need to get something out to help their bottom line. The men and women at Pixar (most notably Lasseter, who was also integral in bringing Disney Animation back from the brink of death) take pride in their work and won’t let mediocre slip by because of some arbitrary deadline. No more prevalent is this than with The Good Dinosaur, a film originally scheduled for the summer of 2014, but held back because they knew it wasn’t ready. How much this delay affected the film’s overall story, production and idea, I’m not sure, but if the film benefited from this postponement, I have to say, they may have wanted to keep the film in the oven just a wee bit longer.

The Good Dinosaur — 2015; Directed by Peter Sohn; Starring Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Sam Elliot and Steve Zahn.

The film isn’t bad by any means, but it’s clear the filmmakers had issues with developing this fresh idea. The conceit behind the story is good: what if the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs missed? The execution is where it falters slightly, as the film doesn’t really go far enough in exploring that idea. Am I asking for an odd, Flintstones redux, where people live in harmony with the dinosaurs (and in most cases, use them as tools)? Not necessarily, but to have this idea flounder because it doesn’t go far enough leaves much to be desired. What they do come up with — long-neck dinosaurs sowing seeds, Tyrannosauruses herding cattle — is fun and interesting but isn’t explored beyond the base “human” tendencies, mixed with  the same, routine staples Pixar has come to be known for.

I think this stems from director Peter Sohn and writer Meg LeFauve not knowing exactly how to start their story. The birth of our young hero is good and the domesticated farmers idea works well, as the youngest, klutzier son, Arlo (Raymond Ochoa), is tasked with catching the critter that’s been stealing their winter food supply. Instead of killing the thing like he’s supposed to when it gets snared in their trap, Arlo takes sympathy on it and lets it go. This infuriates his father (Jeffrey Wright), who forces Arlo to chase after it. And this is where the main problem of the film lies.

Arlo and his father are caught in a major thunderstorm while chasing the critter, and as they try to escape the flooding river, Arlo’s father dies. We know this because right after the death, we’re taken back to the farm where Arlo helps his mom (Frances McDormand) reap the corn fields, only to find the critter in their silo again. He chases the thing away and accidentally gets swept away by the river. Not only is this sequence awkward (How did Arlo get back? How long did it take him? How long has it been since the death?), but it’s an unnecessary diversion that lessens the impact on the father’s death and sucks a lot of emotional power from later scenes. Had Arlo also got washed away by the river at the time of his father’s death, not only would it have heightened the hatred Arlo initially has toward the critter, but it would have kept whether or not the father actually died a mystery, adding more punch to a scene later in the film when Arlo dreams of his father’s return.

That aside, the heart of the story is terrifically executed. The Good Dinosaur is, at its core, an adventure story about a boy and his dog finding their way back home, wherein Arlo is the boy and the critter (in this case a young human) is the dog. Dubbed Spot (Jack Bright) halfway through the film, the critter is fun, boisterous and caring — a dinosaurs best friend, if you will. It’s the loving bond of friendship that forms between them that holds the film together, flowing from crazy amusement to thoughtful serenity to heartbreaking splendor as they hit home the message of the importance of family and how to make your mark on the world.

Together they shine, but add in a sidekick here and an enemy there, and the film somehow becomes harder to invest in anything. Though the friends Arlo meets along his journey are all funny in their own right, some of them still feel forced upon us rather than being a natural part of the world itself. Other than the wise old sage of a T-Rex (Sam Elliot), the rest are goofy, mindless, redneck-type characters that bumble their way through the film without being able to coalesce to the rhythm set by Arlo and Spot.

I point to The Land Before Time, another story in which dinosaurs must journey home, as a benchmark for creating a set of characters that all have different personalities and fit well together because they have a strong chemistry. Sohn fails to produce that same harmony outside of our two core characters. It might be because of his artistic choice to mix relatively cartoon-style characters amongst hyper-realistic environments, which right from the start sets a conflicting tone that never really settles together. Or it could come from his reliance on sequences that have been done much better in previous films (Dumbo’s drunken pink elephants are more schizophrenic than Arlo and Spot’s drug-induced moment, and Mufasa’s death is so much more poignant than Arlo’s father’s demise). Whatever it is, The Good Dinosaur ends up being Pixar’s weakest offering to date.

Which doesn’t mean much when compared to Pixar’s best — it still holds up well as a pleasant, enjoyable escape that will keep the kids occupied and give your heartstrings a nice pull.

My Grade: B+

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Next week, new movies include Krampus. If you would like to see a review of this, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.