The Martian (2015)

Just to get this out of the way, I haven't read the book, so there will be no comparisons or anything like that. This is a movie review. I can barely read in the first place. On a related note, I talked to a couple after seeing The Martian that was all too happy to tell everyone within earshot that Andy Weir was his cousin. I had to fight every fiber of my being to respond, "Who's that?" Seriously though, The Martian is the kind of movie that makes you want to read the book.

The Martian doesn't waste any time. Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is stranded on Mars in the opening moments of the film. Since that's the whole premise of the film, might as well get it out of the way, right? No sense in building that up for 30 minutes when the trailer reveals this. Watney must figure out a way to make his supplies last and contact home. As said in the film, he sciences the shit out of it.

It made me happy to see a film where everyone is smart. Hell, the main character of the film is an astronaut-botanist. How geeky is that? Matt Damon might be the main character, but the hero of The Martian is Science. Anything that gets people interested in outer space and celebrates Science is already winning my book. Doesn't hurt when Neil deGrasse Tyson tweets that The Martian got "crucial science right." He did also say that it's still fantasy, but some of those comments seemed to in jest.

It's a testament to Matt Damon's acting and charisma that The Martian stays entertaining even when watching long stretches of just talking to himself, or doing repetitive tasks. Like many stranded films, it can be hard or tedious to watch a guy struggling to survive if you don't like the actor or can't root for the character.

The Martian is a good example of a great cast that isn't wasted. They exist in the Goldilocks zone where everyone's screentime and performances are just right. It's is also very funny with a lot of sharp dialog. I didn't realize Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods) wrote the screenplay, so perhaps its humor shouldn't have surprised me as much. The script also does a good job of explaining everything just enough that it's not too complicated, so nobody will get lost. It's not bogged down with jargon or techno-babble.

I'm glad to see Ridley Scott knock one out of the park again. Feels like it's been a good decade since he really nailed a film, so it's nice to see him return to form. I was worried that he might have totally lost it

Funny, thrilling, and best of all, smart, The Martian hits on cylinders. This is one of the most entertaining films of the year, and you don't need to be a fan of the book to enjoy it. It's a must see!

5 (out of 5) Death Stars

Ant-Man (2015)

One of the funnier Marvel films to date. I can see why James Gunn gave it such high praise. It's one of the lightest in tone of all their films. I laughed out loud during Ant-Man almost as much as I did during Guardians. It's a shame I saw this on such a small screen with only about 15 people.

Ant-Man is also another good example of great casting (something Marvel seems to keep nailing). If you don't cast someone as funny and charismatic as Paul Rudd in the lead, it's likely the whole film doesn't work. I'm a huge fan of Michael Pena and he worked great as additional comic relief. Evangeline Lilly was great as well. It's ironic that she's an actress that's actually athletic enough to pull off a superhero role, but yet still doesn't get to play one. It looks like she might get her chance soon though.

I'd say Ant-Man's biggest fault is that it's yet another origin story, and it's pretty formulaic as far as that goes. Also, in a lot of places it feels like it exists just to bridge some of the other Marvel films together. Fortunately, the bridging is done in an entertaining way, and some of the flashbacks and cameos made me geek out. Ant-Man doesn't require that you've seen all the other movies or are super familiar with the MCU. It's pretty accessible compared to some of the other MCU films.

I don't know the reasons why Edgar Wright left the project, and one can only imagine how this would have turned out had he stayed on. You can see his fingerprints on the final product in a few places.

I did see this in 3D, which of course, was a total waste of time and did nothing for the film. It was unfortunately my only option, but I advise you to skip it if possible. Visually the effects were good though.

There are two post-credit scenes, so get comfortable during the credits if you don't want to miss them.

Ant-Man isn't the strongest of Phase II, but it's one of the most fun. Those looking for some late summer entertainment won't be disappointed. Totally worth the price of admission.

4 (out of 5) Death Stars

American Hustle (2013)

There are times when a movie begins, whether it's from the look, the music, or atmosphere, you know you're in for something that's going to transport you to another time and place.  That's the feeling I got when American Hustle started.

We're told, "Some of this actually happened," which felt like a subtle dig at movies that claim to be based on true events, but you can tell are wildly exaggerated or embellished for dramatic purposes.  That's certainly true here, but that craziness is part of the fun.  American Hustle is a fictionalized account of the FBI's Abscam operation during the late 70's.  I don't want to get into the plot as the trailers do a good job of not revealing much, so I'll just give you the broad strokes. Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) is a small-time con man.  He meets Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), they become lovers and start conning together.  They are caught by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), who wants to use them to reel in some bigger fish and make a name for himself at the Bureau.  Richie has Irv over a barrel, so he doesn't have any choice but to go along.  Their primary mark is local mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) who's trying to raise money to renovate Atlantic City now that gambling's been made legal.

American Hustle is as much about the characters as it is the story we're being told.  Everyone's looking to improve their station in life, and most are working an angle as well.  It would seem that everyone's motivations are fairly selfish in nature, but as the story unfolds, some start having conflicted or mixed feelings about what they are doing.  Relationships become strained and people lose control.  In particular, Irv struggles internally while he develops a friendship with Carmine, as he's a family man that seems to have honest intentions of improving his community.

I've heard many people refer to American Hustle as a comedy.  I wouldn't call it an outright comedy, but more like a crime drama that just happens to be extremely funny.  I love when something makes me laugh consistently when that didn't appear to be the goal.  Much of the humor is from watching how people react to the situation they're in.  Sometimes it's a simple look, other times it's an awkward comment from someone that doesn't realize the gravity of the situation.  A few times it's due to someone completely losing their shit.

The dialog is great as well, with more than a few quotable lines.  David O. Russell and Eric Singer really outdid themselves on the screenplay.  There's some hilarious stuff here and it felt very natural, like being a fly on the wall

I know I'm not the first to say this, but David O. Russell did his best Scorsese impression making American Hustle.  This would fit right in with a marathon of Goodfellas or Casino.  It's basically the same setting and feel, same type of narration, and even some mob involvement.  Hustle seemed to be full of impressions, many probably unintentional.  If you close your eyes when listening to Alessandro Nivola (who played one of Richie's bosses) speak, you may hear a young Christopher Walken.  At one point, the way Bradley Cooper was looking at someone and reacting to them, it reminded me of Sean Penn.

I enjoyed American Hustle the most for its dynamic performances.  Cooper is great and I think he's really found a home in these more demanding dramatic roles.  Jeremy Renner is also very good and plays one of the more sympathetic characters in the film.  Jennifer Lawrence's gives her funniest performance to date, but I was surprised at her character's vulnerability.  She continues to impress me with her maturity playing characters that seem much older than her actual age.  I wouldn't guess she was only 23.  There's another small role played by a very well known comedian, but I won't say who because you don't see him in the trailer.  All I'll say is that I found him extremely funny, but that might be due simply to me being a fan.  There's also a nice cameo that fits perfectly.  Who?  I'm not telling on that one either.

As good as the cast is, they're overshadowed a bit by the leads as there's more focus on the relationship between Irv and Sydney.  The ageless wonder, Amy Adams, is fantastic as a sexy manipulator.  Always playing both sides, she's someone that can get anything she wants.  It also doesn't hurt that she has probably the best wardrobe I've seen in a film this year.  I don't know too many guys that would be able to say no to her in some of those outfits.  However, if there's anything I would critique about her performance it's that her accent didn't seem to be consistent.  Her character crafts a persona that speaks with an English accent, and it sounded like it would transition in and out of her natural voice during conversation.  I think this was due to it being a lighter English accent, but it could have been the speakers in the theater for all I know.  My hearing has taken a beating over the years.  Lastly, Christian Bale delivers yet another great performance, possibly my favorite since American Psycho.  The sacrifices he makes to his body for these movies make me a little concerned for his long term health, but I admire the dedication.  When you see him work that epic comb-over (move over Donald Trump), I expect to read somewhere that was his real hair.

On a side note, I can't tell you how many times writing this review I had to correct writing American Psycho instead of American Hustle.  If Christian Bale comes out with another film with "American" in the title, I'm gonna be screwed.

Much funnier than I could have imagined and carried by great performances and direction, American Hustle reminds me why I love movies so much.  Stylish, with a great soundtrack and extremely lively, it's a film I enjoyed on multiple levels and have no issue with calling one of the best of 2013.

5 (out of 5) Death Stars

End of Watch (2012) - Movie Review

End of Watch gives a different look into the lives of cops working in South Central Los Angeles.  Imagine an episode of COPS where you really get to know the officers and see the grisly side of their job.

An opening narration by Officer Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) describes his thoughts on the job as you are watching a POV car chase shot by a dashboard cam.  It really puts you in the action and was one of the more interesting car chases I've seen in a while  Taylor is filming a documentary for a film class, which basically serves as an excuse for use of the many handheld camera shots used throughout the film.  It felt at first that this may be yet another found footage film with lots of shaky cam work (even the villains are seen using cameras), but as the movie progresses you get more standard camera angles.  It might be a little off putting if you're someone that notices that kind of thing, but it didn't detract from the strengths of the film. Having said that, I think the movie would have been even better if they had ditched all the handheld work and just shot it as a standard film.

Officer Taylor has been with his partner Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) for years.  These guys are so close that they are essentially family.  Zavala is expecting his first child and Taylor is just starting a relationship with Janet (Anna Kendrick).  Seeing this adds to the depth of their characters and it's impossible to not care as you learn more about them.  What really sells this is the natural and authentic chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Peña.  Their banter is so funny that without even trying, it ends up being on of the funnier buddy cop movies that I've seen, and keep in mind that End of Watch isn't even a comedy.

When you see them at work, you get a gritty and realistic look at a day on the job.  Be warned that there are some extremely gruesome and shocking things in the movie.  Officers Taylor and Zavala aren't interested in giving out traffic tickets, something their superiors seem to be annoyed by.  They prefer to get in the middle of things and are pretty much super cops, even earning medals for their heroics.  However, they make a few busts that put them in the crosshairs of a Mexican cartel.  This sets up the explosive and emotional end of the film, which I won't spoil here. I will say that because you get so invested in Taylor and Zavala you just hope everything works out.

Jake Gyllenhaal has been doing great work for years, but I think this might be the most I've enjoyed him in a film.  Michael Peña has always been a favorite of mine, but this is easily the performance of his career.  Their performances carry the film, and I would not be surprised to see some nominations come their way come award season.  The movie is fleshed out with a great supporting cast of people like Natalie Martinez, America Ferrera, Frank Grillo and the always appealing Anna Kendrick.  Kendrick doesn't have a large role, but makes the most of her screen time.

Writer/director David Ayer, who's given us many other cop-driven films, with Training Day at the top of that list, gives a change of pace from his previous work.  Instead of a film about dirty or hugely flawed cops, we get a movie about two good cops and humanizes them in a way we don't normally get to see on the big screen.  Yes, cops are people, too.  They have family, friends, and actually want to do good in the world.  I'm so used to seeing the opposite of this that I kept waiting for one of these guys to do something questionable or immoral.  I'm glad the film never took us in those directions.  Another aspect of the film that really came through to me is how much the entire police force is one big family and how much they have each other's backs.  If I had an army like that at my back, I'd feel like I could take on all the evil in the world, too.

End of Watch is one of the better cop films in years, from a director that pretty much the current master on films about the boys-in-blue.  It's anchored by fantastic performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña and they elevate this to something more than just another cop film. It's also a tense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  I strongly recommend checking this one out as soon as you can.

4 (out of 5) Death Stars

The Good Doctor (2012) - Movie Review

With a title like The Good Doctor, you know this can only turn out one of two ways.  He's either actually going to be a good doctor, or he's going to be a terrible doctor.  I'll let you have a guess at which.  Don't worry, you've got a fifty-percent chance of being right.  Spoilers ahead...

Martin Blake (Orlando Bloom) is young doctor starting his residency.  He's having difficulty fitting in, and clashes with one of the nurses (Taraji P. Henson).  He's desperately wants the respect of his co-workers and supervisor (Rob Morrow).  After initially screwing up with a patient, he gets a chance to redeem himself when a cute, young patient, Diane (Riley Keogh), comes in with a kidney infection.  Under Blake's care, Diane quickly recovers and is sent home.  Diane's parents are so happy they invite him over for dinner.

There's a darkness to Blake though, and while there are hints to this early in the movie, they go unnoticed by his co-workers.  He sabotages Diane's recovery, forcing her ailment to relapse, which leads to an even longer stay in the hospital.  Blake spends even more time with Diane, continuing to sabotague her while telling his supervisors that she's been 'resistant to treatment'.  It might have been funny if it weren't so creepy.

As you might guess, things take a turn for the worse and he loses the patient.  At one point Diane's father confronts him in the hospital and accuses him of killing his daughter.  He insists he did everything he could, but the reality is that he did kill her.  Worse yet, he didn't really seem to have any guilt about it.  His cold demeanor is looked at as professional detachment by his supervisor and hospital psychologist.  His colleagues try to reassure him by saying that everyone loses a patient at some point, and that you aren't really a doctor until you do.

Later, a irresponsible orderly (Michael Peña) finds something that could be used against Blake, and uses this leverage to bribe him for drugs.  This leads to another series of bad decisions by Blake as the movie continues into the bizarre.

Normally, I don't mind character studies or movies that have ambiguity about them, but this was one where it bugged me.  From the opening moments right up until the very end, Blake engages in a series of increasingly illogical decisions that just made me scratch my head.  The problem I had was that it was never explained why he was doing these things.  Was he really so driven to gain respect that he'd do anything to get there.  Was he was falling for Diane and didn't want to let her go?   Maybe he was simply a psychopath.  You see that Blake has a scar on his forehead, that he attempts to cover with a really bad, Donald Trump-like haircut.  Are we to guess that he had head trauma in his past? If so, do they really let doctors with a history of head trauma become doctors? Did he have a psychological evaluation at any point? Maybe I'm missing the point they were trying to make here, but I don't like making excuses for a film.

It's nice looking at least, but the pace was sluggish and I couldn't figure out what the tone was.  I think that director Lance Daly and John Enbom couldn't either.  If this was meant to be a dark comedy, then there should have been some actual humor in it, and if this was a character study, they didn't give us about the character to care.  There's not enough depth.

I also didn't get enough chemistry between Orlando Bloom and Riley Keogh to care about their relationship. I felt both of them were very flat together.  I do think Bloom brought a creepy, detached element to his performance, but it seemed he spent a lot of time just staring out into the distance.  I enjoyed the supporting performances from Taraji P. Henson and Michael Peña more. While they didn't get a lot of screen time, I felt like they both had more going on and wanted to see more of them.  I think they really missed an opportunity with Peña's character to do more there.

The Good Doctor could have been a dark and complex story, but it misses the mark because it failed to give us a compelling character to watch.  We end up getting something that was creepy, unsatisfying and a little boring.  It's not awful, but there's really nothing to recommend about it. You can skip this one, folks.

2 (out of 5) Death Stars