“Molly’s Game” star Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O’Dowd, and Bill Camp. Released on December 25, 2017, the film is about a young woman who is targeted by the FBI for being involved in an underground poker empire. The film features the directorial debut of Aaron Sorkin, who wrote screenplays for films such as A Few Good Men, The Social Network, Moneyball, and Steve Jobs. It is based on the memoir of the same name by Molly Bloom. Aaron Sorkin has been known for writing stories that captivated a ton of critics, but now he’s taking on the task of directing the story that he wrote himself. After experiencing the beautiful majesty that is The Shape of Water, I thought it would be nice to share my thoughts on another movie before New Year’s Eve falls upon us. I would’ve watched it sooner, but my mother wanted me to take her to see it because she loves some of the actors that are in the film, especially Idris Elba. I wasn’t familiar with the events involving Molly Bloom before I saw the marketing for it, but based on what I read about her, she seems to be very attractive to the law. Now her story about her recent arrest is being told on the big screen, but is it worth telling? Well, in terms of the direction they were going for, I would have to say “yes”. The cast delivered some invigorating performances from start to finish, especially Jessica Chastain. With her energetic charm and her sense of personality, Chastain was able to shine bright as the female host of a high-stakes poker game while also delivering some enticing dialogue to boot. Idris Elba also turned in a solid performance as Molly’s lawyer who attempts to help her win her case. Kevin Costner was really good as Molly’s father and Michael Cera was an unexpected surprise as one of the poker players. One of the things that made the film interesting for me was how they told the story. Most biopics tend to move at a pretty slow pace, but the narrative in this movie moves at a more steady pace while also providing plenty of information that doesn’t feel too much or too little. With the running time of around 2 hours and 20 minutes, I can definitely feel its length by the time the third act comes into play, but there wasn’t a single scene that felt unnecessary or dragged out. Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay has a lot of impressive moments including Chastain’s highly entertaining narration and some smartly-written dialogue between the characters, most notably Bloom and her lawyer. As for his direction, I would clearly say that he did a really nice job at bringing this story to life as well as making the characters absorbing. Overall, Aaron Sorkin has successfully played the right cards in terms of his direction and his screenplay. “Molly’s Game” is an enticing and well-written observation of the Poker Princess herself. Jessica Chastain’s riveting performance as Bloom may provide some sort of challenge for the other nominees at this year’s Golden Globes, especially Sally Hawkins from The Shape of Water. If she’s lucky, she might be able to pull off an upset. If you’re a fan of the actors that are in this film, it’s definitely worth checking out. A-
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“The Shape of Water” stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. Released on December 8, 2017, the film is about a mute janitor who starts an unexpected relationship with an amphibian creature. The film is directed by Guillermo del Toro, who also directed films such as Mimic, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Crimson Peak. After a few weeks of waiting since its release, I was finally able to check out del Toro’s latest fantasy film. The reason why it took me so long to review this is because I was waiting for it to appear at my closest cinema, but since I found out that it was nominated for seven Golden Globe nominations, my patience started to run dry. So I decided to head on down to the cinema down in Brookfield, which I’ve been to plenty of times, to see it before the year is done. Guillermo del Toro always has a unique imagination that transforms his haunting concepts into movie experiences, as shown in Pan’s Labyrinth and Crimson Peak. He also has a knack in making some pretty entertaining action movies like Hellboy and Pacific Rim (my favorite del Toro film so far). So there’s no reason for me to not be excited for his next directorial effort. A lot of critics are declaring it as his best work since Pan’s Labyrinth, but do I feel the same way? The story is set during the Cold War in the 1960s, where an orphaned mute woman (Hawkins) works as a janitor at a research facility. When the Colonel (Shannon) brings in a strange sea monster in the facility for experimentation, an unusual bond starts to form between the woman and the monster. Now you’re probably thinking that this film sounds like a combination between Creature from the Black Lagoon and Beauty and the Beast. Well, it clearly is, but it has its own cinematic appeal that blends its dreaded, creepy atmosphere with its light-hearted, dream-like sense of beauty. It definitely has some plot elements that we’re familiar with, but del Toro was able to make those elements work, and the result was absolutely magnificent. I would even say that this is the most marvelously-crafted films that I’ve seen from the director. Sally Hawkins delivered her best performance in her career as Elisa Esposito, a mute janitor who communicates by using American Sign Language. The first time I was introduced to the actress was from the 2014 family film, Paddington, but it was this film that made me realized how strongly talented she is. Her facial expressions and body language help define her characteristics and emotions in a way that’s far more compelling than dialogue, and Hawkins did a brilliant job at expressing that. Michael Shannon as the Colonel was really disturbing, but also quite raw. Richard Jenkins was really enjoyable as Elisa’s neighbor and Octavia Spencer was a delight as always as Zelda, Elisa’s friend and co-worker. The production design and the costumes worked very well together in recreating the feel of 1960s Baltimore. It’s almost like something that I would find in a Tim Burton film, but without the involvement of Burton himself. The cinematography by Dan Laustsen was amazing for depicting some of the most beautiful sequences ever to be put into film, including its short black-and-white musical number. Speaking of music, the score by Alexandre Desplat was actually quite impressive in terms of enhancing the film’s dark, yet light-hearted appeal. I would also give this film props for the design of the Amphibian Man, who is portrayed wonderfully by Doug Jones, by using traditional makeup instead of CGI or motion capture. It really blends in with the realistic tone and makes the creature more believable for the audience. Overall, with some captivating performances, del Toro’s direction, its beautiful cinematography and production design, and an impressive score by Desplat, “The Shape of Water” is another piece of cinematic wonder. While there’s nothing too special about the plot, the film was able to work its way around its cliches by delivering a marvelous-looking experience that’s compelling, dark, and heartwarming. In my opinion, I would say that it’s just as good as Pacific Rim. I would highly recommend it to those who are fans of del Toro’s other works. As for everybody else who aren’t, well, I would still say that it’s worth a watch for Hawkins’ performance and its technical achievements. A-“All the Money in the World” stars Michelle Williams, Mark Wahlberg, Christopher Plummer, and Charlie Plummer. Released on December 25, 2017, the film is about a mother and her attempts to convince a rich oil tycoon to pay the ransom for her son’s release. The film is directed by Ridley Scott, who also directed films such as Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, and The Martian. It is based on the book, Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty, by John Pearson. I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas because we got ourselves another award-potential movie to look at. This latest project from director Ridley Scott sees him tackling a fact-based event that showcases the kidnapping of the grandson of the world’s richest man. Originally, Kevin Spacey was supposed to play the role of J. Paul Getty, but due to the amount of sexual harassment and sexual assault accusations being released against him, he was replaced by Christopher Plummer at the last minute after shooting had finished. So clearly, they spent an extra ton of money to reshoot all of Spacey’s scenes with Plummer a few weeks before its official release. No wonder the word “money” is in the title. This last-minute effort seems to be pulling off quite well, with Plummer receiving a Golden Globe nomination for his supporting role, along with Michelle Williams for Best Actress and Scott for Best Director. To be honest, as much as I would like to see Spacey take on the role, I actually didn’t mind having Plummer filling in Getty’s shoes instead since he did such fine work in The Man Who Invented Christmas. Would he be able to impress me again in this? I would highly think so, but let’s find out anyway. The story takes place in 1973, where a 16-year-old (Charlie Plummer) gets taken by an organized crime ring. The captive, John Paul Getty III, happens to be the grandson of J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer). When his mother, Gail Harris (Williams), discovers that the kidnappers demand a ransom of $17 million from her, she attempts to implore Getty to pay for his son’s release. Unfortunately, it’s no easy task. With the help of a former CIA operative, Fletcher Chase (Wahlberg), Gail will stop at nothing to make sure her son gets home in one piece. While it’s not a perfect dramatization of the 1973 kidnapping, the film does well in getting me invested with the story and the characters due to its impressive cinematography and Ridley Scott’s direction. Christopher Plummer and Mark Wahlberg were proper standouts as J. Paul Getty and Fletcher Chase, respectively. Scott was able to respect Getty’s understandable reason as to why he refuses to pay the ransom, and Plummer’s effort in bringing this person to life is something that is definitely worth more than money. Wahlberg was also pretty convincing as a CIA operative. I guess after battling some giant transforming robots and being a stepdad, he needed a role that’s more “down to Earth” and “dramatic”. Michelle Williams also gave out a solid performance as Gail, but it’s not enough to convince me that she deserves a Golden Globe win. As for the flaws, the film does move at a slow pace from time to time, and its attempts at providing some dramatic thrills were slightly below average. Despite its pacing and running time, I did not see a single dull moment in sight. Overall, “All the Money in the World” is far from perfect, but Ridley Scott succeeds in delivering an engaging and well-acted take on the fact-based event. While its pacing may turn off some viewers who aren’t into slow-moving films, the talented cast and Scott’s investing direction are enough for me to warrant a recommendation. If they’re able to re-release the movie with Kevin Spacey’s scenes, I will probably take a look at it as well, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up since it might be impossible for them to do. B+“Pitch Perfect 3” stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Hailee Steinfeld, Alexis Knapp, Hana Mae Lee, Ester Dean, and Chrissie Fit. Released on December 22, 2017, the film has the Bellas performing at the United Service Organizations tour. The film is directed by Trish Sie, who also directed Step Up: All In, and it is the third and final film in the Pitch Perfect series. These young A Cappella women have stolen our hearts for five years, going from a small-budget sleeper hit to an unsuspecting trilogy filled with toe-tapping music and fun characters. It has been a crazy journey for these girls, but alas, all things must come to an end. Pitch Perfect is one of the films that I didn’t expect to like so much, while its sequel, Pitch Perfect 2, offered more of the same, but still has its moments. With the success of the last two movies, Hollywood has decided to make at least one more chapter before the franchise reaches its highest peak of staleness. While the payoff was slightly above average compared to the other trilogy-ending films, it never lost sight on some of the qualities that made the first two installments enjoyable. After graduating from college, the Bellas have gone their separate ways to pursue their own careers. Unfortunately, for them, their paths didn’t go exactly as planned. Soon afterwards, they decided to perform one last show together at an overseas tour which will lead them on a globe-trotting adventure. The film’s story does contain a couple of similar plot elements that were introduced in its predecessors, such as the Bellas competing with the opponents that perform better than them, but there were also some different surprises that make this installment stand out, for better or for worse. In terms of its execution, the story didn’t do that much to send the franchise out on a high note. Instead, it send the franchise out on an average note. The main elements that carried the first two Pitch Perfect films forward were the chemistry between the main cast and the cover songs, and this one is no exception. Most of the main cast once again reprised their roles as their respective characters, such as Kendrick as Beca and Wilson as Fat Amy, along with some new characters that didn’t quite shine as much as the old characters. We got Ruby Rose as Calamity, the lead singer of one of the bands competing against the Bellas, DJ Khaled as the film’s version of himself, and surprisingly John Lithgow as a character who may or may not be related to Fat Amy. All I can say about him is that if they remove him out of the film completely, the plot will still be the same. I didn’t mind Lithgow being in the movie, but his character is, without a doubt, the most predictable and pointless character that the franchise has to offer. Aside from that, the actresses that portrayed the Bellas provided some really entertaining chemistry together. The cover songs that were performed by the cast are delightful as usual, with the riff-off sequence being my main highlight of the film. The humor was also a bit of an issue compared to its predecessors. Based on what I saw, I can clearly understand why they wanted to make it their last. It was able to provide a few humorous scenes, but most of them were either stale or overdone, most notably Fat Amy. Overall, “Pitch Perfect 3” concludes its five-year tour with a small bang instead of a big bang. The film still retains the cast’s charming chemistry and its fun cover songs, but due to its storytelling, some weak humor, and John Lithgow’s character, these elements aren’t enough to provide a strong farewell to the remarkable A Cappella gang. It’s enjoyable for those who like the other Pitch Perfect films, but noticeably flawed for non-fans. C+“Darkest Hour” stars Gary Oldman, Ben Mendelsohn, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, and Ronald Pickup. Released on November 22, 2017, the film depicts Winston Churchill in his early days as Prime Minister during World War II. The film is directed by Joe Wright, who also directed films such as Pride & Prejudice, The Soloist, Hanna, and Anna Karenina. You’re probably wondering why I took so long to review this movie? Funny you should ask. The film started out its limited theatrical run around Thanksgiving weekend, and I had to wait an entire month for it to play at my closest theater. It was pretty frustrating because I’ve been hearing nothing but positive feedback about it, most notably Gary Oldman’s portrayal as Winston Churchill. Now that I got a chance to witness it for myself, was it as good as they say it was? My sources indicate yes. The first thing I would like to mention is Gary Oldman himself. He did an incredible job at maintaining Churchill’s personality as well as providing some humorous moments. There’s a good chance that he may provide some stiff competition during awards season because of how he presents his series of speeches through emotion and determination. Not to mention the film’s makeup and costume design made Oldman totally unrecognizable. Lily James also delivered an impressive performance as Elizabeth Layton, Churchill’s secretary. The story behind Churchill does have a few slow parts that may be problematic for those who aren’t into history films, but the amount of passion that Joe Wright had put into it was completely noticeable and respectable. With his impressive direction and its strong portrayal of its political themes, the film was able to provide an engaging, dialogue-driven war drama with finesse without losing sight of the importance of Churchill’s purpose. I would also like to point out the film’s cinematography for showcasing some of the most impressive shots in any war drama film. Overall, “Darkest Hour” is an invigorating and thoughtful portrayal of the man who changed the game in World War II. Lead by the amazing Gary Oldman, along with Wright’s direction and its engaging dialogue-driven scenes, the movie should go down as one of the most important and well-executed history films of the decade. Whether it will make it to the Oscars this year or not is completely up in the air, but one thing’s for sure, I will be rooting for it during the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, mostly Gary Oldman. I would recommend it to those who enjoy Oldman and to those who enjoy films about World War II. A- |
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