‘The Fifth Estate’ Has Plenty of Leaks (Movie Review)
It is almost funny how long I put off actually writing a review for The Fifth Estate, the Bill Condon-directed film, which adapts two different books that focus on the news-leaking website WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange. The delay is not because I had a lot to consider, after seeing the film. It is actually quite the opposite. The Fifth Estate left me feeling with almost nothing, as the film is all over the place in presentation, one-sided in its overall viewpoint, and stands more as a shell containing a great performance from stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Daniel Bruhl, which would break apart quite easily without them. It is unfortunate, as I believe there could have been a way to make this story more interesting, especially given the talent involved.
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I have a lot to say about Machete Kills, the latest Mexploitation film from director Robert Rodriguez. A lot of it may be negative, as the film, overall, tries too hard, despite having plenty of ideas and a wonderful ensemble cast, consisting of anyone who apparently had a free weekend at some point to come film with Rodriguez and his crew down at his studio. With that said, for whatever reason, I still know right now that I will easily see Machete Kills Again, when it eventually hits theaters. It is a strange thought to know that I am in the bag for the next installment of a series that seems to be getting worse, but I guess that just must be the power that Danny Trejo has over me.
There are many great moments in Captain Phillips, the drama that recreates the true story of a hijacking of a container vessel by Somali pirates that took place in 2009, based on the memoir of Captain Richard Phillips. One moment that comes to mind is a look that Tom Hanks gives during an early part of the film. It is a simple acknowledgment of something pivotal that is happening to his ship, but he finds exactly the right way to do this with just an expression on his face. This is an actor who has been working for over 30 years and still finds new ways to impress me. It could come down to the familiarity with ‘Tom Hanks the actor’, but he is able to say so much with a glance that it truly makes it all worthwhile when a film as good as Captain Phillips is manages to be anchored by very fine performance.
Machete Kills represents everything that’s wrong with Hollywood, sexploitation, extreme gore, bad dialogue, ridiculous plot and action sequences…you name it. But why do I love it so much?! Because it’s so much God d@mn fun! That’s why! If you can’t let go and have a fun time with a Machete flick, then you’re a robot! Loosen up. Let go of everything that makes sense in life. It’s perfectly acceptable to rip someone’s intestines out, jump out the window with them in tow and swing from them to the below building floor. Totally realistic! Right? Wrong! But who the hell cares?! This is Machete and this is the Austin’s prodigal son, Señor Robert Rodriguez. If you can’t respect that harmonious blend, then I have no reason to deal with you anymore. Move along. I’m sure there’s a Muppets review or two here on the site for you to look at. However, for everyone that’s serious in having a “grindhouse” of a good time, stick around…this one’s going to be fun, nonsensical and everything irrational as we discuss the second film in the planned trilogy, Machete Kills. Hold onto you inners, here we go! 
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane can now be finally seen by all. The first thing to really say is ‘Mandy Lane’ is an effective horror feature that trades in true originality for solid horror craftsmanship. There is a lot one can unpack in explaining the history behind how this film made back in 2006 is just now being released, but I see no need to really do so. The best I can do in this regard is stating how great a double feature of All The Boys Love Mandy Lane and You’re Next would be, as far as ‘good horror movies with troubled distribution history’ go. There may have been a delay, but the film certainly stands on its own as far as being a solid entry in the genre.
Gravity is an answer to what film can be all about. It charts a journey for a character, while presenting it in a most spectacular fashion. The amount of work that must have went into carefully crafting every aspect of this film, from the story to the tiniest visual detail that rears its head, is practically implausible for me to think about. This is a film that took years to develop, film, and release, but is such a triumph in almost every way that the wait was most definitely worth it. Every now and then there will be a film that I greatly anticipate for reasons beyond just expectation of an entertaining experience. Gravity more than met that level of expectation.
Runner Runner is the kind of trashy B-movie that doesn’t aspires to build a whole lot of expectation for the viewer. It simply wants to be seen as watchable. The film is harmless in what it presents, but it is a shame that no one really seems to care how effective this film turned out overall. It has a mix of good actors and good-looking locations, but the screenplay is so bland and paint-by-numbers that the sense of urgency in a film that literally has people hounded by crocodiles feels completely missing. There is an interesting idea to explore in the world of online gambling and how they are run by offshore companies, but Runner Runner fails to find it.
It’s extremely difficult to walk into a movie like this when there’s so much hype and garnered praise surrounding it. I mean, it has to be good, right? Well, that’s the exact sentiment and question I carried with me into Tuesday evening’s screening of Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity shown to all of us in 3-D IMAX. It just had to be epic! And so what?! Even if it sucked, how could you refuse this screening? It’s a space feature presented in 3-D IMAX! You can’t refuse that! No sane person can. It at least has to look breathtaking and gorgeous. However, with all the so very much positive praise and acclaim this picture has been receiving, I was willing to gamble on the fact that my Tuesday evening was going to be filled with something very stellar. And to think…this all began with my first introduction to the flick this past July at Comic-Con in beautiful San Diego at the “EW – The Visionaries” panel (see my coverage 
Up until a few months ago, I never heard of this film. Then a star’s name in the billing credits caught my eye and that’s all it took. Hook…line…and sinker! Yeah, baby! That’s right! My Gemma’s in the house again and it’s time to get this party started! So needless to say when I received the press invite to this one on Wednesday night, there wasn’t even a second of hesitation. Anything lingering on my calendar, as far as I am concerned, can wait. Gemma needs my love and support. This movie can suck for all I care, but as long as Gemma looks good in it, you already have my money…if i was a paying customer. But let’s talk about that. Is Gemma Arterton and her newest flick worth the price of admission? And oh yeah…did I mention Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake also star in this one? I guess you can say there’s a star in this for every one. So let’s take a closer look and see if you’ll be prone to “run” away from Runner, Runner or stick around for me. Shoes all laced up? Good! Let’s hit the ground running… 
Just so I can get this out of the way, A.C.O.D. stands for ‘Adult Children of Divorce’. That actually makes the title of the movie sound less important than it is, but it will be tough to predict how often I plan on calling back to the full title of this movie. Regardless, as both a fan of the ensemble comedic cast in A.C.O.D. and an actual A.C.O.D. (though I’m working on the ‘Adult’ part), I had a lot of fun with this film. There is a lot of humor found in the exaggerated situations that this film puts its characters in, but still has a core sense of truth in its comedy. It is not the most laugh out loud comedy of the year, but I did enjoy where a lot of these laughs were coming from, as the film had some fun material to work with.
Baggage Claim has come from a long line of romantic comedies featuring impossibly beautiful women with problems finding love. It is annoying to have to say something like, “take my words with a grain of salt, as this is not my preferred genre,” but it is true. Baggage Claim is definitely a film that is made for an audience that is into these kinds of clichéd romantic comedies, which feature attractive casts and the bare minimum requirements to develop a premise that slightly differs from those that came before it. One can throw the “hypocrite” label at me all they want, when I recommend a horror movie that feels ever so similar to another one and does not do a whole lot new, but what can I say? Some movies just do not work for me, especially when I have examples of similar ones that do. Baggage Claim may work as easy entertainment for some, but there is very little here that had me legitimately enjoying the film.
It’s not secret that I’m a big fan of the Step Up franchise. No those movies are not going to win any awards for the acting or writing, but then again, that’s not what you watch them for. It’s the dancing that these films are built around that is jaw-dropping, inspiring, and if nothing else, entertaining as hell. With Step Up 5 a year away, what was I ever to do to get my dance fix at the movie theater?
Prisoners does such a great job at providing many spooky possibilities for what could have happened to two innocent, little girls that it is a shame the ending does not quite pack more of a wallop. While certainly a dark and heavy kidnapping drama to get through, it is only able to accomplish so much before reaching a final act that settles for more conventional tactics. The film is very well acted by its two leading men, filled with other great actors doing fine work, and great to look at overall, making it the kind of adult-skewing feature that can garner a lot of attention, as it takes all those elements and works it into compelling subject matter. Prisoners is overlong and not a shining example of its genre, but it presents other interesting ideas, strong performances, and an overall tone that certainly makes it watchable, no matter how dark.
This has not been by choice or any reason in particular, but I have not seen too many documentaries so far this year. That said, I was fully willing to embrace a new film from director Sarah Polley, which happens to be a documentary about her family. My initial thought, upon learning about the nature of this documentary, had me wondering why a film like this would need be made, let alone why would it be compelling. It is somewhat surprising that Stories We Tell is as compelling as it is. I say “somewhat” because the film has near universal acclaim, so I would have, if anything, been more surprised to not have liked the film. The film is a documentary, no doubt, but it has a well thought out structure and presents a story with some turns balanced by the earnest nature of the people involved and the fact that they are very likable in their matter-of-fact presentation of the details.
Rush is an incredibly solid drama that features fine film craftsmanship on display, solid performances from the lead actors, and a well-oiled story that respects its audience. While the film is based on facts, it rarely dips into dramatized scenes that lessen the entertainment value to be found in the film. It is the kind of feature that has a little something for everyone, as far as these adult-skewing dramas are concerned. Director Ron Howard has put together a genuinely exciting feature that balances all its parts to great effect and he makes sure that you really hear the engine of this film hum cleanly and loudly.
