Justin, Mike, & I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 20, 2015!! I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It's easily in my Top 5 movies of 2015 with Ex Machina, Inside Out, Mad Max, & Insurgent being the other four. Star Wars is my second favorite franchise after Harry Potter. Personally, I have enjoyed all six movies & I think this will be a great new trilogy for fans of all generations to enjoy. I had been eagerly anticipating this movie for a long time, and finally after seeing it, I'm very impressed with what I saw. It's in my Top 3 Star Wars movies with The Empire Strikes Back & Revenge of the Sith being the other two. I think J.J. Abrams did an excellent job with the franchise.
With a compelling new adventure, we follow new characters blended with familiar characters from the past to create an intriguing movie experience. I liked the idea of mixing the past with the future. The story for the new trilogy is really well done thus far. There were new plot points that built off of the past that will fuel the future for our newer characters. I like how sinister they made the First Order. You need to make a threat more menacing as a story progresses, and they really sold that well throughout the whole movie. The plot gave us some great twists which ultimately provides great background & depth for several main characters. Even some points that haven't necessarily been revealed yet make you predict the next step of the journey. I certainly can tell you where I think things are going, and if they are there is finally a Jedi character for me to fully support 100%, but I'm not going to reveal that. You have to see the movie to find out.
I would like to touch on two performances that I felt stole the show. I think Daisy Ridley's Rey & Adam Driver's Kylo Ren completely made this movie. While I loved so many things about this movie, these two characters are the heart and soul of the new trilogy. Ridley's Rey is easily in my Top 3 Star Wars characters of all time with Emperor Palpatine & Darth Vader being the other two. Her courage, her ability to solve problems on a whim, her fighting spirit, and her importance to the Star Wars universe as a whole, as well as her wit & cute look makes her a complete package. She ran the show. This is a breakthrough role that will solidify a career for this girl. Rey is so easy to like. Much like Alicia Vikander, you can just sense greatness in Daisy Ridley. She stole every scene she was a part of, and I think she will be the most important part of the trilogy going forward. Adam Driver just bled Sith here, and I absolutely loved it. This is the kind of Sith character I root for. He is cut very much from the cloth of Emperor Palpatine & Darth Vader, and he easily could have been part of their regime, which I fully supported 100%. Driver's ability to show a sadistic side whether it was calm or enraged showed me how much this trilogy means to him. Kylo Ren is going to end up being one of the better character studies in Star Wars based on how much dept this character has. Driver really knew how to deliver the dialogue, present an intimidating presence even when calm, and physically represent the cerebral nature of the new First Order. Thank you Daisy Ridley & Adam Driver for presenting two new characters that have me fully invested in this new trilogy adventure.
The effects, the battle sequences (particularly the light saber battles), the past meshing with the future, the compelling plot, the excellent twists, and a breakthrough performance by Daisy Ridley, as well as a brilliant look at the First Order & the Resistance make this an easy 5/5.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Suffragette Review
Justin, Dad, & I saw Suffragette on November 9, 2015!! This is easily one of the best movies of 2015!! It certainly deserves awards accolades for the Golden Globes and the Oscars. There is no question about it. This movie blended a tumultuous historic time period during the British suffragette movement blended with an original story centering on a sect of working class women in the UK.
The movie centers on three themes: the female vote, a mother's rights as it pertains to her children, & societal relationships of men and women. Centering on the character of Maud Watts, we follow her as she starts out as an obedient woman, listening to whatever men tell her to do and following the order of the day. As we watch the movie progess, actions and words ignite a spark that grows within her to join a powerful movement to create change for women in the United Kingdom. There were so many instances where V For Vendetta was on my mind, and that's great to see. The suffragettes have to resort to the same type of deeds (as Emeline Pankhurst instructs her followrs) that V does to create some change. Words weren't working. Sometimes, it takes extreme measures: sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears to achieve a goal. The passion of these women to overcome struggle is amazing to watch. Physically and mentally, these brave foot soldiers started a true "diva's revolution" (wrestling term) that saw many casualties, but ultimately would be effective in creating change.
Since I saw her in An Education, Carey Mulligan instantly became one of my favorite actresses. I consider her to be one of the very best actresses today. I love watching Mulligan's Maud evolve over the course of the movie-her scenes in Parliament discussing wage raises & the women's vote, burning the chauvinist douche with the iron, and the interrogation scene with Brendan Gleeson where you finally see how much this vote and her rights as a mother would mean in the grand scope of things were incredible to watch. Carey Mulligan deserves a Best Actress nomination for this movie. I legitimately have liked her in everything she's done from Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps to Drive to Shame to An Education to The Great Gatsby to her smaller role in Inside Llewyn Davis-her commitment to her roles and her natural talent make her such a force in the movie industry. Her work as Maud is such a defining acting achievement. You laugh with her, cry with her, and get agitated with her as we follow her journey throughout the movie.
I think Helena Bonham Carter's Edith Ellyn was a great supporting character-she is really the one that served as the general on the frontlines for the sufragettes, while Meryl Streep's Emmeline Pankhurst acts as the queen of the movement. Streep had a cameo, but the speech was delivered well and you can tell Streep was into it. Pankhurst's speech, Ellyn's training, Maud's growing passion, & the drive & sacrifice of women like Emily Davison (the derby scene was excellent-the sudden silence on screen combined with the images & raw emotion was superb) shows that the men can oppress, the men can beat them, but they will not take their fight, because the women will fight back and the women will get the votes, the equality, and mother's rights. This movie gets a definite 5/5 for me, especially for a show stealing, career defining performance by Carey Mulligan as Maud & a tremendous movie exploring an intriguing time period in the women's movement, as well as combining it with an original story showing how far the struggle went.
The movie centers on three themes: the female vote, a mother's rights as it pertains to her children, & societal relationships of men and women. Centering on the character of Maud Watts, we follow her as she starts out as an obedient woman, listening to whatever men tell her to do and following the order of the day. As we watch the movie progess, actions and words ignite a spark that grows within her to join a powerful movement to create change for women in the United Kingdom. There were so many instances where V For Vendetta was on my mind, and that's great to see. The suffragettes have to resort to the same type of deeds (as Emeline Pankhurst instructs her followrs) that V does to create some change. Words weren't working. Sometimes, it takes extreme measures: sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears to achieve a goal. The passion of these women to overcome struggle is amazing to watch. Physically and mentally, these brave foot soldiers started a true "diva's revolution" (wrestling term) that saw many casualties, but ultimately would be effective in creating change.
Since I saw her in An Education, Carey Mulligan instantly became one of my favorite actresses. I consider her to be one of the very best actresses today. I love watching Mulligan's Maud evolve over the course of the movie-her scenes in Parliament discussing wage raises & the women's vote, burning the chauvinist douche with the iron, and the interrogation scene with Brendan Gleeson where you finally see how much this vote and her rights as a mother would mean in the grand scope of things were incredible to watch. Carey Mulligan deserves a Best Actress nomination for this movie. I legitimately have liked her in everything she's done from Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps to Drive to Shame to An Education to The Great Gatsby to her smaller role in Inside Llewyn Davis-her commitment to her roles and her natural talent make her such a force in the movie industry. Her work as Maud is such a defining acting achievement. You laugh with her, cry with her, and get agitated with her as we follow her journey throughout the movie.
I think Helena Bonham Carter's Edith Ellyn was a great supporting character-she is really the one that served as the general on the frontlines for the sufragettes, while Meryl Streep's Emmeline Pankhurst acts as the queen of the movement. Streep had a cameo, but the speech was delivered well and you can tell Streep was into it. Pankhurst's speech, Ellyn's training, Maud's growing passion, & the drive & sacrifice of women like Emily Davison (the derby scene was excellent-the sudden silence on screen combined with the images & raw emotion was superb) shows that the men can oppress, the men can beat them, but they will not take their fight, because the women will fight back and the women will get the votes, the equality, and mother's rights. This movie gets a definite 5/5 for me, especially for a show stealing, career defining performance by Carey Mulligan as Maud & a tremendous movie exploring an intriguing time period in the women's movement, as well as combining it with an original story showing how far the struggle went.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Jem & The Holograms Review
I saw Jem & The Holograms on October 31, 2015!! In my opinion, this could end up being the most underrated movie of the year. This is a live action adaptation of a cartoon from the 80s. The look of the characters mixed with a deeper underlying message and upbeat pop music created a fun movie that I recommend to everybody.
The movie has so much lying underneath the surface. While the story of the Internet sensation (Jem) is the big story in the backdrop, there are themes of the importance of family, protecting that family, discovering your inner talents, expressing yourself and being proud of it, and basically being who you are at all times. Jerrica is a shy, timid girl early on living with her sister Kimber, and foster sisters Aja & Shanna. The bond with these four shows how close they are. These four, led by Jerrica, go on a mission to piece together her father's creation Synergy. While they are physically searching for the parts to put it back together, they are also searching within themselves to find a creative output to express themselves. Their music, attitude, and look inspire the world, and it was great seeing this through multiple forms of social media. There's even a video by The Rock which was pretty cool.
I felt Aubrey Peebles did an incredible job as Jerrica/Jem. She brought the emotional aspect of the character out, as well as showing the importance of what she means to her family unit. She is taking the ultimate risks to save her Aunt Bailey's (Molly Ringwald's) house and keep the family together. Through obstacles like Erica Raymond (played perfectly by Juliette Lewis) she is able to create an even stronger bond with her four sisters. The Young Blood performance was so much fun, and I thought it was a perfect song to capture the tone of the movie. Following the physical journey to piece Synergy together as well as the musical performances was so much fun. I liked the emotional videos posted by Jerrica as well to show how important this cause is not only to her, but her family. It shows that one person can make a difference and inspire people. It doesn't have to be somebody famous. Anybody can do it. That's a big theme that was tackled here.
I believe this is a fantastic movie to show students in schools. It's an incredible message for students who are afraid to express themselves. Everybody deserves the chance to show who they are without being ridiculed for it. That is the core of Jem & The Holograms. Sit back and enjoy the story, music, and powerful message which gets a 4/5 from me. As I said, I think this is the most underrated movie of the year so far. Stay tuned for the credits scene. We have a war brewing between Jem & The Holograms & the Misfits-which is an element of the cartoon that would be fun to see in the sequel.
The movie has so much lying underneath the surface. While the story of the Internet sensation (Jem) is the big story in the backdrop, there are themes of the importance of family, protecting that family, discovering your inner talents, expressing yourself and being proud of it, and basically being who you are at all times. Jerrica is a shy, timid girl early on living with her sister Kimber, and foster sisters Aja & Shanna. The bond with these four shows how close they are. These four, led by Jerrica, go on a mission to piece together her father's creation Synergy. While they are physically searching for the parts to put it back together, they are also searching within themselves to find a creative output to express themselves. Their music, attitude, and look inspire the world, and it was great seeing this through multiple forms of social media. There's even a video by The Rock which was pretty cool.
I felt Aubrey Peebles did an incredible job as Jerrica/Jem. She brought the emotional aspect of the character out, as well as showing the importance of what she means to her family unit. She is taking the ultimate risks to save her Aunt Bailey's (Molly Ringwald's) house and keep the family together. Through obstacles like Erica Raymond (played perfectly by Juliette Lewis) she is able to create an even stronger bond with her four sisters. The Young Blood performance was so much fun, and I thought it was a perfect song to capture the tone of the movie. Following the physical journey to piece Synergy together as well as the musical performances was so much fun. I liked the emotional videos posted by Jerrica as well to show how important this cause is not only to her, but her family. It shows that one person can make a difference and inspire people. It doesn't have to be somebody famous. Anybody can do it. That's a big theme that was tackled here.
I believe this is a fantastic movie to show students in schools. It's an incredible message for students who are afraid to express themselves. Everybody deserves the chance to show who they are without being ridiculed for it. That is the core of Jem & The Holograms. Sit back and enjoy the story, music, and powerful message which gets a 4/5 from me. As I said, I think this is the most underrated movie of the year so far. Stay tuned for the credits scene. We have a war brewing between Jem & The Holograms & the Misfits-which is an element of the cartoon that would be fun to see in the sequel.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Crimson Peak Review
I saw Crimson Peak on October 19, 2015!! Guillermo Del Toro created an incredible gothic romance. I think Del Toro is an underrated director: His creativity has always been on display in each project. It was no exception here. While the underlying theme of ghosts looms, the mystery, intrigue, and secrets buried deep within are the main focus. The use of color was brilliant-the dark tones, blended with the overlying theme of red created a menacing & soothing vibe in the same instance.
I thought the story was intriguing, and created a story you would find straight out of Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, and other gothic horror authors. The main character Edith Cushing actually being an aspiring author was genius, as it easily reflects the era of the movie. Her story & the theme of the movie reflects the popularity of the gothic horror genre of the era. The movie had a thrill that stayed with you through the end. The costumes, colors, and music were all elements of the movie that kept me invested in the story. The usage of CGI blended with the realistic sets, as well as the dark nature of Allerdale Hall really showed the creative genius of Del Toro's mind.
Mia Wasikowska & Tom Hiddleston displayed excellent chemistry. I thought Hiddleston did really well as a mysterious character, similar to how Count Dracula is when we are first introduced to him. It was great seeing him in a role that showed how good he is as an actor. He definitely worked well in the role of Thomas Sharpe. Wasikowska was perfect for this movie. I feel she immediately undestood what her role was as Edith & ran with it. I've been a fan of her work since Alice In Wonderland, and I think she is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. She was incredible throughout the movie-displaying the proper curiosity when it was necessary, while displaying moments of joy, sadness, and fear at every turn of this movie. I also liked the addition of Charlie Hunnam as Dr. Alan McMichael. To me, he was great as that Jonathan Harker type role that is in love with a woman getting involved with somebody she doesn't really know.
I think the show stealer of this movie was Jessica Chastain in the role of Lucille Sharpe. The moment the audience is introduced to her, we can sense there's something off about her. The cold, emotionless look in her eyes was just chilling. The menacing nature of her character reminds me of Jack Torrance in The Shining, Dracula when he reveals his vampiric nature, and simply a woman that is fueled with anger & envy. She was able to balance a gentle demeanor with a sadistic core that perfectly blended into the heart of the movie. Lucille & Thomas's story is dark, and this is reflected in Lucille's personality throughout the movie.
In a movie called Crimson Peak, blood flows deep from the walls, in the ground, and all around. The gothic romance & thrilling nature of the movie blended with natural chemistry between actors, as well as a grisly finale present one of my Top 10 movies of 2015. It definitely gets a 5/5 for me. Beware Crimson Peak!!
I thought the story was intriguing, and created a story you would find straight out of Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, and other gothic horror authors. The main character Edith Cushing actually being an aspiring author was genius, as it easily reflects the era of the movie. Her story & the theme of the movie reflects the popularity of the gothic horror genre of the era. The movie had a thrill that stayed with you through the end. The costumes, colors, and music were all elements of the movie that kept me invested in the story. The usage of CGI blended with the realistic sets, as well as the dark nature of Allerdale Hall really showed the creative genius of Del Toro's mind.
Mia Wasikowska & Tom Hiddleston displayed excellent chemistry. I thought Hiddleston did really well as a mysterious character, similar to how Count Dracula is when we are first introduced to him. It was great seeing him in a role that showed how good he is as an actor. He definitely worked well in the role of Thomas Sharpe. Wasikowska was perfect for this movie. I feel she immediately undestood what her role was as Edith & ran with it. I've been a fan of her work since Alice In Wonderland, and I think she is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. She was incredible throughout the movie-displaying the proper curiosity when it was necessary, while displaying moments of joy, sadness, and fear at every turn of this movie. I also liked the addition of Charlie Hunnam as Dr. Alan McMichael. To me, he was great as that Jonathan Harker type role that is in love with a woman getting involved with somebody she doesn't really know.
I think the show stealer of this movie was Jessica Chastain in the role of Lucille Sharpe. The moment the audience is introduced to her, we can sense there's something off about her. The cold, emotionless look in her eyes was just chilling. The menacing nature of her character reminds me of Jack Torrance in The Shining, Dracula when he reveals his vampiric nature, and simply a woman that is fueled with anger & envy. She was able to balance a gentle demeanor with a sadistic core that perfectly blended into the heart of the movie. Lucille & Thomas's story is dark, and this is reflected in Lucille's personality throughout the movie.
In a movie called Crimson Peak, blood flows deep from the walls, in the ground, and all around. The gothic romance & thrilling nature of the movie blended with natural chemistry between actors, as well as a grisly finale present one of my Top 10 movies of 2015. It definitely gets a 5/5 for me. Beware Crimson Peak!!
Monday, October 12, 2015
Pan Review
I saw Pan on October 12, 2015!! While the critics have been tearing this apart left and right, I found it to be one of the most exciting & intriguing movies of 2015!! It was somewhat of an origin story of Neverland. The visual effects blended with the story created a unique movie experience.
Pan was certainly a movie using magic & prophecies at its core. Each character was animated & in a movie such as this I believe it's necessary. Levi Miller has a bright future-he did very well in the role of Peter. I really enjoyed Garrett Hedlund as Hook. I'm a Captain Hook guy to begin with-Dustin Hoffman's Hook is one of my favorite male performances of all time. Hedlund brought light-heartedness to the role, while at the same time it shows that Hook is a good man. He basically is helping Peter to realize his destiny. He creates some great comedic lines. He has always been the most important character in Neverland to me, and I feel that you see glimpses of that through the course of this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily. She played the warrior role well. We also find out how she became such a great warrior. Hugh Jackman created such a great over the top character which is apropos considering the legend of Blackbeard is over the top to begin with.
I liked the importance of fairy dust & the Fairy Kingdom in general as it relates to Neverland & the Pan Prophecy. If you're aware of Blackbeard's legend, then you know a big part of it was the search for the Fountain of Youth. This also ties into why mining is a major staple of Neverland. The battle sequences were shot in a way that created a real life dream come to life. The flying pirate ships, the brilliant use of color, and the choreographed fighting worked really well for the atmosphere of this movie. The fight between Tiger Lilly & Blackbeard was amazing to watch. The fast paced action & visual effects in the Fairy Kingdom were incredible.
I give this movie a 5/5 for an intriguing origin story, fun characters, brilliant use of colors, and an overall fun movie experience. Don't buy into the critic's bs!!
Pan was certainly a movie using magic & prophecies at its core. Each character was animated & in a movie such as this I believe it's necessary. Levi Miller has a bright future-he did very well in the role of Peter. I really enjoyed Garrett Hedlund as Hook. I'm a Captain Hook guy to begin with-Dustin Hoffman's Hook is one of my favorite male performances of all time. Hedlund brought light-heartedness to the role, while at the same time it shows that Hook is a good man. He basically is helping Peter to realize his destiny. He creates some great comedic lines. He has always been the most important character in Neverland to me, and I feel that you see glimpses of that through the course of this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily. She played the warrior role well. We also find out how she became such a great warrior. Hugh Jackman created such a great over the top character which is apropos considering the legend of Blackbeard is over the top to begin with.
I liked the importance of fairy dust & the Fairy Kingdom in general as it relates to Neverland & the Pan Prophecy. If you're aware of Blackbeard's legend, then you know a big part of it was the search for the Fountain of Youth. This also ties into why mining is a major staple of Neverland. The battle sequences were shot in a way that created a real life dream come to life. The flying pirate ships, the brilliant use of color, and the choreographed fighting worked really well for the atmosphere of this movie. The fight between Tiger Lilly & Blackbeard was amazing to watch. The fast paced action & visual effects in the Fairy Kingdom were incredible.
I give this movie a 5/5 for an intriguing origin story, fun characters, brilliant use of colors, and an overall fun movie experience. Don't buy into the critic's bs!!
Monday, October 5, 2015
The Martian Review
I saw The Martian on October 5, 2015!! I guess it's time for me to review the fecal matter out of this thing (to paraphrase Mark Watney). I believe this is a surefire nomination for Best Picture at both the Golden Globes and the Oscars. It certainly should be considered for the list. Ridley Scott is one of the best directors ever in my opinion. He directed Gladiator & Alien. He directed my brother Justin's favorite movie-Legend. This movie follows one man's journey of survival against the most intense circumstances. Left for dead on Mars during a mission, Mark Watney has to figure out ways to produce food, water, air, etc in order to survive.
Matt Damon did an excellent job in the role playing the botanist devising ways to produce sustainable life on Mars. It was really interesting to watch him create an environment where a human being could inhabit Mars for a certain amount of time with the potato plants, as well as creating water. Even with so many obstacles against him, he finds a way to solve problems. Damon reminded me of his character in Interstellar blended with Will Hunting. It worked really well. With his knowledge of botany & his role as an astronaut, he is able to keep going. He gave a great performance that shows why Matt Damon is one of the best actors going.
While you had Damon's Watney devising ways to keep himself alive, we also get a look at NASA & the crew that believes he is dead. NASA officials devise different ways to rescue Watney, while also thinking of ways to protect NASA's image. The two different view points are interesting. I think watching Watney's crew putting aside certain death to rescue the man they left behind was inspirational. The moments with Watney & his crew created raw emotion. The level of intensity in the characters & the visual effects created hell in space. What was amazing to watch was the idea of team work with Watney & his crew, as well as the direction of NASA to ensure ultimate survival.
The ensemble cast is one of the best I've seen for a movie with Damon, Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Kristen Wiig, etc. creating one of the best movies of 2015. Damon was definitely the star of this movie, but each member of this cast brought something to it.
I give this movie a 5/5 for an intriguing plot, a phenomenal cast, and the intense emotion you feel as an audience member watching all of it unfold. I highly recommend seeing it. While I enjoyed Interstellar more, this definitely is must see & deserving of nominations for awards season.
Matt Damon did an excellent job in the role playing the botanist devising ways to produce sustainable life on Mars. It was really interesting to watch him create an environment where a human being could inhabit Mars for a certain amount of time with the potato plants, as well as creating water. Even with so many obstacles against him, he finds a way to solve problems. Damon reminded me of his character in Interstellar blended with Will Hunting. It worked really well. With his knowledge of botany & his role as an astronaut, he is able to keep going. He gave a great performance that shows why Matt Damon is one of the best actors going.
While you had Damon's Watney devising ways to keep himself alive, we also get a look at NASA & the crew that believes he is dead. NASA officials devise different ways to rescue Watney, while also thinking of ways to protect NASA's image. The two different view points are interesting. I think watching Watney's crew putting aside certain death to rescue the man they left behind was inspirational. The moments with Watney & his crew created raw emotion. The level of intensity in the characters & the visual effects created hell in space. What was amazing to watch was the idea of team work with Watney & his crew, as well as the direction of NASA to ensure ultimate survival.
The ensemble cast is one of the best I've seen for a movie with Damon, Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Kristen Wiig, etc. creating one of the best movies of 2015. Damon was definitely the star of this movie, but each member of this cast brought something to it.
I give this movie a 5/5 for an intriguing plot, a phenomenal cast, and the intense emotion you feel as an audience member watching all of it unfold. I highly recommend seeing it. While I enjoyed Interstellar more, this definitely is must see & deserving of nominations for awards season.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Black Mass Review
I saw Black Mass on September 19, 2015!! This was a brilliant biopic on one of South Boston's most notorious criminals. It explored the deal between James "Whitey" Bulger and his childhood friend, who worked in Boston's FBI offices, John Connolly. Both realized they need the deal: Connolly wants it to take down the Italian Mafia, while at the same time Bulger wants to get rid of the Italian Mafia simply to further his own criminal agenda. While many Hollywood movies can over-dramatize events, I feel this took a great look at the events of the movie without overdoing everything. A major aspect of the movie was performances, and since acting is the basis of what movies should be, that's great to see.
I definitely believe that Johnny Depp should be on the list for the Golden Globe and the Oscars for Best Actor. He gave such a chilling performance. What I really enjoyed about it was how calm Bulger always seemed to be, while conveying his message. He had a cold stare in his eyes, and a menacing tone to his voice that keeps you drawn to Depp's performance. He made Bulger a cold, calculating mastermind. Depp is one of the very best actors in my opinion, and I think this showed that he still has it. It's probably one of his best performances, and he has so many great ones. His work as John Dillinger in Public Enemies was phenomenal as well. While many directors would resort to the gory aspects of Bulger's actions, Scott Cooper focused on the character/personality. One of the best scenes in the movie revolves around a dinner scene where he tests Connolly's partner John Morris about how he marinates his steaks. Morris gives up the "family secret" without much interrogation. Depp's work following this was calm, but intense. It was acting at it's finest. There was so much tension in the calm, but menacing tone. Cooper presented scenes where criminal activity was in effect, but the action still focused on the personality overall. Incredible work by Johnny Depp here!!
Many are discussing Joel Edgerton's work as John Connolly in this movie, and I think they should. He gave a tremendous supporting performance that showed loyalty to Bulger, but at the same time showed how conflicted he was with the violent acts getting out of hand. Bulger used Connolly to further his criminal empire. Connolly never sells out Bulger. While he protected a criminal, you have to still respect the fact that he never sold out his friend. Edgerton usually turns out pretty solid work, and it was no exception here. It was also great to see Jesse Plemons, who you may know from his work on Friday Night Lights or Breaking Bad. He did well as an informant as well as muscle for Bulger. Plemons looks hauntingly like Matt Damon in this, and in many ways, Plemons reminds me of Damon, so that worked really well. He's a really underrated actor who can pull off some incredible scenes-I've seen him do it so many times. It was great to see him involved with such a big project. Benedict Cumberbatch, Corey Stoll, and Peter Sarsgaard were also brilliant in their performances. These three added so much depth to the movie-Cumberbatch's family relationships, Stoll is the law trying to crack down on Bulger & Connolly's relationship, and Sarsgaard selling intimidation and sheer terror of Bulger was excellent. Every cast member was integral to creating the big picture of how infamous James "Whitey" Bulger is.
This movie gets a 5/5 from me for excellent performances, especially from Johnny Depp-one of his best performances, a great look at the clash between the criminal world and the world of law enforcement, and a realistic approach to a real life crime drama. It's a great mix of Donnie Brasco meets The Departed with a splash of Goodfellas. Depp, Edgerton, Cumberbatch, Stoll, and Sarsgaard are all reasons to see this. It's definitely an awards season worthy film!!
I definitely believe that Johnny Depp should be on the list for the Golden Globe and the Oscars for Best Actor. He gave such a chilling performance. What I really enjoyed about it was how calm Bulger always seemed to be, while conveying his message. He had a cold stare in his eyes, and a menacing tone to his voice that keeps you drawn to Depp's performance. He made Bulger a cold, calculating mastermind. Depp is one of the very best actors in my opinion, and I think this showed that he still has it. It's probably one of his best performances, and he has so many great ones. His work as John Dillinger in Public Enemies was phenomenal as well. While many directors would resort to the gory aspects of Bulger's actions, Scott Cooper focused on the character/personality. One of the best scenes in the movie revolves around a dinner scene where he tests Connolly's partner John Morris about how he marinates his steaks. Morris gives up the "family secret" without much interrogation. Depp's work following this was calm, but intense. It was acting at it's finest. There was so much tension in the calm, but menacing tone. Cooper presented scenes where criminal activity was in effect, but the action still focused on the personality overall. Incredible work by Johnny Depp here!!
Many are discussing Joel Edgerton's work as John Connolly in this movie, and I think they should. He gave a tremendous supporting performance that showed loyalty to Bulger, but at the same time showed how conflicted he was with the violent acts getting out of hand. Bulger used Connolly to further his criminal empire. Connolly never sells out Bulger. While he protected a criminal, you have to still respect the fact that he never sold out his friend. Edgerton usually turns out pretty solid work, and it was no exception here. It was also great to see Jesse Plemons, who you may know from his work on Friday Night Lights or Breaking Bad. He did well as an informant as well as muscle for Bulger. Plemons looks hauntingly like Matt Damon in this, and in many ways, Plemons reminds me of Damon, so that worked really well. He's a really underrated actor who can pull off some incredible scenes-I've seen him do it so many times. It was great to see him involved with such a big project. Benedict Cumberbatch, Corey Stoll, and Peter Sarsgaard were also brilliant in their performances. These three added so much depth to the movie-Cumberbatch's family relationships, Stoll is the law trying to crack down on Bulger & Connolly's relationship, and Sarsgaard selling intimidation and sheer terror of Bulger was excellent. Every cast member was integral to creating the big picture of how infamous James "Whitey" Bulger is.
This movie gets a 5/5 from me for excellent performances, especially from Johnny Depp-one of his best performances, a great look at the clash between the criminal world and the world of law enforcement, and a realistic approach to a real life crime drama. It's a great mix of Donnie Brasco meets The Departed with a splash of Goodfellas. Depp, Edgerton, Cumberbatch, Stoll, and Sarsgaard are all reasons to see this. It's definitely an awards season worthy film!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)