A Look Into the Life of a Soulful Vocalist

Photo Credit: Tribecafilm.com 

As far as music of the twenty-first century is concerned, English singer Amy Winehouse gave us one of the most distinctive voices in the industry.  Her songs were things of beauty that provided us with a lyrical view into her life.  Sadly, on July 23, 2011, she passed away, leaving behind a musical career that should have included decades of more work.  Although we no longer have the experience of listening to any new songs from Winehouse, we now have a detailed view of her life in director Asif Kapadia’s documentary, “Amy.”

Before I saw Kapadia’s film, I never listened to Winehouse’s music that much.  When I found out that a documentary about the singer was going to be released, I was interested in catching it and decided to familiarize myself with her music before I saw the movie.  Having listened to her songs prior to viewing the film, I was able to get a much deeper appreciation for her as I was watching the movie.

The film provides considerable insight about notable events in Amy’s life, and then follows some of those scenes with her singing her songs that relate to what she has gone through.  With memorable tracks such as “You Know I’m No Good,” “Tears Dry on Their Own,” “Back to Black,” and “Rehab” sung in the film, you get the opportunity to see how those songs grew out of Amy’s personal experiences.

Throughout the film, we also get to listen to voiceovers from Amy’s family, friends, and music-industry acquaintances, all of whom offer us views of how they saw her as a person and an artist.   

One of the most moving scenes in the film comes when we see Winehouse collaborating with Tony Bennett for a 2011 recording of the famous jazz number, “Body and Soul.”  When Winehouse worked with Bennett, you see how much respect she had for her idols, and it shows that she wasn’t the type of artist who had a bloated ego, but was someone who truly revered her influences.

Asif Kapadia shows tremendous respect for his subject.  By focusing on Amy’s ups and downs, Kapadia does a thorough job chronicling the singer’s life and gives moviegoers a heartfelt and tragic portrait of an artist whose life ended much too soon.  Although Winehouse is greatly missed, we’re able to remember her by revisiting her music, as well as by viewing this film that offers us a thorough understanding of Winehouse’s life, a life that presented the world with a gifted voice, even if it was, unfortunately, only for a short while.

Final grade: A

For a Husband and Wife, the Past Comes Back with a Bow on Top

Jason Bateman in "The Gift"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Joel Edgerton is the latest actor to step from behind the camera to in front of it.  Actors such as Clint Eastwood, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney, to name a few, have all displayed much competence in directing films, and Edgerton is the next to do so.  In his directorial debut, he brings us the psychological thriller, “The Gift,” in which he delivers something that doesn’t play out as we would expect, which makes it a lot better than it could have been.

Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) are a young couple that moves to California from Chicago.  One day, when they are running errands together, Simon and Robyn bump into Gordon Moseley (Edgerton), a socially awkward acquaintance of Simon’s from high school.  The three of them spend some time together, but after Gordon becomes clingy and intrusive, Simon decides to sever ties with him.  Afterwards, Gordon begins to terrorize the couple, and Robyn soon realizes that Simon has more of a history with Gordon than he’s letting on.

Jason Bateman is an actor who usually plays your average guy in several comedy roles.  However, by having him use this persona for a dramatic role, it’s much more effective than it usually is because Bateman’s character is thrown into a much more serious situation, and the everyman role makes it seem like this scenario can happen to anybody.  Bateman’s character evolves from the typical everyman as the film goes on, particularly in the second half, as he becomes a difficult protagonist to side with, which you’ll see for yourself once you view the film.

Rebecca Hall is wonderful as Simon’s wife and acts as the one kindhearted main character in the film.  Throughout the movie, the terror brought upon her house by Gordon slowly chips away at her sense of security, and the toll that this has on her mental state is something that Hall exhibits very convincingly.

Edgerton is effectively creepy as Gordon, but what’s interesting about his approach to the character is that he doesn’t have Gordon act like an outright psycho, but instead presents the character as a fairly composed individual and lets his facial expressions and calm voice show fleeting glimpses of the anger that’s boiling inside of him.

One of the most notable factors about Edgerton’s screenplay is that it dodges our expectations as to where it will take us.  Not to spoil anything, but it avoids the usual cat-and-mouse finale between the villain and his victims, and instead replaces it with a rather disturbing and twisted ending.  

His screenplay also doesn’t waste anytime in getting the story started.  Within the first five minutes, the couple moves into a new house and meets Gordon right after.  From there, the story takes its time with setting up the characters, all the while increasing the tension as the film goes on.

The face-to-face interaction between the couple and Gordon is actually limited for some significant portions of the movie, particularly in the second act.  During this time, we know that Gordon is around, but is mostly lurking around unseen.  This places the viewer in the uncomfortable positions of Simon and Robyn as we feel the anxiety of being watched, just as they do.

Edgerton proves to be considerably talented as a director, masterfully creating a sense of uneasiness with the use of camera movements, framing, and the design of the couple’s house.  Thankfully, the film doesn’t feel the need to raise tension by relying on cheap jump shocks.  Although the film has a couple of decent scares, it mainly relies on establishing a sense of anxiety and acts more as a slow-burner that has us guess how far Gordon will go in tormenting Simon and Robyn.

“The Gift” is a thriller that’s as entertaining as it is unsettling, making it a welcome surprise at the cinema this summer.  This is a film that will have you wanting to tear off the wrapping paper to see what’s inside.

Final grade: A-

Amy Schumer Brings an Abundance of Laughs to the Big Screen

Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in "Trainwreck"
Photo Credit: Ledger Gazette

While some of director Judd Apatow’s films are better than others, you can’t deny that he has a knack for showing the comedy in situations that have a true-to-life feel, such as a man trying to lose his virginity in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” an unplanned pregnancy in “Knocked Up,” a standup comedian dealing with a cancer diagnosis in “Funny People,” and a couple going through a midlife crisis in “This Is 40.”

Apatow now teams up with rising star Amy Schumer to bring us his hilarious romantic-comedy, “Trainwreck,” a story about a young woman trying to get her life in order.

When she was a young girl, Amy Townsend (Schumer) and her sister were taught by their father that monogamy isn’t realistic.  23 years later, Amy is working as a magazine writer in New York City and living a life of fleeting romances.  When she is given an assignment to interview sports doctor Aaron Connors (Bill Hader), he begins to express feelings for her.  While Amy isn’t quite receptive to this at first, she soon starts to realize that she might have feelings for him as well.

Schumer certainly has what it takes to be one of the next top actresses in comedic cinema.  She exhibits the talent that’s needed for starring in a movie and has wonderful on-screen chemistry with the other cast members, especially Hader, and this is a bond that makes him and Schumer into a terrifically comical couple.  Besides the humor that’s in the film, there are also some unexpected emotional moments that provide Schumer’s character with more depth and allow her to show another side of her acting abilities.

The supporting cast includes two surprisingly funny performances from basketball legend LeBron James and wrestler John Cena, which is something I never imagined I would say.  Usually, hiring professional athletes to act can be very risky, but the risk certainly pays off for the film.  Tilda Swinton also appears in a very humorous role as Amy’s boss.

One for the best aspects of the screenplay, which Schumer wrote, is that it adds some changes to the romantic-comedy formula.  Although the final outcome is predictable, the situations that Amy finds herself in, whether they be hilarious or emotional, are what separate this from many other films of the genre that we have seen in the past.  

What’s also commendable about her screenplay is that it doesn’t just focus on the main character’s dating life, but also her family life, such as her relationships with her father and sister.  Schumer uses the subplot involving Amy’s family as a way to help create a steady and rewarding development of her character as we see her trying to figure out where her life is going.

Just as Apatow has shown in his previous movies, he has the ability to make his cast members really connect on screen, and that’s essential when he depicts his films’ humorous situations, each having a certain degree of realism.  He has skills in bringing forth the wit and emotions of his films’ scenarios and displaying his characters trying to sort out the problems in their day-to-day lives.

Before “Trainwreck,” Schumer found success on television with her sketch-comedy show, “Inside Amy Schumer.”  Now, after trying her hand at cinema, she shows a lot of potential for expanding her career into movies.  If this film is anything to go by, I’m positive that Schumer will be given many more opportunities to impress moviegoers with her sharp humor.

Final grade: A-

Using Some Thievery to Save the World

Paul Rudd in "Ant-Man"
Photo Credit: Boxofficemojo.com

The latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Ant-Man,” which is based on the Marvel Comics superhero by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Larry Lieber, is now here, but it faced a big challenge when its original director, Edgar Wright, left the project back in May 2014 due to creative differences with Marvel Studios.  With Wright having the ability to blend head-spinning action with sharp humor, as we saw in his films, “Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz,” “The World’s End,” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” it was a shame that he exited his role as director.

Ever since word got out concerning Wright’s departure, it was certainly interesting to see who would take his place.  Not so long after Wright left, the project was given to Peyton Reed (yes, the filmmaker who brought us “The Break-Up” and “Bring It On”).  Despite this odd choice for a replacement, the film, while not excellent, isn’t a disaster, thankfully.

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is recently released from jail after serving time for a burglary.  After his group of thieves talks him into another break-in, for which Scott thinks he will be stealing money to help pay for child support, he finds a strange-looking suit while on the job and takes it home.  Afterwards, he gets caught by police and ends up back in jail.  Once there, he meets scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas).  To give Scott a chance at redemption, Hank recruits him to become a hero by wearing a suit that allows him to shrink, which he will use to sneak into a laboratory to steal another shrinking suit that Hank’s previous protégé, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), has created to sell as a weapon.  This mission will put Scott’s thievery skills to the test and have him become what he never expected: the Ant-Man.

Paul Rudd has a considerable history when it comes to the comedy genre, so having him as the witty Ant-Man is a fitting choice.  While he doesn’t really expand much from his usual everyman, humorous self, it’s still a personality that works for the character and will surely lend itself well to the entertaining banter of the other Avengers when he eventually teams up with them.

Corey Stoll is appropriately menacing as the main villain, and is given a bit of depth with his background concerning Hank Pym, but he ultimately falls victim to the MCU’s tendency to underwrite most of their antagonists.

In terms of the rest of the supporting cast, Hank and his daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly), have a surprising amount of development and a touching father-daughter dynamic.  Meanwhile, Michael Peña, as a member of Scott’s burglary group, is rather annoying and quickly devolves into a stereotype.  He’s a talented actor, as we’ve seen in other films, such as “Fury” and “End of Watch,” so if he’s given a comedic role, he deserves something more substantial than the material he was given for this film.

The screenplay by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay, and Paul Rudd has a decent structure, with the first two thirds of the film introducing us to the characters and having Hank and Hope prep Scott on how to use the Ant-Man suit, while the final third focuses on Scott and his team setting out to steal the other suit.  The narrative provides the film with plenty of opportunities for scenes that show Ant-Man collaborating with the ants and interacting with his surroundings when he shrinks, all of which allow us to take in the neat visual effects when our hero is in action.

While I don’t mind much of the humor in the Marvel films, I still feel that the filmmakers need to realize when certain scenes don’t call for it.  For example, there’s a scene about halfway through the film where Hank reveals to Hope the circumstances of her mother’s death, and it’s a tender moment between the two characters, and then, to lighten the mood, Scott cuts in with a quip.  I understand that he’s a humorous character, but his remark pretty much undermines the emotional weight of the moment.

With “Ant-Man” being the last film in Phase Two of the MCU, there are some interesting references to Phase Three, including a fun hint about a certain web-slinging superhero and a post-credits scene that is sure to get you excited for the next MCU film, “Captain America: Civil War,” in which Ant-Man and other Avengers are set to appear.

Although I much rather would have liked to see Edgar Wright direct “Ant-Man,” Peyton Reed does an adequate job as the replacement.  He handles the action scenes well enough, particularly the final fight between Ant-Man and Darren Cross as the Yellowjacket.  This sequence offers a visually unique look that allows it to set itself apart from most of the MCU’s other climactic fights because of how the two characters frequently change their sizes as they battle each other.

While “Ant-Man” doesn’t quite reach the potential it could have, it’s still a passable comic-book film that shows how a small hero is going to fit in the bigger picture of the MCU.

Final grade: B

In a Girl’s Time of Need, a Boy Learns How to Connect

Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke in "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Photo Credit: Cinematicshadows.com

When a film deals with romance, one of the characters in the relationship might have a terminal illness.  While that may seem like a cliched and tacky method to get tears from moviegoers, it can actually serve the story in a thoughtful and beautiful manner, if the illness aspect is dealt with in a tasteful manner.

Such is the case with director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s coming-of-age film, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” where he travels through the minefield awkwardness of high school, while placing it in a story about a boy who learns how to bond with others and the situation that helps him achieve that.

Greg Gaines (Thomas Mann) is a high-school senior who does what he can to not become too attached with others, only having tenuous connections with people within his school, including Earl (Ronald Cyler II), with whom Greg makes short films that parody other films.  When classmate Rachel Kushner (Olivia Cooke) is diagnosed with leukemia, Greg’s mother (Connie Britton) requests that he reach out to Rachel during her difficult time.  Although hesitant of the idea at first, Greg will eventually develop a deeper connection with Rachel than he has ever done with any other classmate.

Mann’s character is rather enigmatic, especially in the opening portion of the film.  He doesn’t seem pleasant at all when we first meet him, but we gradually becomes more likable as he begins to show some sense of connection with Rachel.  Greg can get on your nerves at times with his reserved personality, but once he finally becomes an openhearted person, you know that you have seen his character grow up, and seeing him become a caring individual is one of the film’s several rewards.

Olivia Cooke turns in a performance that will, hopefully, make her into a much sought-after actress.  She is one of the best parts about television’s “Bates Motel,” and this film shows that she deserves all of the work she can get.  Although her character is ill, Cooke wonderfully displays Rachel’s sense of humor and strength, all while exhibiting a friendly warmth whenever on screen.

The screenplay by Jesse Andrews, who adapted the film from his novel, carefully and effectively sets up the development of Greg as he begins to reach out to others.  It’s a detailed journey of him transitioning from someone without any true friendships to someone who makes a difference in a person’s life through interaction.

Director Gomez-Rejon doesn’t make this film feel at all like a disease-of-the-week movie, but instead creates a loving portrait of what it means to bond with someone when they need it most and do something memorable for them.  Although this is an emotional story, Gomez-Rejon adds some touches of quirky humor that compliment Greg’s offbeat nature, but does a commendable job with not letting them interfere with the more dramatic aspects of the story.

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” isn’t only a well-made comedy-drama, but is also one of the best high-school movies to come around in a while.  With its realistic characters and touching story, it’s a film that will move any viewer.

Final grade: A

My Top Three Favorite Films of the Year So Far, and My Three Most Anticipated

With July having started last week, we are officially into the second half of 2015.  Ever since the beginning of the year, I have been keeping a list of this year’s films that I have seen, always being prepared to name my favorites.  Although there are still six months to go until the end of the year, this is the perfect time to list my three favorite films of the year so far, and the three I’m looking forward to the most.  

Let’s begin with the favorites:

Photo Credit: Variety.com

3) The Wolfpack - Director Crystal Moselle’s unsettling and fascinating documentary tells the story of the Angulo siblings, whose parents have kept them in their apartment in Manhattan’s Lower East Side for their whole lives.  The siblings immerse themselves in movies to escape their bleak reality, but their curiosity of the outside world soon gets the better of them, and they decide to venture out into the city streets to see what they have been missing.  Moselle provides a terrific amount of detail in her film, focusing on the siblings’ deep love of cinema, the tension within the family, the parents’ reasoning for sheltering their children, and much more.  After seeing the siblings stuck inside their apartment, it’s a rich experience to see them enjoy life beyond their apartment, making this a film you should really try to seek out.

Photo Credit: Boxofficemojo.com

2) Ex Machina - Screenwriter Alex Garland, in his directorial debut, makes a memorable contribution to low-budget science fiction with a film about a lonely programmer (Domhnall Gleeson) who is invited to his CEO’s (Oscar Isaac) secluded laboratory to take part in an artificial-intelligence test with a female android (Alicia Vikander).  What first seems like your typical human-and-robot story later unravels in a much different direction as the film gets closer to its conclusion.  With an all-around talented cast and a story that explores the effects of blurring the line between humans and AI technology, “Ex Machina” is a refreshing departure from big-budget science fiction.

Photo Credit: Boxofficemojo.com

1) Inside Out - Despite a few missteps in their filmography, Pixar Animation Studios is still a reliable source for intelligent moviemaking, and that is clearly seen in their latest stroke of brilliance.  Director Pete Doctor’s “Inside Out” tells the story of a young girl who moves to a new home with her family, and we travel into her mind to see the personified emotions that are helping her adjust to this big change.  Having had the pleasure of seeing this film twice, I can tell you that repeat viewings will surely give you the opportunity to appreciate the beauty that runs deep through the film.  Featuring a voice cast of hilarious comedic performers, gorgeously vibrant animation, and a story that will surely make you laugh and cry, Pixar gives us another stunning creation that shows us why they are some of today’s best cinematic storytellers.

Will any of these films make it into my top 10 of the year?  Be on the lookout for my list this December!

Now, it’s time to head into my top three most anticipated for the rest of the year:

Photo Credit: Mashable.com

3) Spectre (November 6) - When we first saw Daniel Craig as James Bond in “Casino Royale,” we were given a new approach to the character that was much more intense.  While the follow-up, “Quantum of Solace,” didn’t bring back many of the thrills of its predecessor, the next film, “Skyfall,” certainly did.  Sam Mendes returns to the series after directing “Skyfall,” which hopefully means that this new Bond film will at least be as good as the previous film.  The story focuses on Bond receiving a mysterious message from an organization known as SPECTRE, which will eventually lead him to an enemy from his past.  The film also stars Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and Ben Whishaw. 

Photo Credit: Cinemablend.com

2) The Hateful Eight (December 25, limited release; January 8, wide release) - Quentin Tarantino is one of the most distinct voices in modern cinema, which is why it’s always a cause for celebration when he’s about to come out with a new movie.  After tackling the western genre with his last film, “Django Unchained,” Tarantino returns to the genre for his latest project.  The story takes place in Wyoming, a few years after the Civil War, and tells the tale of bounty hunters who are looking for refuge during a blizzard, but end up falling into a plot of deception.  The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern.

Photo Credit: Moviepilot.com

1) Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (December 18) - As if the number-one spot would go to anything else.  This movie is turning out to be one of the most anticipated films in recent memory, and the excitement is only going to keep building leading up to December.  After the disappointing prequel trilogy, we certainly need a new “Star Wars” film to bring the series back to its former greatness, and J.J. Abrams could be the director who can make that happen.  The plot is being kept very secret, so all we know right now is that the story takes place about 30 years after “Return of the Jedi,” but expect some more information to trickle out as we get closer to the release date.  Most of the original “Star Wars” main cast will be returning, including Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, while the new cast members include John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac.

After Being Cut Off from the Outside World, These Siblings Find New Freedom

The Angulo brothers in "The Wolfpack"
Photo Credit: Variety.com

New York City is full of fascinating people, and every one of them has a story.  Sometimes, you might be walking the crowded streets, see certain people, and then wonder what their lives are like.  In director Crystal Moselle’s ceaselessly intriguing documentary, “The Wolfpack,” she follows a group of siblings with a shockingly true story to tell.

In Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the Angulo family’s seven children (six boys and one girl) have been kept in their apartment all of their lives, being homeschooled by their mother and only allowed to go outside a few times a year, if at all.  During this time, the siblings have used movies as way to withdraw from the troubles of their home life.  One day, 15-year-old Mukunda ventures out of the apartment, against his father’s wishes, which causes a gradual increase in curiosity of the outside world among the siblings that soon leads them to experiencing the world in ways they never imagined they would.

One of the best parts of the film is seeing the siblings act out some well-known movies, such as “The Dark Knight,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “Reservoir Dogs.”  Movies have become their escape from reality and the closest form of reality that they have, so watching them play these characters shows how much this sense of escape is important to them.  The siblings’ devotion to film can be seen in how many movies they have watched, the lists they keep of their favorites, and watching movies with the subtitles on in order to write scripts for when they act out the films.  Their love for cinema is depicted in these details that show how much time they dedicate to making their imaginations come alive. 

Moselle does a thorough job with delving into the mysterious lives of her subjects, shedding light on how the siblings feel about being shut in, the parents’ reasoning behind keeping the family in the apartment for over a decade, and the overall dynamic of the family that very often reveals a sense of tension.  We are also given an opportunity to see this family disclose its history to the camera, a history that is equally unsettling and engaging to learn about.

As you’re watching the film, it’s wonderful to see these siblings experience outside life for the first time, particularly when they get to watch a movie in an actual theater, instead of just watching one on a television in their apartment.  We also get to see them walking the city streets, riding on public transportation, and visiting the beach, and Moselle captures these moments beautifully.  Little events such as these are what these siblings deserved to have in their lives, and you’re overjoyed when they finally have them.  

In a story about siblings liberating themselves from their dreary reality with the help of movies, it’s wonderful to see a film about them experiencing true liberation from the walls of their sheltered existence.

Final grade: A