The Game

Movie Name: The Game

Year of Release: 1997

Director: David Fincher

Stars: Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger, James Rebhorn, Peter Donat, Carroll Baker, Anna Katarina, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Elizabeth Dennehy

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

After the success of "Seven", director David Fincher tackled a script from John Brancato and Michael Ferris, who had achieved success in 1995 with Irwin Winkler's "The Net". The film follows the story of Nicholas Van Orton, a very successful businessman, who is about to have a birthday. His family life has had some very dark moments, and his younger brother Conrad, surprises Nicholas with a very unusual gift. The gift is an experience, a game, where Nicholas is put through a series of progressively more difficult challenges, and where nothing and no one is who they seem to be.
Following the dark and yet very successful "Seven", David Fincher had the opportunity to tackle a different type of script, and though today considered one of his lesser films, "The Game" is still an exquisitely fabricated feature, where the intelligence of the film maker is clearly visible. The subject matter adds consistency to what has become David Fincher's core leading character traits: characters that are flawed, usually scarred from a traumatic past experience, and who are involved in a situation that tests them yet again beyond their comfort zone, bringing out the survivor in them. That's the exemplary case of Michael Douglas' Nicholas Van Horton: a polished business man, who has lost contact with his inner emotional self, and who has alienated friends, family and who suddenly is pushed to the brink of fighting for his survival. The film smartly sequences and ties the events towards a crescendo that is in fact indelible and ingenious. The overall cast is fantastic, with special highlights going to the underrated Michael Douglas, but also the awesome Sean Penn, and the always enigmatic Deborah Kara Unger (then fresh off the critical acclaim of David Cronenberg's "Crash"). The cinematography from the late Harris Savides is stunning, as is the score from the great Howard Shore. A great gem from the tremendously talented David Fincher.

The Fifth Element

Movie Name: The Fifth Element
Year of Release: 1997

Director: Luc Besson

Stars: Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, Ian Holm, Chris Tucker, Brion James, Tommy Lister, Chris Evans, Charlie Creed Miles, Tricky, Luke Perry, John Neville, John Bluthal, Mathieu Kassovitz
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4

Synopsis:
Following the success of "Leon, The Professional", prolific writer/producer/director Luc Besson, tackled his most ambitious and international film yet: "The Fifth Element", a visually stupendous and comic book influenced sci-fi spectacle. The film follows the story of Korben Dallas, a retired military, currently working as a taxi driver, in a large metropolis in the 23rd century. Korben comes across a young woman, by the name of Leeloo, who literally crashes into his cab. Initially unable to understand her, Korben comes to realize she's the fifth element that can save the Earth from being annihilated by some alien force.

Luc Besson has always been an interesting film maker, capable of combining a pop culture saturated vision of the world, with multiple other references, in this case the influences of graphic novel artists such as Enki Bilal and Moebius. "The Fifth Element" is an interesting case where the creation of the universe where this narrative takes place, is actually more interesting than the main characters themselves. The screenplay for this film is its biggest setback: the characters have little to no motivation, the main villain is something vague and with no dimension, and even the comic reliefs are unimportant and mostly forced and grating. Luc Besson is a director who always creates an interesting backdrop to his main focus, but somehow his lead characters lack dimension and depth (there are notable exceptions, for instance Anne Parillaud's Nikita): Korben Dallas is basically the stoic hero, with a hardened core who suddenly and for no apparent reason, falls in love with the gorgeously awkward woman, who turns out to be the savior of the universe. Chris Tucker as the comic sidekick is also another case of an underwritten part, where most of what he does is screaming and be flamboyant, whereas Gary Oldman suffers the most with an underwritten part, where he gets a different accent, with a wig to boot and not much else to do. The film is visually stupendous, and that's it's main ace: but at the core it lacks everything else, making it a lackluster filmic experience.

Trainwreck

Movie Name: Trainwreck
Year of Release: 2015

Director: Judd Apatow

Stars: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Tilda Swinton, John Cena, Vanessa Bayer, Randall Park, Ezra Miller, Dave Attell, Jon Glaser, Evan Brinkman, Mike Birbiglia, Daniel Radcliffe, Marisa Tomei, Lebron James, Nikki Glaser, Kevin Kane, Rachel Feinstein, Tim Meadows, Kyle Dunnigan, Kim Caramele, Marina Franklin, Keith Robinson, Devin Fabry, Carla Oudin, Josh Segarra

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:
Director Judd Apatow is back, following a three year hiatus, since his latest "This is 40" was met with a less than stellar response from audiences and critics. "Trainwreck" marks the first feature he has directed, where he hasn't been responsible for the screenplay, which this time around, comes from the film's leading lady, comedienne Amy Schumer. The film follows the story of Amy, a young woman in her 30s, who lives in New York, working for a women's magazine (she's a senior writer), and who chooses not to have actual deep relationships with men: she engages in casual hook ups and moves on. A lot of this behavior has been induced by her father, now in a nursing home due to prolonged illness. Amy's sister however, has a decidedly opposite life: she is married, has a stepson, and a baby on the way. Amy's life is thrown for a disarray when she meets Aaron, a doctor who specializes in sports injuries, and whom she has to write about for a magazine article. 

Judd Apatow has been a unique voice in the comedy world: he's always been able to understand the cliches of the traditional comedy features, but he infuses them with a humanity and slices of (painful) authenticity, which makes his films decidedly fresh, funny and very real. The hilarious Amy Schumer is a perfect combination with his universe, since her humor is indeed a blend of self depreciation, mixed with a biting view of archetypes that live in any modern city. Both Apatow and Schumer understand the cliches of the romantic comedy, but they mine it with a lot more depth, swagger, crudeness and finally tenderness, which is what good comedies manage to convey. The overall cast is fantastic, with Amy Schumer and Bill Hader as the great romantic partners, with Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Vanessa Bayer and the always fantastic Tilda Swinton coming in to offer fantastic and funny support (even John Cena manages to poke fun at his own persona). A really funny and touching comedy worth watching.

Ant-Man

Movie Name: Ant-Man

Year of Release: 2015

Director: Peyton Reed

Stars: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Pena, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Anthony Mackie, Martin Donovan, John Slattery, Hayley Atwell, Abby Ryder Fortson, David Dastmalchian, Wood Harris

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4

Synopsis:
Marvel Studios' second release of this year, following the giant success of the "Avengers" sequel, is a focus on a decidedly lesser known comic book character, "Ant-Man". The film was in the works for years, with the talented Edgar Wright at the helm, but disputes between him and the studio emerged, and Peyton Reed was hired as a replacement. The film follows the story of Hank Pym, a brilliant scientist who in the 80s devises a formula that allows him to shrink to the size of an ant, but gain concentrated strength, making him an almost invisible and powerful infiltration agent. Upon the loss of his wife on a perilous mission, Hank decides to remove himself from action, and from his company. That situation changes in the present, when his company now under the tutelage of his former protege, Darren Cross, is at the brink of selling the technology he devised, to some unsavory organizations. He recruits the help of Scott Lang, a petty criminal, to help thwart Cross' plans, alongside the help of his daughter Hope.
Peyton Reed's latest feature before "Ant Man" was the Jim Carrey vehicle, "Yes Man", a film that was met with tepid notices. Most of the director's career has been carved in television. Ironically one of his most interesting films was "Down with Love", a decidedly retro approach to the screwball comedy genre, which is coincidentally where "Ant-Man" ends up having some differentiation between all the other super hero films now being released: the sense of humor allows for the film to be somewhat tolerable and hold some interest. The screenplay is a standard introductory story to the beginnings of a super hero, where the underdog central character has to gain the respect and love of his child by battling an instantly forgettable villain. The film touches on all cliches already devised and explored in better films. It's an all too familiar formula, that has become generic and standard with all Marvel Studios releases: generic story, good cast, stunning special effects (stir and serve). Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas try to bring some charisma and humor to the film, but they both seem out of place, with the first one trying a role that is clearly not as funny as he can be, while the second is trying to give the role a depth and intensity that the flimsy film can't carry. It's yet another formulaic film, instantly forgettable from a genre that is reaching high saturation levels.

Donnie Brasco

Movie Name: Donnie Brasco

Year of Release: 1997

Director: Mike Newell

Stars: Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, Anne Heche, Zeljko Ivanek, Gerry Becker, Robert Miano, Brian Tarantina, Rocco Sisto, Zach Grenier

Genre: Drama, Crime

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:
Idiosyncratic director Mike Newell's "Donnie Brasco" was one of his best and most successful films from the 90s, following his smaller British based and funded films "Enchanted April" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral". "Donnie Brasco" is based on the true story of FBI agent Joe Pistone, as he goes through the process of going undercover, in order to infiltrate the mafia of New York. Going by the name of Donnie Brasco, the agent is taken under the protection of Lefty Ruggiero. His immersion in the mafia family becomes overwhelming in his life, leading to the dissolution of his marriage. He also realizes that upon the reveal of the mafia business intricacies, Lefty will be the one to take all the blame for the exposure. 

Mike Newell started his career in the 60s, directing assorted tv shows for the British television. His eclectic directorial career allowed him to continue developing assorted projects, until his features started gaining more attention in the 80s, starting with "Dance with a Stranger" and "The Good Father". The success of "Four Weddings and Funeral" allowed him to tackle more visible projects, such as "Donnie Brasco". The film successfully depicts the mafia life during the 70s, and the hardship it caused on the life of the FBI agent tasked with infiltrating it. Mike Newell manages to give the film a simultaneous focus on the crime angle and also the more familiar section of the agent's life. It's a film that focuses on the work of the talented cast and the well oiled production (including the cinematography of Peter Sovia and the screenplay of Paul Attanasio), and though ultimately not as memorable and iconic as Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas", it still manages to be a solid endeavor, featuring fantastic performances from Al Pacino, Johnny Depp and also Anne Heche. A good film worth revisiting.

The Devil's Advocate

Movie Name: The Devil's Advocate

Year of Release: 1997

Director: Taylor Hackford

Stars: Keanu Reevers, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Jeffrey Jones, Judith Ivey, Connie Nielsen, Craig T. Nelson, Tamara Tunie, Debra Monk, Laura Harrington

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
Director Taylor Hackford has had a diversified career - mostly well known for his 80s hits, "An Officer and a Gentleman" and "Against All Odds", in the 90s he wasn't as prolific but still managed to direct two interesting films, "Dolores Claiborne" (a Stephen King adaptation) and "The Devil's Advocate", one of his biggest hits. "The Devil's Advocate" follows the story of small town lawyer Kevin Lomax, a young and overly ambitious professional, with shaky morals, who gets an offer from a big law firm in New York, headed by the charismatic and ruthless John Milton. Kevin's wife Mary Ann, upon moving to NY starts witnessing strange visions, that increase her nervousness about the new city and in particular about the new employer. Kevin gets progressively detached from her, and even a visit and warning from his mother, do nothing to deter him from his course. It's only when he experiences a dramatic event, that he suddenly realizes the truth surrounding Milton's  strange behavior.
"The Devil's Advocate" is a film that lives primarily from the suggestion of a hidden menace that progressively starts building up as the narrative unfolds. The director smartly hints at this menace through the impact that it produces in the supporting characters, which turn out to carry most of the dramatic impact, in particular Charlize Theron's Mary Ann. Her character ends up being the most memorable, since it's the one the audience empathizes with, due to odd occurrences and also due to the superb work from the actress (this was her first big role). Taylor Hackford for the most part builds a film that is simultaneously operatic and grandiose, but also with hints of social critique, something that doesn't totally mix adequately, mostly due to the concept of the screenplay itself (which is under all the gloss, a pulpy horror film). The film doesn't take itself too seriously, and boasts another bombastic performance from the great Al Pacino (the performance itself almost casts a shadow over the entire film, which sometimes occurs when the actor overacts). It's an entertaining film, worth revisiting with low expectations. 

Terminator Genisys

Movie Name: Terminator Genisys
Year of Release: 2015

Director: Alan Taylor

Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Matt Smith, Courtney B. Vance, Byung-hun Lee, Michael Gladis, Sandrine Holt, Gregory Alan Williams, Otto Sanchez, Matty Ferraro
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4

Synopsis:
Another franchise trying to restart after some less than interesting recent releases, "Terminator Genisys" is the latest attempt to bring back to life the convoluted story of the mechanical killing machines from the future, which James Cameron started in 1984. The story focuses again on John and Sarah Connor: John, the leader of the resistance sends back through time Kyle Reese, his second in command, who is in reality his father (from 2029). This is the story well known from the classic from 1984, however in this sequel, the story is thrown into disarray. Upon arrival in 1984, both the terminator and Kyle Reese, are expected by Sarah Connor, and also an older terminator who has been protecting Sarah since she was a child. Sarah, Kyle and the old terminator (fondly named "Pops" by Sarah) have to travel in time to 2017 and thwart Skynet's plans for releasing Genisys, which in itself is the launching pad for the war between humans and machines. It's up to them to stop this from happening.

"Terminator Genisys" for all the money that has been invested into this relaunch, suffers from a set of crucial problems. Director Alan Taylor, talented as he may be, lacks a point of view, merely illustrating what the screenplay suggests and indicates (and that was also a problem with his previous directorial release, "Thor: The Dark World") - the film feels generic, saturated with digital effects (awesomely achieved as they may be) and full of clunky attempts at a revivalist humor. The screenplay from Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier (Kalogridis has worked on such films as Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" and James Cameron's "Avatar", Lussier has written fare as "Drive Angry" and "Dracula 2000") is filled with parallel realities and time frames that try to justify the back-flips on the Terminator chronology, but in the end, it remains puzzling and unsatisfying. The cast chosen for the film also presents problems of their own: Schwarzenegger is along for the ride, in a role that made him popular and an icon, however the supporting roles are a mix bag of talent. Jason Clarke who has done so well on Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" plays a forgettable villain, while Emilia Clarke tries to add spunk to her Sarah Connor, but her performance comes across as a rebel teenager, as opposed to a young woman with a cause. Jai Courtney is the most puzzling choice of the whole cast: he's wooden and emotionless, and his scenes, with both Jason and Emilia Clarke sound sterile and inadequate. This is one of the relaunches that should just be put to rest.

Deconstructing Harry

Movie Name: Deconstructing Harry

Year of Release: 1997

Director: Woody Allen

Stars: Woody Allen, Judy Davis, Elisabeth Shue, Stanley Tucci, Tobey Maguire, Richard Benjamin, Robin Williams, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Kirstie Alley, Bob Balaban, Billy Crystal, Mariel Hemingway, Hazelle Goodman, Amy Irving, Julie Kavner, Demi Moore, Eric Lloyd, Caroline Aaron, Eric Bogosian, Paul Giamatti, Philip Bosco

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:
After the nostalgic and musical "Everyone Says I Love You", Woody Allen returned in 1997 with yet another caustic and biting comedy. The story focuses on Harry Block, a well regarded novelist, who is about to be honored by his alma mater (from which he got expelled). Harry however, with his taste for pills and prostitutes, has mostly made a mess of his life, and in the process alienated most of his close relationships: he has three ex-wives, a young son he doesn't see much, and even his latest girlfriend has left him to marry his best friend. Desperate to find someone to go to the ceremony with, Harry finds a prostitute who tags along, with the extra company of his son Hilly and his friend Richard. As they embark on the trip, all sorts of events unfurl, including a brief passage of Harry through jail. 

"Deconstructing Harry" is one of the most interesting films from Woody Allen in the 90s. The film combines his biting wit, with a lot of self-reverential mock and satire. The scathing jokes attack everything and everyone, from Hollywood to religion, although in the end, the film is a celebration of the writer persona. For all his maladies and short comings, Harry Block (Woody Allen's alter ego), truly succeeds when writing, when creating his own art. The film allows for a series of actors and actresses to create small and memorable roles, particularly Judy Davis, Kirstie Alley, Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. The film is also a continuation of Woody Allen's experiments with editing and camera, with the wonderful cinematography from Carlo Di Palma elevating the look and feel of the whole feature. A great film always worth revisiting!