Cold Mountain

Movie Name: Cold Mountain

Year of Release: 2003

Director: Anthony Minghella

Stars: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Natalie Portman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Brendan Gleeson, Donald Sutherland, Giovanni Ribisi, Ray Winstone, Kathy Baker, Eileen Atkins, James Gammon, Charlie Hunnam, Ethan Suplee, Lucas Black, James Rebhorn, Taryn Manning, Emily Deschanel, Melora Walters, Tom Aldredge, Cillian Murphy

Genre: Drama, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

Director Anthony Minghella continued his streak of adapting prestigious literary material, following his adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and Michael Ondaatje's "The English Patient". This time around the writer and director, adapted the book by Charles Frazier, one that follows the story of W.P. Inman, a carpenter living in North Carolina at the end of the 19th century. The young man falls in love with Ada, the daughter of the local preacher. As their relationship is starting to bloom, he goes to war. During those years away, Ada writes consistently, asking for him to return, all the while trying to stay afloat after the passing of her father. She eventually gets the help of Ruby Thewes, who moves in with her to help the management of the farm. Following a particularly brutal battle, Inman decides to return to Cold Mountain, but his path coming back is met with a series of obstacles and characters going through challenging times themselves.
Much like "The English Patient" had been a consummate story of a forbidden love that was denied existence, "Cold Mountain" veers in that same direction. It's however a film that keeps the lead characters apart for most of its duration, since on one hand, the film trails Inman's journey back to Cold Mountain, and on the other, it trails Ada's resourcefulness at the farm. The film manages to add further definition to the lead characters by showcasing the tribulations and challenges the lovers encounter, while simultaneously allowing for the supporting characters to bring a vivacity and a vibrancy that the film lacks in certain sections. Renee Zellweger is particularly well cast as the spunky Ruby, someone who is borderline anecdotal, but who is grounded by Zellweger's warmth and versatility. The entire cast of the film is stellar, as is the fantastic production design of the film from Dante Ferretti, cinematography from John Seale and the score from Gabriel Yared (the team that had been working with Minghella since "The English Patient"). It's an ambitious and somewhat stilted film, but nonetheless impeccably well built and acted. Worth watching.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Movie Name: Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Year of Release: 2018

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Stars: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby, Wes Bentley, Kristoffer Joner

Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
View Trailer

Synopsis:

Following his previous successful foray into the "Mission: Impossible" series (with "Rogue Nation"), writer & director Christopher McQuarrie returns with the strongest entry in the series so far, "Fallout". The film continues to follow the pursuits of Ethan Hunt, and his IMF team. This time around, Ethan finds himself trailing the events from the last feature, with his foe Solomon Lane playing a crucial role in establishing the menace that threatens to destroy millions of lives. Ethan crosses paths with Elsa, but this time around has a new unexpected member on his team, the violent Walker, who is under the orders of the CIA to take him down should things don't pan out the way they anticipate. The challenge lies in preventing large nuclear devices from exploding, while simultaneously uncovering the identity of a mole who is potentially sabotaging Ethan's endeavors from within.
Much has been said about Tom Cruise and the accident he suffered while shooting this film, since the actor makes a point of performing  much of his own stunts. The realistic aspect of the action scenes of this film is just one of its top performing aspects: the film is smartly and deftly written, interweaving aspects of Ethan's personal life with the way the threats are presented to him and the team. As the stakes rise, so do the perils and situations the whole team finds themselves in - it makes for a gripping, tense and highly satisfactory film, one that doesn't reduce itself to the perilous stunts, though they are highly effective. This is a film that is perfectly built, almost like clockwork, with each situation seamlessly integrating into the next, with all the actors playing these characters almost like a second skin. There's a level of comfort and camaraderie between these players, which makes for a very entertaining film. The cinematography from Rob Hardy is tremendous, as is the editing work of Eddie Hamilton. A very entertaining film worth watching.

Cidade de Deus/City of God

Movie Name: Cidade de Deus

Year of Release: 2002

Director: Fernando Meirelles (Kátia Lund)

Stars: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen, Douglas Silva, Jonathan Haagensen, Matheus Nachtergaele, Seu Jorge, Alice Braga, Emerson Gomes, Edson Oliveira, Roberta Rodrigues, Luis Otávio, Maurício Marques

Genre: Crime, Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

Following a career directing commercials and documentary films, director Fernando Meirelles really made a name for himself with the well received "Cidade de Deus/City of God". The film follows the story of the crime proliferation at the favelas that surround Rio de Janeiro's cosmopolitan area. The film specifically follows the dual story of the narrator, the young Buscapé, and the criminal Zé Pequeno. We witness Buscapé growing up, and simultaneously we view the evolution of the criminal life of the favela through his eyes, all the while managing to stay away from it, and finding a job as a photographer for one of the big newspapers of the city. We also witness the ruthlessness and increase in violence that Zé Pequeno embarks on, with this thirst to dominate the crime world of the favelas, and how it touches so many other groups within that society.
What is so interesting about Fernando Meirelles' work is the fact that the director has a stylistic and aesthetic point of view that is strong and shaped by his previous career as a commercials and documentary features director. There's a definite aesthetic perspective, that is married with this urgency to keep stories rooted in reality and capturing the immediacy of what surrounds the characters. "Cidade de Deus" manages to perfectly capture the evolution of life in the favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro from the 70s onwards, showcasing the altering habits, but also how characters get progressively influenced by the surrounding environments, while others manage to rise above and seek new opportunities. It's a film that is filled with energy, intelligence, heart and a sensuality, something that permeates the events and characters of the entire film. It's a snapshot of a part of the Brazilian society, that while focused on specific events of a particular area, also allows us viewers, to have a perspective to the evolution of life in one of the biggest cities of South America. It's a fantastic film, one that propelled Fernando Meirelles to more ambitious and visible projects (something he's still pursuing with uneven results, from the great "The Constant Gardener" to the mediocre "360"). Definitely worth watching.

Mary and The Witch's Flower

Movie Name: Mary and The Witch's Flower

Year of Release: 2017

Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Stars: Ruby Barnhill, Kate Winslet, Jim Broadbent, Ewen Bremmer, Lynda Baron, Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Morwenna Banks, Teresa Gallagher

Genre: Animation, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
View Trailer

Synopsis:

Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi's most recent feature marks a departure for him, in the sense that is also the debut feature for the new animation studio, by the name of Studio Ponoc. The film is based on the novel by Mary Stewart, and follows the story of young Mary Smith, a young girl living in the country with her great aunt. In one of her expeditions throughout the woods, she comes across some magical plants, and also an abandoned broomstick. She suddenly sees herself traveling across the skies towards a magical school by the name of Endor, where she meets the headmistress Madam Mumblechook and the genial Doctor Dee. They both assume Mary to be a precociously talented witch, not realizing she's just a young girl somewhat lost. They do notice she knows where the magical flowers are, and they stop at nothing to get the information of their location from Mary.
Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi trained at Studio Ghibli, under the tutelage of Hayao Miyazaki, something that is apparent in this film (which was also apparent in one of his previous directorial efforts "The Secret World of Arrietty"). The young hero of this film feels somewhat similar to Kiki, from "Kiki's Delivery Service", but without as much charm and defined personality. The central character in this film feels very reactive and without much of an arc, something that was always fully realized in Hayao Miyazaki's films. It is nonetheless a beautiful film to look at, visually stunning, with great voice work coming from Ruby Barnhill, Kate Winslet and Jim Broadbent. Definitely worth watching.

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

Movie Name: Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

Year of Release: 2003

Director: McG

Stars: Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, Bernie Mac, Crispin Glover, Demi Moore, Rodrigo Santoro, Justin Theroux, Robert Patrick, Shia LaBeouf, Matt LeBlanc, Luke Wilson, John Cleese, Robert Forster, Eric Bogosian, Carrie Fisher

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 1
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

After the success of the first installment of "Charlie's Angels", which debuted in 2000, a sequel was quickly geared up. This time the story focuses on another case the Angels have to tackle. They must retrieve rings containing encrypted information that reveals the new identities of every person in the Federal Witness Protection Program. In parallel with the case, the Angels are all dealing with the evolution of their personal lives, as some are having family visiting, while others are moving in with their respective partners. All this comes to a halt when they realize that someone they revered may be behind all these assassinations.
Director McG who made a name for himself directing music videos, brings the same type of approach and finesse to the sequel to his feature debut. "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" is very much like an extended music commercial, filled with quick edits, glossy cinematography, loud soundtrack and no character development. The film feels like something devised and conceptualized by a teenager, wanting to mix what he deems "sexy", "attractive" and "edgy". There's enumerable fight scenes, clearly influenced by the "Matrix", the attractive trio of actresses in skimpy outfits, and of course humorous situations created by the fact that the film winks an eye at the conventions of macho action films. Sadly the main opponent in the film, portrayed by Demi Moore, adds little to no substance - most of her menace comes from posing with a gun and long flowing hair. This is a film that is so vapid, that even looking at it as a piece of fluff, ends up giving it more meaning than the film actually has. It's a low, albeit glossy, point for the careers of everyone featured on this film.

Bruce Almighty

Movie Name: Bruce Almighty

Year of Release: 2003

Director: Tom Shadyac

Stars: Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Anniston, Philip Baker Hall, Catherine Bell, Lisa Ann Walter, Nora Dunn, Steve Carell, Eddie Jemison, Paul Satterfield, Sally Kirkland

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

Director Tom Shadyac and actor Jim Carrey are a partnership shaped in success. Before "Bruce Almighty" premiered in 2003 to huge success, the team had already worked on "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" and "Liar, Liar". "Bruce Almighty" follows the premise that Bruce Nolan, a television reporter in Buffalo, NY, is profoundly unhappy with his life, despite his popularity and having a nice and supportive girlfriend. At one of his harshest and challenging days, Bruce rebels against God, who appears to Bruce, and grants him his powers. It's up to Bruce to handle God's responsibilities, and assess how he can do better.
Successful comedies manage to infuse every day actions and relationships with just enough satire to resonate with audiences and simultaneously entertain. At times comedies rely on slapstick, physical comedy to make a point across, and all those are things that Jim Carrey has perfected. He's a versatile performer, with enough depth to unveil the sadness behind the clownish façade, but also with the physical prowess to go into Jerry Lewis' territory (something he proved early on in his career with "Dumb and Dumber" and "The Mask"). "Bruce Almighty" has a flimsy and forgettable concept - but it does have a fantastic performer at the top of his game, one that is able to infuse every single frame of the film with an energy that is captivating and ultimately very funny. This of course does not make for a memorable film, or even a good film - "Bruce Almighty" is mostly a showcase for how Jim Carrey takes his every day heroes, and makes something truly transformational out of those run of the mill characters. Whereas "Dumb and Dumber" for instance took the concept of road movie, to highlight the antics of two best friends adrift in the world, "Bruce Almighty" operates within the constraints of a romantic comedy, and it's watchable due to Jim Carrey and the always charismatic Morgan Freeman. Those two performers make this mediocre film worth a watch.

Big Fish

Movie Name: Big Fish

Year of Release: 2003

Director: Tim Burton

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Billy Crudup, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman, Marion Cotillard, Danny DeVito, Steve Buscemi, Missi Pyle, Robert Guillaume, Deep Roy, Loudon Wainwright III, Ada Tai, Arlene Tai, Matthew McGrory

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

After his first big budget disappointment that came in the shape of the remake of "Planet of the Apes", director Tim Burton rebounded with the adaptation of the book by Daniel Wallace, "Big Fish". The film follows the adventures of Ed Bloom, particularly his young days, where he recounts his adventures always with a sense of wonder and hyperbole. His son, Will, never really understood him, nor forgave him for the time apart, and for all the stories he has always told. As Ed goes through his last days, Will has a chance to revisit a lot of the stories that were part of his father's usual storytelling, from his time at a circus, to him meeting the beautiful Sandra, who would become his mom.
"Big Fish" was hailed at the time of its premiere, as a return to form for director Tim Burton. It is definitely an improvement over his previous feature, benefiting from a fantastic cast, but it's still a diluted vision of what his best films have been able to showcase. Much of Burton's universe is centered around misfits and characters that can easily be perceived as monsters. His characters are possessed of a poetry and sensibility that at first glance is not perceived by the society around them. There's usually a heroine who digs deep enough to understand his heroes. His stories permeate dark humor throughout, and make them indelible, from "Edward Scissorhands", "Beetlejuice", "Ed Wood" and even "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". "Big Fish" which is a familiar story of a son coming to terms with an absent father, has glimpses of his universe, with Ed Bloom's character being constructed as a magical storyteller, but for the most part, he comes across as a chronic liar. The film does have charm (the supporting characters give it a distinctive feeling), it's beautifully shot (courtesy of Philippe Rousselot), but it's at times overly saccharine and even a bit generic. The cast is uniformly good, with Albert Finney creating a strong performance. A somewhat forgettable film from a unique voice in film.

Anything Else

Movie Name: Anything Else

Year of Release: 2003

Director: Woody Allen

Stars: Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci, Woody Allen, Danny DeVito, Stockard Channing, Diana Krall, Jimmy Fallon, Fisher Stevens, David Conrad, Kadee Strickland, William Hill

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis:

Following his 2002 feature, "Hollywood Ending", director Woody Allen returned with "Anything Else", a comedy headlined by Jason Biggs, then riding the wave of success propelled by "American Pie". The film follows the story of Jerry Falk, a young aspiring writer in New York. The film follows the misadventures of Jerry, from his previous relationship with Brooke, to the relationship with Amanda, one that has been peppered with a series of obstacles, namely her mom coming to live with them. All through these events, Jerry ends up relying on David Dobel, his older friend and mentor, who provides guidance and input on how he should handle these complications and challenges.
"Anything Else" is one of Woody Allen's mostly forgotten films, and one that upon debut was met with tepid reviews and feedback. It's a film centered on his typical universe: the central hero is a writer, living with a beautiful girlfriend. The relationship is flailing and all around them a series of supporting characters provide colorful characterization and feedback to the main events. The main role, usually played by Allen himself, is this time around given to Jason Biggs, who tries to replicate the mannerisms of Woody Allen. It's a film that doesn't bring anything new to the table in a career filled with classics, which is the case of Woody Allen. It has some insightful and funny puns, as is the case in most of his films, but the overall structure, character development and interactions, feels repetitive and tired. Christina Ricci is game and as always makes the best of the role she gets, but the film lacks bite and a stronger discernible trait to make it memorable. A lesser film from a great director.

Tau

Movie Name: Tau
Year of Release: 2018

Director: Federico D'Alessandro

Stars: Maika Monroe, Ed Skrein, Gary Oldman, Fiston Barek, Ivana Zivkovic

Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
View Trailer

Synopsis:

Streaming giant Netflix continues debuting content, this time around with a sci-fi feature, from a first time director. The film  by the name of "Tau", follows the misadventures of Julia, a young woman who lives by herself, in an unknown city in the near future. Julia resorts to scams to make a living, until she finds herself captured, and being tortured, with no knowledge of the reason and where she even is. She soon finds out her captor is named Alex, and he is using her and a few other individuals to test and gather data for technology he is developing. When Julia tries to escape, she finds herself detained by an AI entity created by Alex, named Tau. Julia slowly develops a relationship with Tau, with the intent of creating an ally that can help her escape what is most certainly a deathtrap.
"Tau" is built as a claustrophobic thriller, with the pending menace always hovering over the central character. It's a three part game, with one of the main characters being a AI, who responds to the relationship being established with Julia, the central heroine. The film and the screenplay falters in the development of the actual characters, since there's never much insight into who they really are and come from. The main opponent also comes across as under-developed, and sadly Ed Skrein does not have the skills to actually create a character that is simultaneously cold, intelligent and menacing. Where the film does manage to have some interest, is in the utilization of Gary Oldman's voice as Tau - the actor manages to imbue the artificial construct with just enough personality, and progressive humanity, that makes this small film somewhat interesting. Maika Monroe, following her performance in David Robert Mitchell's "It Follows", isn't as equally impressive in what could have been an arresting performance, if powered by a sense of urgency, dread and fear. The cinematography from Larry Smith is impeccable, as is the score from Bear McCreary. It's a quickly forgettable endeavor for all parts involved.

Penny Dreadful

TV Show Name: Penny Dreadful
Year of Release: 2014/2015/2016
Creator: John Logan

Stars: Eva Green, Timothy Dalton, Josh Hartnett, Rory Kinnear, Reeve Carney, Billie Piper, Harry Treadaway, Danny Sapani, Simon Russell Beale, Patti LuPone, Helen McCrory, Sarah Greene, Douglas Hodge, Wes Studi, Samuel Barnett, Jack Hickey, Shazad Latif, Christian Camargo, Jessica Barden, David Haig, Jonny Beauchamp

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
View Trailer

Synopsis:

"Penny Dreadful" is a show hailing from the craftsmanship of writer John Logan, who previously wrote Ridley Scott's "Gladiator", Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" & "Hugo", but also Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd" and more recently Sam Mendes' "Skyfall" & "Spectre". "Penny Dreadful" takes place in victorian London, with the action starting in 1891. The show reunites a series of classic monsters, mythological creatures and iconic literary characters, namely The Wolfman, Dracula, Dorian Gray and Frankenstein. The main characters, namely Vanessa Ives, Sir Malcolm Murray, Ethan Chandler, Victor Frankenstein, are united to battle these forces of darkness, with each of them having a specific subplot, which allows for their arcs to be fully developed, and for their backgrounds and relationships to be showcased throughout the show. The first season focuses on the rescue of Sir Malcom's daughter, Mina, whereas the second season goes in the direction of a coven of witches, intent on capturing Vanessa. The menace surrounding Vanessa finally becomes terribly real in the third season, with the appearance of Dracula. If the first season is very focused on introducing the main characters and their sub-plots, as the show evolves, the thread that truly unites the entire narrative becomes more apparent, and the trials of Vanessa become the core focus of the show. It's a show that bears a theatrical aspect to it, feeling at times more like a stage play coming to life, but with the budget, sensuality and violence of a big budget Hollywood film. These two components at times have a somewhat convoluted co-existence, but it's nonetheless a show that is strong when it focuses on its main characters, though throughout the third season, there are subplots that make it lose some momentum. The cast is uniformly good, but Eva Green, Rory Kinnear, Simon Russell Beale and Patti LuPone create indelible characters. The costumes from Academy Award winning Gabriella Pescucci are fantastic, as is the production design and cinematography. A very good show worth watching.