July 2, 2016 - Mini-Reviews
Hello readers! So I've been watching many movies this summer and haven't quite been able to keep up with writing about all of them. Here, which I assume will become commonplace here over the next couple of summer months, I will write a quick little paragraph or two containing my thoughts for a few 2016 releases I haven't had the luxury to write lengthy, comprehensive and thoughtful reviews for. I'll abstain from writing plot summaries for each film.
How To Be Single (B-)This romantic comedy following four different women on their paths to love in New York City seemingly struck a chord with audiences in February. It's a film that offers honest, though not particularly original, thoughts on what it means to be single in the modern world; it's something to cherish (at least for a while). How to Be Single is breezy, entertaining, only occasionally funny, and only occasionally wiser than its trailer would suggest.
Zoolander 2 (D)Zoolander 2, the sequel to the fashion-inspired 2001 smash comedy, is way too late and way too little. There's hardly a plot here, at least not one I could remember, and all the gags consistently fall with a painful thud. It just about made me uncomfortable to watch this other people, not because of any graphic sexuality or something, but because it was obvious that no one was having fun. However, it gets a couple points for Fred Armisen Kyle Mooney.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (B+)Tina Fey's war dramedy is surprisingly excellent, despite two glaringly bad casting choices. I'm a big 30 Rock, Tina Fey fan but this may be the greatest performance we've seen from her. Directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa balance a wide array of tones quite successfully. We become invested in Fey's friendship with Margot Robbie's Tanya, her burgeoning relationship with Martin Freeman's Iain, and the tragedies of a horribly unstable Afghanistan.
|
The Fundamentals of Caring (C+)Originally premiering at the Sundance Film Festival this year, The Fundamentals of Caring never rises above its cutesy, trite title. Paul Rudd delivers one of his signature charming performances, making the film quite watchable, but it's all so obvious, predictable, and heavyhanded. Still, there's some heart in this generic indie, enough to keep it consistently entertaining and even occasionally involving.
Valley of Love (B-)This Cannes drama starring French megastars Isabelle Huppert and Gerard Depardieu as two ex-spouses hoping to reconnect with their dead son is affecting in its last few moments but fails to produce some kind of reaction on the way there. Still, our two leads are magnificent, the chemistry between them is captivating, and the entire affair is stunningly shot by DP Christophe Offenstein.
Hail, Caesar! (B)The Coen Brothers' latest film, Hail, Caesar!, could've been a masterpiece with a little more precision and focus. It's a generally entertaining piece that seems to lose its way in its middle third. But I reject the statement that Hail, Caesar! is about nothing. It's very much about man's struggle with faith, a God, some higher power, and the right path in life. I respect the film and its creators for their intelligent intentions but the execution is not quite up to par. Also, Alden Ehrenreich for Best Supporting Actor please.
|