The Finest Hours (5/10): Fine for a January release

"In the coast guard they say you go out, they don't say you gotta come back."

Director Craig Gillespie and Disney team up once again following their 2014 film, Million Dollar Arm. This time the true story is based on the 1952 Coast Guard rescue attempt at Cape Cod. The film counts with a stellar cast starting from the always charismatic Chris Pine, and including some strong supporting performances from the likes of Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana, Holliday Grainger, and John Magaro. The Finest Hours captures the fifties with delicacy while also remaining old school. The film is by the books and told in a way that most movies based on true events are, so it doesn't stand out. The effects are believable but they never accomplish much visually. There are some thrilling moments and the film slowly builds the tension during the final act, but it does take a bit too long setting the premise and trying to establish a love story that doesn't seem to be all that interesting or relevant. 

The Finest Hour begins by introducing us to the hero of the story who is about to go on his first date with the woman who will eventually become his fiancée. Chris Pine is Bernie Webber, a shy man who follows orders and likes to do things by the books, while Holliday Grainger is Miriam, a woman who is set on going after what she want. The love story lacks emotion and therefor it is the weakest link in the film. It is the reason why the first half of the film didn't work for me and why I wished the film focused more on the events taking place in the split oil tanker during the storm. Pine is playing against type here since his character is rather timid and that takes away a lot of his charm. I will give him credit for trying to play a different character, but I don't think he was the right choice for the part. Casey Affleck is the true standout, playing one of the crew members in the oil tanker fighting for their survival. He reminds us what a great actor he is and I wish the film focused more on his character.  The rescue mission is exciting and thrilling, but the film takes too long to set itself up. 

Perhaps The Finest Hours is one of the better films being released in January since this is considered the dumping ground for most movies, but it still isn't good enough to get a fresh grade from me. The film has its moments and Casey Affleck should be getting bigger roles, but other than that the movie does fall flat and lacks the emotional depth other rescue films have. I'm usually a fan of Chris Pine, but I didn't enjoy his performance here and this is one of the few films from him that I haven't liked. If you are nostalgic for old-fashioned adventure films than this might be the right film for you, otherwise skip it.

My Review: Ain't Them Bodies Saints (7/10)

"Every day I wake up thinking today's the day I'm gonna see you. And one of those days, it will be so."

David Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saints was one of my most anticipated films of 2013 after hearing about it in the Sundance Film Festival, but one I never got around to watching until now. Despite having a predictable story, the film was appealing thanks to the strong cast and beautiful cinematography which helped establish a unique lyrical mood to an otherwise familiar tale of love on the run. The script is also well written despite a slow build up, but it includes poetic moments as well that made this feel like a Terrence Malick film at times. The dialogue blended perfectly with the beautiful photographed scenes in the Texas fields which gave the film a more romantic tone. I enjoyed the slow build up and the poetic moments which never hurt the actual pacing of the film. David Lowery has proved with his work here that he is a director we should keep our eyes on. The film is visually stunning and that is what elevates it from other similar films.

The film takes place in the Texas Hill Country during the 70's where we are introduced to a young couple, Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck) and Ruth Guthrie (Rooney Mara), who are deeply in love. They also happen to be bank robbers who find themselves caught up in the middle of a gunfight with the police. Ruth wounds one of the officer's, Patrick Wheeler (Ben Foster), but Bob takes the blame after they end up surrendering. Bob is sentenced to several years in prison, while Ruth who was pregnant at the time is set free. In prison, Bob writes to Ruth almost at a daily basis worrying about their newborn daughter and promising them that they will soon be reunited. Skerritt (Keith Carradine), the man who had raised Ruth and Bob when they were young kids, gives Ruth a nice house where she can settle and raise her baby. After four years in prison, Bob escapes and tries to return to Ruth to fulfill his promise to her, but the police are searching all over for him. He finds a place to hide out at his friend's, Sweetie's (Nate Parker) bar and writes to Ruth letting her know he will come for her and his daughter, but Skerritt knows that this might endanger the girls lives so he warns Bob to stay away. The question is whether or not the young couple can resist staying away from each other for their daughter's sake.

A lot of credit for the success of this film has to be given to the cast. Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck give convincing performances and share a lot of chemistry together. If there was no chemistry between them the entire romantic drama would've fallen flat because much of the story relies on their connection. Their characters are sympathetic and we are drawn to them as an audience. The supporting turn from Ben Foster and Keith Carradine also adds more depth to the film because they all want the best for Ruth and her daughter. The story is told through their emotions more than through their words and that is what makes this film stand out from other romantic dramas with a similar premise. Ain't Them Bodies Saints is a visually satisfying experience with powerful performances and an engaging climax at the end. 

My Review: Kill Your Darlings (6/10)

"Another lover hits the universe. The circle is broken. But with death comes rebirth. And like all lovers and sad people, I am a poet."

I knew nothing about Kill Your Darlings going into this movie (which means I basically don't know anything about modern American literature because apparently these guys were famous poets that influenced their generation during the 50's with their literary work). Known today as the Beat generation, they basically rejected the moral standards imposed at the time and innovated in style while experimenting with drugs and sex. Many films based on their work have been adapted for for the big screen (Howl, On the Road, and Naked Lunch), but I haven't seen them, so I actually went into this film without knowing anything about these writers. The film serves as an introduction as to how these writers came together and influenced one another during their teenage years, and it is told from Allen Ginsberg's point of view. This biographical drama/thriller may not be entirely factual, but it is still a fascinating story, and once the film ended it made me want to know about who these people were. The film's main attraction is the excellent chemistry between Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan who give excellent performances (and after a while you actually forget Radcliffe is Harry Potter). The supporting cast is also strong, including Michael C. Hall, Ben Foster, and Jack Huston. I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Olsen, but in this film her character wasn't given much to work with, but it makes sense considering the Beat generation is a male dominated movement. It ended up influencing the hippie movement in the 60's and popular rock bands like The Beatles. This film only focuses on the early stages of their lives, but it shows how these artists came to know each other and how Lucien Carr was the most influential figure in their formation.

The screenplay was co-written by director John Krokidas and Austin Bunn focusing on the early stages of Alan Ginsberg's (Daniel Radcliffe) life as he began studying at Columbia University which shaped his philosophical views on life. The turning point in his life was when he met his classmate, Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan) who taught him to question the orthodox methods of the school and introduced him to other future icons of the Beat generation: William S. Burroughs (Ben Foster), and Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston). Together they would hang out in night clubs exploring new literary ideas and basically rediscovering themselves. They were against moral boundaries and explored with drugs and sex. Alan and some of the others also dealt with their homosexuality, while some tried to hide it. Lu also introduced Alan to one of his mentors, David Krammerer (Michal C. Hall), who was obsessed with Lu and ultimately led to a tragic event. 

The film succeeds mostly because of the great performances from the young cast and because it is actually an intriguing story. John Krokidas isn't a director I was familiar with, but he does a decent job with this film. The film does have a believable 40's style and it stays true to the period. It is really well paced as well and it begins to get more interesting once the crime takes place. Unfortunately the film does lack some structure and at times I felt like it was wandering off. The scenes with Allen's mother never were explored much, but we understand how it affected his life and his relationship with his father. The characters are sometimes a bit too clever and don't feel real at times. Still, I was engaged with this film thanks to the material which is very interesting and I enjoyed the performances very much. The film is ambiguous at times, but that is what will leave you thinking and wanting to learn more about these characters at the end. It is all over the place at times, but I was drawn in to the story and for a biopic it gets the job done.

My Review: Lone Survivor (8/10)

"So if you're feeling froggy, then you better jump, because this frogman's been there, done that and is going back for more."

Lone Survivor caught me completely by surprise considering I wasn't expecting much from director, Peter Berg, whose films I tend to dislike quite a bit. "From the director of Battleship and Hancock" isn't exactly great marketing campaign for a film. This personal and passionate project of Berg's ended up being by far his best work to date. Saying that this was the best war movie of the year is also an understatement considering I really can't recall another one, but I can tell you that despite having its flaws some of the action scenes do recall moments from Saving Private Ryan (and that is very high praise for a war film considering I'm not really the biggest fan of this genre). I tend to get tired with overlong firefight action scenes, but it wasn't the case with Lone Survivor. These scenes felt real and gruesome while building a lot of tension. Not once during the two hours did I feel like the film was dragging. The pacing of this film was solid. Berg actually did his homework here and having spent a month based with an actual SEAL team payed off because the screenplay felt believable. Ultimately the film is about brotherhood and fighting for survival, and that is accomplished very well by Berg who decided to make a narrow minded and focused movie instead of a large scale war film.

Lone Survivor is based on a true story that took place in Afghanistan in 2005 involving a SEAL team's mission to kill a Taliban leader named Ahmad Shah. Berg adapted the screenplay from Marcus Luttrell's book of the same name. Lutrell (played by Mark Wahlberg) was one of the four SEAL members involved in the mission "Operation Red Wings" taking place in the Afghan region. The others were Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), and Matt Axelson (Ben Foster). Their mission becomes compromised when a group of goat herders run into their hideout in the Hindu Kush region and the four have to make a quick ethical decision. They can either kill them or they can let them go knowing that they will warn the villagers of their presence. Despite knowing the risks involved they decide to let the herders go and quickly try to reach a better location to communicate back to their base before the Taliban catches up with them. It's not long until they are surrounded by enemy forces and are forced to fight for survival despite being heavily outnumbered. 

Despite knowing where the film is heading (considering the title gives away the story), it still maintains the audience's interest and build tension really well. The performances from Wahlberg, Foster, Kitsch, and Hirsch are all pretty solid and they each bring some unique trait to their characters. We sympathize with these characters and understand the quick moral decisions they have to make considering their lives are on the line. In a way Berg is trying to pay some sort of tribute to these soldiers who put their lives on the line every day and makes us appreciate the risky work they do even more. Perhaps many people found this film a bit heavy handed in that it does try to deliver a patriotic and courageous message about macho soldiers, but I didn't have an issue with that because at the same time Berg is also portraying the ugliness of the battlefield. Perhaps the easiest moment to pinpoint this film as military propaganda is the opening SEAL's training montage, but I thought it worked to help set the characters better and in a way sort of pay homage to these soldiers.

My Review: Contraband (8/10)

¨You were the best of the best, but the proudest day of my life was when you turned legit.¨

Contraband was one of those surprisingly good action thrillers which I really wasn’t expecting much considering we`ve seen several heist movies like this before and the director was the relatively unknown, Baltasar Kormkakur from Iceland. He might be popular in his country, but this is the first film he`s produced in Hollywood. Mark Wahlberg has proven before that he can make great heist thrillers, and this film is just as surprisingly entertaining as The Italian Job. Wahlberg gives a really great performance in the lead role and I`m guessing by now that he can star in these films blindfolded. He also had a strong supporting cast that made this film even better, but what I enjoyed the most about this film was the script. Yes, some twists were predictable, but it kept my interest and had me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire movie. Contraband was actually a remake of the 2008 Icelandic film, Reykjavik, which starred Kormkakur in the lead role. The script was adapted by Aaron Guzikowski and the action now takes place in between the United States and Panama instead of in Rotterdam. Contraband really worked for me as an entertaining thriller with a couple of twists and surprises (some more predictable than others, but well constructed). I really enjoyed this film.

Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) is happily married to Kate (Kate Beckinsale) and they have two children together. He used to be a very successful smuggler, but turned his life around after meeting Kate. They are very happy together, and Chris`s former smuggling partner, Sebastian (Ben Foster), with whom he is still very close is also getting his life back on track. Everything seems to be going really well until Kate receives a call from her brother, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), who is at the hospital after having been beat up by a drug dealer named Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi). Andy had been smuggling cocaine on freighters for Briggs and had to dump the last package after the DEA had ambushed them. Briggs will kill Andy, if he doesn’t get his money back from the deal, but Chris promises to repay him before any more harm is done. Chris decides to smuggle counterfeit currency from Panama in order to repay the debt, but in order to do so he will have to form a team in the freighter which will allow him to buy more time, while his family is being threatened by Briggs and his gang.

  

Mark Wahlberg is a true actions tar and he is really entertaining in this movie, but he also had a great secondary cast including Kate Beckinsale who looked lovely as usual, Ben Foster who is always really creepy, Giovanni Ribisi who is always very unpredictable, JK Simmons who has a more serious role despite the fact that he always makes you laugh, and Diego Luna who plays a Panamanian criminal. I really enjoyed Luna`s short performance, his scene was really interesting and one of the highlights of the film. Contraband begins to accumulate the tension as we reach the final climatic scene. I thought it played out perfectly and that the film was really well edited and choreographed. The movie was entertaining from start to finish, it was a well constructed heist thriller (not perfect, but fun nonetheless).

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My Review: The Mechanic (6/10)

¨Victory comes with preparation.¨

The Mechanic is a remake of a 1972 film of the same name staring Charles Bronson in another of his infamous revenge movies. Bronson made at least a dozen of those flicks. I never saw the original one, but I didn`t have to because I`ve seen several films like The Mechanic, action packed and dealing with revenge. Jason Statham was the right choice to play the role Bronson once played in the 70`s since in a way he is becoming the Bronson of our generation. Statham has made several films like The Mechanic in the past, The Transporter being perhaps one of his best roles to date. Statham might not be one of the most talented actors in the industry, but he is good at action. He seems to be playing pretty much the same role in all his movies (the tough guy act), but given the right script his films can be entertaining. The script was originally written by Lewis John Carlino for the original Mechanic, and it was adapted by Richard Wenk (16 Blocks) for this newer version. The Mechanic is directed by Simon West, the guy who brought us Con Air, and he`s been around action films for a while. This probably won`t rank among his best works, but The Mechanic still manages to entertain with all its twist (some more predictable than others), and nonstop action scenes. The Mechanic is a very violent film; it has a lot of blood and raw scenes. The problem with the film is that we`ve seen this sort of action movie in the past, but Statham still makes it worthwhile.

Jason Statham is Arthur Bishop, a ¨mechanic¨, in other words a hitman, or an elite assassin (whichever you prefer to call it), and he`s one of the best in his field. He`s quiet, professional, and remains unattached to his victims. He receives his targets via an internet add sent to him by his boss Dean (Tony Goldwyn) and prepares for each job in his quiet bayou, which serves as his hideout. Arthur is a perfectionist, he studies every detail about his victims and if he can he carries the job out as silently as possible. Sometimes you never even know he was there, making the murders appear as natural deaths. Arthur is troubled when he receives his next target because it is Harry McKenna (Donald Sutherland), his friend and the man who taught him everything about being a mechanic. Apparently Harry has betrayed the company and sold out some of the other mechanics. Arthur follows through with his assignment, but when Harry`s son, Steve (Ben Foster), wants Arthur to teach him everything he knows about being a hitman the situation becomes complicated. Arthur has a strict code, he`s a perfectionist, and likes to eliminate his targets as clean as possible, but Steve is more volatile and likes to get dirty. Arthur tries to teach Steve how to remain detached from his victims, but things begin to get messy. The situation gets worse when Arthur discovers that he was set up and that Harry never had betrayed the company, it was the other way around. It`s time for Arthur to send his company a message for fooling with him.

I really liked the opening scene of the film, I thought Arthur`s first assignment was well thought out and it helped establish his character. He did his job quietly and clean, and then he headed to his hideout, turned on some classical music and got rid of all the evidence like if nothing had ever happened. The Mechanic begins with clean kills, but then it becomes increasingly more violent as the film progresses. Then the twists begin showing up and several plot holes can be found, but they are numbed down by all the violence. As long as the viewer remains detached to the plot, like Arthur is detached to his victims, then they will have a good time with this action packed film, but if they sit down and analyze it scene by scene then it probably won`t be very entertaining at all. The Mechanic isn`t a great film, but it still is entertaining thanks to Statham and Foster who are great in the action scenes. It’s far from being memorable and I probably won’t be seeing it anytime soon, but it`s still worth a onetime viewing. This isn’t among Statham best films (like Bank Job, or his collaborations with Guy Ritchie), but it is still better than most of his recent movies. Foster and Statham form a deadly partnership and make this movie worth the while. In summary, The Mechanic is a forgettable, but entertaining film.

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My Review: The Messenger (8/10)

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¨Men don’t ask for directions, much less soldiers. Soldiers on a notification, definitely, positively do not ask for freaking directions. No GPS, no Map Quest, we navigate.¨

(8/10) Oren Moverman co-wrote and directed this great film focusing on the impact the war of Iraq has on its soldiers and their families. The Hurt Locker got a lot more critical attention, but in my opinion The Messenger is also a great movie with a lot of psychological depth and great performances from the entire cast. It is a movie you won`t want to miss if you are interested in good acting and character driven films. It is not a popcorn action film and some may find it slow, but it is a good movie, and it focuses on the characters rather than on special effects or action scenes. It is also very well written; Oren Moverman and Alessandro Camon received Oscar nominations for Best Screenplay. This was Moverman´s directorial debut and it is quite impressive as he managed to get great performances from everyone. He had previously written I`m Not There, but what really helped him with this film was his personal experience as he served in the Israeli Army for four years. No one can possibly understand the psychological impact of war in the soldiers as someone who has actually been in one, so that personal insight was what gave this movie a real look to it.

Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster from 3:10 to Yuma) just returned from the Iraq War after being injured in an explosion. He still has 3 months left of service and is being treated back home in the States for an eye and leg injury. Will is being assigned to work with the Casualty Notification Team for the remainder of his enlistment days. He has the difficult task of informing the family`s of deceased US soldiers that they were killed in action. He is paired with a more experienced officer, Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) who shows him the protocol.  He soon discovers that the job is more difficult than he imagined and is not prepared for the reactions of the family members. Meanwhile he maintains a sexual relationship with his ex girlfriend Kelly (Jena Malone from Stepmom) who happens to be engaged with another man since they broke up when Will was at Iraq. Will and Tony both have their own issues to deal with, but they manage to establish a nice friendship. Will is surprised one day after informing a young woman, named Olivia Pitterson (Samantha Morton from Minority Report),  about the death of her husband. Her reaction is unlike the rest and she seems to be very polite towards them. Olivia and Will form a friendship and their relationship begins to grow despite the awkward situation. The movie is very character driven and it focuses mainly on these four characters and their relationship with each other.

The Messenger works mainly because of the performances from the entire cast. Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson are just great. Woody actually was nominated for the Oscar as a Best Supporting Actor, but Ben Foster also gave a terrific performance in the lead role and he deserved a nomination as well. Samantha Morton was also extremely believable in her role as Olivia and felt very natural. These good performances along with great dialogue and character depth are what make The Messenger such a great film. The psychological impact in the characters is also very raw and real and the film just develops nicely. The beginning started off a bit slow, but as the movie moves on we are really drawn to the characters and the relationships that bind them. The Messenger is not another movie about the Iraq War, it is a movie you won`t want to miss even though it was kind of forgotten after all the hype that The Hurt Locker received. This is not a better film than that one, but it still is one I recommend and enjoyed.

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