Director: John Lee Hancock
Writers: Kelly Marcel, Sue Smith
Stars: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti

Synopsis: Author P. L. Travers reflects on her difficult childhood while meeting with filmmaker Walt Disney during production for the adaptation of her novel, Mary Poppins.

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DIRECTION
If there’s one thing John Lee Hancock is really good at, it’s giving a film heart. Saving Mr. Banks is a movie that thrives on heart, and while it’s not all singing and dancing, it’s the soul of this film. The big thing about this film that you’ll notice first, is that you’re not watching a film about the behind-the-scenes of the movie Mary Poppins. It’s merely a backdrop our characters are dropped into as they explore something more beneath the surface, especially with Poppins’ author, P.L. Travers. Hancock’s use of flashbacks to tell her story was executed well, to a point, and it set the tone of the movie really well. At some point, it becomes overplayed in some cases, but the overall technique works for how he wanted to present the character. The aesthetic Hancock create’s in nice and it definitely takes you back to the early 60’s. Some of the visuals were lacking but the main aesthetic was there, whether in the 60’s or way back to the early 20th Century in the flashback scenes. Overall, it’s a charming film that is funny and Hancock brings a picture that is more than satisfying.

Grade: A-

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SCRIPT
Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith’s script was at one point a hot commodity and it’s easy to tell why. The real-life story is an interesting one but this re-creation had a little something different in mind. As I mentioned earlier, if you want a fun, behind-the-scenes look at Mary Poppins, then get out spoonfuls of sugar and be ready to be disappointed. This movie is about Mrs. Travers (that’s what she likes to be called) and the real heart of who Mary Poppins is and what she’s about. The tone of the story, while light and fun in many places, is darker and depressing in other places. It’s about the heartache that motivates Mrs. Travers and why this Mary Poppins is more like family to her, than a character on a page. On the surface Mr. Travers seems like a really huge, umm…let’s say not nice person, until you understand her more. Mr. Travers makes things incredibly difficult for Walt Disney, who’s trying to buy the rights from her to make the movie. The script brings forth those moments well in the first two acts but completely forgets those challenges in the third act, making the story more flat towards the end. Between that and the overuse of flashbacks, some of the story needed to be more tightened. Overall though, it’s deeply-rooted, has a ton of heart and will make you laugh. Again still more than satisfying.

Grade: B+

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

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PERFORMANCES
Emma Thompson shines as Mrs. Travers and absolutely disappears into this role. Thompson really brings this character to life and shows us what was most likely what really happening to Travers in real life. Tom Hanks, while not on the level of Captain Phillips, is still really good and funny as Walt Disney. It’s the first time Walt (that’s what he liked to be called) has ever appeared on screen in a major motion picture and Hanks did a fantastic job. The big surprise? Collin Farrell, who I believe is incredibly underrated, was big here. He plays the alcoholic father of Travers in the flashback scenes and he was really strong. His scenes with Annie Rose Buckley, who was also great, were absolutely adorable and crucial in telling the backstory. Can someone please explain to me why Paul Giamatti is in this movie? I mean, the guy’s a great actor and he doesn’t need to be playing small roles like this where has almost nothing to do. Of course, he brings something to this character though, much more than it probably needed to be. This is one area you definitely won’t be disappointed by.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
The great Thomas Newman scores this film and brings a gracious core that adds some really nice layers to the film. The flashback scenes have some nice time period music, while the 60’s scenes have a more contemporary feel to them. Of course, in a film like this, Newman’s score is accompanied by some great music by Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak who play the famous Sherman brothers. It’s a great soundtrack, and if you’re a fan of Mary Poppins, you’ll really enjoy the music to this film.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Saving Mr. Banks is a good movie that most audiences will enjoy, despite a few flaws. I’m not 100% convinced this is a movie for children, even though it’s a Disney film about a Disney film. The main themes are kinda bleak, especially towards the end of the movie and most kids (younger than Middle School) could miss the main goals of the movie. The performances are amazing though and it’s still an interesting look at the dynamics it took to make this film happen. While this re-creation is probably far off from reality, it’s still fun and has some deep-rooted heart that will surly satisfy.

Overall Grade: A-

Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: Fran Walsh (screenplay), Philippa Boyens (screenplay)
Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom

Synopsis: The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.

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DIRECTION
Peter Jackson once again takes us back into Middle-Earth as we continue our journey with Bilbo Baggins and the dwarfs as they look to reclaim their homeland. The aesthetic Jackson creates is familiar to his Lord of the Rings trilogy but is much more CGI-heavy much like the first Hobbit. Jackson is more focused in Desolation of Smaug but there’s something still missing from the magic he captured a decade ago with our other little hobbits. The CGI is too much and is often distracting as our beloved heroes are escaping one near death experience after another, making it harder to be engaged with what Jackson is trying to do. Some of the effects are really cheesy and were probably well-intioned, but were poorly executed. Well what about Smaug? The aesthetic Jackson creates for the character is great but the execution of it isn’t entirely believable comparatively to what we’ve seen in this world already. Some of the action is fun though and we get some really intriguing moments. Overall, while better than The Hobbit, it’s not much better.

Grade: C+

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SCRIPT
To begin with, we get a short backstory where we see Gandalf meet with Thorin as he explains to him why he needs to become King again. Why it’s in this one and not the first film is beyond me. From there we’re taken back to the present where Bilbo and our gang of dwarfs are trying to get back to their homeland to take it back from Smaug, our intimidating fire-breathing dragon. The script here is definitely more focused than the first Hobbit film, which made the film more fluid. However, there’s a few subplots that are completely, utterly unnecessary that detracts from the film and only feels like it’s there to meet Jackson’s quota of a 3-hour long haul in the theatre. Both movies, really, have story arcs that just seem to dragon (pun intended) and could be cut out or shortened. The dialogue for some characters were frail while others were pretty rich, reflecting inconsistencies throughout the film. I will say though, it’s a pretty boisterous movie on many levels that takes some serious turns in the third act. Some worked and some didn’t. Overall, the focus was better, but there are still many unnecessary factors that should of been cut.

Grade: B-

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MOVIE PODCAST: Dallas Buyers Club & Philomena – Extra Film Review

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PERFORMANCES
Ian McKellen may as well dress up as Gandalf in real life because he’s absolutely captivating as this character and who wouldn’t want to see that all the time? He’s fantastic and easily one of the better parts of the film. Martin Freeman does a good job as Bilbo but there’s not much depth going one. Freeman’s pretty one-dimensional and where Frodo started to lose himself after having the ring on, we have yet to see any of that from Bilbo. Maybe, the ring just liked Bilbo better? Of the dwarfs, you got to love Ken Scott as Balin. He’s the old-school guy that has all the best lines and delivers them epically. It’s also great seeing a familiar face in Orlando Bloom who reprises his role as Legolas. I’d prefer to see more of the real Bloom than his CGI-version, which we see way too much of. And while we pretty much only see him fight, he’s still the best archer in Middle-Earth. So…Evangeline Lilly is one gorgeous elf. Her story arc could of been handled better but she does a great job for what she has to do. Benedict Cumberbatch, who voices Smaug, really gave life to the character, much like what we saw Andy Serkis do to Gollum.

Grade: A

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SCORE
Not the best Howard Shore score but he shows range in his musical elements going from strong action score to scary thriller score pretty easily. He hits a lot of different notes (literally) which added a nice touch to the film when it needed it. And you got to love the Shire theme when it comes on. Overall though, it’s nothing stand-out worthy and it’s not much of a joy outside of the film.

Grade: B-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug was anything but impressive. Just because you have the resources and abilities to do anything with CGI, doesn’t mean you should go crazy with it. And honestly, at times, the CGI wasn’t even that great. While it gives you the chance to create these amazing, imaginative worlds, you have to consider why live action characters are there and how they are relatable. This film felt cartoony with a few moments of live-action characters built into it. There were a few solid moments though and it left off at a good spot, if we have to have a third film that is.

Overall Grade: B-

Director: Scott Cooper
Writers: Brad Ingelsby, Scott Cooper
Stars: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson

Synopsis: When Rodney Baze mysteriously disappears and law enforcement fails to follow through, his older brother, Russell, takes matters into his own hands to find justice.

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DIRECTION
Scott Cooper, who brought us Crazy Heart, brings us a dark and gritty thriller that features some of the best performances of the year. The aesthetic Cooper delivers in Out of the Furnace is one of the best features of the movie and sets you in a small steel town somewhere outside of Pittsburg. The opening scene delivers the first punch (literally) that sets the tone really well, giving you the sense of film we are getting. The film is raw, gritty and blu collar on every level with an amazing sense of realism. Where lots of films are set in reality, many of them set up the characters to be heroes at the end but Cooper had different things in mind. Also, I’m tired of movies throwing obvious details at you over and over again, like I’m not smart enough to realize what’s going on. Cooper’s decision to let you assume those obvious, and some not-so obvious, details works since the story is simple and the characters are what matters here. And while we’ve seen dark and gloomy before, it’s nice to see a real and true blue collar movie with characters that aren’t trying to save the world or take over Wall Street.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
The story centers around Russell Baze (Bale) and his trouble-making brother Rodney (Affleck) who live in small-town Pennsylvania and do real, blue collar work for a living just to get by. Rodney, though, is an Iraq-veteran who only knows how to fight and working at the mill isn’t satisfying enough for him. Eventually Rodney finds himself with the wrong people and mysteriously disappears thanks to the hands of Harlan DeGroat (Harrelson). Russell doesn’t feel like the police are doing enough and thinks that he needs to take things into his own hands, which he does. It’s really simple on the surface, which makes the assumptions Cooper wants you to make really easy to follow. Are there plot lines that seem unnecessary? Possibly, but those story lines only bring out more of the reality we are dropped in to bring forth more than a one-dimentional revenge story. The characters on the other hand have more beneath the surface. There are layers with our brothers, each of them working off of a pain of some sort. Whether it’s old baggage, relational or family related, there’s an element of figuring out the next steps are that make the characters relatable. While each of the characters could of used a little more development, we get enough of a sense of who they are to make the story work. Again, on the surface, it’s pretty simple.

Grade: B+

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MOVIE PODCAST: Frozen – Extra Film Review

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PERFORMANCES
We see some really strong performances all the way through the movie. Most of the supporting roles don’t have a ton to do but the performances are still strong nonetheless. Christian Bale is unbelievable and will most likely end up being one of his better performances that slides under the radar. Casey Affleck gives one the better performances of his career. He’s passion and pain shines through in his performance and it’s one that is crucial to the film. Woody Harrelson needs to do more roles like this. He doesn’t necessarily have to play the villain but the grittiness and rawness he delivers is something that he does really great. His character here is evil without a care in the world who’s just obsessed with his money and drugs. While his character’s intentions aren’t always 100% clear, when Harrelson is on screen, he’s someone you know you don’t want to mess with. Simply, Harrelson gives one heck of a performance. Sam Shepard, who I love, and Willem Dafoe don’t have much to do, but still give some strong supporting roles. Again, they enhance the realness and blue collar aesthetic this film is calling for. Zoe Salanda’s role is also small but she has a pretty strong scene with Bale that helps bring forth some much needed emotional aspects. Overall, there’s not one bad performance here and they carry the movie in an incredibly engaging way.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
The music is absolutely incredible and adds some really nice layers to the film. In a world that is trying to create rural, small-town feel in the midwest, the music brings that aesthetic to life. The score was done by Dickson Hinchliffe and Eddie Vedder. Vedder is no stranger to bringing this type of music and was nominated or an Oscar for his work on Into the Wild. So it’s no surprise that after the film was over, when I had to look to see who did the music since I loved it, and I found Eddie Vedder’s name attached to it. Hinchliffe has also done some great work before and the duo did an outstanding job together. While, the score isn’t the best of the year, it’s one of those you’ll still want to listen to outside of the movie.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Just because a movie is bleak and depressing doesn’t mean the film is arduous or bad. If you want that, go watch The Counselor. While this movie is gloomy, it’s also relatable in a lot of ways, especially if you’re from small town America. And it seems like most of what we see in Hollywood now-a-days is these big worlds with tons of visual effects or a movie set in a big city where other people have more money than they know what to do with. There’s something heroic in itself about someone who is willing to work for a living, just to get by every day, and yet will do anything for his family. To me, Bale is just as heroic here as he is as Bruce Wayne.

Overall Grade: A-

Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Writers: Jennifer Lee (screenplay), Chris Buck (story)
Stars: Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel

Synopsis: Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna’s sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.

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DIRECTION
While many people think Pixar is on the down swing a little bit, Disney seems to be more on the upswing lately. Walt Disney Studios were screwed out of the Oscar last year with Wreck-it Ralph as it was easily the best animated film of 2012. This year, Frozen is a solid (no pun intended) companion and is arguably the best animated film this year as well. The aesthetic Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee create is gorgeous and brings you back to the Disney musical days and shows how Disney may still be the king of animated films. The musical choices are great and the visuals they create to go along with it are absolutely stunning. It has all the sillyness and fun you’d expect from a film like this and it’s hard to not like it.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
The story Disney creates for Frozen is great and it even takes a stride away from the Hollywood formula a little bit which was a nice touch. The story centers around two young girls, Anna and Elsa, who are very close siblings as little girls. Elsa has magical powers where she can create snow and ice anytime she wants. She also struggles with her powers and has a hard time controlling them which brings the hard decision to hide her powers from Anna after a tragedy almost kills her. Anna, struggling with why her sister seemingly shut her out of her life, is dealing with loneliness and isolation which drives her need for wanting to be loved beyond normalcy. It’s at this point in the story, you think the formula is working as usual when things go awry and other characters come into play. The dynamics between all of these characters are really funny and it creates a world that both kids and parents will enjoy. Ultimately, the best part of the script is that love will win the day but it doesn’t have to be the same love you’d expect to see over and over again.

Grade: A

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MOVIE REVIEW: Oldboy just doesn’t quite cut it compared to the original.

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PERFORMANCES
Kristen Bell gets the lead here as Anna and she does a pretty good job. Bell has tendencies to be annoying and childish in some of her performances but here it tends to be to her advantage given the target audience for this film. Her dynamics with Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad were absolutely incredible and that made Bell’s performance come alive. Speaking of, both Groff and Gad were terrific. Both characters were written well and they were absolutely hilarious and charming at the same time. Both have musical numbers, although Gad’s was more prominent and pretty hysterical given the context of his character. And you gotta love Idina Menzel, whose voice is that of an angel. She’s best known for her singing roles in films and on the stage, especially for her role in Wicked. Menzel is amazing and has perhaps the best musical number here in the song Let it Go, which was gorgeously shot as her character was singing. Alan Tudyk has a very small role here but he’s really great and I love anything he does.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
This is a Disney musical so the music is going to be a huge part of this film, obviously. While, the musical numbers are great, it isn’t the best Walt Disney Studios has done as an overall package. The beginning song Frozen Heart which is sung by the cast is really good and sets the tone of the film extremely well. And as I mentioned, Let it Go by Menzel is arguably the best song and the visuals behind it are perhaps the best of the year as well. The rest of the numbers can be hit or miss depending on the person. Bell’s songs didn’t grab as much and some of the lyrics were very silly but they were performed well and added good character development. Overall, the music was still really good and the songs will be mostly enjoyable in the film. The score by Christophe Beck, again, wasn’t the best Disney’s had, but this is still a very strong score and one that adds a good touch to the film.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Disney musicals are really fun and it’s great to see Walt Disney Studios bringing their “A” game once again and for two years in a row, should have the Oscar for Best Animated Film. This is a film that most people, kids and adults, will enjoy for everything it has going for it. It’s really fun and the ending sequence isn’t quite what you think it would be, which was a strong direction choice.

THIS IS AWESOME: The Mickey Mouse short they play before the film starts is absolutely amazing! It starts out in the old school format of cartoons and halfway through, it shifts to the 2013 digital format of animation and the back and fort of that is incredible. If you can, go see it in 3D too, you won’t regret it. Easily, easily one of the best shorts this year.

Overall Grade: A