Director: Fede Alvarez
Writers: Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues
Stars: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette

Synopsis: A group of friends break into the house of a wealthy blind man, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect heist. They’re very wrong.

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My top movies so far this year are Green Room and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Both of these movie are beautifully acted and directed, and they have to be since they take place primarily indoors. Having a film take place in one primary location is a huge challenge because you need to keep the audience entertained for the entire running time. Thrillers like these I find enjoyable because it creates that psychological horror which to me is much more effective than your typical films in this genre. One of the reasons that Green Room and 10 Cloverfield Lane are successful is because they both have a strong antagonist and a strong heroine. I can’t say this enough, but I am all about strong female characters, and I love how more female characters are in roles that are usually reserved for men. Green Room has Patrick Stewart and Imogen Potts and 10 Cloverfield Lane has John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Don’t Breathe is the next great thriller of 2016 and despite its flaws should be considered one of the best horror films of 2016. Don’t Breathe is directed by Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead (2013)) and stars Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, and Stephen Lang. Like Stewart and Goodman before him, Lang provides a bone-chilling performance as The Blind Man.

The plot is pretty straightforward as it tells the story of three Detroit teenagers, Alex ( Dylan Minnette), Money ( Daniel Zovatto) and Rocky (Jane Levy) that make a living breaking into people’s homes and stealing only valuables, not cash. Once learning about a blind military vet winning a huge $300,000 cash settlement, and figuring he’s an easy target, the trio invade the man’s secluded home in an abandoned neighborhood. Once inside they quickly learn that the blind man does an excellent impression of Frank Castle and Matt Murdock.

Although the plot is pretty straight-forward (and I may have already said too much), movies like this cannot be spoiled because the acting, cinematography (in particular the effective camera angles) and the intensity of the situation is something that needs to be seen to be believed. Fede Alvarez pays homage to several classic and recent thrillers including The Silence of The Lambs, Jaws, and Cujo. Alvarez’ camera is set up perfectly in almost every frame.

It’s important to mention that this film is more visually driven than anything else as the film probably has a total 25 minutes worth of dialogue, but trust me, the movie really takes off as soon as the blind man wakes up. I have been giving a lot of praise thus far but there are a few issues in the plot that are bigger than the Detroit ford buildings.

Jane Levy needs to be cast in more films asap as she was absolutely phenomenal as Rocky. I think Warner Bros. needs to give her a call because the part of Pamela Isley needs to be fulfilled in the DCEU. Stephen Lang delivers a home-run performance as The Blind Man and between these two performances are in line with Green Room and 10 Cloverfield Lane’s female-male duo.

Don’t Breathe is much better than I expected and is a beautifully shot and directed film that will give you chills for most of the running time.

Overall Grade: A

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Director: Matt Ross
Writers: Matt Ross
Stars: Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Samantha Isler, Frank Langella

Synopsis: In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent.

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This year has been seen an expansive divide between “big budget” filmmaking, which has been more of a let down, and the indie circuit which has been thriving stupendously in 2016. Matt Ross’ Captain Fantastic continues that upward trend for the indie market. Ross delivers a really funny, smart and emotionally satisfying film, all without being overly sentimental.

In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, Ben (Viggo Mortensen) is devoted to raising his six kids with an intellectual education and philosophy that challenges societal norms. Ben also implements a rigorous physical regiment that all of his kids must abide by at the same time. When they learn the fate of their mother, Ben is forced to take his family on a trip that causes friction between what he’s been teaching his kids and how the real world operates. All of this leads to a stirring conflict that will satisfy both of your movie needs for laughter and emotion.

Viggo Mortenson gives arguably one of the best performances of his career. Ben’s convictions and the love he depicts for his kids really comes through in Mortenson’s performance. The brutal honesty of his character not only adds a thematic punch to this film but also blistering humor that works great here. George MacKay is also very good as the eldest son, who is longing for some normalcy while still holding onto the roots of what his dad taught him. Nicholas Hamilton is worth noting as well. His scenes with Mortenson in particular are very affecting.

Captain Fantastic resonates heavily because of how Ross smartly interweaves a narrative that is fun on the surface but also thematically rich. The film offers several different viewpoints on parenting philosophies and cultral norms without telling the audience which one is right. Ross leaves it up to the audience to decide and simultaneously these notions provides robust conflict for the adult characters of the film. In one scene we see Ben and his family at dinner with extended family and it’s clearly evident that cultural norms are rubbing up against the isolation that Ben and his family have been clinging onto for years. The culmination of this tension is really funny but it raises some great questions about how we parent and why we choose to hide certain things from children.

Captain Fantastic thrives on comedy that knows when to peek its head and when to let drama and emotion carry the audience. Alex Somers score provocatively amplifies each of those elements, as does the beautiful cinematography from Stéphane Fontaine. The imagery of Captain Fantastic is breathtaking during its opening act when we are introduced to Ben and his family. Even as the family progresses from its initial location, Ross doesn’t let his setting go to waste. The camera becomes an important tool that he uses evocatively to capture the beautiful symbolism underneath this film and it makes for some captivating filmmaking.

Overall Grade: A

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Director: Todd Phillips
Writers: Stephen Chin (screenplay), Todd Phillips (screenplay)
Stars: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz

Synopsis: Based on the true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan.
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Poor advertising can make or break a film. Whether it be the groundbreaking, eye boggling trailers (Suicide Squad) or just making a film appear it is apart of one genre when actually belonging to another. Leaving us as an audience disappointed when we go in expecting a drama and receiving a comedy or vice versa. And the absolute perfect example of this working in the audience’s favor is Todd Philips’ “War Dogs.”

Down on his luck massage therapist, and bedsheets salesman David Packouz (Miles Teller) is having trouble living the life he dreamed of in Miami Beach. After attending a funeral, David reunites with an old childhood friend Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) who promises him fame and fortune as an arms dealer. With a baby on the way, David agrees to Efraim’s offer and the two begin what becomes known as one of the biggest arms scandals in the U.S. The two start running guns, literally, and start making money hand over fist. The two run into a bunch of speed bumps throughout the entirety of the film, ultimately ending up in their downfall.

The story is very well written, and very well delivered. The set up for the obstacles that the two encounter are very well thought out by the writers and very believable in the scenario that they two are placed in. A strength that the story possesses is that the two characters are each other’s own downfall, and their own worst enemy within the entirety of the film. Miles Teller is abrasive and demanding when he shouldn’t be and Jonah Hill is so wrapped up in himself that he can’t see straight. This makes for a very healthy, and effective set up as far as story telling elements go.

Speaking of Miles Teller and Jonah Hill, the dynamic duo both deliver stellar performances. Miles Teller seems to be starting a breakout career of sorts, with his breakthrough performance in Whiplash, and an upcoming Oscar worthy performance in Bleed for This, Miles Teller delivers yet again in War Dogs. At first, he kind’ve takes a back seat to Jonah Hill’s abrasive performance, but then more towards the end of the film, he breaks out of his shell and shines like the young promising actor he is proving himself to be. Personally, I get very excited anytime that Jonah Hill decides to do a drama performance versus his usual comedy repertoire. Jonah Hill is slowly proving more and more that his acting abilitity has a much farther range than witty one liners and back and fourth comedy routines. Jonah Hill absolutely shines in this film, and she be prospected by more drama directors for future projects.

Todd Philips is the man in the chair for this film, making it his 9th feature film. Philips is mainly known for directing the wildly popular comedy “Hangover” trilogy. But honestly, seeing this film from him is refreshing. The “comedy” in the “Hangover” is very lackluster and does not produce many laughs, and I believe Todd Philips realized this. War Dogs is a very effective and powerful drama about two guys trying to chase a dream and failing. The direction given by him is riveting and I believe he should continue to pursue dramas because this film is a perfect example of how to create drama.

As far as a production, the film is very standard. The cinematography is very straight forward and standard. The production and costume design don’t have a ton of outlandish and eye-appealing designs. But this just continues the whole proving that film relies on it’s screenplay and it’s story to deliver the drama. We don’t need any spectacular spectacle, or wonderful camera moves or production design because this film relies solely on the strength of the story, the dialogue and it’s characters.

War Dogs was advertised mainly as a comedy and I believe it fails in that endeavor, the film does not have a lot of funny moments, and the comedy it attempts to force into the film is not effective in anyway possible. I believe that this is the reason behind many other bad reviews of the film. The film is not a comedy in any means, there are funny moments hidden within the film, but the film is about a very serious subject and deals with a lot of serious subtext. That being said, this is an example of how bad advertising can work in a film’s favor.

War Dogs is a spectacular drama film, with a nearly flawless screenplay. The onscreen duo of Miles Teller and Jonah Hill, is just a pure joy to watch for the duration of the film. The story is told and delivered effectively and this film deserves much more attention than it is receiving by critics and the general audience.

Overall Grade: B+

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Director: David Lowery
Writers: David Lowery (screenplay), Toby Halbrooks (screenplay)
Stars: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley, Karl Urban

Synopsis: The adventures of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliot, who just so happens to be a dragon.

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The early days of the summer blockbuster was a magical era, producing films of epic excitement on a grand scale without sacrificing genuine honesty, drama, or affable themes. Adults grew up with these films for not just speaking to them so personally, but because it arguably made them better people, a trait most evident in the very best fables and fairy tales of old. David Lowery’s Pete’s Dragon looks to this past, and simultaneously with its indie spirit, ahead to the future. It is genuine, human, and simultaneously fantastical and grounded. It is also the most honest and soulful fairy tale Hollywood has given us in years.

It’s easy to forget that Pete’s Dragon is yet another entry in Disney’s string of live-action remakes, and that doesn’t really matter; aside from having an orphan boy named Pete (Oakes Fegley) who befriends a dragon he names Elliot, David Lowery’s film shares little to no connection with the original (yet far from classic) film from 1977. In this version, we follow orphan boy Pete, who due to unfortunate circumstances loses his family while on a trip in the woods (an opening that will go down as one of the most devastating moments in Disney history) and ends up finding survival by means of a large furry dragon.  He names this dragon Elliot, after his favorite children’s book, and there he and Elliot reside together for the next 6 years. That is until he is discovered by forest ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) who intentionally takes Pete in as a sort-of mother figure. What follows, well, let’s just say it gets real.

Watching a now 11-year old Pete adjust to civilization after 6 years in isolation is presented as it would really be; it is saddening. And in its sadness the film’s true star emerges, that of co-writer and director David Lowery himself. Lowery’s flair and experience for indie filmmaking (present in Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) is so uncannily blended with the existing Disney formula, making the most gorgeous version of this story imaginable. His direction is artful and masterful, the cinematography is stunning, and his pacing never rushes along.  How great it is to get a family film that doesn’t feel the need to zip along so rapidly, and instead take its honorable time. Lowery certainly shows more than he tells, but he also makes you feel, and the ability to inform by being felt is one of the most admirable talents for any director who has it, and Lowery has it. He trusts his audience, and we come to trust him.

With Lowery as the film’s unofficial star, the film still wouldn’t work without the right Pete or the right Elliot.  Oakes Fegley continues 2016’s streak of winning child performances, and his depictions of childhood loneliness and isolation, for a child who ultimately has no family, is wonderfully authentic. It’s not all dour and drab, as Pete does strike a gorgeous friendship with young Natalie (Oona Laurence, easily one of the best child actresses working today). And yet, it is Pete’s interactions with Elliot the dragon that are at the heart of the film, with their relationship fully established in a nearly wordless first third; pitch perfect filmmaking and storytelling from Lowery. The digital artists behind Elliot’s facial expressions cannot be praised enough, and how that translates to the film’s thematic notions goes beyond the realms of digital artistry.

Pete’s Dragon is a surprisingly weighted film that deals with loneliness, recovery from long-term isolation, and the preciousness of nature, all of which only scratches the surface. At its core, it’s a film dealing with the repercussions of unaccepting that of which are unknown or understandable, but more importantly the rifts and disagreements that brings upon family.  Grace and her father (a wonderful Robert Redford) don’t just not see eye to eye on the existence of Elliot, but ultimately on the natural world itself, and it’s easy to sense that a distance has formed between them. Gavin’s (Karl Urban) lust for capturing Elliot is fueled the disagreements he has working for his brother Jack (Wes Bentley); “I always thought I could count on family,” Gavin says at one point in the film, essentially creating a character who is less villainous and more in pain. These rifts between family members justify each character’s instincts and motivations, with Lowery even completing their arcs in a wonderfully executed bridge sequence, one that could have easily went for bombast and instead chooses restraint.

But in the end, familial love and understanding prevails, wrapped up in a beautiful epilogue that sums up the film’s notions in a well-earned bow. Sure, it follows the Disney formula perhaps too faithfully for some, with only a few narrative contrivances thrown in for good measure, but for how often I say a film should be “how” it’s about versus “what” (thank you for the quote Roger Ebert) it’s great to see Lowery have faith in simplicity and subtlety, making way for genuine authenticity. Just like Elliot, the film has a heart and soul, further amplified in aesthetical choices from Daniel Hart’s beautiful folk-inspired score (one of the best scores of the year), and a handful of gorgeous original songs by the likes of The Lumineers and Lindsay Stirling.

In what can only be considered a truly mediocre summer movie season, Pete’s Dragon emerges with honesty and authentic beauty, and carries that beauty on its wings as it flies forward. It’s destination – one of my favorite films of the year.

Overall Grade: A

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Hear our full review on Episode 182:

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Director: Robert Budreau
Writers: Robert Budreau
Stars: Ethan Hawke, Carmen Ejogo, Callum Rennie

Synopsis: A re-imagining of jazz legend Chet Baker’s musical comeback in the late ’60s.

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It’s not just the name of a song, but a reflection of Chet Baker’s own destiny. Much like the modal jazz music of its time, Born to be Blue is a film drenched in sadness, a melancholic expression often reflected in the best of the jazz genre made famous in the 1960’s. It is a film to be felt, not so much shown or told, and all the better for it. In a modern age when biopics are too focused on historical accuracy and telling its audience absolutely everything, Born to be Blue rightfully chooses to focus on singularity, both in narrative and mood.

Like Miles Ahead earlier this year (about the great Miles Davis), Born to be Blue is a jazz-infused biopic, this time telling the story of jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker. Focusing primarily on his life in 1966 (intelligently focusing on one point of the central figure’s life), Baker is hired to play himself in a movie about his first time doing heroin, and is soon touted for a musical comeback, all as he romances his current flame Jane (Carmen Ejogo), the actress hired to play Baker’s opposite. Jane is a fictional character, a hybrid of all Baker’s women in his life; in fact, this entire film is a hybrid in fact and fictional storytelling, similar to Miles Ahead earlier this year. One could even argue that both Miles Ahead and Born to be Blue should be viewed as a sort-of double feature, not just because Miles Davis himself is also featured in Born to be Blue, but for how these movies are also aesthetically similar. Writer and director Robert Budreau crafts a film that is at once experimental and incredibly melancholy, and just like Miles Ahead those aesthetics play beautifully into the film thematically.

As expected, Ethan Hawke gives one of the year’s best leading performances. For a film primarily about sadness itself, Hawke emulates this torment and sadness in all the needed ways.  Two scenes show this; a painful scene in a bathtub in which Baker attempts to keep playing his trumpet despite getting his teeth bashed in after a mugging (cringe-worthy in a well-earned way), and a moment with his father, played beautifully by Stephen McHattie, creating a realization that Baker’s choices will lead to someone becoming unhappy, whether that’s Baker himself or those around him.  It’s devastating, and sometimes hard to watch, but well-earned in its execution.

Carmen Ejogo as Jane (and Elaine respectively) represents that harm on the outsider, a result of Baker’s life choices, but there is still joy to be had, a great juxtaposition that makes for a good argument. Essentially playing two roles, the beauty in Ejogo’s performance is how each of these two respective characters are indeed reflections on each other; they both endure and suffer just the same, but a balance is still needed for when those moments of suffering cease for moments of love and affection instead. As a result, Ejogo gives one of the best supporting actress performances of the year, and the film doesn’t work without her balanced characterization.

As a lover of classic jazz music, I may be a little biased toward films like this, but the truth is Born to be Blue succeeds in exactly what it wants to do.  In the end it boils down to a single decision, a realization that no matter what path is taken, someone is always saddened; Budreau is fully aware of this, and through his writing, directing, and even choice of jazz songs to fit the soundtrack (sort of the antithesis to the vibrancy of Miles Ahead), he crafts one of the most somber films of the year. This is perfectly reflected in the film’s final minutes, arguably one of the best endings to a film all year; no matter what, in how all our decisions impact others (whether it is Chet Baker, Jane, Elaine, or even Chet’s family), one of us is born to be blue.

Overall Grade: A-

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Hear our full review on a previous Extra Film:

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