Director: Wally Pfister
Writers: Jack Paglen
Stars: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman, Paul Bettany

Synopsis: As Dr. Will Caster works toward his goal of creating an omniscient, sentient machine, a radical anti-technology organization fights to prevent him from establishing a world where computers can transcend the abilities of the human brain.

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DIRECTION
Wally Pfister is a long-time cinematographer, whose resume is quite impressive with films like Inception and the The Dark Knight trilogy. Well he decided to take the Director’s Chair here for the first time and it’s a bittersweet opening for Mr. Pfister. Visually, the film is stunning and you can see remnants of his previous work, especially using similar camera techniques from Inception and several other films. The performances he gets from the main actors are good, as well as a descent score from Mychael Danna, which all worked for the film. Pfister’s biggest issue was his pacing and lack of a good script, which is a mess all on it’s own. If you can forgive those elements, there’s some good stuff here.

Grade: B+

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SCRIPT
Oh boy, where to start here. The first thing you have to do, if you want to enjoy this film, is throw logic completely out the window. And plot holes, forgive all of the plot holes. The film opens in what looks like a dystopian future, with no internet mind you, before we go five years back to see how it all unfolded. Will Caster (Depp) and his wife Evelyn (Hall) are on the forefront of Artificial Intelligence and have introduced new ways for AI to evolve and take humanity a step further. However, not everyone is on board, especially the anti-AI terrorist group, R.I.F.T., who is seeking an end to the technology. R.I.F.T. attacks several pro-AI facilities and as a result, Will is shot and dies sometime later. But before it can happen, Evelyn and long-time friend, Max Waters (Bettany), upload Will’s conscious to the internet using transcendence, which sets our story in motion. It’s ironic, as Will mentions in the film, that a group wanting to preserve life and humanity, must take lives in order for that to happen. From there, the story goes exactly where you’d think it would, not leaving room for many surprises, but plenty of room for in-your-face messages about the overuse of technology and how we (as a planet) are terrible at taking care of the environment. Regardless of those messages, the most intriguing element is the exploration of the lengths people will go to spend more time with loved ones, even when you know there will be major consequences and it may cross some lines. The idea that you could spend more time with your loved one in any way, is intriguing and it was easily the best part of the script.

Grade: C+

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RELATED: Heaven Is For Real Review

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PERFORMANCES
First of all, seeing Johnny Depp without a crazy costume or white make-up is already a win for this movie. And Depp is fantastic in a subtle performance, that seems to fit his personality really well. He’s absolutely believable as this character. Rebecca Hall is okay, but is a little washed out due to scripting issues, but she’s strong when she needed to be. Paul Bettany is in the same boat. His characterization could’ve been better, but when he’s on screen, he was very good. Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy are mostly wasted, but do add some nice touches when called upon. Kate Mara, whose work is getting stronger and stronger, does a good job in her small role, especially in the third act. Some of the very small supporting roles were poorly handled but overall this is the Johnny Depp show and I really liked him here.

Grade: A-

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SCORE
After winning an Oscar in 2012 for Life of Pi, Mychael Danna is back on the scene and does a descent job here of adding some intense musical pieces to the film, while keeping that mystery thriller feel throughout the film. All in all, you won’t notice it much, but Danna has the right ear for what Pfister was going for here.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Transcendence is a film of hits and misses, which is mostly disappointing, given how much I like Pfister as a cinematographer. But, for me, this is mostly on Jack Paglen’s very poor script that isn’t all that plausible, nor is it very logical when you peel back the layers. If you’re able to forgive that though, there are things to like here and the idea of humanism and how technology raises questions of how AI interacts with that, is quite interesting. Throw that in with some stunning visuals and a paintless-faced Johnny Depp, and yeah, I can buy into some of that.

Overall Grade: B-

Director: Ivan Reitman
Writers: Scott Rothman, Rajiv Joseph
Stars: Kevin Costner, Chadwick Boseman, Jennifer Garner

Synopsis: At the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver has the opportunity to rebuild his team when he trades for the number one pick. He must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with NFL dreams.

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INTRO
For the record, I’m a Lion fans and a Michigan fan, so this movie and all it’s Ohio love made me want to vomit. That being said, for the sake of this review, I’m throwing all of that (or most of it) out the window to be fair to the film. Also, it’s not the best movie of all time. –> This link explains that sentence.

DIRECTION
Ivan Reitman has a pretty impressive resume, but he’s mostly known in the comedy world and this film is no Ghostbusters. However, Reitman is experienced and does a solid job of making this film feel real and engulfs you within the National Football League (NFL) world. Everytime Reitman introduces us to a new NFL team, we see overhead shots of the city, the team stadium and the team it represents, which I thought was a solid choice and brings a fun element to the film. Because of the nature of the film, many scenes involve two people conversing via phone and again, Reitman is creative in moving the camera around while using an overlapping split screen method, which worked for me. The story lags in some areas but Reitman’s comedic timing was mostly on point and when we finally got to the war room, it was exciting. The end was a bit cheesy as you’d imagine, but overal Reitman does a fine job here.

Grade: A-

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SCRIPT
First of all, it’s easy to tell here that the writers are big Browns and Ohio State fans, which could throw some people off (or everyone from my neck of the woods). The story centers around the Cleveland Browns and it’s General Manager, Sonny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner), who is prepping for the 2014 NFL Draft. We begin in the early morning when Sonny and his girlfriend Ali (Jennifer Garner), a Browns lawyer, are discussing some important personal issues, which plays throughout the film. Sonny gets a call from the Seattle Seahawks offering a big trade that will land the Browns with the #1 overall pick, but at a big price. Sonny accepts the deal and now the drama is set as this shocks most of the NFL and media experts. The Browns are expected to pick Heisman trophy winner and high prospect, Bo Callahan (Josh Pence), but Sonny has some questions. From here, it’s a cat and mouse game as Sonny is trying to organize a team he wants, all while getting high pressure from Head Coach Penn (Denis Leary) and Browns Owner Anthony Molina (Frank Langella). The script is well played from a football business perspective and shows the difficulty of picking who’s best for the team, yet playing into the hands of the what the owner wants. Much of the dialogue is well thought out, funny at the right times, and crystallizes well in the climax of the film. While the story deviates at times to unnecessary sub-plots, the main elements are intriguing and was pretty engaging. For Browns fans, it probably plays more like a fairy tale though, given the Browns haven’t ever done much in real life.

Grade: B

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RELATED: Heaven Is For Real Review

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PERFORMANCES
The opening scene of the film features Chris Berman introducing us to the 2014 NFL Draft, which was a nice move and probably would get devoted NFL fans excited. Most of the NFL Network and ESPN crews featured here do a pretty good job of keeping things realistic, even though all the players are fictional. This is a film that is up Kevin Costner’s wheelhouse, as he’s not fit for action thrillers like Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit or 3 Days to Kill. Costner is pretty great here, especially once the draft begins and we see him going at it in the “war room”. Jennifer Gardner also brings a solid performance, although she doesn’t have as much to do. Denis Leary and Chadwick Boseman also bring good supporting performances, as does Arian Foster, a real running back for the Houston Texans and first time actor. And what are you going to say about Frank Langella? He’s always terrific.

Grade: A-

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SCORE
John Debney gets the nod to score here and he’s really good here. His tracks are short, up-tempo and give that athletic kind of feel that was perfect for this film. It’s a score that won’t get much recognition but it’s a descent listen outside of the film, as well as inside the film.

Grade: A-

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FINAL THOUGHTS
This film was pretty enjoyable, although some sub-plots needed to be trimmed down to let the main storylines play out. It would of been more fun to see Sonny reeling and dealing all day and getting that behind-the-scenes look showcasing the chaos of Draft Day. And while we get some of that, it could of been much more. I hate the Browns and Ohio State even more, but with all that laid down, for what the film is, it’s one to check out.

Overall Grade: B+

Director: David Gordon Green
Writers: Larry Brown (novel), Gary Hawkins (screenplay)
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter

Synopsis: An ex-con, who is the unlikeliest of role models, meets a 15-year-old boy and is faced with the choice of redemption or ruin.

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INTRO
Drunken rage and physical abuse starts the story about Joe.

DIRECTION
Joe, is directed by David Gordon Green and he does a tremendous job of making us care about Joe. The first half of Joe, seems like the relationship is forced between our main characters, Joe and Gary, almost making it less impactful. Green decides to insert details in the first half that will eventually come together in the last act. As you watch the film most of the narrative seems very choppy and there are several scenes that are a waste of time. One scene that was out of place was when Joe travels to his local brothel…goes home to gets his dog…goes back to brothel…dog kills brothel’s dog…Joe hires prostitute…Joe leaves with Dog. What Green does at times is very interesting, at least.

Grade: C

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SCRIPT
On the surface Joe looks very dull and seems very Mud-like, it even stars the same guy Tye Sheridan. Joe (Nicholas Cage) is an ex-con whose temper is worse than a pre-teen banned from social media, and one who loves cigarettes and prostitutes. Joe has a rather usual job as his business entails poisoning trees so that lumber companies can kill them off, clear the land and plant new, more profitable timber in its place. One day at work a young man comes in requesting work for his dad and himself. The young man we learned is named Gary (Tye Sheridan), and after Joe initially obliged he later takes Gary under his wing and what becomes of their relationship is a joy to watch. Gary Jones is a 15-year old who has an imploding relationship with his father Wade (Gary Poulter). Wade is drunk pretty much the entire film and it is hard to watch the abusive he unleashes on Gary in the film. Despite everything Gary is a hard-working guy who sticks around to help support his mother and sister. Once Gary begins to work with Joe, he finds solace away from his troubled home-life. Sheridan not only has to be a punching bag to his father he also must be a normal 15-year old and through his emotions you can see the vast differences and it’s refreshing to see an actor so young be able to embody this.

Grade: C

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RELATED: Heaven Is For Real Review

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PERFORMANCES
I usually love to watch this types of movies because I have fun tearing them apart like the Seahawks did the Broncos. However, I found myself enjoying Joe, because of the very strong performances of Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan. Cage has been in the business for a while so I know he has it in him to play great roles but for some odd reason playing Johnny Blaze in both Ghost Rider movies was not the best idea. Cage seen here as the titular character Joe, shows us his best role yet. Joe was the perfect role for Cage because Joe has a little bit of a bad side and seems very reserved, both roles that Cage has played successfully before. Cage also has proven that he has terrific chemistry with younger talent and that same bond continues with Sheridan.

Grade: A

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SCORE
Nothing really exciting here but the score delivers a nice mix of very mellow and slowed down repetitions in several scenes to help set the tone. Jeff McIlwain has done some nice work in the past and what he does here is more background, but very serviceable. Not bad at all.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
This is all I will say about Joe because you simply need to go and check it out for yourself as both Cage and Sheridan deliver A+ roles. So yea, go see Joe besides I don’t think I’ve ever steered you wrong before.

Overall Grade: B-

Director: Randall Wallace
Writers: Todd Burpo (book), Chris Parker (screenplay), Randall Wallace (screenplay)
Stars: Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Thomas Haden Church, Connor Corum, Margo Martindale

Synopsis: A small-town father must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world.

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DIRECTION
Randall Wallace has done some fine work in the past, the dude wrote Braveheart for crying out loud, but this material seemed pretty different for him. However, I like Wallace’s resume more than most probably, which gave me hope going in. Wallace does a nice job of keeping this film small, as most of it takes place in a small Nebraska town, and you feel that big time. My biggest question going is was how Wallace was going to handle, not just the religiosity, but how to keep it from feeling generic. Well Wallace’s story is a tale of two halves. The first half is full of cliche’s and stereotypes, which is distracting and uncomfortable. I’m still waiting on a film that shows Christianity in a realistic, 2014-type fashion. Wallace also creates a film that doesn’t know what it wants to be. Some scenes are dramatic and full of depth, while others feel like a week night comedy TV show and none of it blended well. That being said, the second half is much more focused and Wallace rearranges some scenes that were absolute perfect direction choices. If you can forgive the silly comedic scenes and the cliche’s, there some interesting stuff here.

Grade: B-

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SCRIPT
The script, while it could of been more focused, goes to some very interesting places. The marketing for this film sells it as a story about a little boy who goes to heaven and see some interesting things his family can’t explain. Well, while that is there, it certainly isn’t about that. The film is actually about Todd Burpo (Greg Kinnear), the father of Colton Burpo (Connor Corum), and how he deals with all of these strange things happening around him. As mentioned above, Colton gets close to death and after a surgery saves his life, he goes on to tell his dad about going to Heaven, seeing Jesus and other things that just throw Todd into a frenzy. Colton is adorable and while his experience is fascinating, the film mostly explores Todd’s reaction and how faith is tested when realities are pushed to the surface. When push comes to shove, are you going to believe what you preach to your children? Are Heaven and Hell real places and if so, what does that mean? We see Todd, the pastor of a local church, deal with these questions and doubts that start to rise. The supporting characters in the second half of the film are used wonderfully as well to further these notions and test whether your faith is what you say it is or is it just a coping mechanism. These themes brought some real meat to the story and were explored well, despite a few things here and there.

Grade: A-

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RELATED: Dom Hemingway Review

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PERFORMANCES
Connor Corum, who plays Colton, is adorable and does a fine job for a little kid who is having to explain all of these crazy things he saw. He’s believable and shows just how innocent he really is. And as I explained above, the film isn’t so much about him as much as his character’s father, so he’s not in the film a ton, but when he is, he’s captivating. Greg Kinnear and Kelly Reilly are fantastic as well and push this film to a level that most “Christian” films are never able to get to. Kinnear especially is great, but his scenes with Reilly toward the end of the film are really strong. Kinnear also has some very strong scenes with Margo Martindale who was phenomenal as well. Martindale was very funny at times, as you can expect, but also dealing with her own conviction, which she sells beautifully. Kinnear and Martindale have a scene at a cemetery in the third act that absolutely defines the entire film. Thomas Haden Church was awesome and that’s really all I need to say. He was easily one of the best parts of the film. With a film like this and the budget they had, there’s a very clear distinction between these actors and the non-experienced supporting actors. It was a little distracting but nothing ever serious.

Grade: A-

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SCORE
The score was done by Nick Glennie-Smith and it’s mostly forgetable. It was just some background noise to fill those silent spaces, but it’s nothing that is stand out worthy or notable. And in a film like this, that is okay with me.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
This film deals with Christianity in some unique ways and explores questions that are worth bring up, especially within this context. Some of it is contradictory to the Bible, but the question of whether or not Heaven is real, is a deep question to ask someone. And even more so, what about your loved ones who have passed away? Are they there? Well that depends on what you believe but it’s a question that many people grapple with and that part of this film was great. The beginning is rough and you have to forgive it’s cliches and cheesy scenes, but if you can, the third act is amazing.

Overall Grade: B+

Director: Richard Shepard
Writers: Richard Shepard
Stars: Jude Law, Richard E. Grant, Demian Bichir

Synopsis: After spending 12 years in prison for keeping his mouth shut, notorious safe-cracker Dom Hemingway is back on the streets of London looking to collect what he’s owed.

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DIRECTION
Richard Shepard has the director’s chair here and while he’s done mostly TV lately, Dom Hemingway is a step forward for Shepard. The tone of the film is set in stone from the opening frame as when we see Dom Hemingway receiving fellatio in prison, all while Dom is talking up his “God-like” male parts. Shepard’s camera work is solid and pretty creative at times, including one scene where our main characters find themselves in a car crash. The middle of the film seems to get away from Shepard ever so slightly, but he brings it back in a fantastic way, bringing some great depth that was needed. The music Shepard uses is perfect and is a big part of elevating many scenes. Overall, some pretty solid work here.

Grade: B+

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SCRIPT
Dom Hemingway (Jude Law) has spent the last 12 years in prison for not giving up his boss and for that reason, he was not given a break in the courts. During that time, his ex-wife died and he missed his daughter growing up. Dom is also a prideful man, very boisterous and conceited and is excellent at his craft. He very much reminded me of Tom Hardy’s Bronson. Once out of prison, we see Dom meet up with this good friend Dickie Black (Richard E. Grant), who set off to find their boss so Dom can get what is his for keeping his mouth shut. On the way, we see Dom’s personality come to life, which is hysterical on all levels. We see that he’s not a likable guy, yet his personality is just contagious. Once he meets up with his boss, there’s some small confrontation and things didn’t quite turn out like he wanted. However, it leads him to his daughter in London, which is where things get real interesting. The script turns suddenly from a comedic take on pride and self-glory to a more serious character piece that blended really well. We see that Dom is still struggling to deal with the death of his ex-wife, who is still his wife to him, and also dealing with the fact his daughter isn’t too fond of him. The turn is swift, but if you’re able to stay on board, those elements are strong and there’s more to Dom beneath all of those presumptuous layers.

Grade: A-

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RELATED: Snowpiercer Review

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PERFORMANCES
This is easily on of my favorite Jude Law performances. When I think of Law, this type of character isn’t the one that comes to mind, but Law disappears into Hemingway and it’s fabulous. He’s so over-the-top, hysterical and magnetic as this character. Dom isn’t a likable guy and does things that are abrasive, however, Law does an incredible job of keeping him human and you feel for him, especially in the third act. I don’t care what anyone says, this is one of his best’s performances. Richard E. Grant does a good job as Dickie and although he’s not in the film a ton, he’s a solid supporting character for Dom. Demian Bichir and Emilia Clark also have some good moments and serve their characters well.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
Rolfe Kent is getting on my radar in a big way as of late. His score here is subtle but in all the good ways. It rises up though when it needs too and the tones he chooses are really good. Along with a fine score, there are some soundtrack pieces that are fantastic and elevate several scenes. The music here will probably go unnoticed by the general public, but this is one of the best soundtracks of the year so far.

Grade: A

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Overall Grade: A-