Lee Daniels’ The Butler (A) is a heart-wrenching Hollywood epic about American race relations through the lens of pacifist father (a solid Forest Whitaker) and action-oriented son (a revelatory David Oweloyo). Even Oprah Winfrey gets every note right as the mighty mom of a great American family. What may be dismissed as overly polished is actually one of the most stirring, touching films of the year. Civil rights teachers will be showing this to students for generations to come.
All posts by Stephen Michael Brown
“The Wolverine” (2013) a Solid Thriller
Director James Mangold channels his inner adamantium to create a steely summer adventure with The Wolverine (B+). This Tokyo-set saga features Hugh Jackman in top form and grounded story and stunts that deliver the goods. This actioner features some nice action alchemy for fans eager to see this character soldier on.
“The To Do List” (2013) Doesn’t Deliver
Writer/director Maggie Carey’s ’90s-set The To Do List (C-) is radical only in its gender-bending-premise of a young female character being the one looking to lose her virginity come hell or high water. Alas a wooden central performance by Aubrey Plaza and a sloppy structure that just doesn’t deliver on enough laughs thwarts this limp episodic comedy. Despite its occasional charms, this carnal clap-trap is definitely not a keeper.
“Before Midnight” Bittersweet
Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight (B) tells an austere, autumnal next chronicle in the romantic saga of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s Jesse and Celine. This time it’s not all fun and games and wit and wordplay as we witness scenes from a marriage that is real and raw and may not still have much of the magic we remember from the young couple that met one night on a train nearly two decades ago. It is dramatic and tricky but sometimes a little stuck in its own rut. See it for the cannily observant viewpoints on keeping things fresh while aging together. And as fascinating as they are, let’s hope we’re not gearing up two more decades from now for a talky Amour featuring this duo.
2013 “Much Ado About Nothing” Amusing
Despite being a wizard of witty wordplay, Director Joss Whedon belabors The Bard in his black and white limited release Much Ado About Nothing (B-). It’s artfully shot and decently acted by an ensemble of Joss’ journeyman actors, and the film is often frothy and fun. It’s a neat conceit that it’s filmed in and around Whedon’s own home, but alas it doesn’t match or improve on the 1993 version in any notable way. I was hoping the Buffy creator would bring on more blithe and bonny.
“Pacific Rim” Gets Better as it Goes Along
Gueillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim starts out as an A, drifts into a C and ultimately becomes a better-than-average B movie. The geek-tastic premise: to fight gigantic sea monsters, the nations of earth have created huge robots co-piloted by warriors who mind-meld to spar with the modern-day godzillas. Charlie Hunnam is earnestly appealing and the creature effects better than average. The flick is best when it espouses its bizarro mythology or plumbs the depths of the protagonists’ emotions, even though most are just Starship Troopers deep. Still, it’s a worthy adventure yarn and should appeal to the 11-year-old-boy-brain that yearns for a summer movie that is filled to the rim with adventure.
2013 “Lone Ranger” a Misfire
Not quite the great time robbery it is purported to be, Gore Verbinski’s The Lone Ranger (C-) is nonetheless an endless parade of tonal shifts and missed opportunities bookended by two of the most thrilling locomotive chases to be recently committed to screen. The biggest problem is a bland, underwritten and miscast hero, and Armie Hammer isn’t resourceful enough to imbue his character with any masked momentum. Johnny Depp is likable as Tonto, mixing warrior chic with emo sobbing, although his annual Chaplin meets Bugs Bunny blockbuster kitsch has run its course. High marks for production design, CGI-sparse old-fashioned stunts and potential integration into Disney theme parks’ Frontierland.
“This Is The End” is Raunchy, Funny
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s This Is The End (B) is a super-raunchy, self-aware, nihilistic comic adventure with zeitgeist to spare. Playing winking versions of themselves, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and James Franco are among the most hilarious of a raucous ensemble as the apocalypse comes to the Hollywood Hills. Although it overstays its welcome, this is a blissful mash-up of The Goonies, Ghostbusters, Dogma and Entourage and has more offensive laughs per minute than any comedy in a long time.
“World War Z” is Ho-Hum Zombie Film
In Mark Forster’s World War Z (C-), a ham-fisted and improbable zombie adventure, Brad Pitt turns in a vacant-eyed performance to match the sleepwalking screenplay. There are three nice action sequences, one of which will probably not screen on an airplane any time soon.
“Star Trek Into Darkness” Not as Good as Predecessor
J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness (B-) missed its mark in building upon the high standard set by its predecessor. Still, it starts off very exciting and has very nice stunts and effects along the way. Benedict Cumberbatch doesn’t get much to do in a throwaway role, but Chris Pine shines once again in the lead. There are just lots of missed opportunities given some homages made to the original series that don’t pay off with as rich an emotional effect as expected.
Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station” (2013) a Poignant Drama and Showcase for Michael B. Jordan
Shockingly efficient in its character building and its 90 minutes of sustained dread, Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station (A) tells a true story plucked from today’s headlines about the plight of young black men in America. Michael B. Jordan is a revelation as Oscar, a 22 year old father trying to reform after jail time, whose slow-burn collision with contemporary destiny is sealed from the film’s first frame. His charismatic demeanor – he calls everyone “bruh” – is just seconds away from reverting to his powderkeg past, and he is alternately “hella” humorous and heartbreaking throughout. Melonie Diaz and Octavia Spencer are outstanding as the women trying to anchor and protect him. It’s a tough and essential experience.
Baz Luhrmann’s “Great Gatsby” (2013) Largely Succeeds
After about 45 minutes of Baz Luhrmann’s excessive whirling dervishness settles down and a captivating Leonardo DiCaprio finally arrives as the titular playboy man of mystery, The Great Gatsby (B-) becomes a pretty engrossing potboiler about forbidden love and tragic obsession. Nearly cloaked in all the razzmatazz, glamorous sets and anachronistic hip hop music is the morality tale of self-made nouveau riche versus entrenched American wealth. Tobey Maguire is his typical boring self as wingman writer, Carey Mulligan is only moderately enchanting as Daisy (really only captivating in her scenes with Leo) and Joel Edgerton is fairly menacing as Tom. Leave it to this spastic Aussie auteur to take a Great American Novel and turn it into the same Harlequin Romance he’s made five other times. A notch better than Australia though. Glad he didn’t add an exclamation point to the title to go along with the 3D.