The Movie Rat

Rewind Review: Cop Out

Posted on December 24, 2015 by bernardovillela

Cop Out is the kind of film that shows you the proof is in the pudding, meaning all the pre-release news, trailers and other miscellanea don’t give you a true insight into the quality of a film. Examples here are plentiful. There is of course the title controversy – Kevin Smith, the director (this was the first film he directed that he did not write), wanted to name the film A Couple of Dicks after a line in the film and using the archaic slang for detective as a double entendre. That was shot down for advertising reasons as the title would limit their TV ads to late night. Then the trailer looked funny in parts and in others not so much. Anyway, I digress.

Cop Out is one hell of a movie that proves that Kevin Smith knows how to make a funny movie, whether he penned it or not, but it also does much more than that. It also ends up being a pretty good action crime movie at the same time, and what’s more neither of the two is ever struggling with the other. They balance perfectly together right from the first viewing. It’s in the neighborhood of the Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg “Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy” (Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, third film yet to be) in terms of being a spoof, an homage and a film of the genre at the same time.

The film benefits tremendously from the unlikely pairing of Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. They’re not the first two you’d think of when trying to pick foils but man did it ever work here. However, a comedy can only be a true success when it also has memorable turns from the supporting cast. This film also has the benefit of that in many areas. First there’s Seann William Scott, who it may be safe to say has never been better, as the wild Parkour-practicing criminal the partners frequently run into. Then there’s Susie Essman in a very memorable one scene appearance as a woman who is being robbed and who takes no crap. And most importantly amongst the supporting stars is Ana de la Reguera as Gabriela, the Spanish-speaking kidnapping victim they happen upon.

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The soundtrack to this film is noticeably good and does have a few toe-tappers that complement the score, which was somewhat reminiscent of action films of the 1980s, quite nicely.

The film starts with a very funny scene illustrating Paul’s (Tracy Morgan) odd interrogation techniques, which not only set the film up as an homage but also gets him the information he was after. The scene that follows that will kick the film off and send them on their mission as rogue cops. It’s a really well-structured beginning. Also, there is some character-building in as much as Jimmy (Bruce Willis) has a personal stake in retrieving something stolen from him which he planned to sell in order to pay for his daughter’s wedding. While Paul is haunted by the thought of his wife cheating on him and that paranoia is played on through suppositional flashes in which he imagines their exaggerated courtship to tremendous humorous effect.

The dialogue also needs to be cited for its excellence, while that should seem obvious it’s not always necessarily true. Take Dave, (Seann William Scott) the confrontational thief, he is constantly pestering Paul with games of shadow, knock-knock jokes and other nonsense but the film is somewhat conscious of this silliness and even plays up that for more comedy when they have an exchange of “Duck season!” “Rabbit season!”

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Cop Out is an uproariously funny film that doesn’t throw plot completely out the window as has you engaged in all elements of the tale.

10/10

2015 BAM Awards Shortlists

Posted on December 24, 2015 by bernardovillela

Here we are again my friends on the day of the BAM Awards shortlist. Now, this shortlisting process works a bit differently than other shows so here are some guidelines to bear in mind.

The list is going up now to assure it is live 0n 12/24/2015. Films viewed between 12/24/2015 by me are still eligible and may be considered for when nominations come out on 1/2/2016.
Films on the shortlist are those that will be eligible for awards, plus, all viewed films from 12/24/2015-12/31/2015. Limited allowances are made for sins of omission, as I human and a one-man committee and can make errors. The nominees will be final.
Only films I’ve personally viewed are eligible. A complete list of eligible titles will be posted when the nominees come out.
These lists represent a reduction of 50-66% of the considerations field.
Some categories will be without a shortlist because the consideration field is so small there’d be minimal drama in the nominating process.
Lastly, I welcome your comments and opinions on nominees and the honorees but the decision in the end is mine alone. If my choices bother you that much WordPress is free, you can pick your own winners.

Without further ado this year’s lists:

Best Picture

No shortlist.

Best Foreign Film

Futuro Beach
Life According to Nino
Metalhead
Traitors
 Love Me
The Nun
God’s Slave
Wiplala
T.I.M.
Kick It (Cool Kids Don’t Cry)
Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Aferim!
13 Minutes
Human Capital
Reckless
A Wolf at the Door
Cub
 The Boy in the Mirror (O Menino no Espelho)
Secrets of War

Best Documentary

Will not be awarded due to insufficient viewings.

Most Overlooked Picture

Futuro Beach
All the Wilderness
Life According to Nino
Metalhead
The Nun
Wiplala
Charlie’s Country
 T.I.M.
Kick It (Cool Kids Don’t Cry)
Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Still
Aferim!
 13 Minutes
 Reckless
 Big Game
A Wolf at the Door
Cub
Bloody Knuckles
Little Glory
 The Boy in the Mirror (O Menino no Espelho)
Dark Places
Secrets of War
The Activist

Best Director*

Paddington
Cinderella
It Follows
Charlie’s Country
Mad Max: Fury Road
T.I.M. Kick It (Cool Kids Don’t Cry)
Inside Out
Still
Slow West
Aferim!
Human Capital
Mr. Holmes
The Gift
Cub
Creed
Dark Places
Bloody Knuckles
Krampus
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

*Names of directors are redacted until nominations are announced to de-emphasize name recognition and focus solely on the work that was perceived to have been done.

Best Actress

Julianne Moore Still Alice
Chaimae Ben Acha Traitors
Viktoria Spesvitseva Love Me
Lily James Cinderella
Pauline Etienne The Nun
Maika Monroe It Follows
Alicia Vikander Ex Machina
Charlize Theron Mad Max: Fury Road
Britt Robertson Tomorrowland
Kristen Wiig A Deadly Adoption
Melissa McCarthy Spy
Sarah Chronis Reckless
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Human Capital
Kristen Stewart American Ultra
Laura Linney Mr. Holmes
Rebecca Hall The Gift
Leandra Leal A Wolf at the Door
Charlize Theron Dark Places
Ariana Rivoire Marie’s Story
Daisy Ridley Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper American Sniper
Kevin Hart The Wedding Ringer
Wagner Moura Futuro Beach
Ben Whishaw Lilting
Taron Egerton Kingsman: The Secret Service
Vegar Hoel Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead
Ushan Çakir Love Me
Richard Madden Cinderella
Kevin Costner McFarland USA
Mathieu Almaric If You Don’t, I Will
Tom Hardy Child 44
Will Ferrell Get Hard
Domhnall Gleeson Ex Machina
James Rolleston The Dead Lands
Harrison Gilbertson My Mistress
David Gulpilil Charlie’s Country
Tom Hardy Mad Max: Fury Road
George Clooney Tomorrowland
Will Ferrell A Deadly Adoption
Aiden Gillen Still
Michael Fassbender Slow West
Arnold Schwarzenegger Maggie
Chris Pratt Jurassic World
David Sandberg Kung Fury
Richard Roy Sutton William’s Lullaby
Jay Duplass Creep
Ed Helms Vacation
Andrew Sensenig We Are Still Here
Nat Wolff Paper Towns
Wagner Moura Father’s Chair
Teodor Corban Aferim!
Christian Friedel 13 Minutes
Fabrizio Bentivoglio Human Capital
Marwan Kenzari Reckless
Samuel L. Jackson Big Game
James Ransone Sinister 2
Jesse Eisenberg American Ultra
Sir Ian McKellen Mr. Holmes
Jason Bateman The Gift
Milhem Cortaz A Wolf at the Door
Michael B. Jordan Creed
Josh Hutcherson The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Jeremy Sumpter The Squeeze
Nicholas Hoult Dark Places
Tye Sheridan Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Dylan Minnette Goosebumps
Matt Damon The Martian
Adam Boys Bloody Knuckles
Cameron Bright Little Glory
Adam Scott Krampus
John Boyega Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Chadwick Brown The Activist

Best Supporting Actress

Virginia Madsen All the Wilderness
Kristen Stewart Still Alice
Rifka Lodeizen Life According to Nino
Soufia Issami Traitors
Cate Blanchett Cinderella
Noomi Rapace Child 44
Louise Bourgoin The Nun
Isabelle Huppert The Nun
Katarina Schüttler 13 Minutes
Matilde Gioli Human Capital
Fabiula Nascimento A Wolf at the Door
Evelien Bosmans Cub
Phylicia Rashad Creed
Chloë Grace Moretz Dark Places
Sarah Dumont Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Isabelle Carré Marie’s Story
Bruna Amaya Casa Grande
Suzana Pires Casa Grande
Toni Collette Krampus
Krista Stadler Krampus
Carrie Fisher Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Gad The Wedding Ringer
Clemens Schick Futuro Beach
Jesuíta Barbosa Futuro Beach
Nicholas Hoult Young Ones
Hillmar Wollan III Metalhead
Kevin Hart Get Hard
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Little Boy
Oscar Isaac Ex Machina
Sonny Young Still
Kodi Smit-McPhee Slow West
Ethan Drumm William’s Lullaby
Skyler Gisondo Vacation
Austin Abrams Paper Towns
Justice Smith Paper Towns
Michael Douglas Ant-Man
Burghart Klaußner 13 Minutes
Fabrizio Gifuni Human Capital
Tygo Gernandt Reckless
Joel Edgerton The Gift
Sylvester Stallone Creed
Tye Sheridan Dark Places
Richard Kind Inside Out
King Orba The Activist
Harrison Ford Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Seth Rogen The Night Before
David Koechner Krampus
Michael Spears The Activist

Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Leading Role

Without a shortlist because the consideration field is so small, it will be a fully nominated category.

Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Leading Role

Kodi Smit-McPhee All the Wilderness
Rohan Timmermans Life According to Nino
Kodi Smit-McPhee Young Ones
Sasha Mylanus Wiplala
Jakob Salvati Little Boy
Dyon Wilkens T.I.M.
Victor Papadopoulos Kick It (Cool Kids Don’t Cry)
Oscar Dietz Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Kodi Smit-McPhee Slow West
Robert Daniel Sloan Sinister 2
Maurice Luijten Cub
Levi Miller Pan
Lino Facioli The Boy in the Mirror (O Menino no Espelho)
Emjay Anthony Krampus
Maas Bronkhuyzen Secrets of War
Graham Verchere Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow

Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Supporting Role

Isabelle Fuhrman All the Wilderness
Diljá Valsdóttir Metalhead
Eloise Webb Cinderella
Kee Ketelaar Wiplala
Claudia Kanne T.I.M.
Astris Juncher-Benzon Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Mia Xitali Max
Alyvia Alyn Lind A Deadly Adoption
Giovana Rispoli The Boy in the Mirror (O Menino no Espelho)
Stefania LaVie Owen Krampus

Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Supporting Role

Sávio Ygor Ramos Futuro Beach
Carl-Magnus Adner Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead
Kyle Cattlet Poltergeist
Thomas Robinson Tomorrowland
Samuel Ting Graf Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Ty Simpkins Jurassic World
Toby Bisson William’s Lullaby
Pierce Gagnon Tomorrowland
William Ulrik Græsli Kick It (Cool Kids Don’t Cry)
Art Parkinson San Andreas
Steele Stebbins Vacation
Lucas Jade Zumann Sinister 2
Dartanian Sloan Sinister 2
Milo Parker Mr. Holmes
Joes Brauers Secrets of War

Best Cast

Paddington
Futuro Beach
All the Wilderness
Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Life According to Nino 
Cinderella 
Wiplala
It Follows
Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Still 
Mad Max: Fury Road
Tomorrowland 
Kick It (Cool Kids Don’t Cry)
13 Minutes
Human Capital
Sinister 2
 Mr. Holmes
The Gift
 Cub
Creed
Dark Places
Krampus
Nickelodeon’s Ho Ho Holiday Special
Secrets of War
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Youth Ensemble

Paddington
Life According to Nino
Wiplala
The Outlaw League
Kick It (Cool Kids Don’t Cry)
Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Sinister 2
Cub
The Boy in the Mirror (O Menino no Espelho)
The Peanuts Movie
Krampus
Nickelodeon’s Ho Ho Holiday Special
Secrets of War

Best Original Screenplay

Futuro Beach
All the Wilderness
Life According to Nino
Metalhead It Follows
Charlie’s Country
Mad Max: Fury Road
Inside Out
Still
Slow West
Kung Fury
T.I.M.
13 Minutes
Sinister 2
American Ultra
The Gift
Cub
Bloody Knuckles
Casa Grande
Krampus
Nickelodeon’s Ho Ho Holiday Special
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The Activist

Best Adapted Screenplay

Paddington
Cinderella
Tomorrowland
Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Vacation
Aferim!
Human Capital
Mr. Holmes
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Dark Places
Creed
Marie’s Story
Secrets of War

Best Score

Paddington
Futuro Beach
Life According to Nino
Cinderella
Wiplala
It Follows
Mad Max: Fury Road
Inside Out
Slow West
Jurassic World
Kung Fury
Jupiter Ascending
Ant-Man
Sinister 2
Mr. Holmes
The Gift
Cub
Goosebumps
Crimson Peak
The Good Dinosaur
Dark Places
The Peanuts Movie
Krampus
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Editing

Paddington
Futuro Beach
All the Wilderness
Metalhead
Cinderella
It Follows
Charlie’s Country
Mad Max: Fury Road
Inside Out
Still
Jurassic World
13 Minutes
Human Capital
Sinister 2
Mr. Holmes
The Gift
Cub
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Bloody Knuckles
Creed
The Good Dinosaur
Dark Places
Krampus
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The Activist

Best Sound Editing/Mixing

Paddington
Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Cinderella
It Follows
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Mad Max: Fury Road
Tomorrowland
Slow West
Jurassic World
Kung Fury
Ant-Man
13 Minutes
Big Game
Sinister 2
American Ultra
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Goosebumps
The Martian
The Boy in the Mirror (O Menino no Espelho)
Creed
The Good Dinosaur
Krampus
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Cinematography

Paddington
Futuro Beach
All the Wilderness
Life According to Nino
Young Ones
Metalhead
 The Nun
Mad Max: Fury Road
 T.I.M.
Slow West
 Aferim!
 13 Minutes
 Human Capital
 Sinister 2
 Mr. Holmes
Cub
Crimson Peak
Creed
Dark Places
Krampus
Secrets of War
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Art Direction

Paddington
All the Wilderness
Life According to Nino
Jupiter Ascending
Cinderella
Charlie’s Country
Mad Max: Fury Road
Tomorrowland
T.I.M.
Aferim!
13 Minutes
Human Capital
Sinister 2
Ten Thousand Saints
Mr. Holmes
Cub
The Martian
Crimson Peak
The Boy in the Mirror (O Menino no Espelho)
Dark Places
Krampus
Nickelodeon’s Ho Ho Holiday Special
Secrets of War
Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Art Direction

Paddington
Jupiter Ascending
Child 44
The Nun
Little Boy
Mad Max: Fury Road
Tomorrowland
Antboy 2: Revenge of the Red Fury
Slow West
Aferim!
13 Minutes
Sinister 2
Ten Thousand Saints
Mr. Holmes
Cub
Crimson Peak
The Boy in the Mirror (O Menino no Espelho)
Casa Grande
Krampus
Nickelodeon’s Ho Ho Holiday Special
Secrets of War
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Makeup

Paddington
Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead
Jupiter Ascending
Metalhead
 Cinderella
It Follows
 Mad Max: Fury Road
We Are Still Here
Human Capital
Sinister 2
Mr. Holmes
 Cub
Crimson Peak
Bloody Knuckles
Creed
Dark Places
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Krampus
Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Visual Effects

Paddington
Jupiter Ascending
Cinderella
Ex Machina Mad Max: Fury Road
Tomorrowland
T.I.M. Jurassic World Kung Fury
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Goosebumps
The Martian
Bloody Knuckles
Krampus
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best (Original) Song

“London is the Place for Me” D-Lime and Tabago Crusoe Paddington
“Svarthamar” Performers TBA Metalhead 
Juntos (Together)” Juanes McFarland USA
“See You Again” Furious 7
“Rock Over Tokyo” Tennis Pro Big In Japan
“Universal Fanfare” Minions
“Kiss from a Rose” Vacation
“Look Outside” Paper Towns
“Summer Breeze” Vacation
“Walley World Theme” Vacation
“Universal Fanfare” Minions
“Feels Like Summer” The Baa Baa Shop Quartet Shaun the Sheep Movie
Campfire song Cub
“Lord Knows/ Fighting Stronger” Creed
“Grip” Creed
“Wrecking Ball” Seth Rogen and Miley Cyrus The Night Before
“Silent Night” Miley Cyrus A Very Murray Christmas
“Krampus’ Karol of the Bells” Krampus

Best Soundtrack

No shortlist.

Rewind Review: Pandorum

Posted on December 23, 2015 by bernardovillela

Many times when learning about film you hear the flow of action described as peaks and valleys, a rollercoaster or even an electrocardiograph. Pandorum however has but one peak which is built up to for about 20 to 30 minutes and is thereafter followed by a steady descent into the absurd and unbearable.

When the film is contained to just Payton (Dennis Quaid) and Bower (Ben Foster), both having recently awoken from hypersleep and trying to both figure out what has happened to their ship and how they can repair it, the tension is palpable. As each new character is introduced more details are unfurled that just make the film descend further into the ludicrous and becomes more and more uninteresting.

The problem that faces this film is that it’s trying way too hard to be smart. There are twists to be found here but too many and nealy too hard to follow at times. They are not easy to guess but they are ludicrous and two are discovered in one minute of action towards the end regarding Quaid’s character. Not only are these twists difficult to accept so is Bower’s new attitude towards Payton, which seems based on our knowledge of Payton, not his own.

There is more fiction than science, which is not a problem in and of itself, however, the discovery of what Pandorum is, combined with the explanation of what the creatures are is so much hokum that it’s hard to deal with. The nature of the beasts attacking them on the ship is intended to make it more frightening than it was but it failed on that account … miserably.

It’s also very strange in as much as this movie seems dissatisfied with being a horror/sci-fi story alone instead it was decided that every one of the characters Payton runs into should hit first and ask questions later and be so adept at hand-to-hand combat that it seems as if a Kung Fu movie broke out. One of the least compelling things that can possibly happen is to have an extended fight sequence when we, like the protagonist, are in search of answers.
There is also a lack of logic by our supposed hero, who due to the fact that we meet him in a state of amnesia after having slept for years, is very vaguely drawn. While they barely escaped a siege by the monsters he walks about a pod area mumbling incoherently about finding his wife, which would be understandable to an extent if only it didn’t last so long that Nadia played by Antje Traue, Germany’s answer to Milla Jovovich in every way (both good and bad), tells him twice that they should be on the move.

Leaving significant plot details aside, to avoid spoilers, this film also features the most ridiculous and improbable “cliffhanging” scene ever. Payton crosses a bridge to try and get to the reactor to reset it. It collapses Nadia holds his hands and holds him up while Manh (Cung Le) reaches down and grabs the iron bridge and holds it up during a very long scene. As if this wasn’t bad enough there is a sea of monsters inexplicably lying down below as if they had all dropped E or something.

The acting for the most part ranges from flat to bad with the exception of Dennis Quaid who was rather good. It’s just unfortunate that the story surrounding his character was one of the many fatal flaws in this film.

It’s possible to go further into the details of this story and why it falls very short. The fact of the matter is that each twist renders it more and more futile and makes it a more wasted experience. It takes great potential and a few decent ideas and twists them so much all hope of quality is wrung out of the fabric of the story. The intelligent becomes pedantic and the fascinating becomes futile and facile. It starts as a film made for adults and ends as a tale for children, both of whom have their intelligence insulted. The lead was buried in this story and instead of being cute with tricks and twists they would’ve been better off telling a slightly longer more straight forward tale in proper chronology, without the amnesia aspect and the potential for drama is already better.

Rewind Review: Shutter Island

Posted on December 22, 2015 by bernardovillela

Shutter Island is a film which is impossible to discuss without going into full detail so the first thing that needs stating is that there are spoilers herein; forewarned is forearmed. It is a film with a massive twist and it hinges upon it, for better or worse the twist colors your outlook on the entire film. In this case sadly it was for worse.

The last half hour of the film revels in unraveling the delusional existence of our protagonist and does so to such painstaking, pace-killing means that it seems to be patting itself on the back and saying “Oh, the cleverness of me.” One cannot argue it is cleverly done and the loose ends do end up being reconnected with what the reality of the situation is but the problem remains do you like the movie more after the twist or come to dislike it. That is one of the pitfalls of twists.

When such a brilliantly intricate MacGuffin has been constructed and we are later told it’s false and our hero is a victim and the villains are heroes it’s a hard pill to swallow. The film that had been unfolding was beautifully done and even if the pace was starting to suffer I was committed to that story, and though the twist could be seen coming a mile away it still hurt the film terribly when it happened and you wish it hadn’t. It seems like a filmmaker the caliber of Scorsese wouldn’t need to fall into one of the new Hollywood mantras which is “We have to outsmart the audience.” Scorcese was the very man who told a very straight forward story a few years ago and won an Oscar which he earned hands down in every scene of the film, save for the last one (that rat was just too much).

So what do you come away with from this film? You get one of DiCaprio’s finest performances in quite some time but the overall effect of the film is diminished. Not only do we discover the reality we were asked to believe was false but then our hero still is unable to maintain his grip on reality after a new breakthrough, it’s almost like you wasted your time twice.

Twists can either being mind-blowing or a total letdown and ultimately a reversal of fortune and this was the latter. Great cinematography and a haunting and effective score are all for naught. Even without twists the dream sequences were too many and too long. The film was flawed but enjoyable but the twist rendered it bad and wasteful.

4/10

Rewind Review: Predators

Posted on December 21, 2015 by bernardovillela

Predators is a film with many struggles which do not immediately make themselves apparent but eventually constrain what is a promising premise. Quite frankly the stakes could not be any higher in a story. A group of strangers are dropped via parachute onto an alien planet. Once realizing they are on another planet and not alone it’s life or death. Sounds like a pretty foolproof recipe for an engaging story. Unfortunately, it isn’t for myriad reasons.

While it is fine to have dueling protagonists one of them needs to be a preferable option and neither Royce or Isabelle is really an attractive option and the sad part is the problems aren’t inherent. You have in this ragtag bunch former military men, mafia or other organized crime members and a doctor. All of which are job types which have bred interesting characters in the past, it’s just these characters hardly develop and show little to no emotion. In the beginning Royce wants to go at it alone and Isabelle wants the group together. Everything you see them demonstrate is just a reiteration of the fundamental difference between the two without illustrating further dissimilarity. So there is a fundamental lack of identification which exists here and even looking at director Nimrod Antal’s previous works that doesn’t typically exist. Vacancy functioned in large part because you identified with the young couple and Kontroll, a film he made in his native Hungary, similarly didn’t have the most charismatic protagonist but he was an engaging one.

The Predators in the film are few and aside from what we learn from the characters’s speculation we know nothing. We occasionally get good looking POV shots thru their heat-sensitive vision but know nothing of them, which would be allowable if they weren’t so prominent. There is one predator who is tied up, why he is ostracized is not explained and yet on the heels of the climax we are asked to watch a predator fight in which we have no rooting interest and do not understand the source of the conflict. That is a fundamental of bad drama in action.

While the lighting and composition of the film provided by cinematographer Gyula Pados was quite often very striking and a highlight of the film there is a cramped aspect to the layout of the planet we see. Such that perhaps if there were more varied locations it would’ve feel more like an alien planet and less like they are under a dome surrounding a very small area.

Another slight issue which mushroomed in conjunction with the other issues it faced was that the film did operate, for the most part, in Franchise Mode. I personally hadn’t seen previous installations in full but there were things you knew would happen and a really high level of execution was needed to impress under those unusual circumstances and that didn’t happen. An example would be their first glimpse of the sky which shows that they are on an alien planet. The audience has already jumped ahead and knows that fact, so even though Pados’s shot with the aid of CG is quite good it is ultimately ineffectual and renders much of act one moot in terms of emotional impact, only their deducing facts about this foreign terrain keeps one engaged.

The cast is hit or miss. The charismatic and funny Danny Trejo isn’t there nearly enough. Adrien Brody may be many things but an action star he isn’t, principally toward the end he came off as a psychopath more than anything else. The one surprising performance the film had to offer was by the Brazilian actress, playing Hispanic, Alice Braga, niece of Sonia.

Even with the stakes set at the start of the film as high as they can go tension never really mounts, it fizzles. Add to that a surprise from Topher Grace’s character and it’s hard to stand even though Grace was relatively effective throughout.

Predators is ultimately a film filled with promise that through many unfortunate miscalculations misses the mark badly.

4/10

Rewind Review: Step Up 3

Posted on December 20, 2015 by bernardovillela

Step Up 3, or 3D, depending on which version you are seeing is likely to go down as the worst film of the year. Firstly, to comment I did not view the film in 3D, however, it doesn’t seem as if much of the film would’ve benefitted greatly from it just a few scenes here and there but it really isn’t worth the surcharge.

What needs to be said up front is that this film does have one true redeeming quality and that can only be conveyed by backhanded complement, so that should give you some sense of just how good it is. The film manages to be rather entertaining and close to magical when dance routines are being done, however, there is not nearly enough screen time dedicated to dancing throughout.

There are, however, plot complications that are unnecessary, contrivances which are laughable and all of which are cliché and bring next to nothing original to the table. It is the first film since Gamer, last year, which made me think that perhaps a bright thirteen-year-old wrote it. If that were true the writing would be pretty good as it stands it was not written by a thirteen-year-old and it is abysmal. There are too many disparate elements thrown together seemingly only behind the strength of the notion that “That would be cool.”

There is a dance contest which The Pirates, the troupe we are “rooting” for due to the protagonists, is about bragging rights but it’s also about the cash prize. Why do they want the money? To avoid foreclosure on their dance home, of course. This place is like a dancer’s equivalent to the Batcave and yet all 100 (give or take) people who are in there somehow can’t afford the rent but the editing bay, foam pit, soundproofing, boom box room, etc, they’re all manageable.

This rivalry between troupes is also rather hilarious because sometimes you can’t tell if it’s going to break out into West Side Story or a Kung Fu movie. Neither of which are really fitting here but get squeezed in anyway.

There is not only a very scripted-sounding documentary opening but a film within the film as one of the protagonists, Luke (Rick Malambri) is a budding documentarian. Yes, he’s the next Baryshnikov and Errol Morris rolled into one. But wait, there’s more, there’s a whole other plot which shares equal time for the first half of the film, vanishes and comes back; Moose (Adam Sevani) and his two lives, dance and Engineering, at NYU. As if that wasn’t enough Luke’s love interest, Natalie (Sharni Vinson) joins the troupe as a spy turns out to be Luke’s archrival’s sister and no one was ever the wiser.

I actually could go on. The contest to pay for a space is clichéd enough without adding the twin betrayal-reconciliation love plots and passion versus reason plots into the mix.

I could continue but dead horses need not be beaten. So what could make myriad bad plot devices worse? Bad acting, of course, come on down. Granted take this comment with a grain of salt as most involved in this film are primarily dancers but still too much of it was flat and ineffectual. The chemistry between both couples most of the times seems forced and the only one who gives their all and is somewhat winning is Adam Sevani. What’s more infuriating is that this film had another wonderful thing going and ruined it by cramming too many recycled storylines into. Had the film been simpler and had more dance numbers it could’ve been good. This was a musical, to an extant, that actually addressed a musical phenomenon of people breaking into song and dance in the streets realistically by having onlookers react to it. Being that it was in New York for the most part that allowed for some funny lines which at times distracted you from more “schmacting” by the bit players, but there was not nearly enough of that to save the film.

But that’s not all, the last thing that bears mentioning is the brief but comedically bad use of CG. It involves Icees, a grate, wind and unrealistic movement of said Icees when blown out a straw into the wind. It seems like it could not possibly be serious and it made me wonder if Woody Allen is missing an early draft of Everyone Says I Love You.

I suppose one other redeeming quality is that despite this being a very bad film it is not a painfully bad but is actually enjoyably bad in the tradition of Troll 2 but nowhere near as good/bad. The few things that were infuriating were listed above and they over-complicated what in a simpler state may have been a passable film. In the end it was an unmitigated disaster.

2/10

Updates: December 20th, 2015

Posted on December 20, 2015 by bernardovillela

It’s a bit unusual for me to have multiple updates in a quarter much less in a month, but here we are. Much of the reason for a second update so soon is that I’m trying to keep myself on task, as well as letting you know what’s up.

So here goes…

BAM Awards

BAM-Awards-2015 Some of the legwork to get me to BAM Awards shortlists has been done. On December 24th (yes, that December 24th) I will announce the shortlists, which is a culling down of all categories to only the most serious contenders. Watch this space for those announcements. This will be followed by nominees on January 2nd, 2016 and the handing out of prizes on January 9th, 2016.

Some categories which have been in limbo for inclusion this year will be either included or dropped on the 24th.

“Post!”

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OK, so I went with a Billy Elliot reference, one that’s more noteworthy in the stage musical than the film, but the point is; many posts are scheduled through the first quarter of 2016. I know I promised new content a while back and that should still be coming.

Screenings

Hugo (2011, Paramount)

One thing that will augment the BAM awards, and new content, is getting through my backlog of screeners. You can track my progress (to an extent) on Letterboxd. In the wee hours yesterday, I posted a longer-than-expected extemporaneous reaction to a film, which I may expound upon soon.

List-Making

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Aside from my awards, I do publish year-end lists in Early January. It’s with some sadness that I must say I didn’t see enough horror in 2015 to have a list on that genre be significant. But I will have a Top films (about 30 – some horror included) and also a Film Discoveries list (at least 30).

“I Just Wanna Bang on the Drum All Day”

TinDrum12

What slowed the progress of my posts on The Tin Drum was reaching a non-drafted section in my notes. I hope to get to that soon – and strike a balance with other ongoing projects. In the meantime, you can read what I have so far.

Other Works in 2016

Bloodmaster (David Rosenthal)

Some of the other works I hope to get done soon are as follows:

New videos including a short documentary.
Polishing and publishing new fiction. What I have already published can be found here. What I hope to prepare and publish is also intimated at in my about pages.
Collecting more film writing and developing longer-form posts on a more regular basis.
And more.

So, I hope this gives you more insight into the workings of the site here, dear readers. Bear with me for many exciting things are forthcoming.

Rewind Review: RED

Posted on December 19, 2015 by bernardovillela

What is it one can really say about the film Red? It does happen to get off to a good ambling start but somewhere along the way the novelty wears off. One of the highlights of the film is the siege upon Frank Moses’ (Bruce Willis) house. That is very early on.

While the film never takes a narrative jump too big it does progressively grow its web of conspiracy to a very high level. It was much more enjoyable and relatable when it was on a more personally based. The more entanglements of politics and the military-industrial complex that get mixed into it the less effective it becomes.

This is also a film with a rather interesting albeit not always overly-successful tonality to it. It’s part comedy, part action and part drama. The comedic never takes things too far out of the realm of believability and is always well-placed. It’s the action sequences that make you think a bit too much about what the real ramifications of these events would be.

Where it does succeed, however, is that almost all the drama flows out of the characters as opposed to the situation which is why we remain involved in this particular tale.

The cast of this film is another thing that keeps a rather thin premise barely above water. Deserving first mention is a most welcome turn from Academy-Award winner Ernest Borgnine. It’s always good to see screen legends of a previous age getting legitimate work in today’s Hollywood. Bruce Willis is his usual action-star self in this vehicle and unlike some members of The Expendables doesn’t look out of place still playing an action lead.

Perhaps what’s best about these performances is that they did serve the story and weren’t merely used as adornment. John Malkovich’s character is a prime example. He brings forth most of the comedy in this title and it is due in large part to his paranoia. We find out through the course of the story that his paranoia is, in fact, perfect and he ends up being a great asset to the team and not a detriment.

Another way in which this film falls a little short is being too cute when you don’t have to. Without giving too much away there is a twist regarding the whereabouts of Morgan Freeman’s character. It is so blatantly obvious that they later waste a cut to reveal the “trick.” I highly doubt a high percentage of the audience was that fooled such that it was necessary and it really wasn’t needed to better convey the tale.

Red is a funny and entertaining film but ultimately the promise it shows early on is never followed through and it ends up being a rather forgettable experience when the opposite was promised.

6/10

Rewind Review: The Merry Gentleman

Posted on December 18, 2015 by bernardovillela

What one might think of when they initially hear that an actor is making his directorial debut is that the film will tend to be safe, unassuming and cinematically unappealing. When one learns in addition to the fact that said actor is not only directing but starring in the film nasty thoughts of vanity project, showcase and self-indulgence might come to mind. Wipe all those notions out of your head when it comes to Michael Keaton’s first feature length film The Merry Gentleman.

Immediately, upon the beginning of the picture so many things make themselves very clear – the very first thing we hear over the title card is a church bell ringing; a lot of the subtext of the film deals with religion. Initially Michael Keaton’s character (Frank) walks right past a church but later fixes a statue, watches a Christmas decoration be callously tossed aside on Boxing Day. He is struggling with his faith, guilt and remorse but all of it is unspoken. The second thing that establishes itself are the visuals. There is no dialogue for a couple of minutes to start, unlike a typical opening title sequence though a lot is happening and it must be paid attention to. Lastly, the visuals themselves, the framing and lighting throughout is extremely good and engaging to watch – excellent cinematography indeed.

Keaton’s character is also quiet and it takes him a while to speak but that in no way detracts from his presence and the level of performance. Yet the star of the film is Kelly McDonald. Her performance is truly good and having a few lesser-known faces around is a breath of fresh air. A lot of times as a viewer that frees you up allowing you to watch the characters and not the actors acting.

The dialogue is smart and funny and the film is well-written. What I like best is that it remains a drama throughout. And when you have an abused estranged wife, a police investigation and a hit man you have three potential landmines and if they blow it will create genre fluff. The film deftly avoids all these and doesn’t give you a Hollywood or even a tidy ending but its story is told and it’s over at the exact right moment and it was still quite satisfying.

It is also the kind of film that lingers with you. After it’s over you just keep mulling it over. Truly the mark of a thought-provoking film and in this case a very good one.

8/10

Rewind Review: Unstoppable

Posted on December 17, 2015 by bernardovillela

One of the better ways to examine the progression of cinematic history I feel is to look at similar films and compare them. As I was watching this film, as absolutely enthralled as I was by the collision course that was set up; I got to thinking about The Great Train Robbery (1903). Now, granted, there is little that this film holds in common with a title 107 years its senior aside from trains but consider this.

The audiences in 1903 literally ducked out of the way when a train on screen plowed right at them and similarly ducked when the robber shot right at them. What tremendous progress both technically and with regard to audience sophistication has been made. When you look at this runaway train film, however, many classical techniques are what make it work.

Mainly, the editing puts this film over the top. The oldest and most tried-and-true technique in film. The film does set up the danger: this train with X-thousand tons of haz mats is likely to derail in a town of 40,000 or so, however, a number that large in a cinematic context is abstract. Who do we follow and care for? Frank (Denzel Washington) and Will (Chris Pine) who will be chasing the runaway train down and Connie (Rosario Dawson) who is the Supervisor trying to manage the crisis. Yet this doesn’t truly create most of the tension. It’s the cross-cutting that does it. It’s a news helicopter following, the runaway catching speed, showing an on coming train, a switch is made, they nearly hit one another.

And there are situations similar to this throughout. The film builds tension-filled situations throughout and even the littlest mistake by anyone has consequences.

The characters are basically assembled but as mentioned before there is concern for their well-being and a rooting interest is established. It’s not even the facts that make us identify but how they are conveyed. Will has a skeleton in his closet a terrible mistake he made but we get to know him first before we learn what it is. We learn Frank is a dedicated, very capable engineer and then learn of his job situation. We can see Connie is wise, compassionate and courageous through her interaction with her superior.

The cast is vital when you’re dealing with archetypal characters such as these. You need not only talented actors but also charismatic one who will add and unwritten dimension to these people. Denzel Washington’s dialogue is frequently repetitive but there is a presence and authority to his delivery that adds to who Frank is. Pine has a tough look but a vulnerability which is crucial to his part. Dawson has a no-nonsense-ness about her that is inimitable.

The film uses news flashes as shorthand to disseminate crucial information and also to raise the stakes as necessary. Thankfully, this tactic which could wear thin if used too much is used just enough. The one place it gets overly involved is the new helicopter becomes too much a part of the action at a crucial point and becomes an obstacle to our heroes.

To cap it off the cinematography and scoring are both very strong and add to the suspenseful ambiance.

Unstoppable is a nail-biter in the truest sense of the phrase and is a must-see for those who appreciate expert editing.