AMERICAN SNIPER

Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller

"One Bullet can tell the Story"

Clint Eastwood gives us the story of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in US military history. Even though it is basically a biography about his exploits in the four tours of duty he served in Iraq, the film itself didn't give out such a vibe. It still felt like any normal film about the effects of war on a person who is trained to kill enemies and justifies it as serving his country.

Bradley Cooper is in full character form, even growing a bushy beard to resemble the late Chris Kyle. It is just unfortunate that he is best known for his role in the "Hangover" franchise. So his reputation as a serious character actor is a bit tainted even though he has been consistent in putting out credible performances. The fact that he has been nominated thrice for various roles should silence the critics.  

As Chris Kyle, he succeeds in bringing forth the sniper's strong sense of patriotism and his private battles to the screen. A deeply complex character that has witnessed the horrors of war yet once he is home from his tour cannot adapt to 'normal' life. Surely, it can be traced to PTSD yet somehow I got the impression that Chris Kyle was over zealous and took his sniper duty to heart and he felt more comfortable in a war zone than living, normally.

As expected in most war movies, women usually take a back seat. Sienna Miller as Taya Kyle is in a thankless role as a nagging wife who does not understand or chooses to deny that her husband has PTSD. But based on interviews with the widow of Chris Kyle, she strikes me as loving wife who was totally devoted to her husband and their family. Surely she had flaws so I wonder if she approved of Sienna Miller's portrayal of her.

Going back to the film, technically it is well directed. The tour of duty scenes are authentic and it does convey the horrors of  war. More specifically that the role of a sniper is relevant and quite important and it is a case of 'killing the enemy than being killed'.

But I can't say the same for the scenes depicting his life back home, they were quite amateurish. Plus using a doll to pretend it is a real baby is simply unforgivable, something you don't expect from a Clint Eastwood movie! Yes it is quite obvious, goodness!

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU

Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda,

Tina Fey, Adam Driver, Timothy Olyphant

Corey Stoll, Rose Byrne, Dax Shepard

"Welcome Home.
Get Uncomfortable."

This film takes off after the patriarch dies and the grieving widow (Jane Fonda) wants all her children to come home for the burial. This sets in motion a dysfunctional family set up where siblings who haven't really kept in touch with each other nor with their mother are now stuck in one big house.

There are a few enjoyable moments. The emphasis is on 'few'. But it is all mostly sanitized, safe way to show how the adult kids lives get complicated as past loves, current frustrations and their shortcomings come to fore. But problems which tend to be mostly self-involved as it is wont to happen in this selfie obsessed times. 

The problem with a plot that has an ensemble cast (even if they are composed of good actors) is not all the characters are given enough narrative. Too many characters and side plots and it gets to the point where it all becomes one big mess and quite maddening. They should have really just focused on the characters played by Tina Fey and Jason Bateman as they were the most interesting among the siblings. 

"This is Where I Leave You" mostly works in part due to its good casting of credible actors like Jane Fonda, Tina Fey and Jason Bateman. It was nice to see them interact as family members with many predictable yet not too serious problems. But as dysfunctional family dramedy goes, I've honestly seen worse depictions of this popular genre.

BOYHOOD

Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette,

Lorelei Linklater, Ellar Coltrane

"12 Years in the Making"

Aside from the fact that director Richard Linklater ("Before" trilogy) willingly took twelve long years to film this movie, there isn't much to rave about, really. So I don't really understand how it managed to get the critics nods and garner all the nominations for the best picture category in all the major awards.

"Boyhood" tells the story of Mason who we first see as a 5 year old boy until he reaches 18 years old. He grows up in different households as his mom isn't so lucky when it comes to maintaining her relationships.

Granted that it is a cinematic feat and a lifetime endeavor for its director, having to see the same actors evolve through the years without much conflict would qualify for me more as a documentary than a movie. It won't even be a reality show since those have more drama for our own good yet they are addicting to watch, don't you agree?

Sure it is a unique concept of filming a movie over 12 years with the same cast. But unless you got a very good story and a strong plot to begin with it, it just ends without any impact where nothing of note ever really happens. Except for the visible fact that the kid grows up right before your eyes from a cute little boy to an ordinary young adult.  It deals with how Mason relates with his divorced parents, his older sister as well as the various guys who become his stepfather(s) and the world in general.

But still Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke's performances deserve recognition. As the divorced parents of Mason, they provide support and proper guidance for the son to grow up, for lack of a better word, decent. He is basically a good person with no vices or strange hang ups. He is just as normal as can be.

Seeing Ethan Hawke visibly age and coming into this frequently absent father role is great. He gives a credible portrayal of any divorced father who is trying to be a better parent. Patricia Arquette may not be a big star but she has always been a steady actress. Here as the mom who is not perfect (nobody is perfect, anyway!) but continues to be the best mother she can be given her various limitations, she is impressive.

BEGIN AGAIN

Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley,

Adam Levine, Catherine Keener

"You're Only as Strong as
Your Next Move"

John Carney, the director of the much acclaimed indie movie "Once" presents us with a similar story but with better actors and better songs. I have to admit I didn't really like "Once" for the acting skills of the leads were a major turn off. Yes, granted that he got non-professionals to play the roles but still it didn't move me as much as I expected it to.

Well good thing that "Begin Again" had Mark Ruffalo in it and even though the plot is a bit predictable, his mere presence made it all worth while. As the title implies, it is a movie about second chances and the opportunity to make wrong things, right.

After Dave (Adam Levine) lands a major record deal with a label in New York, he and his music songwriter/girlfriend Gretta (Keira Knightley) move to the Big Apple. As it usually happens, Dave gets eaten up by the fame, glory as well as infidelity and shortly after leaves Gretta all alone. Literally and figuratively since Dave has hooked up with someone else and Gretta now faces a lonely existence in a city where she hardly knows anyone. Except for one musician friend named Steve. He manages to convince her to perform her song at a small gig.

Coincidentally, a down on his luck, music executive portrayed by Mark Ruffalo named Dan is in the audience and is immediately captured by her raw talent. Dan is not really in a good place, he has been disgraced at work and he has to deal with a cheating wife. Yet he believes he has found the next best new artist in the person of Gretta and he goes all out to record, market and promo her single.

The film showcases their encounters and adventures as they record her song in various sights in the city that never sleeps. Their conversations are polite and they maintain a professional relationship throughout their sessions. Even as we see them dealing with their personal life in the sidelines. 

I like how they were able to maintain a platonic relationship even though there was a certain attraction between them, they never acted on them. Their chemistry was evident but it was good they took the unconventional route and didn't end up as a couple. They both have some deep personal wounds that needed time to heal and it is just right they maintain a good working partnership without the trappings of romance hindering their goals.

It was refreshing to hear Keira Knightley' singing voice and watch her playing the guitar. Although it wasn't a strong tone, she still kept it in tune. Adam Levine from the Maroon 5 band was authentic in his portrayal as basically a jerk. He sometimes gives out that vibe even though we all know that his antics on "The Voice" are mostly scripted. Mark Ruffalo is a much underrated actor but he can do no work in my books. I've always been a big fan of his work both as an actor and a vocal advocate for climate change and the protection of the environment.

I liked "Begin Again" better than "Once". It kept things as real and realistic as can be. A film about moving onward despite numerous challenges which can bring anyone down yet choosing not to quit  but to face them, head on. In the process, a renewed mind, body and soul emerges and suddenly life doesn't seem as dim as we anticipated it to be. 

THIRD PERSON

Liam Nesson, Olivia Wilde,

Adrien Brody, James Franco,

Mila Kunis, Maria Bello,

Kim Basinger, Moran Atias

"Life can Change at the Turn of a Page"

Paul Haggis, the writer-director of the acclaimed multi-story film "Crash" is back with the same type of story telling. This time, it is three different stories which play out in Rome, New York and Paris. The tales seemingly share the common themes of dealing with the betrayal of trust, estranged relationships and the tragedy of losing a child.

Liam Neeson is a writer cooped up in a swanky hotel room in Paris trying to finish his second novel to prove that he isn't just a one book author. In Rome, Adrien Brody plays an unscrupulous businessman who steals designs from clients. He finds himself embroiled in a shady deal with a beautiful woman who may or may not be a con artist, herself. While Mila Kunis is cast as a former actress who now works as a chambermaid in a hotel in New York and is currently in a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband. The three tales eventually cross over as certain characters overlap and their narratives merge.

But what worked in the Oscar winning "Crash", unfortunately does not apply in "Third Person". Although each of the stories have enough drama based on their merits and could actually be turned into a full length movie separately, it doesn't work as a whole.

There are a lot of deliberate yet confusing details which aren't fully explained in the course of the movie. You start to notice small yet very significant details which further add to the confusion. You begin to question yourself whether it was just you who noticed them or if it was purposely added for some reason. Such as a note which was written in one hotel room in Paris, ends up being read in another hotel room in New York.

The stellar cast gave credible performances even as the script is poorly executed. As the film rolled towards its very vague conclusion, I was already way too sleepy to actually force my brain cells to make some sense, any sense about the total nonsense that just unfolded.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort,

Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe

"They Don't Have Forever,

They Have Each Other"

Yet another best seller novel which was adapted into a movie. Both of which were much hyped and generated quite a frenzy from the fans. Of course, as usual I never read the book. I'm too cheap to buy books, I'm too lazy and/or I don't find the time to just stay put and read.

Having said that, neither am I, a person who goes for hyped up 'events'. Be it the newest restaurant that draws a long queue, or a novel that lands in the best seller lists. I would shun away from it - just because it is the latest trend and wait patiently till the hype subsides, then I make my move. Yet I keep myself informed and know all about the latest 'happenings' in town. 

"The Fault in Our Stars" as everyone knows is about two young adults with terminal cancer who fall in love. Hazel (Shailene Woodley) is young, smart and quite witty and walks around with a portable oxygen tank which eases the flow into her respiratory system given that she has only one lung.  While Augustus or Gus (Ansel Elgort) is the typical charming boy next door type with a pleasant smile and you wouldn't know he has cancer unless you are shown his prosthetic leg.

They met at a cancer support group and even though Hazel was put off by Gus' attitude - they eventually realize they are mostly in the same wave length when it comes to their attitude towards life. They exude a certain level of maturity which gives them strength to accept their fate without dwelling on their illnesses. But rather focus on living their lives to the best of their abilities.

I have a feeling this common bond would have been more palpable in the pages of the novel because I hardly felt any chemistry between them in the film. Shailene Woodley was a revelation though and I like her comfy style of acting in her role as Hazel. She made Hazel, an endearing character. Unfortunately, I can't really say the same about Ansel Elgort. He needs to attend more acting workshops to add more depth and dimension to his portrayal.

Naturally any type of love story, be it tragic or not would draw in the crowds. I can see how such a plot would appeal to a wide spectrum of audience. But I'm now too sarcastic to get swayed merely by the love story angle. That is why I like the part where Hazel and Gus go to Amsterdam to meet their favorite yet reclusive author. The guy turns out to be quite a jerk but I think that unpleasant encounter was a good 'conflict' which contributed to the personal growth of the two leads.

I also like how Hazel and Gus were not cut out as tragic characters but as 'normal' people who just happen to be in the terminal phase of cancer. Not to make light of their illness but they handled the aspect of dying in an acceptable and non offensive manner. Certainly not dwelling on something they could not control but celebrating life in all its glory, something we should all emulate!

TRANSCENDENCE

Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall,

Paul Bettany, Morgan Freeman

"What if a New Intelligence was Born?"

Nowadays, Johnny Depp has evolved into either essaying roles of freaky yet unique characters or some normal guy stuck in a uniquely strange scenario. I guess the key word here is 'unique' and I understand for any actor it is imperative to delve into a role that will stand out from the numerous predictable ones.

It must be quite challenging for Johnny Depp specifically to always find roles which won't be, for lack of a better word, boring. I respect him for that and admire his guts since most of these roles although unique, per se, these movies don't really rake in the big bucks like blockbusters do.

In "Transcendence", he is cast as Dr. Will Caster, a technology expert at the forefront of artificial intelligence research. An advocacy which he and his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) have passionately worked for ages. Their dream is to create an all knowing computer that has the personality of a human. Their work is abruptly cut short by an organization that opposes AI in any shape or form.

An incident occurs which puts Dr Caster's life in danger so before he dies, he decides to 'upload' his brain and his 'personality' into the computer. Upon his passing, Evelyn waits for the machine to wake up with Will's persona deeply embedded within its wired components. Behold! It works and it is presented through a computer monitor with a disembodied voice and Will's flickering face on screen.  It is quite freaky, creepy and everything that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up straight.

As the film progresses at a slow and very long pace, we soon find out just how dangerous it is to play God and the perils of technology overload. Much of the movie focuses on the interaction between Evelyn and Will through the screen.

You keep asking yourself is it really Will or just some hologram presence of an uploaded version of him. Can machines really feel or are they just programmed to 'feel'? Are we being slowly trained to be more machine-like as we become more and more dependent on technology? Or do we project our personality unto our gadgets?

Either way, it is a dangerous world to live in as social interaction is minimized or practically non existent. But the scarier thought is we don't need a film like "Transcendence" to show us the dangers as we are all currently hooked on being connected at all times. Other people don't re-wire our brains, it just happens as we live more of our lives online. We're slaves to convenience.

Personally, there is nothing wrong with this premise. We just need to know when to 'disconnect' and be truly present in the 'here' and the 'now'. Heh! Well look who's talking?! I get hives when there is no wifi connection at any establishment I visit even for 10 minutes. 

47 RONIN

Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada,
Ko Shibasaki, Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa,
Rinko Kikuchi

"Seize Eternity"

After my sister had surgery, she couldn't move much so we had movie marathons. Perfect time to catch up on my long list of accumulated movies to watch.

First off is this fictional tale about a 18th century historical event in Japan in which a group of "ronin" (master-less samurai) avenged the honor of their dead Lord/Master. It is strictly forbidden for a ronin to seek revenge. But this group believed that their master was set up after he was accused of assaulting a court official. They planned and waited for one year before they set off to kill the one they hold accountable for the 'injustice'.

The event itself is still widely revered in modern day Japan as annually on the 14th of December, people hold a festival at the Sengakuji temple to commemorate it.

"47 Ronin" is clearly a fictional tale as it has a Caucasian dude named Kai (Keanu Reeves) known as the 'half-breed' who joins the 47 leaderless samurai. There is also a witchcraft element to the film which sets a fantasy tone amidst the beautiful backdrop of a small mountainous district. All of the characters, except of course for Reeves are portrayed by Japanese actors who all just happen to speak English, fluently. 

Yet it is also a vividly graphic reenactment of the events that led to the revenge. Good sword play skills are displayed in the cleverly choreographed fight scenes. The costume design from the wardrobe of the samurais to the kimono worn as well as the manner of styling their hair are all authentic and reminiscent of a long gone era in Japan's rich cultural history.

Hiroyuki Sanada as Oishi, the leader of the Ronin was spot on. He has this certain quality to him which makes him perfect to be cast as a samurai. Although I have seen him in other movies in 'normal' roles and he excels in every performance. 

I, for one liked the film despite the fantasy element and the general cliches, such as having one white dude ostracized by an entire group in the beginning of the movie; then eventually proving himself to be a much welcomed part of the group. I know this concept is quite predictable in these sort of films. Hint: Tom Cruise in "The Last Samurai".

Yet I believe the triumph of good vs evil and the strong need for revenge against an injustice always make good plot lines to bank on. Never mind that the 'act of vengeance' is highly prohibited in the bushido (samurai code of honor), the 47 Ronin knew the ultimate consequence for their behavior would be to commit ritual suicide which is known as seppuku. They accepted their fate with pride, honor and dignity.

So regardless of the historical inaccuracy, "47 Ronin" was one entertainingly good Samurai movie, imho!

CHEF (2014)

Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo
Sofia Vergara, Oliver Platt

"Starting from Scratch
Never Tasted So Good"

After all the heavy dramatic films, I wanted to amuse myself with some light fare. "Chef" fit perfectly as it didn't require much deciphering. The plot was simple yet entertaining, the cast was good and it centered around food - so it was just what I wanted.

Albeit all the cooking and the delicious food made me hungry I'm glad it also filled my mind - with a steady plot line which was realistically authentic. A feel good movie just like a comfort food which eases both our stomachs and our general attitude towards life.

Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) an accomplished chef loses his job after a restaurant critic lambasted his food. His career in ruins, he decides to  venture out on his own. He retrofits a van and turns it into a traveling food truck that offers good, tasty food on the go. With the help of a good friend and his young son, Carl's food truck business is a huge success.

We should all emulate Carl's never say die attitude and never give up. We should never lose hope despite facing many obstacles and upheavals along the journey. That if we set out minds and our hearts into pursuing our goals and our passion, we have no way to go but up. That trials and failures are just as much part of the journey and they tend to push us forward, making us stronger and more determined to achieve victory and success.

Wow did I just get all of those life lessons from "Chef"? Probably the light hearted mood made me more philosophical about life?  I don't know but it seems that way!

THE JUDGE

Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall,

Vincent D'Onofrio, Vera Farmiga,

Billy Bob Thornton

"Defend Your Honor"

Brash city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) is in a court room defending his client when he receives a call informing him about the demise of his mother. He returns to his hometown for the funeral and tries to reconnect with his brothers as well as with his father, a respected judge (Robert Duvall) with whom he has a strained relationship. 

While Hank's in town, the judge is accused of a crime (hit and run incident) so he reluctantly acts as his father's lawyer. As he discovers the truth about the complex case, father and son as expected constantly clash yet Hank struggles to remain focus on proving his father's innocence despite overwhelming evidence which point to the contrary.

Part courtroom drama, but mostly a family reconciliation drama, "The Judge" is a powerful portrayal of a highly poignant father and son relationship. Both of them trying to come to terms in finding a common ground with their principles, their pride and their profession.

Even though it sometimes feel like an episode of L.A. Law (yes, I know that was a long time ago!) or any TV show which features lawyers for that matter, the averagely predictable plot is buoyed by the top notch performances of Downey and Duvall. Their scenes together are the main draws of the film. The supporting cast are also good and their characters are well developed and multi-dimensional.

I'd like to add that I am glad to see Robert Downey, Jr in a meaty role that doesn't require him to don a superhero outfit. He has always been a good character actor even though he did dabble briefly in comedy and the rom-com genre, I prefer him in dramatic roles. He was perfectly suited for the cocky and abrasive Hank Palmer. I hope he is given the chance to show off more of his 'dramatic' side instead of just being stereotyped as a superhero figure - which can get old, really fast!