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Reviews
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Eyeball Sponges and Stainless Blood
Clip your nails: because "Mad Max: Fury Road" will have you ruining chair arms if you don't.
George Miller has masterfully welded together a neat, gritty and chaotically choreographed dance of metal mayhem. This point is highlighted with scenes of apocalyptic war drums accompanied by a mad-red jumpsuit donned stringed ax thrasher who strums and picks notes during a-many doomed pursuits.
One of the most talented and varied cinematographers that exists in the industry, John Seale, punches bold and mesmerizing hues of rust, sweat, life and zeal through the audiences' optical pipes, seizing the imagination.
Madman of the hour Max (Tom Hardy) has few lines. Instead, he communicates more by what he doesn't say--which I found ideal for the character. His suspicion that all minds are tortured in one way or another, and how Miller illustrated those mental episodes, lets me feel connected to the character in that special way that elevates a movie from an experience to an interaction.
Rebellious, charming and astute Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) must have missed the memo about the title of the movie. Anyone would have trouble defending Max as being the lead in this movie. This is not a complaint.
Remaining cast were aces in my book.
Car chases were spectacular and certainly blurred the lines between special and visual effects. My only complaint is that despite the movie being titled "Fury Road" there could have been less vehicular venery.
(SPOILER ALERT AHEAD.) Scale is scoped in epic proportions throughout much of this flick. Mile high dust storms, desert plains, hordes of monster truck luxury transports, motorcycles and rat-rod clod busters are barely contained on-screen. Encapsulating this fact is at the tail end of the climax as the mixed group of protagonists contemplate their futures into an apparent dried up ocean bed--gazing to the haze of the foreboding horizon. To cross it on motorcycle would take over one hundred and sixty days.
While not my preferred octane of choice, "Mad Max: Fury Road" is an addition to the franchise that many will aspire to replicate, some will use to motivate, but all respectable fans of cinema will appreciate.
Friended to Death (2014)
Fan of '90s Generation Comedies?
Although this was a seemingly standard antihero style movie, it held my attention. The subject matter was relevant, acting was entertaining enough and the cinematography was clean, as far as I'm concerned. While fewer spots than I'd had suspected caused me to wince at the acting, overall I felt as though I was watching a fast-food, summertime-pick- on-a-whim movie at the theater. Some people may avoid junk food at all costs, but every once in awhile it's good to grub on some sugar covered salt. My bet is that Sarah Smick (director/writer) and Ian Michaels (writer) have movies such as Bio-Dome, Encino Man and Bill & Ted in the 'liked' category of their preferred social media site (or maybe just on Blu-ray).
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Filthy Shame of Grey's Lack Thereof or (The Unintended Virtue of Audience)
by Rob Feight
When the girl twenty-somethings were buzzing about a book titled as though it was intended to assist passionate monochromatic painters with technique, I hardly took notice. A couple of months afterwards when the buzz had turned into giggled whispers at housewife round tables and on the radio, my curiosity peeked open nary an eyelid.
Three years, a movie and a cringe worthy mountain of negative reviews later and now hopefully, just maybe, this fraudulent, lecherous abduction of the classically beloved story of Cinderella will extinguish itself. Though, from the droves of moviegoers that have seemingly been going to bed unfulfilled, that fire may already be gone--with much the same speed in which a shallow, lustfully founded relationship fizzles.
The sooner the significant others of hard working average guys can cease daydreaming about this fallacy, the better.
The Interview (2014)
Is This The Beginning?
The trio that brought us This is the End, Pineapple Express and now The Interview have peeked their heads out of a dazed cloud of cannabis haze to see what's happening in the world at large.
In this newest offering, Franco and Rogen blatantly address their concern (along with collaborator Evan Goldberg) that peers in the industry may not be taking them seriously. Though, this is done by their on-screen characters, Dave (Franco) and Aaron (Rogen), and projected as a show that's center to the movie titled: Skylark Tonight.
The suspicion that Evan, James and Seth are exploring ways to get a different vibe associated with their work is certainly showing.
I get the feeling that throughout the production, direction of expressing the tone of the film became conflicted. This can be seen with some of the dramatic lighting used. One night scene with Seth staring off into the distance was straight out of a Focus Feature film. This could lead viewers to expect a more dramatic tone than that of a comedy, especially given the cast at hand.
All stated, The Interview was needed. As far as the hype: sure, warranted. But, only in the sense that anyone not living at 40.1326 latitude and 123.9889 longitude would already know what the fuss was about without seeing the movie.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Diamond in the Rough, Wait, Where'd it Go?
Don't waste your time hiding your funny bone, they'll find it. Michael Caine is aces in this movie and general in my opinion. Glenne Headly and Steve Martin, while seeming to be playing second fiddle the entire time, performed their motifs successfully, if I may say so.
I was hesitant at first, knowing that Michael Caine and Steve Martin don't seem to line up on paper. I'm glad to say that this was a gross underestimation of both Mr. Martin and Caines acting chops on my part. During the scenes with Ruprecht I kept waiting for Martin to take it too far; I think it's safe to say, he never did. It's like Robert Downey Jr's character in Tropic Thunder implies, never go all the way.
Adding to my list of favorites.