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christopherbreen
Reviews
Money Monster (2016)
'Not such a money monster'
Money Monster tells the story of Lee Gates (George Clooney); the charismatic host of the financial TV show; Money Monster. After Gates tells his viewers to invest in IBIS Clear Capital, the company experiences a 'glitch' in its logarithm and its stocks plummet; costing shareholders $800 million. But not everyone is satisfied with this explanation. Holding Gates responsible, Kyle Budwell (Jack O'Connell) sneaks onto the live show's set and holds Gates hostage; armed with a gun and a bomb vest strapped to Lee. He invested his entire life savings in IBIS and he wants an explanation for his loss. All broadcasted to the world on Live TV, Lee and his director Patty (Julia Roberts) must get to the bottom of the financial crisis before the gunman completes the unthinkable. Espionage, danger, and corruption ensues as everyone does their best to deal with this delicate situation before it's too late...
I know some of you will be turned off watching this movie due to the financial jargon, and while it would be beneficial to have knowledge of such jargon before you watch this movie, it isn't compulsory to still gain some enjoyment from this film. It beautifully captures the outrage of a stock market collapse combined with the delicacy and tactics of a hostage situation. However, I feel as though Clooney's natural charisma and lighthearted disposition takes away from this delicate situation a little, appearing somewhat too calm under pressure and therefore lowered the stakes. There's also a reveal about 2 thirds into the movie that decreases tension as well, but from the exterior stays the same. What works best for a movie like this is the tense ambiance that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats, and sometimes it went astray from this central ideal. That was where the plot lost me. But when it does have those tense sequences, boy do they do it well... There were also some moments when the plot moved a little slow. This could've been fixed.
The main cast was few but quality; George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O'Connell, Caitriona Balfe, Dominic West, and Giancarlo Esposito were among those involved. Julia Roberts was PERFECTION. By far the stand-out in this one. She had the perfect manner for someone who would have been dealing with a situation like this in a role like hers if it were to happen in 'real life'. Fantastic. The others all performed, I think, to their expected standards. Clooney, to his credit, expanded his repertoire for this role, but you can definitely see the normal Clooney shining through. I appreciate the effort by Director Foster to blend together differing genres of Comedy and Drama/ mystery. But unfortunately, unlike the unusual blend of Comedy and Horror in The Visit, it didn't work in this form. It degraded the dramatic appeal of the film which was stellar at times.
The script, soundtrack, and cinematography were all very good and contributed to that tense and dramatic ambiance that audiences feed off of. With some luck there will be some award nominations- it certainly deserves a few. To improve, less focus on trying to maintain a lighthearted ambiance within a very serious situation, and try to invent more fresh plot twists to invigorate the drama and keep the plot moving quickly. The movie's underlying purpose I feel was to send a message about financial decisions to the target audiences while blending it into an engaging storyline. This was successful, I walked away from this movie knowing that corruption is everywhere and that I should spend my money wisely.
To finish, I enjoyed this movie a lot. It had some fantastic elements and strengths, but the biggest thing for me as I've already stated that brings down this movie is the attempt to forcefully blend wildly contrasting genres and their moods into this film. Some characters were nonchalant while others were deadly serious. This movie needed to focus all its energy on its strength; dramatic tension.
See more reviews like this at chrisbreviews.blogspot.com
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Visionary director James Wan instills fear of all types in this superior sequel
Now, I must say I was reluctant to see this movie, because I obviously get scared by horror movies (dur) and the only sessions were at 9:40pm every night... But, I knew my audience would want it, and so I gritted my teeth, and stepped into the movie theater. I hope you guys know the sacrifices I make for you!
But I walked out of the theater very impressed. I don't have LOADS of horror movie experience, but what I do know is that most of them have one priority only- to scare the audience. While this was definitely present in this movie, I was pleasantly surprised at how layered and intricate the plot and characters were. Australia's own James Wan directed this movie and I must give a standing ovation for the job he did here. Bravo. I don't think I trust many other horror directors aside from him. The cinematography of this film was genius and flawlessly executed, and was probably the scariest part of the movie! The use of wide shots and a slowly panning camera back and forth from a source of horror was brilliant! And this was fantastically complimented by the set design, extensive use of props, and the eerie and enigmatic lighting. Roughly half the time something would emerge from the darkness or from behind the props, while the other half of the time, nothing would happen, but the anticipation was what scared viewers. I would not be surprised if Wan or the cinematography team were nominated for an Oscar. Look out for the scene where Janet is being interviewed by Ed Warren- the camera-work really shines there, you'll know what I mean.
And that wasn't the only source of fright for viewers. It just didn't stop throughout almost the entire movie. By the end, however, it kind of lost its initial effect. Maybe I just became more acclimatized to it. And of course I have to address the biggest cliché plot convenience in all horror films- walking TOWARDS the source of the horror. Why? Just why? There was one scene however when an entire family, after being scared enough, sprinted out of their house to the neighbors next door. I thought 'that was the most sensible thing anyone has done in a horror movie'. Anyway, to the plot! I did like the spin they put on that the whole thing could be a hoax concocted by a bored girl (which was an element present in the true story of this case), and exploring that from different perspectives. It's something that the world deals with all the time- skepticism. And that element was used deftly in a plot twist that invigorated the story line when it needed it most. For those wondering, the actual events of this case are dramatized significantly to make the finished product. I've seen the real evidence, and I'm still not convinced that any of it was real. The poignant tone at the end of the Conjuring movies is something that I both hate and like at the same time. Yes, it gives the franchise some originality, brings some themes to the table, and makes the plot more intricate, but at the end of the day, this is a HORROR MOVIE. I want to walk out of the cinema shaking, but the 'and they lived happily ever after' takes some of that away. That's where I feel a franchise like Paranormal Activity trumps The Conjuring.
The cast has familiar faces Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, with new guys Madison Wolfe, Frances O'Connor, Lauren Esposito, Benjamin Haigh, Patrick McAuley, Simon McBurney, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Simon Delaney among others. Not many horror films have names you might recognize. Farmiga's and Wolfe's performances were the stand-outs in this movie, with the ensemble cast performing valiantly as well. Wilson and his character were a bit too fearless for me. I loved Wilson and Farmiga's cute chemistry. It was a nice, light element to bring to the table. Speaking of, genres included action, horror, thriller, mystery, and romance, while themes were family, unity, incredulity, and the media. The costuming and production value was done well, and special effects were fine except for the 'Crooked man' sequence (contained animation)- not sure I liked that very much...
The running time was pretty long, but it felt like a journey because of the character development and how I was engaged. The soundtrack and sound editing was effective in the way it was intelligently used, and a sequel is definitely possible- the Warrens have a fair amount of source material to draw from. You don't need to have seen the original or Annabelle to enjoy this one, but you will have a greater appreciation of it if you have.
To conclude, it could be improved through less of a happy ending- even if its just one shot at the end or the possibility of a reawakening force, and more thriller elements- in terms of the villains credibility- to really solidify the fear in the audience. But, I judge a good movie on how it stimulates emotions, and there were definitely some emotions brewing inside me!
For more reviews like this; see chrisbreviews.blogspot.com
Funny Fat Guy (2018)
Depressing comedy indie brings emotional roller-coaster
Funny Fat Guy explores one stand-up comic's tragic downward spiral as he becomes tainted by drug addiction and alcoholism. This film can be seen by many as a breath of fresh air, adding a dimension of realism to the film industry and describing the sad reality of many who become involved with drugs and alcohol, as well as the repercussions on themselves, their relationships, and careers. The plot moved along at a slow enough pace for audiences to keep up and enough happens to evade boredom.
The main character (Charlie McStean- played by Sandy Danto) is the embodiment of being pathetic. This results in excessive viewer sympathy and the slow trek down to the lowest point of his life can only be described as painful to watch, perhaps even a little too repetitious. Each time a ray of hope appears, it is promptly squashed 3 or 4 glasses of beer later. Again, this raises awareness of the tragic reality of an alcoholic. The relationships between characters were underdeveloped, but perhaps that was the point- to demonstrate how alcohol and drugs break down these relationships.
But you may be wondering; 'all this depression needs some kind of positive elements. Right?' Wrong. There isn't much happiness to be found in this film, even the ending is brutal in its nature. This is perhaps where some viewers could find creative differences with this film, but nevertheless, it is devoid of clichés, confronts to the extent of engaging viewers, and portrays its messages.
The production value was moderate in quality, but impressive for a film of this size. The cinematography had its moments, but was a little shaky at times. I was kept engaged as there was always something happening, and like McStean, there was always a thread of hope dangling just out of reach viewers could reach for. It is evident that Director Ryan Penington had a clear vision of the result through the duration of the film. The sound editing was sometimes a little unorganised- some of the dialogue was difficult to discern.
To improve, some more thorough editing should definitely be put in place to fix some of the little things that may bug viewers and decrease ethos of the film, however, overall, the content and themes was very impressive for this type of film, and enjoyment can definitely be sourced from it.