The Maze Runner- Movie Review

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Action, Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Sci-Fi, Wes Ball, Will Poulter

The Maze Runner is an intriguing and surprisingly good science fiction film that does a great job building tension, setting up characters, and utilizing its environments. Director Wes Ball finds a fine balance between engaging mystery and strong character developments. While the dystopian young adult film genre has been utilized in the past to create several weak franchises, The Maze Runner takes the route of a traditional sci-fi film with a strong element of mystery. Overall, The Maze Runner is a surprisingly good film with well thought out characters and an interesting plot. Though it’s not on the level of some of this year’s other action films, such as X-Men Days of Future Past or Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, it takes a worn out genre and presence and takes a fresh spin on it. Though it’s hard to call it a great film, it’s nonetheless a very entertaining movie that, if nothing else, was solidly entertaining for two hours. Grade: B

You can read my extended thoughts on About.com: http://kidstvmovies.about.com/od/kidsfamliymovies2014/fl/The-Maze-Runner-Review-for-Parents.htm

You can also read my interview with Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, and Will Poulter on About.com: http://kidstvmovies.about.com/od/kidsfamliymovies2014/fl/The-Maze-Runner-Interview-with-Dylan-OBrien-Kaya-Scodelario-and-Will-Poulter.htm

This is Where I Leave You- Movie Review

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Adam Driver, Comedy, Corey Stoll, Drama, Jason Bateman, Shawn Levy, This is Where I Leave You, Tina Fey

This is Where I Leave You is a charming, hilarious, and ultimately heartwarming film with a great deal of emotion and no little laughs. While the film could’ve easily been torn apart by melodrama and poor editing, director Shawn Levy does a great job at bringing a realistic series of relationships into a already funny film.

The main selling point of the film is it’s phenomenal cast, who for the most part do a great job, and more importantly, have great chemistry. Jason Bateman, who has sold himself as a comedy actor after films such as Paul and Horrible Bosses, is particularly good as the film’s lead; he plays a normal, relatable character that still gets to expose the humor within the film’s situations. Also memorable is Adam Driver, who gets the film’s most outwardly comedic character and does an excellent job at playing off the actors. The comfort that the actors show with the material sells there on screen personas and interactions, and makes the film all the more enjoyable.

The remaining cast is also exceptional. Tina Fey and Corey Stoll, who make up the film’s leads along with Bateman and Driver, do a good job with their material, though they are not as memorable as characters. Other cast members, such as Jane Fonda, Rose Byrne, and Ben Schwartz are also funny, though they are rightfully secondary to the relationship between the four leads. These characters, as well as many others, are given many hilarious moments, though they aren’t given as much development or depth as the others.

Shawn Levy also does a great job directing the film. There are many long shots and continuous camera movement that sell the film’s realism, both comedically and dramatically. Though the comedy in the film is not situational, the dialogue is constantly hilarious and brings out numerous funny scenes. The tensions between these characters, as well as the distinctive personalities, are what draw out many of the film’s comedic moments, and these relationships evolve as the characters do. The character development is also interesting, as it tends to stay away from many of the clichés common in family bonding films. While there are some predictable moments, the film does have some genuinely surprising moments.

At 103 minutes, This is Where I Leave You is well paced and never becomes a drag. Most scenes are relevant and connect to the story and characters. Instead of pounding the audience with needless exposition, past events are revealed more subtly and are introduced throughout the film’s runtime. The film’s conclusion in particular wraps up very nicely and avoids melodramatic moments. Though there are several subplots, they all are resolved and connect together. In terms of flaws, there aren’t any glaring issues, though the film’s first five to ten minutes are oddly toned and aren’t as smart and interesting as the rest of the film.

Overall, This is Where I Leave You is a hilarious and touching film with several great performances and great direction by Shawn Levy, who creates one of the finest films of his entire career. The comedy and drama are expertly combined and blended to make one of the funnier films this year. It’s a film that everyone can relate to and delivers enough relevance, wit, and charm to become an enthralling and entertaining film. Grade: +B

Frank- Movie Review

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Comedy, Domhnall Gleeson, Frank, Michael Fassbender, Scoot McNairy

          “It’s best if you just go with it,” says Scoot McNairy’s Don to Domhnall Gleeson’s John. This line not only describes the character of Frank, but also the film overall; an oddly mesmerizing but incredibly strange film. Frank is an unconventional and darkly comic exploration of art and media that is surely one of the best films of the summer.

          The majority of Frank relies on the tremendous leading performance by Michael Fassbender, who gives the first comical performance of his career. Fassbender is consistently hilarious as Frank and helps sell the character as a person, and not just a gag. The best thing that any actor can do in any role is to completely disappear into a role so that the audience forgets the actor and sees only the character. For an actor of Fassbender’s fame to do so is quite impressive.

          Newcomer Domhnall Gleeson also does a great job as the band’s new recruit and gives the audience not only a relatable figure, but also an expression of the film’s themes about sharing art and the desire to be significant. Scoot McNairy, who has generally been limited to minor roles in films such as Argo and 12 Years a Slave, does a great job as well and gives one of the film’s most darkly comical performances. The only performance really lacking is Maggie Gyllenhaal; her role here feels miscast and she never really adds any humor to the film.

          There are many underlying themes in Frank, such as an artist’s desire to be original and loved, the torment that everyday people face, and the definition of genius. These themes, among others, are briefly touched upon throughout the film and while the film never feels like a message film, it certainly has things to say. It’s odd calling Frank a comedy, as it has an odd darkness to it, but there certainly are numerous laughs throughout. Director Lenny Abrahamson gives the film a dark comedy sense that while it does sometimes become over indulgently strange, is for the most part entertaining.

          While Frank is only 95 minutes, it does feel that a few scenes, especially those involving the creation of music, could have been cut down a little bit. The cinematography of the film, involving both long takes and quick cuts, helps add to the humor of the situations. It’s edited well with a great score by Stephen Rennicks, though the film could’ve used a few more musical numbers. The musical numbers in the film are all good, especially “I Love You All”, which gives Fassbender a place to show his talents as a singer (and should be at least considered for the Academy Award for Best Original Song).

          Frank is an enjoyable though not hilarious dark comedy with a lot of great performances and memorable scenes. It’s not quite as hilarious as its trailers suggest, though there is certainly an odd relevance to the film’s storyline. Frank is certainly the weirdest, though undeniably one of the most entertaining, films of the year. Grade: +B