Sicario Haunts My Dreams

Sicario, the latest release from up and coming director Dennis Villenueve (Prisoners) has stayed with me ever since I saw it about a week ago.  From the harrowing opening sequence to its open-ended finish, Sicario stands out as a powerful representation of how futile America's longest war (The war on drugs) really is.  This is required viewing as awards season kicks into high gear.

At first viewing, this film could frustrate viewers since it seems to leave the audience slightly out of the loop.  We see the story through Emily Blunt's no-nonsense FBI Agent as she tries to track down the people responsible for the devastating death toll that opens the movie.  She joins an off the books strike team led by the impeccable Josh Brolin.  He plays the leader of a shadow government agency and possesses a rather loose sense of morals when it comes to taking down the cartels.  She often asks, quite literally, what the F is going on.

This is where the film shines.  It perfectly encapsulates the futility and brutality of the war on drugs.  It asks whether the fight is worth fighting, and ultimately questions whether our approach is even working or worth fighting.  This film doesn't sugarcoat it.  In fact, it very subtly suggests that a more nuanced (and yes, morally loose) approach is the way to go.

I think the real highlights of this film are the action sequences.  There's a breathtaking prisoner exchange sequence that leads to an incredibly tense shoot out at the Mexican/American border.  Blunt's character is almost breathless as the world seems to move in double time around her.  She (Or the US Government) is almost always a step behind the cartels.  Her group is surrounded by would-be attackers seemingly everywhere she looks.  After the shootout, both Blunt and the audience are finally able to breathe.  There are multiple sequences in this film that will leave you gasping for air.  Villenueve can stage a shootout with he best of them, and I'm excited to see where he takes us next.

The other highlight of this film is the brilliance of Benicio Del Toro.  As my friend Adam said, Del Toro shines as a broken man, who will do what it takes to avenge his family's death.  I don't want to ruin it, but there is a scene at a dinner table that I can't get out of my head.

Sicario is available for purchase and rental.  I hope it finds the audience it deserves.  It definitely will make my top 10 of 2015 (coming soon).  Check it out today!

Turkey Trot 2015 Video

 My goal for the turkey trot video was to finish in less than 30 minutes.  How did I do?  Check out the video and find out.
Enjoy!

My Spoiler Free Star Wars The Force Awakens Review

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Movie Review by Brian Wezowicz

 George Lucas created perhaps the single most recognized piece of pop culture in Star Wars (Now subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope) in 1977.  For almost 40 years it (and its subsequent sequels and prequels) has shaped the lives of millions of fan boys and fan girls across the globe.  With that being said, George Lucas has spent the past 40 years taking a Jabba sized dump on his most prized (and lucrative) creation with his endless tinkering of the original trilogy, and his widely panned prequel trilogy.  Even the most loyal prequel supporters (I'm including myself) can fully admit that they were a huge disappointment filled with already dated CGI and wooden dialogue and acting.

We all breathed a sigh of relief when he handed the reigns over to Disney and their chosen director JJ Abrams.  BUT I think a lot of us were concerned because we didn't know what to expect.  I, personally, shied away from any spoilers and reviews before I saw this film.  I wanted to experience it with fresh eyes and ears.  I can tell you that my already sky high expectations were blown away.  RejoiceStar Wars fans! The Force Awakens is an epic masterpiece.

Now Disney and Lucasfilm have spent considerable time and energy into keeping the plot to this film under wraps, and I know there are a large amount of people who will kill me if I ruin anything for them.  So I'll list what I loved about this film.

 - It feels like a Star Wars movie.

The prequels suffered because they were dragged down by unnecessary plots featuring trade negotiations and Senate procedures.  In its simplest form, a Star Wars film is about good vs. evil... set in space.  This film feels right.  There's a new Empire (now dubbed The First Order), and its up to our band of rebels to take them down.

- It sounds like a Star Wars movie.

John Williams' score is omnipresent throughout this movie and it adds a layer of excitement, wonder, humor and realism to every scene.

 - It looks like a Star Wars movie.

JJ Abrams insistence on focusing on practical effects is extremely effective.  This movie looks GORGEOUS.  Whereas the prequels felt like you were watching a video game, this film looks real because it IS real.  Actual sets, makeup and costumes go a long way in painting the picture of this Galaxy far far away.

- Our old friends are back and better than ever.

Han, Chewie, Leia are other favorites all back and these famous actors infuse their characters with life, humor, and wisdom that only 35+ years of experience playing them can do.  I was worried that JJ was going to focus too much on nostalgia, but that's far from the case.  Harrison Ford, in particular, knocks it out the park in his most famous role.

- The familiar plot feels fresh.

No spoilers, but this movie is basically an updated version of A New Hope.  However, at the same time, the script sets up an entire new battle between good and evil, while not boring us with the details.  The First Order is set up without spending an hour explaining us how they rose to power.  We'll get to that in good time, so just sit back and enjoy this ride.

- The Lightsaber battles are out of this world, yet totally plausible.

The thing I most disliked about the prequels (besides Jar Jar) was how crazy the Lightsaber battles were.  There were too many flips and flops that didn't seem organic within this movie franchise.  The saber battles in this film seem to have been grounded (quite literally... there aren't any flips) in reality.  They seem more like the samurai battles were were originally mimicking.

- It leaves me thirsty for more.

I'm REALLY excited to see where this franchise goes.  The Force Awakens has a nice self contained story, while opening the window to a wider world that we'll get a better look at down the line when Episode VIII comes out.

Rejoice fans and non fans alike.  The Force Awakens is the movie event of the decade.  It's an epic masterpiece that will truly stand the test of time.  4 out of 4 stars.

See it now, see it often, and bring friends.  Congratulations JJ Abrams.  This is your finest work yet.  You even managed to keep the lens flares to a minimum.

Mockingjay Part 2 - A dark, fitting conclusion to the Hunger Games saga

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Movie Review

by Brian Wezowicz

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, besides being a mouthful of a title, is an incomplete movie.  By the very nature of its title, it is a continuation.  I will fully admit that the final book of Suzanne Collins' epic young adult trilogy is nothing but a blatant cash grab.  These movies both dragged at times because they needed to pad the script to make two movies out of one book.  With that being said, I am a fan of both movies, and Part 2 is certainly a fitting conclusion to the series.

Mockingjay Part 2 picks up right where Part 1 left off.  The rebels of District 13, led by Katniss Everdeen (an always entertaining Jennifer Lawrence), are prepping to strike the nefarious Capitol and strike the critical blow in the reign of President Snow (played with a slithering callousness by the great Donald Sutherland).  The only issue remains is whether to trust Peeta, who has been corrupted by the candidate like a Panem version of The Manchurian Candidate.

Whereas Part 1 drags and crawls at a snails pace, Part 2 moves along with full steam ahead.  It rarely lets its foot off the gas pedal, as our heroes storm the walls of the Capitol.  There are some genuinely horrifying, almost horror movie-esque moments as Katniss & Co. have to snake their way through the Capitols series of terrifying boobie traps (the river of boiling oil is especially impressive), barely escaping by the skin of their teeth.  By the time they reach the final battle, you as an audience are as exhausted thanks to some impressive camera work that fully immerses you in the battles.

The complaint I have about this series, and this film in particular, is that it really struggled to flesh out the love story (or that it felt necessary to inject one in the first place). It feels forced, particularly when there's a break from the action and the script tries (and fails) to inject some romance into an otherwise bleak dystopian future.  It doesn't help that the superb Jennifer Lawrence is surrounded by rather wooden actors seem incapable of showing any other emotion than terror.  I don't get a sense that there is a romantic connection between any of them.

Sadly, Mockingjay Part 2 also stalls in the sequences in between the action.  The producers very easily could have trimmed the fat from both films and made a truly spectacular Mockingjay movie.  I understand the economics of splitting up the final book, but in a creative sense, it left both movies feeling incomplete.

I'm giving this movie 2.5 stars out of 4.  There's a lot of good, but I can't rate it any higher since you need to see the first one to fully enjoy this one.

Spectre - James Bond Plays The Hits - And That's OK With Me

Spectre

Movie Review by Brian Wezowicz

 

Daniel Craig is my favorite James Bond.  I know it's blasphemous to even consider any one other than Sean Connery, but I don't care.  In fact, Connery is my 3rd favorite Double O (I'm partial to George Lazenby, the one and done star of my second favorite Bond, On Her Majesty's Secret Service).  Coming off the series high (both commercially and critically), Skyfall, the expectations were sky high for this one, and I think it's these high expectations that are ultimately leaving critics feeling disappointed.  With Craig as Bond, we are constantly expecting home run efforts every time he steps out.  Spectre is not a home run... but it's a solid triple that had me howling with delight.

This film picks up where Skyfall left off.  MI-6 is in ruins and the future of the "Double O" program is very much in doubt.  It's viewed as a relic of the past that can be replaced by a new Big Brother type computer program.  Drones are the future, and sadly, James Bond is the past.  Soon enough, things go haywire, and it's up to Bond to once again save the world.  There is an evil organization known as Spectre that is secretly controlling the world.  Bond, naturally, is the only one to pick up on this, proving that the there might be some life left in the relics of the past.

I don't want to delve too deeply into the plot.  The producers clearly have surprises and twists up their sleeves that they do not want to be spoiled (even if they are a little obvious).  I am not one for exposing spoilers like someone on Facebook ruining The Walking Dead for me (Sidenote: please stop with the Walking Dead spoilers!!!  Not everyone watches live television anymore!).  I want to focus on what I liked about this film.  To me, this felt like James Bond's greatest hits.  It was like going to a Rolling Stones concert.  You know what they're going to play.  They've played every song a million times.  And yet, you leave knowing  you've gotten your money's worth.  Let me run down some of Bond's greatest hits for you:

- Exhilarating opening sequence?  Check.

- Opening credits that look great, but don't really make sense?  Definitely.

- Exotic locals and thrilling chase sequences through snowy mountains and trains?  Yes and Yes.  I particularly enjoyed the opening sequence in Mexico.

- Bond theme sung by a popular current singer?  Yes, but I didn't particularly enjoy Sam Smith's "Writing's On The Wall".

- Silent yet seemingly indestrutible henchman?  Yup!  (Jaws and Odd Job would be proud of Mr. Hinx).

- Thick sexual tension between Bond and Moneypenny?  Absolutely.

- Bond being a wiseass to Q?  You know it!  I really enjoy the chemistry between Bond and the new Quartermaster.

- Bond girls?  Monica Bellucci has a brief, but incredibly sexy performance.

I could go on and on and on.  At 2.5 hours long, I was worried that Spectre would drag, but I was way wrong.  This film moves from scene to scene the way James Bond changes women?  Fast, furious and with wreckless abandon.  I think that's what I enjoyed most about this film.  Director Sam Mendes (back for his second stint in the director's chair) keeps the movie chugging along at a highly enjoyable pace.  He never lets the film sit and get stale.  He takes all of those cliches I mentioned above and makes them feel like we're seeing them for the first time.  That's what a greatest hits show should do.  Even when I could guess what was coming, I still howled with amusement as I watched it.  I think that's what I enjoyed most about Spectre.  It's the first "fun" Bond movie of the Daniel Craig era.  It was the closest thing to a traditional James Bond movie that we'll see these days.  It actually felt refreshing to see this movie eschew the "gritty/realistic" nature that had become common place with Craig.  Don't get me wrong... I love how they've successfully restarted a once thought for dead franchise.  Craig's portrayal of Bond is the closest thing to the way the character is portrayed in the Ian Fleming novels.  We are finally getting the James Bond backstory that had been missing for 45 years.  However, after Skyfall, I don't think they could have gone any darker.  It needed to bring some levity back.  It was great to see Daniel Craig (despite what he's saying on the press tour) finally having fun with the character.  If this is his last go round as 007, at least he's going out with a smile on his face.

I'm giving this movie 3 out of 4 stars.  The only thing I was disappointed with in this film was the main Bond villain.  Christoph Waltz is already in the hall of fame of movie villains for his portrayal of Hans Landa in my favorite Quentin Tarantino movie, Inglourious Basterds.  When he was cast as the myserious Oberhauser, I was practically giddy with delight.  I think my expectations may have been too high for this movie.  He gives a solid, yet forgettable performance in this one.  I expected more.

Knock, knock... It's Mr. Babadook

It's that time of year again.  As the leaves turn and pumpkin spice flavors everything we eat and drink, Halloween is on the horizon.  With Halloween comes horror movie season.  I don't usually indulge in the horror genre, save for a few times during the fall each year.  I'm more of a Hitchcock suspense fan than a Michael Meyers slasher fan, myself.  It's not that I don't like horror movies ( I do), it is more that I need to be in the mood for them.  Also, there haven't been many recent horror movies that have tickled my fancy.  However, as I sit here shaking in my basement, I would be remiss to fail to mention the best horror movie I've seen in years(And the critics agree), The Babadook.

"Mommy, there's a monster in my closet."  I think children have, in one form or another, been saying this to their parents since the beginning of time.  This film (crafted wonderfully from first time director, Jennifer Kent) takes a simple premise and infuses it with originality and enough genuine scares to make the hairs stand up on your arms for days.  A widow and her "troubled" son are haunted by a mysterious book that shows up in their home.  It lays out, in rhymed verse detail, exactly how the boogie man (Mr. Babadook) will kill them.  At first, the mother does not believe her son.  She (like all parents) claim it's just a figment of her son's imagination.  As time passes, she soon begins to realize that he is not seeing things and that Mr. Babadook is very much real.  What follows is a series of shit your pants level scary sequences that any true fan of the horror genre must see to believe.

Definitely pick this movie up and give it a view this Halloween season.  Bring a change of underwear as you'll probably need a dry pair after viewing this great film.  Here's just a few reasons why I found it so enjoyable.

1)  It's simple - The idea of the boogie man has been played out.  From the fun to the stupid, to the campy, the boogie man has been a fixture on film for as long as I can remember.  The Babadook seems fresh because it doesn't try to overdo it with cliches  and been there done that scenes.  Mr. Babadook is coming for you and there isn't anything you can do about it!

2) The sound design - From knocks, to screams, to scary voices, the sound design on this film is incredible.  Every sound on this movie helps build the tension until you as a view can't take it anymore.  I had to press pause a few times while viewing this film just to give me a chance to exhale.

3) The cast - Both Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman do a phenomal job in this movie.  You can see their last nerves fraying as each scene passes.  There are quite a few scenes with only screaming and tense breathing.  Essie Davis builds tension through her eyes, which look like they haven't gotten any sleep in days, and, as an audience, you really feel her pain.

That's it for me on this one.  What's your favorite scary movie?

Mission Impossible Rogue Nation - After 20 Years, This Franchise Has A Lot Of Gas Left In The Tank

Mission Impossible:  Rogue Nation

Movie Review by Brian Wezowicz

Has it really been 20 years since IMF agent Ethan Hunt first graced the silver screen?  Looking at Tom Cruise's face, you would never know that his most iconic character is almost legally able to drink.  At 53 years young, Tom Cruise delivers another stellar performance as the head agent of the Impossible Missions Force, in the wildly entertaining Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.

The American James Bond is back with a bang in my second favorite blockbuster of the summer (Mad Max: Fury Road still gets top billing), and this time he's taking down a secretive rogue nation (hey, that's the movie's title!) called the Syndicate.

I've always admired the Mission Impossible franchise.  Cruise brings in a different director for each chapter (admirably stepping into the director's chair this time is his Jack Reacher director, Christopher McQuarrie), and each film seems to have a different feel to it.  However, this one seemed the least independent of the bunch (which is not a bad thing at all).

From the get go, Ethan Hunt and shortly thereafter, the entire IMF is disavowed (side note:  my one gripe with the whole franchise is that Hunt is disavowed in EVERY film.  You'd think they would learn to trust him after all this time.  But I digress).  He learns that the rumored shadow group called the syndicate is very much real.  Hunt is the only one to believe this and soon goes it alone to try to bring it down.  He manages to bring the rest of his team (led by an always funny Simon Pegg, the steady Ving Rhames, and the always reliable Jeremy Renner) in to assist him.  They are in for a wild ride as they try to out wit the Bond villain-esque head of the Syndicate, Solomon Lane.  I love Lane's performance and overall look.  He has an incredible ability to talk without really moving his mouth. 

From the moment this film opens up (the much talked about scene with Tom Cruise hanging from an airplane) to the final moments, this movie never lets its foot off the gas.  Every scene delivers the perfect amount of action, humor and excitement.  The actors are top notch (I loved the female lead in this film, played with the right amount of feminist gusto by Rebecca Ferguson).

Back to Tom Cruise for a moment.  He'll always have his detractors because of his religious beliefs and kooky antics, but in my opinion there may not be a better action star in the world.  He steps into every role he takes and completely owns it.  He has the tendency to over-deliver his lines (There's plenty of that in this film), and there's a little bit of crazy behind those eyes, but when it comes time to step in front of the camera, he's the king for a reason.

Rogue Nation is right up there with the best of the Impossible franchise.  It delivers thrills and laughs equally from the opening frame.  I highly encourage you to see this movie, especially if a little bit of superhero fatigue has set in.  There's also an amusing Easter Egg with a rabbit's foot (MI:III shout out!)  You won't be disappointed.  3/4 stars.

Bonus Round:  My Mission Impossible rankings

5)  Mission Impossible II

As my friend wrote, this is the only one that doesn't stand the test of time.  It wasn't that great to begin with and it's almost unwatchable now.  It's over-reliance on slow motion action sequence and doves (so. many. doves) screams early 2000's action movie.  Pass on this one.

4)  Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

I wish there were more movies so this one wouldn't be in second to last place.  If I were scoring the final 4 movies, they would only be separated by decimal points.

3)  Mission Impossible:  Ghost Protocol

Ethan Hunt is on his own after his IMF team is disavowed (shocker!).  The Kremlin scene alone would be worth the price of admission.  The climb up the tallest building in the world is icing on the cake.

2)  Mission Impossible

One of the best scenes in movie history!  This one is the most spy-like in the entire franchise.  I love the opening 20 minutes of the movie, which is as tense as anything Hitchcock ever did.  A great film that still holds up 20 years later.

1)  Mission Impossible III

JJ Abrams had the unenviable task of pumping life into a flat lining franchise.  This one gets top billing because of Philip Seymour Hoffman's superb performance as the villain that would put any Bond baddie to shame.  I also like that it tried to humanize Ethan Hunt by giving him a wife and a bit of a back story.

There you have it.  I went back and forth on this list.  You could switch out any of the top 4 and I'd still be OK with it.  I'll probably change this list 20 times in my life depending on my mood.