Good Vibrations All Around! My Review Of LOVE & MERCY...

Going in to Love & Mercy, I admit that I knew very little about Brian Wilson. A founding member of the Beach Boys, I knew that he suffered from a mental illness and was the father of Wendy and Carney Wilson, of Wilson Phillips fame, who just happened to be one of my favorite bands as a teenager. That was it. That was the extent of my knowledge on this musical legend.

Holy crap, was I blown away by this film! I mean seriously, you have to check out this movie, if for nothing else than to get a sense of who Brian Wilson was and is. The film consists of two simultaneous stories, one taking place in the 1960's during the Beach Boys heyday and one taking place during a tumultuous time in his life during the 1980's.

Paul Dano is incredible as a young Brian Wilson. We're talking awards season calibre performance here, which I am scared is going to get lost in the shuffle as the year goes on. Not that Dano doesn't shine in everything he does, but here he really, truly does. His performance is understated and yet, at the same time, completely over the top, which I know doesn't make a lot of sense, but will once you see this film. He brings such heart to the character that you can't help but root for him, even when you know that maybe he's not on the right path.

John Cusack is just as fantastic as an older Brian Wilson, at the height of his struggle with mental illness. His performance is truly heart wrenching, in both its scope and subtlety. Another performance that I hope is going to be remembered come awards season, although again, I'm not holding my breath. Elizabeth Banks shines as Melinda Ledbetter, the woman who eventually saves Wilson and Paul Giamatti does what he does best as the creepy Dr. Eugene Landy. Seriously, the cast and their performances are amazing, and definitely worth the price of admission.

Overall the film is an interesting look at an interesting man and the trials and tribulations that make him who he is today. I recommend the film, not only for the unforgettable performance of Paul Dano, but also for the look into the psyche of a musical icon. I came out knowing a whole lot more about Brian Wilson and with a newfound respect for everything that he's accomplished in his life. He is someone who should be celebrated for his musical genius and the best way to do that is to go out and see this film.

Love & Mercy           4.75/5

I Spy Hilarity! My Review Of Paul Feig's SPY...

Say what you will, but when Melissa McCarthy teams up with Paul Feig, it’s comedy gold! For whatever reason, these two just get each other and it shows in everything they do together, usually bringing the laughs by the bucketful. And Spy is no exception.

What I liked about this film was both the chemistry of the cast and the fact that McCarthy isn't doing her regular old schtick. Sure, there are pratfalls and physical comedy throughout, but it’s different this time because McCarthy’s Susan Cooper isn't a one note character, bumbling through life and bordering on idiotic. She’s smart and capable and I really think that McCarthy shines when she’s playing these types of characters. (Those that are similar to the character she plays on Mike & Molly!). I hope she embraces these types of roles and just goes for it in the future. Not everyone of her characters needs to be a moron to be funny.

And seriously, Rose Byrne needs to do more comedy! Between this and last year’s hit, Neighbours, she more than proves that she’s not only sexy, but funny as hell. Of course, she also needs to play more bad guys because she’s just so good at it. Jude Law is great as the suave, but clueless James Bond knockoff, but was a bit underused in the film overall. Miranda Hart and Peter Serafinowicz are absolutely hilarious as a couple of CIA agents to round out the supporting cast. But let’s face it, Jason Statham absolutely steals the show in this one! His take on the macho, stereotypical secret agent is delightful and shows that the action star has great comedic timing, as well as no problem making fun of himself and the genre.

Overall, I had a great time with this film. I found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions, and even if the plot was slightly generic, it was a great riff on the spy genre as a whole. I am actually going to say that I hope they make a sequel to this film, as I would love another opportunity to catch up with these characters and see what else they have in store for us. Another mission, anyone?

Spy      4/5 

What’s The Hawaiian Word For Disappointing? My Review Of Aloha…

Why, Cameron, why? That’s what continued to run through my brain as I exited the theatre this weekend after screening Cameron Crowe’s latest, Aloha. How could everything, that looked so amazing on paper, have gone so horribly, horribly wrong? But sadly, it did.

I really wanted to love this movie, because I love Cameron Crowe. I think that, for the most part, he’s an amazing filmmaker and I’m always interested in whatever he’s doing next. And yes, I am one of those people who really liked Elizabethtown and I will totally defend it against all of you naysayers! Was it perfect? No, but it was at least watchable, unlike his newest, Aloha.

This film suffers from an acute identity crisis. Is it a romantic comedy? A family drama? An international spy thriller? I honestly don’t think anyone, least of all Cameron Crowe, knows because this film tries to be all of these things and ends up a jumbled mess. The 3 story arcs that make up the plot of the film have absolutely nothing to do with one another, other than the fact that they are meant to show the growth of Bradley Cooper’s character, and honestly, by the time we get to the end, no one really cares.

Now, there are things to like about this film. First and foremost, the cast is amazing. It’s such a shame that they are utterly wasted in a forgettable film. Bradley Cooper has made a career playing the flawed hero and here, he doesn’t disappoint. While his character isn’t exceptionally well fleshed out, he brings enough to it that you kind of want to see him win. Emma Stone is fantastic, as always, as the neurotic, but likeable love interest. Her character would have benefited from a bit more fleshing out as well, although overall, this is a small quibble as she does get plenty of screen time. I think her character fell victim to a brutal final edit. Rachel McAdams shines in what little she is given, but honestly, John Krasinki steals the show in an understated and subtle, yet highly memorable performance.

Ultimately, this film just tries too hard, and ultimately crashes and burns. I think that if Crowe had eliminated one of the story arcs (those that have seen the film probably know which one I’m talking about) and focused on the other two, this would have been a pretty special film. There are touches of that Cameron Crowe brilliance, including the final scene of the film which is so stunning and heartfelt it will bring a tear to your eye, but overall it just doesn’t work. And I really, really, really wanted it to work. When the first thought out of your head is, I wonder what someone like David O. Russell could have done with this film, you know you’re in trouble.

Aloha              2/5 

The Future Isn't So Bright! Review: Tomorrowland

I hate it when one of my most anticipated films of the year ends up being a dud. And this year, that appears to be the case in a number of instances. I was excited for this film. I love Brad Bird and think that he’s an amazing filmmaker. I was looking forward to seeing what he had in store for us. I mean, the man turned down a Star Wars film to make Tomorrowland, so it had to be something special, right?

Yeah, not so much! That’s not to say that the film is bad, because it’s not. It’s just that it is not what I (or a number of others, I'm sure) thought it was going to be. The marketing for the film was interesting and promised something special. What we got was a pretty generic Disney film, through and through, fully aimed at a family/younger audience. And that’s not a bad thing… it was just completely unexpected.

Visually, the film is lovely. The actual shots of Tomorrowland itself were amazing, and I would expect nothing less from Bird. And the cast does a great job with what they are given. I had heard rumblings that many thought George Clooney was miscast, but I don't see it. I thought that he did a good job and his character had a nice little story arc that came full circle. Britt Robertson was pretty dynamic as the lead and I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us next. For me, however, the show was completely stolen by Raffey Cassidy. Her turn as Athena is fantastic and worth the price of admission alone. A bright spot in an otherwise uneven story.

Aside from the fact that it wasn't what I expected, the film suffers from a weak script, especially in the third act. A film that could have been revolutionary felt kind of generic, hitting all the same beats and tropes as any other family film. The villain was weak and the macguffin was so contrived it was almost laughable. Everything was set up so that it could all be explained in the allotted 2 hours, whether it truly made sense in the grand scheme of things or not.

Overall, the film was a letdown for me, mainly because I think I had such high expectations going in and I really wanted to love it. The probably 12 year old girls who were also in my screening, absolutely loved the film and couldn't stop gushing about it, so apparently I'm not the demographic. If Disney had marketed the film properly, as the family friendly film that it is, they might have seen a slightly better box office draw. As it is, the film will go down as a pretty big disappointment to many. At least this means that Brad Bird can turn his focus to things that matter, like The Incredibles 2.

Tomorrowland                        3/5