The past few months have been very busy for me. What with a summer stats class, driving tests, and filming a short film called “We Need to Talk About Colonel Sanders”, I’ve been run ragged. But I’m never too busy to go to the movies, and do I have some treats for you!
The Gift
I didn’t know what to make of The Gift. I love Joel Edgerton, and seeing him direct for the first time was an interesting proposition. However, I didn’t really care for any of the trailers, and I’m usually not a fan of “pretty rich people get terrorized by another pretty but troubled guy” movies. Well, I’m shocked to say that The Gift is surprisingly quite good, giving new life to a thriller subgenre that has lately been found wanting.
Premise: Simon and his wife Robyn are visited by Gordo, a “weirdo” from Simon’s school days. However, the connection turns toxic when Gordo starts making their lives a living Hell, culminating in a shocking revelation that could destroy Simon’s life.
Pros: Joel Edgerton makes a fantastic triple threat as writer-director-antagonist; the character of Gordo is very effective; Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall make a great couple; very effective plot twists; last act takes a dark turn that pays off, big time.
Cons: First half drags too much and is overly familiar; a few twists come far too out of left field (but NOT the big ones); weak supporting characters.
The Verdict: It may not quite be the second coming of Hitchcock some are proclaiming it, but The Gift is an interesting, tense, and well written thriller, not to mention a solid directorial debut for Edgerton.
Score: 7/10
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Again, I wasn’t quite sure about The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The trailers were fine, nothing special, and I was worried that it would end up being a poor man’s Bond. However, with a great young cast and a talented director in Guy Ritchie, I was still looking forward to it. Now that I’ve seen it, although it’s my least favorite of the year’s spy movies, I had a blast with The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and think it deserved much better at the box office.
Premise: It’s the Cold War, and nuclear paranoia is at an all-time high. When a mysterious criminal syndicate starts selling nukes to unsavory people, two agents (one CIA, the other KGB) must team up to stop them before brinkmanship gets out of hand.
Pros: Style, baby! If Guy Ritchie does something best, it’s style, and this movie oozes 60s flair; Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer are terrific together and have some of the best banter this side of Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes; good, crazy action; Alicia Vikander, can I hang out with you some time? You are a fantastic actress and are absolutely beautiful.
Cons: About fifteen minutes too long; like Rogue Nation, weak villains; not enough Hugh Grant, who does a great job with very little.
The Verdict: Once again, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. a delight. Cavill and Hammer are great actors with tons of charisma, Alicia Vikander continues her hot streak (see Ex Machina if you haven’t yet), and that style is oh so cool. Please go out and see this movie, because it needs all the help it can get.
P.S. Alicia, if this review finds you, please consider my offer.
Score: 7.5/10
Straight Outta Compton
Ever since that first red-band trailer, Straight Outta Compton has been very high on my radar. I’ve read up on their story and listened to much of their library, and N.W.A. really did change the cultural landscape. They were a great rap group with a ton of classics and have a fascinating story. So how did this biopic turn out? Well…it turned out great, but with some major weaknesses.
Premise: Put simply, the meteoric rise and fall of the group that revolutionized rap and gave a whole generation its voice. A quintet of young black men from Compton form a rap group that completely changes the game, attracting rabid fans and equally venomous detractors, but circumstances and their own conflicting personalities threaten to tear them apart.
Pros: The first two acts are better than I could’ve imagined; the story of N.W.A. is brilliantly and lovingly told, and F. Gary Gray knows how to tell it; the acting is fabulous, particularly from Corey Hawkins (Dr. Dre) and Jason Mitchell (Eazy-E); despite my apprehension; O’Shea Jackson Jr. did just fine playing his father; great music! I squeed a bit when certain songs played.
Cons: A poor third act where everything happens too fast, especially in contrast to the very well paced first two; perhaps having Ice Cub and Dre as producers wasn’t a good idea, because the movie is heavily sugar-coated and the group comes out looking a little too good to be true. Dre’s actions in particular get some judicious whitewashing.
The Verdict: I was hoping for a good biopic and wasn’t disappointed. While Straight Outta Compton doesn’t reach the heights I was hoping for, I enjoyed it very much and think it’ll be a big success in the long run. Also, be on the lookout for Hawkins and Mitchell. These guys have some serious talent.
Score: 8/10
Pierce at the Movies 