Dumbo

First Hit: Overdone, overreaching, and overproduced leaving little to the imagination — dumb.

Director Tim Burton has a habit of creating worlds and often what we see is his complete vision. He tidies the storyline in such a way that the audience can only watch and not imagine themselves. With fantasy, I think it is important to leave things to the imagination.

With Dumbo he’s created a world where we have to feel sorry for the Medici Circus because it has fallen on hard times. The circus is run by Max Medici (Danny DeVito). The train cars are perfectly faded. There is the strong man who is also the accountant, as well as assorted clowns, snake charmer, and other mixed people. The only animals that are left in this dilapidated circus are dogs with colored fur and elephants.

Two children are running around the circus, Millie and Joe Farrier (Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins respectively). They are being taken care of because their mother has died and their father, Holt (Collin Farrell), had to leave the circus to fight in the war.

Upon the father’s return, he’s missing an arm which adds to the depressing scene. Holt’s act with the circus was riding horses, and when he returned with one arm, he discovered the horses were already sold. He’d hoped he’d do a one arm riding act. Max tells Holt his new job will be to tend the elephants, including the new huge one who is pregnant.

When the elephant gives birth, they find out the baby elephant has enormous, I mean really huge, ears which makes him the laughing stock of the circus audience. Here is where I see a mistake, why is the audience laughing? It is merely a ploy used to make everyone feel even more bad for the Medici Circus clan.

The children are fascinated by the big-eared pachyderm, and through an accident of inhaling a feather, Dumbo sneezes and ends up leaving the ground. Soon the kids discover they can induce Dumbo to fly by flapping his ears and coaxed by a feather.

The circus is about to fold when evil villain V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton) and his girlfriend, Collette Marchant (Eva Green) come to see the flying elephant. Vandevere likes what he sees and buys the Medici Circus, and now everyone works for Vandevere.

Unfortunately, V.A.’s money man J. Griffin Remington (Alan Arkin) puts conditions on V.A. and Dumbo’s performance. This enhances the sadness because Dumbo’s mom is taken away again and now the Medici Circus team wants to retaliate.

You can easily imagine what happens. The whole story is to make everyone feel bad, then let Dumbo save the day along with the kids.

The most positive aspect of this film was the quality of the pictures. Burton does this well, and he’s to be commended for this, but otherwise, the movie is predictable and sadly lacking soul. The computer-generated Dumbo was a work of thoughtful art, but at times, he seemed to human-like.

Farrell was reasonably adequate to the role, but there was nothing for him to stretch into and make it his own. Keaton was OK as the villain, he’s good at it. DeVito was charming as the small circus owner, but I found it hard to believe he owned or ran the circus. The actual running of the circus, like putting up tents, seemed to happen through magic. BTW: The tent poles were longer than a train car, so I kept wondering how did they get them from place to place? Parker was stunning. Her intelligence and maturity were well beyond the child character she played. She embraced this role and was the best thing in the film. Hobbins was equal to the task as well, and it is his and Parker’s performances that kept me engaged. Green was excellent and put something of herself into this role and made it work. Arkin was sardonically perfect for this role as an arrogant banker and money man. Ehren Kruger wrote the screenplay which seemed too buttoned up and left little to the imagination. Burton was himself. His visuals were good and generally dark in character. I also thought that Vandevere’s “Dreamworld” was overdone and took the film too far out of any sense of wanting this film to be real and down to earth.

Overall: Everything was perfect and the way it was to be seen, therefore when I left the theater, nothing came with me.

Going in Style

Overall:  This film was enjoyable and its nice to see acting veterans ply their trade. Willie (Morgan Freeman), Joe (Michael Caine) and Albert (Alan Arkin) are three buddies who spent a lifetime working together in a manufacturing factory and live across the street from each other in Queens. They’ve all retired and are collecting their pensions.

However, the money flow has stopped and the bank wants to foreclose on Joe’s home. At the time, Joe’s daughter and granddaughter Brooklyn (Joey King) are living with him and he’s afraid to let them down as well as himself.

Albert and Willie are living together and have an interesting and supportive relationship. However Willie has a kidney problem that he’s not told his buddies’ about and he finds out that if he doesn’t get a transplant soon, he’s going to die soon.

They are all going broke so they decide to rob the very bank that has Joe’s mortgage and is managing the refinancing the sale and closure of the factory. They practice by robbing a local grocery store and it is hilarious. The stuffing of food in their jackets and pants followed by the getaway Joe and Willie make in an electric scooter and Al trying to out run a younger man lasting about 100 feet and gives up is very funny.

Donning Rat Pack masks they rob the bank of enough money to cover their pensions. Pursing them is FBI Special Agent Hammer (Matt Dillon) who suspects the three men and builds up a solid case. However, the guys have done their homework and have their stories and alibies down pat. The clincher comes during a line up when a little girl, who recognizes Willie, decides to protect him.

This film is about loyalty, connection, and family. To this end, it is very good as it has small side stories that make it work. There’s the story about how Willie gets his kidney, how the grumpy Albert gets involved with an admirer named Annie (Ann Margaret). The lodge buddy’s, Milton (Christopher Lloyd), odd view of the world. And finally, Jesus (John Ortiz) who shows these old guys the ropes to rob the bank.

Caine was wonderful, and my favorite scene was when he got angry and gave Jesus a piece of his mind. I could see the how Caine’s real and documented difficult scrappy upbringing was used to make this scene effective. I wouldn't want to mess with him. Freeman was gracefully effective as the selfless friend. He supports and takes care of Albert and doesn’t bother anyone with his critical kidney issue. He effectively portrayed his longing to see more of his daughter and granddaughter. Arkin is perfectly cast as the grumpy curmudgeon of the three. He’s the downer guy and doesn’t want his world mussed up much, however, when he’s in, he’s a force and gives it his all. Loved his interactions with Annie his admirer. King was fantastic as Joe’s granddaughter by being interesting, loving, and engaged making her grandfather proud. Margret was amazing as the woman who sees past Albert’s gruff exterior and wants to create something more. Ortiz was strong as the guy who teaches the “rat pack” how to rob the bank. Dillon was very good as the agent who knows who the robbers were and tries to build a case against them. Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Mitzi their favorite waitress was superb. She embodied the part perfectly. Theodore Melfi wrote a really good script and screenplay. Zach Braff had a great handle on the actors and screenplay. I think he knew exactly what he wanted and got everyone engaged to his vision.

Overall:  Although I think there could have been more laughs, this film was lighthearted and very enjoyable.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

First Hit:  Not very interesting, few laughs (except at the end) and difficult to care about the characters.

As much as the film tried to have the audience care about Burt (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) because they were picked on as kids, it never worked.

Watching their schmaltzy act in Las Vegas, I couldn’t see where anyone would come and see their act. Maybe if the acts were better, or maybe if there was another reason to care about them, it might have made a difference. But when watching a film and thinking “maybe if” to change the plot, there becomes the realization that there is something wrong.

The film picks up, especially in the absurdity arena, when Jim Carrey is introduced as Steve Grey a street magician who does very odd things including not going to the bathroom for an extended period of time – magic? Don’t think so but it is amusing.

For me the funniest bits were the scenes where they show moving audience members in and out of the theater.

Carell’s role was mediocre and he did his best with it. Buscemi was a little more interesting as Anton. Carrey was much more engaging in a very bizarre role – he was perfect for it. Olivia Wilde was OK in her limited and strangled role as magician’s assistant. Alan Arkin as old time magician Rance Holloway was the best part of the film from an acting point of view. Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis Daley wrote a week script that could really find something to focus on so that the audience would care. Don Scardino did an adequate job of directing this poor script.

Overall:  Waiting 90 minutes for the funniest parts (for me) was a waste of my time.

Stand Up Guys

First Hit:  Very enjoyable to watch acting pros work.

Val (Al Pacino) is getting out of prison after spending 28 years behind bars. His best friend and running mate “Doc” (Christopher Walken) is there to pick him up.

We quickly figure out Doc has to kill Val because he killed mob boss Claphands' (Mark Margolis) son during a job many years ago. Killing Val is about revenge. Because Doc has until 10:00 AM the next day to kill Val, Doc and Val go out and have some fun.

One of the decisions they make is to rescue the one other member from their earlier days. This third member is Hirsch (Alan Arkin) who was their driver on the jobs they use to pull. The overall camaraderie between the 3 guys is amazing as they make their way through the night doing things they want to do together.

The scenes in the diner with Alex (Addison Timlin) are precious. Yes, there are scenes that are predictable but the way Walken, Pacino and Arkin work the script, their experience as great actors’ is evident.

There are truly funny parts through the snappy and wonderful delivery of the script and it revolves around a believable heartfelt story of friendship.

Walken is superb as an aging crook who is trying to find a little peace in his life by doing right especially to his granddaughter. Pacino gives the best performance in years in this film. Arkin continues his streak of great performances in the past couple years. Margolis is solid as the unforgiving no nonsense crime boss. Lucy Punch as Wendy the Madame at the house of prostitution was a perfect choice as the daughter of the original Madame. She was witty, fun and business like all in one. Timlin was sublime as Walken’s granddaughter. Julianna Margulies plays Hirsch’s daughter Nina and makes the very most of this small role. She is what you focus on when she says her lines. Noah Haidle wrote a fun although, at times, predictable script. Fisher Stevens directed these excellent veteran actors with aplomb.

Overall:  A totally enjoyable film because you watch excellent actors doing what they do best.

Argo

First Hit:  Ben Affleck knows what he is doing behind the camera – excellent film.

The attention to detail in this period piece was outstanding. The hair styles, facial hair, cars, airplanes, interiors, and exteriors – all done with meticulous detail. Affleck even had the “Hollywood” sign in disrepair as it was back then.

Ben Affleck also is the lead character Tony Mendez, an analyst and specialist in getting US Government employees out of countries when they are trapped. In Argo the film is based on a true story to extract 6 people out of Iran after students took over the Iranian US Embassy in 1979.

These 6 people snuck out the back and made their way to a Canadian Embassy employee’s home. Tenseness is generated partially because the Iranians are taking stock of the embassy they’ve taken over but don’t yet know 6 people escaped. The race is to get them out of country before the Iranians learn whose missing where they are hiding.

Jack 0’Donnell (played by Bryan Cranston) is supporting Mendez’s plan to fake scouting for exotic locations in Iran and the 6 escapees become part of the scouting crew and then all leave on a plane. The plan, although absurd is better than all the other plans which Mendez disses as mindless and stupid.

Affleck creates an immense amount of tension during the film and does this in a sweet, slow and creative way. As part of the fake US based film team, Lester Siegel (played Alan Arkin) and John Chambers (played by John Goodman) create both comic relief and developed a strong sense of Hollywood.

One of the best things about this film is that there is no one dominating performance – it is the performance of the entire team that makes this film work really well.

Affleck as Mendez is very good and shows that Affleck doesn’t have a huge ego when directing – he keeps himself in check and this makes his subtle yet effective performance excellent. Arkin is beyond funny and perfect as the guy who makes this fake film a fake hit. Goodman, who is a makeup artist but substitutes as a producer is definitely in his swim lane – exquisite performance. Cranston is very good as Affleck’s boss who believes in his man. Chris Terrio wrote a an excellent script from Joshuah Bearman’s article. Affleck is extremely competent as a director and has a long career behind the camera giving the audience excellent stories. He will be nominated for an Oscar.

Overall:  This is an excellent film – a must see and will give younger people an excellent view of early 1980 history.