Escape Plan

First Hit:  This film is mindless because it, and its actors, are not believable.

Sylvester Stallone (playing Breslin) as a very intelligent, observant professional prison breaking consultant is not believable. He doesn’t come across as intelligent or overly observant.

Although the storyline has him looking with intensity around his surroundings, his eyes didn’t reflect intelligent observation as the script called for – I didn’t buy it.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character Rottomayer, is supposed to be high tech financial wizard that manipulates the market through computer programming, was just as ludicrous. Again, it’s the eyes; nothing in Arnold’s eyes or the script had me believe his character. Although neither one of these gentlemen pulled off their characters; they do pull off the rough and tumble fighting behavior on the stage they are given – prison. 

This part of the film is fun and you can tell these guys like working with each other. The essence of this script is Breslin’s legitimate business partner wants to get Rottomayer’s knowledge so that he can get rich. To do this he sticks Breslin in a prison that he cannot escape from.

Stallone is the same guy he always is; sad eyed, rough around the edges, grunts a lot, and very muscular who will end up punching someone in a film. Schwarzenegger, like Stallone is getting a little old to taking roles where he punches people to get his way. However, he comes off better in his role than Stallone does. Miles Chapman and Jason Keller wrote the script and it might have better to have younger actors in the parts. Mikael Hafstrom directed these two the best he could and my guess it wasn’t easy.

Overall:  This film will probably need an escape plan.

Machete Kills

First Hit: As expected bloody, poorly acted and shows why the original not worth having a sequel.

I found the first “Machete” an interesting anomaly but this one showed that a "one off" doesn't deserve more film or time.

The gall of the film starting with a quasi-preview of the next Machete was even worse. Although Danny Trejo looks mean and tough, his overall stature, lack of graceful movement, and inability to create a character worth caring about was a waste of Trejo’s talents.

A convoluted uninspiring plot including a schizophrenic drug lord Mendez (Demian Bichir), a mean and clueless Miss San Antonio (Amber Heard), an amusing El Camaleon (played by: Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Walton Goggins, Cuba Gooding Jr.), and a scientific eccentric cult leader Voz (Mel Gibson).

The fun parts of the film were Cuba Gooding Jr. in his turn as El Camaleon. He brought a campy humor to a film that when I left the theater I murmured, with nodded agreement from another guest, “a waste of my time”.

Trejo would do well to get out of working with Director Robert Rodriguez on this sort of film, if he wants to advance his career. Michelle Rodriguez as Luz was fully underused. Cuba Gooding Jr. was the only real fun person to watch. Gaga was OK as was Banderas and Goggins as other personalities of El Camaleon. Bichir tried his best but it was more a poor story than his acting. Heard was probably the second best thing in the film as she spit out a conservative set of lines about immigration and gun control. Gibson attempted to bring up the magic that made him great in Mad Max and the Lethal Weapon series. Kyle Ward wrote a screenplay that probably matched Robert and Marcel Rodriguez's idea for a story. Robert Rodriguez’s direction was immature, lacked focus, and attempted to build a resume off of his first Machete effort – not very smart. He may get money for it but not raising the bar is inexcusable. I will not waste any money of the next sequel.

Overall:  Do not waste your time or money – just remember the first Machete and know it is a cut above this.

Gravity

First Hit: An absolutely Oscar nominee and winner worthy film – amazing beyond belief.

When I'm sitting in a theater, I don’t often get overwhelmingly suspense filled, but this film put me there from the opening moment.

From the beginning this film transports the audience into space and keeps you there till the very end. I strongly suspect adding today’s 3D visuals added to the experience of weightlessness, helplessness, and amazingness of the story and film. What this also means is that I recommend that you see this film in 3D.

Briefly, Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is an obsessed detailed oriented scientist. She lost her little girl in a freak accident and work, her scientific endeavors, are all she really has. Her work associate, senior astronaut and shuttle pilot Matt Kowalski (played by George Clooney) is enjoying his last trip to space and supports Ryan as she conducts repairs on the Hubble space telescope.

However, their work is interrupted because the Russians destroy a satellite which accidentally causes a chain reaction by breaking apart other satellites which creates high speed space particles that their mission will fly through. These particles may destroy their ship and they need to leave. I won’t share any more about the storyline but it is definitely worth the price of admission.

Yes, Clooney and Bullock star in this film but the overall star of this film is the director, space, and the ability to move the sense of space into the theater like no other film has.

Bullock is absolutely Oscar nominee worthy. Her performance had me believe she was in space and was this person. She was brilliant. Clooney was superb. His self-depreciative humor in character was spot on. He was the veteran, the cowboy, the thoughtful leader – perfect. Alfonso Cuaron and Jonas Cuaron wrote an amazingly out of the world script grounded in real human characters. Alfonso’s direction was beyond sublime and he will be nominated for sharing this amazing experience.

Overall:  This is a must see and I suggest pay the extra fee for 3D.

Runner Runner

First Hit: Great actors in a weak and poorly conceived story.

An enterprising college student Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake) gets his peers to go to a gambling site where they lose money. He gets paid to refer people to this site.

This is how he is paying for school because he lost his previous job as a broker and what he wants his MBA. Because one of his student clients loses a bunch of money, school officials tell Richie he can’t continue in his business. With few options left, he bets all he has on a poker gambling website. His quick mind, and with a friends computer help, he figures out that the site cheated.

He decides to go meet the owner of the site – Ivan Block (Ben Affleck). Block is not allowed back into the United States because of his business behavior of not paying taxes etc. The FBI is after him as well, but cannot touch him because he’s in Belize.

Block convinces Richie to work for him and but Richie doesn’t know he’s being played, again. In the end Richie is smart enough and finds a way to turn the tides against Block. The story is weak, parts of the idea are strong. The actors are strong, but in a weak script and under poor direction this film fails in many ways.

Timberlake is OK but only because the script he’s given. He makes it work well enough to keep the audience engaged, but overall the film falls flat. Affleck does great in great roles and under decent direction and under poor direction with a mediocre script, he looks lost. Gemma Arterton played Affleck’s and Timberlake’s lover is only OK, but again this is probably because of the script and direction. Brian Koppelman and David Levien wrote a weak script. The idea was good but the execution was really poor. Brad Furman didn’t have a lot to work with but some of the sequencing of scenes was awkward and poorly done.

Overall:  This was a mediocre film but the idea was OK.

Prisoners

First Hit:  Intense, beautifully shot, and engaged acting.

The opening scenes show a darkened winter climate, truck in the driveway, one family walking over to another family’s home for holiday cheer.

The Dover family’s patriarch Keller (Hugh Jackman) is somewhat of a survivalist, intense, appearing to have a quick angry trigger. However it is apparent he loves his family – deeply.

The Birch family’s patriarch Franklin (Terrence Howard) is mellow and somewhat thoughtful. Their wives are different as well. Grace Dover (Maria Bello) seems to be on the edge of falling apart while Nancy Birch (Viola Davis) appears to have more of hardened and strong background. Their daughters all of a sudden go missing.

Police Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is assigned to the case and he’s got a 100% crime solving record. He is methodical and follows his own path despite questioned interference from his boss Captain O’Mally (Wayne Duvall). The initial suspect Alex Jones (Paul Dano) is a grownup with a 6 year olds understanding of things. Loki doesn’t think Alex knows, or can articulate, enough about the missing girls to be really helpful. Keller thinks differently and imprisons Alex so that he can torture him to give up information about the missing daughters.

This film is hard to watch at times because the torture scenes are graphically displayed. The ending wasn’t suspected, but the pieces do come together and while walking out, I felt I’d been through a wringer.

Jackman was intensely focused and fully engaged his role. Howard was great as a man who was being led to do things he felt wrong. Bello showed a perfect weakness in her character, which isn’t her normal role. Davis was solid and showed a subtle rage against Dano’s character which was perfect. Gyllenhaal was sublime as the intense loner detective who prides himself on getting the answer right. Dano was beyond amazing. He embodied the character all the way and his eyes told the whole story. Melissa Leo was fantastic as Jones’ aunt and matriarch of a sick family life. Aaron Guzikowski wrote a powerful interesting script. Denis Villeneuve did an outstanding job of directing this deep dark script with both light and dark muted scenes.

Overall:  This was a very good and disturbing film.