The Wolf of Wall Street

First Hit:  Although 3 hours long, it was entertaining and intense.

I happened to watch “Goodfellas” the morning before I saw Wolf. The similarities are that Martin Scorsese used a group of wild characters and shows them acting the same way when confronted with diverse situations. Drugs and illegal actions are also key elements in both films.

From a visual perspective, both films use family situations, groups, couples and single moments to build the story visually. What I didn’t like about Wolf was the illegal actions of the characters actions. Yes in "Goodfellas" they did illegal things, and they were expected to. The focus on selling unsuspecting people on making a quick buck (their own greed) because you are good at selling people, just didn’t sit well with me.

The film uses a number of voice overs which I don't normally like but it did add to the story as time got a bit mixed up. Because it is based on a true story, the pervasive use of drugs and alcohol as fuel to their lifestyle and trading was disconcerting.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort who just wanted to be rich, real rich. He discovers that drugs, womanizing, and money mix well delivering what he wanted. I’m not sure whether the film reflected the shallowness of the person and people in his firm or if the film was just shallow. Regardless, the scene of him on his boat speaking with the FBI was excellent while the scene of him discussing how to throw midgets at targets in the office, wasn’t.

DiCaprio was strong and made the script work and believable. Jonah Hill as Belfort’s sidekick was, at times over the top and not interesting, while at other times good. Matthew McConaughey in a small role as Mark Hanna was very good. Rob Reiner as Jordan’s dad Max was very good and I enjoyed his presence in the film. Margot Robbie (playing Naomi Lapaglia) as Belfort’s second wife was very good. Not only very attractive to look at, she created a sense of reality in the film. Terence Winter wrote an extensive script from Belfort’s book. Scorsese was able to reign in Belfort’s lifestyle and present it on film.

Overall:  This is a very good film, maybe in the same category as Goodfellas, but is it great and inventive  like Goodfellas was of its time? I don't think so.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

First Hit:  Uneven, partially compelling and entertaining enough to keep me engaged.

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is an anonymous film librarian for a major magazine. He daydreams about taking and having adventures in his life especially when they include co-worker Cheryl Melhoff (Kristen Wiig) whom he likes but cannot seem to connect with. An example the film uses is when he cannot even leave her a wink on a dating site because his profile is so boring and lacking information.

The magazine is going to be going digital and therefore his and most of his co-workers’ jobs will be eliminated. Leading the change in the magazine is Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott). But for the last issue, famous photographer Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) sends a negative (#25) for the magazine to use.

However, Mitty and his co-worker Hernando (Adrian Martinez) cannot find it in the role that was sent by O’Connell. Where this negative actually resides was no surprise and easily deduced. However because Hendricks is pushing to see the negative and Mitty doesn’t have it, he decides to find O’Connell. This trip takes him to explore many frozen north countries and towns.

Some of these scenes and cinematography are magnificent and make one want to go visit them. However, the drunken Icelandic helicopter pilot scenes weren’t necessary and put in for comedy relief. Another one of many writing and direction errors. Yes, there is enough going for the film it is watchable.

Stiller was, at times, fun to watch and does his role as well as he can do it. However, other scenes seemed to just move the plot along. These poorly conceived scenes are part acting issues but poor directing - by Stiller. Penn was fun to watch and to see his natural aging bringing out a deeper character was good. Scott was both good and poor in his role. The beard was a poor wardrobe and character choice. Wiig is one of the better and more consistent parts of this film. Steve Conrad wrote an over ambitious script by trying to put too many twists into it. Stiller, as previously mentioned, tried to do too much with the film (think – diving from Subway platform into a window) and at other times didn’t do enough.

Overall:  This was entertaining enough to watch and stay with it.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

First Hit:  You’ve read it from me before and again here – I’ve got to stop seeing stupid inane Will Ferrell films.

This film is not only inane; it is not funny except in very few places. What’s worse is that not one character is interesting, nor is any one believable with a partial exception of Christina Applegate (as Ron Burgundy’s wife Veronica).

The depth of this film is about as deep as tissue paper.

The premise is that Burgundy (Ferrell) is fired from his news job, kicks around with different stuff but gets a chance to become part of a 24 hours news network. To make his program popular he reports car chases and the like.

At the end of the film, he admits that what he was reporting wasn’t really news and the same statement bodes for this film – what he is doing here isn't a film – it is a mess.

Ferrell is Ferrell there is no acting just him acting stupidly. Applegate was the only person on the screen that was remotely believable. Steve Carell (as Brick Tamland) is one of Burgundy’s news team is occasionally funny (owner of the most laughs in this film) but I don’t understand why he would take a role like this. Paul Rudd (as Brian Fantana) as another one of Burgundy’s team, is wasted. David Koechner (as Champ Kind) as the last of Burgundy’s team is also a wasted role. Kristen Wiig in a small role as Tamland’s newly found girlfriend was OK and engaging. Will Ferrell and Adam McKay wrote this sophomoric script and McKay directed this mess, messily.

Overall:  I need to stay home and not see Ferrell films as they ARE a waste of my time.

Saving Mr. Banks

First Hit:  A well told story based on an interesting personality.

I’ve never read any of the Mary Poppins series of books nor have I seen the Disney film based on the books and I found that it isn’t necessary to enjoy the film. That is a very good thing.

Here we have T.L. Travers (played by Emma Thompson) living in England and running out of money. She doesn’t care about money because of things her father said, but she loves her home. Walt Disney (played by Tom Hanks) has made a promise to his daughters that he would bring Mary to the big screen. He spent 20 years trying to convince Travers to let him do this.

With her money issues she comes to the US and stubbornly tells Walt, give me the contract, record on audio tape all the development sessions and I’ll let you know at the end of two weeks whether I'll sign the rights away or not. 

The working sessions with Robert and Richard Sherman (played by B.J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman respectively) were testy and frustrating for all of them with Travers saying “no, no, no” more than any other set of words. Don DaGradi (played by Bradley Whitford) the producer was in the mix all the time and tried his best to soothe the oil and water mix of creative people.

Disney would continue to intercede, talk with Travers and even took her to Disneyland (the happiest place on earth). When she refuses to sign the rights over, heads back home, Walt follows here there and with a bearing of his soul about his own childhood she sees he’s out to make good and that he gets her protective angst of her stories.

The audience is treated to her past story with segues of her life growing up in Australia. If you see this film, stay through the credits long enough to hear part of one of the recording tapes from which the film is based – true to form.

Thompson plays her somewhat unsavory character excellently. Her actions come from the fear of exposing her childhood experience and family. Colin Farrell plays Travers Goff T.L.’s father and he is very good at bringing the angst of alcohol abuse and fighting Tuberculosis. Paul Giamatti as Ralph, T.L.’s driver while in Los Angeles, was priceless. He slowly massages T.L. into understanding herself in a different way. Tom Hanks was very good as Walt Disney and the signature wave Walt used is mimicked perfectly. Novak and Schwartzman were amazing and perfect as the Disney song writing team. Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith wrote an outstanding script which appears to have come, in part, from the recorded tapes. John Lee Hancock directed segments, Travers past childhood and the work with Disney, with wonderful touches of brilliance.

Overall:  Almost made me want to see the film Mary Poppins.

American Hustle

First Hit:  From the opening moment the audience knows it is going for a real ride.

This film opens with an overweight balding Christian Bale (playing Irving Rosenfeld) fixing his hair with a comb-over that beats all comb-overs. He is meticulous in every detail of his hair, style, and the scams he pulls on everyone to make his living.

His business partner is Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) who is nothing short of a miracle on the screen. She’s smart, fire, and looking out for number 1. However, Irving is married to Rosalyn Rosenfeld (Jennifer Lawrence) who is a stay at home mom, controlling, sassy and a lush. Irving and Sydney get caught on one of their scams and the agent who busted them, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), wants to leverage their conning abilities to catch bigger fish – mainly Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner).

Richie’s boss Stoddard Thorsen (Louis C.K.) doesn’t want to follow Richie’s outlandish plan to catch political crooks but gets outranked in his decisions. Some of these scenes of their disagreement are outstanding. Watching Bale, Lawrence, Adams and Cooper work together is amazing as each defines their character so clearly and fully that the story just jumps off the screen creating full engagement.

I love this type of film where the story is outrageous (loosely based on the real life Abscam scandal) and the acting is spot on dynamic and engaging.

Bale is sublime, he carries the character through the film with flowing subtle changes. Adams is divine. She is sexy, vulnerable, smart, bold and focused. Her character is so much fun to watch. Lawrence is absolutely amazing. She shows a great depth to transform herself through use of language and facial expressions that keep you focused on her when she is in the frame. Cooper is so much fun. He’s wild, bold, lacks subtlety yet he’s the one that moves the story along – amazing. Renner is transformed as Mayor Polito and as he always does, turns in a sterling performance. In a very small, yet pivotal role, Robert De Niro as mob boss Victor Tellegio is powerful. David O. Russell and Eric Singer wrote an amazing script which also reflected the 1970’s and the mood of the times. Russell did an amazing job of putting together the look and feel of this story. It was like he was leading a major orchestra and everyone was in perfect tune.

Overall:  A full time fun film based in excellent acting.