American Sniper

First Hit:  An extremely well-crafted film.

Killing in war is sometimes justified by the beliefs of a country and its people.

Settling into this film, one has to set aside any beliefs (especially political) about right or wrong because this film is about how one man processes killing other humans when he believes what he is doing is right and is doing it for his country.

This story is about Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) an SEAL sniper who did 4 tours in the middle-east and is credited with over 160 kills. He became "The Legend". Kyle is married to Taya (Sienna Miller) and in-between the first 3 tours she becomes pregnant with a son and daughter, whom Chris loves dearly. Kyle is very controlled and is tightly wound. Around home he is quiet and distant. With the guys in Iraq he’s fearless and engaged.

The pacing of the scenes along with the setups were very strong. The decision making of whether to take a shot we’re well measured and reflected in the actor, screenplay and director. Visually it was a very strong and the edits only added to the action as it transpired.

Cooper was extraordinary in all ways. His controlled looks and measured actions were reflective of someone who had a lot of built up stresses. Miller was very good in her portrayal of a loving wife who wanted her husband back. Jason Hall wrote a wonderful screenplay. Clint Eastwood showed why he is a very strong, precise, and effective director in bringing this story to life.

Overall:  It is an excellent film.

Inherent Vice

First Hit:  It started reasonably strong and faded to boredom quickly.

The opening 15 - 20 minutes I found myself laughing at quips, turns of phrases, and drug induced behavior.

However, it began to wear on me as the film progressed and with the storyline being as confusing as the drug addled Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix), the path to enjoy the film dissipated into the realm of forgetful fantasy. By half way through, I found myself waiting for the end to arrive so I could leave. I don’t believe that is the intention of a filmmaker.

The best moments that kept the film somewhat alive were the bombastic statements from police Lt. Christian F. “Bigfoot” Bjornsen (Josh Brolin). He was funny and a great foil to Doc. I also thought the romantic scene between Shasta Fey Hepworth (Katherine Waterston) and Doc was interestingly and erotically well done.

Phoenix was oddly both interesting and mediocre. I kept thinking that a light would go on and he’d shine (the interest part) but it never did (the mediocre part). Brolin took this role by grabbing the bull’s horns and made it his own. At times it almost seemed like he was in a different film. Waterston was the most interesting character. Owen Wilson as Coy Harlingen was good in his limited but pivotal role. There was an amazing cast – but all seemed lost and faded into the montage of vignettes that were loosely aimed at an unclear plot. Paul Anderson both wrote and directed this film. Some of basis for his view of the drugged addled era he was projecting were not experienced based but story based and it showed. However, I loved “4012 The Strand” address was as a child I grew up in that area and recall “The Strand” well.

Overall:  I got bored early and couldn’t wait to leave.

The Wedding Ringer

First Hit:  It was a very funny film – I enjoyed it.

The basic premise of the film is that if a guy needs a best man or groomsmen for a his wedding, he contacts Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart) who will become your best man and best friend through the wedding for a price.

Callahan is quick to point out that as soon as his mission is filled, at the reception, he is to receive his final payment and then they are not friends any longer. It is just a business transaction. This film has set-up written all over it and it works. The groom in this case is Doug Harris (Josh Gad) who is marrying a women he never thought would look at him. Gretchen Palmer (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) is beautiful and comes from a wealthy family.

Her father Ed (Ken Howard) is overbearing and nothing is good enough for his daughter. As the wedding day approaches, Doug is panicked about not having a best man and groomsmen. He finds Callahan who decides he’ll help Doug pull off the Golden Tux – Best man and 7 groomsmen. Funny bits include Doug’s choosing of the best man’s name (Bic Mitchum” – razor and deodorant) as was the introduction of Jimmy’s choices for best men.

The comedic chemistry between Hart and Gad as expressed through their two characters was fantastic. Their dance scenes together are wonderfully inventive and playfully skilled.

Hart was the best I’ve ever seen him. His rapid fire talking was more under control and here added to the role. Gad was revelation in that here he shined. He held the second lead character with surety. Cuoco-Sweeting was good and delivered what was needed in this supporting role. Howard was appropriately gruff and mean and it has been years since I’ve seen him in a role (remember "The White Shadow" on television). Mimi Rogers, another actor I’ve not seen in a very long time was good in a minor roles as Sweetling’s mother Lois. Jennifer Lewis as Doris Jenkins, Callahan’s assistant was great and stole the scenes she was in. Jeremy Garelick and Jay Lavender wrote this funny and strong script which Garelick did a great job of making it all work.

Overall:  A very entertaining film and one that you can escape and trust.

Selma

First Hit:  Not as engaging as I had hoped.

The Selma, Alabama march was a seminal moment in our nation’s history.

The film follows Martin Luther King (David Oyelowo) through the process, thoughts and actions leading to the successful decision by President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to push an equal vote for all while King led a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama securing the rights for blacks to vote.

Although I loved the story and remember it fondly, the portrayal of this story was only good at times. I thought there were long moments of waiting and indecision by the director which created a slowness in this film that wasn’t needed.

To set up the issue, the film begins with Annie Lee Cooper (Oprah Winfrey) trying to register to vote. The voter registrar clerk, finds ways to reject Cooper’s form. The point is the unreasonableness of the registrar’s office against blacks.

The film spends a little time with King being at home with his family. Coretta Scott King (Carmen Ejogo) is strong willed, supportive of her husband, and also keeps the family together with her strength. There are a number of historical characters in this film from Andrew Young (Andre Holland), Presidential Advisor Lee White (Giovanni Ribisi) to Gov. George Wallace (Tim Roth) which give a fair amount of context to the story – especially Wallace.

Pacing of this film was methodically slow and, to me, it made this film much longer (by 20 – 30 minutes) than needed.

Oyelowo was good as King, but I never felt moved by the documented speeches as spoken by David. Wilkinson was good as LBJ, however I’m wondering about the dialogue used to represent him. For some reason it didn’t ring true with the same person who pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Winfrey was solid as Cooper, however in two of the closing still pictures, she seemed to be the focal point by being in the center – seemed a bit egotistical. Ejogo, as Coretta, provided the strongest acting of the bunch. Holland was good as the young Andrew Young. Ribisi was OK as White. Roth was powerful as Wallace. Paul Webb wrote a good script, but needed some trimming. Ava DuVernay directed this film which had pacing problems. However, the look and feel of the time was wonderfully represented.

Overall:  I was disappointed in the result of this film.

The Interview

First Hit:  Funny enough but the sprinkles of very low-brow bits made it less fun and interesting than it could have been.

Seth Rogen has the ability to make funny films and funny situations. What doesn’t work for me in his films is that he appears to be compelled to make sure he sticks in low-brow dialogue or high-school genre fart jokes and bits that take away from the overall film.

I thought the concept of having Dave Skylark (James Franco) a popular and without a lot of substance television interviewer selected by North Korea’s President Kim Jong-un (Randall Park) to give a once in a lifetime interview was genius. And there are parts of this film that are truly funny and I appreciated those moments. It was just unfortunate that when push came to shove, if Rogan thinks it’s not funny enough he reverts to less intelligent stuff.

Franco at times is really funny and his interviews of Eminem and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were funny and I thoroughly enjoyed him. Rogan as Skylark’s producer Aaron Rappaport as well as writer and co-director was both really good and also misplaced. Lizzy Caplan as CIA Agent Lacey was funny. Park as Kim was really funny and had enough of the "god like" features that helped hold the story together. Diana Bang as Sook who interfaced between Skylark, Rappaport and Kim was really funny. Her bit to overthrow Kim was great. Rogan, Evan Goldberg, and Dan Sterling wrote the story and script which at times was brilliant and other times, sophomoric. Rogan and Goldberg directed this film with both brilliance and stupidity.

Overall:  I enjoyed the film more than not – and that, I suppose, is a good thing.