Focus

First Hit:  Despite the clichés, this film does have its surprises and overall was enjoyable.

I like con-films. One of my favorites, of course, is “The Sting”. This film does not have the acting that “The Sting” had, but it was very entertaining.

Will Smith as Nicky was raised by a con-man and has always lived the con-man life. He doesn’t allow anything to stick to him, personally, because that is the downside – stickiness leads to attachments and in his life attachments are not good. In walks Jess (Margot Robbie). She is also a con-artist but mostly focuses on picketing and tries to hustle Nicky.

He sees through the con, explains to her and her partner where they went wrong but see’s enough in her to have her audition to become part of a team that executes a set of cons and hustles in New Orleans during Super Bowl week. It was fun to watch the hustles and more fun to watch Smith intelligently swagger through this part. Although I suspected the ending, there was still enough of a twist that brought a level of humanity to it all.

Smith was perfect for this role, streetwise, smart, and having a level of humorous swagger to make it all work. This isn’t academy award type stuff, but it is enjoyable. Robbie is fun to watch and it appears that she probably had fun making this film – it showed. Adrian Martinez as Farhad, the computer nerd of the hustling group, was effective. Gerald McRaney was great as Owens. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa wrote and directed with film with enough humor and seriousness to make it fun to watch.

Overall:  I left the theater with a smile on my face, which is good enough.

MacFarland USA

First Hit:  Predictable yet an engaging and inspirational film.

Jim White (Kevin Costner) is a coach that has strong beliefs and he wants all the kids he coaches to have the determination, dedication, and drive to excel in high school sports. When they don’t, he gets upset and is reactionary.

He lost his previous three jobs through his reactionary ways and now the only job he can get is in MacFarland, CA. MacFarland is a farming community in central California and inhabited by Latinos who survive by picking produce in the fields. Most the kids are picking next to their family members before and after school - it's a family affair.

White, his wife Cheryl (Maria Bello), and his daughters Julie and Jamie (Morgan Saylor and Elsie Fisher respectively) are out of place in this community. Initially they hate it but, as you know, they begin to love it as they learn the culture and people. White decides that these high school kids can run after watching them run to and from work. He then challenges them  and attempts to recruit them for his newly formed cross-country team.

As you might expect he gets laughed at by the kids and the adults, but after recruiting the minimum 7 kids, this story becomes all inspiration. The story line is written in the history of MacFarland High School Cougars 9 all state titles in 14 years.

Costner is good as the guy who has lessons to learn and makes the right choices. Bello is very good as the supportive loving wife. Saylor and Fisher are both wonderful and effective as kids who learn to see the love in their community. Ramiro Rodriguez, Carlos Pratts, Johnny Ortiz, Rafael Martinez, Hector Duran, Sergio Avelar, and Michael Aguero were all outstanding as the Cougars Cross-Country team. I loved their distinct personalities. Christopher Cleveland wrote this predictable and inspired script. Niki Caro captured the feel of the community effectively with her direction.

Overall:  This is a feel good movie and it works for that reason.

Ballet 422

First Hit:  Outstanding and revealing film of how a young man and corps dancer, choreographs a new ballet (the 422nd) premiered by the New York City Ballet.

The opening sequence is a Jerome Robbins ballet which sets the film's tone because he is an amazing choreographer. Then we see Justin Peck a corps dancer since 2007 practicing.

The voice over announces that his wish to become a choreographer is coming to fruition again. He's getting the opportunity to choreograph his third ballet for his employer:  Number 422 to be premiered by the NYCB. We watch him in a practice room creating alone. Then we see him work with a couple of principle dancers and an assistant.

We watch him work with the lighting director and the music conductor. We see the development of costumes and the makeup. All of the work he does appears to be collaborative – but his voice is strong and continues to shine through.

While watching this film, it becomes almost oddly haunting that this is the only thing in his life. Each night he takes the train home - alone. The scenes in is apartment are of him only working. We never get to see the whole ballet as a single dance. What we see are parts; some on stage, some in the rehearsal room, some with costumes and some without lighting. However, one gets the power of his creation as we watch it develop.

The part I loved most was him on stage taking a bow, leaving the stage, changing into costume and getting ready to be a corps dancer again in the 3rd ballet of the evening.

Jody Lee Lipes directed this film with amazing deftness.

Overall:  If you like dance and especially if you wonder how a performance becomes a reality – watch this film.

50 Shades of Grey

First Hit:  This film was 50 shades of boredom.

I didn’t read the books and I make it a point to not read books that may turn into a film. The experiences are very different and in the world of comparing things, it is generally a no win situation - either the book is better or the movie is better.

What was wrong with this film? No character development. The attempt to develop Christian Grey's (Jamie Dornan) character has him sitting on the edge of Anastasia Steele's (Dakota Johnson) bed and saying that he was raised by a crack head while Anastasia sleeps.

This is not character development. Anastasia saying she was a virgin and that she loved her stepfather is not history. Both of these items say something about the characters, but it isn’t enough to help the audience understand why they act and respond the way they do.

As the film progresses neither character evolves. Additionally, we know nothing as to how Grey makes his money. He seems to work very little because there are only a couple scenes where you think he’s suppose to be working. What you see is him telling someone on the other end of the line that what they are saying is unacceptable and to fix it. Was there chemistry between these lovers? I could sense Johnson doing a better job than Dornan in showing something, but Grey was virtually a desire-less slug.

The worst thing about this film, was that after about 45 minutes to an hour, I was looking around and away from the screen because I was bored stiff. I couldn’t wait until it ended.

Johnson was best in the first 30 minutes of the film, but she didn’t evolve very well. The only sign of growth was the scene of her sitting and negotiating the contact with Grey. Dornan was about as exciting as a doornail. He seemed stilted, out of place and without any depth whatsoever. There were other actors in this film but when the main characters are dull and lifeless, it takes someone doing something extraordinary to have me acknowledge it. Nothing in this film stood out. Kelly Marcel wrote a tired and lifeless screen play. The direction by Sam Taylor-Johnson was worse than the screenplay and acting because he got nothing out of any of those things.

Overall:  Its funny that the first week out this film did phenomenal business and when we were in a very large theater a week after the opening, there were maybe a dozen people. It is falling fast and justly so.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

First Hit:  Tongue in cheek fun while being oddly good.

I didn’t know what to expect when the lights went down. The previews had me believing it was more serious than it ended up being.

That’s not to say it was a comedy, but there are times when either the visuals (heads exploding into a colorful fireworks display) or the lines the actors said (“this is my gun”) were spot on funny.

The film is about a group of wealthy gentlemen who decide they can make things right in the world through intervention, usually armed. The group makes it clear they are not part of any government and have only allegiance to what they believe is right. Michael Caine (playing the group’s leader Arthur – think King), gives each member a historical nickname such as Jack Davenport is “Lancelot”, Mark Strong is “Merlin”, and Colin Firth is Harry Hart AKA “Galahad”.

The opening sequence has a terrorist group holding a global warming expert Professor Arnold (Mark Hamill) hostage. A Kingsman comes in to save the day but gets killed by Gazelle (Sophia Boutella) who is an agent for Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson). Valentine decides that he cannot fix global warming and because people are the issue, if he gets rid of most the people on the planet global warming can be reversed.

The Kingsman are out to stop him and with the death of a Kingsman, they have to recruit a new one. Here is how we meet the next generation of Kingsman, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Roxy (Sophie Cookson). I liked having the front for their organization being an English haberdashery in London. The fighting scenes were well choreographed and it was fun to watch Firth be so agile, yet sophisticated in his actions.

Firth was excellent as the prime Kingsman and mentor. Caine was good as Arthur. There is a sophistication he brings that works for this film. Egerton was very good and strong as the young street kid who learns what it takes to become a Kingsman. Jackson was great and embodied the role as the guy who wants to kill (although indirectly) most everyone on the planet. Hamill was fun to see again – it has been years. Boutella was very good as Jackson’s henchman (woman). Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn wrote a fun and amusing script and Vaughn directed this strong cast and story with surety and fearlessness.

Overall:  I enjoyed the film when I saw it and it still resonated the next day. It was violently fun.