Cinderella

First Hit:  I fully enjoyed this treatment of the long time tale.

What worked most about this film is that Lilly James as Cinderella was perfect.

She was of happy spirit inside and out and whether James is like this normally I don’t know, however she embodied joy, courage, and kindness. Richard Madden playing the Prince, was also perfect as the humble, yet intelligent prince.

Then there is the inimitable Cate Blanchett as the horrible Stepmother. Perfectly cast. The story needs no introduction but one of the things I really enjoyed was the use of computer and drawn animation throughout the film. The transformation of the mice, lizards, goose and pumpkin into the carriage to take Cinderella to the ball was amazingly entertaining.

The subtle touch of a mouse doing a backflip when the Prince and Cinderella walkout onto the balcony after their marriage – priceless. Disney did a great job of this.

James was fantastic, totally believable as the humble Cinderella. Madden was wonderful as the Prince. Blanchett was superlative as the wicked stepmother. Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother was perfect. Sophia McShera and Holliday Grainger as the evil step-sisters Drisella and Anastasia respectively were fully amusing and great in their parts. Chris Weitz wrote a great screenplay. Kenneth Branagh kept the story classically original, focused and entertainingly upgraded to today.

Overall:  This is a great family film expressing the greatness of courage and kindness.

Maps to the Stars

First Hit:  I’m sure I’ll be in the minority on this – and I liked this film. It was quirky, yet insightful in the David Cronenberg style.

Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore) is a fading from view movie star who is trying to get the part of her famous deceased movie star mother in an upcoming film. She really wants the part.

The film shows her desperation of want and her pretending to not be attached to getting the role. Agatha Weiss (Mia Wasikowska) is an intelligent, scarred and somewhat twisted girl. We see her abnormal behavior unfold as the film evolves. She becomes Havana's assistant and has an edge that keeps the audience on wondering. Dr. Stafford Weiss (John Cusack) is a Hollywood based spiritual and physical energy therapist to the stars.

His wife Christina (Olivia Williams) and he are driving their son Benjie (Evan Bird) to be an ego filled young actor. There is a controlling power in their house and when Agatha shows up again, all hell breaks loose. Keeping Agatha’s attention was limo driver Jerome Fontana (Robert Pattinson), until her real wish is known.

The fun part of this film is the moving from one type of ego expression to another and in Hollywood it all stands out strong.

Moore is great as the fading star who wants to stay in the limelight. Wasikowska is fantastic as the strangely possessed young woman. Cusack is perfect as the ego driven guru believing his own self-awareness. Williams is great as the mother/wife walking a tightrope. Bird as the ego possessed young man who is getting more than he deserves is very good – believable. Pattinson is really good as the limo driver who pretends non-interest and then interest in Agatha. Bruce Wagner wrote and interesting, complex screenplay that, for me, worked. Cronenberg definitely had his vision and although it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, for me it worked well.

Overall:  I found this film interesting and fun to watch these characters go through their ego struggles.

'71

First Hit:  This well shot, dark, and a brooding film sheds little light on the Catholic / Protestant conflict in Belfast but shows how England didn’t know what to do at that time.

Gary Hook (Jack O’Connell) a private in the English army is sent with his unit to Belfast to quell an unrest and assist in arresting an IRA sympathizer.

When the English Army gets attacked by the locals, he and another soldier are sent to chase down a kid who took an English soldier’s gun. The crowd erupts and Hook is left behind fighting for his life. This story is about how there is compassion, hate, honor and deceit.

O’Connell is very good as the left behind soldier. Although there are other actors in this film, the focus is on Hook and the others represent ideals and beliefs and in their way they were amazing. Gregory Burke wrote a very strong screenplay. Yann Demange directed with film with wonderful vision for the feel of the time and the situation.

Overall:  I liked the film and would have loved seeing more of the roots of the conflict.

Run All Night

First Hit:  The action is very strong, the acting is good and it’s hard to see older men attempt to move their bodies athletically.

Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) and Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris) have been lifelong friends. They've been criminals for most of their lives.

Shawn has been the brains while Jimmy has been the muscle. Although Shawn has no problem killing someone, it’s been Jimmy that has racked up the kills and they haunt him. He left his wife and boy early on because he did not think he would be a fit enough father to be around his son Michael (Joel Kinnaman).

Michael resents his father and has chosen a life that, although difficult, is honorable. Shawn, on the other hand, has a boy named Danny (Boyd Holbrook) who is partly in the family business but keeps screwing up. When Danny kills a couple of crooked Albanians, Mike gets caught up and Jimmy kills Danny. This splits Danny and Shawn’s close relationship and now they’re out to kill each other.

Neeson is very good at showing determination and completing his appointed task with no feelings. Harris was very strong as the guy who has pulled the strings for years. Kinnaman was excellent as the bitter son. Holbrook was also very good as Maguire’s son. Common as professional hit man Andrew Price, was great. Brad Ingelsby wrote a strong script and Jaume Collet-Serra did a great job of creating a mood of NYC in this Irish community.

Overall:  The story of redemption of a difficult life was well done.

Unfinished Business

First Hit:  Funny, long winded at times, and a convoluted story that didn’t quite work.

Story starts with Dan (Vince Vaughn) leaving the company he works for because the person he works for, Chuck (Sienna Miller), is reducing his commission again. He storms out of the building and meets Timothy (Tom Wilkinson) who has been let go because of his age and Mike Pancake (Dave Franco) who is a challenged employee.

They agree to form a company together and go into direct competition against their old company. They believe they've scored a great contract but have to go to Germany to close the deal. When they get there they find out they are a fluffer (a company that is part of the bidding process to make a competitor, his old boss, look good).

However they decide they can win the contract and work to close the deal. What I thought was the funniest situation in this film was Dan having to stay in a museum as part of an art installation. His bed, everything, was able to be viewed through glass by the museum attendees. The name of the artwork he was installed in was American Businessman #42. Another funny scene was the steam bath scene.

There are also some very touching scenes of him and his son and daughter as they talk through life situations.

Vaughn was typical Vaughn and he’s really not a character in a movie but more of himself in a particular role. Fast-talking, occasionally intelligent, and mostly a wise ass. Miller has a minor role and was OK. Wilkinson was really pretty good in his role as the old codger who’s trying to get a little more out of his life before he dies. Franco was funny and carried off the naivety required with aplomb. Steve Conrad wrote an amusing script. Ken Scott’s direction was adequate.

Overall:  There were some funny bits, but overall it was a let-down.