How to Steal a Million - 8 stars out of 10

How to Steal a Million - 8 stars out of 10

“How to Steal a Million” has everything that you love about art, romance, comedy, and heist films.  The creative story is unlike any that I’ve ever experienced, placing the main character in a position where she needs to steal her own painting out of an art museum.  While the story has romance, it is driven by the strong will of the leading lady and Audrey Hepburn is the perfect candidate for the role.  I’m pretty sure that she is infallible, bringing charm and style to every role that she has ever played.  Her charisma is matched by Peter O’Toole, who pairs well with the suave sophistication of this burglar.  Their chemistry may be more of a masterpiece than the artwork displayed throughout the film.  Once you add in the witty dialogue and the comedy provided by Hugh Griffith and François-Alexandre Galepides (a.k.a. Moustache), this film is a well-rounded crowd-pleaser.  “How to Steal a Million” is a classic and should be on every movie-lover’s list.

[Pictured: Hepburn and O’Toole are a match made in heaven]

The Post (2017) - 6 stars out of 10

The Post (2017) - 6 stars out of 10

“The Post” is surprisingly lackluster.  I expected a lot more from a production bearing the names Spielberg, Streep, and Hanks.  The film is beautifully shot and has a unique supporting cast of character actors (David Cross, Bradley Whitford, Zach Woods), but the script has the excitement level of a news room.  I mean, if you are going to take a lot of liberties with history, you’d might as well add some more drama to give your cast better acting opportunities.  The main issue is that the script tells a singular story without many subplots and the characters don’t have a chance to transform.  Beyond that, I didn’t understand some of Steven Spielberg’s decisions.  “Let’s start with a war sequence solely to establish that one character feels that the war is hopeless but portray the rest of the story in a city without any reference to the opening.  Plus, we need to get in another jab at Nixon so let’s throw a 20-second Watergate scene in at the end, even though the events of the film take place over 5 days and Watergate happens more than a year later.”  Some aspects of the film just seemed very forced and not portrayed with the highest quality.  Honestly, the best actor in the film was Bob Odenkirk, not because he had a great character to work with but because he’s entertaining in and of himself.  Meryl Streep is the greatest actress of our generation but her performance lacked that “wow” moment that we expect in an Oscar-nominated role.  The same goes for Tom Hanks following his noteworthy performances in “Sully” and “Bridge of Spies” over the past two years.  You can see a bit of Steven Spielberg’s flair in the movement of the camera through the newsroom but the overall picture didn’t come together for me.  There were movies more deserving of a Best Picture nomination but the film’s relevance to the current presidency’s battle with the press secured it a spot.  “The Post” tells an interesting story but, considering the bodies of work of its major players, I don’t think that it will be remembered very far beyond this year’s award season.

[Pictured: "The Post" was disappointingly average and well below the caliber of its big names]

Matchstick Men - 9 stars out of 10

Matchstick Men - 9 stars out of 10

“Matchstick Men” is an unexpectedly riveting crime caper from sci-fi aficionado Ridley Scott.  I first saw this film during my formative movie-watching days and it (along with “Ocean’s 11”) was a driving force behind my love for heist films.  Some might immediately shy away from the film because of Nicolas Cage but fear not, this film was produced in the golden age of his career (1995-2004).  If your impressions of Cage are based on his output over the last decade, this film will change your opinion.  His portrayal of a con man with Tourette’s syndrome and OCD is very refined and methodical, with his tics growing more intense as his stress increases and becoming subdued as he calms down.  He can get a bit irritating at times, but that’s the point.  Moreover, he manages to develop chemistry with the characters around him amidst his panic attacks, irritability, and other characteristics.  Even with Cage’s masterclass occurring, Alison Lohman manages to steal the screen.  It is often painfully obvious when twenty-somethings are cast in the role of a teenager (“Mean Girls” immediately comes to mind) but Lohman’s youthful look and acting make for a convincing 14-year-old.  Another underrated actor that shines is Sam Rockwell.  I have always loved his performances, especially when he is cast as a sleazeball.  He is finally receiving some well-deserved critical attention for his performance in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” but films like “Matchstick Men” and “Moon” show that it is long overdue.  The acting is great, the story is compelling, but the most important part is the twist.  It is one of those jaw-dropping twists that will always stick with you and is followed by a satisfying resolution.  There really isn’t anything bad to say about “Matchstick Men.”  It is a highly underrated film and you won’t regret giving it a shot.

[Pictured: Lohman and Cage develop a slightly-awkward-but-well-executed father-daughter relationship]

Coco (2017) - 10 stars out of 10

Coco (2017) - 10 stars out of 10

“Coco” is the best Disney film since “Frozen”!  It seems like this film has flown under everybody’s radar but its quality is beyond words.  I wasn’t sure what to think at first.  It seemed overly familiar with its “Corpse Bride”-esque land of the dead gags, the token dumb animal sidekick, and the I-don’t-appreciate-my-family plot from many Disney films, but the screenwriters had a lot of tricks up their sleeves.  It maintains an amazing sense of originality considering its similarities to other films, and the surprisingly educational Día De Los Muertos story continually gets better as the film progresses.  Once you finally comprehend the reason that the film is titled “Coco” (not the reason that you expect initially), the family theme grows even stronger.  The format of the story is interesting in that it is a series of layers that are pulled back one by one.  Each layer reveals more information about the family so that, instead of a giant twist at the end, the family dynamic is enhanced and understood on progressively deeper levels throughout the film.  It is incredible.  This is Pixar’s first musical and I found that the music is much more subtle than other animated musicals.  We never have that moment of “Oh, it’s time for another song.”  Instead, the music is fluidly interwoven throughout the story and seems more like a plot point than a musical number.  But that doesn’t make these catchy songs by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez any less alluring.  “Remember Me” is geniusly used in three completely different ways throughout the film and will have you in tears at the end.  It almost acts as its own evolving theme, changing based on what we learn about the characters.  Similar to “Moana,” the film has an all Latino cast and the authenticity enhances the characters.  I love the visual design of the characters, especially Miguel when he is in his skeleton disguise.  They did an amazing job of making him look like a human and a skeleton at the same time.  Usually, we would be fixated on the creation of a beautiful Land of the Dead and colorful spirit animals but I almost forgot how beautiful the film was because the story is so incredible.  The writers managed to create laugh out loud moments within a story focused around death and they perfectly captured the Mexican culture.  Maybe the story resonated so strong with me as a musician who often gets called away from his family, but I feel like the themes in this story should resonate strongly with every parent out there.  It definitely makes me want to write a secret song like “Remember Me” for my children someday.  “Coco” is a slam-dunk to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar.  It’s creativity and deep, emotional content put it in a league of its own.  There is no other film like “Coco” and likely never will be again.

[Pictured: The contrast between the human and skeleton characters as well as the stunning Land of the Dead makes "Coco" a visual masterpiece]

Strong Island - 2 stars out of 10

Strong Island - 2 stars out of 10

“Strong Island” received an Oscar nomination for its relevance to topical issues in our  society (racism, corruption) but not for its actual quality as a film.  First, the film does not do a good job of explaining the most important piece of the puzzle: the murder of William Ford.  Director Yance Ford is obviously trying to build drama by telling the story in pieces as the film progresses but I’m still not clear on the details of William’s murder.  Much of the film’s accolades came from its emotionally charged interviews and emotions were inevitable since the director created this documentary about her murdered brother.  But then I think about the fact that she was the one recording her emotional reactions to various phone calls with people involved in the investigation.  Suddenly, all of those scenes seem staged and even a bit self-righteous.  But the hardest pill to swallow is the fact that the film simply doesn’t make a convincing case.  In the end, all that I’m left with is the story of a man who intimidated and provoked another man, only to be shot in self-defense.  It is hardly an argument that the Grand Jury ruling was incorrect.  Persuasive documentaries should take time to present the other side’s arguments and refute them so that we can make our decision for ourselves, but the film is so one-sided that I keep wondering what compelling arguments the other side would make.  “Strong Island” is undeniably emotional and topical.  I love the artistry of using physical photographs to tell the story and other aspects of how it was filmed.  I just can’t get behind a film that fails to make a compelling argument for its case.

[Pictured: The film has its artistic moments and points out the history of racism in the United States, but it falls short of making a compelling argument that racism was involved in the grand jury's decision]