Kong: Skull Island - 8 stars out of 10

Kong: Skull Island - 8 stars out of 10

“Kong: Skull Island” transports a classic villain into a clever new historical time period.  One of my earliest memories is watching the 1933 version of “King Kong” at my grandparents’ house and being absolutely terrified.  I’ve grown to appreciate this monster movie star over the years, but he continues to grow fiercer with each modern incarnation, first in 2005 and now again in 2017.  Unlike the Peter Jackson remake, this reboot places the discovery of Kong in the midst of the Vietnam War.  Skull Island has been located in the South Pacific throughout the history of the Kong franchise, making this setting a natural fit.  The film welcomes an all-star cast featuring John Goodman, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, Samuel L. Jackson, and Tom Hiddleston.  These actors elevate the film beyond your typical monster movie with Reilly playing a particularly endearing role (especially toward the end).  Often times the characters in these films are underdeveloped and afterthoughts to their monster counterparts, but their depth adds so much to the story.   While the setting is interesting and the acting is great, the real reason to watch this film is its Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects.  Some films get this nomination for their explosions or their otherworldly atmospheres, but “Skull Island” is all about the creatures.  Kong is incredibly realistic, the Skullcrawlers are terrifying, and you’ll have nightmares for weeks about giant spiders hovering above your house.  I still prefer the 2005 remake for its preservation of the original story, but “Kong: Skull Island” turned out to be a very worthwhile action film fueled by nonstop adrenaline and vivid visual effects.

[Pictured: The script does a great job of incorporating an epic creature battle into this story of Vietnam soldiers]

I, Tonya - 9 stars out of 10

I, Tonya - 9 stars out of 10

“I, Tonya” is part biopic, part mockumentary, but all quality.  This film humanizes the media-created villainess Tonya Harding and reveals the life that shaped her polarizing personality.  While Harding’s life is a long chain of sad and unfortunate moments, the film is more of a comedy than a drama with its tongue-in-cheek tone and over the top acting.  One of the film’s most distinctive features is the incorporation of interviews that are re-enacted by the cast from interviews filmed by screenwriter Steven Rodgers.  They are the crux of the film’s unique style and provide insight into what the characters were thinking during their series of unfortunate events.  The interviews also reveal a great deal about Harding as she constantly makes excuses for her poor decisions.  Amidst the comedy, the film makes bold statements about the cyclical nature of domestic abuse.  It drives home the point that Tonya’s emotionally abusive mother caused her to later accept physical abuse in her marriage.  Some of the most powerful moments in the film occur when Tonya breaks the fourth wall in a complete emotional disconnect from the moment because the abuse is so common (and even expected) in her life.  This film is a great showcase for Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, each one delivering the greatest performance of her lifetime.  Janney is pure evil and one of the most despicable villains that I have ever seen while Robbie manages to earn our sympathy in spite of her crass and selfish behavior.  She embodies Tonya so perfectly (at age 15 and at age 25) that videos of the real Tonya won’t look right anymore.  Their Oscar nominations for Actress/Supporting Actress are no surprise and Janney will likely win hers.  By the end of the film, it’s easy to forget how incredible McKenna Grace was in her brief-but-emotional performance as young Tonya at the beginning, and Paul Walter Hauser as Shawn Eckhardt is hysterical.  His character is so annoying but you can’t help but get giddy every time that he appears because he is so blissfully clueless.  The characters are incredibly well-written, though I do have to take issue with one aspect of the script: The f-word.  In fact, 100 of them.  I understand that they are emphasizing the edginess of the characters but it went way beyond where it needed to be.  Even real-life Tonya has mentioned that she has never sworn as much as the movie indicates.  The writers could have made a great PG-13 film by portraying the rough-around-the-edge personalities of the characters through a means other than profanity.  Outside of the great acting and storytelling, “I, Tonya” is a well-executed sports movie.  The filming of the ice skating sequences is artistic, energetic, easy to follow, and convincing that Robbie actually landed a triple axel.  Its Oscar nomination for Best Editing is well-deserved, though it’s hard to compete with “Dunkirk.”  It is important to note that this film portrays Tonya’s ignorance to the Nancy Kerrigan incident but nobody knows how deeply she was actually involved.  Her character even states that there is no such thing as truth and this is her version.  “I, Tonya” captures an important moment in American pop culture and fleshes it out to a depth that we never knew.  The story is perfectly cast with characters that you will love, hate, and love to hate.  It is grossly underrepresented at the Oscars (especially with mediocre movies like “The Post” up for Best Picture) but its acting and cultural relevance will guarantee it a cult following forever.

[Pictured: This film is all about acting, but the editing of the ice skating sequences is out of this world]

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - 6 stars out of 10

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - 6 stars out of 10

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” picks up where the first one left off without losing any steam.  Superhero films are typically action-comedies but this series is definitely a comedy-action film.  It has a tone completely unique from any other superhero movie out there (except for maybe “Ant-man”) and you know from the opening credits that this will not be your standard experience.  Who needs serious moments when you can set up a sentimental moment and spoil it with a one-liner?  Or even better, have the characters make fun of the fact that something serious almost happened!  The critics didn’t like the sequel as much as the first installment but I enjoyed it much more and for one huge reason: Kurt Russell.  He brings his machismo/sensitivity blend to the screen and plays his role to perfection.  I would watch this movie again solely for him as he outshines the rest of the stars around him.  The other unexpected stand-out was Michael Rooker as Yondu.  I don’t really even like these characters but he had me choked up at a few moments.  Of the actual Guardians, Chris Pratt was the most notable with a multi-layered interpretation of Star Lord as his new knowledge of his past changes him.  And you have to love Rocket because he’s an ultra-realistic raccoon.  While I’m not a huge fan of the franchise, there is no denying how astounding its visual effects are (and rightfully represented with an Oscar nomination). I’d guess that at least 90% of the frames in this film involve some form of CGI.  From the worlds beyond our own to the monsters that the Guardians face, the artists have created a vivid reality out of nothing.  The visual artistry is matched by the soundtrack with its amazing blend of oldies that bring about a combination of nostalgia and pure joy.  There’s no greater opening to a film than Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) and Mr. Blue Sky.  Overall, I had a much better experience with “Guardians Vol. 2” because its story went beyond your typical superhero fare.  I have some issues with its boundary-pushing dialogue, especially considering that young kids are going to inevitably watch every superhero film that they can.  Call me old-fashioned, but save this amount of crude content for movies like “Deadpool” and “Logan” that carry an R-rating (and fill that void with more Baby Groot).  Even if you haven’t seen “Guardians Vol. 1,” give “Vol. 2” a try if you need a change of pace from the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

[Pictured: Kurt Russell is unquestionably the best part of this film]

Icarus - 7 stars out of 10

Icarus - 7 stars out of 10

“Icarus” is a hard-to-believe documentary about steroid use in professional sports.  The story begins as an experiment by director Bryan Fogel to take Performance Enhancing Drugs and fool the drug test before a cycling event.  Inexplicably, it turns into the unearthing of an international conspiracy and blows the whistle on Russia’s long history of cheating at the Olympics with PEDs.  The revelation of the doping conspiracy begins when Fogel contacts Grigory Rodchenkov of the Russian anti-doping laboratory.  He develops a friendship with Fogel as he gives recommendations on how to beat the testing system but eventually realizes that he cannot live with his guilty conscience.  Rodchenkov chooses to risk everything to tell the truth of this crazy cover-up.  There isn’t really anything special about the way the documentary is shot.  The pacing is average and the cinematography is amateur, but the story is simply unbelievable.  The film culminates in a detailed recollection of how Russia cheated the Sochi Olympics and the way that Rodchenkov’s life will never be the same after coming forward with the information.  “Icarus” is more informative than it is riveting, but it will definitely make you look at all sports at all levels and question their validity forever.

[Pictured: You will find yourself endeared to both Grigory and Fogel by the end of this film]

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]