American Ultra, Ricki and the Flash, and The Gift - All Are Must-Sees
Jesse Eisenberg plays stoner store clerk Mike, who lives with his stoner girlfriend Phoebe, played by the surprisingly-not-annoying Kirsten Stewart. Mike's not your typical stoner though. He's actually a government agent who has no idea he's a government agent until he's activated in the wake of his impending termination. Seen as a liability, Mike finds himself in the clutches of other government agents trying to take him out. But he's too well-trained to go down easy...unbeknownst to him. The idea of a trained assassin who doesn't know they're a trained assassin isn't a new concept, but it works quite well in tandem with the idea of that agent being a bum who gets high all the time with his girlfriend. Yet, American Ultra takes it a step further than just a comedy. There's actually a level of emotion to the story. Mike, despite his phobias of leaving town and his lack of desire to do much with his life, truly loves his girlfriend. Their relationship, though weird, is touching and you can't help but feel for Mike has he begins to unravel after taking out two trained operatives with a cup of soup and a spoon. The insanity just continues from there.
Eisenberg, for whatever reason - good or bad - can play the quirky, stoner-loser guy like a harp. That being said, he's been pigeon-holed a bit with that ability. The character of Mike is not that far off from the likes of Eisenberg's past characters such as Columbus from Zombieland, Nick from 30 Minutes or Less, and James from Adventureland, which ironically he played opposite Kristen Stewart. It may seem old, but the premise of American Ultra allows you to forget that notion and enjoy what you see unfolding in front of you. The one aspect that sets the character of Mike aside from Eisenberg's other roles, is that Mike is one bad mamma-jamma when it comes to action. Who knew this guy could be an action star?! The action in the movie is high-tensity, bloody, and down-right disturbing at some points. However it's also brilliantly comical. There just seems to be this flow about the movie that seems to make all these out-of-place aspects work effectively, making for a really fun ride.
And how about Kristen Stewart! Being the optimist that I am, I'm all about the silver linings and the benefit of the doubt. Stewart has shown that she has some acting chops worth of positive criticism, and I'm not talking just about this movie. In this film though, she was just as entertaining as Eisenberg. These two play off each other really well. As I mentioned before, this isn't their first time in a movie together and you can tell that there is chemistry between them. She's able to bring a semblance of emotion that actually drives the story. I was pleasantly surprised.
There's a handful of really great films out now and your choices of what to watch might seem daunting. I'm not saying that if you haven't been to the movies in a while that American Ultra should be the one you see over everything else, but it shouldn't be missed. It's a fun ride with hilarious comedy, insane action, and a great cast (John Leguizamo! How could I forget! He's so freakin' funny in this movie!). It's an enjoyable movie from start to finish.
--
I think there's a stigma among critics when it comes to her majesty Meryl Streep. It's as if she can do no wrong. Her numerous awards, accolades and exemplary work in film lends itself to support such a claim. The woman can act her face off, that's no joke. She tends to find such interesting characters to play within mediocre to well-written stories. Her latest film "Ricki and the Flash" is another example of a character piece that though it may falter and droop with various flaws, Streep still delivers a piece of work that is emotional, moving, and entertaining to watch.
Ricki is a musician seeking out her dream of rock and roll stardom, who sacrificed her relationship with her family in the process. When tragedy strikes the life of her daughter, Ricki seeks to make things right with the family she lost. It's an emotional journey that is grounded in visceral reality. Streep does a great job at bringing the captivating presence she's known for all throughout the piece. Initially the story plays out as if we would see Ricki mending things with her daughter as the central arc of the film. However, she takes time with all of her children, shifting the focus mainly on Ricki's ability to move on from the guilt of being an absentee parent and striving to find both herself and her place with her now grown family.
Mamie Gummer, Streep's real-life daughter, plays Ricki's daughter in the film. I think it's kind of cool when actors that are related to each other play those relationships in films...even if it's done somewhat poorly (Will and Jaden Smith, I'm talking to you. #AfterEarth #MNightIsStillCoolThough). There's the chance that they can add a level of realism to the piece that might not be there otherwise. Gummer and Streep are able to pull this off and it's entertaining.
Overall the movie wasn't bad. The music is great, Streep does her own singing and isn't bad at it. The acting overall was great, besides her Highness. The story is compelling and moving and it will leave you feeling good inside. Now who wouldn't want that from a movie-going experience, am I right?
--
Every now and then a movie comes along that will surprise you. "The Gift" was one of those for me. Joel Edgerton makes his directorial debut with this creepy thriller, and it doesn't disappoint. The film follows a young married couple, Simon and Robyn, played by Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall, as they move from Chicago to California due to Simon's potential job change. Their lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance named Gordon, played by Edgerton, from Simon's past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light after more than 20 years.
The movie takes its time to establish the characters. We slowly begin to form relationships with who these people are as they live their lives. Edgerton's "Gordo" is the epitome of the creepy neighbor. Simon and Robyn's house is practically built with windows for walls, which makes the creep factor heightened right off the bat. I mean, who in their right mind would buy a house like that?! Anybody can just walk up and watch what's going on in your home. Add that to the creepy Gordo who constantly shows up, leaving gifts on the door step, and you've got yourself the recipe for potential disaster.
It's hard to talk about this movie in a spoiler-free environment. I will say that no spoilers will be revealed here. But the story is so engaging that you find yourself invested in these characters so much that it's hard not to react when certain things go down. Forgive me for the vagueness but you just have to go see it. The cast is fantastic. Rebecca Hall's character is home by herself most of the movie and she does a great job of walking that line between frightened and insane; being scared of the random noises, and creepy things, yet friendly and optimistic with Gordo's constant visits. You never can quite tell if she's actually scared or just emotionally unstable. That uncertainty adds to the tension. As I mentioned before, Joel Edgerton brings this level of insane creepiness that isn't really overbearing, but enough to make your skin crawl. This is by far the most intriguing character he's played as of late. However, the most interesting character to watch is Jason Bateman's Simon. Simon and Gordo have a past and watching Simon deteriorate before our eyes in light of the events that occur is the most harrowing aspect of the story.
To Edgerton's credit even further, his writing is tense and real. He has a directional style that is raw and yet clean; hearkening to the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and M. Night Shyamalan. He draws you in with the exposition and allows the settings and your mind to do all of the work in bringing the scares. This movie borders the line between thriller and horror, but is also grounded in a realistic situation that many audience members might connect to. It's truly an entertaining piece that will make you jump, make you squirm, and when the twist comes towards the end, it will leave you completely shaken and horrified,
Comments
Post a Comment