Tag: Brie Larson

'Just Mercy' is a powerful legal drama — movie review

Just Mercy follows the true story of a civil rights attorney as he tries to prove the innocence of a man on death row

One-sentence review: Just Mercy may hit a lot of the familiar beats of a based on a true story legal drama, but the performances by Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Rob Morgan more than make up for its flaws.

As far as based on a true story legal dramas go, Just Mercy is on the better side. To be frank, there’s often a limitation to the quality of these kinds of movies because they’re made to be accessible by a wide audience — usually by credence from the studio. And while it doesn’t really break out of the mold, the two performances at the center of the film, by Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, are enough to power through any of the typical moments.

Adapted from his autobiography, Just Mercy follows attorney Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) who, fresh out of Havard Law School, chooses to go to rural Alabama to set up a non-profit focused on freeing wrongly convicted death row inmates. There, he’s joined by Eva Ansley (Brie Larson), a local advocate who helps him set up his operation that is of course met by local resistance.

He takes up the cases of several inmates including Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan) and, in particular, Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx).

McMillian was accused of murdering an 18-year-old local girl despite having a tight alibi and a case against him that was built on the flimsy testimony of a witness — of course, he was white. Like any movie telling this similar story, Stevenson suffers many setbacks — and a few wins — along the way that director Destin Daniel Cretton portrays without patina. His main struggle is to have the court even rehear the case, a process that’s blocked more than once by our bigotted villains — the town’s district attorney (Rafe Spall) and sheriff. Their moments are maybe too on the nose — as is a scene where Stevenson is extraneously pulled over in the middle of the night. That doesn’t make them any less effective. It works to communicate the story but is frustratingly by the numbers.

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However, there’s a moment midway through the movie where we focus in Herbert as his execution is brought forward. The movie slows its pace of hitting various plot points and spends time contemplating what it must be like to know you’re being put to death. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up during the well-directed sequence that Rob Morgan gives a devastating performance in. I wish there were more moments like it.

Jordan’s performance as Stevenson and Foxx’s as McMillian are so human and empathetic of their characters that they just might be two of the best of the year. The screenplay, by Cretton and Andrew Lanham, gives them ample room to explore not only the personal journey but to talk about it in the context of our society and how the death penalty, but design, is flawed and rooted in racist institutions. It’s that exploration that elevates Just Mercy even slightly above its genre counterparts.

I can’t underplay just how good the performances in the film are and how integral they are to its success. It’s a reminder that Foxx, who has down fewer dramas in recent years, is a terrific screen presence and Jordan, who was egregiously snubbed for Black Panther at the Oscars last year, is a bonafide Hollywood leading man who can easily hold the frame.

The movie, out of Christmas Day, is not an easy sit like other movies that sanitize stories about race. In particular, I’m thinking about Green Book. Just Mercy mercifully lacks a white savior narrative and also doesn’t deny that the issues still exist today and that Bryan Stevenson is still fighting for those on death row. Like Dark Waters, the quality of the film shouldn’t matter, even if it’s completely solid. This is a story well-told and a story worth hearing.

December 11, 2019
‘Avengers: Endgame’ is a fitting end to the MCU — movie review
Avengers: Endgame is an epic, emotional, spectacle-driven farewell to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it — and it’s perfect in every way.

30-second review: Avengers: Endgame is an epic, emotional, spectacle-driven farewell to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it. And the fact that it is so clearly an end is part of the reason it’s so successful. There are many callbacks and moments of familiarity that will make fans cheer, but they don’t feel pandering. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Steven McFeely took care to earn every one of the moments and often having them based in character.

It also helps that the movie’s structure is that of an epic balancing multiple story threads and arcs without feeling overstuffed. And it all culminates in a satisfying, glorious end that reminds us why seeing movies with a crowd is so powerful. The MCU is an incredible feat and Avengers: Endgame is the perfect capper to it.

Where to watch Avengers: Endgame: Available to buy or rent on Amazon.

Whatever it takes. Full review below ?

Don’t get it wrong, Avengers: Endgame is the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, these movies will continue. But this is a series finale. And like any good series finale, it’s filled with moments of joy — and fan service (more on that later) — sadness, nostalgia, and, most importantly, a vision for the future. Whatever comes next is something new — and that’s the way it should be.

To the credit of MCU mastermind Kevin Feige and directors Joe and Anthony Russo, this movie is proof that every movie, every moment, and every character along the way mattered. Endgame is a celebration of the journey and the six heroes that began it all — Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson), Clive Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). It’s their finale — and what an emotional, surprising, and exciting curtain call it is.

It’s difficult to talk about Endgame without spoiling any plot details — and yes, avoid spoilers at all costs. I’ll be vague here. Because even if you think you know what’s going to happen, you don’t. We begin about a month after Thanos (Josh Brolin) wiped out half the population of the universe using the six Infinity Stones and the Avengers are at a loss.

Even though Endgame clocks in at just over 3 hours, it doesn’t drag. Though the first act spends a lot of time with the characters working through their defeat. They have always been the world’s hope. Now, they’re the ones in need of some hope.

It’s the raw moments with these characters that I missed in Infinity War. That movie had the difficult job of setting up the stakes for this movie and it did that successfully. But what makes the MCU so impressive is its willingness to slow the action down for the sake of character development. So much of Endgame is spent delivering payoffs and callbacks for fans. A large chunk of the movie is a clever and entertaining trip down memory lane. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t earn the emotional payoffs for its characters — particularly the original six Avengers.

Eventually, the story shifts to a Hail Mary attempt at reversing the effects of Thanos’ snap that is so ridiculous that it might just work. And the screenplay penned by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely keeps things moving. I’ve always praised the original Avengers movie for its brilliant story structure, Endgame is similarly well-paced and focused. It builds to a brilliant final act that can only be described as Earth-shattering. It’s not an exaggeration to say I was physically shaking.

But that’s what these movies do so well. They get you laughing when they want you to laugh, crying when they want you to cry, cheering when they want you to cheer. If the Russo’s specifically are to be credited with anything it’s that they get you to do those things without feeling like you’ve been manipulated.

Some of the praise for that has to be given to the performances as well. Chris Evans gives the best performance of his decade-long turn as Captain America while Robert Downey Jr. absolutely nails every emotional beat of Tony’s storyline. On the other hand, Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo hold down the comedic end. It’s a well-oiled machine that chugs to its incredibly satisfying conclusion.

Which is good, since this is the end. The MCU will go on, but this is a bittersweet finale this 22-movie run. Storylines come to a end — all well-earned — and characters leave — some die, some move forward to uncertain futures, some stay right where they are. Still, they’re all changed. Every single character is different from when they were first introduced and that’s why no franchise has been able to do what the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been able to do.

Endgame is a farewell. An epic, emotionally draining, spectacle-driven farewell. And yet, things are just getting started.

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More movies, less problems
Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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April 25, 2019
Kong: Skull Island review — Too much Kong, not enough Skull Island

Kong: Skull Island doesn’t live up to 2014’s Godzilla or the 2005 version King Kong, but the central action set piece is reason enough to see it.

You know your movie has a problem when the most emotional image in your movie is of John C. Reilly holding a hot dog and beer watching the Cubs. However, the problems in Kong: Skull Island run deeper than that. The second movie in the Legendary MonsterVerse, yet another franchise that we didn’t know and probably don’t need, was preceded by Gareth Edwards’ 2014 film Godzilla. After being plucked from indie obscurity and trusted with a decades-old franchise, Edwards created a shockingly entertaining and well-crafted action piece with the film. The same thing happened with Kong director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, best known for The Kings of Summer, to lesser success. But that’s just the gamble you take with an untested director. Though I don’t think he’s going to be given a Star Wars movie the same way Edwards was, he certainly earns his stripes as an action director.

Following Peter Jackson’s epic and often emotional 2005 film King Kong was always going to be a hard task for whatever director took it on. Instead of taking place in 1933, Kong: Skull Island begins in the 70s at the tail end of the Vietnam war, which heavily influences the style of the movie. Bill Randa (John Goodman) and Houston Brooks (Corey Hawkins) charter a government expedition to explore the never visited Skull Island. The first 20 minutes of the movie are dedicated to assembling the team, which is a quick and surprisingly entertaining process. They hire former British Special Air Service Captain James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston) to guide the expedition. They are also escorted by a helicopter squadron, just about to go home from Vietnam, led by Lieutenant Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson). When they arrive on the island, they drop seismic charges under the guise
of studying the geological structure of the island. Instead, they flush out a 100-foot tall gorilla. After Kong takes out all the helicopters, in an amazingly shot and directed sequence that certainly homages Apocolypse Now, the survivors must make their way to the extraction point on the north side of the island within three days while trying to survive the creatures living there.

The plot is tight and efficient, which is a change from the slower paced 2005 version. But where Godzilla withheld the title monster for as long as possible, Kong: Skull Island reveals its hand almost immediately by giving us a glimpse of the mythic beast. While that scene is exciting and beautifully realized — the highly publicized shot of the helicopters approaching Kong against a blazing sun is breathtaking onscreen — it gives you an instant high that is matched by the rest of the movie. All the action scenes following it feel dull in comparison. It’s a huge issue considering there’s not much outside of them that the film has to offer. Story wise, the movie integrates well into the universe — there are references to Monarch and stay for the post-credits scene — but it feels like a franchise starter instead of its own movie.

Not only is the plot subpar, the characters feel like they’re made to die and the ones that have some purpose are so dull that you wouldn’t even care if they were gone. Mason Weaver (Brie Larson), a photojournalist looking to uncover a government conspiracy, is the closest we get to a charismatic character — she’s meant to step into the Naomi Watts character from the 2005 film — but we care about her because the film tells us to care about her. We get good performances from Samuel L. Jackson, Corey Hawkins, and John Goodman, but they aren’t given enough material to make a strong impression. The one character with an arc is Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly), a World War II fighter pilot who crash landed on the island 28 years before the expedition arrived. And while he gets some great laughs, it amounts to not much else.

I enjoyed Kong: Skull Island enough to recommend it to B-movie lovers. If you were one of the people who felt jilted by the lack of Godzilla in Godzilla, then this movie is going to satisfy your tastes. If anything, that first action set pieces and the truly fantastic visual effects and cinematography are enough to recommend. But on the giant monster movie scale, it ranks above the 1998 Godzilla and below the 2005 King Kong, 2014 Godzilla, and even Pacific Rim.

★★½ out of 5

Kong: Skull Island is available on Digital HD on Amazon!

March 13, 2017
2016 Oscar Predictions: Final Predictions

The Oscars are this Sunday, which means it’s time to give you our FINAL 2016 Oscar Predictions. This means that from this point forward I are sticking with out picks and not changing at all. Now, while I try to use the most analytic process to choose who I think will win, sometimes you just have to go with your gut. So there may be some out of left field choices here, but bear with me. I’ll make sure I explain any outlandish picks.

I’m going to start out with the technical categories and make my way down. So, if you want to just read the top five categories, click ahead!

Best Foreign Language Film

Will Win: “Son of Saul”
Could Win: “Mustang”
Should Win:”Son of Saul”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Goodnight, Mommy”

There are two very clear frontrunners for this category. The first is “Son of Saul” which became the early frontrunner our of Cannes. It has the advantage of being a holocaust movie, which do well at the Oscars. It also won the Golden Globe, which isn’t a requirement, but it doesn’t hurt. However, France’s “Mustang” has been this slowly growing contender that has a lot more mainstream appeal than “Son of Saul.” I still think “Son of Saul” has it, but “Mustang” is going to put up a fight.

Best Documentary Feature

Will Win: “Amy”
Could Win: “What Happened, Miss Simone”
Should Win:”The Look of Silence”
Should’ve Been Nominated: N/A

Ever since this category expanded voting to the whole Academy, the crowd-pleasing movie has won over the arthouse pick. “20 Feet From Stardom” over “The Act of Killing” and “Undefeated” over “Paradise Lost 3” are recent example. That’s why I think that if there’s an upset in the category it will “What Happened, Miss Simone” rather than “Cartel Land” like many people are predicting. “Amy” is still who I’m predicting though. It has a lot of buzz and it is a more traditional music documentary, which is popular in this category.

Best Animated Film

Will Win: “Inside Out”
Could Win: “Anamolisa”
Should Win:”Inside Out”
Should’ve Been Nominated: N/A

This is pretty much an open and shut category. With “Inside Out” landing a Best Original Screenplay nomination and coming from the Oscar titan Pixar, there’s almost no way it could lose. Plus, it really deserves to win for making a complicated subject both entertaining and understandable.

Best Film Editing

This is a hotly contested category partly because the winner of this category could help determine Best Picture at the end of the night. Usually the film with the “most” editing wins, which is why “Whiplash” won last year, so “The Big Short” should win here. It also helps that they did win the ACE Eddie Award even though it was in the comedy category and not competing with the other films nominated. If “The Big Short” wins here then they will almost certainly win in the top race. Nevertheless, I think that “Mad Max: Fury Road” is going to take it with both ACE Eddie and BAFTA wins under its belt.

Will Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Could Win: “The Big Short”
Should Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “The Martian”

Best Costume Design

“Mad Max: Fury Road” won the BAFTA award for this category which has been a strong predictor for the Oscars for that last eight years. Yet, I don’t think a win is going to be as easy as that. I think that “Carol” is going to give it a run for its money. The winners of this category tend to be the cleaner period pieces. In the last 20 years, a non-period film won this award only once in 2010 when “Alice In Wonderland” won. However, that film clearly had the most costumes of the category. I’m going to predict “Fury Road” but I won’t be surprised to see “Carol” taking it either.

Will Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Could Win: “Carol”
Should Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Crimson Peak”

Best Production Design

Like the costume design category, Production Design usually goes to a period film, however fantasy does have a better track record here. “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which won here at the BAFTAs should take this quite easily barring a “The Revenant” sweep even though nature did all the work.

Will Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Could Win: “The Revenant”
Should Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Jurassic World”

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Not only did “Mad Max: Fury Road” take the BAFTA, it also took the Makeup and Hairstyling guild award. “The Revenant” has a chance, but “Fury Road” should take this pretty easily.

Will Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Could Win: “The Revenant”
Should Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “The Hateful Eight”

Best Cinematography

Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki has won this category twice in a row (and should have won a fourth time for “The Tree of Life”) and should win handily this year as well. Although there was inspired work in this category in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” the only film I can really see stopping him is “Sicario” which would give Roger Deakins his long due Oscar. If I had been voting in this category though, I would give it to the gentle but incredibly smart cinematography in “Carol”

Will Win:”The Revenant”
Could Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should Win: “Carol”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “The Assassin”

Best Sound Mixing

The sound categories are surprisingly a bit of a mystery this year. Usually they’re open and shut. However, this year with “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Revenant” fighting over the tech categories, it’s not as clear. “Fury Road” had the more clear sound mixing because of its chaotic nature. “The Revenant” is more subtle, but could win in a sweep. Also, it won Best Sound at the BAFTAs. I think this could be a rare year where the sound categories are split and I think “The Revenant” takes this one.

Will Win: “The Revenant”
Could Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should Win: N/A
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Love & Mercy”

Best Sounds Editing

Sound Editing usually goes to the loudest movie like “Gravity,” “Inception,” and “American Sniper.” This year, the loudest film is by far “Mad Mac: Fury Road” so I think that’s where this category is going.

Will Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Could Win: “The Revenant”
Should Win:”Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Inside Out”

Best Original Score

Ennio Moriconne is seen as a lock for his score for “The Hateful Eight”. He’s the consensus choice, a veteran, and the sweeping oventure in the opening is very impressive. However, I think pundits are really overlooking Carter Burwell for “Carol”. He is also a veteran and his score for the film is the most affective and effective of the nominees. I’m pulling for him to take it and I think he could, but I’m sticking with “The Hateful Eight.”

Will Win: “The Hateful Eight”
Could Win: “Carol”
Should Win:”Carol”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “It Follows”

Best Original Song

Lady Gaga and Diane Warren seem to have been the preordained winners of this category for “Til It Happens to You” (“The Hunting Ground”). Lady Gaga has had a huge year and Diane Warren is overdue for a win. It also helps that they lost the Golden Globe since the winner of that award rarely wins at the Oscars. It’s only happened twice since 2000. With that statistic, Sam Smith’s “Writing’s On the Wall” (“Spectre”) probably won’t win. If one nominee is going to upset, it would be the Weeknd’s “Earned It” (“Fifty Shades of Grey”). He’s had a huge year and voters might be wanting to vote for a person of color after #OscarsSoWhite. What holds it back is that if it wins it would mean “Fifty Shades of Grey” is an Oscar winning movie.

Will Win: “Til It Happens to You” (“The Hunting Ground”)
Could Win: “Earned It” (“Fifty Shades of Grey”)
Should Win: “Manta Ray” – Racing Extinction
Should’ve Been Nominated: N/A

Best Visual Effects

“Mad Max: Fury Road” vs. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. This is going to be one of the hardest categories to call. Either the Academy goes with the film with the most effects, “Star Wars.” Not only is it the biggest box office hit of the year, it would also be their place to honor it. However, “Mad Max” is going to go on a sweep of the tech categories and this would be another one on the way. Although, since there was so much press about it using practical effects voters might not be able to pay attention to the CGI. The other viable contender is “The Revenant.” If it wins, it would solely be for the bear attack scene. I’m going with “Star Wars.” It’s too big of a movie to go home empty-handed and stays in line with the “most effects win” trend.

Will Win: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
Could Win: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should Win: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Everest”

Best Original Screenplay

I think you could make arguments for “Straight Outta Compton” and “Inside Out” in this category, but this is “Spotlight’s” to lose. If it loses Best Picture, this could be its consolation prize.

Will Win: “Spotlight”
Could Win: “Straight Outta Compton”
Should Win:”Spotlight”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Anamolisa”

Best Adapted Screenplay

Similarly to Original Screenplay, this category is all but locked up by “The Big Short.” I’d love to see Drew Goddard’s brilliant treatment of “The Martian” win, but “The Big Short” has the precursors and a possible Best Picture win behind it.

Will Win: “The Big Short”
Could Win: “Room”
Should Win:”The Martian”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Steve Jobs”

Best Actor

This is Leonardo DiCaprio‘s race to lose. He’s at the point in his career where he’s due an Oscar in a larger than life role in a movie that is a huge contender. If he doesn’t win, then someone at the Academy hates him.

Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Revenant”
Could Win: Brian Cranston, “Trumbo”
Should Win: Michael Fasbender, “Steve Jobs”
Should’ve Been Nominated: Michael B. Jordan, “Creed”

Best Actress

Brie Larson (“Room”) is at the point in her career where she is also due a win. She’s won everything so far and should take it pretty easily.

Will Win: Brie Larson, “Room”
Could Win: Saoirse Ronan, “Brooklyn”
Should Win: Charlotte Rampling, “45 Years”
Should’ve Been Nominated: Teyonah Parris, “Chi-Raq” or Emily Blunt (“Sicario”)

Best Supporting Actor

Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”) has all the momentum behind him. He has a great narrative, good enough performance, and no clear competitor. However, a part of me is telling me that Mark Ruffalo (“Spotlight”) is finally going to get his first Oscar. I don’t know if it’s going to happen and I really don’t have precedent to back me up. I’m going to save my gutsy pick for Supporting Actress, but if Ruffalo does win I’ll be kicking myself.

Will Win: Sylvester Stallone, “Creed”
Could Win: Mark Ruffalo, “Spotlight”
Should Win: Tom Hardy, “The Revenant”
Should’ve Been Nominated: Idris Elbar, “Beasts of No Nation” or Benicio Del Toro (“Sicario”) or Liev Schreiber (“Spotlight”) it was a great year.

Best Supporting Actress

I don’t buy the Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”) win. It just doesn’t feel right. Yes, she won the SAG, but I think she’s a very weak frontrunner and there’s a lot of support for Golden Globe and BAFTA winner Kate Winslet (“Steve Jobs”). Her performance already has a higher degree of difficulty and more successful execution. She’s also a charming industry favorite and is almost unidentifiable in the film. I’m going with Winslet as my gutsy acting prediction. Will it happen? I think it really could.

Will Win: Kate Winslet, “Steve Jobs”
Could Win: Alicia Vikander, “The Danish Girl”
Should Win: Kate Winslet, “Steve Jobs”
Should’ve Been Nominated: Alicia Vikander, “Ex Machina”

Best Director

I can’t express how much I want George Miller (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) to win this. He is the most deserving for creating this world with such detail and showing how an action film and film should be done. However, he’s going to have an extremely hard time beating Alejandro G. Inarritu (“The Revenant”), who won the DGA. The one thing working against him is that he would become only the third director to win two consecutive Oscars in this category. I think people are aware of this and don’t want it to happen. If I was a braver man I’d go with Miller, but Inarritu is my pick.

Will Win: Alejandro G. Inarritu, “The Revenant”
Could Win: George Miller, “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should Win: George Miller, “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should’ve Been Nominated: Todd Haynes, “Carol”

Best Picture

Shockingly, Best Picture is the most difficult category to predict. Usually at this point we’d have a clear picture, but certain trends would have to be broken for any of the frontrunners to win. “Spotlight” was the early frontrunner, but it’s too small of a film to win. We learned that last year with “Boyhood.” “The Revenant“ has the momentum and won the key DGA award. However, it lost PGA and didn’t have an integral SAG nomination. All arrows seem to be pointing at “The Revenant”. However, PGA is the most similar to Oscar voting, which is why every year in the last six years has the winner of the PGA repeated at the Oscars. That give “The Big Short” the boost. It also received an integral SAG ensemble nod, which is also necessary to win (the last time the Oscar winner wasn’t nominated at SAG was when “Braveheart” won.) Any of these three films could win, but “The Big Short” seems to be the most feasible winner.

Will Win: “The Big Short”
Could Win: “The Revenant”
Should Win:”Mad Max: Fury Road”
Should’ve Been Nominated: “Steve Jobs” or “Sicario” or “Ex Machina”

Who do you think will win at this year’s Oscars? Tweet at us with your predictions!

February 25, 2016