Review: Swiss Army Man Makes Gorgeous Our Human Grossness

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June 30, 2016

We’re all a little angry. We’re all just a bit alone. We can all love. We can all be hurt. We all fart.

Swiss Army Man is a very digestible movie. For what its premise and borderline twee trailer moments promise, it is a film that wears its drowned and pulpy heart on its sleeve. Directed by “Daniels” (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Swiss Army Man isn’t afraid to go to the deep abyss of the human psyche, hunting for our fears and broken moments. If this all sounds like pretentious Sundance fodder, you’d only be half correct. Swiss Army Man is sincere and isn’t afraid to mine our most uncomfortable moments for humor and joy.

Paul Dano plays Hank, a man seemingly marooned on an island and ready to give it all up when he spots a body having washed ashore. Hank is saved from his suicide attempt by this act of fate/God/spirit/etc and discovers this body has incredible powers. Not least of which is its ability to fart with great fervor which sends Hank riding atop the body across the ocean and to the mainland forest.

The body, Manny, is played by Daniel Radcliffe. That’s the hook of selling this movie. Come watch Harry Potter play a dead man and fart for an hour and a half. Well, if that got you in the seat, great. Swiss Army Man is entirely about that thing but doesn’t approach it with a wink or ridicule. During Hank and Manny’s journey to safety, Manny begins to feel what it was like to be alive. He sees a picture of a pretty girl (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) on Hank’s phone and is immediately in love*. He learns about sex and dancing and vodka and friendship and betrayal. He wonders why Hank doesn’t want to act more like Manny does.

*So am I, Manny. So am I.

Spending time with Hank and Manny isn’t about survival in the truest sense. In a skewed universe, this film is the bizarro version of The Revenant. Instead of grotesque manly gruffness, Swiss Army Man trades in breaking down your own mental and emotional walls to free your spirit. The Daniels have a lot to say about society and the ways in which we safeguard our vanity so that we aren’t subjected to hurt or embarrassment. The curated life of social media is directly in the crosshairs here as Hank is a man who wants nothing more than to fit in and disappear into the crowd of acceptable people. The Daniels want to tell us that just because he isn’t able to do that doesn’t mean he can’t still fit into the larger puzzle. Have you ever been broken-up with? Have you ever not said ‘Hi’ to the person you so desperately want to reach out to? Do you ever feel like a disappointment? Welcome to Pain Ground Zero.

Blending the absurdity of the ideas on screen are some truly moving and breathtaking images that blur the lines between reality and supernatural. This all works because the abilities are derived from character moments and emotional beats. We’re introduced to Hank having created ingenious and funny ships and items to send out to sea, calling for help. The first time we hear him, he’s humming the tune to a song he doesn’t know the words for. So what does the movie do? It allows Hank to make the things he’s missing and create the words to his song. It’s a gorgeous touch that allows us to believe in some of the truly wackadoo moments that take place.

Because this movie can be seriously wackadoo. Taken out of context, the idea of a dead man chopping down trees with his judo-chop arm and puking drinkable water are ludicrous. Some of the truest magic of the film is that the thought of this magic not being a metaphor and truly existing never seems too far out of reach.

Swiss Army Man embraces the uncomfortable, dirty, ugly nature of human life. We aren’t wrapped up in branded linens and carved from cybernetic marble. We all shit ourselves when we die and that ridiculous fate is unavoidable. Swiss Army Man finds the beauty in that and I love it.

Also, Daniel Radcliffe, Best Supporting Actor Oscar, 2016. Seriously.

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‘Netflix’ prepares to get ‘Lost in Space’

By

Anthony Wendel

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June 29, 2016

Danger Will Robinson! Netflix, in an never ending attempt to bring better programming to the masses has decided to reintroduce a classic TV series to a new generation. They have put an order in for 10 episodes of a Lost in Space reboot. Zack Estin, writer for Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and No Ordinary Family will act as the showrunner.

The original series ran for three season and featured the stories of the Robinson family and Major Don West who are sabotaged by Dr. Smith (who becomes a stowaway thanks to his actions) and find themselves unable to get back home. The series featured them exploring the uncharted galaxy in their spaceship the Jupiter 2 with the help of a robot (simply called robot) in an effort to find a way to get back to Earth.

This is not the first attempt to revive the classic series. Back in 1998, a film featuring Gary Oldman and Matt Leblanc made an attempt to capture the magic of the original series. Unfortunately, most feel the movie missed its mark and currently it sits at a 27% on RottenTomatoes.

The series will arrive on Netflix sometime in 2018. With any luck this new series will find a way to capture the right mix of comedy and science fiction which made the original series so entertaining. As long as it features a cool robot, many will hopefully get on board and get lost.

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Review: ‘Legend Of Tarzan’ Is The ‘Jungle Book’ Film We’ve Needed

By

EJ Moreno

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June 29, 2016

‘Legend Of Tarzan‘ Gives Us A Refreshing Take Of A Classic Tale

Stories of Tarzan and Jane has been told since about 1912 when Edgar Rice Burroughs created the classic novel. Since then, about 200 films have been based on that original tale. Somehow, 2016’s ‘Legend Of Tarzan‘ found a way to slightly retell the origin story, giving the viewers a new adventure.

Director David Yates took an interesting route with this movie. Instead of being purely about Tarzan’s first encounter with Jane, the familiar backstory is shown through flashbacks. Doing so allowed for viewers to get invested in the new story while having the exposition needed for new unfamiliar fans.

Breaking Down The Film:

Alexander Skarsgård completely owns the role of Tarzan. He starts off with this attempt at being refined but the facade is slowly stripped away. It’s interesting to see as most stories show you Tarzan grow from animal to man. Where as, this incarnation has to find his true animal self again in order to save Jane. Characterization like this are enjoyable due to the fact most stories focus on humanizing characters. Seeing someone come to terms with their true animalistic side makes for a much needed change of pace in American cinema.

‘Legend Of Tarzan‘ was luckily backed by such an incredible cast. Margot Robbie as Jane and Christoph Waltz as villainous Léon Rom spent a lot of the film’s running time together, something they used to their advantage as the pair had great chemistry. Other than Skarsgard as the title role, the other stand-out performance was Samuel L. Jackson as George Washington Williams. Jackson bought his usual cool persona which added to the film’s positives.

A big gripe with the story has to be the unneeded Belgium political drama. It felt when like ‘Pirates of the Caribbean‘ would shoe-horn their British Empire politics into a film when we just wanted adventure. Originally this was to be influenced by the Pirates movies so it could be intentional. Stepping back on the drama and adding more action in their final act would’ve boost the piece.

Special effects in the film also let me down. Green-screen moments like the first tree running scene & a humorous scene with an ostrich have to be some of the worst effects of the year. Weak visual effects really stood out due to the rest of the cinematography. Gorgeous jungle establishing shots and great shot composition really made this film look legit.

Final Thoughts:

The film comes as a complete surprise to me. ‘Legend Of Tarzan‘ takes all the expectations for a reboot and delivers a solid film. Summer blockbuster season wouldn’t be completely without hunky men and action; there’s enough shirtless Tarzan to go around but the film lacks just enough epic action.

‘Legend Of Tarzan’ comes out July 1, 2016. The film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, and Djimon Hounsou.

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Captain America HYDRA Twist Revealed

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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June 29, 2016

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Captain America: Steve Rogers #2.

If you had your internet turned off all last month, you may have missed the Captain America comic scandal. In a new comic series, Captain America: Steve Rogers, Cap appeared to be a sleeper agent of the terrorist group HYDRA. The issue ended with Captain America pushing his sidekick, Jack Flag, out of a helicopter. Naturally, this twist infuriated fans. Many fans went so far as to send the writers death threats. Actor Chris Evans, who plays the Captain in the movies, even spoke out against it. Safe to say, next to nobody was pleased with the twist.

Well, if you were among the many that hated it, fret not. In an exclusive interview with ComicBook,com, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso revealed the truth: Cap is NOT a HYDRA sleeper agent! The HYDRA-related memories were implanted in his head by Kobik, a sentient Cosmic Cube. Furthermore, Kobik was under the control of the Red Skull, one of Captain America’s most well-known enemies.

“We’re trained to anticipate a strong reaction to change or a big plot twist like this,” said Alonso. “We didn’t expect the reaction to be anywhere this big… I think a lot of the people reacting most violently aren’t people that go to the comic book stores every Wednesday and are trained to understand the way the comics work and the rhythms and how we could do this kind of thing with our heroes.”

Let’s be honest: of COURSE he wasn’t a sleeper agent. The notion Marvel would turn one of their major players into a villain is ludicrous. It wasn’t a question of if they’d undo the twist, but when they’d do it. Don’t forget that Cap has been through bigger twists – like death – and come out okay. This is just another entry of a hero turning bad through brainwashing.

It’s hard to say how the reveal will work within the narrative. Captain America is still evil, but we know it’s not permanent. It remains to be seen how long the brainwashing will last. Perhaps the hype around the twist has wrecked the momentum of the intended story. The twist may have been doomed from the start. Especially in the Internet age, where everyone can make their distaste known. Regardless, it’s nice to know our First Avenger isn’t evil for good.

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Zach Braff’s Directing Career Gets A ‘Bump’

By

Will Ashton

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June 29, 2016

It was a long ten years between Zach Braff’s directorial debut, 2004’s Garden State, and his sophomore effort, 2014’s Wish I Was Here. And to be honest, it wasn’t really worth the wait. The earnest-but-clumsy follow-up to his excellent first film didn’t match the potential the Scrubs actor laid prior, but that hasn’t stopped him from continuing his passion. Braff’s already got next year’s Going in Style, his third film, in the can, and he’s ready for another go behind-the-camera. He’s signed on to direct Bump, a comedy script found on last year’s Black List, as his fourth feature.

According to Deadline, Bump centers on Thomas and the single most important night of his life. After a mistake sets into motion a series of absurd events threatening to unravel his mundane life, Thomas calls his ambitions, morality and dubious decision into question. Well, that certain does sound like a Braff film, depending on how much quirky whimsy is packed inside those events. If it’s plentiful, then the sitcom actor/indie darling director is a solid pick for the material, and hopefully this new film displays his talents better than his last film ever did.

Written by Ori Guendelman and Rob McClelland, Bump will be the second film Braff hasn’t written himself, unless he does some pre-production rewrites. Additionally, it’s unclear if Braff will also play Thomas, or if he’ll stay strictly behind-the-camera like he did with Going in Style. In either case, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner will produce under Working Title, with Liza Chasin executive producing and Johanna Byer overseeing the production. Speaking of the production, the plan is currently to start shooting later this year, likely before Braff has to go through promotional rounds for his 2017 release, starring Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin.

We won’t know until April 7, when Going in Style finally rolls into theaters, if Braff has officially redeemed himself as a filmmaker. But in any case, the actor-writer-director is eager for a comeback, and I’m merely hoping for something as good as Garden State. We’ll see if either of those come into fruition sooner-than-later.

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Watch A Determined Miles Teller In New ‘Bleed For This’ Trailer

By

Matthew Sardo

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June 29, 2016

Open Road Films released a new trailer for ‘Bleed For This’ starring Miles Teller.

BLEED FOR THIS is the incredible true story of one of the most inspiring and unlikely comebacks in sports history. Miles Teller (Whiplash, Divergent) stars as Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Pazienza, a local Providence boxer who shot to stardom after winning 2 world title fights. After a near-fatal car accident leaves Vinny with a severed spine, doctors tell him he may never walk again. With the help of renowned trainer Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart), Vinny becomes a legend when he not only walks again, but miraculously returns to the ring to reclaim his title belt only a year after the accident.

The film is written and directed by Ben Younger and stars Teller, Aaron Eckhart, Katey Sagal, Ted Levine, Ciarán Hinds, Jordan Gelber, and Amanda Clayton.

‘Bleed For This’ hits select theaters on November 4.

Watch the really Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Pazienza in the video below. This film is going to be intense.

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‘Orange Is The New Black’ S4 Brings The Hammer Down

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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June 29, 2016

This latest season of Netflix’s hit original series, Orange is the New Black, may be the best since its first season. A lot more of the storylines work, the relationships between prison subgroups interact more dynamically, and there’s less of a reliance on flashbacks. In trying to balance out comedy and drama, the show manages to create a lot of engaging television, and it’s great to see. What’s interesting is that most of the issues with this season aren’t evident until you pull back from the screen. Putting the show in a broader context raises more issues with the show’s narrative. But with all things considered, this was a stellar season for Orange is the New Black.

One of the best things about season four is Piper becomes interesting again. She’s still entitled and out of her depth, but her role this season really grounds her character. Piper’s fall from being a panty-selling kingpin gives her a more interesting arc. Especially as Piper is meant to be the protagonist or most interesting character, it was great to see her become a better character.

For the characters that got screen time, their storylines held weight as well. Obviously, it’s hard for every character to get adequate screen time, with such a huge cast. But the majority of characters that were prevalent were compelling. Maria rises as a prison power player; Judy King is an interesting manipulator, and Nicky gives a great performance with the stereotypical TV-drug-struggle plotline. Some characters, like Daya and Suzanne “Crazy Eyes,” only get a couple moments of intrigue in the season, but they do well with what they get. TV personality Judy King was also a fun, new, comedic character, who helped bring many real-world racial issues to the forefront of the show.

Another important overarching story element was the new guards. Since the exit of Pornstache, no guards have been quite as antagonistic. That all changes this season, with the introduction of the sadistic army vet squad, led by the tyrannical Piscatella. The new guards fostering a more hate-fueled, hostile environment really pushes the season forward. The racial tensions and the influx of new prisoners makes for a speeding train, with the lives of many prisoners tied to the tracks. And without totally spoiling the ending, not every character survives, and the season finale ends on a major cliffhanger.

Unfortunately, while many characters got very compelling story arcs this season, not every story worked. For whatever reason, Orange is the New Black tries to make Healey and Coates sympathetic characters. Neither attempt works, and considering their past actions; it seems awfully misguided. Now that Daya’s not worrying as much about her baby, she essentially serves no purpose outside of bickering with her mother (until the final episode). Sophia’s struggle in solitary is only prevalent in bits and pieces across the season. Crazy Eyes being sidelined for Caputo seems foolish. If Orange is the New Black thinks it’s male characters are the most engaging, they’re dead wrong. Many characters get due diligence this season, but there’s still room for improvement.

Orange is the New Black also seems to struggle with how to incorporate flashbacks. At this point in time, they don’t serve a real necessary purpose. We have enough background info on most all our protagonists at this point. The flashbacks for Maria worked, because they informed her new role in the prison. The Crazy Eyes story was also very interesting. But the flashbacks for Bayley, Lolly, Maritza and Soso just retread character aspects we were already familiar with. And again, no spoilers, but the finale flashbacks served no real purpose, and cheapened the action in the present. The show has thankfully started to phase them out, but they should’ve fully committed.

Overall, what makes Orange is the New Black work is refocusing on the horrors of prison life. Piper pays the price for her actions, while the other inmates are harassed by the new prison staff. As a show from the mind of the real-world Piper, her being relevant matters. It’s difficult to give characters equal time with such a large cast. Orange is the New Black does so relatively well, but lets a few slip through the cracks. The show balances out the horrors of prison with important social issues wonderfully (read more here!). This season is likely one of the best, because of how much it goes into what prison really looks like. Orange is the New Black‘s new season brought the hammer down on its inmates – and nailed it.

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Dreamworks Releases First Official ‘Trolls’ Trailer, Poster

By

Aric Sweeny

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June 29, 2016

Dreamworks has released the first official trailer for their upcoming Trolls film.

Judging from the trailer itself, the movie looks like a fun time at the theaters for kids and adults alike. The voice cast is stellar, including celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, James Corden, Russell Brand, Anna Kendrick, Kunal Nayarr, Gwen Stefani, and many others.

Along with the trailer, they also released the film’s official poster:

DreamWorks Animation’s TROLLS is an irreverent comedy extravaganza with incredible music! From the genius creators of SHREK, TROLLS stars Anna Kendrick as Poppy, the optimistic leader of the Trolls, and her polar opposite, Branch, played by Justin Timberlake. Together, this unlikely pair of Trolls must embark on an adventure that takes them far beyond the only world they’ve ever known.

Trolls hits theaters on November 4.

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‘Sully’ Poster Shows Gray-Haired Tom Hanks in Title Role

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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June 29, 2016

Sully, the biopic about commercial pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger who, in 2009, made an emergency landing on the Hudson River, has a new poster showing off star To Hanks as the tile character. The poster, from the film’s Twitter feed today, also promised a trailer right around the corner:

https://twitter.com/SullyMovie/status/748191701974417408

Clint Eastwood directs the film about the heroic pilot who saved all 155 passengers on board his US Airways flight after a flock of geese flew into one of the engines. The star-studded cast also includes Anna Gunn, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, and Sam Huntington.

As for how Eastwood is going to stretch out this story to a feature-length film, your guess is as good as mine. The poster, with Sully framed outside the plane itself, might indicate the film will focus on the pilot’s life away from the miracle on the Hudson. Sully hits theaters September 9, which seems extremely early in the fall movie season for what looks like a movie aimed at potential Awards.

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Review: ‘The BFG’ Visually Marvelous And Chock Full Of Fart Jokes

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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June 29, 2016

The BFG is a big-hearted, visually stunning fantasy film that lacks the emotional oomph to be a great fantasy film. By no means is this a condemnation. The BFG is a wholesome array of PG humor and fart jokes that will tickle the most cynical of preteens and illicit a chuckle from adults sitting in the audience. What’s impressive is how Steven Spielberg manages to strike a balance between the corny narrative and the colossal technical requirements required to pull off this adaptation.

For the fans of Roald Dahl’s source material, you can rest easy as this adaptation is remarkably faithful to the book. The film opens with a spunky orphan named Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) being abducted in the night by a gargantuan hooded figure who creeps around the streets of London. She’s whisked to a land of wonder and spectacle known as Giant Country. Sophie meets her abductor, and it’s none other than the BFG ( The Big Friendly Giant), a fearsome figure who’s as gentle as they come. The BFG is played – through the use of motion capture technology – by Academy-Award winner Mark Rylance (Bridge Of Spies). He’s made it his life’s mission to spread pleasant dreams to all the children throughout the world. Unfortunately, not all the Giants are as caring as The BFG. The nine other giants, including The Fleshlumpeater and The Meatdripper, would rather treat kids more like snacks than human beings.

The heart in this film radiates from Rylance’s portrayal of the title character. He portrays The BFG with such warmth and compassion that it’s hard not to smile when he’s on the screen. Rylance’s character exhibits a great deal of compassion towards Sophie, not only because of his concern for her well-being but he genuinely has her best interest at heart. One of my favorite moments was when The BFG stashed her away on his pirate ship because the other giants were close by. It might not seem like a significant moment, but it was huge because it was the first time that we saw The BFG treat Sophie as if she were his own daughter. He didn’t care that the giants would likely pummel him once they discovered his new companion, his only concern was the safety of young Sophie. It demonstrates true, honest, paternal love and attention.

The BFG is a visually superior film because of Spielberg’s attention to detail and ability to create wealthy/colorful new worlds. One of the biggest hurdles this movie has to overcome is finding a way to create actual giants using CGI, but in such away that isn’t too glossy or CGI-ish. They bypass any hurdles by paying the most attention to the actual facial expressions the giants make. These character’s personalities are found in their face, and they got it right. Rhrough facial recognition technology and CGI, they were able to not only create these incredibly detailed characters (you literally see every nook and cranny in the giants face) but have these characters convey a real genuine human emotion.

Giant Country is a marvel to behold. Spielberg strikes a balance between the lush green terrain the sparkle that seems to radiate from every corner of the giants home.

Where this film suffers is the lack of any emotional backbone. This is isn’t that surprising because the late Melissa Mathison’s adaptation of the story is very true to the source material. Dahl’s novel isn’t a story that packs much of a punch in the end. The book is a simple tale of the power of friendship and so is Spielberg’s adaptation. While the simplicity of the narrative shouldn’t sway from paying to see it this weekend, just go in with reasonable expectations. Not all films are meant to win Academy Awards; some are meant to teach a lesson and put a smile on the audience’s face.

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