‘Dunkirk’ Review: This Is How You Top ‘Saving Private Ryan’

Fantastic performances from Tom Hardy and Mark Rylance, stellar cinematography, plus a deftly crafted narrative make Dunkirk one of the best films this year.

Summary

This film centers around Operation Dynamo and the attempted rescue of 400,000 stranded troops from the shores of Dunkirk. An all call was made to every civilian sailor to take their vessel across the English channel to rescue as many of the soldiers as possible. This effort wasn’t as simple as depicted in the 1940’s British propaganda film from ‘Their Finest.’ High winds, crashing waves, German U-Boats, and bombers all had clear shots and any incoming vessels thus making them targets as well. The story is told from three perspectives. The Mole (giving us the perspective of the soldiers who were stranded on land thus being easy targets for any number of German sharp shooters or aircraft), air (from the perspective of two spitfire pilots … one of which is played by Hardy), and of course the sea (which centers around the civilian rescue). The three stories are masterfully interwoven and it’s not until the very end of the film that audiences are let in on how all the characters are connected.

What Worked

Christopher Nolan found a way to manipulate time during the narrative. The portions taking place on land happen in one week, while the air battle takes place in one hour, and all the elements at sea take place over 24-hours. By doing this it created the element of chaos which is often associated with War. It also gave this feeling that in the midst of the worst military disaster in British history, that time was beginning to blend together. That mixture heightened the intensity of the film.

The use IMAX Cameras captured both the beauty and the brutality of war. In one instance we get a nice shot of the water just as a torpedo rips through the side of a Red Cross boat housing the wounded as it slowly sinks to its watery grave. Nolan used this technology throughout the film, even when two soldiers were rushing up to load one of the last of the wounded in hopes of sneaking on the medical vessel.

The sound was extremely crucial in this film. Nolan cranks up the ambient noise making the audience feel uncomfortable which one can only imagine wasn’t even 1/100th of the way these soldiers felt as it was happening. By raising the noise levels at various times in the picture, it takes the audiences out of the theater and places them right in the middle of this conflict. The sound adds to the visceral nature of the film.

The dog fight scenes were crisp, briskly paced, and shot beautifully. By mounting that IMAX Camera on the Spitfire, Hoyte van Hoytema was able to get some amazing shots. By having the camera facing forward, it gave the sensation that you were in the cockpit flying right with Hardy’s character.

Nolan didn’t hold back and thoroughly explored the horrors of being in combat against a relentless enemy. We were treated to scenes of sailors trapped as boats tipped over, bridges being blown to bits, and seeing countless soldiers abandoning ship only to be shot at in the water.

The use of dialogue was minimal at various points in the film. Banter would have distracted us from the sheer hell these brave men were experiencing.

The film was filled with strong performances. The two standouts performances for me were Rylance and Hardy. Rylance is able to project strength even in the most subtle of ways during the rescue portion of the film. There’s a point in the film when he realizes that a major tragedy has befallen him (can’t spoil it) and for a split second he has this profound look of sadness which morphs into the look a man who just wants to carry on. In his mind, he has a job to do. Hardy plays one of the Spitfire pilots and spends over 1/2 the film with his face covered. There comes a point where he realizes that the fuel on the plane is as low as it can go without running out of gas and sees one of the British ships be destroyed. He immediately gets this intense look and pushes the plane as far as he could, taking out the remaining enemy fighters.

Hans Zimmer’s score was haunting and certainly adds more tension to the film.

Overall

Dunkirk is a triumph for not only Christopher Nolan but filmmaking as a whole. Nolan has found a way to bridge the gap between the theatrical and the practical resulting in an experience that will immerse audiences on many levels. Audiences members will gasp as the U-Boat rips through the British vessels. Their hearts will break as Cillian Murphy begs to go home and not to the front line. Nolan has found a way to bring out the horrors of war and it’s terrifying to the core. How does Dunkirk compare to other recent war films? Hacksaw Ridge and Saving Private Ryan are great films, but Dunkirk takes the experience to the next level.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

‘Friends From College’ Review: Is A Bumpy Trip Down Memory Lane

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

Strong performances from Cobie Smulders, Keegan-Micheal Key, and Billy Eichner make Friends From College worth your consideration.

Summary

Friends From College centers around the lives of six college buddies who are reunited when two of them (Ethan played by Keegan-Michael Key and Lisa played by Cobie Smulders) move back to New York. Their group consists of a trust fund kid named Nick (Nat Faxon), Sam (Anne Parisse), playwright Marianne (Jae Suh Park), and literary agent Max (Fred Savage). They all graduated from Harvard and manage to take every opportunity possible to remind the audience of this. Even though they had slightly grown apart over the last twenty years, this group certainly has some unresolved issues. Ethan and Sam have been having an affair since college which hasn’t ended (even though both are now married). Nick tries to mask his feelings for Lisa by throwing himself at every young lady who saunters his way. Marianne seems to be getting nowhere with her playwriting career and Max is own worst enemy in both his professional and personal life.

What Worked

Lisa’s storyline involving her desire to get pregnant was some of the best writing and contained the most scintillating on-screen moments in the whole series. As someone who has had friends and has personally tackled the possibility of infertility, Smulders and Key captured the anguish that comes over a couple when faced with the possibility of not having kids. Lisa has to go through a series of crazy involved shots that have to be timed to the second. Each of these shots is extremely painful and towards the end of the sequence when things go wrong, she loses it. Ethan just wants to make her happy and begins to lose it as well. He seems willing to anything to make it right, even offer up sexual favors to random pharmacists.

Billy Eichner is cast as Max’s (Fred Savage) boyfriend and acts as a reality check for everyone in the group. He reminds Max constantly that they are grown ups, Lisa and Ethan are not given any special treatment at his fertility practice, and he won’t put up with any of the group nonsense. In the end, he even ends up serving as a wake-up call for his boyfriend.

What Didn’t Work

Sam, Max, Marianne, and Nick were written very one dimensionally. While Lisa and Ethan seemed more layered, the rest of the cast seemed to be playing archetypes. Sam is the confused middle aged woman who doesn’t know what she wants. Max is the guy who longs for the past. Nick who loves to avoid dealing with any of his personal feelings. Marianne is just a lost 30 something who doesn’t know what she wants.

Overall

While Friends From College is not the strongest release that Netflix has ever had, it does offer up enough entertainment value. They have the show set up in eight 30 minute parts which will make getting through the show extremely efficient. Don’t expect to be blown away like when you first saw GLOW but that doesn’t mean a show like this shouldn’t be on your radar.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

The Movies of Christopher Nolan, Ranked

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

July 18, 2017

Dunkirk is only a few days away, and judging from early reactions it is going to be an event that must be seen on the largest screen possible. That’s primarily because it is a Christopher Nolan film.

Nolan has become, at least in my mind, the new populist filmmaker. He is the new Spielberg because he has an ability to deliver scope, and tell stories which cut across cultural lines. Christopher Nolan delivers epics, but his epics still carry the thoughtfulness and complexity he displayed in his early work.

Here is your arbitrary ranking of Christopher Nolan’s films up to this week. Let me know if I’m on point or insanely stupid, whatever you’re feelin’…

1The Prestige

This is a personal choice, of course. The Prestige is a beautiful, haunting film, steeped in the turn-of-the-century mythos of competing magicians. Bale and Hugh Jackman are terrific in opposition of one another, and as the film unfolds Nolan stays committed to a distinct, alienating mood. Some criticize the coldness of The Prestige, and the coldness of Christopher Nolan films in general, but the relationship between Bale’s character and his young daughter sticks the landing more often than not.

The end is a shocker, and it works for me no matter what you say. It is a victory for one of our obsessive protagonists, and it encapsulates the very notion of obsessive competition in a few breathtaking moments. The Prestige is sharp and unique, and it is the perfect balance of Nolan’s smaller, intimate works, and his grand-scale storytelling.

BackNext

Home Video Review: Free Fire Is An Old Fashioned Fight In A Fresh Way

Erik Amaya

July 18, 2017

Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire, out today on home video, is a master-class in story decompression and old-fashioned gun fights. It’s also a throwback to simpler action movie times when the stakes could be a measly $10,000.

The Film

Set in the 1970s, the film stars Cillian Murphy as Chris, an IRA man attempting to buy some guns from a South African arms dealer named Vernon (Sharlto Copley). They meet in an abandoned factory somewhere in Boston, where their hangers-on escalate a disagreement to a full-fledged shootout.

And that’s the extent of the plot. Where other films might spend time setting up the characters in convoluted ways, Free Fire wastes no time getting you to the factory and spending its whole runtime there. But as the characters assemble in the film’s only location, we meet people like Ord (Armie Hammer), the well-spoken American mediator, Frank (Michael Smiley) an older IRA man with a short fuse, his brother-in-law Stevo (Sam Riley), and Justine (Brie Larson), another American facilitating the deal and putting up with the advances of both Vernon and Chris.

There are a number of other actors, like Jack Raynor, filling out Vernon’s company. But I wanted to point out the headliners because each of the them can carry a movie. Well, creatively anyway. Hammer’s lead roles tend to meet with box office apathy. But the point still stands: Wheatley assembled a great cast for this shoot-em-up and their talents make the film so much more than what it might be otherwise. The characters are simple — backstory is for other movies — but performers like Copley and Larson bring them to such life that their pain as they get shot or crawl across glass becomes palpable.

Oh, and when someone gets shot, it doesn’t mean instant death. One of the great features of the film is the slow disintegration of the group stuck in the factory. Each must manage escalating injuries as legs and shoulders take hits. It also leads to a certain realistic quality even as the film inhabits the heightened reality of a 70s crime picture.

And though the film strives for realistic gunplay, Wheatley’s camera is still fresh and inventive. It also keeps a tight rein on the geography of the factory and the placement of the ne’er-do-wells therein. Which is certainly helpful when a third group appears with sniper riffles.

The film is also refreshing for its very limited stakes. Instead of depleting the gold reserves or destroying the moon, all of these people are fighting over a few tens of thousands of dollars — if even that much. But in creating recognizable stakes, the dilemma makes sense without a lot of exposition. Wheatley, instead, is free to play the tension and comedy of the situation as he sees fit. While a small film in many ways, it offers big laughs and one of the best shoot-outs of the year.

The Extras

And befitting the film’s scale, the extras are fairly simple: a commentary and a Behind-the-Scenes featurette. The latter is a surprisingly fun look at making the film, from talking head moments with the cast to a discussion of how Wheatley planned the gunfights. There’s also the surprise of learning that the film’s most gruesome moment was shot practically and that Wheatley volunteered to demonstrate the trick before his actor would do it.

The commentary track features Wheatly, Murphy and Raynor. It’s a fairly chummy affair as the group sit down to watch the film after the premiere. While it features little gems like Wheatley calling his wife (screenwriter Amy Jump) the “potty-mouth” in their scripting collaboration, it does suffer from the lack of context commentaries recorded before release tend to have. When the filmmakers do not know how their film was received, it creates a certain hollowness. At the same time, the group is fun to listen to; with Wheatley offering a few fun on-set stories.

All and all, Free Fire is fun film. It reminds that good action sequences can come from ordinary people with ordinary problems. It also makes John Denver music a great punchline.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Two Mystery DCEU Films Slated With 2020 Release Date

Aric Sweeny

July 17, 2017

Warner Bros. has slated two unknown DC extended universe films with 2020 release dates, according to The Tracking Board‘s Jeff Sneider.

One of the movies will hit on Valentine’s Day, February 14, while the other will be released on June 5.

With San Diego Comic-Con International only a few days away, could WB. have some new movies to show off? What should be noted is that a slew of previously announced films still are without release dates, including The Batman, Suicide Squad 2, and Shazam.

What DC movies will be released in 2020? Speculate in the comments below.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

New ‘Wind River’ Trailer Ends The Taylor Sheridan Trilogy

Matthew Sardo

July 17, 2017

The Weinstein Company released a new trailer for Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Wind River’ Monday afternoon. As the writer and director, this film completes Sheridan’s final installment of his “Trilogy of the Modern American Frontier.”

Danger comes with the territory…

‘Wind River’ stars Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, Julia Jones, and Kelsey Asbille.

‘Wind River’ is a chilling thriller that follows a rookie FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) who teams up with a local game tracker with deep community ties and a haunted past (Jeremy Renner) to investigate the murder of a local girl on a remote Native American Reservation in the hopes of solving her mysterious death. Written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, ‘Wind River’ also stars Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, Julia Jones, Kelsey Asbille, and James Jordan.

‘Wind River’ hits theaters on August 4th.

Which is your favorite Sheridan film, SICARIO or HELL OR HIGH WATER? Comment below.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

2017 Emmy Nominations: 6 Shows That Got Robbed

Jon Barr - TV Editor

July 17, 2017

The nominations for the 69th Emmy awards were announced Thursday, July 13th. Unfortunately, they didn’t quite line up with our dream nominations. In fact, several phenomenal shows went completely overlooked. Many of the shows nominated are definitely deserving of love. However, many top comedies and dramas have been utterly snubbed. This list covers six such TV shows that deserve far more love than the Emmys are giving them.

BackNext

1. American Gods

American Gods

American Gods has so many things that make it a worthy Emmy nominee. From the creative team to the on-screen talent, the freshman Starz show is fantastic. It’s a shame American Gods has been ignored, considering how many shows got nominated off one season this year. The show is getting love for its visual effects, but not for its scripts or performances. American Gods will hopefully be on air for many years to come, and get a Best Drama nod at least once.

(Also, if you aren’t familiar with the show, you can always check out our S1 review here)

BackNext

REVIEW: ‘Game of Thrones’ S7E1 “Dragonstone”

Jon Barr - TV Editor

The return of Game of Thrones doesn’t see much action. The initial episode in the penultimate season focuses on preparation. The episode sets up all the major players for battle. There isn’t much action in ‘Dragonstone,’ but the set-up is there. Game of Thrones has very few episodes left before it ends next year. What ‘Dragonstone’ provides the framework for the action fans are dying for.

The biggest players are beginning their process. It’s a bit heavy handed to show them standing over the maps. Viewers know the power players, and this episode “mapping out” their roles is super obvious. However, it is comforting to know the pace has been picked up. For a season premiere, the attention to building up conflicts is understandable. While it’s rather predictable set-up material, it’s good to see the big fights coming.

The Hound’s newfound role among the Brotherhood Without Banners is somewhat odd. It’s nice to see The Hound in action, following his return last season. His new partnership with the Brotherhood sets him down the path to fight the Lannisters – and Clegane’s zombified brother. Sandor’s transformation into a Brotherhood seer is a bit odd, and plays against his strengths. However, there are plenty of loose ends he has yet to tie up. Whether he’s fighting Arya or The Mountain, Sandor has some cool plot points to come.

The few remaining Northerners have the most interesting dynamic. As the “heroes” of Westeros, Jon and Sansa have a lot on their shoulders. Their power struggle between them is almost as interesting as their impending White Walker war. Sansa may not be under Littlefinger’s thumb, but she’s primarily looking out for herself. Her praise of Cersei shows how compelling Sansa’s evolution is. Jon’s a bit bland, but bouncing off Sansa and Lady Mormont makes him strong. How the Northern heroes will play the Game of Thrones continues to be a compelling, central plot line.

The two Lannisters who still hold power have a similar dynamic. It’s a little less interesting than the Starks, partially because they’re villains. While the audience is rooting for The North, both Lannisters are almost guaranteed to fail. Cersei is especially doomed, what with all the theories around her deadly prophesy. She’s a powerful ruler, but is slowly becoming as Mad as Game of Thrones’ original monarch. Jaime’s morality has been all over the place, so it’s hard to say where he’ll end up.

Arya, much like Daenerys, is finally bringing her fury to Westeros. Her vengeance on Walder Frey last season was long in the making. Arya’s bloodlust carries into this week, wiping out the remaining Frey soldiers in shocking fashion. What’s boring is how Arya pals around with the Lannister soldiers (including an Ed Sheeran singalong). Sure, Arya’s got a specific list, and spares those who don’t deserve death. It’s why she spares the Frey girls – much like her adopted bastard brother Jon Snow. However, it’s obnoxious how Game of Thrones blatantly has the guards be nice guys. Discussing their fathers and daughters is unnecessary and pointless, unless Arya starts next episode by killing them too.

Sam’s arc in the episode helps give the premiere its title. Sam isn’t much of a fighter, and will probably stay out of the fighting. But Sam’s role in tonight’s episode stretches beyond poop-scrubbing montages. This may be the most Sam we’ll get this season, and he’s a great catalyst for the action. Game of Thrones blends Sam’s humor and knowledge to a fantastic degree in ‘Dragonstone.’

Then there’s Daenerys and Tyrion. The new Targaryen force is finally on the mainland, ready to take the Iron Throne. These are the characters suited up in full plot armor, nearly guaranteed to win. ‘Dragonstone’ takes these prominent characters and gives them one scene in the finale. Much like the episode itself, this works under the pretense we’ll get more later on. It’s crazy cool to hear Dany drop a line like “shall we begin?” While the season needs more of these characters, it’s just enough protagonist love to make the premiere work.

The thing that makes ‘Dragonstone’ work is the fact it promises action. It isn’t the most subtle episode, but Game of Thrones seems intent to deliver. The season’s successes rely on how the season continues. The Walking Dead made plenty of promises last season, and it didn’t do so hot. Since Game of Thrones is working towards an end date, however, it will hopefully deliver sooner on its promises.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Aubrey Plaza Wants To Portray Catwoman In The DCEU

Aric Sweeny

July 17, 2017

During a Reddit AMA to promote her film, The Little Hours, actress Aubrey Plaza was asked what movie she would have liked to be a part of. Her response? Catwoman.

“I want to be Catwoman”

While she was referring to a Catwoman role in the past, it’s likely that Plaza would be up for portraying the character in an upcoming DC extended universe movie.

Do you think she could pull off Catwoman? Sound off in the comments below.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

6 Movies that Prove Emma Stone Is The Best Ever

Robert Yaniz Jr.

July 17, 2017

Though she proved herself a household name years ago, Emma Stone has been having a hell of a year in 2017. Early on, she earned an Academy Award for Best Actress in the beloved La La Land, and the upcoming release of Battle of the Sexes — which reteams her with Crazy, Stupid, Love. co-star Steve Carell — could wind up winning her similar praise for her role as tennis pro Billie Jean King. But before Stone has her chance to return to the podium next year, let’s look back at some of her best onscreen appearances so far.

Prev Next

6. Superbad (2007)

Believe it or not, this Judd Apatow-produced teen comedy was Stone’s big-screen debut. Stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera may have broken out as major stars following its release, but we’ll always remember Superbad as the film that introduced us to the wry, charismatic young woman whom Hill’s character has his heart set on. Anyone who wants to see a star being born need only pop in a copy of this film.

5. Zombieland (2009)

Sure, Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson get most of the attention for this fan-favorite film’s success, but Stone — and her onscreen sister, Abigail Breslin — round out the main quartet. A truly fresh take on a decades-old genre, Zombieland became a sleeper hit when it crashed into theaters, and fans are still clamoring for a sequel, which remains in some form of development. We can’t imagine it working without Stone, whose wily Wichita is such an integral part of the first film’s winning ensemble.

4. Easy A (2010)

Ah, the film that launched a million GIFs. In the eyes of some, this teen comedy about a high-schooler who stirs up chaos when she embraces salacious rumors about her personal life is Stone at her very best. In addition to sharp social commentary about adolescence, Easy A features a hilarious script that is further buoyed by Stone’s boundless energy and pitch-perfect comic timing. Arguably, this is the film that catapulted her from “that girl in Superbad” the superstar she is today.

3. The Help (2011)

Until this film hit theaters, Stone was considered to primarily be a comic talent. For that reason, this period drama based on Kathryn Stockett’s novel marks a significant turning point in the actress’s career. While she is upstaged by co-stars Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer (who won an Oscar for her role), Stone’s role here sets the stage for a more balanced blend of comedy and drama that would later come to define her distinctive screen presence.

2. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

This dark comedy/drama centers on an aging movie star (Michael Keaton) looking to stage a comeback, but Stone manages to steal every moment she’s onscreen as Keaton’s recovering addict daughter. The actress employs many of her signature moves here but with a darker twist than we’ve seen before. Her sarcastic wit doesn’t so much inspire laughter as it adds to the tension, and for her layered turn, Stone landed her first Oscar nomination.

1. La La Land (2016)

Long before Damien Chazelle’s modern take on the classic Hollywood musical hit theaters, fans were primed and ready for his followup to the Oscar-winning Whiplash. Even so, few expected La La Land to soar to the critical and financial heights that it did, a 92 percent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a $445 million worldwide box office gross. In her third collaboration with co-star Ryan Gosling, Stone danced and sang her way right to an Academy Award win for her performance as a struggling actress in the City of Angels.

Did we miss your favorite Emma Stone movie? Sound off in the comments section below and let us know your picks!

1...865866867...1,689 Page 866 of 1,689