Jul 15 2016

Ghostbusters

Lifelong paranormal enthusiasts Erin and Abby (Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy) find themselves reconnected as an invasion of spirits appears to be descending upon Manhattan. Partnered with the mad scientist Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) and local historian Patty (Leslie Jones) the four ladies comprise the Ghostbusters, specializing in the investigation and removal of paranormal activity in your neighborhood. But, winning the approval of New York won’t be easy, with the odds set against them will these ladies be able to stop the impending supernatural apocalypse?ghostbustersDirected by Paul Feig, this reboot of the wildly popular 80’s franchise has certainly been the point of much controversy in the last few weeks, comments largely spurred on by the film’s first trailer, which in fact is a poor representation of the spirit and spunk of the actual film. That being said, what we have here is a plot very similar to the 1984 classic, perhaps thinner in the antagonist department and not as fleshed out (so to speak), but more importantly is a solid comedy that allows for four incredibly talented comedic minds to stretch the norms, create new paths, and carry the baton proudly. In particular McKinnon’s disarming and frenetic performance cleverly melds the subtleties of Harold Ramis and wackiness of Bill Murray along with her own sensibilities to form a gem of a nut whilst Jones has her moments of earnest comedic zeal and Wiig and McCarthy shine as mostly straight women. Plus, solid chuckles abound with Chris Hemsworth’s performance as Kevin, the impossibly bone headed receptionist. And, for the hardened fans, yes, you get lots of love too, keep your eyes and ears set to enjoy plenty of callbacks and cameos. Bottom line, is this a masterpiece, no, but it is still a ton of fun and can safely live in the same Ghostbuster universe as its counterparts, get ready for ectoplasm, Ghostbusters is rated PG-13.


Jul 15 2016

Captain Fantastic

The highly educated and progressive survivalist Ben (Viggo Mortensen) finds challenge in raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and mental routine after the loss of his wife (Trin Miller). Determined to see that his wife’s last will and testament is upheld Ben hauls his family out of the NorthWest forrest called home and heads to New Mexico to confront his Father in law (Frank Langella). Learning to become socialized humans will be a challenge for all on this mission, but most challenging for who?captainWritten and Directed by Matt Ross, this rich and in-depth look into the hearts and minds of fully rounded characters serves as a coming of age tale for all. Told with compelling turns and twists the ensemble shines and Mortensen truly provides a fantastic performance as the captain of this oddly formed family unit, meanwhile, rough edges and unrounded corners on some levels of the production make for an organic and sometimes rustic experience for the viewer, just the right tone. Albeit, a little long in the final act, the film is still a winner of the Golden Space Needle Award at this year’s SIFF for a reason, Captain Fantastic totally deserves your attention and is rated R.


Jul 1 2016

The BFG

A young orphan in London named Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) discovers that magical creatures really do exist when a chance encounter with a Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance) ends up taking her to a far off land– Giant Country. Sadly, Sophie quickly learns that most giants aren’t so friendly, in fact they’re bone crunching, cannibalistic, knuckle dragging bullies. So, when more children seem to be vanishing around the city, it would appear the giants are behind their disappearances, swift action must be taken but will Sophie and her BFG have what it takes to stop the other giants before it’s too late?BFG Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the story by Roald Dahl, this family fun romp certainly contains the polished flashiness we’ve come to expect from Spielberg combining well known themes of singled out children, magic, whimsy, and the incorrigible adults; meaning, this hearkens back to Spielberg from the early 80’s with the television series Amazing Stories, capable of sparking the imagination and bringing levity to what might otherwise be a darker world. Furthermore, John Williams’s score serves as a strong reminder as to just how much of a scene can be loaded up with music, performing right under the nose of the audience without drawing attention to itself, a score that elevates without distracting. Overall, positive marks for this family adventure worthy of a matinee dollar and maybe more. The BFG is rated PG.