Mar 28 2014

Sabotage

An elite force of DEA workers lead by old salt John ‘Breacher’ Wharton (Arnold Schwarzenegger) are faced with the sobering reality that they’re being hunted and killed one by one after stealing from a South American drug cartel. But who’s really responsible for the killings, what’s driving them, and who will live to die another day?Sabotage Known for his honest and real dialogue, Director and co-writer David Ayer seems to get a number of pieces correct in what feels like potentially the bloodiest film of the year. Sadly, as the film devolves into chaos and bloodbath (almost literally) that same honesty falls to pieces, becomes formulaic, and tries way too hard to keep the audience guessing– a film victim of trying to be more interesting than it really is. Overstaying its welcome this awkwardly pared down story seems to drag on about 15 minutes too long. Creativity points for some of the film’s cinematography and there’s something to be said for a director who at least acknowledges that civilians can and do get injured when gun slingers go wild on city streets. Perhaps a matinee for the Arnold fans, but really, think more rental on this one. Sabotage is rated R.


Mar 28 2014

Cesar Chavez

Raised in a farming family that lost its property during the great depression a revolutionary was forged in the fields of the Southwest. Years later that same man would go on to lead the farm workers of California in a general strike against the growers for the right to organize and earn a reasonable salary for an honest day’s work; his name was Cesar Chavez (Michael Peña). Supported by his wife (America Ferrera) and close friend in labor Delores Huerta (Rosario Dawson), this is the story of how the working class gained a step up when the chips were down and hope seemed bleak.cesar Directed by Diego Luna, no stranger to political themes and stories of alienation, this potentially hard hitting and poignant tale sadly comes off soft. While the overall mechanics of the film provide for an interesting history lesson, the story itself is so condensed we’re never really given enough to feel connected to Chavez or his plight. Meanwhile, Peña’s stoic portrayal seems so bland it’s hard to understand the charisma that must have been behind the actual man. Points to John Malkovich for being real, too bad it’s not enough to save the film. Maybe a rental later. Cesar Chavez is rated PG-13.