Mar 17 2017

Personal Shopper

Personal fashion shopper, Maureen (Kristen Stewart), is an American living in Paris struggling to get by whilst working for fashion diva, Kyra (Nora von Waldstatten). But, between navigating Kyra’s outbursts and demands, Maureen has a deeper reason for staying in Paris, she happens to believe she’s a psychic medium; and, she’s waiting for a sign from her recently departed twin brother Lewis, she’s not aware of what his sign will be, or what it will mean, but her own spirit won’t rest until she finds this peace. Meanwhile, Kyra’s estranged lover Ingo (Lars Eidinger) has his own agenda and questions, where the physical and the spiritual collide, answers for all will be hard to come by. Directed and written by Olivier Assayas, this European spiritual slow burn features strong performances from the ensemble, developing into a slightly disjointed and enigmatic ghost story with aspirations of being deeper than is actually capable. Measured in its pacing, the plodding speed of Assayas may be trying for the non-art house crowd, and, the relatively unfocused plotting and genre morphing leaves the film feeling loose and un-tailored, the opposite of what a fine European suit should be. Maybe a rental for the fans of Assayas’s work, but, for the rest of the world, more likely a pass, Personal Shopper is rated R.


Mar 10 2017

Kong: Skull Island

At the tail end of the Vietnam war a team of scientists, explorers, and soldiers make the pilgrimage to the last uncharted island on the planet– Skull Island, a mysterious land shrouded by clouds and thunderstorms. Once on the island, the crew will get more than they ever bargained for with the discovery of the mythic giant ape, Kong; but that’s just the beginning, strangers in a strange and deadly land, extricating from the situation will take a modern miracle, will any survive? Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and based loosely on the many renditions of King Kong that have come before, this action adventure romp is a throwback to the lazy Saturday matinee pulpy popcorn chompers of yesteryear but done up bigger, bolder, louder, and this time with more emphasis…Mildly schizophrenic in tonality, torn between serious action and comedic adventure, this straight down the fairway casting leaves all of it’s players in unsurprising but still satisfying roles, the ensemble includes Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, and John Goodman doing exactly what you’d expect them to do in a King Kong movie. Solid visual effects also keep the film intense and interesting to watch, but as for new material to explore, we’re not given much to be surprised with including the setup for further installments…hint, stay through all the credits ala Marvel Films. Fun for entertainment, perhaps not as rich in subtext as the original King Kong from 1933, there’s still plenty to appreciate. Kong: Skull Island is rated PG-13.


Mar 3 2017

Logan

Set in the dystopian future of 2029, Logan (Hugh Jackman), the Wolverine is exhausted from a life of immortality; meanwhile, Professor X (Patrick Stewart), now suffering from dementia, is also showing his age. Partnered up, the two are approached by a strange mercenary (Boyd Holbrook) who’s in search of a young mutant girl (Dafne Keen), it’s not long before all paths cross, this can’t end well, who will survive, and will Logan and Professor X ever get to retire on their own Sunseeker boat in peace? Directed by James Mangold this splattering and violent portrayal of the Wolverine is perhaps “the Wolverine” fans have been waiting to see, previously getting glimpses of the man and beast but never quite fully capturing the fury within. Meanwhile, delicately crafted emotional and human performances from Stewart and Jackman add rich and previously unseen dimensions to their characters. Based very much as a futuristic Western, territory familiar to Mangold whose previous work includes the remake of 3:10 to Yuma, the logic and reasoning to this road tripping tale is solid through and through providing plenty for fans of the Wolverine to howl and sink their adamantium claws into in a deliciously victorious way. Logan is rated R.