Movies I've Seen...
Michael Bay slows it down a bit with “Pain and Gain”. For Michael Bay slowing down means taking his hyperkinetic directing style from a eleven alarm fire and bringing it to a treatable five alarm fire. Adapted from a series of articles about a true life kidnapping and murder plot that took place in Miami in the 90’s writers Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (“Captain America”, “The Chronicles of Narnia”) takes this weird tale on darkly comedic path.
Johnson couldn’t attend the L.A premiere due to hernia surgery but he’s on the mend
Gym instructor Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is tired of watching his rich and beautiful clientele have it all. Inspired by a prosperity motivational speaker (Ken Jeong) and envious of his filthy rich and egocentric client Victor Kershaw (Tony Shaloub),
Lugo decides that he not only wants to have a life like Kershaw but that he wants to have Kershaw’s life. Lugo and his coworkers Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) and Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson) come up with a preposterous plan to kidnap Kershaw in order to steal his wealth.
Wahlberg is enjoyable in his “I only have two modes” way. Wahlberg is either tough guy or he’s bumbling guy whose fumbling ways brings the comedy (“The Big Hit”, “Ted”); Johnson shows why he’s one of the few wrestlers who have turned to acting and actually achieved success. He’s big and brawny (when he appeared on screen for the first time the entire room swooned) but exudes vulnerability and sensitivity at once. It’s Johnson’s Doyle-- born again Christian and on the fence about their plan-who provides a lot of comic relief in the film. Not enough Anthony Mackie for my taste but there is never enough Mackie for my taste.
At the end of the day these guys are criminals and watching their crime unfold onscreen I felt an unease about taking this real life crime and playing it for comedy for the fact that I found myself rooting for these guys in a sense because, as portrayed in the film, they’re guys who let greed and envy get the best of them. But being based on a true story I felt really conflicted about liking the characters.
The worst thing about this film? They end the film with Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise”. I saw it a week ago and I’m still singing that song.
Rob Corddry and Rebel Wilson also star.
Rebel and Anthony
Because it’s advertised as “Tyler Perry Presents: Peeples” there are people who have already decided they hate the film. But don’t be fooled by the “Tyler Perry Presents”. This is a film produced by Tyler Perry but is written and directed by Tina Gordon Chism (“Drumline”, “ATL”). It’s also different from most recent Tyler Perry films in that it’s actually funny.
Wade Walker (Craig Robinson) has been waiting for the perfect time to propose to his girlfriend Grace (Kerry Washington). Losing his nerves time and time again his brother Chris (terrifically played by Malcolm Barrett, “Better Off Ted”) talks Wade into surprising Grace at her family’s home in the Hamptons.
Once there Wade tries to gain acceptance from Grace’s judgmental father Virgil (David Alan Grier).
Trying to prove his worth so that he can propose to Grace, Wade finds out that the Peeples’ family unit (Grace’s sister Gloria (Kali Hawk), younger brother Simon (Tyler James Williams) and mother Daphne (S. Epetha Merkerson) aren’t exactly who they appear to be.
Robinson, more comically subdued than I’m used to still works with the material given. Merkerson is also a gem as Daphne, a woman who has to tamp down her personality for her husband.
What I really enjoyed was something that wasn’t a plot point but something I appreciated all the same. The crux of Williams’ character Simon is that he feels that he’s not “street” enough due to the family’s affluence. But we meet Virgil’s father played by Melvin Van Peebles who is just as accomplished as his son and lives in the same affluence but he still has a deep cultural identity. I just thought that fantastic that it was Chism’s way (or maybe it’s just how I perceive it) of saying “being African American, educated and upper class doesn’t mean you’re a sellout, an “Oreo” or bougie.”
The Peeples cast: Robinson, Merkerson, Barrett, Hawk and Williams
Really cute movie. And I’m so glad to see David Alan Grier in a feature film.
An oldie but goodie. Grier as Rev. Lonnie Love in “Martin”
Click to view
This movie, however, stole my heart. It’s easy to describe it as a “coming of age” film but to me it was so much more. Written and directed by actors Nat Faxon (“Ben and Kate”) and Jim Rash (“Community”) (they wrote this eight years ago and was the script that got them the job of adapting “The Descendents” in which they won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay) “The Way, Way Back” is an authentic, heartwarming tale about finding your own path and your own joy even in the smallest ways.
14-year old Duncan (Liam James) heads to the summer home of his mom’s (Toni Collette) boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell). The prospect of spending the summer with the condescending and abrasive Trent and his daughter Steph (Zoe Levin) who barely tolerates him, Duncan finds solace in the company of the employes of the Water Wizz, a water park. Jokester, swaggermeister Owen (played winningly by Sam Rockwell) takes Duncan under his wings and provide respite from the isolation and distance he feels with his mother.
Shown at Sundance “The Way, Way Back” was bought by Fox Searchlight for $10 million dollar-the highest amount Fox Searchlight has paid for a film. And for good reason. The film is a fantastic reprieve from the R-rated films that populate most studio slates or sequels; it’s heartwarming, it’s identifiable-whether you identify with Duncan in navigating the tricky relationship with a potential step-parent, or just being an awkward teen or you identify with some of the Water Wizz employees who has seen life pass by them and wonder if they have made the right choices these characters feel so real.
Great performances all around James, who spent years as young! Shawn on “Psych” erased all the cockiness that comes with playing Shawn.
Young and Old Shawn Spencer: Liam and James Roday
He plays Duncan painfully, wincingly awkward; all slouched shoulders and zero confidence that when Duncan begins to come into his own it’s like watching David slay the Goliath.
Carell, seems to be working hard at shedding his Michael Scott of “The Office” persona. With this film and “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”, Carell is embarking on a second career as numero uno dirtbag and he does it so well. Maya Rudolph and Allison Janney are also fantastic as Owen’s boss/crush Caitlyn and Trent’s boozy neighbor Betty, respectively.
Even if you don’t run out to see it at the cinemas, I think this film deserves a view on Netflix or VOD when it comes out.
Another true story. Based on the book and the series of HBO features on hitman Richard Kuklinski, “The Iceman” focuses on his beginning and end as a hired hand of the mob and how he kept his career from his family.
Starting out with copying adult films for the mob Kuklinski (Michael Shannon) is hired by made man Roy DeMeo (Ray Liotta) to be a contract killer. Handsomely paid, Kuklinski concocts a cover story of being in currency exchange so that his wife Deborah (Winona Ryder) is none the wiser. His mod ties puts Kuklinski in the eyeline of mob boss Leo Marks (Robert Davi) and connects Kuklinski to another killer Robert Pronge (Chris Evans. So good in this.) and Kuklinski learns there’s no honor among thieves.
Shannon and Evans
Before there was the word stan, I stanned for Winona Ryder so I’m thrilled to see her in anything. Thankfully she’s in a film that’s actually good.
My 90s film princess!
Tense and well-acted (with a fun turn by Chris Evans; and surprisingly deft performances by Robert Davi and Ray Liotta), “The Iceman” harkens back to the gritty crime thrillers that were present in seventies and eighties cinema. Michael Shannon was solid as Kuklinski, perfect at barely restrained rage.
Shannon, Ryder, Vromen, Liotta, Evans and Stephen Dorff who plays Kuklinksi’s brother
Adapted from the books and directed by director Ariel Vromen (Danika) on a shoestring budget and short time table, it’s a commendable piece of work.
I attended the Q&A with Shannon and Hottie McHotterson Ariel Vromen.
*Vromen joked that it was a “nice family film.” The moderator joked that she was nervous to be sitting next to Shannon.
Shannon: “Let me move closer then.” (Moves his chair closer to her). (Seductively) You were saying…
The moderator raved about Shannon and Vromen joked, “Someone’s got a crush.”
Shannon: (To the moderator in fake outrage) That’s totally inappropriate! I’m offended!
*Making “The Iceman” has been Vromen’s dream project for years. He was always referred to in his neighborhood as “The guy who wants to make “The Iceman”.
*When he secured the rights to make the film he scoured the 20 hours of footage from which the HBO documentaries were culled from. There was discussion on where to actually start the film. There was talk of starting out with Kuklinski’s abusive childhood , but ultimately he wanted to show the love story between Richard and Deborah. To him the most interesting thing is the duality of humans. He’s fascinated by the secrets people keep.
*While working on getting finance James Franco, who had the role that Evans’ eventually played, dropped out. Vromen “guilt tripped” Franco into shooting a small part in the film.
*When asked by an audience member if he really believes Kuklinski’s wife didn’t know about his career, Shannon carefully explained that while he’s sure she didn’t know he was a murderer, he believes she knew he had mob ties. He says “currency exchange” is just another word for money laundering and that she knew he was involved with unsavory people but he believes she didn’t want to press hard for info.
*An audience member told of the time he met Kuklinski in a bar and that he had no idea who it was he met until he saw the documentary years later. He said he never forgot meeting Kuklinski because he had an energy that people normally don’t see, sometimes goes their whole lives without seeing: the energy of a person who doesn’t view people as people. That he looked through people, not at them. Shannon says that that’s the same feeling he got in watching the videos. He describes Kuklinski as an animal, “Not an animal like (growls and makes claws) and not like Animal from the moment show. He was an animal in that he was always on alert.) Shannon feels that no one, not even Kuklinski knew who he really was.
Shannon recounted that in the documentary footage the interviewer wasn’t getting any response from Kuklinski. She asked if he had any hobbies, if he liked sports, if he liked putting boats in bottles and he responded that he liked sitting in his chair watching his family. And to Shannon that was useful in how he portrayed Kuklinski as a family.
Shannon said Ryder was fantastic to work with and brought a wonderful fragility to the part. He questioned Vromen why Ryder wasn’t with them that day but that she had done a Q&A with them before.
*Vromen got zero input from the family on the movie. In 2007 after the last book came out, the family stopped doing press about Kuklinski. Vromen found one of Kuklinski’s daughter on Facebook to reach out to her about the film. After viewing the trailer and reading the interviews that came out when the film screened at The Toronto Film Festival, the daughter warmed up to the idea of the film. She and her family are/were expected to turn out for the New York premiere of “The Iceman”. The moderator found that weird but Vromen believes it will give them closure.
*Asked about his acting influences or favorites Shannon said Jimmy Stewart. He said not many people can be “a Capra guy and a Hitchcock guy”.
The moderator attempted to end the Q&A and Shannon said, “I feel bad because there’s still a lot of people with questions.”
Moderator: I didn’t want to keep you.
Shannon: Ah, I’m a deadbeat. (he’s this weird mix of personalities where you can tell he has boundless energy. When he came into the room he practically bounded to his seat, but he speaks with pauses and a bit slowly and he runs his fingers through his hair and moves a lot. I think he likes to act more than talk about acting)
So the Q&A went on. Someone asked about his theater background. He belongs to the Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago (“We’re celebrating our twentieth anniversary. We’re a few blocks from Second City. They’re more popular.”) He says that the first time he realized someone was giving a performance was Jeff Bridges in “Starman”. It was the first time he noticed that there was more going on than met the eye.
When the Q&A ended people went up to talk to/get pictures of/with Michael Shannon. While waiting I asked Ariel Vromen if he was being facetious when he said they had no rehearsal time. He said they had zero rehearsal time because of the tight shooting schedule.
I go to where Shannon is now sitting. In the front of the room on a bannister. He stays until the room is absolutely empty. I ended up being the last one to talk to him behind an acting teacher who asked him if Shannon brought his phone to set because believes there’s a direct correlation between people being on their phones too much to empty performances .
Shannon: That’s very astute. No, I don’t bring my phone to set. I did once because my daughter was in the hospital so I was checking for updates. But no I don’t bring my phone to set. I take walks.
Then a woman who asked him to take a picture with Stanley. He gladly did.
I shook his large hand and told him I asked Vromen about the lack of rehearsal time. I asked Shannon if he preferred a lot of rehearsal or to keep it loose?
Shannon: When I’m in a play I like a lot of rehearsal. Not when I’m doing a film. That’s because on a film people don’t know what they’re doing at rehearsal. I like to work on the script. So many people just talk during rehearsals.
Me: Do you think that’s the difference between a theatre actor and a film/tv actor?
Shannon: Yeah, yeah I do.
Me: I loved what you said about realizing Jeff Bridges was given a performance in “Starman”. I had the same realization for the first time when I saw Stephen Root, funny enough, in an episode of “Night Court”. I went from being a passive viewer to realizing there’s work going on.
Shannon: What do you do? (He asked this of a lot of people. He remembered a guy who had asked a directing question (about what camera was used to film the movie) and when he asked the guy what he did he responded that he was an actor. Shannon said, “That’s weird because you asked a directing question and most actors don’t know about that.”) I told him I wasn’t an actor but loved and had an appreciation for film. I asked for a picture.
The picture
And told him I was a huge Superman fan so I was really excited to see his take on Zod.
Michael: I think it will be good. It’s a new take, at least visually, not the story so much…
Me: There’s 75 years of stories and various incarnations to pull from…
Michael: I think people will like what Zak did.