Joy (2015)

Directed by David O. Russell

Written by David O. Russell

Story by Ann Mumolo and David O. Russell

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Nero, Edgar Ramírez and Bradley Cooper

When you view a trailer for the first time, you instantly get an expectation for a film. There is no avoiding it. That expectation can either help or hurt your opinion of the film in question, should you choose to buy a ticket or rent it when it’s released.

My exact expectation for David O. Russell’s “Joy” was that of familiarity. But not in a positive sense. I had loved his rock star cast of Bradley Cooper, Robert De Nero and Jennifer Lawrence in 2012’s “Silver Lining’s Playbook”. It had spoken to me in a way David O. Russell was unable to do with his previous films. Then when “American Hustle” came out one year later with the same rock star cast, I was left disappointed. But more importantly I was left with a major sense of annoyance and boredom. Somehow, Russell had failed to hit any mark that made “Silver Lining’s Playbook” a success in my mind. And no Oscar nomination was going to change my opinion of that.

So, six months ago, when I saw the first trailer for “Joy”, I just rolled my eyes. Same actors playing seemingly the same characters for the same director. Perhaps this initial thought ultimately helped me enjoy his third film with this rock star cast.

Joy tells the story of a single mother of two, who has found herself as the only financial and emotional support her family has. Unhappy with her life and feeling as if she is in a downward spiral, she begins pursuing the idea for an invention. Consumed by her new passion, she attempts to claw herself out of the rut life has thrown her into as everything around her tries to get in her way.

As I sat in the theater, waiting for the feature to begin, my expectation was to see a film much like “American Hustle”. A flat, uneventful, boring film with undoubtedly great acting. But ultimately a movie I would not enjoy, regardless of it’s quality performances. This is where poor expectations for a film can actually help.

What was presented to be instead was a story with significantly more character depth than initially anticipated and a story more relatable than I imagined after the short two minutes and change trailer. This was a story of strength and perseverance. A self made woman trying to reclaim her own life from those who had inadvertently taken control of it.

As always is the case with David O. Russell, in any of his films, good or bad, amazing performances drove this picture and added depth in unexpected places. Jennifer Lawrence, while more subdued and natural than her two previous films with the acclaimed director, proved to be a powerhouse that could carry the entire film.

While I would not go so far as to say that this is one of the best films of the year (although it could be nominated), and isn’t even in my personal top ten of 2015, this film exceeded my expectations. And caused me to utter three words that I rarely say regarding movies.

I was wrong.

My Rating: 7/10

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Directed by James Foley
Written by David Mamet, based on his play of the same name.
Starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin

An examination of the fast-paced, cut-throat nature of working in a real estate office.

Remarkable acting and superb writing run this movie. Without them, this film would be nothing. The story is not particularly interesting, unless you're big on sales. But the characters are just eccentric enough to keep you engaged throughout the whole movie.

I feel this would be more interesting to see as a play as it was originally intended. I found myself annoyed by all of the two-faced techniques of salespeople. Much like I do when I go to a car dealership. But that is not the fault of the film. It is the fault of the shit filled world that is competitive sales.

It's all about brass balls, apparently.

While this movie did infuriate me by reminding me how much I hate sales, I quite enjoyed it. As a fan of incredible acting and writing, there was nothing that would have made me dislike this movie. I just really hate sales and the people who work in sales. Scum of the Earth.

My Rating: 7/10

Movie Trailer Tuesdays - 3/10/15

As far as I'm concerned, if you talk during the trailers at the movies, you should be thrown in jail.

Pan

Directed by Joe Wright

Starring Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Rooney Mara and Garrett Hedlund

The never before told (I think) story of how an orphan came to Neverland and discovered his destiny as the hero, Peter Pan.

This could go one of two ways. It could be mind-blowingly amazing and forever change the story of Peter Pan, or it could go the way of pretty much every other, much-too-late prequel and miss on every single level. I am actually hopeful for this one, despite my prerequisite skepticism of all Disney-esque movies (This was produced by Warner Brothers… Unless Disney owns them too!). Two things go through my find when watching this. Hugh Jackman looks like an energetic Nosferatu with hair, and Peter definitely does not adequately answer Blackbeard's question at the end of the trailer. "Pan" hits theaters July 24th.

Speaking of Disney...

Tomorrowland

Directed by Brad Bird

Starring Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Judy Greer and Kathrine Hahn

Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.

The teaser that was released a few months ago peaked my interest. But this killed any excitement I had in seeing it. It looks boring and generic, like it has nothing special to offer. Just another cash-grab for Disney. They already have the theme park built, so why not make the movie for it? I'm not hopeful for this one. "Tomorrowland" hits theaters May 22nd

Self/less

Directed by Tarsem Singh

Starring Matthew Goode, Ben Kingsley, Ryan Reynolds and Natalie Martinez

An extremely wealthy man, dying from cancer, undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness into the body of a healthy young man. But all is not as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of his new body's origin and the organization that will kill to protect it's cause.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It looks interesting enough to see, but it also looks as though it will just be another mindless action movie that thinks it's more clever than it is. It could really go either way at this point, so we'll see. "Self/less" hits theaters July 31st.

The Forger

Directed by Philip Martin

Starring John Travolta, Tye Sheridan, Abigail Spencer and Christopher Plummer

A thief works with his father and his son to forge a painting by Monet and steal the original. Together they plan the heist of their lives.

As of now, on IMDB this movie has a 7.6/10. But on Rotten Tomatoes it has a 0%. I don't usually go off of websites for ratings for that reason. I think this movie has potential, and I am willing to give it a shot. Do I think it will be a 7.6/10? I don't think so. But we'll see. "The Forget" hits theaters April 24th.

No Escape

Directed by John Erick Dowdle

Starring Owen Wilson, Lake Bell, Pierce Brosnan and Sterling Jerins
In their new overseas home, an American family soon finds themselves caught in the middle of a coup, and they frantically look for a safe escape in an environment where foreigners are immediately being executed.

Owen Wilson as an action star? I'm not sure if I can buy that. The premise looks interesting, although I have grown tired of movies that feel like they're trying to make Americans xenophobic. That won't keep me from seeing this, though. Owen Wilson and Lake Bell being out of their elements and in an action thriller is enough reason for me to check this out. "No Escape" hits theaters September 2nd.

Tune in next Tuesday for more trailers! If you have any suggestions for movies or even trailers to cover in next weeks installment, comment or message me on Facebook at:

www.Facebook.com/MDCHicks

or follow me on twitter

@MichaelDCHicks

Movie Trailer Tuesdays 3/3/15

On this glorious Tuesday of winter bliss, it's a perfect day to stay inside, sit by the fire with some hot cocoa and check out this weeks trailers.

Ex Machina
Directed by Alex Garland
Starring Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Sonoya Mizuno
A young programmer is selected to participate in a breakthrough experiment in artificial intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a breathtaking female A.I.

I have been interested in this movie for quite some time. I am excited that it is finally coming out. With the awesome cast, along with the fact that it has a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes already, I believe this could be the Sci-fi thriller of the year. Look for it in limited release April 10th. This may be worth driving an hour to see.


The Cobbler
Directed by Thomas McCarthy
Starring Adam Sandler, Dan Stevens, Steve Bucemi and Dustin Hoffman
Max Simkin repairs shows in the same New York shop that his been in his family for generations. Disenchanted with his everyday life, he stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way.

This is the kind of movie that only Adam Sandler would take. While it doesn't look as bad as some of his previous work ("Jack and Jill"), I wouldn't go so far as to say it looks good. It looks watchable, but nothing more. I'm sure plenty of people will see it, myself included. Just don't go in expecting "Billy Madison" or even "The Waterboy". "The Cobbler" hits theaters March 13th.


While We're Young
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried
A middle-aged couple running into their mid-life crisis befriend a couple in their 20s in an attempt to hold on to their youth.

Movies like this tend to go either way for me. I like the concept and I like the cast, but lately similar movies have been disappointing. I think Adam Driver and Ben Stiller will be awesome sharing the screen together, but only time will tell. "While We're Young" hits theaters March 27th.


Love & Mercy
Directed by Bill Pohlad
Starring Paul Dano, John Cusak, Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti
The life of reclusive Beach Boys song writer and musician Brian Wilson, from his success of his highly influential orchestral pop albums to his nervous breakdown and subsequent encounter with controversial therapist Dr. Eugene Landy.

I'm not a fan of the Beach Boys- like, at all. But there is something about biopics that draw me in. The only question standing between me not seeing this and me seeing this is "can I stand two hours of Beach Boys music?" I don't think I can, but I'll try. I love Paul Dano and John Cusak more than I hate the Beach Boys. "Love & Mercy" his theaters June 5th.


Jurassic World
Directed by Colin Trevorrow
Starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Judy Greer and Vincent D'Onofrio
Twenty-two years after the events of "Jurassic Park", Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World (THE NAME OF THE MOVIE), as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates-- ah, who cares.... DINOSAURS!!!

I could sit here and dissect this trailer second by second, but in the end it's a movie I have been waiting 22 years for. Nothing will stop me from seeing this movie. It just looks so ridiculous! "Jurassic World" hits theaters June 12.

Tune in next Tuesday for more trailers! And remember to check out my reviews and share them with your friends. Or don't... that's fine too,

Movie Trailer Tuesdays 2/24/15

The Gunman
Directed by Pierre Morel
Starring Sean Penn, Javier Bardem, Idris Elba and Ray Winstone
A former Special Forces soldier and military contractor suffering from PTSD tries to reconnect with his long time love. But first, he must go on the run from London to Barcelona and across Europe in order to clear his name.

To me, this just looks like another "Taken". I'm not sure I feel about it. It's got great actors and it looks action packed. But the story seems tired. Perhaps this one will surprise me, but I'm not going to get excited about it. In theaters March 20th.


Kill Me Three Times
Directed by Kriv Stenders
Starring Simon Pegg, Teresa Palmer, Sullivan Stapleton and Alice Braga
Professional hit-man Charlie Wolfe finds himself in three tales of murder, blackmail and revenge after a botched contract assignment.

This one could go either way. On the one hand, I love Simon Pegg. On the other, all of the gags and jokes in the trailer have been done and overdone. I have faith that Pegg could bring his A-game and make this a decent movie, but only time will tell. In theaters April 10th.

Unfriended

Directed by Levan Gabriadze

Starring Matthew Bohrer, Courtney Halverson, Shelley Hennig and Will Peltz

A group of online chat room friends find themselves haunted by a mysterious, supernatural force using the account of their dead friend.

So this is it… The end of movies… This is an all new low. At least movies like "Paranormal Activity" and "The Blair Witch Project" actually try. This is just lazy. Not to mention, that shot of whats her face shooting herself, that is a technique that would only be used in bad movies. This just looks terrible. Don't get me wrong, I'll still see it. I see everything. Except the movie that shall not be named. This hits theaters April 17th.

In the Hear of the Sea

Directed by Ron Howard

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Ben Whishaw and Brendan Gleeson

The story that inspired Herman Melville to write "Moby Dick", this movie tells the story of the Whale ship Essex. The ship was destroyed by sperm whale and stranded many of it's crew in the ocean. The crew, all in separate life boats, drifted apart. Some resulted to cannibalism, others found land. But they were call changed by the event.

Initially set to be released in March 13th, the release date has been pushed to December. This could either be good or bad. It already had a PG-13 rating, so unless they plan to re-edit it or do re-shoots, I don't think it's to have more time to complete it. What I'm hoping is that they pushed it back to give it a better chance in next years Award season. Meaning they think it's good enough to contend. I have been waiting for this movie since October, and while I'm upset it was pushed back, I'm hoping it was for the latter reason and we have a truly fantastic movie on our hands. In theaters December 11th.

Faults

Directed by Riley Stearns

Starring Leland Orser, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lance Reddick and Jon Gries

Claire is under the grip of a mysterious new cult called Faults. Desperate to be reunited with their daughter, Claire's parents recruit one of the world's foremost experts on mind control, Ansel Roth.

The trailer makes it seem like a dark comedy in the likes of the Coen Brothers (Yes, I stole that from one of the title cards). If that is the case, that is fantastic news. This looks very interesting and has a ton of great actors in it. It definitely seems like it's going to be weird, but what good is a movie if it isn't weird at all? This hits theaters March 6th.

Come back next week for more trailers!