Room (2015) is a suspenseful drama I saw this evening via the Arthouse Film Festival. It is adapted from the novel of the same name, and, as luck would have it, the script was brought to the screen by the book’s author, Emma Donoghue, something that rarely happens. The filmmakers were committed to making the film according to the original vision, and it works.

The film starts with a young woman, Joy (Brie Larson), in a small room with her son, Jack (Jacob Tremblay). She teaches him things (reading, Writing, etc), and they play from time to time. It’s a meager existence. They are occasionally visited by a Old Nick (Sean Bridgers), who delivers goods to them, while Jack ‘hides’ in the wardrobe. We come to find that Ma has been in this room for 7 years, and is a captive of the man. She’s tried escaping once before, to no avail. Jack is turning 5, and is beginning to understand the difference between reality and make believe. The arrival of a mouse gets Jack thinking, trying to understand the concept of inside and outside of Room, which is his only frame of reference. Joy and Jack fight, as Ma starts concocting a plan for getting out. How well it succeeds I leave to you to discover.

This is only the first part of the film. As you would expect, the situation changes, but how? What of Joy and Jack? Do they survive? What happens ‘after’? How does Joy’s family respond, and what happened since her abduction? Many films would not explore these possibilities, and would end shortly after ‘discovery’, on a happy note, but this one spends half it’s run length exploring it. It’s an appealing and completely plausible investigation into how things could evolve after that one moment when it all changes.

I’m trying to avoid spoiling anything more than I’ve had to. Brie Larson gives a strong and convincing performance, and Jacob gives a performance befitting the situation. William H. Macy and Joan Allen play their parts well, too.

I do recommend the movie.

Freeheld is a re-enactment of the events covered in the 2007 Documentary of the same name, which won an Oscar for Best Documentary, Short Subjects. It was this week’s selection for the latest season of The Arthouse Film Festival. Currently, it’s had a limited release, but it will move to more theaters soon enough.

Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) is a police detective in Ocean County, NJ. Her partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon) is interested in her, but has not made any sort of overt ‘move’ towards that sort of relationship. It wouldn’t matter anyway, because she becomes involved with Stacy Andree (Ellen Page), who buy a house together and get on with their lives. They even file for a Domestic Partnership, which allows some, but not all of the benefits of a legal marriage.

Laurel becomes ill. She is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, and her focus becomes making sure that Stacy receives her pension benefits after she passes on. Stacy is more focused on getting Laurel better. The Domestic Partnership law does not outright grant Stacy those benefits, since she’s not a NJ State employee, but a NJ County employee. It is said that the decision to grant the benefits is left to the discretion of the County Freeholders, who, traditionally, have only decided all their votes with a unanimous decision. They initially deny Laurel’s request. That’s when the fun begins.

A gay activist, Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell) hears of the ruling, and is determined to make them overturn it. He’s willing to pick up the fight for Laurel, as he sees it as one step closer to marriage equality. Laurel just wants what’s fair, and doesn’t want to raise a stink. Stacy urges her onward, as Laurel’s treatments kick into high gear.

This film has an undercurrent of acceptance, and a desire for equality, which is what Laurel wants. If the system wasn’t ready for that, then that’s OK, let someone else take up the crusade. There’s a lot of give and take, to get to the core of the issue, which is that people are essentially driven by the same needs – security, family, and a sense of belonging.

Overall, it’s a really good movie. Michael Shannon’s performance is a bit stodgy, as that’s what his character seems to be, but a lot of that is Shannon himself. I was originally seeing him as a wooden kind of guy, but his transition towards acceptance really works well. Steve Carell is a bit over the top in his performance, and I expected that, knowing the sort of characters he plays. Fortunately, all the players have dimensions and do change over time. In the post-movie discussion, I heard that the role originally was supposed to go to Zach Galifianakis, but there was a scheduling conflict. While he may have been too flamboyant, Carell manages to pull it off anyway.

There were more than a few “oh, look, it’s that guy…and that guy!” The freeholders were all made up of those guys, including Josh Charles, Tom McGowan, and Dennis Boutsikaris, to name three. They rounded out the cast well.

I do recommend this film. I haven’t seen too many Oscar-worthy performances this year, so this film may have some. I was stunned to see that the ‘song for the movie’ that rolls over the credits is “Hands of Love” was written by Linda Perry, and performed by Miley Cyrus (!). That will get a nom, fer sure.

Learning to Drive is a modest Independent film. The story starts in Manhattan with a cabbie, Darwan (Ben Kingsley) picking up a man fleeing from a restaurant. Ted (Jake Weber) hurries into the back, but his wife Wendy (Patricia Clarkson) is pursuing him. Ted confesses to Wendy that he’s leaving for his girlfriend, leaving her in tears. Ted hops out of the cab, Darwan takes her home. She is broken, but believes Ted will return. The “Seven Year Itch” and all that, she later confesses to her daughter, Tasha (Grace Gummer). Tasha has already seen her father, and he has filed separation papers. Wendy won’t accept it, but instead focuses on Tasha’s recent past, as she’s spent the Summer in New England, on a remote farm, and wants her mother to move up with her before the upcoming harvest, in a chance to get away from it all. Wendy is a Manhattanite, through and through, and doesn’t really want to leave – she doesn’t even have a license, because she’s never needed one.

Wendy decides that if she’s to visit (not stay) with her daughter, she’ll have to get there on her own. She contacts Darwan, who is a driving instructor during the day. He arrives for her first lesson, and she changes her mind. Darwin insists she sit behind the wheel, and walks her through all the things she’ll need to do to drive, with her balking. Next thing, she’s on the road, and thus their working relationship begins. We find that she’s been uninvolved in anything meaningful outside of her job, so she’s rethinking her general behavior.

We discover that Darwan is a Sikh who’s left India after being persecuted and was imprisoned for being a terrorist. We hear that his only remaining sibling, his sister, has sent her son to live in the U.S. She is also trying to finally arrange a marriage for him, to which he’s reluctant to do, given his past, and his pickiness.

If you hadn’t guessed, Learning to Drive is a metaphor for taking charge, and assuming control over “your” life. The plot is fairly predictable, but it’s a good drama that is a cut above your standard movie fare, bolstered by the great cast. Kingsley and Clarkson work well together, and none of the movie seems artificial. Clarkson gives a sincere performance, and Kingsley is quite subdued in his role.

Recommended.

Mr. Holmes is a new film about Sherlock Holmes in his later years. Ian McKellen plays the titular role. It transpires in the postwar 1940s. Holmes has retired ages ago, and lives in a cottage near Dover, England. His body and his memory are failing. He is attended by Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) and her son Roger (Milo Parker). After losing her husband in the war, she struggles to carry on, urging Roger to not bother Mr. Holmes.

As the film opens, Holmes is returning from a trip to Japan. A gentleman he has been corresponding with offered to help him locate a special plant, which could help him regain memories and help him cope with his aging. He returns to the cottage, and Mrs. Munro urges Roger to leave Mr. Holmes alone. Being a child, he cannot, and goes through Holmes’ papers. Roger finds a story and reads it. Naturally, Mr. Holmes realizes this, and they start to talk. The story is not a story at all, but it is Mr. Holmes’ final case, the one that caused him to retire. It is unfinished, and he has forgotten many of the details, but is struggling to recall enough that he can finalize the recounting of it and find the truth. Holmes is invigorated by this, and remembers a little more more. Meanwhile, he has taken a liking to Roger, and starts to teach him about beekeeping, one of his hobbies that’s sustained him through the years.

This film is three stories in one. The first is ‘the present’, the second is the case, and the third is his trip to Japan, and his interactions with his host. We find that Watson was the storyteller who had a fondness for embellishing the truth, which irritated Holmes to no end. For example, the Deerstalker Hat and Pipe were creations of Watson, and so on. The case he’s trying to remember did not end in the fictional manner that Watson indicated, so he’s trying to resolve it before he passes on. The case itself appears throughout the story, as Holmes remembers it, and the third is his trip to Japan. It goes in an unexpected direction that I will not reveal.

This movie works well on several levels. First, and foremost, the casting is brilliant. Ian McKellen is exceptionally good. He plays the frailty of his years and the frustrations of his aging extremely well, good enough that it made me question McKellen’s actual health. He’s that good. Laura Linney is good, but it’s hard to tell if she was an American in England for the war, or a citizen of the U.K. with a modest accent. Her intensity makes up for that. Milo Parker is more talented than you’d expect for someone his age. He reminds me of Thomas Brodie-Sangster when he starred “Love, Actually”, but moreso. The rest of the cast, especially Hattie Moran as Ann Kelmot, are really committed to making the story work. The second is that the stories, on their own, aren’t all that strong, but the flipping between then strengthens their power. There are several turns of events that kept me guessing on the outcome.

This film has a melancholic tone, but the it slowly builds towards the finale. I expected the film to be decent, but it’s much more than that. There’s power in this drama, and it made me consider something about Sherlock Holmes that has only been hinted at in many of the various representations of him on screen.

I definitely recommend this film, and I’ve already placed it in my top ten movie list for 2015.

American Ultra is yet another summer action film that follows certain movie cliches you’ve seen before, but, coupled with some good performances from unexpected actors, work well as a whole.

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is a stoner who works at a convenience store. He has panic attacks whenever he tries to leave the area. The film starts with him and his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart) trying to leave for a trip to Hawaii, where he intends to propose. However, he camps out in the bathroom, and they have to cancel the trip. On the way home, they’re pulled over, where the officer reminds them of the many times he’s been brought in for this petty crime or another. At home, Phoebe is irritated, but forgives him, while he debates his next attempt to propose. He decides to use fireworks, so he seeks out his friend Rose (John Leguizamo), a sordid guy who is his good friend.

Meanwhile, back at the CIA, Victoria (Connie Britton!), receives an anonymous phone call, saying that her Ultra project has been terminated, and the project will be deleted. She rushes to confront her former cow-orker, now boss, Adrian (Topher Grace), who says his Tough Guy project was superior and she should just accept it. She doesn’t, so she goes to warn Mike at the convenience store. Victoria finds Mike, says the trigger phrase, but he fails to recognize it, so she leaves, frustrated.

Adrian’s Tough Guy agents arrive, and Mike notices them vandalizing his car. He asks them to stop, but they attack, and that triggers the sleeper agent in him. He dispatches them quickly and abruptly. He freaks out, calls Phoebe and neither can understand what happened. By then, the police appear and arrest them for murder. Adrian is tracking Mike, and the agency concocts a bogus virus outbreak to lock down the town and finish the job. Of course, it’s never that simple…

There are some nice touches in the movie. Mike is a comic artist in his spare time. Some of the banter works really well, and I suspect there was a lot more of a story with Rose and his guys than made it to the screen. More than a few of the characters are pretty much one-notes, but, to me, it was a good mix. The action was a bit frantic, but fortunately it didn’t warrant Shaky Cam behavior (it was easier to follow). Some of the stunts weren’t entirely plausible when taken as a whole, but individually, they were visually impressive. The fights are a bit graphic, so be forewarned. There’s a bit of cringeworthy violence, but nothing too gory. Some of the plot points were a little questionable, but not completely implausible.

There is a decent coda to the story that brings it all together. There’s also an animated story around the credits that’s entertaining, and makes sense, in retrospect. When it comes to cable, I will probably watch it again to see how it ties to an earlier part of the story. There is no post-credits scene.

Recommended.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a re-envisioning of the TV show from the 1960s. The movie takes place in the midst of the 1960s, when the Cold War was on the rise. I’ll state up front that I don’t really remember the TV show, other than the basic premise.

The movie starts off at Checkpoint Charlie, the border between the U.S. held portion of Berlin and the Portion of Berlin “managed” by the U.S.S.R. Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill), a CIA agent, crosses over to East Berlin, to see out Gaby Teller(Alicia Vikander). She is the estranged daughter of an important German scientist, who has gone missing. It is said he has discovered a way to generate enhanced Uranium faster and simpler than has been done in the past. Since he’s gone missing, Solo attempts to recruit Gaby to find her father via an uncle, who might know where he’s gone to. Before he can convince her, he realizes that he’s been followed by a KGB agent, but Solo escapes with Gaby, and they are able to make it to West Berlin after a quick car chase with the agent.

Turns out that neither the Russians nor the Americans know who’s taken him, and the only lead is via this uncle, who is now working for a shipping company in Rome. It is discovered that the shipping company has suspected ties to some undesirable elements. Knowing this, the Russians team up with the Americans. And thus, a partnership is formed between Solo and the KGB agent who was chasing him through Berlin, aka Illya Kuryakin(Armie Hammer). The two have to work together to locate the missing scientist, and any Uranium that has been produced. Gaby and Illya pose as an engaged couple, going to meet the uncle, and this shepherds the story along, and this is where the film gets into gear.

I did not have a lot of hope for the quality of this movie, as there hasn’t been much promotion of the film. Guy Ritchie co-wrote the film, and also directed it, so expectations were high. This is, essentially a buddy cop movie, but they’re spies, instead. Cavill plays Solo as cool, and elegant (almost an American James Bond), while Hammer portrays Kuryakin as the brawler with an extremely short fuse. Both agents work alone, so having a partner is something neither wants. The antagonism and camaraderie towards each other initially seems a little forced, but, as you would expect, they do end up working well together, but in their own ways. I did not expect the level of witty banter, though, and helped convince me they weren’t intending to be too serious about it – considering the movie’s from Guy Ritchie, it makes a lot of sense. There are a few action scenes that are done well. Some of them are in the style they used to do in the 60s, where the screen is split into several panels, each with their own sequence (and often muted). That was a nice touch.

I had some minor quibbles with the movie – a computer disk from the 1960s would be huge and hard to conceal, but what they use as a stand-in is some sort of tape cartridge instead. Also, Vikander’s trying to play German, and while she’s Scandanavian, it doesn’t quite work. Her English was dialect-free, as if she were just reciting her lines without a trace of any accent. Other characters did the same, but, as I said, it’s not really a complaint.

I recommend the movie.

During the credits, they show dossiers of the main characters briefly. There is no post-credits sequence.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is the latest movie from the Mission: Impossible franchise. It was directed and co-written by Christopher McQuarrie, who has written for several other Tom Cruise films. Before I go on, I must point out that I have not seen the three previous films in the series, but fortunately, that’s not necessary.

At the core of this, the Mission: Impossible team (or I.M. Force) is a covert counter-terrorist group, overseen by “The Secretary”, a member of the US Cabinet. Back when it was a TV show, their mission (if they choose to accept it) was to go beyond normal means to gather information and/or thwart activities that threaten the safety of the United States and the world as a whole. That’s still true, because they operate outside normal rules and regulations, and cover their tracks as they depart.

M:I-RN starts with the I.M. Force trying to prevent chemical weapons from bring delivered. There’s a thrilling chase to get onboard a cargo plane by Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his associates Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) assisting him. This cold open is much like what you’d see in James Bond films, and hits the ground running.

Of course, they’re in trouble with the CIA. They infiltrated the CIA in the past, and their director, Hunley (Alec Baldwin) wants them shut down. The I.M. Force’s inside man, William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) tries to defend their actions, but there is no appointed Secretary, so he cannot and will not reveal any information about how the group operates, so Congress shuts them down, and they are to be re-integrated back into the CIA for other work. Ethan Hunt does not comply, because he believes there’s a foreign agency, called The Syndicate, that is the counterpart to the I.M. Force, and even without proof, remains hidden until he can prove its existence.

Everyone else is back under the CIA’s guidance, and efforts to recapture Hunt are continually unsuccessful. Turns out, someone else is after Hunt, and captures him first, but he manages to escape. This renews Hunt’s determination to find the Syndicate and eliminate it. Through a deception or three, he manages to get the band back together to accomplish that goal.

What follows is an elaborate shell game. That is the core of any Mission: Impossible movie – keep moving forward in the con game, and it will eventually work itself out. Plans work, some fail, but the deception goes on to the thrilling conclusion. You aren’t sure of anyone’s loyalties, right up until the very end. I do like a film where the plot isn’t entirely spelled out in the beginning, and this movie kept me guessing. The action scenes were appropriately frantic, the deceptions were thrilling, and you definitely have to check your suspension of disbelief at the door.

Really. I’m not kidding. Check it before you go crazy. There’s stuff here that just doesn’t make sense, from a practical standpoint. I’m convinced that they came up with the idea “Let’s have a stunt where this happens, and then we can wrap some bogus movie logic around it. People won’t notice. It’ll be great!” However, like I said, don’t think too hard about those things, and you’ll enjoy this film a lot more. I know I did. I do recommend this action movie for exactly what it is. You won’t regret it.

Some other remarks

Ant-Man is the latest movie that takes place in the “Marvel Universe” of comics.

The film starts in the late ’80s. Scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) has discovered the Pym Particle, something which allows him to shrink the size of anything down to tiny proportions. He’s having a discussion with the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (and Howard Stark, Tony’s father) about the usefulness of his discovery, and is worried about who controls it. He makes the tough choice to quit the organization, destroy his research, and pretend it never existed.

Cut to now, in a prison. Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is being released. He needs to get his life back together. He was serving time for hacking into his former company’s computers and revealing corporate secrets he had discovered. One Cybercrime later, he’s released, but after his wife (Judy Greer) divorced him and is involved with a police officer (Bobby Cannavale). He’s accepted that, but still wants to be in his daughter’s life. His ex won’t allow that until he comes up with the past due Child Support. His only option is to return to his technical skills and more crime.

Meanwhile, Hank’s been invited to an unveiling at the company he founded after he left S.H.I.E.L.D. He has retired. Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), his protégé, has been working towards creating the “unproven” Pym Particle and make millions. Fortunately his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) still works at the company. They have devised a plan to stop Cross from going any further and halt his plans. They have a scheme of their own, and it involves recruiting a certain ex-con.

So begins the film. Scott, who has reunited with his former cohort in crime, Luis (Michael Peña), who sets up a robbery that turns out to be Hank Pym’s home, where he’s stashed his Ant-Man costume. Eventually, Hank gets Scott to join in on his plan to ruin Cross’ plan, but only after an extended training montage. Scott also brings in Luis and the others who helped him with the post-release burglary. The plan is set, and the fun begins.

It was an odd choice to bring Ant-Man to the screen. I’m sure there are plenty of other Marvel Superheroes that deserve it more, but the film had been in development for several years. In the comics (and cartoons), there’s a connection between Ant-Man and the Avengers – Hank Pym was an Avenger, but left the organization. There are direct tie-ins to the Avengers franchise, which are made known throughout the film.

This film focuses more on comedy than the other Marvel movies. They acknowledge the premise is not as serious as the other Superhero films, but it has its place. I believe that is why they chose Paul Rudd as the star, rather than someone who would’ve been more serious in the role. He’s fine, as is everyone else in the film. I do have to say mention that someone must’ve had a strong Lee Grant fetish, because I kept looking at Evageline Lilly and thinking that was the look they were trying to achieve. The chemistry between her and Rudd is not what I’d call ideal, more a bit off. Let’s just say it was an odd pairing.

I left the theater with nothing more than a sense of “OK, yeah, I’ve seen it. Next!” I didn’t hate the movie, and the comedy worked. They make several references along the lines of “Yes, this is what we’re doing, and we acknowledge it seems a bit silly, but we’re doing it anyway”. Most of that humor works – for example, the song Luis whistles was an appropriate choice. I dunno, maybe it was better in 3D? Please let me know if you saw it that way, because I’d like to know. It’s an acceptable film, just not something you definitely have to rush out and see. I guess that means, more or less, that I recommend the movie.

There is a mid-credits scene, as well as one after the credits are over.

Trainwreck is the latest romantic comedy from Judd Apatow. Well, not exactly. Judd Apaatow produced and directed this film, but it’s really Amy Schumer’s film. She wrote it, presented it to Judd, and had implied that the latest ‘it’ girl could star. Judd told Amy that she should be the star, and thus it was so.

Amy and her sister Kim are the children of a divorce. Their father, played by Colin Quinn, was unfaithful to their mother, multiple times. He’s convinced himself that Monogamy is a joke, and at the start of the film, he gets his kids to repeat it, like a mantra.

Cut to some twenty years later, Amy has become exactly like her father. She’s all about one night stands, and never seems to be with a guy more than once, though she has her safety guy, Steven (John Cena). She writes articles for a men’s magazine, or more a magazine that caters to male chauvinists, which is made clear when her boss Dianna (Tilda Swinton) has a pitch meeting, and entertains ideas for new articles that are focused on male sexual behavior. One other writer suggests a story about a sports doctor, and Dianna gives the assignment to Amy, who is totally uninterested in sports. Amy sets off to meet Aaron (Bill Heder), the doctor in question. At their first meeting, LeBron James drops by because he’d left something behind, and a bit of silliness occurs. Amy is entranced by Aaron, and thus the romantic comedy begins.

This movie follows the traditional romantic comedy plot – Boy meets Girl, Boy loses Girl, etc, however, since it’s Amy, it’s the reverse – Girl meets Boy, etc. I won’t kid you in saying that it isn’t formulaic, because it is. This movie is almost entirely from Amy’s perspective, but it includes some from the Boy’s. Amy loves her father, even though he’s a pain in the ass. Her interactions with her sister Kim (Brie Larson) are really strong, but also very antagonistic towards each other’s choices. It’s all told with Amy Schumer’s perspective. Her humor guides this film and it’s definitely refreshing and enjoyable. The MPAA has rated the film an R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use, so be forewarned.

I have to admit that a year ago, I was not a fan of Amy Schumer. Her style of humor is not a hit with everyone, but I’ve had a chance to see her TV show, which is hilarious and poignant. It’s very up close and personal, and honestly, most people wouldn’t have an issue with what she says if it were spoken by a man. However, if you like it, you’ll love this movie. I know I did.

One other tidbit to point out is that there are a LOT of cameos in the movie. There are many people who’ve appeared on Amy’s TV show, as well as a few celebrities, both of stage/screen, as well as the sports world.

Ted 2 is the latest film from Seth MacFarlane, best known for his work on Family Guy.  Ted 2 is the sequel to the movie Ted, where, as a child, John (Mark Wahlberg) makes a wish that his teddy bear  was alive. As an adult, John struggled to put away his childish things, including Ted, in order to win the woman of his dreams. The movie ended with them getting together.

Ted 2 starts as Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) is marrying Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth).  There’s a huge self-indulgent dance number that mirrors the production style of Busby Berkeley, which, for some reason doesn’t include Tami-Lyn.  John is divorced, and has given up on love.  Cut to several months later, where Ted and Tami-Lynn are fighting over money, and can’t seem to reconcile their differences.

Ted is convinced by a fellow cashier that having a baby with Tami-Lynn will be a great way to reconnect. Ted, unfortunately, is unable to father a child (he’s a stuffed bear, after all), so he and Tami-Lynn (with John’s help) try several alternatives before deciding to adopt. Their application sets off all sorts of red flags in the Massachusetts government, who retroactively declare Ted is not a person, and is therefore without any rights as a human. His marriage is annulled, and he’s fired from his job.

John and Ted seek help from the top law firm in Boston. The chief partner turns them down, but directs them to a novice lawyer to the firm, Samantha Jackson (Amanda Seyfried).  This will be her first case, and she’s determined to win it.

I’ll point out that this is a Seth MacFarlane comedy.  He has a style of humor that not everyone likes.  Generally, he throws out a lot of jokes. He never lets up and will often shift gears to some new comedic build. There are some very memorable jokes, some spoiled by the trailer, but there are a plenty more. There are a ton of cameos in the movie, and almost all of those are funny and cut right to the core. There’s a fight in the movie that could have been brilliant, but it’s not the focus of the scene, and falls flat because the elements don’t receive enough focus, in my opinion. Some of them are so rapid fire that are ‘blink and you miss it’, so I will await a repeat viewing so I can catch them all.

I do recommend this film, but only if you’re a Seth MacFarlane fan and/or are nerd, because there’s plenty of nerd humor sprinkled throughout the film.  MacFarlane’s sense of humor isn’t for everyone, but you’ll know this is his movie. I couldn’t remember most of the jokes, but I do remember laughing to myself a few times throughout the movie. The cameos save this film from being just a moderately amusing also-ran.

There is a post-credits scene that just floored me (it probably won’t do the same for anyone else, though).