Ed's Review Dot Com

Transfilm, Archery Pictures, Canal+ Distribution,

Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alison Pill, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jake Lacy, John Lithgow, Sam Waterston

Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is a Washington D.C. power lobbyist who is the best in the business. Everyone wants to work with her, but this time she’s taking on a gun control bill and is facing an uphill battle which may turn out to be the biggest in her career. She’s set on winning at any price, but the price may be too high as she may destroy herself along with lots of good friends along the way in this look at the lobbying profession and the special interests and corruption at the highest levels of government.

This movie brings out all kinds of opinions from the folks that see it. That’s one of the good things about it. This is about lobbying and political blackmail, and though it’s revolving around a particular gun control bill, it’s not about gun control, really. With stunning dramatic scenes and courtroom scenes as the attempt to bring Elizabeth down once and for all, it makes for a very exiting film right out of the pages of the newspapers. From the sly back deals that cost us millions as the Democrats bought votes for ObamaCare, to the corruption in California where Governor Jerry Brown just did completely illegal on the side pork barrel deals worth a billion dollars or more to get enough votes to increase gasoline taxes by nearly a half a buck a gallon and a new car registration fee of about 50 bucks a year on every car registration to help raise money to pay the government pension deals that we are being sunk by. In California it’s completely illegal to offer bribes or funding to influence the vote of a legislator, yet it was very publicly done. The final vote waas acquired by convincing a Republican legislator who is being termed out a deal to protect the business he is going back to getting him to break ranks and vote for this devastating bill that cannot be overturned by a referendum. That’s the kind of thing this movie is about, and it’s a good look at the bribery, blackmail, and much worse that goes on in the lobby business every day. For that reason, I found it an interesting film, but even without that, there is very good dramatic and suspenseful story going on as well, even if you are not interesting in the lobbying stuff. Especially the courtroom scene that comes in the last part of the story is very well done. This is a role that was built for Jessica Chastain, and with a whole crew of backup actors who also perform very smartly, this is a very well told story and probably worth watching. It’s quite a change of pace from the usual stuff, and interesting to watch.

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Medusa Film, Gravier Productions, Perdido Productions,

Woody Allen, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penélope Cruz, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, Ellen Page, Fabio Armiliata, Alessandra Mastronardi, Alison Pill, Carol Alt

American tourist in Rome Haley (Alison Pill), meets Michelangelo (Flavio Parenti), a local lawyer. and falls in love. Her parents, the psychiatrist Phyllis (Judy Davis) and the retired music producer Jerry (Woody Allen), arrive to meet Michelangelo, only to hear his father singing in the shower, he jump at the chance to get out of retirement and put him to work singing. Only problem is that he can only sing in the shower. This romp through Rome features some great actors such as Roberto Benigni, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz, and Alec Baldwin, and is an ensemble story of many stories crossing each other at every turn.

This is classic Woody Allen stuff! There are so many very colorful characters and back stories galore. Everything is very convoluted and it’s hard to follow. This is exactly what makes an Allen film so much fun to watch. Everything that happens is pretty much unexpected, and surprising, and we are gleefully surprised at every turn. The is so much going on that it’s a bit confusing, but that’s not bad. It’s delightfully funny, and really enjoyable. I think this is one is one of Woody’s best of the recent films, and he’s still got the touch.

The pace is fast and furious, and the jokes hit the mark most of the time. If you’re a fan of this style of film making, you’re sure to be pleased with Woody’s latest.

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Inferno Pictures Inc., Don Carmody Productions, Caramel Film,

Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Marc-André Grondin, Eugene Levy, Liev Schreiber

Doug Glatt (Seann William Scott) is a bouncer at a club, but isn’t contented. Ross Rhea (Liev Schreiber) on the hand, is a well known hockey player who is an “enforcer”. That’s the guy who teaches the other team a lesson when someone needs his clock cleaned. Doug accidentally gets into a fight, and easily knocks out the other guy. Since this was witnessed by the coach of the Halifax Highlanders, Doug is offered a job as a hockey player. Only trouble is that Doug doesn’t know how to skate. But the coach takes him under his wing to protect his new star player, and before long Doug gets the chance to climb the ladder toward a final showdown with Ross that you know has to happen.

Stiffler (American Pie) is a character that Scott has a hard time losing. But here he goes again with another not too bright, but incredibly cool guy who wins you over in the end. This film is pretty predictable and standard fare, but hey, it’s the best hockey film I’ve seen since “The Mighty Ducks” I reckon. Scott plays it pretty decent, and some of the other characters are a hoot. This is actually a pretty decent movie, even though you’re like to find it in the bargain bin. It’s not very well known, but it’s certainly got its moments. I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone who likes dumb sports films with lots of fights (just like hockey) and some good fart jokes and that kind of thing. Certainly it’s sophomoric, but what’s wrong with that. A little left hook is just what you need sometimes to make you forget the problems of the world. Certainly not award material, but it’s just what it sets out to be…a dumb jock movie with lots of jokes and some blood on the ice. There are several well developed characters that I don’t want to discuss so you can get to know them yourself. If you’re in the mood for a totally brainless man flick, go for this one. It’s fun.

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Universal Pictures, Marc Platt Productions, Big Talk Productions

Michael Cera, Alison Pill, Mark Weber, Johnny Simmons, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jason Schwartzman

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) has a band.  They would just about do anything to get signed and get going on their career.  Scott is dating Knives Chau, 5 years his junior and still in high school, but Scott is truly not over his old girlfriend, Envy (Brie Larson), who has her own band. When he meets Ramona Flower (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) he is smitten.  Unfortunately before he can date her, he must defeat her “Seven Evil Exes”.   They are tough!  Scott may not make it, and if he does, he will still have to make sure that’s what he really wants.

I’m not sure of the background of where this film came from, but it must be a comic book or something like that.  It’s a video game.  It’s not a movie about a video game, but it is literally a video game!  Nothing is really serious in this movie, it’s all a big game.  If Scott has a big sword and cuts down two henchmen of one of the “evil exes” they will disintegrate into coins and the scores appear on the screen.   4000   8000 etc.   The characters level up on the screen and get power boosts.  It’s a video game.

Now some people are going to get really into this whole concept of living in a video game, but for most of us, it’s really a confusing mess.  This doesn’t mean there is not some redeeming qualities here.  There is a story, and the characters are likable (or easy to hate) and the relationships between the characters is well developed.  But you have to go into it realizing it’s all fantasy and not real, otherwise it makes no sense.  I got about two thirds through it confused as can be until it dawned on me what it is.  Perhaps if I knew going in that it was all fantasy, it would have been easier to get into it.  This is actually one film that might get better with a second viewing.  It is actually a very clever put together film if you know what you’re getting into going in.  Michael Cera plays his usual soft spoken loser guy who’s trying to get ahead, and Ellen Wong as Knives is perfect as the stalker old girlfriend.  Jason Schwartzman’s characterization of the final ex is really good.  He’s probably the evilest character in the film.  His character reminds me of the character in “Wayne’s World” played by Rob Lowe,  trying to steal Wayne’s girlfriend.  The ending is very well done and things are resolved in a way that makes sense.  All in all, I liked the film, but it did take a long time of me thinking I hated it till the light clicked on and I finally said, “Oh I get it now”.   After watching it, I’ve been thinking about it since, and the more I think, the better I liked it.  I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone, but if you a gamer, it’s really funny and full of references to the video game world.

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