On Screen & Beyond

As a grown-up man, you would probably remember one or two scuffles at the playground as a kid. If you did, in all likelihood, your dad would have said, "did you hit him good?"; and your mom, in the contrary, would have said "my poor baby - let me make you feel better and ease the pain in your black eye!"

Oh, boy! Has society changed with lawsuits and corrective actions?  This is what “Carnage” is all about--- Parents over reacting !
 
“Carnage” is based on the play, "God  of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza; and it is directed by Roman Polanski.  It is a true art-film shot mainly in one location with a small cast of four.  For a movie that is as compartmentalized as “Carnage” is, and still succeed, the cast has to be stellar and must deliver outstanding performances.
 
This movie definitely has some of the big guns of Hollywood: Jodi Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, and John C. Reilly.  Also, it deals with the parents’ reaction towards their sons’ confrontation at the neighborhood park.  The overall message is that sometimes, parents have a hard time letting go while the kids just brush the incident off. 
 
The film has some very funny moments, but as a moviegoer, I find it a little claustrophobic and difficult to relate to a single apartment location.  “Carnage” is worth a night-out with your spouse, and you will have a few laughs either at the film or at yourself as a parent! Reviewed by Derek

Rated R | 2.5 slates

“War Horse” is a cinematic depiction of plundering war experiences in the face of chivalry, trauma, shock, victory, and friendship through the eyes of a vagabond horse in World War 1.
The setting takes us from the idyllic countryside of Devonshire, Southwest England to the trenches of France. It speaks to one’s soul that all beauty becomes an arid wasteland with the sound of barreling gun shots and horror.

Nonetheless, luminescence is not totally lost. It is re-kindled with the film’s rendering of a close friendship that we could nurture with the horses—that, indeed, these massive animals are also capable of providing us warmth and affection, even in bad times.

Director Steven Spielberg has combined all of these elements with great fluidity through Joey, the war horse and the star of the movie. I will not be surprised if Spielberg gets nominated for another Oscar as a director.

A movie that is as poignant as “War Horse” needs to be well – syncopated, and the famous John Williams does not disappoint us with his resounding and highly emotional and uplifting musical score.

Experience a truly amazing film with beautiful cinematography, excellent storyline, a well-orchestrated musical score, and a magnificent directorial achievement.

Rated PG | 3 1/2 slates

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is a magnificent action film that is imbued with much episodic parlance of suspense and thrill.

Fast forward to the day, from the third installment of the series, IMF is implicated in a terrorist attack in Russia. The protagonist, disavowed Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) and his fellow IMF agents will need to be vagrant to stop a major catastrophic nuclear conflagration.  

Moviegoers will be captivated in the edge of their seats with breathless scenes of idyllic geography combined with the landscape of a simplistic plot and well-planned executions. Director Brad Bird, undoubtedly, did a superb job!

The movie, perhaps, is the quintessence of all of the four installments. It is like calligraphy of bespoke tailoring to resurrect Tom Cruise’s fading career. The role may not be that challenging for him as an actor, but it contains the much needed mojo for his sensational celebrity status.

Despite the film’s fantastic rendering, it is also lackluster in the schema of filmic themes. The plot is simple, but it is also this simplicity that could be viewed negatively---agents just going roguish trying to diffuse an uncontrollable maniac.

Overall, I highly recommend the film. One would feast in the great craftsmanship or moving epilogue of entertainment. Reviewed by Derek


Rated PG-13 | 3 1/2 slates

I know what you are thinking??? Another stupid zoo animal movie filled with slapstick comedy and fart jokes.  But you are wrong!  'We Brought a Zoo' is a sentimental family film about a family coming together and reconnecting after the untimely passing of their mother.  Based on a true story the film stars Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson.  I have to say Damon givings an excellent performance as a recently widowed father of two.  As Benjamin (Damon) struggles with keeping it all together, decides to leave his successful job as a Los Angeles newspaper columnist and purchases a run down ranch away from it all. To his surprise the land includes an dilapidated animal park in disrepair.  Now the family must work together to save not only the zoo but the family.

One central subplot in the film, is the relationship of Ben and his troubled teen son, Dylan played by Colin Ford.  We have seen so many times in movies relationships between father and daughter.  It is nice to see the focus on a father and son relationship for we too have real life issues. Thank you director, Cameron Crowe ('Jerry Maguire',  'Almost Famous') for keeping this in the film.

Surprise yourself with 'We Brought a Zoo'.  You will be glad you did! Reviewed by Derek


Rated PG | 3 slates

Academy Award wining director, Martin Scorese has delivered some of the greatest cinema over the past 40 years including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Departed, but never a family movie, until now with Hugo.  This holiday masterpiece is based on the best selling novel “The Invention of Hugo Cabret”.

The film takes us to 1931 Paris, where Hugo a 12-year-old boy, is mourning the death of his clockmaker father.  Hugo lives by himself in a train station and must unlock a secret left by is father to enable himself to transform to a safe affectionate place he can call home.  Hugo will entertain adults and children, who are artistically apt with the amazing production values, from the to the set designs to the costumes.  All the detail in the film illustrates how passionate Scorsese was about making this movie.

Hugo is cinematic magic seldom seen in past few years.   Reviewed by Derek

4 slates