MOVIE REVIEW: DETROIT

A police raid in Detroit in 1967 results in one of the largest RACE riots in United States history. The story is centered around the Algiers Motel incident, which occurred in Detroit, Michigan on July 25, 1967, during the racially charged 12th Street Riot. It involves the death of three black men and the brutal beatings of nine other people: seven black men and two white women. 

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Cast: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Anthony Mackie, John Krasinski, Jack Reynor, Jason Mitchell, Hanna Murray

Release Date: Aug 4 2017

Genres: Crime, Drama, History

Rated R for strong violence and pervasive language

Review:

Detroit is a tense, uncomfortable and incredibly timely film.  Kathryn Bigelow’s style of filmmaking is perfectly suited for the story being told.  Bigelow’s immersive style leaves like a fly on the wall during the entire ordeal.  It’s an intense film that’s anchored by a strong ensemble cast.  John Boyega and Will Poulter really shine throughout the film, with some of the films best moments are watching their character’s process and think through situations.  Poulter though is the real surprise here since he’s been mostly a comedic actor.  Poulter provides the character an unsettling detachment and coldness that’s deeply unsettling.  The film loses a little steam after it moves on to the aftermath with the court proceedings and post event stories.  I was personally more interested in what happened to John Boyega’s character but the film chose a different direction.  It’s a small issue on an otherwise strong film that really shines a light on a dark portion of American history.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of The Dark Tower & Detroit

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Detroit and The Dark Tower.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or the news.

 

First on the docket, Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit.

 

During the Detroit Rebellion of 1967, a handful of city cops terrorize young people staying at the Algiers Hotel.

 

Dear reader(s), you know when I call a movie "must-see," it's usually gonna be some big, dumb actioner with a current obsession not *quite* getting enough screen time for my liking. Evidence: that latest Transformers movie that everybody hates? Yeah, that'll be skirting my Top Ten come year's end. However, here I must break with tradition to suggest emphatically that everyone get out and see Detroit. It is a very, very important movie and a timely reminder of what happens when we allow some people to be treated as less than others.

 

Detroit opens with a clever sequence that brings viewers who might not be familiar with this event up to speed, and from there it's a slow burn into chaos. The movie is never in a hurry to get where it's going, yet there are millions of things happening all at once. Point of view is personal rather than general, with dialogue so natural as to seem unscripted. I'm no fan of Bigelow's jiggly camera work, but I couldn't look away from the terrifying events playing out onscreen. There is no sugar-coating, there are no cookie-cutter characters, and the performances are uniformly extraordinary. Of special note, as usual, is John Boyega in a smart, sympathetic turn. The violence and torment are up close and personal, at times nearly impossible to watch. The movie builds to its unsettling climax with such tension you might not even realize you're holding your breath. This is no fun summer flick; it's challenging and exhausting. (For the record, I ran straight to the ladies' room and threw up when it ended, and it's had me in tears more than a few times since.) Detroit is smart enough not to leave it to viewers to distinguish between "based on a true story" and "inspired by actual events;" it freely acknowledges that its account relies on the recollections of people who were under not-a-little duress during these events. No fun summer movie, Detroit will stay on your mind long after you exit the theatre. 

 

Detroit clocks in at 143 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence and pervasive language."

 

A headline I saw earlier this morning said, "Detroit is going to hurt, but it's worth it," and that's about the best way to sum up this brilliant but difficult movie. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Detroit gets eight.

 

Fangirl points: Not to take away from the seriousness of this picture, but I can't imagine a more beautiful human than Anthony Mackie exists anywhere in the universe. *le sigh*

 

Next on my agenda was the first big-screen shot at Stephen King's Dark Tower series.

 

The Last Gunslinger hopes to stop the Man in Black from toppling the Dark Tower, which protects the world from evil...or something like that. (I'm pretty close, right?)

 

Not having read this book series from Stephen King, and having heard nothing good about this adaptation prior to seeing it, I was prepared to state that--while I understood it might not meet the expectations of book fans--the movie is perfectly passable entertainment for the rest of us. 

 

Sadly, after nearly nodding off twice in just an hour and a half, I had to rethink that opening.

 

The Dark Tower is just a bad movie, and that's without even being able to speak to its failings by comparison to the books. It feels like, at some point very early in its making, all the Stephen King forces in the universe decided to focus their positive energy on the remake of It and deserted this entirely. (I guess the good news is my pretty busy cinema seemed to soil its collective drawers at the It trailer that preceded Dark Tower, so King may be redeemed rather quickly.) The Dark Tower's characters are so broadly drawn you'll only care what happens to any of them if you have a vested interest in the actor(s). Shallow storytelling provides very few answers, but leaves lots of question marks, for anyone unfamiliar with the source material. Clearly this was meant to set up a franchise, but if it's to do so with any success it'll need serious retooling. Man in Black Matthew McConaughey is as bland as ever (can't spell "McConaughey" without "ugh!") as a paper-doll baddie who's about as menacing as my little Cockapoo. Idris Elba is smokin'--and I mean SMOKIN'--hot as the Gunslinger, but the role is so poorly fleshed out it scarcely taxes his ability or charisma. Effects are pedestrian at best, and the action (such as it is) is accented by a comically-melodramatic score.

 

The Dark Tower runs the slowest 95 minutes ev-ah and is rated PG13 for "thematic material, including sequences of gun violence and action."

 

I truly had hoped to buck the trend and declare the Dark Tower passable entertainment for a summer afternoon, but, sadly, it can't meet even that low bar. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Dark Tower gets two.

 

Fangirl points: OMG you guys...Idris Elba! (Teeny-weeny spoiler alert: When a boy says to the Gunslinger, "I dreamt about you!" I'm pretty sure I said out loud to the screen, "Me too!")

 

Until next time...

 

MOVIE REVIEW: STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

Entrenched in the racial tumult of Los Angeles in the mid-1980's, a group of aspiring rappers banded together to revolutionize the global consumption of hip-hop and popular culture. NWA was born out of racial frustration and the disadvantaged economics of their South Central neighborhood. F. Gary Gray directs this biopic about the rise to stardom for the act that earned the moniker of "The World's Most Dangerous Group", featuring Ice Cube's son O'Shea Jackson Jr. playing the role of his father, Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, and Jason Mitchell as the late Eazy-E. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: F. Gary Gray

Cast: Corey Antonio Hawkins, O'shea Jackson, Jr., Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, Neil Brown, Jr.

Release Date: Aug 14, 2015

Rated: R Language Throughout, Drug Use, Strong Sexuality/Nudity and Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 27 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

F. Gary Gray’s Straight Outta Compton is a thoroughly engaging if imperfect musical biopic.  It hits all the standard notes for this type of film with some of the moments coming off as manufactured or inauthentic.  It’s not a massive flaw but noticeable.  Thankfully an impressive ensemble cast carries the film with strong performances throughout with O’Shea Jackson Jr. making the biggest mark for his uncanny impression of his father.  Paul Giamatti is saddled with the role of the shady business manager and manages to give the role a bit more depth than expected.  The story itself might be familiar to some and totally foreign to others.  Either way it’s an interesting story that’ll keep you engaged as we watch the rise of gangster rap and its evolution.  The problem the film faces is that there are so many storylines that it does occasionally feel unfocused.  In the final act, Gary doesn’t quite seem to know where to end the story as we proceed through a travelogue of the 90’s.  It would have benefited from some trimming to make it a more efficient film.  That being said Straight Outta Compton is a strong film that feels terribly timely as well.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Straight Outta Compton

Dearest Blog: This weekend my cinema has again left me spoiled for choice, with three brand spanking new releases for my viewing pleasure. Unlike last weekend, I had reason to believe seeing this week's offerings might actually BE a pleasure.

Since it's two-and-a-half bleeding hours long, Straight Outta Compton did not play nice as part of a double- or triple-bill, and I had to make a special trip to see it. I'm pleased to report it was well worth the effort.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers, or, you know, real life.
Rap group N.W.A. busts out of its rough California neighborhood and becomes a music industry game-changer.

Dear Reader(s), it would be fair to say that, as a music fan, I was not quick to come to the rap table. When N.W.A. hit the streets in 1986, I was so far up Styx' and R.E.O. Speedwagon's butts I would never have given N.W.A. the time of day. I mention that only to prove that my affection for this movie is not borne of sentiment; it really, really is a fantastic movie. (And, curiously, both Styx and R.E.O. Speedwagon are briefly referenced, so...yay!)

Straight Outta Compton is long. Entirely TOO long, if we're being honest, but it's so good it almost gets away with it. Everything about the movie feels natural, from dialogue to delivery to scene cuts and angles. The three principals have fairly limited experience, but their terrific performances make them look like old pros, and the supporting cast is also solid from top to bottom. The picture's mood flows easily from tense to funny to flat-out brutal and back, but it never misses a beat or feels awkward.

Whatever level of fame, success, or wealth, N.W.A. has achieved, the violent lifestyle has followed, but I would refute anyone who calls this story a glorification of that lifestyle. On the contrary, the movie--and the music--are a reflection of the artists' circumstances, and, while N.W.A. has had a great deal of success, they've paid a heavy toll as well. There's no denying the impact N.W.A. and their revolutionary sound have had on millions of people worldwide, and this version of their story is both moving and extremely entertaining.

Straight Outta Compton runs 147 minutes (are you even kidding me??) and is rated R for "language throughout, strong sexuality/nudity, violence, and drug use."

Pretty much every musical act that gets famous has a similar story: the humble beginnings, shady dealings, infighting, the corrupting influence of money and fame, and--if they're lucky--a chance at redemption.

A good or not-so-good movie is in the telling, and Straight Outta Compton tells the hell out of the N.W.A. story.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Straight Outta Compton gets eight and three quarters. (I desperately want to award the full nine, but I just can't justify that runtime!)

Until next time...