Jason Bourne (2016)

Directed By: Paul Greengrass

Starring: Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Julia Stiles, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel

Genre - Action/Adventure/Suspense/Thriller

Running Time - 123 Minutes

Plot (from IMDB): The most dangerous former operative of the CIA (Matt Damon) is drawn out of hiding to uncover hidden truths about his past.

Review: After the boring and uninspired THE BOURNE LEGACY, JASON BOURNE is a welcome addition to the BOURNE franchise that started in 2002. Matt Damon returns to the role he made famous, stepping into his brooding, investigative shoes as if he had never left 9 years ago. Damon’s age is also an asset, as he’s now wiser, more disgruntled with his life, and no longer confused about his spy past - but rather why he really joined Treadstone all those years ago. The reason for Bourne’s return could have been really dumb and seen as nothing but a cash grab [which JASON BOURNE really is, to be honest]. But the mystery that Bourne is trying to figure out this time around is a much more personal and quite clever, considering I had no idea what reason they would give to have Bourne come out of hiding to begin with. The twists and turns are pretty good, and you’re kept invested in this sequel.

Paul Greengrass returning is also a good thing, as his visual style connects this perfectly to SUPREMACY and ULTIMATUM. We get that shaky-cam style we’re used to by this point, with Greengrass really highlighting some cool action sequences in Greece, and especially the entire final act in Las Vegas. Even the quieter moments feel important again, even though the script could have been better at times.

While JASON BOURNE is definitely a good action movie and better than LEGACY, it’s not quite as good as the first three films. JASON BOURNE is pretty much the same film we’ve seen in the other Matt Damon films. A contact of Bourne gets killed in the beginning. There’s a CIA boss who always seems evil and wants Bourne eliminated to keep secrets hidden. One of the CIA people want Bourne alive to help him get the answers he needs. There’s a hired assassin after Bourne. Every huge action sequence is in a crowded place, usually involving cars and jumping off roofs. Plus we get flashbacks giving us reason to why this film exists. All these elements work for the most part, but it does feel tired by this point. Considering ULTIMATUM was released 9 years ago, you’d think things would get changed up a bit.

And while the film has great actors in it, their roles are very underwritten. Tommy Lee Jones plays a great villain, but I wasn’t really sure what he real deal was. He was more involved in a sub-plot involving some internet security scandal, which was refreshing but should have been more fleshed out and felt more important. Alicia Vikander has an even lesser role to portray, just mainly staring at screens and computers until the final act, where she really begins to flesh out her character. By that point though, it feels a bit late. Julia Stiles returns and fares a bit better as Nikki, showing us what she has been up to and why she’s still protecting Bourne. And Vincent Cassel has a stereotypical vengeance sub-plot to work with, but does it amazingly well and comes off an as actual threat to Jason Bourne. In fact, out of all the assets in this franchise, Cassel was by far the best and most interesting one. I wish there was more interaction between him and Damon though.

Plus, I felt the ending was a bit flat for some reason. I wish the ambiguity had remained to set up some intrigue for a future sequel, but everything was given away - making you wonder why Jason Bourne would ever return to deal with these CIA people.

The Final Howl: JASON BOURNE was a good, but not great installment in the BOURNE franchise. Matt Damon is great as usual as the title character, with the other actors doing their best with underwritten characters. Paul Greengrass brings his shaky-cam visual style back, which really give the same kenetic energy to the action sequences - especially the sequences involving Greece and Las Vegas. I just wish that after nine years, the usual beats we’d expect from this franchise were turned upside-down or something. Instead, we get the same evil CIA agents, an assassin wanting to kill Bourne, and flashbacks that just happen to pop up to present us with a mystery to give reason for this film’s existence. It’s an entertaining summer movie for sure, but JASON BOURNE feels “been there, done that” after all these years. 

SCORE

3 Howls Outta 4

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

Directed by: Tony Gilroy

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach, Scott Glenn, Corey Stoll, Oscar Isaac, Dennis Boutsikaris, Zeljko Ivanek, David Strathairn, Albert Finney, Joan Allen

Genre - Action/Adventure/Science Fiction/Thriller

Running Time - 135 Minutes

Plot (from IMDB): The events in this movie take place around the same time as the events in THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM. When a British reporter (Paddy Considine) was writing an expose about Black Ops operations Treadstone and Black Briar, and the ones responsible for them are concerned. And when Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), former Treadstone operative got the file on Treadstone and Black Briar and gave it to Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) who then passed it to the media. When the men behind Treadstone and Black Briar learn of this, they're concerned how this will affect other ops they have. They decide it's best to shut down all ops and make sure make everyone involved disappears. They try to take out Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) who is part of another op called Outcome, but he manages to survive. He then seeks out Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz) who worked on him when he began. It seems part of the program is for all subjects to take medications but he has run out, which is why he seeks her. But someone tries to kill her. He saves her and she tells him, he should have stopped taking the medications long ago. They go to Manila so that she can help him. Later the men behind Outcome learn that Cross and Shearing are still alive. They try to get them.

Review: As you can tell from reading the reviews of THE BOURNE IDENTITY, THE BOURNE SUPREMACY, and THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, I’m huge fan of the Matt Damon “Jason Bourne” films. I thought they were great spy thrillers with a fascinating lead character, interesting supporting characters, and shaky cam direction that enhanced the action rather than distract from it. ULTIMATUM pretty much ended the story in 2007 [even though we’re now getting JASON BOURNE in 2016 - making me wonder if it’s really necessary or not]. But in 2012, Universal Pictures wanted to continue [or milk] the franchise - thus, THE BOURNE LEGACY.

Four years after its release, I finally sat down and watched the Jeremy Renner led BOURNE LEGACY. And man, I probably could have saved myself almost 2 hours of my time doing something else. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s a film that’s pretty pointless because it doesn’t really add all that much to the original story. Because LEGACY takes place simultaneously with ULTIMATUM, a lot of the first act retells much of ULTIMATUM and how the actions of Jason Bourne affect the government agency who wanted to destroy him after creating him. This would have been great if these scenes were remotely interesting in any way, which unfortunately they’re not. It also hinders a lot of the character development for the main characters, as they aren’t able to create their own story and history because they’re still attached to the old one. Instead of focusing on the mystery, the action, and thrills of the previous film, we’re forced to watch government officials have long talking segments that are nothing more than expository to explain why LEGACY even exists. Nothing that’s said grabs at you or makes you want to find out more about Black Briar or Treadstone, or even the Outcome program that barely gets a focus because the filmmakers are so focused on reminding you of things that happened in the much better BOURNE films. It was nice to see the aftermath of Pamela Lundy’s actions in ULTIMATUM, as the guys behind Black Brair and Treadstone went on trial. But for an action-thriller, LEGACY is extremely wordy and not overly exciting, as if it enjoys hearing itself speak for its own benefit instead of ours.

The main characters aren’t all that interesting either in LEGACY. Aaron Cross is no Jason Bourne, which is a good and bad thing. It’s good because LEGACY isn’t trying to copy the previous hero, giving Cross his own identity from the start. Cross knows who he is. He remembers why he became an operative and has no moral qualms about it. Yet because of this, the intrigue is gone from the franchise. The first three films were about Bourne trying to remember his past and find out what he did that the government wanted him dead. We would get twists and turns in each film, making us question whether Bourne is a victim, or maybe a villain who was given mercy by getting amnesia. All Cross seems to want to do is find some medicine to maintain his abilities, feeling sicker when he’s not getting them. And much of the film is about this worldwide adventure to find drugs. Seriously? Who thought this was a good idea? The lack of a true central conflict with the lead character is what ruins the film for me.

The other characters aren’t any better. Dr. Marta Shearing could have been an interesting character, if she wasn’t there just to be the love interest/damsel-in-distress character that should be tougher than she actually is. But if you enjoyed a frightened character who likes to hide and scream a lot, she’s the one for you! Eric Byer is no better, as he has to be the least charismatic villain is not only this franchise, but in other films of this type. He just stares at screens the entire time. Oooh threatening. The other characters are mainly extended cameos, not really displaying any sort of depth or anything. It’s unfortunate because the script could have been a lot better, considering how ULTIMATUM ended. But the screenplay is just lazy, dull, and uninspired. Total cash grab.

The direction by the series’ writer, Tony Gilroy, is okay at best. Paul Greengrass’ visual touches are sorely missed here, as his kinetic shaky cam style really added to the previous sequels. Gilroy has a more laid-back approach, not really providing tension or suspense in his visual presentation. Even the action scenes aren’t all that exciting, even though these are the more livelier parts of the film. I enjoyed the last chase scene in the Philippines, as well as a great fight scene in Shearing’s house and inside of a lab. But the massive editing tends to take away from these scenes somewhat, and these scenes don’t seem to really mesh with the quiet scenes. More action stuff was necessary here, as 85% of the film is just dialogue. But it was a nice attempt and Gilroy should have either directed or wrote, not both.

The acting is the best part of BOURNE LEGACY. Jeremy Renner is a good actor and tries to make the most out of Aaron Cross. He doesn’t really get anything deep to do, but he has a charm about him that makes you continue to watch. Rachel Weisz is also great, even though her character of Marta Shearing is badly written. She tries to give the character depth and motivation, even if you can tell that doesn’t exist on paper. Edward Norton is wasted as Eric Byer, as all he does is stand and look at screens. Oscar Isaac has a nice small role as one of the Outcome members. Stacy Keach brings some intensity in a small role as well. Nice to see David Strathairn, Joan Allen, and Scott Glenn return as their previous characters. The script didn’t really offer any of these actors anything to really sink their teeth into, but they did what they could with their roles and made the film more watchable than it had any right to be.

The Final Howl: THE BOURNE LEGACY is a letdown compared to the three films that were released prior to it. The acting is really the film’s saving grace, as the screenplay is a boring, uninspired mess and the direction is okay at best. I really wanted to enjoy this film more than I did, but I just ended up doing other things while the film was playing on my television. And that only happens when I’m bored out of my mind. Not sure if JASON BOURNE will be any better - I hope it is because Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass are returning - but THE BOURNE LEGACY will barely leave an imprint in your mind. This is one film Jason Bourne could leave forgotten.

SCORE

1.5 Howls Outta 4

[Animal Summer '16] Alligator (1980)

DIRECTED BY

Lewis Teague

STARRING

Robert Forster - David Madison

Robin Riker - Marisa Kendall

Michael V. Gazzo - Chief Clark

Dean Jagger - Slade

Sydney Lassick - Luke Gutchel

Jack Carter - Mayor

Perry Lang - Officer Jim Kelly

Henry Silva - Col. Brock

Bart Braverman - Thomas Kemp

Genre - Horror/Slasher/B-Movie/Bad Animals

Running Time - 94 Minutes

I wonder if Steven Spielberg knew that so many movie studios and producers would take what he did with his 1975 blockbuster JAWS to create their own versions of the same story. Movies like 1976’s MAKO: THE JAWS OF DEATH, 1977’s ORCA, 1978’s PIRANHA, and even JAWS’ own three sequels “ripped off” JAWS’ success to create their own fame/infamy for many audiences. Who knew a story by Peter Benchley would help create its own “animals-run-amok” horror sub-genre?

One of the many films considered to be a “rip-off” of JAWS is 1980’s ALLIGATOR. ALLIGATOR is a film that I hadn’t watched since I was a kid, liking it enough that I wanted to a reason to watch it again as an adult. Now with Animal Summer, I have my reason to see if ALLIGATOR is as good as I remembered. Fortunately for my adult eyes, ALLIGATOR ended up being better than my memory provided.

PLOT

During a vacation in Florida, Marisa’s family allows her to bring home a baby alligator as a pet. Once home in Chicago, her animal-phobic father gets rid of the alligator by flushing it down the toilet. Landing in the sewers, the alligator feeds upon lab-experimented cadavers to survive.

Twelve years later, random killings have plagued Chicago. Severed body parts are found through the sewer system, creating a panic amongst the city. To figure out what’s been going on, brooding detective David Madison (Robert Forster) is made in charge of the investigation. With the help of an older Marisa (Robin Riker), now a popular animal researcher, Madison figures out the killer is a giant alligator - who has decided the sewers aren’t enough, making it up to the surface to continue his rampage.

REVIEW

ALLIGATOR is one of the best “rip off” JAWS films ever filmed. Like PIRANHA, which is also quite good in its own right, ALLIGATOR is a smart, fun, and well-made movie that captures the spirit of why JAWS was so successful. It was obviously inspired by urban legends and news stories from the early 20th century, where tales of alligators appearing out of the sewers were big talking points about the dangers of alligators in big cities, while wondering how the alligators got into the sewer system to begin with. It’s a slasher film with an animal as the killer, while also providing a certain social commentary that makes you question whether the alligator is a villain, or a heroic victim of people’s ignorance.

It’s not surprising that ALLIGATOR’s script is so well done. The screenplay was written by PIRANHA scribe John Sayles, who was asked to change a script that involved a sewer alligator in Milwaukee who grew large in size after drinking large amounts of beer! I’m surprised SyFy hasn’t used this idea yet for their upcoming classic, BEER GATOR. Drunk alligators are dangerous, especially behind cars, yo! Seriously, Sayles classes up the original premise - turning a really silly premise and making it pretty serious and thrilling for its time [and even today, to be honest]. New World Pictures was known for their silly and funny [intentional or not] B-movies, but ALLIGATOR takes itself seriously as a creature feature that has a budget behind it to really capture the full extent of the terror.

The character development in ALLIGATOR is pretty solid. Detective David Madison is our hero - a disgruntled man who is haunted by the losses of his past, which affects his future relationships yet motivates him to solve this alligator case to protect the city he loves to make up for the past. He’s the only one who believes the gator threat from the start, having seen it for his own eyes, while the rest of the city, his co-workers, and reporters just think he’s losing it. He also makes the first connection to the local pharmaceutical company with the alligator, showing how smart and active he is. Marisa Kendall, an animal researcher, comes across as a strong, independent woman who, like David, is haunted by her past. Not only does she fall for David [maybe looking for a father figure that her own father wasn’t], but she’s an indirect reason for the alligator threat when she was a young girl. Then you get the rambunctious Chief Clark, who is torn between his loyalty and friendship with David and his professional ties to the city’s Mayor. Speaking of the Mayor, he suffers from JAWS-itis as he would rather make money than protect his citizens. Slade and his lackeys are the stereotypical evil scientists who have the government backing to protect them from any wrongdoing, even though they’re the reason why there’s trouble to begin with. And we have Thomas Kemp, your typical nosy reporter who ends up in trouble. And you even get a big-game hunter whose cockiness leads to more bad than good. These characters are all pretty similar to characters done in other animal-run-amok films, especially JAWS and PIRANHA. But they all work well here in ALLIGATOR, helping the flow the film when the title character doesn’t appear on screen to steal the spotlight.

Not only are the characters strong, but John Sayles doesn’t hide the fact that he wants his social commentary to be heard. In many ways, ALLIGATOR is a criticism on vivisection, the government when it comes to class and social issues, and the media’s twisting of true stories into more scandalous ones. All these institutions enable the murders that the alligator causes throughout the city. The experimentation on live animals with chemicals and tossing the cadavers away when the lab results aren’t positive leads to the growth of the alligator. The media would rather disapprove David rather than listen and take him seriously about the giant alligator, which would have saved more lives. And the Mayor would rather protect an upper-class wedding to support the pharmaceutical company in exchange for money rather than protect his citizens. The alligator is less of a serial killer, and more of an avenging angel - going after the evil people who made him the way he is while getting rid of people who stand in his way. Yes, the gator does kill some innocent people because that’s what gators do. But he’s pretty much focused on who Sayles considers the sinners of his story. It’s an interesting storytelling tactic, making the viewer sympathetic towards the alligator rather than most of the human beings in the story. I, personally, root for the gator to get rid of these bastards, which is probably what Sayles had intended. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to watch an animal kill bad and/or stupid people in movies. So for that, the script is a success.

The special effects in ALLIGATOR are very impressive, considering it was filmed around 1979 or 1980 and the budget the film had to use. Richard O. Helmer did a nice job alternating designs for a fake crocodile head seen from the side during chase scenes that looks pretty realistic, to a real-life giant crocodile design that breaks out from underneath the sewers to attack people. The gore is minimal, but the blood adds to the effect of this alligator murdering dumb folk. Nowadays, this would have all been done with CGI, making the attacks look really silly. With these practical effects, you’d really think there was a giant alligator terrorizing actors on a set. I really enjoyed it.

The direction by the awesome Lewis Teague really makes ALLIGATOR stand out from the rest of the JAWS imitators. Teague, while having fun with the script at times in terms of tone and pacing, still manages to take the visual presentation of the narrative seriously. Instead of a cheesy B-movie imitator, ALLIGATOR plays out mostly as a detective/police drama with a man hunting down a serial killer - in this case, an alligator. There are also obvious slasher elements at play here, with the alligator kept mainly in shadows and silhouettes for half the film - just shots of his eyes and mouth to give you a feel of the size of the animal. We also get first person point-of-view shots, in red tint, through the alligator’s perspective. The scene where the gator finally reveals itself out of the sewers is a memorable visual, as well as the fun and chaotic final act where the alligator pretty much destroys a wedding. It’s no wonder Stephen King would hire Teague to direct both CUJO and CAT’S EYE after this film. Teague knows how to balance fun, drama, and terror.

The acting is also pretty great here. Robert Forster is the real reason why ALLIGATOR is highly regarded by those who have seen this film. Any other actor would have treated the premise as a joke and winked at the audience, but not Forster. As David Madison, Forster plays a serious cop who is haunted by his past and is determined to eliminate the ghosts by saving the city that he loves, but doesn’t really love him. Forster constantly shows remorse and a social awkwardness in his character that makes us feel for him and want him to succeed. He’s the reason why the film is an easy watch, because our lead character is someone we are invested in. Robin Riker is also pretty great as Marisa. She plays a smart, independent woman who rushes into action rather than shy away from it. Her banter and relationship with Forster is believable and she makes a great sidekick for him. Character actors Michael V. Gazzo, Dean Jagger, and Sydney Lassick do well in their roles, especially Gazzo as the neurotic Chief. Henry Silva has fun as the big-game-hunter, Col. Brock. And Bart Braverman is wonderfully snarky and sarcastic as the nosy reporter. It’s just a nice cast of actors who play their roles seriously and all elevate what could have been a silly script.

THINGS I’VE LEARNED WHILE NEVER FLUSHING ANYTHING IN MY TOILET AGAIN

• A young Marisa named her pet alligator Ramon. With its razor sharp teeth, say hello to the Bad Guy!

• Ramon was flushed by Marisa’s animal-phobic dad, landing him in the sewers - where he’s been feeding on radioactive cadavers. And that’s how the Ninja Turtles’ nemesis, Leatherhead, was born.

• After dumping dead animals that had been experimented on in a sewer, pet owner Gutchel was eaten by Ramon. That’s for making fun of Carrie White’s opinion of Tommy Ross’ poem, you jerk!

• A suicidal bomber enters the police station, saying that the voices told him to do it. Randy Orton is a huge fan of this guy.

• Ramon wouldn’t come out of the sewers when the police unit was banging metal to make noise. Probably would have helped if the noise was in the tune of Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock”.

• Two kids pushed another kid into a swimming pool, not seeing the clearly visible alligator in there with led to the kid’s death. And that’s how the Melendez Brothers got started.

• Ramon crashed a wedding, killing and eating folks. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson would be proud.

THE FINAL HOWL

I honestly did not expect to love ALLIGATOR more as an adult as I had 25 years ago. For a JAWS imitator, Lewis Teague and John Sayles manage to craft a smart, fun, silly, and extremely watchable police drama/slasher film starring a giant fake alligator that terrorizes a city. The social commentary makes you question whether the alligator is a hero or a villain, the special effects are well done considering the budget, the visuals are more than solid, and the acting [especially Robert Forster] is just fantastic. It’s not as good as JAWS, but it still manages to stand out and be its own thing. ALLIGATOR is definitely one animal-run-amok movie you shouldn’t miss.

SCORE

3.5 Howls Outta 4

Ghostbusters (2016)

DIRECTED BY

Paul Feig

STARRING

Kristen Wiig - Erin Gilbert

Melissa McCarthy - Abby Yates

Kate McKinnon - Jillian Holtzmann

Leslie Jones - Patty Tolan

Chris Hemsworth - Kevin Beckman

Cecily Strong - Jennifer Lynch

Andy Garcia - Mayor Bradley

Neil Casey - Rowan North

Genre - Comedy/Supernatural/Ghosts

Running Time - 116 Minutes

PLOT
Paranormal researcher Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) and physicist Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) are trying to prove that ghosts exist in modern society. When strange apparitions appear in Manhattan, Gilbert and Yates turn to engineer Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) for help. Also joining the team is Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), a lifelong New Yorker who knows the city inside and out. Armed with proton packs and plenty of attitude, the four women prepare for an epic battle as more than 1,000 mischievous ghouls descend on Times Square.

REVIEW

Probably the most hated film of 2016 even before it was released, this reboot of 1984’s classic GHOSTBUSTERS had a lot going against it.

The original cast not returning to their roles, even though Harold Ramis passed away in 2014? Blasphemy!

You’re telling me that women, one being Melissa McCarthy, are going to be the stars of this reboot? Boycott this movie! 

Are you serious that Paul Feig, director of BRIDESMAIDS and THE HEAT, is going to make this film? Terrible!

Oh my God - those trailers make this look like the unfunniest movie ever! And that new Fall Out Boy & Missy Elliott theme song? God, what garbage! (Seriously, that song sucks.)

Many people on the internet had already judged the film before it was even released, giving it low ratings on multiple sites, and writing posts against watching it if you’re a true GHOSTBUSTERS fan. Once the film was closer to be released, you were either misogynistic if you were against watching it or paid by the studio if you praised its existence. Even my normal group of movie-going friends refused to see it because of the negative hype. But as someone who wants to be honest about films, I was curious enough about this reboot to check it out on my own. I knew it wouldn’t “rape my childhood” because the original films and The Real Ghostbusters animated series would still exist, and I knew there would be a possibility the reboot would surprise me and other people by actually being watchable.

And you know what? GHOSTBUSTERS 2016 won’t destroy your childhood memories. It doesn’t deserve the hate it has received the moment it was announced. This reboot actually exceeded my expectations somewhat, even if it is flawed in its screenplay and direction somewhat. It’s not anywhere as great as the original, but it’s probably on par as the second film - maybe even better than that film actually.

Let’s get the problems out of the way. The script for GHOSTBUSTERS isn’t a masterpiece. It’s more focused on punchlines than on actual storytelling, which is great for a Saturday Night Live skit but not for a reboot of a film many consider a pop culture institution. This is evident during the film’s second act, where the story begins to not exist for the sake of funny scenes that don’t always work rather than developing the villain or doing anything that would push the story forward. Luckily, the actors help make the most of the script, turning some negatives into positive. But it doesn’t really push the envelope, instead doing what worked in the original but in a more generic fashion.

Speaking of the villain, he really did nothing for me. Being bullied, leading to wanting to destroy the world with ghosts, is a bit cliche and nothing original is really added to make it stand out more. I know this franchise hasn’t had the most developed villains - seriously, Gozer and Vigo weren’t the most dynamic of folks - but there was time to really flesh out this person. Instead, it was used for jokes. Comedy has its place, but I would have preferred a stronger antagonist. It doesn’t really bug you all that much as you watch it, but it nags at you once the film ends.

I also felt the cameos were wasted opportunities. Yes, the main players of the GHOSTBUSTERS franchise return to make appearances [besides the retired Rick Moranis and the late Harold Ramis - although there is a shout-out towards the former Egon during the first act], and some work better than others. Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver were the best for me, as Potts brought a bit of Janine in her appearance and Weaver crafted a memorable cameo. But Bill Murray’s cameo felt bland, and Dan Akkroyd and Ernie Hudson were great to see but didn’t add all that much. Honestly, their appearances just make me realize how much better the original one and wishing the original cast had done another one [not in video game form] while the opportunity had still presented itself.

And that damn theme song is in the film, which made everyone in my theater [including myself] groan. I’m just happy it only played once, with versions of the original theme playing more instead. And I actually like Fall Out Boy! Just awful.

As for the good? The cast is the best thing about this reboot. The four ladies in the lead are really wonderful and have tremendous chemistry with each other. Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy play the “straight-women” of the group, portraying their characters a bit more seriously than the others. Wiig’s prude behavior creates several laughs, while McCarthy surprised me with how much she reined it in. I’m not a hater like some people are of McCarthy, but it was great to see her not overdo the comedy. She can be a bit much at times, but she worked perfectly fine here. Leslie Jones was great as the sassy member of the group, thankfully not going overboard with stereotypes and actually creating a character that’s actually funny and likable. Kate McKinnon, however - wow, she’s the best part of Saturday Night Live these days and she’s the best part of this film. Her role as Holtzman is one of the more memorable characters in the franchise’s history. Funny and off-the-wall, McKinnon stands out amongst her peers. I wish she had been used in the film more to her fullest potential, but she does get the best character moment near the end during one of the better action sequences in the film. I think I have a crush. And Chris Hemsworth was pretty hysterical as blonde himbo, Kevin. I can see why some were bothered by his acting, as he’s really hammy with the comedy. But his enthusiasm and overall joy of playing against type was pretty infectious. His job interview scene was one of the film’s highlights.

I also thought the CGI was used well. Look, GHOSTBUSTERS had cool effects for its time. But they just look really dated today, and the only way we’re going to get cool looking ghosts today is through computer generated effects. And honestly, I thought the ghosts looked great and all seemed to have different looks and personalities. Plus, we get to see some old favorites in the final act, which I appreciated. That female Slimer was a bit much, but everything else was great.

And I don’t think it was the most dynamic filmmaking ever, but Paul Feig did his best with directing this reboot. He still needs to work on his action sequences a bit, but the film looked great and was presented a lot better than I thought it’d be. Pacing was off a bit at times, and some of the editing could have been better. But the comedy stuff mostly worked. And the final battle, while goofy and cliche at times, still managed to be fun. Again, Feig would not have been my first choice to bring back the Ghostbusters. But he did a commendable job for his biggest budgeted flick.

THE FINAL HOWL

Like many people, I wasn’t excited for this GHOSTBUSTERS reboot. But I went in with an open mind and ended up enjoying it more than I had anticipated. The female cast is great, in particular both Leslie Jones and especially Kate McKinnon [she needs to be a movie star like now]. The CGI ghosts looked cool and stood out. The laughs were mostly there and the first & third acts worked for me. Yes, the film has script and pacing issues that are unfortunate. But overall, I laughed and I liked the nostalgic feeling I got from seeing Ghostbusters again. A fun movie and nothing more.

SCORE

3 Howls Outta 4

Midnight Confessions Ep. 97: "June/July Gialli part 3: Full Tilt Fulci"

Our 3 part look at Gialli flicks comes to a end, but ends with a bang. This episode we take a look at 2 of Lucio Fulci's 'stabs' at the genre; THE NEW YORK RIPPER (1982) and MURDER ROCK: DANCING DEATH (1984). Plus music by Murderock and Keith Emerson.











 

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The Purge: Anarchy (2014)

Directed By: James DeMonaco

Starring: Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford, Kiele Sanchez, Zoe Soul, Justina Machado, Jack Conley, Michael K. Williams

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Action

Running Time: 103 Minutes

Plot From IMDB: A couple (Zach Gilford & Kiele Sanchez) are driving home when their car breaks down just as the Purge commences. Meanwhile, a police sergeant (Frank Grillo) goes out into the streets to get revenge on the man who killed his son, and a mother (Carmen Ejogo) and daughter (Zoe Soul) run from their home after assailants destroy it. The five people meet up as they attempt to survive the night in Los Angeles.

Review: 2013’s THE PURGE was an above-average film with a great premise, but the execution was a bit flawed. While the home invasion narrative worked for the most part, a lot of the social commentary and execution of how the Purge effects other people besides the one family we were focused on was lost. Thankfully, 2014’s THE PURGE: ANARCHY goes beyond that, allowing the audience to see how this “holiday” effects a larger population, while really putting the social commentary on the forefront to really relay the message behind the Purge.

Unlike the more straightforward horror-thriller of the first film, James DeMonaco was inspired by ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, THE WARRIORS, and THE RUNNING MAN to create a more action-oriented film that allows more character development and more exciting set pieces that allow DeMonaco to clue us in on the real reason for the Purge. Watching the upper-class and government use these 12 hours to eliminate the segment of the population they feel is corrupting the society [a.k.a. the poor] portrays how laws [good and bad] can be misconstrued in one’s image to do bad things to others - something that has become seriously relevant in our day in age. The final act, where our protagonists must play a deadly game of tag [as if this is THE HUNGER GAMES] while the aristocrats watch with glee as they sip champagne, gives us a real look as to what this new America has become.

I do think DeMonaco hammers the message a bit too much, to the point where we say “we get it”. And there may be too many intertwining stories and villains that don’t get enough screen time. But compared to the first film, the commentary and narrative are stronger, which makes our characters more interesting, deeper, and more likable or unlikable.

The direction by DeMonaco is a vast improvement over the first PURGE movie, as it displays more confidence and more of a vision that the first film wouldn’t allow him to have. There’s a lot of tension and suspense throughout, with a relentless pace that keeps the bleak mood going from beginning to end. I like how the film builds and builds, visualizing the level of violence [great action sequences and gore] that occurs throughout the 12 hours - reaching its apex towards the end. I loved the gritty look and even some of the shaky cam. And the music score by Nathan Whitehead brought that 80’s goodness with the synths.

The acting is pretty good. Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez were kind of grating as the young couple, but I think that was the point since they were going through personal turmoil in their marriage, as well as being victims of the Purge. They played the dumb characters in the film you wanted to slap more than once. Carmen Ejogo and Zoe Soul were very good as the mother and daughter - especially Soul, who brought a sassiness and intelligence that I enjoyed quite a lot. Michael K. Williams does good with what he’s given, while Jack Conley is pretty menacing as the turret-shooting villain. But THE PURGE: ANARCHY belongs to one man - Frank Grillo. The dude is just a total bad ass, playing a Punisher-type character who broods while kicking butt and taking names. The guy has this quiet charisma and presence that makes you want to watch what he does. I’m not surprised they brought him back for THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR. Grillo is honestly the best part of this film, and this franchise.

The Final Howl: A lot better than 2013’s THE PURGE, THE PURGE: ANARCHY finds its niche as an action-thriller that takes elements of late-70’s/early 80’s gritty action films to bring them forth for a newer audience. James DeMonaco finds his confidence as a director, with cool visuals and great pacing. The social commentary is heavy handed at times, but also helps deepen character relationships and the idea of The Purge. And Frank Grillo outshines the rest of the cast as a badass action hero who now seems to be the centerpiece of this franchise. A rare sequel that’s better than the original.

SCORE

3 Howls Outta 4