Cinephile No. 856 “Honest Thief”

Recommendation: 3/5 Stars, STREAM

Plot: “Wanting to lead an honest life, a notorious bank robber turns himself in, only to be double-crossed by two ruthless FBI agents.” -IMDB

Review: A couple of weeks ago, I watched “Schindler’s List” for the very first time. As I consumed the drama, horror, and brief moments of hope, I was floored by the Liam Neeson I saw on the screen. His brand of confidence was there, but so was a range I had not experienced from his films of the last two decades. See, the Liam Neeson I know is the king of the middle-aged, my way or the highway, revenge flick. Watching “Honest Thief,” I found myself longing for a return to the acting of his earlier years.

“Honest Thief,” starring Neeson as Tom and Kate Walsh as his love interest, Annie, is an overly simplistic, emotionally flat feature about a reformed bank robber with plans to move in with his girlfriend. Before making such a leap, Tom decides to confess to the FBI in hopes of a reduced prison sentence and a chance to clear away his guilt.

Tom is not taken seriously until FBI agents discover the money is real. When the agents decide to take the money for themselves, is when this story gets really interesting. Crossing this line unleashes hell. When Annie is pulled into the mix and her life is threatened, things are turned up to eleven.

The ending of this film is never in doubt. The only question that remains is how Tom will exact his revenge and get a confession out of those who wronged him (an ending I will not ruin).

In the middle of a pandemic, a film such as this is a perfect retreat for those who do not want to be challenged. It will not save theaters, but it is perfect for a night spent inside wondering if we will ever deliver ourselves from this mess we have created.

Be good to each other,

Nathan 

Cinephile No. 855 “Crazy Rich Asians”

Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME

Plot: “This contemporary romantic comedy, based on a global bestseller, follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family.” -IMDB

Review: Thanks to my aversion to anything I perceive to be a romantic comedy, I must apologize for ignoring this film when it was first released. With this out of the way, my review…

Presented as a romantic comedy, “Crazy Rich Asian” does a pretty brilliant job of peeling back layers of class, culture, and nationality.

Focused on Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and Nick Young (Henry Golding), this film begins innocently enough with a date and an offer to travel to Singapore for a wedding so the family can meet the new girlfriend. Filled with relatable excitement and nerves, Rachel agrees. Flash forward a bit and our young couple finds themselves sitting in first class on an international trip. This is when Rachel discovers how insanely wealthy Nick’s family is. This is when our story becomes beautifully complex.

Unbeknownst to Rachel, she is entering a foreign world on multiple levels. As an Asian-America, from a working-class household led by a single mother, she and her relationship will be measured by an impossible yardstick. Instantly, she will feel the people of Nick’s world looking down on her.

For his part and despite the complications placed at his feet by his mother, Nick attempts to move forward with his intention of proposing to Racheal. Determined to not let this stand, Nick’s mother launches one final attack that seems to do the trick.

As this film draws near its conclusion, this becomes a story about confronting other people’s ideas of us and fighting for respect.

For all the things this film has to say about race, class, and culture, it is necessary. For the power of its mostly Asian cast, it is necessary. For how it will make you feel as you leave the theater, it is necessary.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

Cinephile No. 854 “The Last Shift”

Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME

Plot: “Stanley's last shift at his fast-food job takes an unexpected turn.” -IMDB

Review: Starring Richard Jenkins as Stanley and Shane Paul McGhie as Jevon, “The Last Shift” is a character study of two men from different worlds, possessing entirely different dreams.

For 38-years, Stanley has only known the fast-food restaurant, Oscar’s Chicken and Fish. As his final day approaches, he has dreams of heading to Florida to care for an aging mother, but first, he must train his replacement. To know Stanley is to know someone who takes great pride in his work. He finds validation in it and has honed his craft of building the perfect sandwich.

Jevon is out of jail on probation with a girlfriend and child at home. He also finds himself facing zero job prospects. Like so many men and women before him, he turns to the fast-food industry. Unlike Stanley, he is stuck and knows he is meant for something more. Possessing a deep and abiding love for the written word, Jevon only needs an opportunity.

At first, this film seems as if it going to solely focus on the differences between the two men. With differences in race, age, prospects, dreams, opportunities, and responsibilities separating the two men, there is more than enough here to create a compelling film. Instead, with these differences as the foundation, this movie goes in an entirely different direction when Stanley is mugged and the money he had planned to use to get to Florida is stolen. Feeling as if not going is a betrayal, he does something completely (which I will not spoil) out of character and shifts the tone of the entire story.

In the end, this film has a lot to say about poverty, prospects, and the power to dream in America. It says these things, often with a comedic attitude, but ever aware of what it is trying to say. For that, I recommend you brave the theater for this one.

Be good to each other,

Nathan 

Cinephile No. 853 “Infidel”

Recommendation: 2/5 Stars, SKIP

Plot: “An American man, played by Jim Caviezel, is kidnapped after a friend invites him to Cairo to speak about recent militant uprisings. His wife heads to the city after hearing the news, determined to get him back.” -IMDB

Review: I assumed since it has been 19-years since the September 11th terror attacks, a period in which Muslim men were betrayed as enemies in an exhausting number of films, shows, and books, we were tired of stories based on clichés and overblown generalizations. Yet, “Infidel” exists to continue feeding the flame of people who get their news from “The 700 Club.”

In so many ways, this film attempts to begin or add another line to the conversation about religion. We are supposed to see Doug Rawlins’ (Jim Caviezel) talk of religion in the face of a Muslim friend or on Egyptian television as brave. Instead, I was left feeling dirty and as if lines were written just to incite controversy. In an era where “COEXIST” bumper stickers have become all the rage, this movie tries to fan flames of division. This movie is not an olive branch. It is propaganda.

Of course, Doug comes close to paying the ultimate price for his bravery. Kidnapped from Egypt and placed on trial in Iran, this film leaves the religious realm and attempts to enter the political. As if trying to say something profound about Christianity and Islam was not enough, this film pulls up to the table for a second helping of American/Iranian disagreement. It does so without a great deal of context and in a way that left me tremendously uncomfortable.

I know there are real differences between faith practices and I also know there are real political differences between the west and the middle east, but there is a monumental difference in how a great film like “Argo” attempts to tell the story, and this project. One does it with background and nuance and the other does it by playing to a single audience. I am not a member of that audience and I think it is dangerous to make these types of movies. For this reason, please skip this movie.

Be good to each other,

Nathan 

Cinephile No. 852 “The Personal History of David Copperfield”

Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME

Plot: “A modern take on Charles Dickens's classic tale of a young orphan who is able to triumph over many obstacles.” -IMDB

Review: The story of David Copperfield (Dev Patel) is a life of transition and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. In this modern retelling of the classic novel, we are presented with a familiar story and a wonderfully peculiar interpretation for today’s audience.

David, for his part, is an observant child with a wild imagination. With his father nowhere in sight, he is deeply attached to his mother. As he ages, this love and attachment only grow. Then, one day and out of the blue, his loving mother brings home a new man who is entirely too firm in his ways. He has no patience for David or his childlike manner. It is not long before David is sent away from his home to London. His future does not look bright as he begins work that would violate today’s child labor laws.

But David is not meant for this life either. With the passing of time, we watch David grow before our eyes. No longer the small and timid child afraid of the big city, he finds himself in charge of the factory floor, commanding an education, and demanding a better life. Now, David makes the personal choice to flee and escape to the arms of an aunt (Tilda Swinton) and her partner, Mr. Dick (Hugh Laurie). From here, he is free to pursue an education and choose his own direction.

From the hallowed halls of learning, David discovers love and that life often repeats itself. All the trials and tribulations he has experienced thus far must serve as preparation for what comes next. Whether he does or does not will be up to you to discover.

In the end, “The Personal History of David Copperfield” is a story of absolution. For their parts, Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, and Hugh Laurie absolutely shine in this film and give it life. As the credits began to roll, I found myself smiling ear to ear. The stories of Charles Dickens are a lot like William Shakespeare's. I assume we will be telling them for the rest of eternity. This newest entry is a wonderful adaption and more than worthy of your time.

Be good to each other,

Nathan 

Cinephile No. 851 “Tenet”

Recommendation: 3/5 Stars, STREAM

Plot: “Armed with only one word, Tenet, and fighting for the survival of the entire world, a Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real-time.” -IMDB

Review: Writer and director Christopher Nolan does not shy away from complicated stories. In “Memento,” he tells a story where the end is the beginning. “Interstellar” attempts to make long-distance space travel, black holes, and the theory of relativity personal. “Inception” assumes the dream state can be entered and information stored there. “Tenet” tries to tell a story of people who have the power to invert time and how something like this could be used as a weapon.

All of these films have something in common. They can be really frustrating. Nolan has a habit of not spoon-feeding his audience. He presents a story that demands attention, demands to be rewatched, and demands debate. For the most part, when compared to other offerings from Hollywood, I have found his style refreshing. Until I saw “Tenet,” I never blamed Nolan for my inability to clearly understand what was occurring on the giant screen before me. I blamed my lack of understanding or some distraction buried in my own mind or in the theater.

“Tenet” is Nolan’s first subpar film. It begins loudly and violently. Its storyline is muddled and, often, incomprehensible. Quickly, we are offered an explanation of inversion, but it is only this brief explanation that is supposed to anchor us and our protagonist as he searches for an arms dealer who has violent intentions. I spent much of this film thinking, why is this happening? This thought did not enthrall me. It distracted me and kept me from appreciating the story.

So, why a recommendation of "stream" over "skip?" Because the physics of the action sequences are mind-blowing. From hallway battles, plane crashes, freeway chases, an all-out war, when we see inversion in action this film shines.  Another reason is that there is a speech offered at the very end that attempts to make sense of all that we have experienced. This speech damn near saves this movie.

Now, I have seen hundreds of movies where it felt safe to judge a film after its first viewing. In all honesty, I have seen “Tenet” once and do not really feel comfortable judging it. Yet, movie criticism is my hobby, and I am pushing myself to judge it as I understand it right now. With that said, as of right now, I am recommending you watch this movie at home with the power to rewind at your disposal.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

Cinephile No. 850 “The New Mutants”

Recommendation: 3/5 Stars, STREAM

Plot: “Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves.” -IMDB

Review: By now, we should all be familiar with the basic premise of X-Men origin stories. For those who need a refresher… Somewhere around the beginning of puberty, a teenager discovers they are not like everyone else. They end up hurting someone else, causing tremendous property damage, or hiding in shame. In the world of mutants, this has been the standard coming of age story. Up until this point, we have watched these exceptional youth turned over to the care of Charles Xavier where they discover they are not alone. “The New Mutants” attempts to tell the story of a group of young mutants who are not so lucky. It also attempts to present itself as an abstract horror film; a landing the film does not necessarily stick.

Focused on five young mutants, this film chooses to build slowly in an effort to intensify its scarier moments. It does this by first introducing us to the other mutants at the school; all of which seem to be born of tragedy. We also come to learn that, in a “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” type turn, our teenagers are free to leave the facility once they have their powers under control. Ultimately, this is not the truth. Realizing their worst nightmares, they are being evaluated for something much more sinister.

This realization (which I will not spoil) gives way to the third act and an uncontrolled battle for freedom. Battling their way out of the facility and with each other’s uncaged and enraged powers, the final fight gives way to “make-believe.”. Of the last few X-Men films, this action scene is the most fantastical since it is centered around “make-believe” elements.

Despite a convincing battle, this film never achieves its gritter, darker, and horror-filled ambitions. In the end, it becomes another chapter in the X-Men universe and a pretty forgettable one at that.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

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