Evan Crean

A dark story with loving attention to detail.

Seeing The Dark Crystal on the big screen in 70mm as part of a 70mm festival was a real treat. The format provides great depth and texture to the impeccably detailed art direction and puppetry performed by Jim Henson and his team. You often find yourself in awe of Henson’s loving attention to detail, in a way that’s almost distracting from the narrative. All of the film’s creatures are uniquely designed and its villains are creepy in the kind of way that even give adults nightmares. Its story is also sufficiently, well, dark, with a plot about evil lizard-like creatures who want to suck the life out of everything around them. For such a short movie however, The Dark Crystal feels incredibly long and slow in ways I hadn’t remembered from previous viewings. Its pacing becomes an unfortunate detriment to an otherwise engrossing story about good versus evil in an epic battle to bring balance and peace in a war torn land.

Thrilling modern Western.

Hell or High Water is a thrilling modern Western where the lawmen and the outlaws are equally developed compelling characters, neither entirely good nor entirely bad, but still very sympathetic. As movie’s outlaw brothers Ben Foster is mesmerizing as the crazy brother and Chris Pine gives the performance of his career with this soulful turn as the smart, sensible one who wears the weight of the world on his shoulders. On the law enforcement side Jeff Bridges is incredible as a Texas Marshall on the verge of retirement, who’s trying to catch one last crook, although Gil Birmingham steals the show as his partner in the film. We share so much with Birmingham as an audience without him needing to say a thing due to his expressive reactions to everything.

At times the picture can be heavy handed with its commentary on economic decline and the role evil banks played on it, however director David Mackenzie deserves credit for showing that sentiment instead of telling, which seems like movie-making 101, yet still is often forgotten by filmmakers. Mackenzie gives equal emotional weight to both sets of partners, making the film exciting and funny when it needs to be, and slowing things down just when it feels right for poignant character-building moments, so that when both sides finally clash, you find yourself rooting for everyone to make it out okay. This isn’t the usual sentiment with Westerns, which is why Hell or High Water is engaging and moving.

Good, but hangs too much on Redmayne's performance

Eddie Redmayne’s transformation into Stephen Hawking for The Theory of Everything is not only astounding in its intense physicality, but impressive because it gives much-needed dimension to one of history’s greatest scientific figures. Redmayne portrays Hawking as a fascinating individual with a warm smile and a mischievous sense of humor, that prevails even during the darkest times. Unfortunately, the film unfairly asks Redmayne and its bright sparkly visuals to carry too much dramatic load.

Other characters including his wife Jane (Felicity Jones) are largely one-note. Instead of concentrating on Jane’s tremendous acts of love when caring for Stephen, the movie disappoints you by simply painting her as woman frustrated by the emotional burden of her husband’s debilitating disease. It also creates an incomplete portrait of Hawking by choosing to only focus on Hawking's positive attributes, while glossing over his unsavory relationship with his nurse.

As far as biopics go, this one is better than most due to the phenomenal go-for-broke performance that drives the picture. You should see the film to support Redmayne’s efforts with the understanding that it doesn’t give you as complex of a look at Hawking’s life and first marriage as it could have.

Redneck Ocean's Eleven.

Logan Lucky is essentially a redneck version Ocean’s Eleven, but at least it's self-aware about its derivative nature. It also helps that the film is made by the same person, which gives the proceedings a much-needed consistency. If you’re planning to rip off Steven Soderbergh, there’s no better person to do it than Soderbergh himself, because he brings specific grandeur to the composition of his shots and to the way he edits them that evokes a sense of humor and excitement. Those qualities are present here in Logan Lucky, as are entertaining performances by a talented ensemble with some particularly fine turns by Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig. Although it’s quite enjoyable, the movie overstays its welcome, carrying on long after the gang’s racetrack heist is completed with a spirited, yet hammy subplot about a tenacious FBI agent determined to nab the men responsible for the robbery. As a result, Logan Lucky doesn't exactly speed to its finish, opting instead to putter along at a more relaxed pace until it crosses the finish line with a possibly precarious, winking moment.

Meticulously researched and constructed.

There are tons of horror films that put little to no effort into their plots or production values, so it's always nice to see movies like The Witch that are meticulously researched and constructed. Writer/director Robert Eggers borrows from a wealth of historical documents and folklore to create a convincing tale about a Puritan family terrorized by supernatural forces in 17th century Massachusetts. His picture starts out with that family getting forced out of their settlement to live on their own in the wilderness. After one of the children goes missing, a series of increasingly bizarre and terrifying tragedies befall them. At the center of these events is Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), whom her parents start to suspect of witchcraft. Are these misfortunes just mere coincidences? Or is she responsible? To answer these questions, Eggers constantly dials up the film’s tension until everything reaches a fever pitch in freaky climax that will cause you to gasp and groan in shock. What's fantastic about the movie's resolution is how it plays with your expectations with a different kind of happy ending. One thing that is bothersome about the picture though is its period dialogue. For the untrained ear, its characters can be extremely hard to understand, which can be a significant point of frustration. Another problem hindering comprehension is that the actors use inconsistent accents. Aside from this issue, The Witch is an excellent horror flick that will surprise genre fans with a story that's not just scary, it's well-done too.

Inception Is Powerfully Imaginative

Naysayers may compare this film to 1999’s “The Matrix” and its idea that the line between reality and fantasy is a fine one. While there are some commonalities, what truly sets “Inception” apart though is its stress on dreams as commodity, as well as the creation of dreams within dreams. The use of that concept adds to the complexity and excitement of the film. As you sit there hoping the various dreams line up successfully, your own heart rate becomes elevated and you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat praying that everything will work out.

Best when it's focused on action.

Triple 9 is a sweaty, grimy crime drama that's at its best when it focuses on action. John Hillcoat's film delivers several tense action scenes including two epic heists, a wild shootout at an apartment complex, and two close quartered gunfights that lead to fatalities. Its narrative on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. From a plot perspective, the movie is overstuffed with its narrative about corrupt cops working for a Russian gangster played by Kate Winslet with a horrible accent. It's also convoluted with its weird web of characters. The film has a lot of talented actors in it, but its screenplay never lets you know any of their characters well enough so that you care about them. While exciting and brutal, their actions play out in a disappointingly predictable fashion. At least Triple 9 is entertaining when it focuses on Woody Harrelson and Casey Affleck who are an uncle and nephew on the force together. Harrelson is brilliant as a kooky strung out detective and Affleck is enjoyable as a straight laced cop, although admittedly both could play the roles in their sleep. If the movie was a little more concentrated on their relationship instead of on its numerous other characters it might have been a stronger, tighter picture.

Moving, but too much of a slow burn romance.

Call Me by Your Name is a heartbreaking tale of first love that’s respectful to the gay experience, especially during the 1980s, when many gay men had to remain closeted to live normal lives. Although its love story it’s moving, the film is too much of a slow burn, delaying the spark between Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) for long enough that you almost lose interest before the flames of romance explode into a full-blown conflagration that consumes both of them.

Underrated Tony Scott and Tom Cruise movie.

I’ve always believed that Days Of Thunder was underrated, as a Tony Scott movie and as a Tom Cruise movie. Seeing it again, this time on the big screen in 70mm, only further cemented that opinion. In 70mm, the film’s cinematography, sound mixing and editing come alive, turning NASCAR into a thrilling competitive sport, that demands attention. Aside from its visual spectacle, Days Of Thunder is also ahead of its time with its contemplative narrative about toxic masculinity, and the macho impulses that drive men to do extremely dangerous activities in pursuit of being the best. Additionally, it reflects on the difficulties of defining yourself by your chosen career, especially when that career has a finite lifespan. In the lead role of Cole Trickle, Cruise is convincing as a cocky outsider trying to cut it in NASCAR, competing against men who live and breathe the sport. Like he does in many films, Cruise accesses an impressive level of vulnerability in several scenes, namely ones where he admits to his coach Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) that he’s out of his depth and to his girlfriend Dr. Claire Lewicki (Nicole Kidman) that he’s afraid to compete after surviving a serious accident. The unlikely friendship that Cole forms with his toughest competitor Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker) adds another human side to the character that makes Cole an easy person to root for. So when Cole decides to drive Rowdy’s car to take another crack at racing and help his friend out financially, you find yourself cheering for him all the way until he sees the checkered flag, and celebrating just as hard when he overcomes the odds to win the Daytona 500.

Atmospheric, but slow and doesn't dig deep enough.

For all the years of hype surrounding the franchise, I didn’t expect a Blade Runner sequel to be any good. And Blade Runner 2049 probably wouldn’t be if not for director Denis Villeneuve. He builds upon Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner by expanding the narrative in some fascinating ways and creating a film that feels like it takes place in the same world, albeit sometime many years in the future. Villeneuve nails Scott’s moody, atmospheric vision for this world with gorgeous cinematography and a pulsing score by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch. However my main issues with the movie are that its plot feels remarkably thin given its enormous running time and its languid pacing makes the problem worse. As you’d expect, Villeneuve dips his toes into some interesting sci-fi themes like the manufacture of memories and intimacy with artificial intelligence, but for my money, he doesn't explore them nearly enough for the film to be hailed as the new classic many have tried to claim that it is.

Not as good as I remember.

Muppet Treasure Island was one of my childhood staples, so I recognize how inherently biased I am toward it. Upon my most recent viewing, I felt sad because started to notice its flaws a lot more, like how its humor isn’t nearly as sharp and its songs not nearly as memorable as those from Muppet films before Disney acquired them. That said, there’s still a lot that works, especially Tim Curry in the role of Long John Silver and the heavy emphasis on Gonzo and Rizzo, who are a goofy delight. And if you love Sam The Eagle, like I do, there’s a lot to enjoy too. But no matter how much the movie declines in my mind, I still count on the zany, catchy song “Cabin Fever” getting stuck in my head for days after I see it. So there’s always that.

Gut-wrenching horror you only need to see once.

Raw is an incredibly creepy, gut-wrenching horror film about a young vegetarian woman who discovers a thirst for human flesh after enrolling in veterinary school where her older sister also studies. As a horror movie it’s suspenseful and captivating with a wonderful final reveal, but it’s the kind of gross that makes you feel like one viewing is all it takes to get what you need from it.

Darkly comic statement about religion.

The Women’s Balcony is darkly comic film about an Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem whose quiet existence is thrown into disarray after the women’s balcony at their synagogue collapses, forcing the temple's indefinite closure and causing their rabbi to lose his mind. In the spiritual vacuum left behind, a young, more pious rabbi (Avraham Aviv Alush) steps in, pushing the men and in turn the women, to become much more strict in all of their religious customs. The resulting clash between him and the one woman (Evelin Hagoel) who isn’t willing to give up her hard won freedoms-make for an amusing and poignant story. Her battle to win back her friends and family is a satisfying one to watch, especially as the women begin to rally around her again once they realize that the young rabbi is making plans that not only push women to the side, but aren’t in the best interest of the congregation. Overall the movie’s slow pacing is a bit too noticeable, and the young rabbi is made into too obvious of a villain when he does something unethical just to get his way. These issues don’t hold the film back in a major way, however they do make it less effective as a dramatic statement about the dangers of ridiculously strict observance of religious rules.

An underrated 80s comedy.

Real Genius is a sweet coming-of-age comedy about the misadventures of a brilliant 15-year-old named Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret) who enrolls in a prestigious California technical college to work on a top secret laser project. What makes this 80s movie so sweet is that instead of hazing Mitch, the college’s resident genius Chris Knight (Val Kilmer) takes Mitch under his wing to teach him to relax and to develop a sense of humor. What makes it entertaining are the elaborate, scientifically creative pranks the characters play on each other and the amusing parties they throw to blow off steam from their high stress academic endeavors. The crew’s hijinx are refreshing for the equal participation of Jordan Cochran (Michelle Meyrink), a smart fascinating character with her own quirks who becomes a love interest for Mitch, rather than existing simply to be the object of his affection. The movie also entertains with a series of montages that show the characters studying and laboring in the lab, however these moments unnecessarily delay the story from taking off, and from reaching its central conflict that their slave-driving professor Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton) intends to use their laser for nefarious purposes. Once our heroes realize what Hathaway is up to, they hatch a hilarious plan to both disrupt the project and exact fitting revenge on him for his offenses. The movie’s resolution of said plan fits right in with the pleasant character interactions and silly shenanigans that populate the rest of the picture. If the aforementioned reasons aren't enough to watch Real Genius, it’s also worth your time because it’s one of a handful of awesome, under-recognized 80s comedies directed by women. Given the picture’s charm, it’s disappointing that director Martha Coolidge didn't receive opportunities to direct bigger comedies in the years that have followed.