The Equalizer

The Equalizer, the latest movie from director Antoine Fuqua is an enjoyable take on the hit 80's TV show of the same name. This movie is over the top at times and it takes itself far too seriously but the cliche's are light and it was better than I thought it was going to be. Because of those reasons, I am giving The Equalizer  three buckets of Killer Korn.












For those like me that have been waiting years if not decades for The Equalizer to come to the big screen, calm down because this movie may only serve to disappoint you. If you've never seen the show then by all means, check this out. This version of The Equalizer starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall wants to be an origin story from the hit 80's show of the same name, except on the show Robert McCall was a white Englishman living in a brownstone in Harlem. Whereas Denzel's McCall is living in a one bedroom tenement in Boston. TV's McCall was a wealthy retired spy, Denzel's McCall is working in a giant hardware store. If you can get past those differences then you might enjoy Antoine Fuqua's The Equalizer. Granted it's over the top at times and it beats you over the head with McCall being a solitary man, not to mention it doesn't even begin to tell you why he would put himself on the line to help a hooker he only knows from late night diner conversations over books and pie, but I digress. There are some cliches but they aren't overwhelming surprisingly and the violence is brutal. Much of this movie reminds me of the character Denzel portrayed in a far superior movie, Man On Fire. This movie borrows heavily from Tony Scott's film in regards to McCall's personality and dedication to getting things done.

McCall's nemesis in this movie is Teddy aka Nicholai, played cartoonishly by Marton Csokas. He is the right hand man and hammer of one of the heads of the Russian mob, Vladimir Pushkin played by Vladimir Kulich (I know, I know). Pushkin has his hands in everything from oil and gold, to drugs and women and it's one of these women, a prostitute name Teri aka Alena played by Chloe Grace Moretz who befriends an insomniac McCall at a twenty-four hour diner close to his house. Of course nothing good can come out of this situation but before you can tell yourself that one thing leads to another and McCall is a room full of Russian gangsters. The trailer gives you a sense he survives that encounter but what the movie fails to explain is why McCall felt compelled to go in there and risk his life in the first place. Regardless, Teddy comes to town looking for the one or ones responsible and he comes across McCall on surveillance tapes. The two men play a cat and mouse game for the remainder of the movie that tends to drag on far longer than it should, and the ending was, well remember that over the top comment I made earlier? It applies to the ending.

Denzel does a decent job of bringing Robert McCall to life but honestly he seemed uninspired and his performance isn't something new. The Equalizer has Denzel being Denzel in almost every frame. In essence, he just walked through this movie. The last time Antoine and Denzel worked together they delivered the searing Training Day, which won Denzel his second Oscar (first for Best Actor). This time around there will be no such glory. The score, composed by Harry Gregson-Williams was very reminiscent of his previous works, namely the score he did for The Town, so I was somewhat underwhelmed by the music though it did have it's moments, especially at the end. The cinematography and the look of the film was thanks to Oscar Award winner Mauro Fiore. There were times when the tone was somewhat heavy handed and others when it was perfectly done. All in all I would recommend The Equalizer but only if you've never seen an episode of the original TV series and only if you're fine with Denzel being Denzel, and I'll see you at the theater!

A Walk Among The Tombstones

A Walk Among The Tombstones, the latest film from writer/director Scott Frank was mediocre at best. It could have been a lot better, more scintillating, and far more frightening. It starts off somewhat interesting but then if peters out in the end. I was expecting more than what I got from the story and the directors vision, though I was pleased with some of the performances. It's those performances that inspire me to bestow A Walk Among The Tombstones two buckets of Killer Korn.











I have a friend who is an ENORMOUS fan of author Lawrence Block, the man behind the book this movie was adapted from. I am going to tell her to skip this movie because at best it may sour her on the book and at worse it may piss her off. I am sick and tired of movies that don't answer the obvious questions that arise regarding plot, motivations, and tactics and this movie must be thrown into that pile. A Walk Among The Tombstones blew chance after chance to be a gritty and frightening procedural. It started off that way but it lost its mojo somewhere around the second act and I attribute that to a few factors. First off, if you are going to create monsters, keep them monstrous. Humanizing the monsters takes away their power, it weakens the scare factor by ten, and it puts the good guys on equal footing with the monsters. Liam Neeson's Matt Scudder is an ex-cop who is the good guy which suddenly becomes just as intimidating as the monsters thanks to some dubious directing. You no longer fear if Scudder will survive the eventual confrontation with the malevolent force in the film, you start to wonder how he will.

The story starts off good. Scudder, a recovering alcoholic is approached by a fellow 12 stepper Howie who is played by Eric Nelsen. Howie's brother Kenny, played by Dan Stevens needs a service rendered that only Scudder can provide. Kenny's wife was kidnapped and although the ransom had been paid, his wife was slaughtered anyway. Kenny wants those responsible brought to him and he's willing to pay Scudder handsomely to do that. Researching other missing women Scudder comes across a street wise homeless kid name TJ played by Brian Bradley in just his second movie. He's the charm this movie was devoid of before he showed up on the screen. The two hit it off and develop a solid friendship and should there be a sequel to Tombstones, TJ and Scudder's relationship would be a reason worthy of buying a ticket. In the end though, the monsters aren't that intimidating, they are more frightening in the trailer honestly. One of them actually pulls of a Harry Houdini like escape that is never truly explained.

I was hoping for something powerful and instead what I got was a watered down version of something that could have been an incredibly strong drink, the kind that you feel as it goes down. This was a light beer and that was upsetting. The trailer is more intense than the movie. The music by Carlos Rafael Rivera was moody and dark, too bad it was wasted on a light beer. The cinematography was crisp and clear and had impressive moments thanks to Mihai Malaimare Jr. I would have liked to see what he could have done with a more impactful story that answered some of the questions it created as opposed to leaving the viewer hanging. I recommend skipping A Walk Among The Tombstones and read the book instead. You might enjoy this story more that way and I'll see you at the theater.

   

The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner, the first full length feature film from director Wes Ball is an incoherent, jumbled, empty vessel of a film. I have never read the book and maybe those that have will enjoy this film. For those in the same boat as me will be you may find this movie quite confusing. I'll admit that I found the premise interesting, which is the reason why I saw it but I could have missed it and been just fine. I was originally going to give this movie two and a half buckets of Killer Korn, but the more I thought about it the more I realized it deserved no more than a solitary bucket.









The Maze Runner is the first major film by Wes Ball and it looked like it. The movie initially come across as one that seems worthy of your time, attention, and money but the more you think about it the more you realize just how weak it is. The plot holes are massive and the ending is head scratching at best. Maybe those questions are answered in The Maze Runner Chapter II: The Scorch Trials which is currently in pre-production but I doubt that is a movie I'll be seeing since this one did not impress. The Maze Runner stars Dylan O'Brien as Thomas and the movie opens up with him wildly overacting. He's ascending in an elevator and has no idea where he's going, where he came from, or who he even is. He doesn't even remember his name. All he knows is that he has to get out of the little compound where there lives a collection of other boys all around the same age, and out of the maze. The leader of this Lord of the Flies type situation is Alby, played by Aml Ameen and he breaks down the rules and regulations to Thomas and they are to be obeyed no matter what. Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays Newt and is Alby's second in command. He takes Thomas under his wing. Thomas reveals to Newt that he wants to be a maze runner, a group of boys led by Minho, played by Ki Hong Lee that run the maze during the day to map it and see if there is a way out.

Thomas becomes a maze runner after throwing himself into the maze after dark to help Minho save Alby who runs the maze after a runner get's infected and is expelled from the "island". Thomas survives the night and actually kills a creature known as a "griever", something that is extremely hostile and was believed to be invincible. Thomas' stature grows after that and all seems well but that doesn't last long when the only girl is introduced to the island with a note proclaiming that she will be the last one. That's where the story really starts falling apart. So many things happened that just didn't make sense that made the movie that more unbelievable. Teresa, played by Kaya Scodelario was the only girl amongst a horde of boys in their sexual prime and there was not one instance of sexual tension or frustration. Not one boy flipped out and tried to attack her, which would have made sense if the majority of the boys were gay but even that was never spoken on. It was like everyone was neutered in some way, or the producers just chose to ignore the obvious realities of that situation.

The ending of The Maze Runner made absolutely no sense and while I'm most certain the book answered all the questions the movie created, again though if you've never read the book then you will more than likely be just as lost as I was. This film was soulless and not even remotely interesting. The score by John Paesano far too often sounded like a melange of other scores from other composers, completely devoid of anything original. I would definitely skip The Maze Runner and encourage you to read the series of YA books by author James Dashner. I'm sure you'll have a far more enjoyable time going that route and I'll see you at the theater.    

The Hundred Foot Journey

The Hundred Foot Journey, the latest film from talented director Lasse Hallstrom is a touching romantic comedy for the foodie and non-foodie alike. It's a beautiful film to watch, imbued with so much heart and love that you don't want the movie to end, at least I didn't. Not a perfect film but still a great one which is why I'm giving The Hundred Foot Journey three and a half buckets of Killer Korn.  











Right off the bat, The Hundred Foot Journey has an amazing cast and it's their performances that make this an extremely entertaining film. From the subtle facial expressions to the overt shows of emotion, this movie hit a home run on the casting. The story centers around an Indian family that has left Bombay after the destruction of their restaurant. They are seeking somewhere else to live other than under the flight path of Heathrow Airport in London. They wind up in a small town in France and the father, Papa Kadam who is played by the amazing Om Puri falls in love with an abandoned structure and decides to buy it and turn it into a new family restaurant. The only catch is just across the road, a mere hundred feet away lies a highly celebrated restaurant owned and operated by Madame Mallory, played by the exquisite Helen Mirren. Her eatery has already earned a much coveted and seemingly impossible to earn Michelin Star and she desperately wants another. Papa however is undeterred because he feels he has an ace up his sleeve, that would be his son Hassan, played wonderfully by Manish Dayal. Hassan learned everything he knows about cooking from his mother but he doesn't refer to himself as a chef, he considers himself at first to be nothing more than a cook.

Papa opens up his restaurant and the hilarious rivalry begins in earnest. Mallory and Papa go toe to toe over zoning rights, animal vaccinations, and produce from the market. She bests Pap at first but he's a fast learner and eventually evens the score. That goes on as Hassan and the sous chef in Mallory's restaurant named Marguerite played charmingly by Charlotte Le Bon begin to fall for each other but it's not all picture perfect. The rivalry at one point turns racial and even potentially deadly, but that is handled with a deft and light handed touch by Lasse. That same skill is shown when the budding romance between Papa and Mallory comes to light, it will make you smile. Hassan goes from a cook to celebrated chef in Paris but seemingly loses his way. This is the only cliche part of the movie for you see what's coming next, at least I did. It did not detract from the charm this film exudes in any way thankfully. I just wish Hassan's brother Mansur played by Amit Shah and his lovely sister Mahira played by Farzana Dua Elahe were more fleshed out. The questions as to what happens to the restaurant when Hassan leaves is never adequately addressed in my opinion.

As I have said already, The Hundred Foot Journey is a beautiful film to look at. The lighting and camerawork was exceptional. Cinematographer Linus Sandgren did a wonderful job at not just capturing the landscape and quaintness of the small French town Saint Antonin, but also those moments in the kitchens where spices are being sprinkled into a dish and the food is being lovingly prepared. Be warned, this movie CAN make you hungry, I know it did me. The beautiful score provided by the two time Academy Award winning composer A. R. Rahman was the perfect accompaniment for what was on the screen. It possessed the magical blend of classical and Indian music that this playful score was built upon and which this movie was all about. It was a job well done, hats off to you Mr. Rahman. If you are a foodie then see this film, if you're not a foodie, see this film because it has the potential to convert one into a foodie. Best of all though, it will absolutely entertain you and if you have a burning desire to see a grown up movie, go buy a ticket to The Hundred Foot Journey, it will not disappoint. I'll see you at the theater.    

July 21, 1951 ~ August 11, 2014

The world is a worse place today.

The dates above represent the life span of one of the most transcendent talents to have ever lived. His name was Robin Williams. He was an amazingly funny man that left behind a collection of incredible movies that included The World According To Garp, Awakenings, Dead Poets Society, The Fisher King, Good Morning Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Birdcage, the voice of the genie in Aladdin, and Good Will Hunting to name just a few. We were not worthy.

Robin quietly (and not so quietly) suffered from depression and battled with substance abuse issues throughout most of his career but his talent could make you forget all of that in a blink of an eye. He could make us laugh to the point of passing out and many times he was the butt of the joke. People watched Comic Relief, the charity to help the homeless because they wanted to see him, Whoopie Goldberg, and Billie Crystal lose their minds on stage and make us feel good about helping those less fortunate than ourselves.

The world is indeed a worse place today than in was yesterday. He was the epitome of the phrase "one of a kind". When people say "there will never be another like him/her", that phrase was never more appropriate than it is when talking about Robin Williams. Thank you for all you've shared with us Robin and have given us and may you finally find peace in death that you could not find in life. We will all miss you so much.

   

Into The Storm

Into The Storm, the latest movie from director Steven Quale is at times a rip roaring roller coaster of a movie. The other times it's a tired melodrama that slows the pace down considerably. Thankfully the roller coaster ride is more of what you get with Into The Storm and because of that I give it three buckets of Killer Korn.












This is Steven Quale's second full length feature film, his first being Final Destination 5. I have no idea if that movie was good or bad and quite frankly I didn't care who directed Into The Storm because they trailer had me at "storm". Let me explain, deep, deep, deep inside me lives this guy who loves storms and get's giddy when there's thunder shaking the buildings and lightning blazing across the skies. He is too small however to compel me to go storm chasing (I shout his behind down every time he brings it up). So when I saw this trailer I was all in, director be damned which is very unlike me but when I saw those jets getting swept up in a F5 tornado, an F5 wouldn't have kept me away. Okay, maybe an F5 would have, but if it were an F3 I would have been there munching on my popcorn and having a great time buddy.

Made for a scant $50 million dollars, Storm should have no problem making that money back and then some at the box office. There are no big names in the film and the cast holds only two really familiar faces. Sarah Wayne Callies who played Lori in The Walking Dead plays Allison, a women with a PhD in meteorology and Scott Lawrence who's a consummate character actor that's been in pretty much everything plays Principal Walker. Richard Armitage who is a good actor in his own right but hasn't done many movies plays Gary, a widower with two young boys under his care. The rest of the cast is comprised of mainly TV actors so they came relatively cheap which is good. You can't have a film called Into The Storm and have a weak looking storm so the money they saved on casting went towards the jaw dropping special effects. So don't go in expecting Shakespeare like performances and you'll be fine. Oh, and this movie is NOT a remake of the 1996 movie Twister, just letting you know.

The plot is a simple one written by John Swetnam, never before seen weather patterns are converging on a small Oklahoma town during high school graduation. Tornadoes touch down and wreak havoc while boy and girl struggle to stay alive in abandoned building before determined dad can save them as he dodges twister after twister. The big moment though is when an F5 forms and touches down, that's when the jaw drops and everything in it's path is destroyed. Yep, I'll admit it, I was giddy. Into The Storm is a pure popcorn summer movie that was far better than Guardians of the Galaxy could ever hope to be on less than half the budget. Think about that if you see it and imagine what could have been had Storm possessed the kind of budget Guardians did and vice versa. Check out Storm, you won't be sorry and I'll see you at the theater!  

Spoiler Time: Get On Up

Hey Kornheads, that's that time of year again, actually it's more that time of week but you know what I meant. This is where I break down everything completely wrong and some of what's right with the Tate Taylor directed Get On Up. Don't ask me why because based on the box office, there isn't a soul in this land that's going to see this movie but this could be fun. Let's get started, shall we?


Making a movie on the life and times of the Godfather of Soul is a daunting task. That is the only pass I give the director, screenwriters, and producers. That man has done so much, accomplished so much, and lived such an amazing life that to try and distill it all down into a two hour movie is a foolish attempt, and yet Get On Up is in theaters today. The problem with it is simply...everything. Outside of the Oscar award winning performance of Chadwick Boseman, this movie is a joke. From the blatant Ray ripoffs to the lack of James Brown's cultural impact on his people, this movie misses on damn near every level.

Did you know James Brown performed for the inmates at Rykers Island in New York back in 1972? Did you know one of his wives died while undergoing plastic surgery? Did you know he recorded three hours of music for the film Black Caesar without ever seeing the movie? Remember his epic concert he gave before the Muhammad Ali, George Foreman fight in Kinshasa, Zaire? Remember his iconic groundbreaking song "(Say It Loud) I'm Black and I'm Proud"? Did you know of his somewhat friendly rivalry between him and Little Richard? Did you know James' first love was baseball but went with singing because the girls loved singers? Did you know he owned radio stations? Did you know his nickname in prison was 'Music Box'? Did you know he had a sit down with President Richard Milhous Nixon regarding the state of affairs in the ghetto? Did you know he was a drug addict up until his death on Christmas in 2006? Did you know he is the most sampled musician in the history of music and that without James there would be no hip hop? If you knew none of this don't worry, you aren't alone because it appeared that those involved with Get On Up didn't know any of this either.

None of the things I listed were in the movie, NOT ONE! And yet Get On Up was supposedly about James Brown. It could have been a movie about some fictional character, say James "Thunder" Early played by Eddie Murphy in the Dreamgirls movie. Then Get On Up would have been decent, but to say this was a movie based on the most influential man in music is a misnomer. It's just flat out not true. Tate Taylor said "this movie is about singing and dancing" which is the absolute wrong idea to have when you call yourself making a James Brown biopic. The man was so much more than that and Tate Taylor needs to be ashamed of himself and he needs to be banned from doing anymore movies that deal with Black people. He obviously doesn't get it. I would have loved to have seen what this movie would have looked like had Spike Lee directed it.

Now the sad part is this, Tate Taylor's career will survive this but Black movies will take a huge hit. As of today, Get On Up has earned just $17,113,630. Hollywood will point to that number and say, "See, there's no market for Black movies" completely ignoring the fact that this "Black" movie is just horrid. And that may have something to do with everyone behind the camera being white and everyone in front of the camera, with a few exceptions, being Black. I'm glad I saw it, just to see Chadwick's mind blowing performance but this movie needs to be burned and forgotten about and the sooner the better.

Tell me Kornheads, when you heard about this movie, were you excited to see it, indifferent, or had no desire whatsoever? I'd love to know!