A Reel Review: AMERICAN PASTORAL

Over the years, there have been many actors who proved to be just as talented behind the camera as they were in front of it. Way back when, Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock set the template, and following in their footsteps were big-time names such as Redford, Gibson, Foster, Eastwood, and Affleck. Here in 2016, fan-favorite actor Ewan McGregor gives the director’s chair a try for the first time; tackling the award-winning and heralded novel, AMERICAN PASTORAL.

Nathan (David Strathairn), attends his 45^th high school reunion and learns the fate of an alumnus, Seymour “Swede” Levov (McGregor), who was a star athlete, war hero, and successful businessman. Swede marries his high school sweetheart Dawn (Jennifer Connelly), and they have one daughter, Merry (Dakota Johnson)…who eventually joins a violent movement against the war in Vietnam and tears her family apart.

AMERICAN PASTORAL is a film which has many balls in the air. On the surface, it’s a story about Merry and her eagerness to belong to something. The early goings of the film take us through her early years in which she developed a stutter, and her very close relationship with her father. As one incident leads to another and the war in Vietnam escalates, Merry rebels against the perfect American-dream lifestyle that her parents have built…and goes into an ongoing angry protest-mode with eventual deadly consequences. It’s a study on the American dream and how insolated it can be from real-world problems. Deeper than that, it’s explores the unraveling of a family and how parents react to a child who hates their guts and vanishes for years at a time…with Swede remaining steadfast for his want to get his daughter back and Dawn falling apart before putting the past behind her.

While the groundwork is solid, McGregor’s inexperienced hand behind the camera is evident. Instead of the gentle touch that the material seems to be begging for, McGregor uses a machete instead of a scalpel. Scenes feel cobbled together, choppy, and don’t flow naturally. Actors blurt out their lines as if they’re on a stage yelling at the cheap-seats, and the dialogue is painfully ordinary and often overstates the obvious. Overall there’s a blandness to the film; scenes which should be drawing emotional punches just come and go with no impact, and Merry is portrayed as such an unlikeable brat it’s hard not to hope for her to get run over by a truck.

Aside from everyone yelling everything out loud, acting is all over the place. McGregor mis-casts himself as the lead, not looking or sounding anything like a Jewish-American and his British accent often sneaks back in. Jennifer Connolly has just as many moments of cardboard acting as she does amazing, with a long, unbroken shot of her unraveling the highlight of the film. Dakota Johnson is fine, but her stutter is not convincing and it often sounds like she’s mocking someone. David Strathairn is excellent as always, and the show is stolen by first-timer Ocean James, who in playing Merry at age eight, does a better job than Fanning at selling the stutter.

The finale goes for a big emotional wallop but misses badly, and instead ends very awkwardly with little feeling of resolution for any character. It’s hard to tell if McGregor was better off acting in this and giving up the chair, or if he should have been behind the camera the whole time…as AMERICAN PASTORAL comes off as very unbalanced. Its coasts along thanks to the strength of the source material, which feels like it needs a whole lot more than what’s seen here.

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it

A Reel 10: THE DEPARTED

“When I was your age they would say we can become cops, or criminals…”

This month marks the 10^th anniversary of Martin Scorsese’s THE DEPARTED.

A remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film INTERNAL AFFAIRS, Scorsese’s THE DEPARTED was a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek, catch-me-if-you-can game of a film in which a Boston-based Irish mob boss named Frank Costello plants a mole in the State Police, while the cops plant a mole of their own in Costello’s crew…which leads to both moles trying to uncover each other’s identity. The film was Scorsese’s 20^th  feature, and ultimately his most successful.

The road to THE DEPARTED began in 2003, when producer Brad Grey and actor/producer Brad Pitt bought the rights to remake INTERNAL AFFAIRS. William Monahan was hired to write the screenplay and set the film in Boston. Scorsese, impressed with the setting and the Irish-Catholic gangster persona, signed up to direct.

The cast was a list of Hollywood heavyweights. Jack Nicholson, already considered a legend in the screen community, was cast as Frank Costello. Nicholson, looking to give the film something different than what other gangster films had shown before, came up with the idea of basing his character on real-life Boston gangster Whitey Bulger…which gave THE DEPARTED a strong element of realism. Matt Damon would come on board as the State Police mole on Costello’s payroll, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who had success with Scorsese with GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002) and THE AVIATOR (2004), would be cast as the other mole. The rest of the cast included Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, Ray Winstone, Alec Baldwin, Anthony Anderson, James Badge Dale, and Mark Rolston.

Filming began in 2005 on location in Boston and New York City. Scorsese, always looking to write a love letter to the classic pieces of cinema which inspired him, gave subtle, and not-so subtle references and winks to SCARFACE (1983), WHITE HEAT (1949), LITTLE CAESAR (1931), and even his own GOODFELLAS (1989).  The film was edited by Thelma Schoonmaker, who had won Oscars with Scorsese for her work on his RAGING BULL (1980), and THE AVIATOR (2004). Howard Shore would provide the score, and Irish rock band The Dropkick Murphys were more than happy to send their raucous song I’m Shipping Up to Boston over to Scorsese…who would also add tracks by The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Roger Waters, and Patsy Cline, among others.

THE DEPARTED was highly anticipated and opened to critical acclaim. It would be the third Scorsese film to debut at number one, and would remain in the top ten for seven weeks. It would appear on many top ten “best-of” lists, and Richard Roeper would name it the best film of the 2000’s. Mark Wahlberg would be nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and at those 79^th Academy Awards, THE DEPARTED would win four Oscars; including Best Picture, Best Director (Scorsese), Best Film Editing (Schoonmaker, her third with Scorsese), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Monahan). The film would be the first time Scorsese won an Oscar after six previous losses.

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One of the most memorable moments in all of Oscar history was when Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Francis Ford Coppola…cinema titans of the 1970’s and 1980’s and friends to Martin Scorsese, came out on stage to award him with his first Academy Award for Best Director. Some say that the Oscar wasn’t quite deserved and was given to him as a lifetime achievement award, but this Blogger raises his middle finger to that notion. THE DEPARTED today stands as a grand film; brilliant in concept and execution, packed with tremendous acting and crafted with the precise skill that is seldom seen in film today. THE DEPARTED is not just another gangster flick but a strong story about identity, and if it does have to be put into that genre, it is by far the definitive modern film on organized crime. It hasn’t aged at all in a decade, and will be remembered fondly when Scorsese eventually folds up his director’s chair.

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“I don’t want to be a product of my environment, I want my environment to be a product of me.”

A Reel Review: THE ACCOUNTANT

For all filmmakers, knowing when to keep things simple is always a challenge. Brevity is fine, but keeping things too simple can make for a predictable and ultimately boring film. But making things too complicated can also be a bad thing…as stories can be hard to follow and characters can easily get lost amongst the sea of plot-lines. Such is the challenge for director Gavin O’Connor and THE ACCOUNTANT.

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) grows from a gifted autistic child to be an even more gifted accountant who cooks the books for the mafia and the cartel while becoming a superior marksman and unbeatable hand-to-hand fighter. When Dana (Anna Kendrick) discovers a flaw in the financials of a large corporate robotics company, the head of the company (John Lithgow) hires a hitman (Jon Bernthal) to take out Christian and Dana. Meanwhile, a U.S. Treasury officer (J.K. Simmons) blackmails a younger officer (Jean Smart) to help him bring in Christian.

Much like the profession that it is named after, there is nothing about THE ACCOUNTANT that is simple. Gavin O’ Connor juggles many plotlines; corporate embezzling, a police procedural, Christian’s backstory, a cat-and-mouse game, organized crime, and a statement on autistic people and how they can adapt or be rejected by society…are all weaved in and around and all over. There’s a lot to take in and despite the film’s middleweight-running time of two-plus hours, becomes too much for it to bear. The script, clearly feeling the burden of all the plotlines, actually stops the film dead in its tracks for what seems like forever for one character to sit down and verbalize a ton of endless backstory.

Despite the corporate financial embezzling being like listening to ancient Greek, when THE ACCOUNTANT clicks, it clicks well. Christian Wolff is a fascinating character to watch. He’s socially awkward and withdrawn, and answers all questions with stone-cold logic and brutal honesty (picture Mr. Spock turned up to 11). When the film spends time with him coping with his condition or trying to solve a problem, it’s hard not to be completely engaged. The fight scenes and shootouts are fantastically done; they never go over the top and are presented as real as can be.

Ben Affleck is terrific in the role. He practically vanishes behind his style-less nerd glasses but also disappears into the character. We can tell there’s more going on behind his stone-cold face and quiet demeanor. Anna Kendrick is adorable and acts as a nice foil to Christian, and Jon Bernthal lights up the screen as the flamboyant hitman.

For as unnecessarily complex as the main story is, we are ready forgive a lot during the climactic final fight scene which is tremendous to take in…but then the film dives into a plot twist or two which falls well short of their intended shock value. Both of the reveals are well intentioned but feel like a lazy shortcut to wrap up story threads. As much as the film tries to wrap things up neatly, there are still leftover threads out there when the credits roll; such as Christian’s large leap from autistic child to accountant for the mob, and the Treasury officer blackmailing a younger officer is totally unnecessary. Overall THE ACCOUNTANT gets the job done, even if it is as confusing as a new tax law and deserving of an audit.

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it

A Reel Review: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

The erotic thriller has been a genre in film which has seen immense popularity over the years. Start with a troubled couple, add in a love triangle and a whodunit mystery with a twist or two…and we’ve got the makings for good drama and suspense. The genre has unfortunately become a little predictable recently, and Paula Hawkins’ novel The Girl on the Train  seeks to distance itself from the same-old same-old by changing the first-person narrative between three characters. An interesting approach, and a challenge for director Tate Taylor and his screen adaptation of the novel.

Rachel (Emily Blunt) is a depressed alcoholic prone to blackouts who only finds happiness in watching Megan (Haley Bennett) and her husband Scott (Luke Evans) from afar every day from her seat on a commuter train at a stop. Rachel witnesses what she believes to be infidelity, and Megan later vanishes…which has Rachel wondering if she and her blackouts were involved.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN tries to set itself up as a study to how people react when faced with great loss. Rachel, having messed up her life due to her drinking and (slight spoiler…alleged blackouts), and finding ways to cope with that loss. Seeing Rachel trying to find happiness through others is interesting and makes for a solid start, but the film dives into a convoluted maze of plot. Megan winds up being the former nanny of her neighbors, who happens to be Rachel’s ex-husband Tom (Justin Theroux) and his wife Anna (Rebecca Ferguson)…and those neighbors just happen to live two doors away, which gives Rachel plenty to look at every time the train comes to that stop. On top of that, Megan may or may not be having an affair with her shrink Dr. Abdic (Edgar Ramirez)…whom Rachel winds up visiting to try and fill in her blackouts.

The thickness of plot (and lame contrivances) can be forgivable, but the film jumps all over the timeline in its telling. First we’re in the present, then back to months ago, then back to the present, and back to four days prior, and then back to years before. It’s a lot to take in, and even the fonts that come up to help us keep track wind up being annoying. The film is also a grind with deadly pacing, and each character is portrayed as a miserable shitbag whom no one would want to spend time with…never mind root for. Perhaps that is a fault of the source material, or maybe the screenwriters couldn’t find a way to trim the fat, but THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN winds up being a messy bore. The early goings focus on the three women and their first-person narration, which (again), is a nice start but eventually that goes out the window for a traditional narrative which makes for a choppy and inconsistent style. Director Tate Taylor also doesn’t do anything great behind the camera, but in the editing he does find room for Danny Elfman’s score to shine.

But there is one thing to love in this film, and that is the outstanding performance by Emily Blunt. Blunt puts us through every emotion in the book, and her drunken scenes of loneliness and despair have to be seen to be believed. Blunt sells the character with a single look, and her ability to turn her attractive features into a drawn and droopy sad person is amazing. Truly, this is her finest performance to date. The rest of the cast handles their assignments well. Allison Janney shows up as a detective looking for the missing Megan, but the role is so small that her talent seems wasted.

The identity of the person responsible for making Megan vanish comes by way of a few well-intentioned twists and turns, but once it’s revealed…there’s a “that’s it?” type of feeling. The film wants to be a clever whodunit but doesn’t have the shock value at the end, and one can’t help but to feel that things would have worked better without all the plot and just focused on the character and her issues. THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN isn’t a total derailment thanks to the performance of Emily Blunt, but doesn’t get us to the station on time either.

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it

A Reel Review: THE BIRTH OF A NATION

The year was 1831. The issue of slavery in the United States was 30 years away from erupting into the Civil War, but on an August night in Virginia, a young slave by the name of Nat Turner organized a rebellion in which white slave-owners and their families were murdered in their beds. It was an incident which sparked outrage and led to the slaughter of thousands of black people, slaved and free, in retaliation. It was an incident in history that is messy and ugly and not easy to let fly on film…and perhaps too large for a first-time director.

Nat Turner (Nate Parker), is born into slavery and taught how to read by his owners, which include Samuel (Armie Hammer) and his mother (Penelope Ann Miller). Turner learns to be a preacher, and when Samuel encounters financial troubles, is convinced by Reverend Walthall (Mark Boone Jr.) to take Turner around to the neighboring slave plantations to make some money and to quell any thoughts of rebellion by any slaves. Once on the road, Turner witnesses the harsh conditions and treatment the owners have for their slaves, and after his wife Cherry (Aja Naomi King) is attacked, organizes a bloody rebellion.

Not much is really known about the factual Nat Turner, other than his actions during that August night and that he was a man of faith who claimed to have visions which inspired him. Nate Parker, who co-wrote, directed, and stars as Turner, capitalizes on this and makes THE BIRTH OF A NATION a religious piece inside of a historical epic. Turner being shopped around by his master in an effort to keep local slaves in line is a test of faith, and despite his own slave upbringing on a somewhat-humane plantation, serves as a nice backdrop in his journey from preacher to rebel leader.

These are excellent touches considering the inevitable bloodshed to come, but Parker is in the director’s chair for the first time…and it really shows. Shots are filmed very plainly with the rare eye-popper, and the film suffers from many awkward transitions from scene-to-scene…along with many scenes feeling like they were cut abruptly short. The third act, which includes the revolt, feels very rushed; the climactic battle between two sides of fighters rushing at each other has no buildup whatsoever, and we’re into the fight and out of it before we even realize the story is at its supposed climax; so much for drama. The script relies heavily on Bible passages to express what characters are thinking, and while that works for the most part, creates a disconnect between us and the characters and eventually the entire film. Characters are used as plot points, going so far as to diminish Turner’s wife Cherry, with her attack and rape acting as the final catalyst for Turner to begin his rebellion. Turner himself doesn’t have much of a character arc, and only seems to come to life near the end. The eventual killing of Samuel (one of many historical inaccuracies, for those who care), comes out of left-field and doesn’t make sense story-wise.

For as much as Nate Parker struggles behind the camera, he is absolutely mesmerizing in front of it. His performance is one for the history books, giving off more raw emotion in one look or facial twitch than most actors can pull off in two hours of film. Armie Hammer is the surprise of the film, finally breaking out of his wooden box acting. Aja Naomi King is beautiful on film and turns in a good performance where she is allowed to, and Jackie Earle Haley, as a ruthless and despicable slave-hunter, makes for a great screen villain once again.

There is a lot to appreciate in THE BIRTH OF A NATION, as there are some great ideas going on about faith and how it can motivate or even justify actions, and despite how grisly the murder scenes are, there is a nice balance between brutality and beauty which keeps it from becoming a b-movie horror-flick splatterfest. But the film is too blunt and heavy-handed with its technical execution and imagery, and really seems to be begging for the finesse of an experienced hand. The title of the film itself is a stretch, as the ending moments try really hard to prove itself worthy of the words, but like the rest of the movie, is handled clumsily. Nate Parker has done good work here, but his lack of experience is in stark contrast to his talent as an actor. THE BIRTH OF A NATION does enough good to avoid being a complete wash, but falls short of the greatness its title yearns for.

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2016: Episode X

The glorious month of October can be one of the most exciting months of the cinematic year, with many Oscar contenders mixed with gritty action flicks and grisly horror films. Here are the notable films for the month.

It all arrives with…

THE BIRTH OF A NATION – As previewed by Reel Speak HERE, Nate Parker’s epic telling of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion in 1831 has already been hailed as a new American classic. Parker directs and stars, and he is joined by Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Penelope Ann Miller, Mark Boone Jr., and Jackie Earle Haley

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN – Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, Emily Blunt witnesses something from her train window which sends her into a psychological nightmare. Co-stars Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Luke Evans, Allison Janney, Edgar Ramirez, and Lisa Kudrow. Tate Taylor (THE HELP), directs.

VOYAGE OF TIME – Director Terrence Malick (THE TREE OF LIFE, THE THIN RED LINE), directs this documentary examining the birth and death of the known universe.

PHANTASM: RAVAGER – The fifth and final (yeah right) installment of the cult-hit horror series which started back in 1979.

SHIN GODZILLA – This Japanese version of the big lizard is produced by Toho, the studio which originally created GODZILLA in 1954.

THE ACCOUNTANT – Ben Affleck stars as a gifted accountant who cooks the books for dangerous criminal organizations. He is joined by Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, and John Lithgow. It is directed by Gavin O’Connor (WARRIOR).

CERTAIN WOMEN – Based on the collection of short stories written by Maile Meloy entitled Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It, this movie explores a handful of intersecting lives and stories across Montana. Stars Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, and Michelle Williams.

CHRISTINE – In this true story, Rebecca Hall (IRON MAN 3) plays Christine Chubbuck, the 1970’s news reporter who committed suicide on live television.

JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK – Tom Cruise returns for another round as the ass-kicking private investigator. Cobie Smulders (THE AVENGERS) co-stars. Directed by Edward Zwick (GLORY, THE LAST SAMURAI).

OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL – The sequel to the 2014 horror film OUIJA.

31 – Director Rob Zombie (THE DEVIL’S REJECTS) is back with another October horror flick, in which a group of carnival workers are attacked while on the road.

IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE – In this Western, Ethan Hawke plays a drifter who drifts into the wrong town. Co-stars John Travolta and Karen Gillan.

AMERICAN PASTORAL – Ewan McGregor (STAR WARS), directs for the first time and stars in this crime drama where a man watches his daughter’s political beliefs destroy his family. Co-stars Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Connelly, and Rupert Evans.

INFERNO – Ron Howard (APOLLO 13) returns to direct the third film in the Dan Brown series of books involving symbologist Professor Robert Langdon. Tom Hanks reprises the role, and he is joined by Felicity Jones and Ben Foster.

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In a few weeks, Reel Speak previews the month of November.

A Reel Review: MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

On the surface, strange and unusual director Tim Burton seems like a good fit for Ransom Riggs’ novel Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children; a children’s fantasy filled with scary tentacle monsters and orphaned children with fantastic abilities which feel right at home in a good horror movie. But Burton has proven to be at his best when he is working with material that he has a passion for, or at the very least, has the opportunity to put a personal touch on…which makes his own MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN a statement on his career.

Jake (Asa Butterfield), is a 14-year old boy who connects more with his storytelling grandfather Abe (Terence Stamp), than his distant parents (Chris O’Dowd and Kim Dickens). After a strange event happens, Jake finds himself whisked back in time to the 1940’s at a mysterious orphanage run by the shape-shifting Miss Peregrine (Eva Green), who cares for a group of children with creepy and fantastic abilities…who are being hunted by the evil Mr. Barron (Samuel L. Jackson) and his creatures who want to eat the children’s eyes.

MISS PEREGRINE takes place in a complicated fantasy world populated with weird characters, scary monsters, and employs time-travel which whisks characters around all over the place. In an attempt to keep things somewhat grounded, Tim Burton uses the old cinematic trick of the main character acting as the audience surrogate. We see and experience the world through Jake’s eyes, and as he goes, the audience goes. Right away, there are issues as Jake is drawn up as a very boring and bland character. His motivations for finding the orphanage are fine, but once he’s there, there’s little reason for him to stick around other than to listen to other characters stand around and talk. There’s way too much telling and not showing in an attempt to build this universe, and it doesn’t take long before MISS PEREGRINE turns into a grind.

With Jake as a wet noodle of a main character, the burden falls upon the story to keep things interesting. The script is bogged down with way too much exposition, and although Burton is trying play with the theme of the power of storytelling, it never gets very intriguing. By the time the finale rolls around, in which Burton sticks to his new shtick of a ridiculous final battle, we’re left wondering exactly what everyone is fighting for. The story makes little sense, not from the point of view of the main character or from a scripting standpoint.

One of the most frustrating things about MISS PEREGRINE is that the narrative mess takes place in a very good looking world. The orphanage is packed with detail, and it would probably take several viewings to notice everything in the many creepy rooms. Creature design is fantastic, with the spindly, eyeball-eating monsters a nightmare-inducing visual treat. Some excellent stop-motion is used, including a short-lived fight between two bastardized skeleton-dolls which is the most fun the movie has to offer.

The goddamn 3D is muddy shit.

Acting is a bit of a misfire. Asa Butterfield has zero charisma and doesn’t do the film any good. Eva Green hams it up, but she’s less of a character and more of a tool to provide exposition…and she vanishes from the movie for too long when she turns into a bird and stays there. Samuel L. Jackson acts and looks like a cartoon character with his long white spiky hair and pointed teeth. Judi Dench and Kim Dickens appear for what seems like 15 seconds apiece and go away. Terence Stamp escapes mostly unscathed (he’s always great), and the younger cast of children, including Ella Purnell and Finlay MacMillan…are very good.

Over the years, Burton has put his heart and soul into certain films. In BIG FISH he told us about his relationship with his father. ED WOOD was his love letter to filmmaking, while BETELGEUSE, SLEEPY HOLLOW, and CORPSE BRIDE expressed his fascination with death. When he doesn’t put a personal touch on his work, the difference can be seen…and MISS PEREGRINE falls into that category. It is un-interesting, dull, over-the-top silly, and makes no impression whatsoever…not on the audience or the director.

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it

A Reel Review: DEEPWATER HORIZON

In the 1970’s, one of the most popular genres in cinema was the disaster flick, in which everyday people were faced with insurmountable odds in surviving real-world disasters; ranging from air travel (AIRPORT), high-rise fires (THE TOWERING INFERNO) and ships at sea (THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE). Today, Hollywood is quick to jump on the latest catastrophe, which brings us to Peter Berg’s DEEPWATER HORIZON; the true story of the oil rig which exploded in 2010…killing 11 people and spewing millions of gallons of oil into the ocean.

The oil-exploratory rig Deepwater Horizon, just 41 miles off the coast of Louisiana, is 43 days behind schedule and millions of dollars over-budget. The chief tech Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg), crew leader Mr. Jimmy (Kurt Russell) and officer Andrea Fleytas (Gina Rodriguez), try to keep things together despite being pushed by BP Oil representative Donald Vidrine (John Malkovich) to keep drilling despite the eminent danger.

DEEPWATER HORIZON is very much inspired by the disaster-film template from the 1970’s, where characters are introduced, fleshed-out, and then thrown into some sort of large-scale deadly situation which is caused by some greedy bastard trying to make a few million bucks. At the center of this is Mike Williams, who only wants do his job and go home to his loving wife and family (with the wife brilliantly played by Kate Hudson). There’s a lot of blue-collar vs. white-collar going on here, as Mike and Mr. Jimmy constantly bang heads with the management types concerning the problems with the rig.

Offshore exploratory drilling is not easy to explain, and director Peter Berg uses nearly the entire first act in explaining how it works…using the constant arguing between the workers and management as a tool to accomplish this. A lot of the technical jargon comes off as Ancient Greek, but many exceffective ellent visuals are presented to help the audience along. It sounds dull, but once the troubles start, it pays off.

The lead-up to those troubles is a wonderful build, and the atmosphere of tension and dread hangs heavy over the film. Once things go south and oil blows everywhere leading to one hell of a KABOOM, Peter Berg’s film shifts into high gear. The story goes into survival mode with characters trying to evade the flames, save their fellow workers, and keep the rig from blowing more oil into the ocean. The situations the characters find themselves on the burning rig are harrowing and the film is loaded with plenty of holy shit moments. The visuals are stunning, Steve Jablonsky’s score adds to the power of it, and as tragic as the story is, DEEPWATER HORIZON is an eye-popping heart-stopper.

With so much spectacle going on, characters become even more important, and Berg does not drop the ball in getting great performances out of his cast. Mark Wahlberg is fantastic, going through a lot of physical work and showing every bit of needed emotion. Kurt Russell is equally great, and his scenes facing off with John Malkovich are a treat.

With all of the exploding and burning going on, Berg never fails to keep this as a family story, and Mike getting home to his wife and child serves as the emotional punch at the finale which is promised to bring a hefty amount of tears. And just as a parting gift, Berg adds in a nice tribute to the men who lost their lives on that night…making DEEPWATER HORIZON a proper historical drama. This is by far Berg’s finest film; a perfect balance of spectacle and triumph of the human spirit.

BOTTOM LINE: See it

Reel Facts & Opinions: THE BIRTH OF A NATION - A Tale of Two Films

One of the most anticipated and controversial films of 2016 has arrived in the form of Nate Parker’s THE BIRTH OF A NATION. It is a film which re-claims its title from another notorious movie from 100 years ago, but now has to struggle with its own issues.

THE BIRTH OF A NATION is based on the true story of Nat Turner, the enslaved man who led a revolt in Virginia in 1831. The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival back in January, where it was met with critical acclaim. It won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize, and was bought by Fox Searchlight for $17.5 million; the largest deal ever for a Sundance film. THE BIRTH OF A NATION has been praised for its acting, directing, soundtrack, and cinematography…with many critics hailing it as a new American classic and a strong contender come Awards Season.

THE BIRTH OF A NATION has strong roots in the past. Director Nate Parker, who also produced, wrote, and stars in the film, took the title from the 1915 silent film of the same name by D.W. Griffith. The 1915 film is a landmark movie for pioneering techniques such as close-ups, fade-outs, and a battle sequence with hundreds of extras. It also was the first to build the plot to a climax, to use color-tinting, to dramatize history alongside fiction, and to feature its own score by an orchestra. It was the first 12-reel film (190 minutes), and the first to be screened at the White House. Today, the 1915 BIRTH OF A NATION is regarded as the film which brought us into the modern era.

But the film was not without controversy. It portrayed black men as unintelligent and aggressive towards women, with many of the roles played by white actors with black face-paint. On top of that, the Klu Klux Klan is shown as a heroic force, and the film is credited with inspiring the “second era” of the KKK in Georgia the same year with the film being used as a recruiting tool. Despite being innovative in cinema history, the 1915 BIRTH OF A NATION is seldom mentioned in film circles and treated like a black sheep.

Fast-forward to modern times, and director/writer/producer Nate Parker has re-claimed the title in an effort to challenge racism in America. By telling the true story of the slave rebellion led by Nat Turner, it was clearly Parker’s hope that the strong and iconic title of THE BIRTH OF A NATION could finally be remembered for something good.

But it seems that iconic title may have a curse upon it, as Nate Parker’s film arrives under a cloud. A few months back, the revelation was made that in 1999, Parker and his roommate, while students at Penn State University, were accused of raping a fellow student. Parker was acquitted while the roommate was guilty before the verdict was overturned…and the accuser would commit suicide in 2012. It’s a point that has people turning heads and asking questions, as Parker’s new film does depict a brutal rape. On top of that, in 2014 Parker made comments which were taken to be homophobic, which included him saying that he would never take on the role of a gay man, which he considered to be “emasculating”; a curious choice for someone who is putting himself out there as a flagbearer for civil rights.

Even though the 1915 film and the 2016 version could not be further apart in messaging, intent, and style, both films now seem to have a stigma attached to them; where the achievements of the film are overshadowed by the beliefs of the filmmaker. The backlash may have even started before the movie is even in theatres; advertising for the film, by way of TV spots and trailers, has been scarce. Parker may have put himself into the same class as directors Woody Allen and Roman Polanski; two famed filmmakers whose actions have had people boycotting their films for decades. The debate can rage on for another 100 years if buying a ticket to see the new THE BIRTH OF A NATION shows support for Parker, but closer to the here and now…even more interesting to see if the Academy decides to support it when the Oscar voting begins. A movie should be judged by what it puts on the screen, even if it’s difficult to separate it from the people who made it. THE BIRTH OF A NATION at least deserves a fair shake. History will take care of the rest.

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Read Reel Speak's review of THE BIRTH OF A NATION HERE

A Reel Review: Back on the Big Screen - STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN Director's Cut

In the year/stardate 1982, director Nicholas Meyer delivered what is considered today to be the best and most quintessential STAR TREK film with STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (read Reel Speak’s commemoration of the film’s 30^th anniversary HERE). The film, in which the original cast including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley, are terrorized by a vengeful Khan (brilliantly played by Ricardo Montalban), recently received a new blu-ray Director’s Cut edition this year, and this past weekend, returned to the big screen as part of Cinemark’s Classic Series. Having never seen the film on the big screen, this Blogger was pleased to take in a showing.

The first item that needs to be mentioned about this limited re-release is that this version does not seem to be the new remastered Director’s Cut which was released this year, and that brings good news and bad news. The new home release suffered from a visual defect/glitch (later corrected) which angered many fans and consumers, and this version which was run in theatres thankfully did not have that glitch. But it seems to be the version that was released on standard DVD in 2002, and although the movie looks great on the big screen, there is a feeling that it could have looked just a little better. There’s a bit more graininess to it than expected, and although WRATH OF KHAN likely looked like that anyway when it was first shot and projected on film over 30 years ago, those of us who have been used to the dazzling gloriousness of blu-ray will notice a difference. The Director’s Cut includes several bits which were cut out of the theatrical edition, and although they are neat to see, many are redundant and are not complete scenes as much as extended ones.

But again, WRATH OF KHAN, whatever version…benefits greatly on the big screen. Colors really pop; the reds of the Starfleet uniforms, the blackness of space, and the bright control panels of our beloved USS Enterprise leap off the screen. Visual effects and space-battles are stunning, and hold up very well for a film which was made 15 years before CGI took over the industry. The exteriors of the Enterprise and USS Reliant models look beautiful, and the climactic battle inside of a color gaseous nebula is breathtaking.

The way a film sounds is just as important as it looks, and WRATH OF KHAN benefits greatly from the big theatre speakers. Dialogue is clear, explosions and fires have their expected boom, and sci-fi sounds such as phasers and transporter beams sound magnificent. The big-screen environment really augments the film’s audio and brings out sounds that are often lost when viewing at home. For example, in a quiet scene in Kirk’s apartment, which overlooks a body of water, the sounds of foghorns can be heard in the distance; a touch that this Blogger never noticed. Other ambient sounds such as the beeps and whistles of the Enterprise Bridge and control stations are also brought out of hiding.

No STAR TREK film is complete without a great soundtrack, and WRATH OF KHAN features one of the best scores of all time. James Horner’s work in the film sounds fantastic. No one did mighty horns the way the late great Horner did, and his music is literally stunning. Sitting through the end-credits to listen to the score alone is worth the ticket price.

With all the visuals and sounds being augmented, WRATH OF KHAN once again becomes a powerful cinematic experience. The big-screen presentation amplifies the power of the film; after all, it carries powerful themes of life, death, old age, loss of youth…and undying friendship. All very human themes that cinema thrives on. With so much visual and audio stimulation going on, all these great storytelling themes are doubled in power, and a few tears may roll even for those who have seen the film countless times. This big-screen presentation isn’t quite perfect, but it is a trek worth taking.

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STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN Director's Cut will once again run on the big-screen on September 28^th. Click HERE for information.

Read Reel Speak’s ranking of the best STAR TREK films HERE.