American Hustle

"American Hustle" reeks of the 1970's. Everything from the costumes to the hairstyles to the soundtrack which ranges from Tom Jones to Wings. Director David O. Russell continues his hot streak and brings together a dream team cast that combines to make one of the most misleading, yet immensely entertaining films of the year.

"American Hustle" is the basis of a true story wrapped around in fiction (think Titanic). Set around the real life "Abscam" scandal of the 1970's. Christian Bale and Amy Adams are the two con artists who've mastered this scheme involving counterfeit art dealings as well as using bribery to bring in New Jersey powerbrokers (mafia) and corrupt politicians. When a hot wired FBI agent played gloriously by Bradley Cooper infiltrates the scam the con goes to a whole new level and can be brought down by their own bullshit as well as Bale's unhinged wife played by current Hollywood darling Jennifer Lawrence. "American Hustle" draws comparisons to past films but is most notably an offspring of Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas".

With arguably the best movie trailer of the year "American Hustle" opens with countless awards buzz as well as high "must see" status from both film aficionados and Joe the Plumber and his wife. The biggest misconception coming in the pre release buzz is that this is a comedy, while there are definitely dark funny moments "American Hustle" is better appreciated as a crime drama. Following "The Fighter" and my pick for best film of 2012 "Silver Linings Playbook", director David O. Russell goes in a somewhat different direction then he did in his previous two films. There is a great comfort here between the director and his 4 leading actors, this comes as no surprise as both Adams and Bale were nominated for Oscars for their turns in "The Fighter" (Bale won) and Cooper and Lawrence both nominated for "Silver Linings" (Lawrence won). Because of some slow character development scenes early on I can't say that "American Hustle" is the best film of the year, however it is definitely in the top 10 and the cast's performances make it easily far and away the best performance based film and each of the four and good bets for Oscar nominations in the lead and supporting actor fields.

Cooper especially runs circles around his fellow actors here, echoing whispers of classic 70's Pacino as FBI agent Richie Dimaso. Going deeper and deeper into the con, as well as getting involved with Adam's character further unhinges Cooper's character and we get some great scenes, especially between Cooper and his boss played in a great small role by comedian Louis CK. Bale, trades the batsuit for extra pounds and the comb over to end all comb overs as lead con man Irving Rosenfeld disappears into his role which is not half as flashy as Cooper's but you actually forget that its Christian Bale you are watching.

Amy Adams as former stripper turned "British" financial advisor Sydney Prosser turns in yet another stellar supporting performance, this time with the help of 70's glam, her wardrobe becomes apart of her performance and one would be hard pressed to find another such performance this year. Jennifer Lawrence, looking like a young Ellen Barkin is absolutely in her own category here asIrving's bored housewife Roslyn. Her role here is pretty minor even in supporting actor terms yet every time she is on screen the movie becomes that much more interesting. Highlights include her take on the risks involving "Science ovens" and a performance of "Live and Let Die" while wearing dishwashing gloves. Lost under these 4 powerhouse performances is the 5th lead, a good-hearted yet corrupt New Jersey mayor played by Jeremy Renner. Renner, a good actor does a good job here but even with a poof hair do that would make Snooki jealous gets lost in the shuffle other than a great confrontation scene between him and Bale's character.

As stated earlier the biggest flaw with "American Hustle" are the character development scenes early in the film. While character development and introductions are necessary as the actors do such a good job with their roles the lengthy development is not needed. Once all that is finished this is where the movie really gets going. The film has narration by multiple characters which is again a tribute to "Goodfellas" though I would have liked to have had more of that, especially during the main con scene as it is so elaborate its almost dizzying.

"American Hustle" is going to divide viewers. The marketing campaign has been both the films best friend and worst enemy. What cannot be denied is the exclamatory performances that anchor the film as well as the entire vibe that the movie gives out. Director Russell has become such a director that his films have become event status features and will continue to incite great debates between moviegoers.

Anchorman: The Legend Continues

The sequel to "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" has been eagerly anticipated by myself as well as San Diegites all over the world. Sequels to popular comedies for the most part are immensely underwhelming, I'm looking at you "Hangover Part II".  The first "Anchorman" was a modest hit upon initial release but grew a massive pop culture following by those who waited til DVD or had to watch it a 2nd time to actually get it (me). In what seems like a never-ending promotional blitz since 2012 when the sequel was announced we finally have another adventure with Ron Burgundy and the Channel 4 News team.  The question is, how does it hold up to the original? The answer to that is that while "Anchorman 2" is not the near perfect comedy that "Anchorman" is, it is still very very funny with a lot of great quotable lines that will make fellow fans happy and satisfied.

Ron Burgundy is one of the best characters created in the 2000's. It's everything from his mustache to his overall outlook on life. Created from the mind of star Will Ferrell and director/co-writer Adam Mckay Burgundy is the poster boy for mid 70's political incorrectness and male chauvinism. McKay and Ferrell have been writing partners since their days on SNL and their comfort level with each other shows on screen in "Anchorman" along with other collaborations such as "Step Brothers" and "Talladega Nights", they are not afraid to go outside the comfort zone sometimes taking chances on bits that are just too out there and don't stick but more times than not are hilarious. The first "Anchorman" focused mainly on sexism in the 70's with a local San Diego news station as the background. "Anchorman 2" shifts the setting to New York City in 1980 with Burgundy and his news team taking a job at one of the first 24 hour news stations in the world.

Gone in this sequel are a lot of the political and social undertones from the first instead giving us a lot more of the goofiness of Burgundy and other cast of characters who all return for the second go around. The rest of the channel 4 news team consists of Paul Rudd as "man on the street" Brian Fontana, sportscaster Champ Kind played by David Koechner and fan favorite weatherman Brick Tamland played by Steve Carell. Paul Rudd is again the MVP of the news team in terms of getting the most laughs for me. Carell, now arguable as big of a star as Ferrell thanks to his role in "The Office" and "The 40 Year Old Virgin" now seems kind of out of place in the role of Brick but while he is not as memorable as he was in the first he still gets a few good laughs.

The one problem that "Anchorman 2" has is that there are almost too many jokes to go around, this is a complicated problem. There are moments in the film that I laughed out loud more so than I have in a theater in a long time but there are also moments that just fall flat. Brick showing up to his own funeral and a scene in Ron's Winnebago come to mind. Scenes such as this could have easily been removed to make the scenes that do work (which there are a lot of) stick with the moviegoer. A lot of the funniest scenes come by so quickly and in succession of each other its almost hard to keep up. Christina Applegate also returns in very funny form as Veronica Corningstone and her scenes with Ron and their son are some of the best in the movie. Instead of introducing another female love interest for Ron played by the beautiful Meagan Good I would of liked to have seen more of Veronica in the mix.

While there is light commentary on how we receive the news now and even a bit on race in America Anchorman plays mainly and best as a spoof in the vein of "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun". Everyone involved is completely on board for the ridiculousness and not in it just for a cash grab, looking at you "Meet the Fockers".... The appeal of the characters shows in the plethora of cameos, everyone from cinema icons to rappers to even an Oscar winner. There are a lot of great quotable lines that I think will remain in the pop culture pantheon along with "I love lamp" and others from the original.

The finale of "Anchorman 2" is a major hark back to the original. It is both one of the best scenes in the movie along with being one of the most absurd scenes I think I've seen. Without any spoilers I'll just say that a werewolf, minotaur and the ghost of Stonewall Jackson among many others are involved. "Anchorman 2" will certainly not bring any new converts to Burgundy's gang but if you are a fan of the original get your jazz flutes out and spray on a little Sex Panther and enjoy!

Nebraska

"Nebraska" the newest movie from heralded director Alexander Payne (Sideways, Election) in all its black and white glory is both a triumph as a film as well as a showcase for heralded yet underappreciated actor Bruce Dern. For the type of movie that "Nebraska" is I cant find a more appropriate word to describe it other than it is perfect.

"Nebraska" centers around Dern's character Woody Grant who has received a letter in the mail declaring him the winner of 1 million dollars. Woody takes it upon himself to walk from his home in Billings Montana to Lincoln Nebraska to collect his supposed winnings until his ne'er do-well son played impressively by SNL/MacGruber alum Will Forte to take this opportunity to bond with his estranged father on this road trip . Along the way they stop off in Woody's former hometown where word of his "millions" soons spreads fast and Woody becomes a living legend in the town no matter how obvious it is that Woody is in fact not going to be a millionaire.

Director Payne is one of America's most consistent directors of the last 15 years, all of his films share a dark comic undertone that is not lost at all on "Nebraska". Payne's most popular film has to be considered "Sideways" and "Nebraska" is actually a good companion piece to it, even though its almost completely opposite. "Sideways" took place in wine country on California's central coast, its beautiful scenery was showcased. "Nebraska" in contrast is shot in black and white and shows the dull, flat landedness that is America's Midwest, its dull and boring and that's the way it should be. What's similar between the two films is the depiction of the characters as being actually believable, flaws and all. Woody's pursuit of the money is not so much a thing of greed, he wants a new truck because he has never had a new truck before, he wants a new air compressor because his previous one was stolen by a "friend" 30 years ago. The Odyssey that takes place shows Woody's son David that underneath the alcoholic, distant father he grew up with was a man who couldn't say no to anyone and never went for his dreams. I do promise this is a comedy.

Actor Bruce Dern has worked with everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to Quentin Tarentino. He is a name you might not know but a face you would definitely recognize. His role here is probably the safest bet there is for an Oscar nomination if not a win, its both funny and heartbreaking. If you come from or at least know a dysfunctional family then you will find humor in this movie and the supporting cast does nothing but enhance this experience. The before mentioned Will Forte is a great surprise here and the scenes between him and Dern are some of the best between two actors in recent memory. Relative unknown June Squibb is a scene stealer as Woody's long suffering wife and another great character actor Stacy Keach shows up as a former business partner of Woody's who is looking to settled an old debt. everyone involved from Dern to the actresses playing waitresses are pitch perfect here.

On paper a movie about an old man's odyssey for a cash prize that is shot in black and white and not starring Clint Eastwood is obviously not an easy sell nor probably appealing to the average moviegoer. I can say that if you appreciate dark humor and great acting you will appreciate "Nebraska", whether or not you can exactly relate to it.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

There are movies like the "Twilight" series and then there are movies like the "Hunger Games" series. Similar in that the hero is a female protagonist caught in a love triangle and torn between what is right and wrong but different in almost every other facet up to and including how the execution of the movie adaptation from YA novel series to worldwide blockbuster franchise is done right or for lack of a better term: holocausty.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is the 2nd in the 4 movie series based on the "Hunger Games" YA trilogy of novels (make sense?) The original brought two major things to the table upon its release last year, first was a new franchise that both women and men could find interest in and more importantly it brought Jennifer Lawrence into the mainstream with her role as heroine Katniss Everdeen. Catching Fire is the rarest of rare sequels in that it exceeds the overall experience from the first movie, basically improving on every flaw that the first one had.

I, along with other fans of the book series felt that the 3 books dissolved in quality as they progressed. The filmmakers have made great decisions in creating new things for the book to film adaptation that even at a 2 and a half hour running time makes the film feel fast paced and not just recycling the best things from the first movie. The first Hunger Games is by no means a bad movie but it took its time introducing the characters and original director Gary Ross relied too much on the hand held shaky camera to get his point across. "I Am Legend" and go to "TRL" music video director Francis Lawrence is better suited for this type of material, "Catching Fire" just seems crisper and cleaner than its predecessor.

Lawrence is, as stated in previous entries a "AOM" fave. Continuing to show she has many hats, "Catching Fire" is her follow up to last years Oscar winning turn in what was my favorite film of 2012 "Silver Linings Playbook".  Unlike say Kristen Stewart, Lawrence seems game and ready to take on a blockbuster franchise as well as hone her craft with smaller fare like "Silver Linings" and "Winter's Bone". Delivering hokey dialogue is a must in this kind of movie and Lawrence delivers on all levels, her take on Katniss has to be considered one of the best female action heroes along with Sigourney Weaver's "Ellen Ripley" from the "Alien" series. The rest of the cast is almost pitch perfect. Early 2000's indie darling and almost "it" girl Jenna Malone nearly steals the movie from Lawrence as fellow arena competitor Johanna Mason, its definitely a supporting role but every time she is on screen you want more of her. Donald Sutherland as President Snow and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as game creator Plutarch Heavensbee eat up all their scenes and the 2 or 3 they have together are especially juicy. Much like Anthony Hopkins in "Thor 2" these two distinguished actors know they are above the material they are given but they have fun and do the most with it. Stanley Tucci and Elizabeth Banks return as fan favorites Caesar Flickerman and Effie Trinket. Josh Hutcherson improves the most from the first film as one part of the Katrniss, Peeta, Gale love triangle. Liam Hemsworth, Thor's younger and especially boring brother treads dangerously on Robert Pattison territory again as Gale. Other fun casting choices include Jeffery Wright and Amanda Plummer as two older arena competitors and especially Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Thread who makes a great splash in his lone introductory scene.

For the uninitiated "The Hunger Games" tells the story of America in the distant future that has been through another, much more destructive civil war. The losers of the war have been divided into districts with "The Capitol" ruling over them all. As a constant reminder to stay in check each year "The Hunger Games" are held which requires a lottery in each district selecting one male and female to travel to the capitol and participate in a fight to the death with the other competitors with the lone remaining survivor reaping the benefits as "Hunger Games" champion. This premise is what sold me in the beginning and leaving out the fancy costumes and love triangles its far and away the most interesting thing about the movies. "Catching Fire" wisely focuses more on the training for the games and the battle itself than the first one. "Catching Fire" also needs to set up a lot bigger picture that will be seen in parts 1 and 2 of "Mockingjay" and it does so-unlike some Marvel features without taking away from the current movie at hand.

"Catching Fire" in no way suffers from a sophomore slump, if you were a fan of the first movie this should exceed all expectations and if you've read the books you'll be especially happy.

Dallas Buyers Club

"Dallas Buyers Club" is a small movie whose premise alone shouts "nominate me for something!" Usually things so blatantly packaged for end of the year awards consideration are either A) dramatically overhyped to make some money or B) so randomly mis-marketed that it gets lost in the shuffle. "DBC" avoids these ploys almost in full, this is a good movie with an outstanding performance from the nude bongo player himself- Matthew McConaughey who has transformed himself from absurd action and or romantic comedy roles to probably one of the best mainstream Hollywood actors going now.

"DBC" is the true story of Ron Woodruff, a rodeo cowboy/hustler who after years of a hard partying lifestyle and countless random unprotected sexual encounters finds himself with the HIV virus in the mid 1980's which was the beginning and the scariest time for AIDS in America. Confused as to how he could contact what is perceived as only a "gay" disease there is a moment early in the film when McConaughey as Woodruff reaches the point of realization that this is in fact a real situation that he now has to deal with, its a moment with no dialogue that immediately makes you feel empathy for the character and shows what a commitment McConaughey has made to the role- along with the much publicized 40 pound weight loss he made for the role. For the majority of his career McCounaughey has been an actor with a lot of potential, from his early work in "Dazed and Confused" and "A Time to Kill" but never seemed that interested in becoming a truly great actor. Roles in such fodder as "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and other mindless crap has only helped in the conclusion that he just wasn't interested in expanding his horizons. With recent roles in another indie "Bernie" and his supporting turn in the "Citizen Kane" of stripper movies "Magic Mike" which he was criminally overlooked for in last years Oscar race he has seemed to turn a corner, "DBC" is for lack of a better term his official coming out party.

The title "Dallas Buyers Club" is in reference to the "club" that Woodruff starts to supply himself and others with HIV/AIDS with currently unapproved or illegal drugs to fight off the disease. Along the way he meets a transsexual named "Rayon" played by one time 90's TV star and current 30 Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto. Leto as well transforms himself into his role in a very effective and heartbreaking turn that has the potential for Oscar talk in the supporting actor category. Jennifer Garner also stars as a doctor torn between doing what she feels is right and what her bosses at the hospital feel is right, Garner is perfectly fine in the role but doesn't bring anything new to the table. Look for one time 80's star Griffin Dunne "After Hours" in a near cameo as the doctor working in Mexico who turns Ron onto to these new experimental drugs.

"DBC" at first glance could be lumped in with other "message" movies such as "Milk" or "The Help" but it really isn't. Its basically a black and white story about a time period in America that is confusing and scary for those who thankfully haven't had any experience with it. While I didn't necessarily identify with Woodruff the man you can't help but feel his pain and identify with the position that the politics and culture of the time put the people effected by this disease in. For that much the movie is good with the bonus of the fantastic acting by the performers that makes this a film that you should not miss.

Thor: The Dark World

"Thor: The Dark World" is the latest installment in the Marvel Studios "Avenger" series, it follows the years earlier "Iron Man 3" as the two most current follow up's to 2012's superhero mash up "The Avengers". Thor probably ranks behind only Iron Man as the most popular Avenger and a lot of that has to do with the good will that the original "Thor" brought as well as his role in "The Avengers". Most of this is due to star Chris Hemsworth's ability to bring a human side to the half man half god Asgardian. While its a good sequel the problem with "Thor 2" is that it suffers from a lot of the same problems that plagued "Iron Man 2" in that it preoccupied with setting up future installments of "Thor" and other Marvel entities.

With a : title such as "The Dark World" its already a preconceived notion that most of this adventure will take place in other realms other than Earth, unfortunately this portion of the nearly 2 hour film is the weakest and to be blunt: boring. The story begins with the return of an old enemy of Thor's home planet of Asgard. As this is the main villain at hand this is the main problem I had with "Thor 2". The villain known as "Malekith" is basically a dwarf that looks like something cut of "Lord of the Rings", he doesn't really talk and is not a very imposing figure unlike the much more charismatic, glam rock star in waiting "Loki" who is also featured and is just screaming for his own stand alone movie. Malekith also disappears for times and while its a welcome absence there is no feeling for his return and in turn never poses a threat to Thor and or the overall picture.

What does work is anytime Thor is on Earth. He does reunite with his true love "Jane Foster" played again by Natalie Portman who does look annoyed at times but never the less does a admirable job as the scientist/damsel in distress. "The Dark World" sets are often dark and dusted with charcoal and CGI that makes it look more like a video game. Thor on Earth plays like a fish out of water which adds to the comedic and relatable elements for the audience. The final battle scene ranks up their with the finale of "The Avengers" and a lot of this has to do with the human elements it brings with being based mostly on Earth. Other cast highlights include Anthony Hopkins as Thor's dad King Odin, I always enjoy seeing actors with such a high caliber as Hopkins delivering slightly over the top dialogue while overacting, if Shakespeare ever wrote a Hollywood blockbuster I hope it would be something like Thor. Kat Dennings, one half of TV's "2 Broke Girls" offers a lot of comic relief as Portman's intern and the depressingly underused Rene Russo returns as Thor's mom Frigga.

As a whole "Thor 2" works even with some parts not working at all. If you've followed the characters through their miscellaneous adventures you will find enough here to stay entertained even with the massive fails that occur during the middle portion. As with any Marvel feature be sure to stay until the last end credits roll as you get not one but two Easter eggs one of which sets up the big screen adaptation of the lesser known Marvel comic "Guardians of the Galaxy" featuring an almost unrecognizable Benicio Del Toro as "The Collector".

Captain Phillips

"Captain Phillips" is the harrowing, tension filled and exhausting in the best way true story of Somali pirates overtaking of an American freighter ship under the command of said Captain Phillips played by Tom Hanks in a career rejuvenating role that is not to be missed.

Directed by Paul Greengrass of "United 93" and the two best entries in the original Jason Bourne trilogy (Supremacy and Ultimatum), "Captain Phillips" is a tightly wound thriller that is both large in scale and intimate enough to make you feel as if you are a witness to it all. Greengrass is the master of using the camera in a hand held manner that is ideal for this type of story. With scenes taking place in confined spaces onboard the freighter ship as well as the dramatic conclusion inside a lifeboat with Captain Phillips and his pirate hijackers it is a claustrophobic that much like the earlier released "Gravity" helps the viewer experience what the characters are experiencing though here we don't have the 3D technology to exacerbate this sensation-its not needed.

The almost always reliable Hanks has been in a slump as of late choosing to go with roles that require bad haircuts and uninspired acting (The Da Vinci Code), "Captain Phillips" is a welcome returned to form for the actor as this is the type of role that is expected of him and is sure to bring with it an onslaught of end of the year award consideration. Much like the movie itself Hanks brings quiet moments, especially early on in the film as the mild mannered family man Captain who is put in a position that no everyman could be expected to handle any other way than he executes here. The other great performance here is from absolutely unknown Somali actor Barkhad Abdi as the head pirate by the name of Muse. A role that could be easily played as a faceless villain, Abdi brings the human touch to Muse who is clearly out to make a better life for himself by the only way-or option that he knows its a remarkable performance is that its a menacing portrayal but part of you understands why he is who he is.

The events in the movie are true, but as with any "true" story it is hard to really know what happened and even how accurate that events that did happen are portrayed. That being said every moment in this film is believable, there are small moments of humor that break the tension even for a second that seem genuine in a moment of crisis. The scenes on the lifeboat towards the end are the most effective and emotional even with Hanks clearly going for a certain gold statue towards the harrowing conclusion, nothing feels forced.

October brings with it the start of the awards season for cinema and with "Captain Phillips" and the before mentioned and reviewed "Gravity" it looks to be an exciting and ridiculously competitive season. Do yourself a favor and seek out "Captain Phillips" before it gets lost in the inevitable awards bait shuffle, its a decision you will not regret.