Review: "THE KING'S MAN" is the Best "Kingsman" Yet

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 23 of 2022 (No. 1835) by Leroy Douresseaux

The King's Man (2021)
Running time: 131 minutes (2 hours, 11 minutes)
MPA – R for sequences of strong/bloody violence, language, and some sexual material
DIRECTOR:  Matthew Vaughn
WRITERS:  Matthew Vaughn and Karl Gajdusek; from a story by Matthew Vaughn (based on on the comic book, The Secret Service, by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons)
PRODUCERS:  Adam Bohling, David Reid, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Ben Davis (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Jason Ballantine and Rob Hall
COMPOSERS:  Dominic Lewis and Matthew Margeson

FANTASY/ACTION/SPY/WAR with some elements of comedy

Starring:  Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Djimon Hounsou, Rhys Ifans, Harris Dickinson, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Brühl, Charles Dance, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Stanley Tucci

The King's Man is a 2021 spy and action movie and war drama from director Matthew Vaughn.  It is the third film in the Kingsman film series, and it is a “prequel” to the previous two films, Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) and Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017).  All three films are based on characters and elements from the 2012 comic book miniseries, The Secret Service, by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons.  The King's Man focuses on an aristocrat and his spy network as they try to stop a plot to pit the British, German, and Russian empires against each other in a war that will wipe out millions of lives.

The King's Man introduces British aristocrat Orlando, Duke of Oxford (Ralph Fiennes).  In 1914, Orlando has formed a private spy network consisting of domestic servants employed by the world's most powerful dignitaries.  His own servants, his butler, Shola (Djimon Hounsou), and his maid/nanny, Polly Watkins (Gemma Arterton), are his closest aides and confidants.  The primary objective of Orlando's network is to protect the United Kingdom and the British Empire from the conflagration of the approaching “Great War.”

Orlando's only son, Conrad (Harris Dickinson), is eager to fight, but Orlando forbids him from joining the British Army and uses his connections to keep him from entering service.  Besides, there are other things to keep father, son, and the spy network busy.  Orlando's friend, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Ron Cook), and his wife are assassinated.  Orlando learns that the assassin is part of “The Flock,” a group plotting to pit the German, Russian, and British empires against each other in the Great War.

Orlando and his network then engage in a series of adventures to foil the Flock's plans, that includes killing Grigori Rasputin (Rhys Ifans), the priest and mystic who serves the Flock's mysterious leader, “The Shepherd.”  As his personal physician, Rasputin practically controls Tsar Nicholas (Tom Hollander) of Russia.  And if Nicholas does as Rasputin wants, Great Britain may be doomed.  Can Orlando and his network stop The Shepherd and save the British Empire?  And will Conrad remain with his father's network or will he force his way into military service in a war in which young men like him are dying by the thousands?

The King's Man is easily the best of the Kingsman series, thus far.  The villain, “The Shepherd,” is ridiculous, but his motivations will make more sense and is more likely to appeal to British audiences.  For me, The Shepherd is what keeps The King's Man from being a truly great film.

The film's remix of the history of the “Great War” (World War I) seems inappropriate, but the film's inclusion of WWI is what makes it stand out from other films based on comic books.  In fact, The King's Man is grounded in a darker take on that war than another comic book movie, Wonder Woman (2017), which is also largely set during the first World War.  In a way, The King's Man seems like a salute to the men who served and the ones who died in the muck and mud of Europe during “the war to end all wars.”

Ralph Fiennes brings a touch of class and some serious dramatic chops to this film.  It seems as if director Matthew Vaughn and his co-writer, Karl Gajdusek, take this film more seriously than Vaughn did with the previous two films, which were action-spy movies with a strong comic overtone.  The King's Man is a war drama, spy serial, and action-thriller, and Fiennes, as Orlando, the Duke of Oxford, sells this film's seriousness.

Gemma Arterton and Djimon Hounsou are also quite good as Orlando's top lieutenants, Polly and Shola, respectively.  As Rasputin, Rhys Ifans offers a performance that is off-beat, over-the-top, and colorful.  Tom Hollander, with the help of the make-up and hairstyling crew of The King's Man, is credible in three roles, but makes his most potent turn as Britain's King George.  Harris Dickinson as Orlando's son, Conrad, gives the film's most hot-blooded and nuanced performance.

The best way I can describe The King's Man is as being like a serial adventure.  The film's plot is comprised of multiple missions and subplots, which keeps the film's narrative hopping.  The film moves fast, fast enough to keep audiences from focusing on the film's inconsistencies and flaws in logic, but also fast enough to make the story seem like a non-stop, breathtaking adventure.  Like Matthew Vaughn himself, I want to see a fourth film in the series, one that focuses on the characters that make it to the end of this film and on their first decade as the “Kingsman.”  I highly recommend The King's Man to audiences that have watched either of the first two films or both.  They were really a build up to the best of their lot, The King's Man.

7 of 10
A-

Thursday, April 14, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "KINGSMAN: The Golden Circle" Improves on the First Film

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 22 of 2022 (No. 1834) by Leroy Douresseaux

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
Running time: 141 minutes (2 hours, 21 minutes)
MPAA – R for sequences of strong violence, drug content, language throughout and some sexual content
DIRECTOR:  Matthew Vaughn
WRITERS:  Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn (based on on the comic book, The Secret Service, by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons)
PRODUCERS:  Adam Bohling, David Reid, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  George Richmond (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Eddie Hamilton
COMPOSERS:  Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson

COMEDY/ACTION/SPY/SCI-FI

Starring:  Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Pedro Pascal, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Edward Holcroft, Hanna Alström, Calvin Demba, Thomas Turgoose, Tobi Bakare, Bruce Greenwood, Emily Watson, Elton John, Sophie Cookson, and Michael Gambon

Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a 2017 spy movie and action-comedy from director Matthew Vaughn.  It is a direct sequel to the 2015 film, Kingsman: The Secret Service.  Both films are based on characters and elements from the 2012 comic book, The Secret Service, by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons.  The Golden Circle focuses on two elite secret organizations that must band together to defeat a common enemy that is holding the world hostage.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle opens a year after Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton) defeated and killed the diabolical Internet billionaire, Richmond Valentine.  Eggsy has officially joined the independent intelligence agency, Kingsman, and has taken his late mentor. Harry Hart's (Colin Firth) position as agent “Galahad.”  Eggsy is also dating Tilde (Hanna Alström), Crown Princess of Sweden, whom he saved from Valentine.

One night in London, Eggsy is ambushed by Charlie Hesketh (Edward Holcroft), a rejected Kingsman applicant.  Eggsy defeats Charlie, who escapes.  However, Charlie has a new employer, a mysterious organization known as “The Golden Circle.”  Its leader, Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore), the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of illegal drugs and narcotics, launches an attack against the Kingsman that leaves the agency devastated.  The survivors, Eggsy and Merlin (Mark Strong), make contact with “Statesman,” the American counterpart of Kingsman, which uses a Kentucky-based bourbon whiskey business as a front.  [The Kingsman's front is as a Savile Row tailor.]

With the help of the Statesman, Agent Whiskey (Pedro Pascal) and Ginger Ale (Halle Berry), Eggsy tries to stop Poppy Adams' plot to use a toxin in the drugs and narcotics she sells to hold the world for ransom.  She wants her demands met or she will withhold an antidote to the toxin, which means hundreds of millions of people will die.  In order to stop her, Eggsy will have to face many challenges … and a number of surprising reveals.

I enjoyed Kingsman: The Secret Service quite a bit, but it was mostly a substance-free past-time.  As much as I enjoyed the film, I had mostly forgotten about it a few hours after seeing it.  Kingsman: The Golden Circle isn't quite as substance-free as its predecessor.  The bonds and obligations of friendship and love weigh on the characters, especially Eggsy.  He can no longer just live for the job, not when there is a serious relationship commitment in front of him.

I found some of the Statesman characters to be either superfluous or simply boring, with the exception of Halle Berry's Ginger Ale.  I am a longtime fan of Berry's, and she makes the casually smart and calm Ginger an endearing character.  Elton John also makes a surprising and shocking turn as something of a fun and offbeat action hero.

The film also has a wacky-ass and fun soundtrack.  It uses John Denver's 1971 hit, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” including a poignant version sung by Mark Strong's Merlin.  There are a few Elton John hits, of course, some performed in the film by Elton.  The best song on the soundtrack may be a funky, country rock version of Cameo's “Word Up” by the German musical act “The BossHoss.”

Taron Egerton as Eggsy has star appeal and leading man quality, which is a surprise to me.  I wish the film had given some of the narrative time devoted to the Statesman characters back to Eggsy.  Egerton takes the Kingsman film franchise to the next level.  Kingsman: The Golden Circle is an improvement over the original film, enough of an improvement that I hope to see another sequel.

7 of 10
B+

Wednesday, February 16, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 7th, 2021 - Update #24

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

COMICS TO FILM - From Negromancer:   Here is my review of "The Suicide Squad."

TELEVISION - From YahooAP:   CNN has fired three employees for going to work although they had not received a COVID-19 vaccination.

TELEVISION - From Variety:   Actress Colbie Smolders, who has made numerous appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will play real-life political commentator, Ann Coulter, in FX's "Impeachment: American Crime Story."  She replaces actress Betty Gilpin, who had to withdraw from the project due to scheduling conflicts.  "Impeachment" focuses on the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky.

ANIMATION - SouthPark:   MTV Entertainment Studios inks new and expansive deal with creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone through 2027. South Park TV series extending to season 30 for Comedy Central linear. 14 South Park original made-for-streaming movies exclusively for Paramount+ starting with two films in 2021

SCANDAL - From YahooWashPost:   In Hawaii, a case of mistaken identity so crazy that you have to read it yourself.  The victim spent over two years in jail and also in a mental institution.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Taylor Sheridan has created a prequel to his hit TV series, "Yellowstone."  Entitled "1883," the series will star Sam Elliot, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Apple's "Apple Original Films" is closing in on a big deal to obtain worldwide rights to director Matthew Vaughn's star-studded next film, "Argylle."

MUSIC/SCANDAL - From TheDailyBeast:  This month, specifically Aug. 25th, is the 20th anniversary of the plane crash in the Bahamas that killed singer and actress Aaliyah D. Haughton, simply known as "Aaliyah."  This article talks about a new book, "Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah," that makes the claim that the singer was drugged by one of her entourage and carried onto the plane before it crashed.

From Complex:   There have been hints that Aaliyah's music will be available on all streaming platforms this month (Aug. 2021).  In response, her family issues a statement about unauthorized projects.

COVID - From Stat:  For many people, the belated realization that COVID-19 will be "a long war" sparks anger and denial.

CELEBRITY/COVID-19 - From YahooEntertainment:  Actress Jennifer Aniston says that she has had to cut ties with "a few people" over COVID-19 vaccinations.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Actor Brendan Fraser, best known for Universal's wonderful "The Mummy" franchise, has landed two huge acting gigs.  He has joined Martin Scorsese's highly-anticipated "Killers of the Flower Moon" and also Max Barbakow's comedy, "Brothers."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Nicholas Hoult will star in Universal Pictures' "Renfield," which focuses on Count Dracula's henchman.

MEDIA - From Deadline:  Meet "DirecTV Stream," the new entity born as a result of AT&T spinning off DirecTV.

CELEBRITY - From CNN:   Emmy winning television personality and comedian, Kathy Griffin, has announced that she has lung cancer and will have surgery.

STREAMING - From Variety:   Amazon has released an image from and a release date (Sept. 2, 2022) for its series, "The Lord of the Rings."

BUSINESS - From WSJ:  Reese Witherspoon’s media business, Hello Sunshine, is selling itself to a firm backed by private-equity giant Blackstone Group Inc., reportedly for 900 million dollars.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 7/30 to 8/1/2021 weekend box office is Disney's "Jungle Cruise" with an estimated take of 34.2 million dollars.

From Deadline:   New Line Cinema's "The Conjuring" franchise, which is currently comprised of seven movies, has crossed the two-million dollar mark in worldwide box office.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Alex Kurtzman, the architect behind CBS Studios' "Star Trek" universe, has signed an overall mega-deal with CBS Studios.  The deal is reportedly worth 150 million dollars, which would put Kurtzman among the top writer-producers in TV.

MUSIC/POLITICS/BLM - From YahooRollingStone:   Willie Nelson returned to the stage Saturday (July 31st) to take part in the Poor People’s Campaign march for voting rights outside the Texas Capitol in Austin.

MOVIES - From TimesUK:   From "The Sunday Times" comes this article:  "Is Matt Damon the Last of Hollywood's Leading Men."  The actor says, “Movies as we know them aren’t going to be a thing in our kids’ lives.” “And that makes me sad.”

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Veteran movie car coordinator Dennis McCarthy breaks down the back stories behind two of the biggest vehicular stars of "F9" as Yahoo Entertainment presents exclusive 3D augmented-reality renderings of the film’s "Dodge Charger Wide Body" and "Dodge Charger Hellcat" — two of the nine Chargers McCarthy and his 12-person team built for the film — which you can virtually place in your family room.

BLACK FILM - From TheGuardian:   Melvin Van Peebles and Perry Henzell made seminal 70s films – now their kids have recovered their fathers’ would-be classics.

OBITS:

From Deadline:   Songwriter and musician, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, has died at the age of 70, Saturday, August 7, 2021.  Thomas an alto saxophone player was one of the founding members of the American R&B, soul, funk, disco, jazz, and pop band, "Kool and the Gang," and he had been with the band since its inception in 1964 until his death.

From YahooSports:  Former Major League Baseball pitcher, J.R. Richard, has died at the age of 71, Wednesday, August 4, 2021.  A Houston Astros legend, Richard was one of the most feared pitchers of the 1970s.  Richard had a stroke in July 1980 that effectively ended his career.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 1st to 10th, 2021 - Update #18

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SPORTS - From CNN:   Zaila Avant-garde, a 14-year-old from New Orleans, Louisiana, won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, becoming the first African American contestant to win in 93 editions of the competition.  Zaila is also a basketball prodigy who owns some Guinness world records.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena and Samuel L. Jackson will star in director Matthew Vaughn's spy film, "Argylle."

TELEVISION - From YahooEntertainment:   Veteran television music composer, Jonathan Wolff, talks about composing the music for the iconic late NBC TV series, "Seinfeld," and about the soundtrack album of music from the series.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 7/2 to 7/4/21 weekend box office is "F9" with an estimated take of 24 million dollars.

TELEVISION - From Variety:   HBO Max's "Pretty Little Liars" reboot has its first two cast members, Chandler Kinney and Maia Reficco.  The original series ran from 2010 to 2017 on ABC Family/Freeform.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   "Lovecraft Country," one of HBO's most celebrated and inventive recent TV series will not return for a second season.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  The second "Downton Abbey" film to open in theaters in March 18, 2022, moved from its planned December 22, 2021 opening date.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   Superstar television showrunner, Noah Hawley, talks about his FX series based on the "Alien" film series.  Hawley says that it is not about signature "Alien" character, Ellen Ripley, and that it will start shooting next spring.

ACADEMY AWARDS - From Deadline:  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization which hands out the Oscars, have invited 395 new members.

ANIMATION/LGBTQ - From Insider:   Animation's queer women, trans, and nonbinary creatives are pushing gender boundaries in kid's cartoons their counterparts couldn't — or wouldn't dare

BILL COSBY - From Deadline:   Television icon Bill Cosby has been released from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his 2018 sexual assault conviction, finding fault with the way prosecutors pursued a case against him after earlier declining to file charges.

From Deadline:  Hollywood reacts to Bill Cosby being released from prison.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Emmy-winning actor John Lithgow is joining Michael C. Hall in Showtime's revival of its hit drama, "Dexter."  Lithgow's character in the original run was bumped off...

OBITS:

From THR:   The actor, William Smith, has died at the age of 88, Monday, July 5, 2021.  Smith was a legendary Hollywood tough guy and action star.  He was a lead character in NBC's short-lived Western TV series, "Laredo" (1965-67), and he was a main cast member on the final season of CBS cop drama, "Hawaii Five-O" (1979-80).  Other memorable roles includes playing Conan's father in "Conan the Barbarian" (1982), playing Clint Eastwood's nemesis in "Any Which Way You Can" (1980), and the 1976 ABC miniseries, "Rich Man, Poor Man."

From Variety:   Actor and filmmaker, Robert Downey, Sr., had died at the age of 85, Wednesday, July 7, 2021.  Downey, Sr. is best known for the writing and directing the 1969 underground film, "Putney Swope."  He is also known as the father of Oscar-nominated actor, Robert Downey, Jr.

From Essence:  The actress Suzzanne Douglas, has died at the age of 64, Tuesday, July 6, 2021.  She was best known for the role of "Jerri Peterson" on The WB sitcom, "The Parent 'Hood."  She won acclaim for her supporting role in the 1989 dance-drama film, "Tap."  She also appeared in a number of acclaimed African-American films of the 1990s, including "The Inkwell" (1994), "Jason's Lyric" (1994), and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" (1998).  She most recently appeared in Ava DuVerany's Netflix miniseries, "When They See Us."

From Deadline:   Beloved director and producer of films and television, Richard Donner, has died at the age of 91, Monday, July 5, 2021.  Donner's long career included directing "The Omen" (1976), "Superman: The Movie" (1978), "The Goonies" (1985), and "Lethal Weapon" (1987), and its three sequels, to name a few.  Donner also started work on what would be "Superman II" (1980) before he was replaced on the film.  His version of the film would eventually arrive in 2006.  Before he directed films, Donner directed episodes of such television series as "Wanted: Dead or Alive," "Wagon Train," "The Rifleman," "The Twilight Zone," "Perry Mason," and "Gilligan's Island," to name a few.  Donner's widow is film producer, Lauren Shuler Donner.

From APNews:  Latvian professional ice hockey player, Matiss Kivlenieks, has died at the age of 24, Sunday, July 4, 2021.  Matiss apparently died of chest trauma from "an errant fireworks mortar blast."  Matiss was currently the goalie for the "Columbia Blue Jackets" of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Recent Release, "Bloodshot," Now Available on Digital

Columbia Pictures’ Bloodshot To Be Available For Digital Purchase Starting March 24

CULVER CITY, CA — Given unprecedented theater closures nationwide, Columbia Pictures has set the sale date of Bloodshot on EST (electronic sell through) for March 24, 2020. The Valiant comic-book property will be available for digital purchase for a suggested retail price of $19.99 in the U.S. with all leading digital retailers. International digital sale dates will be solidified in the days ahead with territory-specific COVID-19 impact considerations.

“Sony Pictures is firmly committed to theatrical exhibition and we support windowing,” said Tom Rothman, Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group. “This is a unique and exceedingly rare circumstance where theaters have been required to close nationwide for the greater good and Bloodshot is abruptly unavailable in any medium. Audiences will now have the chance to own Bloodshot right away and see it at home, where we are all spending more time. We are confident that -- like other businesses hit hard by the virus -- movie theaters will bounce back strongly, and we will be there to support them.”

Based on the bestselling comic book, Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison, a soldier recently killed in action and brought back to life as the superhero Bloodshot by the RST corporation. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he’s an unstoppable force –stronger than ever and able to heal instantly. But in controlling his body, the company has sway over his mind and memories, too. Now, Ray doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not – but he’s on a mission to find out.

Bloodshot is presented by Columbia Pictures in association with Bona Film Group Co., Ltd. and Annabell Pictures & The Hideaway Entertainment. Directed by David S. F. Wilson. Screenplay by Jeff Wadlow and Eric Heisserer. Story by Jeff Wadlow. Based on The Valiant Comic Book. Produced by Neal H. Moritz, Toby Jaffe, Dinesh Shamdasani and Vin Diesel. Executive Producers are Dan Mintz, Louis G. Friedman, YU Dong, Jeffrey Chan, Rita LeBlanc, Buddy Patrick and Matthew Vaughn. The film stars Vin Diesel, Eiza Gonzalez, Sam Heughan, Toby Kebbell and Guy Pearce.


About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 12th to 18th, 2017 - Update #21

Support Leroy on Patreon.

CULTURE - From TheAtlantic:  A surprising number of college students are homeless and/or hungry.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Universal is developing a White House workplace comedy around the President Obama White House.

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BLM - From THR:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says that Jordan Peele's "Get Out" is like a Black "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Warner Bros. has movied "Aquaman," directed by James Wan and starring Jason Momoa in the title role, to December 21, 2018.

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MOVIES - From IndieWire:   Production is about to begin on "Body Cross," a sequel to David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises," which features a most excellent performance by Viggo Mortensen.

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MOVIES - From IndieWire:  The horror streaming service, Shudder, is streaming a reassembled cut of the original version of Ken Russell's notorious (and fantastic) 1971 film, "The Devils."

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MOVIES - From IndieWire:  Warner Bros. is in the early stages of rebooting "The Matrix."  As of now, neither the original writer-directors The Wachowskis nor the original producer, Joel Silver, is involved.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Amazon Studios has bought the U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to the music-filled drama, "Annette," starring Adam Driver, Rihana, and Rooney Mara and directed by Leos Carax ("Holy Motors").

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Jordan Peele becomes the first Black writer-director whose debut film makes over $100 million dollars at the domestic box office.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Will Netflix finish Orson Welles' last film, "The Other Side of the Wind?"

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Warner Bros. would like Matthew Vaughn to direct "Man of Steel 2," the sequel to its Superman reboot.  Vaughn directed the stylish "X-Men: First Class."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  CBS' smash-hit TV series, "The Big Bang Theory" will get a spinoff next season, "Young Sheldon."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  The English-language version of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" will have a sequel, "The Girl in the Spider's Web."  Apparently, the cast of the first film will not return for the sequel.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Ridley Scott still wants to make a sequel to his 2000 film, Gladiator, which won the "Best Picture" Oscar.

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MOVIES - From IndieWire:   Director Ava Duvernay shares photos from the set as "A Wrinkle in Time" wraps up principal photography.

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BLM - From RSN:  Tensions rise in Ferguson, Missouri as new video surfaces concerning the killing of unarmed Black teen, Michael Brown, by then Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 3/10 to 3/12/2017 weekend box office is "Kong: Skull Island" with an estimated take of $61 million.

From Deadline:  "Kong-Skull Island" rising at international box office.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Terrence Malick makes a rare public appearance.

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POLITICS - From TheDailyGrind:  Anti-LGBTQ, "family values" Republican is having an affair with his cousin/employee, who divorced her husband for him.

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LGBTQ - From TheDailyGrind:  South Dakota becomes first state to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ people.

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CULTURE - From WashPost:  64-year-old Richard Leslie Lloyd thought the owners of Met Mart, a convenience store, was an Arab and tried to burn the store and "run the Arabs out of our country."  The Met Mart owners are of Indian descent.

Review: New "Fantastic Four" is Fantastically Problematic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 49 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

[A version of this review originally appeared on Patreon.]

Fantastic Four (2015)
Running time:  100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, and language
DIRECTOR:  Josh Trank
WRITERS:  Simon Kinberg, Jeremy Slater, and Josh Trank (based on characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
PRODUCERS:  Gregory Goodman, Simon Kinberg, Robert Kulzer, Hutch Parker, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Matthew Jensen
EDITORS:  Elliot Greenberg and Stephen E. Rivkin
COMPOSER:  Marco Beltrami and Philip Glass

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION

Starring:  Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kata Mara, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey, Tim Blake Nelson, Owen Judge, Evan Hannemann, Don Yesso, and Dan Castellaneta

Fantastic Four is a 2015 superhero movie and science fiction film from director Josh Trank.  It is the third film in 20th Century Fox's Fantastic Four film franchise, and it is also a reboot of that franchise.  Fantastic Four 2015 follows four young people whose physical forms are changed in shocking ways after being exposed to energy from an alternate and dangerous universe.

Reed Richards (Miles Teller) and Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) have been friends since childhood, when Ben started helping Reed build his prototype teleportation device.  It is in high school when they attract the attention of Professor Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey), who is the director of the Baxter Foundation, a government-sponsored research institute for young prodigies.

Reed joins the foundation and begins working with Storm's adopted daughter, Susan “Sue” Storm (Kate Mara), and eventually his son, Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan).  Reed also gets to work with Professor Storm's wayward protege, Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbell).  Together, this quartet builds a device called the “Quantum Gate,” which opens a way to “Zero,” a planet in an parallel dimension.  Awaiting those who travel to “Zero,” however, is energy that will change them in unimaginable and fantastic ways.

Fantastic Four isn't a good movie, but it isn't a terrible movie.  It is like flavorless chewing gum.  The gum might start with a lot of promise, but pretty soon you're just chewing for the sake of chewing and the flavor is gone.  That is this Fantastic Four reboot.  It starts off with promise, but pretty soon, the story seems to be just going through the motions, and I was simply watching it out of habit, waiting for the end credits to roll.

Fantastic Four 2015 is mostly build-up.  In some ways, it is like a long teaser for another movie, the real Fantastic Four (or “FF”) movie that is “coming soon.”  What we get with this new movie is something akin to a prologue or an overly long introductory act.  In fact, this film's big villain, called “Doom,” rather than Doctor Doom, does not show up until the last 10 or 15 minutes of the movie.

I think that there are a kernel or two of good ideas in this new Fantastic Four that could become something good... in a second movie... produced by an entirely different group of people.  I think that the special effects for Reed Richards' (Mr. Fantastic) stretching powers is much better than it was in the 2005 and 2007 Fantastic Four films.  Ben Grimm (The Thing) looks better in this reboot than in the earlier films.  Hard as it is to believe, Kate Mara as Sue Storm  is worse than Jessica Alba as Sue in the first two films.  I like Michael B. Jordan, but his Johnny Storm (Human Torch) is stiff compared to Chris Evans' rascally Human Torch from the earlier films.

Overall, director Josh Trank has made a Fantastic Four film that is actually less entertaining than Tim Story's uneven 2005 and 2007 FF films.  I wouldn't recommend this even to comic book fans.  It is so mediocre and uninspiring that it isn't even awful enough to be an enjoyable “bad movie.”  It is like the ultimate average and bland film.  This Fantastic Four makes it clear that 20th Century Fox should just stop making Fantastic Four movies.

4 of 10
C

Saturday, August 8, 2015


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Review: Villains Rule "Kingsman"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 33 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review first appeared on Patreon.]

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  U.K.
Running time: 129 minutes (2 hours, 9 minutes)
MPAA – R for sequences of strong violence, language and some sexual content
DIRECTOR:  Matthew Vaughn
WRITERS:  Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn (based on on the comic book, The Secret Service, by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons)
PRODUCERS:  Adam Bohling, David Reid, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  George Richmond    
EDITORS:  Eddie Hamilton and Jon Harris
COMPOSERS:  Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson

COMEDY/ACTION/SPY/SCI-FI

Starring:  Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Caine, Sofia Boutella, Sophie Cookson, Hanna Alstrom, Samantha Womack, Geoff Bell, and Mark Hamill

Kingsman: The Secret Service is a 2015 British spy movie and action-comedy from director Matthew Vaughn.  It is based on the 2012 comic book, The Secret Service, by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, who are also both executive producers on the film.  Millar co-created the comic book, Kick-Ass, and Gibbons co-created the Watchmen comic book.  Kingsman: The Secret Service follows a street kid who is recruited into a secret spy organization.

Kingsman: The Secret Service opens in 1997 during a raid in the Middle East, in which an agent sacrifices himself to save his team.  Feeling guilt, agent Harry Hart (Colin Firth), code-named “Galahad,” visits the agent's wife and young son.  Seventeen years later, Galahad comes to the rescue of the son, Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton), who is now an unemployed adult.

Galahad introduces Eggsy to the “Kingsman,” a secret intelligence agency comprised of the members of the British upper crust.  Galahad convinces Eggsy to join the Kingsman's ultra-competitive training program, but only one member of a recruiting class will become a member of the Kingsman.

Meanwhile, billionaire tech genius, Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), has hatched a plan to save the world from environmental catastrophe.  His activities draw the attention of the Kingsman, especially Galahad.  Because Galahad is his benefactor, Eggsy gets a close-up look of the Kingsman in action, but does this unrefined “street kid” have what it takes to be in this “secret service?”

As a spy movie, Kingsman: The Secret Service is more like some of the early James Bond movies, especially the ones that featured weird sci-fi gadgets.  Or maybe Kingsman: The Secret Service is what would happen if Roger Moore's James Bond became the leader of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) of the old television series, “Mission: Impossible.”

I must admit to enjoying Kingsman: The Secret Service quite a bit, but it is mostly a substance-free past-time.  As much as I enjoyed the film, I had mostly forgotten about it a few hours after seeing it.  If I watched it again, I would only watch certain scenes – mostly the fight scenes, especially the ones featuring the blade-legged Gazelle (Sofia Boutella).  There is not enough of her in this movie.

There are moments in Kingsman when it seems obvious to me that Colin Firth would make a good movie secret agent, not James Bond, but someone like Galahad.  [Or maybe that can be said about most quality British male actors.]  However, Samuel L. Jackson, as Valentine, seems to be the actor who most bought into the scenario.  He and Boutella make a great team and do a lot to make Kingsman a good movie; I wish their characters could return.

On the other hand, Taron Egerton may be an up-and-coming, young British actor, but as Eggsy, he lacks spark and charisma.  He is as flat as Sam Jackson is charismatic.  Kingsman's concept and story is ridiculous and contrived, but fun.  As the villain, Jackson is the one who most sells the movie, even more so than the actors playing the good guys.

A sequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service has already been announced.  As much as I enjoyed this movie, I can't imagine the sequel working without another great villainous pair like Jackson and Boutella.  I hope they find one.

6 of 10
B

Tuesday, July 14, 2015


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Review: "X-Men: Days of Future Past" - Why So Serious?

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 28 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Running time:  131 minutes (2 hours, 11 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi violence and action, some suggestive material, nudity and language
DIRECTOR:  Bryan Singer
WRITERS:  Simon Kinberg; from a story by Jane Goldman, Simon Kinberg, and Matthew Vaughn 
PRODUCERS:  Hutch Parker, Simon Kinberg, Lauren Shuler Donner, and Bryan Singer
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Newton Thomas Sigel
EDITOR/COMPOSER:  John Ottman

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring:  Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Peter Dinklage, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Halle Berry, Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore, Omar Sy, Daniel Cudmore, Bingbing Fan, Adan Canto, Booboo Stewart, Evan Peters, Josh Helman, and Anna Paquin

X-Men: Days of Future Past is a 2014 superhero movie from director Bryan Singer.  It is 20th Century Fox’s seventh film based Marvel Comics’ X-Men comic book franchise.  This new movie is a sequel to 2011’s X-Men: First Class and a kind of sequel to 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand.  X-Men: Days of Future Past finds the X-Men of the future sending one of their own into past in a desperate effort to change history and to prevent the destruction of the world for both humans and mutants.

The film opens (apparently) sometime in the third decade of the 21st century.  By this time, mutant-hunting machines called Sentinels have wiped out nearly all mutants and also the humans that supported them.  The last of the X-Men are about to make a desperate bid to change their apocalyptic future.  Charles Xavier/Professor X (Patrick Stewart) concocts a plan that sends the mind of Logan/The Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back into the past and into the body of his younger self in the year 1973.

In 1973, Logan must contact the younger Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and convince him that they must stop Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from committing an assassination that will lead to the creation of the Sentinels.  However, Wolverine finds that the younger Charles is a mess.  Xavier wants no part of his future self’s plan, especially when he discovers that he must cooperate with Erik Lensherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender), his dear friend-turned-bitter enemy.

Released in 2011, X-Men: First Class was a combination prequel to the original film, X-Men (2000), and a partial reboot of the franchise.  First Class was sparkly, fun, energetic, and even a bit sexy.  X-Men: Days of Future Past is ponderous and takes both its subject matter and its plot way too seriously.  I liked the film, but I only really enjoyed certain moments and a few characters.

Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic as Mystique, making the character’s emotions, mission, and anger seem real.  Nicholas Hoult is poignant as Hank McCoy/Beast; so much of his performance is restrained.  Hoult makes the most of subtle facial expressions, and his expressive eyes convey Beast in a way that gives him weight and depth.

What this film lacks is gravitas.  Days of Future Past pretends to be important serious because it metaphorically or symbolically deals with serious and important real world issues.  However, the movie is tedious instead of being weighty in any meaningful a way.  It is as if this film has so much to cover that it almost ends up sinking under the burden of its moralizing via multiple points of view, characters, and competing timelines.

In fact, after seeing Days of Future Past, I realized that Wolverine is not particularly consequential to the plot, or at least the screenplay does not make him seem so.  For what the character does, just about any other X-Men could have made that trip into the past.  [In The X-Men comic book story, “Days of the Future Past,” upon which this movie is based, Kitty Pryde travels into the past – the year 1983.]  I read a review of this movie in which the writer said that this was a movie about Mystique and Wolverine.  In a way, this movie is indeed most about what Mystique wants, and the movie would be better off if it stayed with Mystique longer than it actually does.

Although I like it, X-Men: Days of Future Past is my least favorite X-Men movie.  I found the future Sentinels particularly scary and chilling, and Evan Peters as Quicksilver is a blast.  Of all the X-Men movies, it has the best production values and the best special effects.  It is, however, full of sound and fury, and even in the universe of X-Men movies, it does not signify much of anything.

5 of 10
B-

Saturday, May 31, 2014


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Review: "Kick-Ass 2" Kicks Better Ass

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
Running time:  103 minutes (1 hour, 43 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence, pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and brief nudity
DIRECTOR:  Jeff Wadlow
WRITER:  Jeff Wadlow (based upon the comic books by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.)
PRODUCERS:  Adam Bohling, Tarquin Pack, Brad Pitt, David Reid, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tim Maurice Jones (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Eddie Hamilton
COMPOSERS:  Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/CRIME/COMEDY

Starring:  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Morris Chestnut, Clark Duke, Augustus Prew, Donald Fiason, Garret M. Brown, Steve Mackintosh, Monica Dolan, Robert Emms, Lindy Booth, Daniel Kaluuya, Olga Kurkulina, Tom Wu, Yancy Butler, and Jim Carrey

Kick-Ass 2 is a 2013 British-American superhero film and crime comedy from writer-director, Jeff Wadlow.  It is based upon two comic books, Kick-Ass 2 and Hit Girl, from writer Mark Millar (the creator of Wanted) and John Romita, Jr.  Kick-Ass 2 is also a sequel to the 2010 film, Kick Ass, which was also based on a Millar-Romita, Jr. comic book of the same name.  In Kick-Ass 2 the movie, high-school superhero Kick-Ass joins a group of costumed crime-fighters who were inspired by him, while an old enemy plots revenge against him.

After the events of the first film, high school student Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) retired from fighting crime as the costumed vigilante/superhero, “Kick-Ass.”  But now, he is bored, and begins training with Mindy Macready a/k/a Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz), who is now 15-years-old.  However, Mindy’s guardian is her late father’s friend, Detective Marcus Williams (Morris Chestnut), and he demands that Mindy give up being Hit Girl and become a proper high school student.

With Hit Girl taken out of action, Dave looks for a new partner and finds a group of normal citizens who were inspired by Kick-Ass to fight crime in costume.  Led by Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), Kick-Ass and a small band of wannabe superheroes fight crime and do charity work.

Meanwhile, Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), whose crime boss father was killed by Kick-Ass, is frustrated that his mother forced him to stop being the costumed Red Mist.  After he takes control of his family’s wealthy, Chris becomes what he calls the world’s first supervillain, The Motherfucker, and swears vengeance against Kick-Ass.

I thought that the first Kick Ass movie wasn’t as deranged as it thought it was, nor was it as entertaining as its source material.  Kick-Ass 2 is as deranged as it thinks it is – perhaps even more so.  Sometimes, it is too deranged – with violence that is off-putting.  It is not that the violence is over-the-top, so much that it seems like the filmmakers almost seemed obsessed with spiting the critics, prudes, and people who cannot accept that this is make-believe and has nothing to do with real-world violence (like Newtown).

I think I find Kick-Ass 2 more entertaining than the first movie because the new film has one main plot.  The first movie was kind of all over the place, which is understandable as it was introducing a new kind of superhero concept.  Kick-Ass 2 is about revenge.  Yes, the story has subplots about teen angst and self-doubt, parental-child conflict, and peer acceptance, but this is a movie about payback and the mindset one has to have in order to engage in revenge.

I thought Hit Girl dominated the first movie, thankfully.  This time, Dave Lizewski and Chris D’Amico are just as fun to watch as Mindy Macready, although I honestly wish that Kick-Ass 2 has a few more hits of Hit Girl.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse deliver excellent performances that make their characters’ respective conflicts, obstacles, and goals seem quite genuine.

I can’t say exactly what, but Kick-Ass 2 seems to be missing something.  I like the movie and had a blast watching some of it, but there were moments that I found only mildly amusing and entertaining.  I guess that should be enough.  I can say that Kick-Ass 2 has the wanton violence, foul language, and sexual content of the first film, but done a little more thoughtfully.  Plus, Jim Carrey’s turn in a small role is an amazing little thing that has to be seen.

6 of 10
B

Friday, February 14, 2014


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Review: "The Debt" is Good, But Unfocused

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Debt (2011)
Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
MPAA – R for some violence and language
DIRECTOR: John Madden
WRITERS: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, and Peter Straughan (based on the film, Ha-Hov, by Assaf Bernstein and Ido Rosenblum)
PRODUCERS: Eitan Evan, Eduardo Rossoff, Kris Thykier, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Davis
EDITORS: Alexander Berner
COMPOSER: Thomas Newman

DRAMA/HISTORICAL/THRILLER

Starring: Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciarán Hinds, Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington, Martin Csokas, Jesper Christensen, Romi Aboulafia, and István Goz

The Debt is a 2011 drama and espionage thriller from director John Madden. It is a remake of a 2007 film (directed by Assaf Bernstein) of the same name from Israel. In the 2011 film, a former Mossad intelligence agent relives a 1965 mission in which she and two other agents pursued a Nazi war criminal. At times quite riveting, The Debt often comes across as a broken movie because it tries to be different things at different times in the story.

In 1997, Rachel Singer (Helen Mirren), a former Mossad agent, and her ex-husband, Stefan Gold (Tom Wilkinson), who is still a Mossad agent, are celebrating a new book written by their daughter, Sarah Gold (Romi Aboulafia). Sarah’s book recounts a 1965 mission in which Rachel, Stefan, and another former Mossad agent, David Peretz (Ciarán Hinds), pursued a notorious Nazi war criminal. The trio targeted Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christensen), infamously known as “the Surgeon of Birkenau,” believed to be living in East Berlin.

The story flashes back to 1965 where we meet the younger versions of the trio: Rachel (Jessica Chastain), Stefan (Martin Csokas), and David (Sam Worthington). They find Vogel living as “Doktor Bernhardt” and operating an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in East Berlin. The team’s mission was eventually accomplished, or was it? Rachel must confront her past when two figures from it reemerge.

The Debt takes place across two different time periods, which I think inhibits the movie from sustaining suspense or building character relationships with any traction. The Debt certainly has potent moments, and the last act is a killer suspense thriller. Of course, any movie starring Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson would, at least, be interesting. I’m down to see anything with Mirren, and she doesn’t disappoint – once again, I mention that last act of this movie.

I see The Debt as a broken movie because it is really two films – one that takes place in 1965 and the other in 1997 – instead of being one complete narrative. That is what can happen to a movie that has so many flashbacks that it seems as if they are half the film. The Debt is good, but it would have better by focusing on 1965 or 1997 – not both.

5 of 10
B-

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

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Review: "X-Men: First Class" is at the Top of the Class

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 46 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

X-Men: First Class (2011)
Running time: 132 minutes (2 hours, 12 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some sexual content including brief partial nudity and language
DIRECTOR: Matthew Vaughn
WRITERS: Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz and Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn; from a story by Sheldon Turner and Bryan Singer
PRODUCERS: Gregory Goodman, Simon Kinberg, and Lauren Shuler Donner, and Bryan Singer
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Mathieson (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Eddie Hamilton and Lee Smith
COMPOSER: Henry Jackman

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Till, Zoe Kravitz, Edi Gathegi, Oliver Platt, Alex Gonzalez, and Jason Flemyng

X-Men: First Class is a superhero movie and the fifth movie in the X-Men film franchise, following X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). X-Men: First Class is a combination prequel to the first film and partial reboot of the franchise, but whatever is it, First Class currently stands as the best film in the X-Men series.

Most of First Class is set in 1962. Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) are the men who would take the names Professor X and Magneto, respectively. Both are young men and also mutants discovering the extent of their powers, as they embark on their respective missions in life. A telepath with mind control powers, Xavier has recently received his doctorate from Oxford University, and he wants to find more mutants like himself who have special powers. He has lived with one of them, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), since he was a child.

Meanwhile, Lensherr, who is a Holocaust survivor and mutant that can manipulate magnetism, hunts and kills Nazi and German war criminals. One of his targets is Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), a mutant with tremendous powers. Now, a scientist and leader of a mysterious group known as the Hellfire Club, Shaw has launched a plot to start a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

After Lensherr makes a failed attempt on Shaw’s life, Xavier brings Lensherr into the CIA’s “Division X” facility. There, Xavier and Lensherr recruit young mutants they will train to stop Shaw, but both men see the world differently. As they race to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known, a rift grows between Xavier and Lensherr, one that threatens everything and maybe every human on the planet.

X-Men: First Class is everything good about the franchise: the mutant vs. mutant conflict, man vs. mutant conflict, the struggle against prejudice and bigotry, the action and intrigue, and the themes of family and brotherhood. But in this film, it is all presented in a more audacious and confident manner. There are a lot of things happening in this movie, and the story presents most of it awfully quickly. Director Matthew Vaughn guides it all with such brisk, efficient storytelling that makes most of it clear, clever, and engaging.

First Class is also a summer movie with something to say. With its Cold War setting, Cuban Missile Crisis sub-plot, and allusions to the Civil Rights movement, this movie places the plight of the mutants within a real world context. The film remains, however, cool and intense, even being sometimes playful about its dead serious elements. First Class’ last act does turn a little too much towards action movie mayhem and away from the emotional motivations, but in the end, this X-Men movie plays for keeps. These mutants want to do the right thing, but what is the right thing, the film asks? And what do you do when the people you are trying to protect and save want to kill you?

All the performances here have a youthful energy, and James McAvoy as Xavier and Michael Fassbender as Lensherr have great chemistry together. Fassbender is Oscar-nomination worthy as Lensherr/Magneto. X-Men: First Class is not just good; it is also one of the best superhero movies ever and, so far, the year’s best film.

9 of 10
A+

Saturday, June 04, 2011

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Review: Matthew Vaughn Makes Magic Out of "Stardust"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 130 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Stardust (2007)
Running time: 128 minutes (2 hours, 8 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for fantasy violence and some risqué humor
DIRECTOR: Matthew Vaughn
WRITERS: Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn (based upon the novel written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Charles Vess)
PRODUCERS: Matthew Vaughn, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Michael Dreyer, and Neil Gaiman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Davis
EDITOR: Jon Harris

FANTASY/ADVENTURE/DRAMA/ROMANCE

Starring: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Ricky Gervais, Jason Flemyng, Rupert Everett, Peter O’Toole, with Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro and Ian McKellen (voice), Kate Magowan, Melanie Hill, Mark Strong, Henry Cavill, Ben Barnes, and Dexter Fletcher

Matthew Vaughn, the acclaimed director of Layer Cake, adds one more eclectic film to his young filmography, the late Summer 2007 film, Stardust, an adaptation of the novel written by Neil Gaiman (American Gods) and illustrated by Charles Vess. Although Stardust proved to be excellent late summer, counter-programming to the normal empty big budget fare that crowds movie theatres during the warm months, it failed to catch on with American audiences. That’s sad, really.

Young Tristan Thorne (Charlie Cox) lives in the sleepy English village of Wall, which is named for the cobblestone wall that has for eons kept the villagers safe from the supernatural parallel universe that lies just on the other side of the wall – the fantastical realm of Stormhold. One evening, Tristan makes a promise to the prettiest girl in the village, Victoria (Sienna Miller), whose heart he hopes to win, when the two spy a star falling from the sky and landing on the other side of the wall. Tristan pledges to Victoria that he will bring back the star for her hand in marriage.

Crossing the forbidden wall, Tristan makes his way to the star’s crash site only to discover that the star is different from what he expected. It is a spirited young woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes), injured by her tumble from the heavenly firmament. However, before he can get Yvaine back to his home, Tristan must protect her from the chilling witch, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), who wants to murder Yvaine and use the star’s heart to achieve eternal youth and beauty. With the help of an eccentric pirate, Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro), Tristan and Yvaine evade the clutches of Lamia and anyone who wants to harm her, but in his adventure through Stormhold, Tristan may finally discover the secrets of his own past.

There are no elements in Stardust that can be described as “great,” except for Michelle Pfeiffer’s truly inspired performance as Lamia, but when all the components are brought together, they make a film that is an exceptional screen fantasy. Matthew Vaughn brings together all the elements: odd components from the original story and peculiar screenplay adaptation; the eccentric performances, and the knotty, but imaginative production work of his creative crew (cinematography, production design, score, etc.), all of which create a convincing fantasy world. It’s a world that the more audiences buy into the setting; the more they are willing to vicariously experience Tristan and Yvaine’s adventure.

As for the performances, the aforementioned Ms. Pfeiffer really stands out as Lamia. Her performance is one of those charming displays of acting that critics describe as delicious, and if that’s the case, Pfeiffer prepares a feast. She’s wicked with an extra dose of wickedness, but her evil is so luminous and Pfeiffer looks so good that Lamia is like a beautiful poison thing.

The rest of the cast is good. Claire Danes and Charlie Cox don’t exactly burn up the screen as the star-crossed pair, but they work in the context of the film. It’s much the same with Robert De Niro’s performance. De Niro’s Captain Shakespeare works best when paired with Dexter Fletcher’s Skinny Pirate. It’s all a matter of the right ingredients coming together at the right time in the right place. Perhaps, that’s the best way to explain why Stardust works – it’s all about chemistry.

7 of 10
A-

Friday, October 12, 2007

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Review: Matthew Vaughn, Daniel Craig Deliver in Tasty "Layer Cake"

TRASH OF MY EYE No. 74 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Layer Cake (2004)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UK
Running time: 104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong brutal violence, sexuality, nudity, pervasive language and drug use
DIRECTOR: Matthew Vaughn
WRITER: J.J. Connolly (based upon his novel)
PRODUCERS: Adam Bohling, David Reid, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Davis (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Jon Harris
2005 BAFTA Award nominee

CRIME/DRAMA/THRILLER

Starring: Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, George Harris, Kenneth Cranham, Jamie Forman, Francis Magee, Sienna Miller, Tom Hardy, Sally Hawkins, and Michael Gambon

An unnamed British drug dealer (Daniel Craig) is looking to get out of the drug business, and he’s looking for one last big score to take him into retirement. Well dressed and polite, he is the consummate professional who has made a fortune trading in cocaine and ecstasy, while keeping his own hands clean, but the neat distance is about to come to an end.

Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham), the drug kingpin to whom he answers, has two last jobs for him – tie up the loose ends involving a stash of stolen ecstasy pills and also find the missing daughter of Eddie Temple (Michael Gambon), an old associate of Jimmy’s. However, Jimmy isn’t being entirely straight with our unnamed protagonist. The original owners of the gargantuan ecstasy cargo, ex-Serb paramilitary, are coming after Jimmy because he’s an associate of, Duke (Jamie Forman), the thief that stole the pills. Now, our suave drug dealer must rely on two associates, Morty (George Harris) and Gene (Colm Meaney), to help him out, but even they might not be able to help him when the Serbian hit man, Dragan (Dragan Micanovic), comes looking for him.

Matthew Vaughn’s Layer Cake is one of the more stylish British gangster films of the past decade. What sets it apart is Daniel Craig’s neat professional as drug dealer, which basically makes someone many consider a parasite, quite attractive. Vaughn (who received a 2005 BAFTA Award nomination for the "Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer") weaves a brilliant tapestry from J.J. Connolly’s screenplay, balancing intricate plotlines and a multitude of conflicting characters and motivations, at least until the end. Some viewers will need a scorecard to keep up with all the players and multiple loose ends that Vaughn ties up before delivering an ending that’s just got to go.

Other than that, Layer Cake is a brilliant crime film that blends style with gangster violence. On top of what seems like a simple story about a hood trying to exit the life of being a hood is a story about the cutthroat world of making money, where everybody is out to get his own. Those who demand the most – whether it is loyalty, respect, or money – are actually the least loyal, disdainful of others, and the greediest. It’s also nice that Vaughn smartly reminds the viewer that even the well to do can be scumbags.

8 of 10
A

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

NOTES:
2005 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer” (Matthew Vaughn-director)

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"X-Men: First Class" Trailer on Facebook; EW Has Photo Exclusive

Entertainment Weekly likes to share its breaking news and exclusives:

EW.COM PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: 'X-Men: First Class' trailer targets Facebook fanbase tomorrow

Mutants can control minds, burn through walls, control the weather — and now, they can “friend.”

The trailer for the superhero reboot X-Men: First Class goes up tomorrow, with Fox is releasing it in on Facebook as part of an effort to build a social networking community around the film, opening June 3. The fan page can be found at Facebook.com/XMenMovies, and it’s already 1.6 million wannabe-mutants strong.

The trailer will offer fans a first look at the younger years of Professor X and his team of superpowered pupils. The movie, directed by Kick-Ass filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, stars James McAvoy (Atonement) and Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds) in the Professor X and Magneto roles, respectively. Mad Men‘s January Jones co-stars as Emma Frost, the ultra-sexy Marvel Comics telepath known for her revealing white outfits and diamond-skin armor.

There are many questions surrounding the movie, and a big one can be asked about this mysterious new photo from Fox, released exclusively to EW.

Full story and exclusive photo on EW.com: http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/02/09/x-men-first-class-trailer/

Review: "Kick Ass" Stumbles; Hit Girl Soars

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 61 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Kick Ass (2010)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong brutal violence throughout, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some drug use - some involving children
DIRECTOR: Matthew Vaughn
WRITERS: Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn (based upon the comic book by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.)
PRODUCERS: Adam Bohling, Tarquin Pack, Brad Pitt, David Reid, Kris Thykier, and Matthew Vaughn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Davis (director of photography)
EDITORS: Eddie Hamilton, Jon Harris, and Pietro Scalia

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/CRIME/COMEDY

Starring: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Strong, Chloë Grace Moretz, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Lyndsy Fonseca, Clark Duke, Evan Peters, Stu “Large” Riley, Xander Berkeley, and Garrett M. Brown

The film, Kick Ass, is based upon Kick-Ass, an eight-issue comic book series from writer Mark Millar (the creator of Wanted) and John Romita, Jr. The comic book, filled with violent imagery, profanity, racism, and misogyny (among many controversial elements) is utterly deranged, but hugely entertaining. Kick Ass the movie isn’t as deranged as it thinks it is, nor is it as entertaining as its source material.

The film follows Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a high school student/geek and comic-book fanboy. Dave has been thinking about taking his obsession with comic books and making it real by become a real-life superhero. He chooses “Kick-Ass” as his superhero name and transforms a green wetsuit with yellow stripes into his costume. Dave has absolutely no superpowers, however, and the first time he tries to fight crime turns into a disaster.

Dave’s continued activities bring him into contact with another pair of real-life superheroes, a father-daughter team who are more costumed vigilantes than superheroes. Eleven-year-old Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz), who seems inhumanely good with bladed weapons, and her father, the Batman-like Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), are waging war on Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong), a local drug kingpin. And Kick-Ass gets dragged into the blood and mayhem.

Directed by Matthew Vaughn and co-written by Vaughn and Jane Goldman, Kick Ass makes some nice changes to the original comic book (such as the reasons for Big Daddy’s campaign). Still, the movie is awkward, mainly because the narrative oscillates between two storylines: (1) Dave Lizewski’s adventures as Kick-Ass and (2) Big Daddy and Hit Girl’s war against Frank D’Amico. The action focusing on Big Daddy and Hit Girl is far more interesting than the adventures of Kick-Ass.

In fact, Dave and his friends just aren’t that interesting. They’re all stock characters, and Vaughn and Goldman aren’t able to inject anything into them that would make them worthy following. The only time Dave’s story is interesting is when he is with a new superhero calling himself Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) or with Big Daddy and Hit Girl. Big Daddy and Hit Girl, especially the latter, are such fun that I wish they were the title characters. They even have the best adversaries in Frank D’Amico, a crime boss with great screen presence, and his gleefully malevolent underlings.

Kick Ass isn’t bad; the story just pretends to love Kick-Ass, while making Big Daddy and Hit Girl so alluring. The comic book made the most of its loveable loser Dave Lizewski, but the movie makes him nondescript in a story that is ostensibly about him. For all its wanton violence, foul language, and sexual content, Kick Ass is comical when it wants to be subversive. It is worth watching if only to wish we could see more Hit Girl in action.

5 of 10
B-

Thursday, August 05, 2010

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