Passengers (2016) - Pratt and Lawrence shimmer in high-quality sci-fi entertainer

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+ Best Space Movie of the Year

The two superstars are the one and only attraction on this poster for Morten Tyldum's Passengers

Some time in the future, space ship Avalon is transporting 5,000 passengers to a colony on another planet when a mass of comets interfere with its technology, resulting in the awakening of two passengers 90 years ahead of time.

The actuality of what happens is more complicated but shouldn't be revealed here.
Passengers, written by Jon Spaihts (Doctor Strange (2016)) and directed by Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game (2014)), is a huge star vehicle that works; it is extremely entertaining and beautifully done, both in terms of its prop and set designs, - the Avalon is a very cool spaceship! - CG effects, photography, by Rodrigo Prieto (Argo (2012)), and fine score by Thomas Newman (Mad City (1997)).
Chris Pratt (Jurassic World (2015)) and Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook (2012)) are both very easy on the eyes and adept at playing both the fun, romance and drama that fill out their parts here, which tackles basic human needs, resources and weaknesses. Passengers may look somewhat like another Gravity (2013), - two major Hollywood stars are all alone in trouble in space, - but this is another beast, a more intimate, dramatic (and romantic) and less suspense-driven story. Michael Sheen (Kill the Messenger (2014)) is good as the droid bartender, and Laurence Fishburne (Apocalypse Now (1979)) is equally well cast as a crewman.
Sure there are things in the movie that might seem a bit stretched in hindsight, but, pivotally, it all seems to go down without issue during the journey. And Passengers takes us on an entertaining journey with its fair share of wow moments and a pair of lovely lead stars, SPOILER and affords us an uplifting and lovely happy ending that I cherished.

Related posts:

Morten Tyldum: 2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
The Imitation Game (2014) - Great Cumberbatch, good movie  
Headhunters/Hodejegerne (2011) - Norwegian craftsman Tyldum's thriller springboard

Watch an official trailer for the film here

Cost: 110 mil. $
Box office: 237.1 mil. $ and counting
= Too early to say
[Passengers premiered in the Fox Theatre, Westwood, LA December 14 and runs 116 minutes. The script was written in 2007, and Emily Blunt and Keanu Reeves were previously in talks to star. In an interesting gender divide - which doesn't cause enraged headlines or nervous chatter - Lawrence was reportedly paid 20 mil. $ and 30 % of the profit if the film breaks even, whereas Pratt reportedly 'only' netted 12 mil. $. Filming took place from September 2015 - February 2016 with additional shooting in September 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. The film opened very soft to #3, behind holdover hit Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and fellow newcomer Sing, and 14.8 mil. $ in North America, where it remained in #3 for 4 consecutive weeks before leaving the top 5 and has to date grossed 90 mil. $. Passengers has just opened #1 in China, which will prove a crucial market for it. Passengers is rotten at 31 % with a 5 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Passengers?

Saving Mr. Banks (2013) - Thompson and Hanks breathe inestimable life into one of the year's real treats

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+ Best Dramedy of the Year + Best Period Movie of the Year

 

An elegant, light poster for John Lee Hancock's Saving Mr. Banks, which, through the use of shades, appeals to our imagination

P. L. Travers, the English female writier behind Mary Poppins, is pressed for money and therefore gets lured reluctantly from her London residence to Hollywood in 1961, where Walt Disney, after 20 years of courting the woman, is anxious to adapt her classic work.

The dynamic between the contrary, English curmudgeon and jovial, stubborn American Walt is loaded with comic opportunities, which are exploited skillfully in this sweepingly sentimental treat of a film. Tom Hanks (Sully (2016)) and especially Emma Thompson (In the Name of the Father (1993)) deliver outstanding veterans' performances, - among the best of the year, - and they are exceptionally backed up: Wonderful Bradley Whitford (The Mentalist (2011, TV-series), B. J. Novak (The Office (2005-13)) and Jason Schwartzman (Moonrise Kingdom (2012)) are Disney writers who try to work with the exceedingly difficult Englishwoman; and Paul Giamatti (Love & Mercy (2014)) is terrific in a warm role as Travers' LA driver. In the Australian-set flashback-section, which doesn't completely match the sky-high quality of the present plane (of 1961), Rachel Griffiths (Burning Man (2011)) and Ruth Wilson (The Lone Ranger (2013)) are good as the heroic nanny and the troubled mother, respectively. Colin Farrell (The Lobster (2015)) is also good as Travers' father, who is disintegrating in alcoholism.
Saving Mr. Banks is written by Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)) and Sue Smith (Peaches (2004)) and directed by great Texan filmmaker John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side (2009)). It has an excellent, Oscar-nominated score by Thomas Newman (The Help (2011)). It is an extremely lovable, handsomely produced period dramedy with more to it than some may think. Although its structure is far from innovative, it hits all the right chords of the heart as sure as amen in church before the credits start rolling. It is a huge joy.

Related posts:

John Lee Hancock: 2013 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED VI]

2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
The Blind Side (2009) or, Good Knows No Boundaries

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 35 mil. $

Box office: 117.8 mil. $

= Box office success

[Saving Mr. Banks premiered October 20 (BFI London Film Festival) and runs 125 minutes. The script was developed mostly outside Disney, who took an interest in it and decided to produce it. Filming lasted 9 weeks from September - November 2012, entirely in Southern California, including Disneyland, the Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Boulevard. Several aspects of Travers' and Disney's relationship, her response to the finished film and the character of the driver are changed for the film or entirely made up. The film opened #18 in 15 theaters to a 413k $ first weekend, widening to 9.3 mil. $ and #5 (behind The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Frozen and American Hustle) in 2,110 theaters in North America, where it grossed 83.3 mil. $ (70.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Australia with 8.9 mil. $ (7.6 %) and the UK with 7.1 mil. $ (6 %). The film was, surprisingly, only nominated for one Oscar, for Newman's score, which it lost to Steven Price for Gravity. Thompson was nominated for a Golden Globe, and the film was also nominated for 5 BAFTAs and several other awards. It was included in the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute's top 10 lists of the year. Saving Mr. Banks is certified fresh at 78 % with a 7 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Saving Mr. Banks?

Spectre (2015) - Mendes' 2nd Bond is mostly good

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Daniel Craig looks snug and ready for action on the poster for Sam Mendes' Spectre

Spectre is the 24th Bond film. It is the second by British master filmmaker Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road (2008)), his 7th film overall. It is written by Neal Purvis (Johnny English (2003)), John Logan (Skyfall (2012)), Jez Butterworth (Black Mass (2015)) and Robert Wade (Die Another Day (2002)), based on Ian Fleming's (Diamonds Are Forever (1956)) characters.

While M and his spy service is under pressure in London from a new hotshot, who thinks traditional intelligence is antiquated, Bond chases leads to find and apprehend the leader of the evil SPECTRE organization.

Spectre opens with a high-octane chase that ends in a spectacular helicopter finale at the Day of the Dead in Mexico City, one of the film's highlights.
Besides the exciting action scenes that are a key part of the films, and which don't disappoint here, Spectre is a rich serving of lots of elements of story, characters and style. Thomas Newman's (Bridge of Spies (2015)) immersive score also works its charms professionally. Spectre is a highly entertaining cocktail, which brings the new Bond back to some of the roots of the story universe, links the former three films, and throws out some of the solemnity and grey seriousness of the same three previous films. It slices the Bond babe ingredient from the 007 recipe in favor of connecting Daniel Craig's (Munich (2005)) Bond with Léa Seydoux (Blue Is the Warmest Color/La Vie D'Adèle (2013)).

Craig has grown on me, and I think he has grown into a good Bond for me by now, although I still don't appreciate his diva-ish snide comments about his character and the Bond universe (which, besides being nearly universally beloved, is also making Craig a very wealthy man.) But boy can Craig wear the hell out of a tailored suit and some awesome shades!
Magnificent Monica Bellucci (Malèna (2000)) is in the film for precious few moments, regrettably. Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)) is another newcomer that seems an obvious fit as a brutish henchman. He is great here and very exciting against Craig, who also has a fine fight scene with him on a train through North Africa, besides a fun car chase in Rome. Irish Andrew Scott (Pride (2014)) is an appropriately disgusting fellow as the surveillance-obsessed new London power-person; part of this side of the plot seems to have been directly inspired by the News of the World scandal and Britain's general surveillance obsession.
Naomie Harris (Ninja Assassin (2009)) is delightful as Miss Moneypenny; Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)) is good if barely noticeable as M; Jesper Christensen (The Bench/Bænken (2000)) returns for a frightening, strong scene as Mr. White; and Ben Whishaw (The Danish Girl (2015)) still brings personality and life to the character of Q. - Although I am disappointed that the Bond writers, who seem to here have created the first major character who is both gay and a good guy, (I can count at least 3 gay villains from past Bond movies in my memory right now), but who they don't allow a normal home life with a boyfriend or husband. Instead Whishaw's Q lives with his cats ... which sucks!
SPOILER Christoph Waltz (Carnage (2011)) brings the old heavy of Blofeld to life here again, and we are given new details about Bond and Blofeld's intricate backstory, which I had never heard before. Waltz makes sure not to overplay, but perhaps should have gone more for the jugular after all. Still it is exciting to have Blofeld back.
Spectre runs long, at 148 minutes, - a Bond movie shouldn't ever be longer than 130 minutes is my best calibration, and the pomposity of the length hurts the film.
SPOILER Waltz' Blofeld seems destined to be the cornerstone of the next Bond as well, as he probably breaks out of jail, which I am already looking forward to.

Related posts:

Sam Mendes:  Skyfall (2012) - Overly celebrated third pout from Daniel Craig as Bond in slick production
Away We Go (2009) or, Where Do We Start This Family?
American Beauty (1999) or, Escape by Death

Most of the cast with director Sam Mendes at the London premiere for Spectre

Watch the exciting trailer for the film here

Cost: 245-300 mil. $
Box office: 108.4 mil. $ and counting
= Too early to say
[Spectre is one spectacularly expensive film, ranking among the priciest of all to date: It will have to become a major, global hit to make back its budget and possibly emerge with profits. It was filmed in England, Rome, Austria, Mexico City and in Morocco. Spectre broke UK's opening day and opening week records, and it looks like it will get a warm reception in North America as well. Spectre is fresh at 62 % with a 6.4 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Spectre?

Side Effects (2013) - Modern people screw up in excellent thriller

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+ Best Thriller of the Year

Four stars with apprehensive looks are divided by a blood-red medical cross on this poster for Steven Soderbergh's Side Effects

 

Side Effects is Georgian master filmmaker Steven Soderbergh's (Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)) second film in 2013, the other one being Liberace-biopic Behind the Candelabra, which was also favorably reviewed by Film Excess here: Behind the Candelabra (2013) - Restraint and extravagance. It is his 24th feature.
This one is a psychological thriller about psychotropic drugs, their use, over-use and implications in America today. If it sounds like a university lecture for people with glasses, don't worry, it's not. Side Effects is a wildly successful suspense-movie.

 

Following a possible suicide attempt, the young wife of a convicted inside-trading perpetrator is introduced to some experimental drugs, which come with unexpected side effects.

 
Side Effects is also the kind of thriller where you don't want to give away an elaborate plot summary, because it would ruin too much of the ride of seeing the film. Suffice to say, Jude Law (Spy (2015)) is excellent as an over-worked but well-intentioned psychiatrist who finds himself in a serious jam; Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)) is his patient, Catherine Zeta-Jones (The Darling Buds of May (1991-93)) is her old psychiatrist, and Channing Tatum (22 Jump Street (2014)) is her husband.
The exciting script by Scott Z. Burns (The Laundromat (2019)) has more than one unforeseen twist, which impresses along the way. If you have misgivings that Side Effects looks more like well-intended criticism of the pharmaceutical world than an exciting watch, luckily, you're wrong. (And this is perhaps a fault in its marketing.) The film does implicitly say that our over-medicated culture comes with some sick, unwanted side effects, but it goes no further than that, keeping its eye square on the thriller ball.
All the actors are safe in Soderbergh's seasoned direction, and new-comer Mara surprised me positively with her performance in a difficult role. So look out for her.
Otherwise it's a slick and very enjoyable operation: Soderbergh's own photography is as usual über-professional; the editing is sharp, the pacing perfect. And Thomas Newman's (The Judge (2014)) score is right on.

SPOILER A couple of little things annoyed me slightly in the story: There's a scene wherein some people, including Law's doctor character, sit and talk, and they just so happen to shed light on the disagreeable grease that big pharmaceutical companies sometimes use to persuade doctors to use their drugs, (expensive tickets, dinners etc.) This is not really a necessary information for the particular story, and the lines spoken felt out of place. If Burns felt that needed to be in Side Effects, it could have been handled more smoothly elsewhere, I feel.
SPOILER The other little thing is the harsh reaction of the doctor's wife, once he starts to see a tough time. This may very well be a realistic reaction from a modern married woman today, but it is depressing, and we've seen it too much in recent fiction. How about building up relationships via fiction portrayals as well sometimes, instead of always pointing out how weak and easily collapsible the modern nuclear family is? And just to be clear, that path need not compromise the film's suspense. There are multitudes of other ways the wife could have reacted besides leaving her husband immediately.
These are, in any case, minor detractors from Side Effects, which has a top-performing and very good-looking main cast and a smart, pulsating story. Don't miss it.

 

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2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
Magic Mike XXL (2015) - Lots of fun and skin but still no gay as Mike goes to the convention (cinematographer, editor) 

2013 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED VI]

2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]  
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess
Behind the Candelabra (2013) - Restraint and extravagance 
Magic Mike (2012) - Soderbergh and Tatum score big with cheeky male strip romp 
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 
2011 in films - according to Film Excess 
Contagion (2011) - Soderbergh's global pandemic creep-out  
Haywire (2011) - Soderbergh's taut, stylish ensemble actioner is a masterpiece

2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III] 
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]  
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess  
The Informant! (2009) - Soderbergh and Damon's terrific true-crime dramedy  
Che Part One - The Argentine (2008) - Soderbergh's sober depiction of the Cuban revolution 

Ocean's Twelve (2004) - Soderbergh returns with jumbled, glossy heist comedy sequel 
Solaris (2002) - A suffering space question mark  

2000 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
Top 10: Best crime movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
Erin Brockovich (2000) - Roberts, Soderbergh and Grant's triumphant biopic   

Check out the trailer for Side Effects here

Cost: 30 mil. $
Box office: 63.3 mil. $
= Flop (returned 2.11 times its cost)

[Side Effects premiered 31 January (New York) and runs 106 minutes. Shooting took place in New York from April - May 2012. It opened #3, behind fellow new release Identity Thief and hold-over hit Warm Bodies, to a 9.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd week and grossed 32.1 mil. $ (50.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 7.5 mil. $ (11.8 %) and France with 3.6 mil. $ (5.7 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Soderbergh returned with Behind the Candelabra (2013). Mara returned in Her (2013); Tatum in G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013); Law in Dom Hemingway (2013); and Zeta-Jones in RED 2 (2013). Side Effects is certified fresh at 82 % with a 7.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Side Effects?

American Beauty (1999) or, Escape by Death

♥♥♥♥♥

+ 3rd Best Movie of the Year

+ Best Debut of the Year + Best Drama of the Year + Best Mega-Hit Movie of the Year + Biggest Moneymaker of the Year: 127.48 mil. $ range

The iconic poster for Sam Mendes' American Beauty with its ingeniously simple tagline, 'Look closer'

Lester Burnham is a middle-aged father and husband, who is numbed to a zombie-like-state in an American suburb with his 9-5 job, his real estate-pushing wife and angry teenage daughter. just as some unpredicted things start to happen to him...

At first glance the characters of American Beauty might seem a bit psychologically sketchy, but then the plot takes them to new places: And although everything which takes place in some ways couldn't be more banal, yet they all still feels perfectly real and plausible.
American Beauty is written by Alan Ball (True Blood (2008-14), creator) and directed by debuting English master filmmaker Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road (2008)). It is Ball's thematically heavy script, above all, which has been studied over and over again since 1999. - What is the film saying exactly? And how does it say it? People obsess over American Beauty as few other films. And pairing it with Mendes' sensitive, keen direction is a perfect match.
Kevin Spacey (Margin Call (2011)) arguably has the role of his career here as Lester, SPOILER who liberates himself (and pays for it.) Spacey shines brightly here, and will always be remembered for his time as Lester, a great character that really strikes up the audiences' imagination. In other parts co-starring Annette Bening (The Siege (1998)) and supporting actors Mena Suvari (Psych (2010), TV-series), Thora Birch (Winter of Frozen Dreams (2009)) and Chris Cooper (Great Expectations (1998)) are all remarkable.
American Beauty is an incredibly powerful film, SPOILER and I wish I could believe in the final thoughts from Lester in the film, while instead it just makes me sad.To understand and make up your own mind, you will have to watch the film.

Related posts:

Sam Mendes: Spectre (2015) - Mendes' second Bond delivers
Skyfall (2012) - Overly celebrated third pout from Daniel Craig as Bond in slick production
Away We Go (2009) or, Where Do We Start This Family?

1999 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess  

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 15 mil. $
Box office: 356.2 mil. $
= Mega-hit
[American Beauty premiered 8 September (Los Angeles) and runs 122 minutes. Ball had developed his idea for the film as a play in the early 1990s. He sold the script as his first movie script in 1997 to DreamWorks for 250k $. Reportedly 20 big filmmakers were approached to direct, before Mendes was hired from the directing stage successes, working for scale, he reportedly finally only made about 38k $ on the job. Shooting lasted 50 days from December 1998 - February 1999 in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #11 in 16 theaters to an impressive 816k $ first weekend (a 53k $ average). It spent 7 weeks in the top 5 in an unusual release that saw the film boom and decline, only to boom and enter the top 5 again for another 2 weeks months later following its Oscar wins: Its placements were #4-#3-#4-#5-#X-#4, followed in March with 2 weeks in #5. The film played a very long 38 weeks in North America, where it grossed 130 mil. $ ( 36.5 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 34.6 mil. $ (9.7 %) and Germany with 24.1 mil. $ (6.8 %). The film was nominated for 8 Oscars, winning 5: For Best Picture, Director, Leading Actor, Script and Cinematography (Conrad L. Hall (Divorce American Style (1967))). It lost Actress to Hillary Swank for Boys Don't Cry, Editing to The Wachowski Brothers' masterpiece The Matrix and Best Score (Thomas Newman (Skyfall (2012))) to John Corigliano for The Red Violin/Le Violon Rouge. It also won 3/6 Golden Globe noms, 6/14 BAFTAs, a Grammy, 3 National Board of Review awards and many other awards and honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, translating to a notch better than this review. IMDb users have ranked it #65 on the site's Top 250 list, sitting between Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece Princess Mononoke/Mononoke-Hime (1997) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Mendes returned with the great Road to Perdition (2002). Spacey returned in The Big Kahuna (1999) and Bening in What Planet Are You From? (2000). American Beauty is certified fresh at 88 % with an 8.2/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of American Beauty?