Prior to 2012, the art form known as “a cappella” wasn’t featured in movies too often. Singing without the aid of instrumental accompaniment is tough and in many instances, quite beautiful. The offbeat comedy Pitch Perfect took a cappella and shone a bright light on it, making it really quite popular. The film was a smash hit, catapulting young actresses Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow into superstardom. A sequel was inevitable and more songs were covered and audiences were in for not only a musical treat but a humorous adventure as well.
Spy
When it comes to comedy this day and age, movie executives don’t look very far. There are only a handful of reliable actors who can tickle an audience’s funny bone. One such person has been making waves in recent years, making a name for herself and cementing her presence in the realm of filmed entertainment. That individual is Melissa McCarthy and ever since 2011’s Bridesmaids and her work in the popular sitcom Mike & Molly, she has been making viewers laugh pretty consistently. Her latest film Spy is a fun big budget action comedy that continues to showcase the actress’ talent in the comedy arena while offering some pretty decent action sequences courtesy of the strong cast and filmmaker Paul Feig.
Soundtrack Review: Mad Max: Fury Road
Nostalgia is alive and well in the year 2015. There are numerous film franchises from yesteryear getting the reboot/sequel treatment and this year is seeing this “phenomenon” more than ever before. One such franchise that has recently had new life injected into it is the Australian dystopian adventure film Mad Max. The series began in 1979 with a young Mel Gibson in the lead role and there were two sequels (1981 and 1985). These films saw some very gritty and some very raw action storytelling. Director George Miller has now returned 30 years later to continue the story with Mad Max: Fury Road, a high octane, no holds barred thrill ride that not only has great action and direction but a killer musical score courtesy of Mr. Tom Holkenborg (a.k.a.. Junkie XL).
Cannes Film Festival: Spotlight Pictures Acquires ‘7 Chinese Brothers’
Spotlight Pictures is known the world over for its wide range of quality independent cinema. The company specializes in the selling and distribution of films to the masses. They are truly on top of their game and their latest acquisition is that of the offbeat dramedy 7 Chinese Brothers starring Mr. Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, I Heart Huckabees), Eleanore Pienta (See You Next Tuesday, Bad at Dancing), Stephen Root (Office Space, NewsRadio) and Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck, Look Who’s Talking. The film is written and directed by Bob Byington (Somebody Up There Likes Me, Harmony and Me) and is proving to be pretty spectacular. 7 Chinese Brothers follows Larry (Schwartzman), a young man who bounces from job to job only to fall head over heels for his current supervisor (Pienta). The film is produced by Faliro of House Productions.
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Tribeca Film Festival 2015 Review: The Survivalist
The most basic instinct of man is to survive, to persevere and overcome obstacles to extend life. Many films explore this theme and it usually provides for some rather riveting storytelling. The new indie Irish export The Survivalist is one such film and it is a tale that, while told in a bleak and harsh manner, is a film definitely worth checking out. The performances are all quite good and the filmmaking style is of the utmost quality. Fans of taut premises and sobering scenarios should take in this special film because it is among the finest, not only of Irish cinema but recent indie cinema in general.
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Tribeca Film Festival 2015 Review: Tenured
Breakups can be hard, there’s no doubt about that. They can leave a person feeling vulnerable and utterly alone. They can also provide for some very interesting cinema. The dissolution of a relationship can either be heartbreakingly sad or pretty darn hilarious. The new independent dramedy Tenured is a little bit of both, leaning more on the side of comedy and the results are really rather good. With a cast full of gifted comedic actors and a sharp script, this is a movie that everyone should see. Not only are the leading actors solid but so is the supporting cast, which consists of talented young 10-year-olds. All in all, Tenured is a winner.
Soundtrack Review: Fifty Shades of Grey
In the modern digital world we all live in today, one can argue that “print is dead”. To read a book may seem like an activity not many engage in and this is true in some capacity. However books like E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey get made and usher in a new “era” of the printed word being consumed by the masses. Grey is a highly popular series of novels and with a provocative plot and steamy moments which has become a worldwide phenomenon. Obviously a feature film was destined to be made and a corresponding soundtrack was also released. Fans of Grey can now listen to the songs on the album which are almost as sexy and seductive as the book itself.
DVD Review: The Walking Deceased
With the hugely popular The Walking Dead injecting new life and excitement into the zombie genre, it was only a matter of time a ridiculous spoof would be made to lampoon everything the undead monster phenomenon stood for. The Walking Deceased is a lackluster attempt to mock zombie films and TV shows and while it is in vein of the Scary Movie franchise, it is a far cry from funny or even interesting mockery. Sure it’s cute in its execution here and there but it sadly misses the mark. Hardcore fans of zombie lore might find it appealing but casual audiences may want to seek entertainment elsewhere.
Soundtrack Review: Chappie
In the past two decades, the name Hans Zimmer has been synonymous will the blockbuster film. His music manages to capture the very essence and absolute beauty of almost every project he touches and his unique style has served as the backbone for many action and adventure franchises. From his Oscar-winning score to The Lion King to Pearl Harbor to The Dark Knight Trilogy to Pirates of the Caribbean, not to mention a plethora of other notable films, Zimmer is the industry standard for powerful film music. In fact, one can even go so far as to call him the new John Williams. His latest work is featured in the quirky sci-fi actioner Chappie and while it isn’t the man’s best score, it does give a nice wink at synth-heavy soundtracks of yesteryear, most notably Vangelis’ 1982 score for Blade Runner, a film with many similarities to Chappie.
True Story
Over the past decade, actors Jonah Hill and James Franco have demonstrated a strong and rather consistent pattern of likable comedic performances. However, the two actors have also shown great ability in the realm of drama as well. They are both talented enough to tackle each genre with range and professionalism and whenever they delve into more serious works, audiences are almost always in for a real treat. Sadly, their new film True Story isn’t such a case. Here we have two solid actors who have attempted to make greatness but due to a dull script and uninspired direction, we have a movie that is completely devoid of any type of spark. This is truly unfortunate given the film’s very talented stars.
Unger the Radar 