Historical dramas based on real-life events often provide for some of the more riveting bits of movie storytelling. Since the tale is true and it actually happened, this makes the audience feel as though what they’re watching on screen is honest and believable because it is. Effie Gray is just this type of film and while the dark premise is unpleasant at times, it is actually quite gripping. Child actress-turned young leading lady Dakota Fanning anchors the film exceptionally well and at just 21 years of age, she has taken Effie Gray and truly made it her own. One simply can’t take their eyes off of her because she is just that good and her performance definitely deserves a few award nominations come later this year.
Spring
Horror and romance are two film genres that don’t typically mix. They are quite possibly the two most different genres and on the surface, should not combine. However, when a story comes along like the one in the dark indie Spring, all bets are off and audiences are in for a movie experience unlike any other. The premise in this film has been done before in similar fashion, yes. But the manner in which it is presented here is really rather unique. The complexities of romance and the horror of monsters are brought together and the results are unlike anything you’ve probably ever seen.
Treading Water
The great thing about comedies is that they can turn almost anything into a laugh-out loud romp. People often suffer in dramas and the like but with comedies, the characters can experience many strange situations and through the power of the script and the performances, things can be transformed into something rather humorous. The latest independent comedy Treading Water (a.k.a. The Boy Who Smells Like Fish) is a quirky example of this stimulating formula. The film tells a tale that probably can’t be told in any other medium and the results are pretty out there. It’s not for all tastes, in fact, it’s quite random and in many instances, downright weird. If you have some time on your hands and want to see some likable performances mixed with a bizarre plot, then this film is right up your alley.
Home
Dreamworks has been manufacturing family-friendly animated entertainment for well over a decade now. Their films come a close second to Pixar and they always feature positive messages, funny scripts, star-studded voice casts and of course, absolutely dazzling artwork. The animation in Dreamworks films is the work of magicians and their latest offering, the sci-fi buddy adventure Home is no different. It is based on Adam Rex’s children’s book The True Meaning of Smekday and it is a charming tale of friendship set against a overpowering odds. Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin and Jennifer Lopez all lend their vocal talents to the film and their presence here is really quite welcome.
The Gunman
Within the past decade, the middle-aged action hero has become an increasingly popular entity in movies. Ever since Liam Neeson shot and punched his way to action film fame in 2008’s Taken, the genre has seen an increase in actors over the age of 50. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just a curious thing and film audiences are in for another example of this in The Gunman, a lackluster actioner starring a 53-year-old (but still excellent) Sean Penn. It’s a movie that doesn’t offer anything new but features a pretty impressive cast. Sadly though, the actors can’t save this film from mediocrity and that’s a real shame because there was some real potential here.
Interview: Actress Marie Avgeropoulos talks ‘Tracers’ and her love of drums and motorcycles
What’s missing from movies these days that we need more of? That’s right, you guessed it: parkour. Running and jumping and bouncing off walls seems to be an ever-growing sport and one that should be incorporated in cinema more. The new action/thriller Tracers uses parkour as a way to tell a fast-paced story and I recently had the opportunity to speak with Marie Avgeropoulos, one of the film’s stars. Here’s how that went:
Tracers
At first glance, the sport of parkour might seem like a frivolous urban activity. Moving from point A to point B while demonstrating finesse and creativity can appear silly and somewhat dangerous. But with the passage of time and more and more people becoming involved with parkour, this highly physical mode of travel has become not only popular but commonplace in the culture of society. The new action film Tracers uses parkour as one of its main plot motivators and though it may seem ridiculous at first, the sport takes a bit of a backseat to allow the energetic young cast to strut their stuff while engaging in parkour as a secondary feature. This film is a fast paced example of modern day action films that pack an occasional punch while remaining fun and imaginative, no matter how dizzying some of the scenes are.
Danny Collins
The plight of the aging rock star is something we’ve all seen on film before. It’s a premise that is not only entertaining but can be identified with by many. Anyone whose glory days are behind him or her and yearn for another shot is a universal theme and in the latest Al Pacino-starred dramedy Danny Collins, we see the highs and lows of someone who used to be great but has sadly fallen from grace. It’s a relatively big budget production full of notable stars and while it feels familiar, it’s actually a really strong film that will not only tug at your heartstrings but leave you laughing as well.
At the Top of the Pyramid
The teen dramedy reigned supreme in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Films like Bring it On, American Pie and pretty much anything on the WB television channel were perfect representations of what young audiences craved. However, in recent years the teen dramedy has matured and undergone a bit of a transformation. Now, independent filmmakers are tackling the genre and adding significant amounts of grit to stories about young people. Perhaps the internet boom is partly responsible for this but this once thriving genre is now pretty much nonexistent. The new film At the Top of the Pyramid, while flawed and clichéd, does offer a few nostalgic nods to the time in which bubblegum pop films were all the rage.
Cymbeline
There have been many attempts to modernize the works of William Shakespeare. The Bard’s classic language is something many writers and filmmakers have tried to bring to the screen. This doesn’t always work unfortunately and while the motion picture is a more than appropriate medium to do this, it can sometimes be an utter disaster. One of Shakespeare’s later plays, Cymbeline, has caught the attention of director Michael Almereyda. No stranger to Shakespeare, he actually helmed the Ethan Hawke-starred Hamlet back in 2000. With an all-star cast and an intriguing premise, Cymbeline has loads of potential. Sadly, the actual resulting film falls painfully short. With the actors reciting Shakespeare’s dialogue word for word, this film will detract many but others might find it rather interesting.
Unger the Radar 