Return to Sender (2015)

** ½ out of ****

I have to admit a pre-existing bias going into this movie.... The star of “Return to Sender” is Rosamind Pike, and I found her so spellbindingly evil in “Gone Girl” that I could never, ever accept her as anything but a villain. In “Return to Sender” she is a victim, but eventually seems to completely lose her shit, so it ended up okay.

Pike plays Miranda, a driven ER nurse with aspirations of becoming a surgical nurse. She is successful but all alone in life, which worries her friends and her father. Dad is played by Nick Nolte, a longtime favorite of mine, and in this film he looks like an entrant in a Grizzly Adams lookalike contest and is his usual curmudgeonly self.

So Miranda's friends set her up on a blind date with “Kevin”, who is going to meet her at her house. When he shows up a bit early she lets him in and goes off to get ready. Unfortunately the man she let in was not Kevin, it was William (Shiloh Fernandez), a very disturbed man. In aa all-too-realistic and lengthy scene, William ends up raping Miranda in her kitchen and running away. Believe me, this scene is very hard to watch, and that's coming from a guy (someone in very little danger of ever being raped). I am willing to bet that it's much, much harder for any woman to stomach – it just seems so authentic.

William is captured and sent to prison, but Miranda can't stop thinking about the horror of the incident. It costs her an opportunity be become a surgical nurse as she'd hoped, as her hands now shake all the time. In an attempt to come to terms with the event, she starts to write to William in jail, and her letters are always returned. But after some time, he relents and agrees to see her, and she starts to visit him in prison. They even become friendly.

Throughout the middle portion of the film you feel a little confused. Has she lost her mind? Is she plotting revenge? Just what the heck could she be thinking? And when he is released and she allows him to come to her house to do outside work to “make amends” you become almost completely convinced she has simply lost her mind.

Pike is really very good in the lead role, though throughout I just kept expecting her to yank out a butcher knife and cut William's throat (a leftover of my feelings about her from “Gone Girl”). It made it hard for me to see her as a tremendously sympathetic character, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say that despite he excellent performance she is miscast. She even keeps the “Gone Girl” narrowed-eye look for most of the film, like she's plotting something the entire time.

Not to say she isn't.....

My favorite part of the movie was the performance of Nick Nolte, who I often wonder why he gets so few juicy roles. The guy is really excellent in everything, and he really knows what works best for him. The grumbling, growling old bear that flat-out hates taking shit from anyone, and he even adds a vulnerability here we don't often see from him. His pain over his daughter's plight and his personal gentleness come through and he is just plain likable. Everyone in the cast does a good job, but for me it was nice to see Nolte in a good role again.

Overall the movie isn't terribly compelling or thought provoking, but it is interesting enough to want to see it through to the end. And personally, I found the ending pretty satisfying.

Dark Places (2015)

*** out of ****

“Dark Places” is one of those really rare movies – one that I know darn well isn't that great, but it still had me mesmerized from the opening frames. In large part it is due to the stark performance of the leading lady, but the seeming “real-ness” of the story had a lot to do with it as well.

Charlize Theron is Libby Day, an emotionally destroyed early-30s crisis survivor. When she just a child, her brother Ben (Corey Stoll) murdered her mother and two sisters, leaving Libby as a state ward. She has never had a job, living since that time on the donations of strangers who had an interest in the case, but after so many years that money is drying up. Libby accepts a $500 offer to visit a “kill club”, a fairly large collection of absolute weirdos who have an interest in famous crimes. But after weeding through the fantasy portions of the club, she finds there is a very serious aspect to it as well.

Part of the “kill club” consists of a bunch of retired cops and amateur sleuths that try to solve crimes they believe are unsolved, or someone is unjustly incarcerated. This club has found evidence that makes them believe there was more to the murder of Libby's family than meets the eye, and they want to grill her about that night. We find that Libby testified against her brother, but that she didn't really witness much – her testimony largely consisted of backing up the events described in her brother's confession. It isn't clear if that confession was legitimate or not, as brother Ben was involved in some kind of Satanic cult and the cops were only-too-pleased to have a very convenient scapegoat.

There is intrigue in “Dark Places”, but it is more of a tense character study than a whodunnit. Theron is excellent as Libby, a woman who cannot trust anyone but herself, and has doubts even about that. She is cold, angry and absolutely unwilling to believe the world is anything but against her. Stoll is equally good as Ben, a guy who is happy to leave everything to the imagination – want me to be guilty and I'll be guilty, want me to be innocent and I'll be that instead. His deliberate obfuscating of the the events of that night really leave you wondering what could possibly have happened.

It all eventually gets explained, and a large part of that is due to another excellent performance by Chloe Grace Moretz, as the young Ben's pregnant girlfriend, and fellow Satanist. She plays this part with such controlled insanity that it's unsettling. Her character is at the same time loving, a typical teenage girl, but utterly insane and loving it. I don't think I've ever seen a Moretz performance I thought was anything but great, and this is another one.

Overall I think this is a film for a very specific taste – dark, disturbing and with a gritty reality. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

About Time (2013)

*** ½ out of ****

I went into “About Time” expecting a nice little rom-com based around a silly little idea: that an individual has the ability to relive moments of his life over and over as frequently as he wanted in order to get it right. What I got instead was a beautiful, heart-aching story about love, loss and why we need to value every day of our lives.

Now don't get me wrong... the first half of the movie is light and fluffy just as the trailers would leave you to expect. Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) is a typical nice-guy who doesn't have a lot of luck with the ladies. But one day his dad (played beautifully by Bill Nighy) takes him aside and explains that the men in the family have the unique ability to “travel in time”. He explains that you can't just go anywhere in history, but if Tim wants to travel back to any point in his life, he has the ability to do so. This allows him to relive any particular moment, or just go back to whenever he wants and relive his life from that point.

Predictably, Tim uses his gift to give himself do-overs of embarrassing moments and missed opportunities, almost all having to do with girls. And though this part of the film is pretty lightweight, it is very well done and thoroughly enjoyable. There are even scenes with great laughs. But soon the movie takes a turn.....

Tim finds that sometimes going back changes things in ways he didn't intend. Some of his changes in his history make certain things in his life better, but also alter events to make it much worse (or at least substantially different). He and his father discuss the meaning behind all this and how careful Tim has to be with his gift to not ruin the good things in his life.

I don't want to say anything to spoil the last half of the film, so I will just say that Tim's understanding of his place in the world evolves in often painful ways. He finds that his ability to get everything right doesn't exempt him from loss, pain, or heartbreak. And though he can make his life anything he wants it to be, he can't make every life what he wants them to be.

Domhall Gleason is achingly wonderful as Tim in this film. Not in any way a heartthrob type, but he plays this role with the strength of any great leading man. His delivery coupled with his expressiveness make you connect with his character's emotions in a really delightful way. It is really a breakout performance for him. Playing Tim's dad is Bill Nighy, who is at least as good – but when is he not? The subtlety of his delivery, his cheeky expressions and bone-dry wit make his character something really special. Rachal McAdams is lovely as the leading lady, but it is Gleason and Nighy that make this movie truly memorable.

....and what a soundtrack.  I found that the music and score added tremendously to my enjoyment of the film.  And don't be surprised to find yourself searching Youtube for Jimmy Fontana singing "Il Mondo" when the movie ends.

There are time-paradox and metaphysical issues galore in “About Time” but it is a heart-wrenching, glorious film that leaves you feeling wonderful despite the tears in your eyes. Sure to be one of my personal favorite movies of all time, and probably already my favorite romantic comedy. A real gem.

The Gift (2015)

*** out of ****

If I had to find one word to describe “The Gift”, it would be “unexpected”. The marketing for the film made it look like a bro version of “Fatal Attraction” - the kid who was an awkward teen stalking the high-school hero when shunned again in adulthood. Cue scary music and boiled rabbits on the stove. But it isn't anything like that at all.

Simon and Robin Callum (Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall) have just moved to California from Chicago, close to the area where Simon grew up. While on a shopping trip they run into Gordo Moseley (Joel Edgerton), who recognizes Simon from high school, but who Simon appears to barely remember. They trade numbers, though it's pretty clear that Simon has little interest in further contact. So when Gordo starts to swing by the house unannounced, being generous and helpful, though in a pretty odd and socially awkward way, it makes Simon uncomfortable. Robin, however, isn't so sure there is anything to fear.

As we learn more and more about these characters, we start to see that Simon isn't really a very nice guy. Once he tells Robin that Gordo's nickname in high school was “Gordo the Weirdo” he refers to him only as that from then on. Gordo is clearly close to friendless, and Simon's eventual callous dismissal of him seems pretty cruel. This is the point where I expected the film to turn into a horror movie with Gordo playing the antagonist, but instead something rather intriguing happens.

Robin decides to spend a little time digging. And she finds that Simon was considered a big bully in high school, and once she sees that she also finds he's still a rather substantial bully now. He manipulates people and situations to get exactly what he wants, and when anything doesn't go according to script he gets very angry. Though Gordo hasn't been seen since Simon told him to stop coming around, Simon blames him for everything that goes wrong – their missing dog, the death of the fish in their coy pond, just about anything. As we learn more about Simon he becomes less and less a sympathetic character, and we question who is the villain of the film.

I found this to be a pretty bold part for Jason Bateman to take, and very must against his typical character. He has carved out a nice career in comedies playing the sarcastic but wholesome nice-guy, and Simon Callum is anything but nice. Bateman pulls it off beautifully, showing a range we've never seen from him before. Edgerton is perfectly creepy and gawky as Gordo, and though when seeing Hall all I could see was a younger Shelley Duvall, she is also excellent as the damaged but courageous Robin.

This film is in no way a “scary movie”, but it is very dark and at times very disconcerting. It has a lot to say about bullying, and also about people of a certain mentality that is more and more common these days: the “I will have my way despite who I have to destroy to get it” type. It is very bleakly shot, with no special effects or grand scenes, but it is a fascinating character study about three very different types of people. If you want high action you should stay away, but if you can get into a very character driven story with no desire to put a happy “Hollywood” spin on things, “The Gift” is a really quite wonderful film.

Goosebumps (2015)

** ½ out of ****

I wish it were possible to watch a new release at the theatre these days without having to watch it in 3D. I'm blind in one eye, so all the 3D glasses do is remove the blur – it adds no 3D effect whatsoever. All it means is I have to watch through sunglasses. With a film like “Goosebumps”, the 3D is utterly un-called-for. There is very little in the way of 3D, just heavy animation that I guess is supposed to be more fun if it appears to be possible to touch. While the theatres love it so they can charge higher prices, I think it's pretty ridiculous that I can't simply enjoy a movie the way a movie was meant to be enjoyed.

That being said, if you have a younger child (say, 8 through 10) and you're not sure sure how they'd handle a “scary movie”, “Goosebumps” is a great choice. It isn't very scary, but has some very tense moments, a few jumps, and a creepier-than-hell puppet. Good litmus test – if your kid spends the film with their face buried in your shoulder, they're not quite ready for anything that is truly scary.

Dylan Minette is Zach, the new kid in Madison, Deleware, and he's not too happy about moving there. But things perk up when he notices a cute neighbour, Hannah (Odeya Rush). It doesn't even matter that her dad (Jack Black) appears to be a borderline psycho xenophobe. Eventually we find that her dad is actually R.L. Stine, the writer of the Goosebumps series of books, and he is trying to protect the world from real-life versions of the monsters from his books. He keeps the manuscripts locked up because any time one is opened, the monster escapes the pages into the real world.

Not a new premise to be sure; there have been plenty of stories where books come to life. But the material is treated in a good-natured manner that serves it well, with Stine's literary pride being a fun sore-spot with him (you better not compare him to Stephen King). Also adding to the fun is Zach's new friend “Champ” (Ryan Lee) who is hilariously socially awkward and desperate to have some friends.

As more and more of Stine's creations come to life, we see a few that are actually a little spooky (the clown in particular may cause some anxiety amongst youngsters) but for the most part they don't have a lot of scare factor. “Slappy” the ventriloquist's dummy is the leader of the escaped characters, and they try to take over the town and destroy Stine so he can't recapture them. Overall it's a pretty fun story for a kid's movie, and although it's incredibly predicable it's still enjoyable.

Jack Black is his typical charming, overacting self, in spite of his attempt to speak in a clipped “I'm just so literary” manner. The kids all do serviceable jobs, with Ryan Lee as Champ being the one that comes off best. All of the monsters in the movie are directly from the “Goosebumps” series of books, so hopefully it will inspire a few kids to look away from their phone/XBox/iPad and actually try out some of the books. The written word has less draw than ever for kids in this digital world we live in – if this film accomplishes making a few more readers out there, it will be well served.

The Martian (2015)

*** out of  ****

Confession: I went into this film with the highest expectations possible. I absolutely adored Andy Weir's novel “The Martian”. I loved everything about it, from the story to the science to the presentation to the pacing.... everything. And I was of the opinion that this would, if done correctly, make a wonderful movie. So with Matt Damon in the starring role and directed by Ridley Scott, I went in thinking it was going to be an automatic favorite.

Not everything always goes exactly as planned, does it?

Before getting into what I saw as the film's weaknesses, I'll first give a synopsis and talk about what is right about it, and there is a lot that is right. Mark Watney (Damon) is an astronaut on the “Aries 3” mission to Mars. He and five other crewmates spent months traveling to the red planet, with the assignment of spending roughly a month on the surface. However, early in their stay on Mars a terrible dust storm hits, forcing them to abort the mission and blast off back to their orbiting module, before the storm winds are strong enough to knock over their launcher.

However, in the storm Watney is hammered by a windblown satellite dish and sent sailing off into the night. His biomonitor shows flatlines and after a brief and frantic search in the storm, the captain of the mission (Jessica Chastain) is forced to leave without him. Unbeknownst to them, the impact of the satellite dish damaged Watney's biomonitor (causing the flatlines) and he was simply unconscious and injured. Waking hours later to an alarm telling him his suit's life support was almost spent, he makes his way back to the habitat, which was undamaged from the storm. Now alone on Mars, unable to contact NASA and knowing he is presumed dead, Watney needs to find a way to survive and let NASA know he is alright.

Not all is as desperate as it initially seems. The habitat was designed to provide for 6 people for a month, and they had double supplies as backups. He has food, water and life support enough to last over a year.... but any possible rescue could take up to FOUR years. Martian soil has no biomatter so crops can't be grown there, and though Watney has lots of rocket fuel, he has no additional water. He realizes that in order to survive he will have to, in his words, “Science the shit out of this planet.”

The movie tells the story well, creates the appropriate tension, and is beautiful to watch. The characters are developed nicely, and they add just the right notes of humour to the seriousness of the situation. The science is (for the most part) accurate, which is pretty crucial to the plotline. Certain elements of the storyline of the novel were eliminated, but that was for time constraints – their loss didn't really detract from the story. So this is a terrific, enjoyable movie, offers entertainment as well as some things we can learn from, and even has elements of personal sacrifice and altruism that make many of the characters truly admirable.

That being said, I thought it was missing something.....

Weir's novel was almost ridiculously absorbing. As much as was possible was written in the first person, with only elements that Watney couldn't observe falling back into standard story-telling. But that left you feeling CONNECTED to Watney. His innermost feelings and fears are clear, and your heart aches for every setback he suffers and you feel joy for every victory. The movie just doesn't offer the same connection, which I found a little disappointing.

And (trying not to spoil anything here) they throw actual physics out the window for a cheap thrill near the end. In the book it was something that Watney only suggested he try (as a joke more than anything) but in the film they actually do it. I found that to be the worst possible decision, as in reality it would never, ever work. Probably the only thin gin the movie you could say that about.

Overall, this is a wonderful film, equal parts “Robinson Crusoe”, “Apollo 13” and “McGyver”. You are caught right up in the storyline and you root like hell for the protagonist not to die. While I can highly recommend it, my review would probably be a bit more glowing had I not first read the novel, or at least had I not loved the novel so deeply. What I can say is that if you go to see it, only the most shallow movie-goer won't be entranced by and enjoy this film.

But then read the book. It's better. A lot.