”The Art of Racing in the Rain” Movie Review

    It probably isn’t much of a shock to learn I went to see “The Art of Racing in the Rain” last week since it’s a movie featuring a dog.  I mean, of course I would go see this because it’s a dog movie.  That being said, I also knew I was probably in for an emotional rollercoaster and that I might end up crying like a baby by the end of the movie.  Regardless of how many tears I might shed, I decided to go see the movie anyway.

    The film tells the story of professional racer Denny as he adopts a dog he names Enzo.  Denny and Enzo share a bond and friendship as Denny tries to make his way through the ranks of professional racing.  Racing, and to an extent Enzo, take a back seat a bit when Denny meets Eve.  Denny and Eve end up marring and while Enzo doesn’t like having to share Denny’s attention at first, Enzo begins to warm up to her when she becomes pregnant, even hoping their baby looks like him.  What happens next would spoil too much of the movie so I will just say things get very sad and it would be hard not to cry by the end of the movie.

    The film, based on a novel written by Garth Stein, was received with mixed reviews but that couldn’t keep me from a good dog movie.  I really enjoyed the film but the film was a real tearjerker for dog lovers.  The film succeeds largely due to the performance of the dog who plays Enzo.  The human actors, primarily Milo Ventimiglia and Amanda Seyfried, do a decent job but Enzo without a doubt steals the show.  Kevin Costner provides the perfect voice actor for the mature Enzo in the film.

    The film does have it’s flaws despite my enjoyment of the film.  The film is fairly predictable throughout most of it’s runtime and while the movie still remains enjoyable, it undercuts some of the drama slightly.  I also thought some of the moments of levity were out of place, like the moments with the stuffed zebra.  The zebra hallucination was cute but took me out of the movie.

    “The Art of Racing in the Rain” isn’t for everyone but maybe it should be.  The film can be sappy and emotional but sometimes that is just what an audience needs.

Grade: B+

”The Highwaymen” Movie Review

    Although there are some Netflix films I don’t mind checking out and some I even enjoy, very few times am I excited to see a Netflix original film.  I was excited to see “The Cloverfield Paradox” but this is the first film Netflix has made that I was looking forward to since then (although “The Irishman” very much has my attention as well).  I am a big fan of both Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson and the preview of the film looked very promising.

    The film tells the story of the men who finally took down the notorious Bonnie and Clyde.  Governor Ma Ferguson agrees to allow two former Texas Rangers, Frank Hamer and Benjamin Gault, on the case despite her reservations.  Frank and Benjamin use their skills to stay one step ahead of the FBI who are also on the case in search of Bonnie and Clyde.  Despite their age, Frank and Benjamin manage to track Bonnie and Clyde to Louisiana where they (along with other law enforcement) end up gunning the pair down when they refuse to surrender.

    “The Highwaymen” was a film that was in development hell for years before finally being completed.  At one point, the film was envisioned as a starring vehicle for the late Paul Newman and Robert Redford.  The film finally got picked up by Netflix last year.  Upon it’s release, the film garnered mixed reviews so I was dying to see what I would think of the film.

    I enjoyed the film more than the critics seemed to but I agree with some of their critiques.  One of the main criticisms the film faced which I agree with was that Bonnie and Clyde are the more interesting characters in the story and that the Texas Rangers would have better served as supporting characters.  While I think the story of Bonnie and Clyde has been successfully told before and didn’t necessarily need yet another retelling from their point of view, I think sharing the prospective between the criminals and the law enforcement officers would have provided a better fresh take on the story.

    The film has a lot of strengths that I think are largely overlooked.  Director John Lee Hancock manages to create a rich and vibrant atmosphere which helps transport the viewer into the 1930s.  The fact that the movie was filmed on many of the actual historical sites helps the film feel authentic.  One of the historical locations happened to be the actual road where Bonnie and Clyde were killed on.

    What really helped elevate the film beyond most other Netflix films is it’s killer cast.  Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson are both giving it their A game and give award worthy performances.  Costner and Harrelson also have great chemistry together and it feels like they have worked together for a long time.

    “The Highwaymen” isn’t a perfect film but it captures the look, feel, and style of the period like few films have.  It is certainly one of the better Netflix films I have seen and a film I would personally recommend someone seek out to watch.

Grade: B

"Man of Steel" Movie Review

    I remember seeing the first trailer for “Man of Steel” attached to “The Dark Knight Rises” and the preview sent chills down my spine.  I am a huge Superman fan and seeing the names Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan attached to the project brought me much hope and delight.  When the film came out, I remember thinking Warner Bros and DC had a hit on their hands because it had everything the critics complained about “Superman Returns” lacking, namely a fresh more realistic take and more action.  I was extremely surprised at the time to see the same critics also panning “Man of Steel” for delivering exactly what they wanted.  After the dust settled, “Superman Returns” ended up getting better critical reviews than “Man of Steel”, although “Man of Steel” did manage to do slightly better at the box office.

    “Man of Steel” proved to also be just as divisive among fans.  It seems like some people wanted a more classic take on the character while others were extremely happy with the vision Zack Snyder had for the film.  I very much enjoyed both “Superman Returns” and “Man of Steel” but after awhile, it became more and more clear that Bryan Singer wasn’t going to be allowed to make a sequel to “Superman Returns”.  The studio wanted a reboot and they hired Zack Snyder, hot off of “300” and “Watchmen”, to direct the film while “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan would act as a sort of figurehead to the film.

    The film tells the story of Kal-El/Clark Kent and his journey to becoming Superman once again.  The film opens on Krypton with Jor-El sending his son Kal-El to Earth in order to escape the planet’s destruction.  As Kal-El is sent into space, General Zod’s rebellion on Krypton is stopped with the help of Jor-El and General Zod is sent to The Phantom Zone.  When Kal-El arrives on Earth, he is adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent who name him Clark.  Clark Kent grows up with amazing powers and soon realizes he is more than a typical man, he is a Superman!  Just as Clark starts to feel comfortable with new powers, General Zod arrives on Earth having escaped the Phantom Zone with one goal, start a New Krypton on top of the ashes of the Earth.  Only Superman can stop him!

    At the time it seemed like a wise decision to launch the DC Extended Universe with it’s oldest flagship character, the last son of Krypton himself, Superman.  I think making General Zod the main antagonist of the film was wise due to his ties to Krypton.

    As far as casting goes, this remake took a cue from the Richard Donner “Superman” movies and cast Hollywood heavyweights around a lesser known lead.  Henry Cavill steps into the role which Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh had played before him.  Cavill was a fan favorite for the role and was almost cast years before when McG was still set to helm what would become “Superman Returns”.  Cavill is a capable Superman but can be wooden at times as Clark Kent.  Kevin Costner and Diane Lane play Jonathan and Martha Kent with the weight you would expect from two iconic performers.  Michael Shannon plays a creepier and more menacing version of General Zod than seen before.  Still, I have to say I personally prefer Terence Stamp’s quiet nobility as the evil Zod in the original Donner films.  Amy Adams doesn’t hurt the film as Lois Lane but doesn’t vastly enhance it either.  Rounding out the main cast is Russell Crowe as Jor-El and Crowe is one of my favorite performers in this movie.

    Now, aside from the visuals, one of the most memorable aspects of the Superman movies was always John Williams fantastic score.  Everyone and their mother knows the main Superman theme so when I found out that Snyder wasn’t using the theme, I was a little angry.  Imagine my surprise when I hear the theme Hans Zimmer delivers and I really love that score as well.

    Looking back, I personally feel like “Man of Steel” was a fantastic start to the DCEU that hit a snag when all the critics decided to unfairly dump on it.  It told a solo Superman story well while including Easter eggs setting up future movies and characters without being in your face.  I guess every film is truly subjective though, with this film continuing to divide critics and the fan base.  Count me as someone who was all aboard for future DC films.

Grade: A-