Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

Genre: Action / Thriller

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh, Keira Knightley

Running time: 105 minutes

Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Jack Ryan leaves his studies in economics to become a US Marine and fight in Afghanistan. His helicopter gets shot down, leaving him badly injured. As he recuperates, he meets the love of his life, Cathy, a medical student, and he is then recruited to work covertly for the CIA on Wall Street. His job then brings him to Moscow to investigate a Russian organization that is planning a major coup that could be devastating to the USA.

This is an original story based on characters created by author Tom Clancy. Chris Pine is the fourth actor to play Jack Ryan on the big screen. I cannot say that I was a big fan of his performance. His acting felt stiff and wooden here. It got better as the pace of the action got faster, but it was very uneven overall. The same could be said for Keira Knightley, which is unfortunate, as she has done much better jobs in other films. Kevin Costner and Kenneth Branagh were better in their respective roles.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit started a little slowly for me, but, once the action picked up, it was a thrilling ride through the life of a character that has to adapt quickly to his surroundings. It is unfortunate that the unevenness of the acting brought it down a notch for me. Still, this movie is an entertaining thriller.

Rating: «««

A Very Murray Christmas (2015)

Genre: Comedy / Christmas / Musical

Directed by: Sofia Coppola

Starring: Bill Murray, George Clooney, Paul Shaffer

Running time: 56 minutes

In this made-for-Netflix Christmas special, actor Bill Murray plays himself. He is set to host a TV special, but none of the guests can come due to a major blizzard in New York City. Stuck in the Carlyle Hotel, he struggles to find a way to keep the show going.

Maybe I was expecting too much because I have been a fan of Bill Murray for a long time, but I was disappointed by this offering. Murray played his usual character filled with self-doubt, with good success. Maya Rudolph was a nice surprise for her singing voice. I was also pleasantly surprised by Miley Cyrus. When she’s not singing her own crap, she is actually a decent singer. Some of the songs were fun and cheerful, but, in the end, the whole thing felt kind of flat. And, it was very short too. It is still enjoyable for the music and for the Bill Murray we have come to know and appreciate.

Rating: «««

La guerre des tuques (1984)

Genre: Franco / Comedy / Drama

Réalisateur: André Melançon

Distribution: Cédric Jourde, Marie-Pierre A D’amour, Julien Elie

Running time: 92 minutes

Durant le congé scolaire des Fêtes, des enfants décident de former deux clans qui se feront la guerre pour le contrôle d’un fort construit dans la neige. Malheureusement, même si la guerre n’est pas une raison de se faire mal, c’est bien souvent ce qui arrive.

Après avoir récemment vu la version animée, j’ai décidé de revisiter ce classique des Contes pour tous réalisé par André Melançon. Ce film a marqué ma jeunesse dans les années 80. En le regardant aujourd’hui avec mes yeux d’adulte au bord de la quarantaine, je me rends compte à quel point le jeu des acteurs et actrices pouvait être mauvais dans certains cas. Beaucoup d’entre eux sonnaient très faux, ce qui toujours un risque lorsqu’on travaille avec de jeunes enfants qui ont peu d’expérience à l’écran.

Néanmoins, malgré le jeu approximatif des acteurs, les nombreuses phrases célèbres du film m’ont fait sourire encore. Il s’agit d’une œuvre cinématographique marquante pour une génération en raison de son charme qui perdure. Il faut savoir la prendre pour ce qu’elle est, c’est tout.

Note: «««

Borrowed Hearts (1997)

Genre: Romantic Comedy / Christmas / TV

Directed by: Ted Kotcheff

Starring: Roma Downey, Eric McCormack, Sarah Rosen Fruitman

Running time: 91 minutes

Sam is a rich businessman and factory-owner living the playboy lifestyle in his big house where young women don’t get to spend much more than one night. A potential buyer for the business comes to town to close a deal and he thinks that Sam is a family man. So, to preserve appearances, Sam hires one of his employees and her little girl to pose as his wife and kid.

This made-for-TV movie is about as formulaic and predictable as it gets. Two people forced by circumstances to live together start to appreciate each other more and more and fall in love. This kind of story has been told a thousand times, often with more success. Borrowed Hearts is not without charm, with a cute little girl you would want to adopt yourself and fine acting on everyone’s part, but it is nothing to write home about. I smiled and chuckled a few times. This movie is a big dose of schmaltzy entertainment, where you know the ending over an hour before it comes. Some will probably like it; it simply is not my thing.  

Rating: ««

Elf (2003)

Genre: Comedy / Christmas

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel

Running time: 95 minutes

Buddy ended up at the North Pole as a baby after climbing in Santa’s bag when old Saint-Nick was visiting the orphanage where he was. Having been raised by Santa’s elves, Buddy grows up believing he is one of them, though he doesn’t have much aptitude for making toys. When he finds out that he is in fact human and that his biological father is alive and well, Buddy decides to travel to New York City to meet his dad.

Elf is a film full of cheer and good spirit that has become a tradition for the wife and I over the years every time Christmas rolls around. Sure it is predictable and a bit cheesy, but it is so much fun: Pure family entertainment.

Will Ferrell was the perfect choice to play Buddy. The sight of that big guy living among elves and trying to fit in is a funny image in itself. The former SNL cast member gives an enormous amount of innocence and overwhelming joie de vivre to the Buddy character, making him loveable. Zooey Deschanel was very sweet also as Buddy’s love interest, Jovie.

I must admit, it was weird for me at first to see James Caan in this movie. For me, he will forever remain Sonny Corleone and the writer in Misery. Nonetheless, he is very good here as the father who thinks solely of his work.

Elf is a movie that can be seen every once in a while and be enjoyed again and again. It is a film that does not take itself seriously, and that can be so charming.

Rating: ««««

I Am Sam (2001)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Jessie Nelson

Starring: Sean Penn, Dakota Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer

Running time: 134 minutes

Sam Dawson is a man with a developmental disability who becomes a father after getting a homeless woman pregnant. After giving birth, the mother runs out on them, leaving Sam to take care of the child, with a little help from his friends. As his daughter Lucy grows older, her father’s limitations start posing a problem, and social services get involved. Trying to gain back his parental rights, Sam hires a high-powered lawyer to help him fight in court.

While his performance might have made some people uncomfortable, Sean Penn needs to be recognized for his dedication to the role of Sam Dawson. What a transformation! A man widely known as a temperamental badass in Hollywood turns into a fragile developmentally disabled man and he makes you believe it in the process. Michelle Pfeiffer and Dakota Fanning also offered some solid performances in this 2001 drama.

The film itself is a tad preachy and sentimental, trying to portray people looking for a better situation for a young girl as bad people. But, this movie tugs on your heartstrings and you want Sam to get his daughter back, though it is clear he will need a lot of help to raise her.

Along with the performance by the main actor, a strong point of I Am Sam is the soundtrack. Composed of Beatles songs covered by various talented artists, it is a true work of art.

In spite of its obvious flaws, you cannot help feeling good by the end of I Am Sam. I wish I did not like this film so much, but I cannot help it.

Rating: ««««

Happy Christmas (2014)

Genre: Comedy / Drama

Directed by: Joe Swanberg

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Joe Swanberg

Running time: 88 minutes

Jenny is a girl in her twenties whose personal life is a mess. She decides to move to Chicago to live with her older brother Jeff, a filmmaker living a calm existence with his writer wife and his infant son. The ever-partying younger sibling will stir things up and her brother’s family life will never be quite the same again.

As it is usually the case with Joe Swanberg films, the dialogue in this one is completely improvised. Anna Kendrick is really good as Jenny; she makes for a convincing immature party girl. It was also a nice touch to see Melanie Lynskey again. I really dug her as Rose in Two and a Half Men, and I don’t see enough of her on the small and big screen.

Overall, this film was somewhat of a letdown for me. The premise was interesting, the acting was good; it just all seemed to fall flat in the end. Maybe some of the impact was lost in the improvisational nature of the dialogue, but I was left with a feeling of a lot of promise that led to a dead end.

Rating: «««