‘Ocean’s Trilogy’ Review and 4K Review

Posted on May 13, 2024 by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When you think of the “Ocean’s Trilogy,” you think of big movie stars, high stakes, and witty banter. These are individuals known for being con-artists and having a certain set of skills, but they bring an element of fun to the proceedings. They are interesting, layered, and unique. These are not your bargain basement crooks and thieves. These films are also aided by the direction of the stellar Steven Soderbergh. He makes everything pop and sizzle on screen. He knows how to add just the right amount of style to these films without taking away from his ensemble cast. The beauty of a Soderbergh film is the fact he can dabble in a number of genres and make a film successful both commercially and financially. He’s not just pigeonholing himself into one type of film. He can do an independent film that gets people talking or he can do blockbuster films like the “Ocean’s Trilogy.”

Let’s start with “Ocean’s Eleven,” which is, of course, a remake of the 1960 film starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. I don’t think it is fair to compare these two films as they are forty years apart, but I will say that both are entertaining and sleek in their own ways. Remakes in general tend to get a bad rap, but when they are done with the right people involved and the right mindset, they can really deliver the goods. It’s about taking an idea and making it your own without copying from the original source material. This is not always easy to accomplish, but they did that with “Ocean’s Eleven” in 2001.

The charming George Clooney stars as Danny Ocean, a professional thief who has recently been released from prison. Even though he served time, he’s on the lookout for his next big caper. Once he gets involved with the thrill of the chase and the risk and reward that comes with it, it’s hard to turn it down or live a normal lifestyle after that. He meets up with an old partner named Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), and they are looking to hit up Las Vegas for their next big heist. When it comes to a heist like this, money is important. They end up securing the money from Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), and their plan is to rob three casinos in Las Vegas, which are owned by Tishkoff’s rival. The stakes are high, at $160 million, so they need to make sure they are on their A-game.

In order for Danny and Rusty to pull this off, they will need to assemble the right team. They enlist the help of Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle), Livingston Dell (Eddie Jemison), Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon), Frank Catton (Bernie Mac), and Virgil and Turk Malloy (Casey Affleck and Scott Caan). Every one of them brings something unique and special to the table. Julia Roberts also shows up as the Danny Ocean’s ex-wife, Tess, and she has a bone to pick with Danny. Andy Garcia is in the film as well as Terry Benedict, the owner of the three casinos they are trying to rip off in the film.

“Ocean’s Eleven” Cast Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Li Dian Feng, Scott Caan, George Clooney ,Brad Pitt ,Matt Damon, Elliott Gould, Don Cheadle, Edward Jemison and Carl Reiner © 2001 Warner Bros. Photo by Sid Avery

For my money, “Ocean’s Eleven” is the best of the three films. The pacing is terrific, and there is never a dull moment in the film. Even though there are a lot of moving pieces, it never feels like the movie is overstuffed, boring or too long as it moves at a brisk pace. Also, when you have top-notch actors and actresses together, you know you are going to get some great performances. A big part of the fun of these films is seeing these Hollywood legends go toe-to-toe with one another.

Moving onto “Ocean’s Twelve,” which came out in 2004, I don’t want to go into too much detail on this film just in case you are watching this trilogy in order for the first time. I will say I found it to be a little bit more of a slog to sit through and a bit of a letdown after “Ocean’s Eleven.” It was merely an OK film. It was successful at the box office, but I didn’t find the story as engaging this time around. Of course, the characters are still entertaining and fun to spend time with, but since there isn’t a great story or plot to drive them, they quickly run out of steam here. It ends up being one of those films where the cast had a lot more fun making it than we had watching it.

In 2007, they came back with “Ocean’s Thirteen” which introduced Al Pacino to the proceedings and was once again directed by Soderbergh. Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones are missing here, which makes this film feel a bit off in regards to the female-male ratio. Roberts, especially, was such a big part of the first film, and Zeta-Jones was also very charming and lit up the screen in “Ocean’s Twelve.”

“Ocean’s Thirteen,” however, is a nice return to form after the lackluster and underwhelming “Ocean’s Twelve.” It’s almost as if Soderbergh sat down and realized what was missing from the last film and made sure to make up for those mistakes this time around. The addition of Al Pacino to the mix is also a juicy twist as well. What I enjoyed most about “Ocean’s Thirteen” is how it brought back the fun factor from the first film. “Ocean’s Twelve” was an entertaining film at times, but it was also a lazy one as well. This time, they work on making sure the fun is included along with a story that can hold its own in the process.

When these films work best in this franchise, it is when they realize we are just as interested in the story as we are in the characters. They go hand-in-hand. They play off each other in a sense. We love to see the characters in action and find out all of the twists and turns along the way. It was clear they put time, effort and brains into the first and third films. They lost their way a little in “Ocean’s Twelve,” which feels like a sequel they didn’t put a ton of thought into.

“Ocean’s Eleven” – * * * ½ out of * * * *

“Ocean’s Twelve” – * * out of * * * *

“Ocean’s Thirteen” – * * * out of * * * *

4K Info: The “Ocean’s Trilogy” is released on a three-disc 4K set from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. This set only includes the 4K discs, so if you are looking for Blu-rays and 4Ks together, you will not find them here. According to the press release, the 4K remasters of “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Ocean’s Thirteen” were completed at Warner Brothers Discovery’s Motion Picture Imaging (MPI) with the participation of Soderbergh. All of the films are rated PG-13, and their respective running times are 116 minutes, 125 minutes and 122 minutes. There is also a digital copy for each film which allows you to own all three copies of the trilogy. Subtitles are included in English, Spanish, and French.

Video Info: I really like the look of these movies on 4K. Having previously seen “Contagion” on 4K, also from Soderbergh, I’m happy to report this is another fantastic looking 4K set. Its color is vivid, bright and filled with a lot of life. It’s also dark and mysterious when things turn up a notch. All three of the films look great on 4K.

Audio Info: There is a lot of talking in these films as they are going over plans and information, and the dialogue comes in crystal clear on all three films. The soundtrack is just right in covering the dialogue, music and background noise without being too distracting. It captures the essence of each film.

Special Features:

“Ocean’s Eleven”

• Commentary by Steven Soderbergh and Ted Griffin

• Commentary by Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Andy Garcia

• Are You In or Out? The Making of Ocean’s Eleven

• Pros & Cons: Inside Ocean’s Outfit

• The Style of Steal

• The Look of the Con

• Original Ocean’s, Original Cool

“Ocean’s Twelve”

• Commentary by Steven Soderbergh and George Nolfi

• Ready, Jet Set, Go: The Making of Ocean’s Twelve

• HBO First Look: Twelve Is the New Eleven: The Making of Ocean’s Twelve

• Deleted Scenes

“Ocean’s Thirteen”

• Commentary by Steven Soderbergh, Brian Koppelman and David Levien

• Third’s a Charm: The Making of Ocean’s Thirteen

• Ahab with a Piggyback: The Means & Machines of Ocean’s

• Jerry Weintraub Walk and Talk

• Masters of the Heist

• Deleted Scenes

Should You Buy It?

I’m seeing this set go for about $55 right now online, which is a really good price. That’s a little less than $20 for each 4K. If you enjoy a good movie collection, this one is definitely recommended. You get all of the old special features included here along with updated 4K transfers on these films as well. These are 4K transfers where it is clear they put a lot of care and effort into them. They didn’t just throw them together. If you enjoy heist movies with great casts, you really can’t go wrong with this trilogy. I’d recommend you go out and buy this set right now at its current price. You can make a weekend out of watching all three films and really enjoy yourself.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘The Departed’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on April 20, 2024 by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When it comes to filmmaking, Martin Scorsese is not known for his brevity. His films are lengthy and complex. However, because there are so many moving parts that are interesting and layered, it rarely feels like a slog to sit through them. He also makes sure to assemble an all-star cast of some of the best actors in Hollywood so, as an audience, we are glued to the screen with each and every performance. It’s so hard to pick a favorite Scorsese film, as he’s trying to achieve something different and unique with each one. From an entertainment standpoint, however, I think “The Departed” might be the most thrilling movie he’s ever made. It was also the film which earned him his first and only Best Director and Best Picture Academy Award.

“The Departed” is initially set in 1980’s Boston and introduces us to a series of seedy and underhanded characters. The local Mob boss is named Frank Costello, played by Jack Nicholson. He befriends a young Colin Sullivan and buys him groceries, as he knows he comes from a struggling family. Fast forward to present day in the film, and Colin (Matt Damon) is now working on the inside for the Massachusetts State Police in their Special Investigation Unit. Frank is still the leader of the Mob, but he has even more power because he knows Colin will keep him in the loop when the police get too close to him.

Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), a police academy recruit, is brought in to meet Captain Queenan and Sergeant Dignam, played respectively by Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg. Considering Billy’s family has a criminal record a mile along, they think he’s the perfect mole to go undercover and bring Frank down once and for all. In order for Billy to gain the trust of Frank, he needs to serve some time in prison and also commit some crimes with the help of his cousin, so his cover isn’t blown. However, Billy is starting to feel as though he’s living a double life and his mental health is suffering. This is when he meets Madolyn (Vera Farmiga), a police psychiatrist who is also currently dating Colin Sullivan. Needless to say, this is a messy and tricky situation for all parties involved.

The beauty of “The Departed” is that it keeps you guessing all the way until the finale. There are a lot of different characters and pieces of the puzzle here, but the film never feels overplotted or too complicated. It’s very engaging, well-paced and highly entertaining. As an audience member, it takes you on quite a ride from start-to-finish. Scorsese also takes his time in developing his characters, and he trusts his actors to put their own personal touches on their performances. There are so many standout performances here to choose from, but Nicholson and DiCaprio in particular are remarkable. Nicholson brings an unhinged charisma to his role as the mob boss while DiCaprio is tortured and powerful in his performance. As the old adage goes, “Do Your Job.” Everyone in this film knows how to do their job, and Scorsese gives them the platform to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

The screenplay, which was written by William Monahan, is also able to keep the audience engaged and thrilled without ever feeling too gimmicky or implausible. These are well-written characters that are looking to stay alive and pull the wool over the eyes of those looking to bring them down. They have to stay one step ahead of the audience and also one step ahead of the characters in the film. “The Departed” is also a remake of the Hong Kong Film, “Infernal Affairs,” which I own as part of the Criterion Collection. I have yet to see that one, but I definitely need to check it out after having seen “The Departed” numerous times.

All in all, “The Departed” shows Scorsese at his best in a world he has inhibited many times in the past. This time, though, he has new players to work with. Of course, we are familiar with the Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro films of the past such as “Casino” and “Goodfellas,” but it’s great to see him working with Nicholson for the first and only time along with Damon, Mark Wahlberg, and Alec Baldwin. Of course, his collaborations with DiCaprio have become legendary, but this was in the early stages of their working relationship, and you can see why they work so well together.

Hollywood has always had a fascination with crime movies and the characters who inhabit that world. Scorsese knows this world very well and how to make it accessible and fun for mainstream audiences. If I had to choose, my favorite Scorsese movies are “Raging Bull,” “The King of Comedy,” and “Taxi Driver.” However, as stated earlier, if you are talking about pure entertainment value and pure fun, it’s hard to deny the power of “The Departed.” Even eighteen years later, this film still captivates and engages with its words, its story, and its players. It only gets better and better with age. If you are seeing it for the first-time, you are in for a real treat.

* * * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Departed” is being released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. There is also a steelbook version of the film as well. Whether you pick up the steelbook or the 4K slipcover, you can’t go wrong with either copy of “The Departed.” It also comes with a digital copy of the film. It has a running time of 151 minutes and is rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some strong sexual content and drug material.

Video Info: This is a gritty looking 4K that is able to keep the dark and moody look of Boston and its seedy characters alive while also cleaning up the dirt and artifacts to make it look sharp and vivid. This is a solid 4K transfer. The HDR is a big improvement from the Blu-ray.

Audio Info: I would have liked a Dolby Atmos soundtrack on this 4K release, but as it stands, this is still a powerful audio transfer. At times, the music and the action scenes can be a little too loud as the dialogue is more leveled, but that’s a minor issue.

Special Features:

Guilt and Betrayal: Looking into The Departed (new)

Stranger than Fiction: The True Story of Whitey Bulger, Southie, and The Departed

Crossing Criminal Cultures

9 Deleted Scenes with introductions by Martin Scorsese

Should You Buy It?

When great films, Academy Award winning films at that, are available on 4K, you have to buy and add them to your collection, if you are a film collector. It is the only way studios are going to keep releasing these films on physical media. Now, more than ever, with more and more brick-and-mortar stores getting rid of physical media altogether, we have to purchase these films and add them to our collection. “The Departed” looks really, really sharp on 4K. There are the previously released special features from the Blu-ray along with a new special feature as well. This is a great film from the legendary Martin Scorsese being released in the best format possible to watch movies. This is a no-brainer in my book. You can’t go wrong with either the steelbook or the slipcover version of this film on 4K. This 4K of “The Departed” comes highly recommended!

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Contagion’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on February 28, 2024 by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

Some of my favorite films are the ones which stick in my brain long after the credits have rolled. They make me uncomfortable, get under my skin, and make me anxious. You might wonder why someone would want out of such a moviegoing experience, but I believe the best films really challenge and require something out of the viewer. I have seen “Contagion” three times now. I saw it during its theatrical run in 2011, re-watched it on Blu-ray during the height of the pandemic in 2020, and I watched it again recently on 4K. Every single time I’ve watched it, I’ve been utterly engrossed in it, even though I know all of the beats and how it’s going to play out. If anything, I gain something extra from this film because of how much it ended up being pretty damn accurate.

“Contagion” opens by introducing us to Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow), an executive returning home to her husband and son after a trip to Hong Kong. Upon returning home, she has a seizure and dies in the hospital, which leaves her husband, Mitch (Matt Damon), with plenty of questions but no answers. It becomes even more agonizing for Mitch when his stepson passes away shortly after his wife. He is wondering what she came down with, how it was transmitted, and if he is at-risk for it along with his daughter. His whole world has been turned upside down, and he’s constantly on edge, angry, and making sure he’s doing his due diligence to stay safe.

The story then shows us Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne), who works for the CDC, and he’s looking to trace the root of this problem. Is it something people should be concerned about or is it an isolated incident? He brings in Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet) from the Epidemic Intelligence Service, to talk to anyone and everyone who was in contact with Beth. She is going to look anywhere and everywhere for a connection to what might have happened to Beth. She also wants to find out if anyone else is in danger of catching what Beth had as well.

It doesn’t take long for panic and hysteria to take over when the death toll is increasing every day. It’s becoming a dog-eat-dog world out there, and people are willing to do whatever it takes to not only survive, but to protect their loved ones as well. They are not afraid to take extreme measures if they need to, as they don’t want to be another victim of this deadly virus which, in the film, is called the MEV-1. Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle), meanwhile, is working around the clock to come up with a vaccine to treat this disease.

There is also a conspiracy theorist named Alan Krumwiede with a very popular blog, and he’s played by Jude Law. Alan is brainwashing his website visitors to try Forsythia, which he believes will cure this disease. This creates two problems: one, people begin to look at Forsythia as a miracle cure and when the pharmacies run out of it, people start to loot and destroy them. The second problem is that people are now hesitant to take the vaccine, which will actually save lives and help stop the spread of MEV-1. He’s looking out for his own personal gain and profit, but during times of panic, people will believe anything they read on the Internet.

There is also a storyline involving Dr. Leonora Orantes, a WHO epidemiologist, played by Marion Cotillard, who is looking through countless footage of Beth in order to determine the sequence of events in which she contracted the illness and whom she might have inflicted as well. Leonora is in Hong Kong doing this, and because they are worried about how their village will survive, they kidnap her in order to make sure they have access to the vaccine when it’s released. They don’t want to hurt Leonora, and she is not scared for her life, as she just wants to help them. As stated previously, desperate times call for desperate measures. When it’s a matter of life and death, you never know what you are capable of doing as a human being.

The only issue I had with “Contagion” and why I couldn’t give it the full four stars is the fact that some stories are more interesting than others and, at times, the plot can be a little bloated. There are some tremendous performances in the film, especially from Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet and Marion Cotillard. Director Steven Soderbergh gives his actors plenty of space and freedom to show off their considerable acting chops. When the film is firing on all cylinders, it’s truly engrossing and engaging. It’s pretty easy to follow as well, even when they are using scientific terms which might not be as common or familiar to someone like myself.

“Contagion” an ambitious film, and for 80% of its running time, it’s a great movie. The other 20% is a bit of a slog and can be a little over-stuffed plot-wise. Overall, though, it is a really, really good movie which features some of the biggest names in Hollywood on screen together. It’s a dark, moody, and tense film that is relentless when the pressure is turned up. I will say this: every single time I’ve watched “Contagion,” I’ve enjoyed it even more and gained something new from it and an even greater appreciation for what it achieved on camera. This is a powerful piece of cinema, and it is a film that will always leave an impact because of what happened to the world in 2020.

I’ll end my review by saying this: I’m not an expert on Covid-19 and the pandemic, but this film foreshadowed a lot of what happened in 2020; from social distancing, handwashing, conspiracy theorists, vaccines and the ability to access to them, and what human beings are capable of doing when they are pushed to the brink of life or death. For a lot of people, they probably want to put 2020 in the rearview mirror and not watch a movie which focuses on things that were difficult or challenging for the world. I, on the other hand, find it therapeutic and cathartic to watch a movie like this, as it’s a way for me to deal with what happened in my own way.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “Contagion” is released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It has a running-time of 106 minutes and is rated PG-13 for disturbing content and some language. It also comes with a digital copy of the film.

Video Info: The minute I popped this movie into my 4K player, I was instantly transfixed by the picture quality. It was a huge upgrade from the Blu-ray which I previously owned. The film has a dark and brooding look to it with green and blue hues. According to the press release, this was sourced from the original camera negative and the remastering was overseen by Soderbergh. This is exactly what you are looking for when you buy a 4K. You want it to come from the original camera negative and have it looked over by the director. This is a beautiful 4K and the HDR is incredibly crisp and clear.

Audio Info: There is also a Dolby Atmos soundtrack here, so this is a win-win for film collectors out there. The music was composed by Cliff Martinez, who has worked on some of my favorite film scores, such as “Spring Breakers,” “Pump Up the Volume” and “Drive.” He’s collaborated quite a bit in his career with Soderbergh. This movie does not work as effectively without this mesmerizing score.

Special Features:

The Reality of Contagion – Featurette

The Contagion Detectives – Featurette

Contagion – How a Virus Changes the World –Featurette

Should You Buy It?

I was so happy to be able to review “Contagion” on 4K and check it out. I recently reviewed “Wonka,” which I thought was an incredible 4K, but this one is even better, considering the improvements they made on the transfer. It still has the same gritty and dirty look to it while also providing an improved picture quality at the same time. The film itself is very close to being a masterpiece. I was very close to giving it four stars, but I had to deduct half a star because of a few issues, which I mentioned in my review. Still, with that being said, “Contagion” comes highly recommended. As physical media shifts to mostly online retailers, it is our duty to support 4K releases of films like “Contagion.” Why? Because it encourages Warner Brothers and other studios to go into their archives and upgrade other great movies as well. At the end of the day, they will do their part if we show them there is a legitimate market for physical discs.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Oppenheimer’ – Seriously, One of the Best Films Ever

Posted on August 11, 2023 by The Ultimate Rabbit

I had to watch Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” twice before I could sit myself down and write a review about it. There is so much going on here in front of us to where it is impossible to take everything in right away, and I kept waiting for J. Robert Oppenheimer’s head to explode before the atomic bomb did. Upon a second viewing, I came to better appreciate and understand all of what Nolan was doing here, and I continue to marvel at the brilliant editing job he and Jennifer Lame pulled off. What results is not only one of the best films of 2023, but perhaps of all time.

Like “Memento,” Nolan has constructed this biopic in a defiantly non-linear fashion as he gives us two parallel storylines which are destined to crash into one another. We have the typical biographical story of how J. Robert Oppenheimer began studying science when he was young, and of how his worldview evolved as he went about constructing the bomb which would eventually succeed in ending World War II. Then the story shifts to a few years later when Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), one of the original members of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) is enduring a Senate confirmation hearing to be appointed as Secretary of Commerce. Strauss is the one who put Oppenheimer in a special position of power, and now he wants to crush Oppenheimer in a way which hurts worse than death.

I love biopics like “Oppenheimer” as they breathe life and complexity into human beings most of us have only read about in books. People like him seem so one-dimensional from a distance, but Nolan fleshes him out fully as a man who was a brilliant mind and a loving husband and father, but also a womanizer and quite the chain smoker. Nolan is also aided by a career best performance from Cillian Murphy who succeeds in embodying this historic individual both physically and emotionally.

Not for a second does this film hide away from the politics and implications of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer and everyone working closely with him knew they were working to build a weapon of mass genocide, and this weighs heavily on everyone’s conscience. The problem, however, is that if they do not build the bomb, someone else will, and the results could have been disastrous had the Nazis beat them to it. Regardless of the intentions, the invention of the atomic bomb and the arrival of the Nuclear Age was inevitable, and nothing would ever be the same.

And, of course, Oppenheimer was turned into a hero for the world to see, and we know what happens to heroes; they are broken down and their images coldly shattered for all the world to see. Seeing him try to regulate nuclear energy in the wake of the Trinity test and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was understandable as this was a power which needed to be reigned in and controlled. But like Dustin Hoffman said in “Outbreak” when he learned the military was still going to bomb a small town despite the doctors having a much-needed vaccine, “they want their weapon.”

Seeing Strauss and others take down Oppenheimer serves as a reminder that even decades ago, it was never about the truth as much as it was controlling the narrative. Linking Oppenheimer to communist causes, even though he never was a Communist, reeks of being guilty by association, and all you need is just a little glaring flaw to get the masses pissed at you. At one point he says, “Is anyone ever going to tell the truth about what’s happening here?” Indeed, truth is often a casualty in the realms of power, and it never is revealed right away, maybe even for decades.

There are many memorable images and moments to be found throughout this film. The explosion of the bomb is certainly a highlight as it demonstrates just how triumphant and horrifying this process of discovery was. It also reminded me of a demonstration a science teacher did one day outside of the classroom. He had a student take a pair of books with them and walk far off into a field. Once in position, he had the student slap them together, and the sound of them coming together did not happen until a second afterwards. It remains one of the most memorable science lessons I have ever witnessed, and I was reminded of this when the bomb exploded onscreen here. All you hear at first is silence as those witnessing this historical event can only hear their own baited breath. But when the sound of the explosion arrives, it proves to be quite deafening as it shakes everyone up as much as it does the theater you happen to be watching this cinematic opus in.

The other moments which stand out include those when Oppenheimer discusses theories and life in general with Albert Einstein (the remarkable Tom Conti), and the first meeting we see these two have hangs over the film throughout as we wonder what is said and why Einstein walked away looking so grim. The answer is eventually revealed to us all, and it speaks to how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Seriously, there is not single weak performance to be found here. Even the smallest of roles carry a lot of weight throughout the film’s three-hour running time. Whether it is Casey Affleck, Jason Clarke, David Krumholtz, Kenneth Branagh, Tony Goldwin or James Remar, every cast member inhabits their roles with tremendous energy as each character has a very strong reason for being featured here. None of them should ever be accused of doing a mere cameo, and this includes the actor who portrays President Harry S. Truman.

Some performances worth singling out however include Robert Downey Jr.’s as Lewis Strauss, and it is truly one of his best ever as he plays this man as someone very knowledgeable about politics and power, but who eventually is undone by his lack of understanding as to what is really going on. Emily Blunt is at her most blunt ever (pun intended) as Oppenheimer’s wife, Katherine, who urges him to take a stand against those out to humiliate and discredit him. Florence Pugh remains an actress willing to go to emotionally raw lengths for a role, and her work here as Jean Tatlock, one of Oppenheimer’s lovers who gets swallowed up anxiety and depression is never less than impressive. And there is no leaving out Matt Damon who makes General Leslie Groves much more than the average military figure we often see in films like these.

But perhaps the real scene stealer is Alden Ehrenreich who portrays a Senate aide to Strauss. At one point he looks to be a hopelessly naïve idealist who has a lot to learn about politics, but then Ehrenreich makes this character into someone more confident and smarter than we are led to believe at first sight. More importantly, his last scene has him telling Strauss exactly what he needs to hear, and it is such a stinging moment to where I almost found myself applauding it.

Like “Goodfellas,” “Oppenheimer” proves to be many cinematic things to me: it is scary, thrilling, an important look into history, a study about the morality of the deadliest weapons mankind has ever invented, of how the narrative is often more important than the truth, and there are some laughs to be had here and there in the process. I live for motion pictures like these. Hopefully the Academy will not snub Nolan and company here when Oscar season comes around as they have in the past. “Oppenheimer” is a monumental cinematic achievement, and one which needs to be seen on the biggest screen in your neighborhood. More importantly, seeing it once will never be enough. I believe this is a film which will be studied endlessly throughout the years, and not just because of the brilliant editing job.

Oppenheimer brought us into the atomic age which eventually evolved into the Cold War involving nuclear weapons. We never really left the Cold War now, did we?

* * * * out of * * * *

The Coen Brothers’ ‘True Grit’ is a Far More Faithful Cinematic Adaptation Than What Came Before

Posted on January 5, 2022 by The Ultimate Rabbit

Watching Joel and Ethan Coen’s version of “True Grit,” it suddenly occurred to me I had read the book it was based on back in my sophomore year of high school. I can’t believe I forgot that as I usually remember every book me and my fellow classmates were made, or forced, to read such as “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Of Mice and Men” or “A Day No Pigs Would Die.” This book, which was written by Charles Portis, however, seemed to have escaped my memory of having read it. When I think of the book now, I am reminded of how Mattie Ross, when she saw the body of her murdered father in his coffin, simply told the undertakers, “Put a lid on it.”

Damn! Mattie seemed cold as ice; hell bent on pursuing her father’s killer no matter what and without ever shedding a single tear. But she is also a human being endowed with an undying sense of purpose, determined to find fairness in a world which often seems devoid of it. Now everyone remembers Rooster Cogburn more than any other character in “True Grit” because John “The Duke” Wayne portrayed him in the 1969 movie as it won him his only Oscar. But those who have read this novel know full well it is really about Mattie Ross, not the easiest person to get along with, but hard not to admire. It’s her story more than it ever was Cogburn’s, and the Coen brothers understand this completely in their cinematic adaptation which proves to be very faithful to its source material.

Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin may have top billing, but the weight of “True Grit” rested on the soft shoulders of then 14-year-old newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. Her astonishing performance brings Mattie Ross right off the written pages of Portis’ book and to vivid life. This was not necessarily the case when Kim Darby portrayed her opposite Wayne in 1969. Our sophomore English class watched some, but not all of, the original film, and once we saw Mattie cry in a way she never would have in the novel, we all knew one liberty too many had been taken with the source material. I guess having a character appear stronger willed than one played by The Duke must have seemed unthinkable at the time.

But seriously, Steinfeld is a revelation as Mattie, and the movie would have completely failed were she not as fantastic as she was here. Seeing her stroll into the town with her no-nonsense attitude and wise beyond her years, the actress sells the character perfectly and has us eager to follow her every step as she pursues Tom Chaney before he escapes the hand of justice. Her eyes show a willful determination which I never doubted, and any sadness she shows is somehow restrained. Steinfeld takes a character who is not altogether likable and makes her one of the most compelling characters I saw in any 2010 movie. She doesn’t so much play the character as much as she inhabits the role. Now how many other 14-year-old actors do you know who can pull this feat off?

As the story goes, Mattie tries to procure the services of Rooster Cogburn because she believes he possesses “true grit;” someone who has courage, fearlessness, and guts. As played by Jeff “The Dude” Bridges, who owned the 2010 holiday season with this and “Tron: Legacy,” Rooster is a drunken lout who never appears to be fit for his line of work, but his sense of duty does manage to keep him sane in an increasingly violent world. The relationship he has with Mattie is not one based on kindness, and he would as soon as leave her in the dust than bring her along. But something about Mattie’s dogged determination, illustrated by her riding her horse across a river while keeping her head above water, wins the whiskey loving Marshall over.

I’m not going to bother comparing The Dude and The Duke because frankly I don’t have the energy. Wayne made his mark in one film after another, and Bridges’ performance works so well because he never tries to outdo what Wayne did. Like any smart actor, he makes the character his own, and his Rooster Cogburn threatens to be every bit as inebriated as Val Kilmer was when he played Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s “The Doors.” From the start, I was almost afraid Bridges might turn the character into a parody of sorts, and perhaps rely too much on his “Big Lebowski” persona to get him through the day. But this never was the case as Bridges makes his Rooster Cogburn into a wonderfully complex character who, despite his grungy appearance, still knows the Indian territory like the back of his hand.

Also along for the ride is Matt Damon who portrays Texas Ranger LaBeouf. I thought he would stick out like a sore thumb here, but he makes his character a wonderfully engaging one even as he keeps coming and going throughout. Seeing LaBeouf get his ass handed to him by Mattie Ross is a major highlight, only if to see the shocked expression on his face when he realizes he truly got suckered by a 14-year-old.

Josh Brolin, who previously worked with the Coens on “No Country for Old Men,” makes Tom Chaney not just a simple one-dimensional villain as his crime was motivated more out of jealousy and fear than anything else. Even he can’t intimidate Mattie as she has the strong resolve and moral fortitude he seriously lacks, and his life has lost its sense of purpose. Brolin manages to convey all this in the limited time he has onscreen.

Another guy I was happy to see here is Barry Pepper. As “Lucky” Ned Pepper (no relation I’m sure), he gives us a nasty outlaw and a vicious guy who will not allow anyone to undo his authority any more than he appears willing to brush his teeth; man, his teeth look hideous!

The main difference between the 2010 and 1969 movies is in how the wild, wild west is portrayed. The 1969 movie was more about watching Wayne blow away the bad guys just as he had in every other movie he starred in. But the 2010 version portrays the world it inhabits much more realistically, treating violence as a brutal and very vicious thing. This one is more akin to “Unforgiven” than “Rio Bravo.” Violence is a way of life for all these characters, and it defines the way they see the world around them. We also see how it affects their souls as the specter of death hangs over their every move. There’s no attempt to sweeten up the narrative or make it the kind of western many of us grew up watching.

Still, the Coen brothers have succeeded in making one of their most accessible movies to date for the mainstream audiences with “True Grit.” They also managed to do it without compromising themselves as this film sees them getting the widest audience they ever had before. They continue to employ their regular collaborators who never fail them such as cinematographer Roger Deakins, editor Roderick Jaynes, and their longtime composer Carter Burwell who contributes another in a long line of great movie scores.

If there was any problem I had with this “True Grit,” it was in the way it ended. We see one character many years later, and the effect is disorienting. It was the same thing that happened at the start and the end of Frank Darabont’s “The Green Mile,” and it just took me out of the moment. The effect wasn’t too bad in this one, but I was hoping to see the actor who played said character get more of a proper send off.

Remaking a movie like “True Grit” seems like the last thing the Coen brothers would ever do, but I believe them when they say this was never intended to be a remake. They stayed very true to the source material and even made the language Portis scribbled down seem very much alive and sharp witted. Whether or not you value Wayne’s take on Rooster more than Bridges’, you have to give the Coens credit for staying true to a book written back in 1968.

The Academy Awards showered a number of nominations for this film including Best Actor for Bridges and Best Picture. While I was happy to see Steinfeld nominated for Best Supporting Actress, I still think it was a travesty she was not nominated for Best Actress instead. Once again, this movie rested on her shoulders, and she was cast in a role which 15,000 other actors auditioned for. Seriously, Best Actress, not Best Supporting Actress. Her male co-stars were supporting her instead of the other way around.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot’ – The Duo is Back for Some High Times

Posted on October 19, 2019 by The Ultimate Rabbit

Jay and Silent Bob Reboot poster

2001’s “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” was supposed to be the last installment of the View Askewniverse, but time has shown you cannot keep two stoners from New Jersey down. The duo would return in “Clerks II,” and now 13 years later following some serious drug problems and a near fatal heart attack, Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith have come back to play their iconic characters in “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” which has the two up to the same shenanigans while finding new meaning in their lives. Like the average Kevin Smith film, it is imperfect but still a lot of fun. And unlike “Yoga Hosers,” you do not have to be stoned to enjoy it.

When “Reboot” begins, Jay and Silent Bob have been busted by the police for running an illegal marijuana operation in the old RST video store next to the Quick Stop. In court, they are represented by Brandon (Justin Long) who gets them acquitted upon convincing the judge (Craig Robinson) that the duo’s store was a temporary pop-up store designed to promote an upcoming movie. The case against them is dismissed which is a relief for them and me as I was not in the mood to watch a court movie. Things, however, take a sharp left turn when the same lawyer quickly switches sides and defends a representative of Saban Films which has optioned the comic book series “Bluntman and Chronic.” It turns out the two, when they were signing documents the lawyer said were necessary for representation purposes, inadvertently signed away their naming rights to Saban, and now they can no longer self-identify as Jay and Silent Bob ever again.

After meeting with Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee), Jay and Silent Bob discover Saban is planning a big budget reboot entitled “Bluntman v Chronic” which is being directed by… Well, you’ll see. Once again, our intrepid duo heads out to Hollywood in an effort to stop production in this reboot and reclaim their identities in the process.

Yes, the plot of “Reboot” is the same as “Strikes Back,” and even Smith has stated this new movie is “literally the same fucking movie all over again.” However, to dismiss this latest View Askew production as a lazy retread would be to miss the point. Smith is out to make fun of sequels, remakes and reboots, and he is not lost on the irony that “Reboot” is essentially all three of those things. What results is one of the most meta movies I have seen in some time as he threatens to be cleverer than he is, but it also results in a motion picture which kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Not all the jokes hit, but the ones which do had me laughing uncontrollably, and this includes one such moment which made me as light-headed as the “frosted” scene from “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.”

As you can expect, there are a myriad of cameos to be found throughout “Reboot” as well as a ton of easter eggs. One key cameo comes early when Shannon Elizabeth returns as Justice (a.k.a. Boo Boo Kitty Fuck), Jay’s love interest from “Strike Back.” It turns out Jay did get an answer to his question of “will you fuck me when you get out” as Justice introduces him to their love child, Millennium “Milly” Faulken (Harley Quinn Smith). But because Jay and Justice have been estranged for years to where she has lied to Milly about his whereabouts, she encourages Jay not to reveal to Milly he is her father because, well, you know. Still, Milly finds a way to join him and Silent Bob on their journey to Hollywood.

The moment where Jay discovers he is a dad is what makes this particular View Askew movie stand out as he is forced to confront a new responsibility no one is easily prepared for. It also allows for Jason Mewes to show a vulnerability here we have not seen from previously, and this makes for an especially heartfelt story. In real life, Mewes has become a dad himself, and this among other things is what has kept him from an early death. Seriously, there is real emotion to be found here in “Reboot” even for those who are not Kevin Smith fans in the slightest.

As for the other cameos, not all of them have been spoiled by the trailer, so I will go over the ones you already know about. Chris Hemsworth, in a movie filled with priceless “Thor” puns, plays himself and reminds us of his inspired comic performance in the “Ghostbusters” reboot. Ralph Garman of “The Ralph Report” can rest assured that his cameo as Ted Underhill lasts a lot longer than 17 seconds, but it could have lasted even longer so we too could get his character’s credit card number. Matt Damon’s cameo is so infinitely priceless to where I refuse to ruin it for anyone and, unlike Jimmy Kimmel, I am glad Smith made time for him. You also have Fred Armisen, Rosario Dawson and Kevin’s wife Jennifer Schwalbach making small but very memorable appearances, and be sure to take a look at the name of Craig Robinson’s character as it is like something out of a 1970’s exploitation movie.

But the best cameo here comes from Ben Affleck who returns as “Chasing Amy’s” Holden McNeil. Both Affleck and Smith had been estranged for some time, but even Affleck knew he had to be a part of this flick as Smith was responsible for giving him some of his first leading roles in movies. Plus, Affleck helps to give “Reboot” an even bigger heart as he talks about how children are like our own reboots, and this solidifies the evolution Smith had in mind for the various characters he has created over the years. While “Clerks II” dealt with the responsibilities of being an adult, “Reboot” looks at what becoming a parent does to your overall identity to where everything else in your life becomes secondary. Smith covered this before in “Jersey Girl,” a movie which I think is better than people typically give it credit for, but here it takes on a deeper meaning as both he and Mewes have danced with the Grim Reaper and have come out the other side with infinitely changed perspectives.

When it comes to the cinema of Kevin Smith, his movies are either for you or they are not. I have been a big fan of his since “Clerks” which contained one of my most favorite pieces of dialogue ever (“This job would be great if it weren’t for the fucking customers”), and it is a true joy to see him revisit his View Askew Universe. While he may not be as gifted as Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg, Smith still knows how to give us a fun time, and he does just that with “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.” Even if you are not supposed to be here today, I would like to think this movie will find a way to cheer you up. And yes, be sure to stay through the end credits.

*** * * ½ out of * * * ***

‘The Informant!’ Puts a Comedic Spin on an Insanely True Story

Posted on January 3, 2019 by The Ultimate Rabbit

The Informant movie poster

“This film is based on real events, but not everything you’ll see is real, some are a fabrication. So there!”

-opening disclaimer

“The Informant!” is not just your typical corporate corruption film in which the main characters are on a mission to uncover the truth and expose wrongdoings. The movie is really about getting to the truth of who Mark Whitacre is. As the film goes on, we find he is not only being dishonest to everyone around him, but also to himself. Whitacre ends up being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder which makes clear how far his mental health has unraveled. Soderbergh gets us to trust Whitacre along with Damon, and the rest of the movie involves us getting deeper into his psyche. Whitacre doesn’t just deceive his employees, he deceives the audience watching this movie as well.

Much has been said about how Damon went all Robert De Niro (or Daniel Day Lewis or Christian Bale) on this role by putting on 30 pounds and a mustache to play Whitacre. But he more than succeeds in bringing an everyman quality to this role which is not at all easy with a star like him, known for his good looks (the term actor fits him better anyway). It certainly sets his character apart from Jason Bourne, who Whitacre is clearly not like (he does liken himself to James Bond though). Damon has never been given a role like this before, and it should be considered further proof he is a better actor than many give him credit for.

Soderbergh’s decision to give “The Informant!” a comic tone is an interesting choice, and it is a reminder of how he is still one of the most unpredictable filmmakers working today. Earlier in 2009 he gave us one of his indie film experiments, “The Girlfriend Experience,” which starred Sasha Grey. While this one was done on a bigger budget, my understanding is he shot it almost as fast (30 days to be exact) perhaps because the studio wasn’t sure if people would see it or not. Looking more closely at the script, this could have been Soderbergh’s “Michael Clayton,” but he had taken this story, the kind we see in the papers every day, and made it into something a little different. While the tone is a bit inconsistent throughout, and you are not sure of how amusing the film is meant to be, that may be the whole point of this cinematic endeavor.

The humor throughout is very dry, and it sticks in your throat for good reason. Whereas everyone here looks like they are having a blast with the material, you have to remind yourself once in a while that “The Informant!” is, yes, “based on a true story” and that Whitacre’s conviction gave him a prison sentence three times longer than those he exposed. This may be one of those movies designed to thwart expectations as it has been promoted and advertised as a full out comedy. Still, it is not meant to be a laugh a minute comedy like “Airplane!”

When all is said and done, “The Informant!” really belongs to Damon as much as it does to Soderbergh. As Whitacre, Damon never looks like he is just acting or simply doing an impersonation. This is also clearly not a performance that stopped at the physical appearance, but one which really gets into the inner trappings of this bio-chemist’s mind. From start to finish, we keep hearing Damon’s narration about the little things he knows and what he makes of the people around him. I somehow figured this would all lead to a big realization at the film’s climax, but it really illustrates the deteriorating state of Whitacre’s mind. Damon actually makes you empathize with this man even while he comes across as a Bernie Madoff in training.

I also have to say that for the life of me, I cannot remember the last time there was a character which inspired so many dead or befuddled stares from other people. It’s like every single character he comes into contact with has at least two or three moments where they look at Whitacre with their jaws dropping all the way to the floor. Have you ever seen another movie where so many characters look like they are about to say, “Excuse me? Would you mind repeating that? YOU WHAT??!!”

The two actors who end up giving Whitacre the most dubious glares throughout “The Informant!” are Scott Bakula and Joel McHale. Both play off of Damon perfectly, and their expressions mirror our own as we come to discover the secrets of Whitacre’s ways at the same time they do. Bakula gives us a coolly collected FBI agent instead of the intense and easily aggravated ones we see in these movies. But not to worry, he does lose his temper eventually. McHale proves to be even drier here than Bakula, and at the movie’s end, he still cannot figure out if Whitacre has been completely on the level with him. Then again, Whitacre probably can’t figure that out either. Someone once said if you believe in a lie so much, it eventually becomes the truth, and this proves to be Whitacre’s biggest affliction.

The seriousness of the story is offset by the wonderfully breezy music score by Marvin Hamlisch which treats the goings on as a bizarre farce that goes further out of the hand than anyone could have imagined…and then it gets even more bizarre from there. Even as the situation becomes increasingly serious with the walls closing in on Whitacre, Hamlisch’s score remains surprisingly upbeat throughout. Along with the retro opening credits, it’s almost like Soderbergh was trying to give the film a 1970’s look even though it takes place in the 1990’s.

So, while it’s not quite a great movie, “The Informant!” does have a lot going for it, and it is very inventive in how it presents this morally corrupted yet well-meaning character. While Whitacre may think he’s like Tom Cruise’s character in “The Firm,” he is nowhere as lucky as him. Perhaps a more dramatic motion picture could have been made about this man’s life, but none would be anywhere as entertaining as Soderbergh’s.

SO THERE!

*** * * ½ out of * * * ***

The Best Movies of 1998

Posted on July 6, 2018 by The Ultimate Rabbit

Now it’s time to go to take a look back at the movies of 1998, the same year when California started the ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. What else happened that year? John Glenn became the oldest astronaut to go into space, and it gave us a reason to watch the space shuttle launch on television for the first time in years. The Denver Broncos became the first AFC team in 14 years to win the Super Bowl when they beat the Green Bay Packers (I’m so glad I didn’t bet on that game). The whole controversy of President Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky exploded, which the President’s enemies seized upon like teenagers going through their dads’ Playboy magazine issues while he is out of town. And, most ironically, a court in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan ruled Osama Bin Laden was “a man without a sin” in regard to the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Well, we knew better.

As for myself, I was in my second year at UC Irvine and my fourth year in college. I still had a dorm room all to myself, and I was busy with school work and appearing in plays like “Enrico IV,” “The Scarlet Letter” and “Twelfth Night.” Of course, I tried to get out to the movies as much as humanly possible. Many of the movies on this list were ones I actually didn’t get around to seeing until years later, so it’s probably best I am giving you this list now.

10) There’s Something About Mary

Bobby and Peter Farrelly gave us one of the most gut bustlingly hilarious movies ever made with “There’s Something About Mary.” I was dying with laughter while watching this, and I wasn’t expecting to. In retrospect, I should have though since this came from the same directors who gave us “Dumb and Dumber” as well as “Kingpin.” On top of having so many funny moments, the movie also has a lot of heart in the way it portrays the two main characters played by Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz. Those of you who think Diaz can’t act need to revisit this one because she is so good at playing a teenager who we later see as a well-meaning adult with a few too many stalkers.

9) American History X

So much has been said about the making of “American History X” and the bitter disagreements between director Danny Kaye and actor Edward Norton. Regardless of whoever deserves the majority of the credit, there is no denying this is a powerful and unforgettable motion picture. Norton gave one of his very best performances as white supremacist Derek Vineyard, and the look he gives the camera after killing two people is a very chilling moment which is not easily erased from the conscious mind. Norton also gets great support from Edward Furlong who plays Danny, Derek’s brother, who threatens to tread down the same hateful path Derek has. Kaye, even if he didn’t get final cut, gives the movie an amazing look in black and white which captures the escalating tension of Derek’s journey from a world of hate to a place of compassion.

8) Dark City

Alex Proyas followed up his brilliant adaptation of “The Crow” with this visionary sci-fi epic about a man who wakes up not knowing who he is, and of those who seek to capture him for their own twisted experiments. Like many great sci-fi movies “Dark City” was a box office flop upon its release, but it has since found an audience to where there’s no denying it is a cult classic. You’re along for the ride with Rufus Sewell as he tries to understand his place in a world ruled over by the Strangers. This movie remains suspenseful to the very end, and the look of the movie feels like no other I have ever seen. Jennifer Connelly also stars in the film and looks beautiful as always, and it is interesting to watch Kiefer Sutherland play a complete wimp after watching him for so long on “24.”

7) Out Of Sight

Here’s the film which brought Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney together, and it also serves as one of the very best adaptations of an Elmore Leonard novel. With “Out of Sight,” Clooney proved without a doubt there was going to be life for him after “ER” with his performance as Jack Foley, the most successful bank robber in America. When Jack escapes from jail, he ends up sharing some trunk space with Federal Marshall Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez). “Out of Sight” also marked the beginning of a career resurgence for Soderbergh, and he got to work from a truly great screenplay written by Scott Frank. Also starring is the fantastic Catherine Keener, Ving Rhames, Steve Zahn, Dennis Farina, Isaiah Washington, and the always reliable Don Cheadle. This movie was a lot of fun, and Clooney and Lopez had such great chemistry together.

6) Rushmore

This was my introduction to the highly creative world of Wes Anderson. “Rushmore” is an instant comedy classic with more depth to it than many others of its genre at the time. Max Fischer is an original eccentric character; a young man involved in just about ever extra-curricular activity at school, all at the expense of his report card. Jason Schwartzman is great fun to watch as Max, and Bill Murray gives a performance which damn well should have earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. With Anderson, his comedy is fueled by the sadness and isolation of his characters, and of the things they desperately want in life. “Rushmore” is filled with as much meaning as it does laughter as both Schwartzman and Murray battle over the same woman played by Olivia Williams. It also owes a lot to the late Mike Nichols’ enduring classic “The Graduate.”

5) Happiness

Todd Solondz’s follow up to “Welcome To The Dollhouse” may very well be the most ironically titled film in cinema history. Controversy followed “Happiness” all the way to its release, and the MPAA of course just had to give it an NC-17 (it ended up being released unrated). One of the blackest of black comedies ever, it follows the lives of three sisters and the various people who are a part of their fragile lives. The late Philip Seymour Hoffman gives a frighteningly memorable performance as an obscene phone caller, and it was one of the first real examples of the brilliant character actor we came to see him as. But the bravest performance comes from Dylan Baker who plays Bill Maplewood, a psychiatrist, husband and loving father who, unbeknownst to his family, is a pedophile. Baker ends up making you empathize, but not sympathize, with a man who we would instantly despise once we discovered his terrible secret. As unappealing as these characters may seem, Solondz makes us see ourselves in them and to where we cannot see we are not all that different.

4) The Big Lebowski

I didn’t get to see this when it first came out in theaters, but my parents did eventually strap me down in a chair to watch it, and this should give you an idea of how much they love it. The Coen brothers follow up to “Fargo” did not get the same reception when originally released, but it has since built up an amazing cult following. Much of this is thanks to Jeff Bridges’ brilliant performance as Jeffrey Lebowski, aka “The Dude.” What could have been a performance built on stereotypes of the slackers we know in life turns out to be perhaps the most memorable character in Bridges’ long and underappreciated career. It’s an ingenious comedy with not so much a plot as a connected series of events which start with the theft of Lebowski’s carpet which he says “tied the whole room together.”

3) The Truman Show

It still seems criminal how Peter Weir’s film was surprisingly, and infuriatingly, snubbed for a Best Picture nomination. Jim Carrey gives a truly astonishing and powerful performance as Truman Burbank, a man who slowly becomes aware he is the star of a reality show about his life. Yes, he should have been nominated for an Oscar alongside his co-star Ed Harris, but there will always be the unforgivable snubs. “The Truman Show” has become a prophetic movie of sorts as reality shows are the norm in today’s culture, and this obsession we have over them remains very strong to this day. Andrew Niccol’s screenplay was a brilliant examination of how we might view our own life if we found out it was based on a lie, and that everything we know is actually wrong. This stands as one of Weir’s best American movies in a long and justly acclaimed career.

2) Shakespeare In Love

While it may have gotten overwhelmed by Miramax’s Oscar campaign, there’s no denying “Shakespeare In Love” is a brilliant and highly entertaining romantic comedy. The film tells the story of how Shakespeare goes about writing “Romeo & Ethel The Pirate’s Daughter” which eventually evolves into “Romeo & Juliet.” Gwyneth Paltrow gives a most entrancing performance, and I loved watching her every second she appeared onscreen. Joseph Fiennes is perfectly cast as Shakespeare himself, a passionate writer who is hopelessly enamored with Paltrow’s Viola. I also got a huge kick out of Geoffrey Rush’s performance as theater manager Philip Henslowe, a brilliant comic creation who steals every scene he is in. “Shakespeare In Love” serves as not just a great story of how Shakespeare may have written one of the most immortal plays ever, but also as a great satire of the film industry and how it deviously profits from unsuspecting participants.

And now, drum roll please…

1) Saving Private Ryan

It would be so easy to put this as my top choice thanks to some of the greatest and most vividly realistic depictions of war ever put on film. Steven Spielberg’s depiction of the landing on D-Day is nothing short of amazing, and it was one of the reasons why I saw this film five times before it came out on DVD. But moreover, it is a deeply respectful salute to those war veterans who served in the armed forces during World War II. “Saving Private Ryan” is filled with great performances from a great cast of actors including Edward Burns, Jeremy Davies, Giovanni Ribisi, Tom Sizemore, Adam Goldberg, Vin Diesel, Matt Damon, and Barry Pepper among others. But it also has one of Tom Hanks’ best performances ever as Captain John Miller, a military man who leads his men to find Private Ryan and bring him back home to his grieving mother. Just when you thought Spielberg had peaked with “Schindler’s List,” he gives us yet another astonishing piece of filmmaking which shows him at the height of his powers.

Honorable Mentions:

Primary Colors – Great Mike Nichols movie based on the book by Joe Klein. It features great performances from John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Kathy Bates as well as an extraordinary cameo from Mykelti Williamson.

Bullworth – Warren Beatty’s scathing political satire may be a bit too broad, but it is a very effective indictment of how the Democratic Party let the American people down.

Elizabeth – Definitely worth mentioning for the brilliant breakthrough performance of Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth.

Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas – Terry Gilliam’s adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s crazy novel is a true acid trip nightmare with Johnny Depp channeling the reporter all the way to what he was famous for wearing and smoking.

God Said, Ha! – Wonderful concert film of Julia Sweeney’s one-woman show which deals with the time her brother got cancer, and of how she later got cancer herself.

Hurlyburly – Film adaptation of David Rabe’s play dealing with Hollywood players and their dysfunctional relationships with one another. Features a great cast which includes Sean Penn, Chazz Palminteri and Anna Paquin among others.

Affliction – Another emotionally bruising movie from Paul Schrader which is based on the novel by Russell Banks. Features career high performances from Nick Nolte and the late James Coburn who deservedly won an Oscar for his work.

Next Stop Wonderland – An eccentrically unusual kind of romantic comedy which helped introduce actress Hope Davis to a wider audience.

Ronin – One of the last films from the late John Frankenheimer which stars Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, and Jonathan Pryce among others. It also features some of the very best car chases of the 1990’s.

Run Lola Run – Kinetic German thriller with Franka Potente that views her attempts to save her boyfriend’s life in three different ways. This was a great teaser for what would come in 1999, when movies of different kinds proceeded to change the rules of where a story could go.

The Thin Red Line – Terrence Malick’s first movie in over 20 years threatened to be more meandering than anything else, but it is filled with such powerful imagery and to where many considered it more anti-war than “Saving Private Ryan” was.

John Carpenter’s Vampires – It was advertised as a horror movie, but it is really a more of a western and the closest John Carpenter has ever come to making one. James Woods’ performance alone is worth the price of admission as he plays the most badass of vampire hunters, Jack Crow.

Star Trek: Insurrection – Much better than its reputation may suggest, being an odd numbered Star Trek movie and all.

‘Ocean’s Thirteen’ is a Better Than Expected Sequel

Posted on June 10, 2018 by The Ultimate Rabbit

Oceans Thirteen movie poster

“Ocean’s Thirteen” was one of the few threequels from 2007 which really delivered without any frustration, and I was relieved how it did not suffer from an overabundance of plot and characters. True, the story and twists in plot are a bit hard to follow at times, but this was also the case in the last two movies in this trilogy, so why should this one be any different? This is a movie which invites you to sit back and relax and to have some fun, and for me it delivered.

The gang is back with the exception of Julia Roberts who was in the previous two movies, and Catherine Zeta-Jones who appeared in the last one. It’s just as well because there really is not much they could do here. They would have been wasted in bit parts which would not have required much from their presence. As George Clooney and Brad Pitt point out at the beginning in regards to the characters Roberts and Jones played, “IT’S NOT THEIR FIGHT!”

This one starts off with their friend Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould) in the hospital where he is recovering from a nasty heart attack. This was brought on when he got screwed out of a partnership by the devious Willie Bank (Al Pacino) who is legendary in Las Vegas for stabbing everyone who ever worked for them in the back without any remorse. None of Ocean’s gang is happy about this, and they quickly begin to plot their revenge against him. Their plan is to essentially bankrupt Willie on the opening night of his new casino, and whether or not they win is irrelevant as long as he loses big time.

Clooney and Pitt are as cool as ever in returning to Las Vegas, the scene of their insidiously clever crime from the first movie. They never miss a beat as their confidence remains unbreakable while they attempt to screw over Pacino’s character. Matt Damon is great as always as Linus, the guy who always wants to put more into the plan, and he remains convinced of how he can pull it off if those around him would just give him a chance. However, I could easily spot who his character’s father was from a mile away. Don Cheadle has some great scene stealing moments as Basher Tarr, especially when he tries to divert Pacino’s attention in one key scene.

Pacino has been ridiculed for some time now as he is constantly accused of giving the same bombastic performance over and over again. Ever since his Oscar winning turn in “Scent of a Woman,” people keep saying he overplays every role given to him, and while there is a lot of evidence to this fact, I don’t think it’s always the case (“Donnie Brasco” anybody?). He succeeds in underplaying his role here, and his usual bombast is not on display as much. He has a quiet menace in some scenes which really works, and Clooney plays off of it very effectively to where they both generate some good chuckles along the way.

It’s also great to see Ellen Barkin again and reuniting with her “Sea of Love” co-star Pacino as his chief assistant, Abigail Sponder. She still looks very hot, and it’s nice to see her acting again instead of hearing about all those divorce stories between her and her millionaire ex-husband. She is a lot of fun to watch here, and there is a great moment where she ends up getting seduced by Matt Damon’s character, and the way she plays her inevitable seduction is both hilarious and quite believable.

Carl Reiner and Elliott Gould return as well to the Ocean’s franchise, and their presence is very welcome. Hollywood is as always obsessed with youth, so it’s nice to see two older guys still being allowed to make their mark in a big Hollywood movie like this. And I don’t want to leave out Shaobo Qin who plays Yen. Qin gets more to do here than he has in the other Ocean’s movies, and his acrobatic skills come into focus when he has to make his way across a very unpredictable elevator system.

Andy Garcia is also back as Terry Benedict, and the Ocean crew is forced to partner with him in order to complete their revenge against Pacino’s character. How Garcia’s character gets done in is too good to spoil here, and it results in one of this sequel’s most inspired moments.

Steven Soderbergh, or Peter Andrews if you really want to call him that, keeps the coolness factor up and running, and he provides us with what this movie is supposed to give, a good time at the movies. With a movie like this, you can’t ask for much more. This must serve as a vacation for Soderbergh from all his more serious movies like “Traffic” and “The Good German,” and it is always great to see him jumping from one genre to another.

Whereas a lot of sequels have underwhelmed mostly because of constant overhyping, this one is smart enough not to fall victim to that. I was always surprised when I heard they were going to do a sequel to “Ocean’s Eleven,” and then another sequel after “Ocean’s Twelve.” Each one delivered for me, and this one does as well.

*** * * out of * * * ***

Jason Bourne

Posted on August 3, 2016 by The Ultimate Rabbit

In a summer filled with superhero movies and blockbusters filled with aliens looking to decimate planet Earth, it’s nice to see one with an earthbound action hero who hurts and bleeds like the rest of us. That’s the great thing about watching Matt Damon as Jason Bourne; he makes this formerly amnesiac soldier completely human even as he performs superhuman feats. And now the latest Bourne adventure, simply titled “Jason Bourne,” has Damon reuniting with director Paul Greengrass in another globe-trotting adventure that has Bourne, or David Webb if you want to call him by his real name, once again risking his life more often than not. What results is one of the most solidly entertaining movies to come out in a rather blah summer movie season.

We catch up with Bourne several years after the events of “The Bourne Ultimatum” as he makes a living participating in illegal fighting rings. Bourne has since recovered from his amnesia to where he remembers everything, but he still finds himself haunted by what he has done and plagued by demons he can only expunge by beating up opponents, sometimes with a single punch. But then Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) turns up out of the blue to give Bourne some important information regarding Bourne’s father, Richard Webb (Gregg Henry). Just when you thought Bourne was done with the past, it turns out he doesn’t actually remember everything, or at least not yet.

I still vividly remember watching “The Bourne Ultimatum” at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles when it came out in 2007. Few action movies thrilled me the way “Ultimatum” did as Greengrass grounded it in a reality not all that different from our own. Both he and Damon know what makes these movies ticks, and this proves to be “Jason Bourne’s” greatest strength and its greatest weakness. Some have called this entry in the franchise “The Bourne Familiarity,” and it’s not hard to understand why. It follows many of the same beats of its predecessors to where the freshness we discovered in “The Bourne Identity” is largely lost here. Still, “Jason Bourne” is still a pulse-pounding thrill ride as we are led from one insane action set piece to another to where we can’t catch our breath.

Aside from Damon, Stiles is the only actor from previous installments to appear in “Jason Bourne.” This time around we are introduced to a new set of CIA employees that are either out to terminate Bourne or eager to learn more about him. Among them is CIA Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) who is eager to punish Bourne for his exposure of the Blackbriar program. Dewey is also heading the Iron Hand program, a Treadstone for the new millennium, and it’s no surprise that while he doesn’t intend to make the same mistakes, it’s highly likely he will make a bunch of new ones.

Jones is great fun to watch here as he is so devilish in his portrayal of a man eager to bury the past in order to ensure the security of America’s future. You never catch “The Fugitive” actor playing Dewey as a one-dimensional bad guy, but instead as a man eager to control the uncontrollable. Not once does Jones overact here as he warns others not to tell Bourne all they know, and he is an actor who doesn’t need to speak up much to show just how threatening he can be. It’s great to see him react to the havoc Bourne brings to his carefully laid plans as he does his best to remain cool under pressure.

But I have to tell you, the person almost steals “Jason Bourne” from Damon and Jones is recent Oscar winner Alicia Vikander who portrays the head of the CIA Cyber Ops Division, Heather Lee. Vikander is to “Jason Bourne” as Rebecca Ferguson was to “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation;” a wonderfully enigmatic character whose motives are never entirely clear until the very end. Some will complain that Vikander gives an emotionless performance here, but that’s missing the point. Her character is one who has to hold her cards close to her chest as any reveal could compromise not just her, but the movie as a whole. You can’t take your eyes off of Vikander as she grabs your attention from start to finish.

Greengrass still knows how to direct an action movie to maximum impact. As with “The Bourne Supremacy” and “Ultimatum,” he succeeds in putting you into the action as opposed to making you sit comfortably in your seat. The shaky cam remains a favorite of his which will drive some audience members nuts, but it serves to make all those bullets, car chases and punches feel all the more visceral. As “Jason Bourne” reaches its furious climax, Greengrass keeps our pulses pounding as we wonder how much more damage its hero can take.

Speaking of car chases, Greengrass still comes up with the craziest ones ever. This movie has Bourne chasing down a nameless “Asset” (played by Vincent Cassel) up and down the Las Vegas strip. It’s hard to remember the last time so many parked cars were destroyed in a movie, but “Jason Bourne” may very well have set a new record. While we watch this chase confident Bourne will survive, you still wonder how he will survive when he’s racing at speeds even Sammy Hagar wouldn’t approve of.

“Jason Bourne” doesn’t feel quite as thrilling as “The Bourne Ultimatum” did, and the familiarity it shares with its predecessors does take away from the excitement a bit. But after a seven-year break, Damon and Greengrass still know how to get our adrenaline pumping to where we come out of the theatre thoroughly exhausted. In a summer that feels surprisingly low on thrill rides, we finally have one which delivers.

There’s certainly room for another Bourne adventure in the future, but here’s hoping our hero looks forward instead of back. That should make a future installment stand on its own a bit more.

*** * * ½ out of * * * ***