Snowpiercer (2013/2014)

Director: Joon-ho Bong

Writers: Kelly Masterson and Joon-ho Bong

Starting:

Chris Evans (Cellular)

Jaime Bell (Tintin)

Kang-ho Song 

Luke Pasqualino 

Ewen Bremmer (Jack the Giant Slayer)

Ah-sung Ko

John Hurt (Alien)

Tilda Swinton (Narnia)

Allison Pill (Scott Pilgrim)

Octavia Spencer (The Help)

Ed Harris (Truman Show)

Chris Evans proves his leading man capabilities yet again in Joon-ho Bong's refreshingly strange tube tail. Its The Day After Tomorrow but with balls. The familiar post apocalyptic trope is shaken up and spun out is a new setting allowing for magically kinetic action to be filmed with stellar camera work.

During blistering sequences of intense violence, the camera focuses in on a single motion that leaves you breathless. Luke Pasqualino as the character of Grey was the prominent showcase for Joon-ho's flashy train zooms. All that flair provides the already unique story with visual thrills to match. 

Another atmospheric element brought to the film is the use of color. The plot allows for color to be part of the story. It becomes a character lingering in the background, shifting with every new train car,  a new palette, each one a stark contrast to the bright white snow that surrounds the outside world.  

The ending causes a but of a stir but this is a movie that doesn't play to mainstream sensibilities. It's one of those rare Yes Movies made by people who embrace any and every idea. They display it in a way that defies cliches because of how much the entire team believes in that philosophy of Yes. The destination here felt honest and unyielding. 

Besides, in addition to being a Yes Movie, the Zach Snyder Rule is also in effect. The rule states that all story hiccups can be forgiven if the cinematography, SFX, and stunt are magnificent.

To clarify, I did enjoyed the overall story here. That said, a character or two felt underused, but that's only because the screen time they were given was completely consumed by them and they made a real lasting impression. Luke Pasqualino, as mentioned earlier was phenomenal, as was Jamie Bell's Edgar.  

That compact energy and unflinching action presented here is quite memorable and Snowpiercer holds on strong during its fleshed out runtime. A mature Sci-Fi classic joining the ranks of Moon, Sunshine, Source Code, and Gattaca. 

9 out of 10

Fury (2014)

Written and Directed by David Ayer (Street Kings)
Staring:
Brad Pitt (Fight Club)
Shia LeBeouf (Holes)
Michael Peña (Silver Linings Playbook)
Jon Bernthal (Eastwick)
Logan Lerman (3:10 to Yuma)
Jason Issacs (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)
Xavier Samuel (New Moon)
Scott Eastwood (Clint Eastwood's Facewrinkle)
Alicia Von Rittberg (Debut)

As much as Logan Lerman can't hold a screen, like Noah earlier this year or 3:10 to Yuma a while back, he sure know how to be the whiner in all the right movies. Fury is a depressingly gruesome tale told with unrelenting honesty by David Ayer, whose track record is spotty at best. Street Kings and Harsh Times were a waste of time and talent, but he did helm End of Watch and write Training Day (neither of which I've seen but whose worth can't be denied by ignorance).

Brad Pitt performs as expected, one review had his performance pegged as a toned down version of his Inglorious Basterds character Lt. Aldo Raine, which is not wrong. But the most memorable stints come from Bernthal and LeBeouf (who apparently was so true to character that he didn't shower during the shoot). Notable names in the cast are peppered throughout the film and, like John Wick, no small role is wasted. In the vein of another Jason-Issacs-cameo war film, Black Hawk Down, it would't be surprising if Eastwood or Samuel went the route of a, lets say, Tom Hardy or Orlando Bloom and use this film as a platform to greater fame.

The details of tank warfare Ayer manages to display is a blistering success. It's ground that hasn't truly been spotlit before. "Best job I ever had," the catchphrase repeated by the characters, holds remarkable power in the hands of the performers and the in the context with which it is delivered. Before now, tanks were slow and fearful, but this film gives them a personality. A soul. Although Ayer focus' only on the tank Fury, it wouldn't have hurt the film to give some spotlight to the other crews and not just their versions of Pitt's character.

The story has tangents which take you away from the action and its fault is that it focus' too much on the moral complexity of its characters. It's not that the scenes with the poorly juxtaposed romance is unbearable to watch, in fact, it has it's emotional high points, it's just that it has no real purpose other than adding something that appeases the audience Logan Lerman brought in. That was a poor decision, we already know that he is the POV for the audience, there is no need to soften his character up that much. That said, the ending, which I won't mention, wasn't unwelcome.

All in all, this is a modern day war classic. The gore is gory, The blood is bloody. And death surrounds you the entire time. Each character is morally compromised and there's enough humor that you don't succumb to depression while watching it. Ayer's success here makes his involvement with DC's Suicide Squad all the more interesting.

8 out of 10.

John Wick (2014)

Director: David Leitch and Chad Stahelski (former Keanu stunt double on The Matrix)

Writer: Derek Kolstad

Starring: 

Keanu Reeves (Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey)

Michael Nyqvist (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol)

Lance Reddick (Fringe)

Adrianne Paleki (Supernatural)

Allie Allen (Game of Thrones)

Dean Winters (30 Rock)

John Leguizamo (Mario Brothers)

Bridget Regan (Legend of the Seeker)

Willem Defoe (Spider-Man)

Toby Moore (Legend of the Seeker)

Bridget Moynahan (The Recruit)

Randall Duk Kim (Aka "hey wait a second, is that the Key Maker from the Matrix? Yes it certainly is.")

Take Constantine's style, add in Jack Reacher's fight choreography and mythos, throw in a hint of Thomas Jane's Punisher, and mix in a bit of Gun-kata and you get John Wick.

Keanu proves his lasting power is just as strong as Tom Cruise. He may have very little diversity in his roles, but good golly does he play the part perfectly. In a rare non-sequel, non-adaptation, albeit to some degrees a conventional actioner, the plot of John Wick unexpectedly plunges you deep into a world of assassins and mobsters that spits out one brutal gun fight after another.

First time director Chad Stahelski squeezes every ounce of mayhem and beauty out of each individual shot involving a gun. The motivation of the character himself is handled swiftly and clearly so it doesn't take anything away from what's too come, which is precision violence. The opening is deliberately calm but once the bullets start flying, the real ride commences.

The music thumps throughout setting an appropriate mood. One that's on-edge but confident, like Wick himself. Such a combination of sound and style fuels an exhilaration that builds as the story progresses. 

Another detail they got right was the humor. Characters know each other and they react in a way that tells us something deeper is at play, a history visible through expressions and reactions. Those reactions also catch us off guard to the point that the theatre was downright laughing because each of us got the joke.

The characters felt diverse and whole. Given that there were a healthy amount of characters, the movie's ability to make you care for each one is an achievement. While the main villain, which is only a circumstantial role for this story and whose real role in the world of the film is only hinted at, isn't ruthless, but in this situation he doesn't need to be. The bad guys are helpless and that's the playfulness of the plot. We know who to root for while simultaneously not hating the people who we know don't stand a chance. Then there's also the unresolved history of John Wick himself. For all we know, he may have been the most ruthless villain of all, we just don't see it in the frame of the story. The past that was constructed leaves all these possibilities open and keeps you thinking long after the credits role.

That depth may have been a hindrance for a single film were it not for one key element the movie got right. This is a purpose driven film and that purpose is vengeance. To truly be enjoyed, revenge needs a clear purpose and the vengeance must be satisfyingly delivered. The real triumph of this move, above all its layers, beyond the bloodshed, is the clarity with which we see everything for what it is, the camera work coupled with the tight scope which the story focuses on lets us soak it all in. Yeah there's this whole mythology to explore, but they are telling a specific story in that world.

One last shout out to the blistering cast. So many names and each one delivering a standout performance. No role was wasted. Glad to see Bridget Regan on the screen, too. Many of the best talents from television showing they can hold the big screen and all brought forth by a pristine debut film from Stahelski. 

John Wick is a strong candidate for top film of 2014. Stiff competition from Lego Movie and Edge of Tomorrow still lingers so we just have to see if the adrenaline rush lasts.


10 out of 10