Collide: A Cheap Fast and Furious Ripoff and Disappointing

Movie Review: Collide (2016)
Version: Library borrow

Collide turned out to be the second of two bad movies of a double feature at home. I would call it a cheap Fast and Furious ripoff, with Nicholas Hoult as down-and-out American Casey Stein trying to reboot his life of poor choices in Germany, where he meets bar keep Juiliette (played by Felicity Jones). She isn't into this loser, but he inserts himself into her life and he promises to change his ways as an errand boy for East European Geran (played by Ben Kingsley), which he does by quitting that work and working in a metal reclamation center. Then Casey learns that Juiliette is seriously ill and as an American she isn't covered for the kidney transplant she needs to stay alive and requires six-figure money fast. So he rejoins Geran in a scheme to heist drugs and cash from money laundering kingpin Hagen Kahl (played exquisitely by Anthony Hopkins). From there, the story becomes a car chase movie with smoke and mirrors, but without the ensemble cast of a Fast and Furious.

I said that Anthony Hopkins is exquisite as Kahl. If there is a saving grace to the movie, it is Hopkins who, as ever, is the consummate professional actor giving depth and range to his character. There are hints of Hannibal Lecter from Hannibal as well as William Parrish from Meet Joe Black in this character. He is menacing in parts, elegant and patrician in others. Contrast him with Ben Kingsley who, fine actor as he has been, seems to have become stereotyped as these slimy accented characters with little dimension. In Collide, he plays a caricature of a character, almost a comic relief to Kahl. Geran could have been so much more dangerous, so much more threatening, so much more scheming. There is also not all that much depth to the Juilette character. Casey gets by as a schemer and it isn't until the end that we find out he's really much smarter than he lets on. And this is probably as much a scripting problem as an acting one. For an actor, it's in the portrayal, in the facial expressions, in the voice and pauses. In the script, it's the situations created and the dialogue provided. In Collide, the script certainly failed.

The big reveal at the end is plainly a cheat. Again, this is a scripting problem. Why wait till the end to surprise your audience? Why not give us hints along the way so we can say, "Ah, yes, now it makes sense!" Instead, we say, "Oh, thanks, now you tell us!" Perhaps the title Collide is about the collision between audience expectations and reality when you get to the end of a disappointing movie.

Viewer beware: Watch Collide at your own risk. Perhaps fast forward to the Anthony Hopkins parts and you will be just fine. Otherwise, I suggest you give it a skip.

A Monster Calls: A Good Film for Those Brave Enough to Face the Monster Staring Them Down

Movie Review: A Monster Calls (2016)
Version: Library borrow

In A Monster Calls, young Conor, who lives in a small village in England, is having trouble in school and issues at home. Some boys in class are bullying him and he has learned he may have to live with his grandmother while his single mother goes back to the hospital for treatment of a terminal illness. When his father visits from America, he isn't any help. Then the Monster arises from the roots of his mother's favorite large yew tree in the distance.

The Monster is larger than a house and damaging to the things around Conor, yet quite gentle toward him. But there is menace in his message. He will tell Conor three stories, and when he is done, Conor must tell him about his dream. The Monster tells Conor his stories after critical troublesome events, and it isn't until the final troubling occurrence that Conor is forced to reveal his terrible dream -- his nightmare, something that Conor is loathe to discuss. But perched atop a crumbling sinkhole in an old church graveyard, the Monster insists.

A Monster Calls is really a well told tale about a child forced to face his worst fears. And lead actor Lewis MacDougall as Conor plays the role with every bit of energy and emotion within him. There is no joy in this role, only fear, anger, sadness, and finally, relief. Sigourney Weaver plays his straight-laced but forbearing grandmother and Felicity Jones plays his sick but doting Mum. Liam Neeson is the voice of The Monster. But the real star and center of this film is Conor.

British films have a definitive quality that brings out the best in them, and A Monster Calls is all that. The quaint village setting, the eerie church graveyard, the staid grandmother's home, the cluttered public school and hospital -- all could have been lifted from a Harry Potter movie lot. The Monster reminds me of a very tall Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy, except he actually speaks full, adult sentences. Perhaps there's a bit of the Ents in him from The Lord of the Rings, too. 

What may be troublesome for younger audiences is that A Monster Calls addresses the fear of death, and while it has a final good ending for Conor, it may be a bit much for children to face. It could be cathartic for teens and adults. My wife cried watching it, remembering the trauma of facing her father's death decades ago. Is this film for everyone? Possibly not. But it is a good film for those brave enough to face the monster staring them down.

Rogue One: I Was Fully Won Over

Movie Review: Rogue One (2016)
Version: Library Borrow

I was just about Star Warsed out. Then along came Rogue One, supposedly a one-off that fills in some blanks in the Star Wars canon, telling the story behind the building of the Empire's Death Star, how there came to be a weakness built into it, and what led to Princess Leia's now memorable message to Obi Wan Kenobi, "You're our last hope..."

Rogue One features some new charismatic characters set in a off-shoot corner of the Star Wars universe. All the suggestions of the regular Star Wars universe are there, so if you're a Star Wars fan, the mythology and magic remain, but Rogue One has the advantage of being a fresh new story. And it takes you back in the timeline to fill in blanks and you find yourself saying, "Oh, of course. Now that makes sense." "Oh, yes! Now I see."

It also features a great cast, devoid of the aw shucks reappearances of past characters that often get in the way of the narrative to pay tribute to the past. Felicity Jones plays Jyn Erso, the fiercely independent rogue set on destroying the Death Star. Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor, the at first reluctant pilot who sees the necessity in Erso's mission and, despite the Rebellion's decision not to attack, gathers a rag-tag band of warriors to help Erso. Among them are Chirrut Imwe, a super-adept blind Jedi warrior played by Donnie Yen, and his protector Baz Malbus, played by Wen Jiang, along with a small host of others. Together, they set up the Death Star to fail so when the Rebellion finally comes to its senses they can attack its weakness.

Their mission seems hopeless, but as always, the Empire's military are inept and everything pretty much goes the way of the rogue band of warriors. Until the end.

The special effects are pretty spectacular, too. The battle scenes, the space effects, even some character recreations for some characters whose actors are lost to us: Princess Leia and Governor Tarkin. In particular, Guy Henry is a near dead ringer (no pun intended) for the original Governor Tarkin, played by the late Peter Cushing. Credits list Ingvild Delia as playing Princess Leia, who looks very much like her original character.

I won't go into more detail about the story line. Suffice it to say, this is a fine addition to the Star Wars saga. It's entertaining, it's full of drama and action, and while it veers away from the episodic narrative a bit, Rogue One still maintains the romantic notions that fans have come to love and expect in a Star Wars film. I was prepared not to like it but instead, I was fully won over. If you haven't seen Rogue One yet, do so. You won't be disappointed.