It Comes At Night (2017)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- During a worldwide pandemic, Paul (Joel Edgerton) lives in a secluded house deep in the woods with his wife, Sarah (Carmen Ejogo), his son, Travis (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), Sarah’s father, Bud (David Pendleton), and the family dog, Stanley. After a tense interrogation, Joel reluctantly allows an intruder named Will (Christopher Abbot) to stay at the house in exchange for supplies, and Sarah believes the family has better chances of survival with more people protecting the house. 

Will brings his family, including his wife, Kim (Riley Keough), and his son, Andrew (Griffin Robert Faulkner). Both families peacefully enjoy living under the same roof. But Paul has doubts about Will’s motives, after Will slips up with a few inconsistencies in the story about his past, and his life with Kim during a late night conversation….

My Thoughts- The story focuses on several characters, but there’s a good amount of spotlight on Travis. You could say It Comes At Night also weirdly works as a coming-of-age film, because Travis is pushed into manhood under unprecedented circumstances. Travis can’t afford to make careless mistakes. Paul sternly reminds Travis that he can’t allow his emotions to get in the way. Will and his family are nice people, but family comes first, and you can’t just blindly trust everyone. 

There’s a big conundrum for Travis’ accelerated path to adulthood that goes beyond learning how to chop firewood and handling a gun. Travis is still a seventeen year old kid, who’s under enormous pressure to adjust and deal with an isolated lifestyle in a post-apocalyptic world. Kim? Travis clearly has feelings for her. He’s a young man, who hasn’t seen another woman in who knows how long, so it’s not a big surprise for Travis to have a wide-eyed reaction to her. 

Paranoia and mistrust are two big themes here. Paul is one jumpy dude, who will kill anyone that threatens the safety of his family, if he has to. Paul wanted to trust Will and his family. They needed the food and the help, and socializing with other people after a seemingly long period of being cooped up and isolated in the woods provides a big sense of relief. But Paul raises his eyebrows, when Will’s stories don’t add up. And the situation takes a sharp turn to the left, after Paul catches Will in a lie.

Did Will know the two men, who ambushed and attacked Paul and Will on the road? Will’s reaction to Paul’s accusations is noticeably awkward. And where did Will get THAT gun from? Yes, there’s a good chance Will fed Paul a bunch of lies and a sob story about a dead brother. At its core, It Comes At Night is a story about two men willing to go to great lengths to protect and provide for their families. It’s all about survival, and resources are scarce in a world, where everyone is trying to either outrun or hide from a deadly disease. 

A handful of It Comes At Night’s unanswered questions accomplished their goals, feeding into the thought-provoking paranoia and trust issues throughout the movie. But there’s two scenes that are real head-scratchers for me. Stanley, clearly anxious and disturbed, starts wildly barking, he bites Paul, and Stanley runs into the woods, chasing after an unseen assailant.

In one of Travis’ nightmare sequences, it’s implied that who, or whatever bothered Stanley was some kind of beast, or an animal that was much bigger and stronger than Stanley. That, or it’s another case of Travis’ heightened paranoia driving him crazy to the point, where he believed something truly horrible must’ve happened to Stanley. 

Stanley returns…but he’s basically on his deathbed. Who or what attacked Stanley? Why did they run away and leave him in the house? Were the perpetrators trying to send a message, or a warning to Paul? Who opened the backdoor? I guess you could say the unanswered questions and the mystery surrounding Stanley’s unfortunate trip into the woods amps up the levels of terror and the growing tensions between Paul and Will. But I don’t see a big problem with sprinkling in a few more clues and  hints to put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

It Comes At Night is a strange one for me. One too many scenes with different characters sitting around and talking, and some of the conversations are kind of boring and dull. But there’s no denying writer/director Trey Edward Shults crafts an eerily quiet and overall tense post-apocalyptic horror film. Mixing psychological horror elements with the story of Travis’ growing pains, tight family bonds, and numerous characters choosing bloodshed or violence over more peaceful resolutions, fueled by paranoia and the desperate need to survive, produces a film with a lot of emotional depth.

It Comes At Night starts off with an emotional gut punch, and the movie ends in a whirlwind of bloody violence and chaos. Happiness and the slight chances of hope during the short-lived union between Paul and Will’s families briefly tips the scales on the positive side, but it all comes crashing down during the big finale, after a series of devastating events. 

A solid overall cast, and the nighttime scenes and Travis’ nightmare sequences are appropriately spooky and tense. There’s also a strong effort to present the disease as something that’s truly terrifying. No known cures, vaccines, or antidotes? It’s an ugly and contagious death sentence that brings out the absolute worst in people. 

Paul and Will’s perspectives are relatable, because if you were in their shoes, you’d understand the mindset behind doing whatever it takes to make it from one day to the next. Yeah, Paul had serious trust issues. MAYBE he should’ve let Will and his family quietly walk away, but when it’s all said and done, one thing’s for sure: Paul made a mistake. Being a good person and following your moral compass for helping others is the right thing to do. But on the other side of that, trusting strangers during a global outbreak opens up the risks for deadly and catastrophic consequences. 

Rating- 7/10

 

It Comes At Night (2017)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- During a worldwide pandemic, Paul (Joel Edgerton) lives in a secluded house deep in the woods with his wife, Sarah (Carmen Ejogo), his son, Travis (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), Sarah’s father, Bud (David Pendleton), and the family dog, Stanley. After a tense interrogation, Joel reluctantly allows an intruder named Will (Christopher Abbot) to stay at the house in exchange for supplies, and Sarah believes the family has better chances of survival with more people protecting the house. 

Will brings his family, including his wife, Kim (Riley Keough), and his son, Andrew (Griffin Robert Faulkner). Both families peacefully enjoy living under the same roof. But Paul has doubts about Will’s motives, after Will slips up with a few inconsistencies in the story about his past, and his life with Kim during a late night conversation….

My Thoughts- Bud is sick, so It Comes At Night Opens with a mercy killing. A somber and heavy scene, when Paul takes Bud outside in a wheelbarrow, shoots him with a pillow covering his face, and Paul burns his body. Travis standing right next to Paul, as he watches his grandfather’s grisly death adds another strong emotional layer to the scene, because you have to remember Travis is still a teenager, and he shared a close relationship with Bud. You instantly know you’re about to watch a bleak and serious film, so the opening scene really works as a great tone-setter.

The story focuses on several characters, but there’s a good amount of spotlight on Travis. You could say It Comes At Night also weirdly works as a coming-of-age film, because Travis is pushed into manhood under unprecedented circumstances. Travis can’t afford to make careless mistakes. Paul sternly reminds Travis that he can’t allow his emotions to get in the way. Will and his family are nice people, but family comes first, and you can’t just blindly trust everyone. 

There’s a big conundrum for Travis’ accelerated path to adulthood that goes beyond learning how to chop firewood and handling a gun. Travis is still a seventeen year old kid, who’s under enormous pressure to adjust and deal with an isolated lifestyle in a post-apocalyptic world. Kim? Travis clearly has feelings for her. He’s a young man, who hasn’t seen another woman in who knows how long, so it’s not a big surprise for Travis to have a wide-eyed reaction to her. 

Everyone dies! Well, almost. Paul and Sarah murder Will, Kim, and Andrew in the woods, after it’s revealed Andrew is sick. To make matters worse, Travis, Paul, and Sarah are all sick, too. We don’t actually see Travis, Paul, and Sarah’s deaths, but it’s heavily implied they’re done for after Will and his family are executed. It’s an effective and somber image to close out the movie, with Paul and Sarah sitting at the dinner table, sharing stunned and horrified looks of hopelessness in silence, because they know the clock is ticking.

Paranoia and mistrust are two big themes here. Paul is one jumpy dude, who will kill anyone that threatens the safety of his family, if he has to. Paul wanted to trust Will and his family. They needed the food and the help, and socializing with other people after a seemingly long period of being cooped up and isolated in the woods provides a big sense of relief. But Paul raises his eyebrows, when Will’s stories don’t add up. And the situation takes a sharp turn to the left, after Paul catches Will in a lie.

Did Will know the two men, who ambushed and attacked Paul and Will on the road? Will’s reaction to Paul’s accusations is noticeably awkward. And where did Will get THAT gun from? Yes, there’s a good chance Will fed Paul a bunch of lies and a sob story about a dead brother. At its core, It Comes At Night is a story about two men willing to go to great lengths to protect and provide for their families. It’s all about survival, and resources are scarce in a world, where everyone is trying to either outrun or hide from a deadly disease. 

A handful of It Comes At Night’s unanswered questions accomplished their goals, feeding into the thought-provoking paranoia and trust issues throughout the movie. But there’s two scenes that are real head-scratchers for me. Stanley, clearly anxious and disturbed, starts wildly barking, he bites Paul, and Stanley runs into the woods, chasing after an unseen assailant. 

In one of Travis’ nightmare sequences, it’s implied that who, or whatever bothered Stanley was some kind of beast, or an animal that was much bigger and stronger than Stanley. That, or it’s another case of Travis’ heightened paranoia driving him crazy to the point, where he believed something truly horrible must’ve happened to Stanley. 

Stanley returns…but he’s basically on his deathbed. Who or what attacked Stanley? Why did they run away and leave him in the house? Were the perpetrators trying to send a message, or a warning to Paul? Who opened the backdoor? I guess you could say the unanswered questions and the mystery surrounding Stanley’s unfortunate trip into the woods amps up the levels of terror and the growing tensions between Paul and Will. But I don’t see a big problem with sprinkling in a few more clues and  hints to put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

It Comes At Night is a strange one for me. One too many scenes with different characters sitting around and talking, and some of the conversations are kind of boring and dull. But there’s no denying writer/director Trey Edward Shults crafts an eerily quiet and overall tense post-apocalyptic horror film. Mixing psychological horror elements with the story of Travis’ growing pains, tight family bonds, and numerous characters choosing bloodshed or violence over more peaceful resolutions, fueled by paranoia and the desperate need to survive, produces a film with a lot of emotional depth. 

It Comes At Night starts off with an emotional gut punch, and the movie ends in a whirlwind of bloody violence and chaos. Happiness and the slight chances of hope during the short-lived union between Paul and Will’s families briefly tips the scales on the positive side, but it all comes crashing down during the big finale, after a series of devastating events. 

A solid overall cast, and the nighttime scenes and Travis’ nightmare sequences are appropriately spooky and tense. There’s also a strong effort to present the disease as something that’s truly terrifying. No known cures, vaccines, or antidotes? It’s an ugly and contagious death sentence that brings out the absolute worst in people. 

Paul and Will’s perspectives are relatable, because if you were in their shoes, you’d understand the mindset behind doing whatever it takes to make it from one day to the next. Yeah, Paul had serious trust issues. MAYBE he should’ve let Will and his family quietly walk away, but when it’s all said and done, one thing’s for sure: Paul made a mistake. Being a good person and following your moral compass for helping others is the right thing to do. But on the other side of that, trusting strangers during a global outbreak opens up the risks for deadly and catastrophic consequences. 

Rating- 7/10

 

Black Mass (2015)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Flanked and supported by his enforcers Kevin Weeks (Jesse Plemons), Steve Flemmi (Rory Cochrane), John Martorano (W. Earl Brown), FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), and FBI agent John Morris (David Harbour), Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) builds a criminal empire in Boston during the 1970s and 1980’s. Bulger’s relationship with his brother William (Benedict Cumberbatch), the President of the Massachusetts Senate, brings some peace to his life. 

Connolly tangles with his superior, Charles McGuire  (Kevin Bacon) over restrictions for Whitey’s rampages, but a bigger problem threatens to expose Connolly’s dirty tactics. Whitey’s seemingly invincible shield is threatened, when Assistant US Attorney Fred Wyshak (Corey Stoll) returns to Boston, fiercely determined to put a stop to Bulger’s tyranny.

My Thoughts- Whoa, that’s really Johnny Depp! That was my reaction to the first Black Mass trailer years ago. It’s not just the makeup, or the thinning white hair, Johnny Depp truly takes a dedicated approach to becoming Whitey Bulger. The voice, the mannerisms, the leering, the cold stares, and Depp does a good job of being a convincing cold blooded and narcissistic killer with sociopathic tendencies. Of course, it’s obvious Depp exaggerates every now and then to play up the tough guy side of Bulger, but he still reels it in just enough so his overall performance isn’t too hammy or ridiculous.

Depp also shows the more normal and human side of Bulger. During scenes and interactions with his brother, William or “Billy,” his mother (Mary Klug), his girlfriend, Lindsey Cyr (Dakota Johnson), and their son, Douglas (Luke Ryan), there’s a slight chance for believing Bulger was capable of being a good guy. That, and Bulger apparently had a soft spot for helping elderly women, namely Mrs. Cody (Jamie Donnelly). But you’re quickly reminded Bulger was an evil and scummy man throughout the movie. Bulger’s cruelty cancels out the possibility of him being a deeply flawed person, with the potential to turn his life around, if he just made some serious changes.

A number of scenes to confirm that Whitey Bulger wasn’t a good bad guy, or a sort of Robin Hood figure, and he surely wasn’t misunderstood. One big scene involves Bulger viciously murdering Deborah Hussey (Juno Temple). There’s also the creepy scene, where Bulger intimidates John Connolly’s wife, Marianne (Julianne Nicholson), another example of Bulger being a petty bully. 

When you see how John Connolly operates, it’s easy to notice just how phony and full of crap he truly is, a man only concerned with feeding his own ego. It’s not a surprise Bulger and Connolly formed a duo. They’re both narcissists, egomaniacs, and pathological liars in their own ways, so of course they’ll form a bond as a well oiled machine for all the wrong reasons. 

Joel Edgerton delivers a strong performance as Connolly. Edgerton is effortlessly convincing, as the flaky FBI agent, who actually believes in his own BS, and there’s no denying that Connolly basically worships Bulger. 

The foundation for Connolly’s loyalty is rooted in Bulger looking out for him as a kid, and Whitey was a hero of sorts for Connolly. Did Connolly take things too far by looking the other way and enabling Bulger to run roughshod through Boston? Of course he did, but you can understand why he did it, and why his need for respect and validation from Bulger was ultimately his undoing.

So Whitey makes a final goodbye call to Bill, then the story fast forwards to Whitey’s arrest in 2011 after the long manhunt, and that’s it? A flat and dull ending for a story that’s loaded with material. I understand they had to condense things, otherwise Black Mass might’ve had a runtime almost hitting four total hours. But there’s no real suspense or drama leading up to the big ending. 

If you don’t know anything about Bulger’s life, you can still easily see where everything is going, when the walls start closing in, and the final series of events ends with a dry whimper. There’s a scene towards the end, where Connolly is heartbroken, and complaining about Whitey using him, when it’s clear lengthy jail sentences are coming. I laughed out loud, because Connolly is trying to play the victim, when he was fully aware of what he was doing.

I circled back around to Black Mass again after reading Whitey: The Life Of America’s Most Notorious Mob Boss, by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill. To be clear, Black Mass is not based on this book. Black Mass is actually based on Black Mass: The True Story Of An Unholy Alliance Between The FBI And The Irish Mob, also written by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill. 

I can understand leaving stuff out or exaggerating certain events and characteristics for entertainment purposes, or to try and help the movie move at a faster pace. But I’m kind of surprised they didn’t mention Teresa Stanley and Catherine Greig, ESPECIALLY Greig. No appearances from Whitey’s girlfriends after things fell apart with Lindsey Cyr. Stanley and Greig played big roles in Whitey’s life, with Stanley eventually talking to authorities, and the fallout from that, including Stanley being shunned and ostracized by Bulger’s family.

Catherine Greig was Whitey Bulger’s loyal ride or die support system. Hell, you could’ve made an entire movie about Bulger and Greig hiding out in Santa Monica for over a decade, freely living the golden years of their lives as retirees, using Charlie and Carol Gasko as aliases. 

Black Mass is a fast tracked and microwaved version of Whitey Bulger’s story. This is a movie that’s supposed to be about an “unholy alliance” between one of the more memorable and ruthless crime bosses using the FBI to strengthen his reign of terror.

The enormity of Bulger’s real life story is something that should’ve packed a more powerful punch. There’s still more meat on the bones for Bulger supposedly being the secret weapon to take down the Italian mafia and Gennaro “Jerry” Angiulo (Bill Haims) in Boston, and how much did Bill Bulger really know about his brother’s life of crime? But Black Mass goes with the routine step by step rise and fall approach to storytelling for a crime lord, concluding with a dull and lifeless ending.

Still, it’s almost impossible to ignore Black Mass’ impeccable ensemble cast, led by an outstanding performance from Johnny Depp. Dakota Johnson and Corey Stoll also made strong impressions with only a handful of appearances and limited screen time. 

Corey Stoll nails Fred Wyshak, the “bulldog,” who flat out refuses to tolerate Connolly’s buffoonery. The scene, where Wyshak meets Connolly for the first time is loaded with so many little nuances. How Wyshak waits for Connolly to lower his guard before tearing him apart, and how Wyshak didn’t fall for Connolly’s smooth talking and his schemes, rejecting a pair of Red Sox tickets and a drink at a bar. His eyes and the look on Corey Stoll’s face tells the whole story: Wyshak immediately sees right through Connolly’s persona, and Wyshsk knows he’s someone, who can’t be trusted. 

Black Mass had the potential and all the ingredients to be a great film, but it’s still a solid biopic. There’s more than enough brutal violence on the crime drama side of things, and the cast is loaded with noteworthy performances. Walking the fine line for embellishing facts and how things played out in real life (e.g. how Whitey murdered Brian Halloran broad daylight), and trying to balance both sides will always be a problem for any kind of biopic. But Black Mass churns out enough positives for mostly successful results. 

Rating- 8/10 

Black Mass (2015)(Minor Spoilers Review)

 **This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Flanked and supported by his enforcers Kevin Weeks (Jesse Plemons), Steve Flemmi (Rory Cochrane), John Martorano (W. Earl Brown), FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), and FBI agent John Morris (David Harbour), Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) builds a criminal empire in Boston during the 1970s and 1980’s. Bulger’s relationship with his brother William (Benedict Cumberbatch), the President of the Massachusetts Senate, brings some peace to his life. 

Connolly tangles with his superior, Charles McGuire  (Kevin Bacon) over restrictions for Whitey’s rampages, but a bigger problem threatens to expose Connolly’s dirty tactics. Whitey’s seemingly invincible shield is threatened, when Assistant US Attorney Fred Wyshak (Corey Stoll) returns to Boston, fiercely determined to put a stop to Bulger’s tyranny.

My Thoughts- Whoa, that’s really Johnny Depp! That was my reaction to the first Black Mass trailer years ago. It’s not just the makeup, or the thinning white hair, Johnny Depp truly takes a dedicated approach to becoming Whitey Bulger. The voice, the mannerisms, the leering, the cold stares, and Depp does a good job of being a convincing cold blooded and narcissistic killer with sociopathic tendencies. Of course, it’s obvious Depp exaggerates every now and then to play up the tough guy side of Bulger, but he still reels it in just enough so his overall performance isn’t too hammy or ridiculous.

Depp also shows the more normal and human side of Bulger. During scenes and interactions with his brother, William or “Billy,” his mother (Mary Klug), his girlfriend, Lindsey Cyr (Dakota Johnson), and their son, Douglas (Luke Ryan), there’s a slight chance for believing Bulger was capable of being a good guy. That, and Bulger apparently had a soft spot for helping elderly women, namely Mrs. Cody (Jamie Donnelly). But you’re quickly reminded Bulger was an evil and scummy man throughout the movie. Bulger’s cruelty cancels out the possibility of him being a deeply flawed person, with the potential to turn his life around, if he just made some serious changes.

A number of scenes to confirm that Whitey Bulger wasn’t a good bad guy, or a sort of Robin Hood figure, and he surely wasn’t misunderstood. One big scene involves Bulger, Deborah Hussey (Juno Temple), and the ruse to lure her into a trap. There’s also the creepy scene, where Bulger intimidates John Connolly’s wife, Marianne (Julianne Nicholson), another example of Bulger being a petty bully. 

When you see how John Connolly operates, it’s easy to notice just how phony and full of crap he truly is, a man only concerned with feeding his own ego. It’s not a surprise Bulger and Connolly formed a duo. They’re both narcissists, egomaniacs, and pathological liars in their own ways, so of course they’ll form a bond as a well oiled machine for all the wrong reasons.

Joel Edgerton delivers a strong performance as Connolly. Edgerton is effortlessly convincing, as the flaky FBI agent, who actually believes in his own BS, and there’s no denying that Connolly basically worships Bulger. 

The foundation for Connolly’s loyalty is rooted in Bulger looking out for him as a kid, and Whitey was a hero of sorts for Connolly. Did Connolly take things too far by looking the other way and enabling Bulger to run roughshod through Boston? Of course he did, but you can understand why he did it, and why his need for respect and validation from Bulger was ultimately his undoing.

I circled back around to Black Mass again after reading Whitey: The Life Of America’s Most Notorious Mob Boss, by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill. To be clear, Black Mass is not based on this book. Black Mass is actually based on Black Mass: The True Story Of An Unholy Alliance Between The FBI And The Irish Mob, also written by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill.

I can understand leaving stuff out or exaggerating certain events and characteristics for entertainment purposes, or to try and help the movie move at a faster pace. But I’m kind of surprised they didn’t mention Teresa Stanley and Catherine Greig, ESPECIALLY Greig. No appearances from Whitey’s girlfriends after things fell apart with Lindsey Cyr. Stanley and Greig played big roles in Whitey’s life, with Stanley eventually talking to authorities, and the fallout from that, including Stanley being shunned and ostracized by Bulger’s family.

Catherine Greig was Whitey Bulger’s loyal ride or die support system. Hell, you could’ve made an entire movie about Bulger and Greig hiding out in Santa Monica for over a decade, freely living the golden years of their lives as retirees, using Charlie and Carol Gasko as aliases. 

Black Mass is a fast tracked and microwaved version of Whitey Bulger’s story. This is a movie that’s supposed to be about an “unholy alliance” between one of the more memorable and ruthless crime bosses using the FBI to strengthen his reign of terror.

The enormity of Bulger’s real life story is something that should’ve packed a more powerful punch. There’s still more meat on the bones for Bulger supposedly being the secret weapon to take down the Italian mafia and Gennaro “Jerry” Angiulo (Bill Haims) in Boston, and how much did Bill Bulger really know about his brother’s life of crime? But Black Mass goes with the routine step by step rise and fall approach to storytelling for a crime lord, concluding with a dull and lifeless ending.

Still, it’s almost impossible to ignore Black Mass’ impeccable ensemble cast, led by an outstanding performance from Johnny Depp. Dakota Johnson and Corey Stoll also made strong impressions with only a handful of appearances and limited screen time. 

Corey Stoll nails Fred Wyshak, the “bulldog,” who flat out refuses to tolerate Connolly’s buffoonery. The scene, where Wyshak meets Connolly for the first time is loaded with so many little nuances. How Wyshak waits for Connolly to lower his guard before tearing him apart, and how Wyshak didn’t fall for Connolly’s smooth talking and his schemes, rejecting a pair of Red Sox tickets and a drink at a bar. His eyes and the look on Corey Stoll’s face tells the whole story: Wyshak immediately sees right through Connolly’s persona, and Wyshsk knows he’s someone, who can’t be trusted. 

Black Mass had the potential and all the ingredients to be a great film, but it’s still a solid biopic. There’s more than enough brutal violence on the crime drama side of things, and the cast is loaded with noteworthy performances. Walking the fine line for embellishing facts and how things played out in real life, and trying to balance both sides will always be a problem for any kind of biopic. But Black Mass churns out enough positives for mostly successful results. 

Rating- 8/10

Midnight Special (2016)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Pursued by a cult and the government, a young boy named Alton (Jaeden Martell) with supernatural abilities only means of survival and safety is to reach a secluded location before he runs out of time. Protected by ex cult members, including his father, Roy (Michael Shannon) and his mother, Sarah (Kirsten Dunst), Alton does his best to maintain his composure during a rocky journey. Roy’s childhood friend, Lucas (Joel Edgerton) is a dedicated and trusted supporter, but the group is severely outnumbered.

Pastor Calvin Meyer (Sam Shepard) is determined to bring Alton back to the cult to fulfill a prophecy. The government closes in, but Alton, Roy, Sarah, and Lucas find an unlikely ally in Paul Sevier (Adam Driver).

My Thoughts- Alton is a unique prodigy. He’s smart. Alton has incredible powers, but he’s still a child. Alton knows what’s at stake, and he fully accepts his destiny, but Alton is also scared. 

Towards the end of the film, Alton finally manages to control and smoothly use his powers. He’s confident, but not cocky or dangerous. The scene where Alton is being interrogated at the military base is a great example. Alton could’ve easily been more aggressive, using his powers for a more destructive escape. Instead, he was polite, but also firm during the interrogation. He created a diversion, so he could quietly sneak away with Paul to reunite with his family. 

Roy, Sarah, Lucas, and Paul were all willing to risk their lives to protect Alton. Why? It’s not because he has cool powers. They all believed in HIM. Alton is a good person. He’s someone who’s worth fighting for, and through no fault of his own, he’s an outcast, who needs a strong support system.

Jaeden Martell is fantastic, delivering an earnest and vulnerable performance. It’s also a nice touch to throw in some irony with Alton being enamored with Superman comics. He’s a kid, who’s understandably blown away by a popular fictional character, while also not realizing he’s basically a real-life Superman in his own way.

Micheal Shannon delivers a strong performance as Roy.  Shannon does a good job of showing believable desperation and anger, with great facial expressions. Roy is a dedicated, loving, and fearless father, who will do anything to protect his son. Roy risked everything, including having the guts to save his son from the cult after Pastor Meyer crossed the line by stealing Alton from him. And Roy fiercely protects Alton, while the cult and every government agency in the US is breathing down his neck. 

Joel Edgerton really nails Lucas, the trusted and devoted friend. Edgerton’s best scenes involve Roy, when both men clash on what lines should or shouldn’t be crossed to protect Alton, and Lucas knowing his place, when it comes to making big decisions about Alton.

You can clearly see Sarah is lonely. She finds some happiness again, when she reunites with Alton and Roy, and Dunst did a good job of capturing Sarah’s emotions. Sam Shepard, filling the role of a cult leader, makes the most of his short screen time. Shepard is a reliable veteran actor, and his character represents everything you’d expect from a cult leader. Calvin Meyer is a textbook narcissist and a master at manipulation, forcibly adopting Alton, when he realized Alton was the one person, who could justify his delusional vision.

Paul Sevier is an important character. He’s basically the man who’s responsible for safely delivering Alton to Roy and Sarah after the government captures him. Adam Driver is believably quirky and timid as Paul. Paul is really the only character with any comedic moments throughout the movie. Driver is never too goofy or over the top. Paul’s comedy fits perfectly in certain scenes, and Paul’s well-placed funny moments work as a convenient break from Midnight Special’s overall seriousness and emotional drama. 

The father/son relationship between Roy and Alton is the foundation for Midnight Special. The little details and nuances for Roy protecting Alton are noticeable from the opening scene until the end of the movie. 

Roy doesn’t hold his hand. He carries Alton. The scene at the gas station, where the lady almost removes Alton’s goggles? Roy SPRINTS across the gas station before the lady has a chance to touch him. Roy is protective of Alton, but he’s not overprotective, especially when you consider the consequences and the unprecedented circumstances surrounding Alton. 

There’s also a stretch in the film, where Alton is clearly sick. It’s a gut-wrenching experience for a parent to see their children ill and suffering, and in Roy’s case, he can’t just waltz into a hospital with Alton. Sarah and Lucas panicked, when Alton couldn’t breathe on the highway, but Roy confidently trusts Alton’s decisions. 

Roy knows at some point he’s going to have to say goodbye to Alton, and he’ll most likely never see his son again. Of course there’s a fictional twist to it, but there’s some realism about a parent trusting their child to make the right decisions for their future. Roy is forced to make sacrifices, and Roy strongly supports Alton, but it’s tough. He has to push through the heartbreak of losing his only child to do the right thing. 

Midnight Special undoubtedly has a lot of answered questions. What’s the exact reason for Alton needing to join the others in the unseen world? Is it because Alton is sick, and there’s a chance he’ll die, if he stays on earth? Alton’s deteriorating health becomes a real problem at one point, sparking serious concerns from Lucas. Are the people from the unseen world supernatural humans? Aliens?

If you’re looking for concrete answers, you won’t find any here. Midnight Special doesn’t rely on spoon-feeding crucial plot points. Writer/director Jeff Nichols presents thought-provoking questions, and you’ll see enough clues to form your own conclusions. Alton is clearly important, because he’s greeted by people from the unseen world. The unseen world has a sleek and futuristic look to it, but it’s also built with ordinary materials. It’s a sign that the unseen world is old, possibly dating back to ancient times, and the people from the unseen world are not malicious. 

One big plot hole that drives me nuts happens, when Roy and the others chase after Doak (Bill Camp) and Levi (Scott Haze) after they kidnap Alton. The Army soldier stops Roy, and the soldier looks directly at Roy. The soldier aggressively instructs Roy to rejoin the other cars on the road, and that’s it? Why didn’t the soldiers detain Roy and the others? Why did they just let him go? Keep in mind we’re at a point in the movie, where Roy’s face has been all over the news, so there’s no excuse for the soldiers to not recognize him. 

There’s a handful of awe-inspiring scenes and visuals throughout the movie. The final full reveal for the gargantuan and extravagant unseen world, the scenes featuring Alton using or losing control of his powers, and my personal favorite scene at the gas station, where Alton takes out the satellite.

Midnight Special is a tense and emotional sci-fi thriller, featuring a superb cast. A lot of believable close calls throughout the movie, and the big finale was executed to perfection. Shannon, Martell, Dunst, and Edgerton all did a wonderful job of selling the nervousness and the strong sense of urgency from the main characters. The group knew they only had one chance to get it right, to safely deliver Alton to the open field. There was no room for mistakes or any botches.

The sci-fi side of the film never overwhelms or undercuts a story about love, family, friendship, sacrifices, and an unbreakable father and son bond. Jeff Nichols seamlessly blends everything together for a quaint film with a satisfying ending. Midnight Special joins Take Shelter as another great collaboration for Michael Shannon and Jeff Nichols, truly one of the more underrated modern sci-fi films. 

Rating- 9/10

The Odd Life Of Timothy Green (2012)

Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim (Joel Edgerton) Green are fighting to keep their dreams of having a child alive. Distraught and unable to conceive as a couple, Jim comes up with a unique idea to give his wife some hope. Cindy and Jim write out lists of achievements and attributes for their dream child, Jim places the lists in a box, and Jim buries the box in the backyard garden.

One night, during a sudden and unexpected rainstorm, a child named Timothy (CJ Adams) pops up out of the garden, and he sneaks into the Green’s house. Bewildered and delighted, Cindy and Jim embrace and accept Timothy as their own child. But The Green’s delightful surprise has a bizarre physical condition. Cindy discovers leaves growing on Timothy ‘s legs, and soon enough, The Greens will have to introduce Timothy into the real world. Can Timothy gain the acceptance and trust from Tom and Cindy’s families, and fit in as a regular kid at school?

Director Peter Hedges provides some beautiful daytime shots during autumn season, but his style is simplistic.

CJ Adams is likeable as Timothy Green. Odeya Rush portrays Joni, Timothy’s only friend at school. Rush sheds a few tears towards the end, and she showed signs of real talent every now and then. Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton are believable sympathetic characters, Ron Livingston is spot on as Jim’s douchebag boss, and David Morse provides a solid performance, as the tough and old school father (Morse portrays Jim’s dad).

Peter Hedges also wrote the screenplay for this film, and as a writer, Hedges tries to provide a genuinely moving and emotional story. But I had trouble buying into the fantasy side of this film. It’s easy to feel sympathy for Jim and Cindy. They’re caring people, who want the experience of being parents, but Timothy’s origins raised too many mind-boggling questions.

Once Timothy’s leaves start to fall off and turn brown, his fate becomes painfully obvious. When Timothy starts to lose his leaves, the story turns into a predictable and boring snooze fest. “Yep. Just waiting for him to die now.” I couldn’t escape this feeling, and for me, The Odd Life Of Timothy Green’s home stretch was a chore to sit through.

The flimsy premise was too shaky for my taste, but The Odd Life Of Timothy Green features a strong cast and a nice set of likeable characters. Timothy’s life story is far fetched, but The Odd Life Of Timothy Green has a good heart. And more importantly, this film never reaches a too sappy point, because there’s a good balance of humor and drama.

Final Rating: 5/10

The Thing (2011)

**This review contains spoilers**

I will always love The Thing 1982. It is an excellent science fiction/horror film, and this film ranks high up my list of remakes, because it is one of the best damn remakes ever. I always enjoy this film, and I pop it into the DVD player a few times each month. The prequel/remake to John Carpenter’s 1982 classic was at the top of my must-see list of films for 2011. I was anxious to see the prequel, and I had some hope for it, but this was an enormous letdown for me.

The 1982 version of The Thing was fantastic. This film featured some very good tension, it was mysterious, and this film could be genuinely scary most of the time. Also, The Thing 1982 was repulsive, because the special affects in this film could always provide plenty of shocking and cringing moments. But the same thing can’t be said about the 2011 version.

Yeah, The Thing 2011 does feature some very impressive special effects, because the CGI does look great. But the CGI in this film didn’t provide any shocking and disgusting moments. In Carpenter’s 1982 version, the creature kills and absorptions brought that “HOLY SHIT THIS IS GROSS! I CAN’T BELIEVE WHAT I’M SEEING” type of reaction out me. But the creature kills and absorptions in this film brought that “Oh look. Cool CGI effects” reaction out of me. The effects in this film didn’t shock me, and they didn’t want to make me turn away from the screen. The visuals in this film are a pleasing treat for the eyes, but they don’t provide any shocking moments.

The Thing 1982 provided some great tension throughout the entire film, and this film did feature a chilling and eerie atmosphere. But this version of The Thing felt pretty dull and boring most of the time. There wasn’t any real tension here, there aren’t too many spook moments, and this film isn’t scary at all. They tried to give the audience some more action and suspense in this one, but the attempt at some extra thrills didn’t do anything for me. For the most part, the action in this film isn’t too thrilling, and the suspense doesn’t pick up until the very end.

I like Mary Elizabeth Winstead. She’s a solid young actress, who has some promise. Winstead did deliver a very solid performance in this film, and she wasn’t bad as the leading lady here, but she is no R.J. MacReady. Kurt Russell was a better leading character in Carpenter’s 1982 version. Russell’s acting was better, and his character was a lot stronger throughout the entire film. Kate Lloyd (Winstead) doesn’t show any signs of real strength until the final moments of this film. She slowly comes out of her shell, but Winstead’s character just comes off as this person, who nobody wants to believe, and she has to eat shit from her boss, Dr. Sander Halversen (Ulrich Thomsen). Winstead did deliver a very solid performance, but her character seems so weak most of the time. Also, the bulk of the cast was pretty bland here. Carpenter’s 1982 version featured a nice set of colorful characters, and the overall acting was a lot better. Lars was the only other character who stood out in this film. Jørgen Langhelle could be funny, and at times, he was believable as a bad ass. And Joel Edgerton (Sam Carter) actually delivered another solid performance, but his acting couldn’t help elevate this film. The majority of the 2011 cast was so dull, and I was actually waiting for some of them to die, because I didn’t care about their characters.

Also, the tests in this film didn’t make too much sense. In the 1982 version, blood tests were used to determine each character’s health. These tests would let everyone know, who was human and who was an alien. Blood test make a lot of sense, but in this film they use teeth tests??? The creature can’t copy inorganic materials, and Kate found some bloody teeth will fillings in a bathroom. The creature spit out the teeth, because it couldn’t absorb them, and it was trying to hide this important secret. Someone wasn’t human, so Kate came up with the idea of having teeth tests. Her idea was pretty simple: whoever had fillings was human, but anyone without fillings in their teeth was an instant suspect. Everyone had to endure the quick teeth checks, as Kate checked every mouth with a flashlight, and these tests did cause some finger pointing, and the trust issues began to unfold. Yeah, I thought this was pretty stupid. Everyone doesn’t have cavities, because some people actually do take good care of their teeth. The teeth tests really didn’t solve anything, because Kate still wasn’t sure who was 100% human. Blood tests were the only surefire way of determining the human characters, and the teeth tests were a waste of time. I know, I know, this is a new version of The Thing, and the story will have its differences, but the teeth tests were still silly.

Survival was another important theme in the 1982 version of The Thing. A deadly alien creature has taken over the research facility, and this alien wants to escape. The deaths are coming quickly, and they’re becoming more frequent and viscous as the story progresses. I can understand trying to contain the alien threat, but the safety measures in this film didn’t make any sense. Kate begins to panic, because she realizes how serious the situation is. She doesn’t want the alien to escape, because it might try to take over the world. So Kate has one bright idea: Disable the vehicles??? Umm, yeah, I know you don’t want to take the chance of the alien escaping, but I couldn‘t buy into these precautions. The creature could destroy the Earth, but shouldn’t you give yourself a chance to survive? You’re going to have to leave the research facility at some point, so how in the hell are you going to leave, if you disabled all of your means of transportation??? And you’re pretty much stranded at a remote location in Antarctica, a massive snow storm is approaching, so you can’t just start walking to find shelter. The “let’s destroy the vehicles, so it can’t escape!” stuff drove me nuts, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing on-screen.

The ending of this film does provide a nice cliffhanger, because the final moments of this film do show us how the alien survives, and story wise, this ending does open the door for the 1982 version. But in the end, this little cliffhanger wasn’t enough, and it couldn’t save this film. Bottom line, John Carpenter’s 1982 version of The Thing is far superior in every way, and it makes the 2011 version look like a joke. Sorry, but the theme music wasn’t enough. Using the same theme music from the 1982 version was a nice touch, and it did provide some good nostalgia for fans of the older film, but this touch of nostalgia couldn’t improve anything here.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, and Jørgen Langhelle were the highlights of the acting department, because they did deliver some very solid performances, but the cast in the 1982 film was still better in every way. Carpenter’s 1982 version featured better acting, a better cast of characters, the tension was unbelievable, this film was genuinely scary and terrifying, and the special effects looked more realistic and disgusting.

The 2011 version does feature some cool effects, and the CGI is great. You can’t deny that, but in a way, the amazing and detailed CGI hurts this film. As I said before, the effects in the 1982 version created some genuinely disturbing moments, but the CGI in this film can be too mesmerizing at times. I was in awe of the special affects, but they didn’t make me cringe, and they didn’t disgust me. The Thing 2011 is a boring and lifeless big time Hollywood production with cool special effects. This wouldn’t have been good as a standalone film, and this wasn’t a good prequel/remake. The Thing 2011 is mediocre at best, and fans of the 1982 version should avoid this. Don’t let the “how it all it began” stuff lure you to this film, because you will be disappointed. Just watch the 1982 version. Don’t waste your time with the new film, because the experience isn’t worth it, and you will hate this.

Final Rating: 3/10