The Jungle Book (3-D)

First Hit:  An amazing, truly delightful and  well crafted film – Kudos.

This film is a real treat. The personalities of the animals worked from every angle and aspect.

Loosely based and inspired by Richard Kipling’s book of the same name, this movie truly comes to life on the big screen. Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is the boy, who is raised in the jungle by a wolf mother Raksha (voice by Lupita Nyong’o), the wolf pack and black panther Bagheera (voice by Ben Kingsley).

The wolf pack leader Akela (voice by Giancarlo Esposito) has accepted Mowgli and has the pack protect Mowgli from harm. Because he's being raised by wolves, the boy is trying to be a wolf and is discovering it is difficult. However, he does have magic (human) ways to creating things which Bagheera frowns upon.

The danger is that Shere Khan (voice by Idris Elba), a tiger, is out to kill Mowgli because the boy’s father burnt Shere Khan with the red flower (fire) when Mowgli was a baby and wants revenge. When Shere Khan kills Akela, the boy has to escape. Bagheera thinks the boy needs to return to mankind but on the way the boy gets lost and runs into Kaa (voice by Scarlett Johansson) a Python who wants to eat him. Just as this happens, he gets saved by Baloo (voice by Bill Murray) a honey eating brown bear.

Although the ending is predictable, the magic is in how this film gets there and in the way it is presented to the audience. This story is exquisitely shot and the attention to detail is extraordinary. The movement of the animals was so clearly researched that is seemed as though their animated bodies and Mowgli's real body were all in one world. It was perfect.

Sethi was wonderful as the young boy. My guess is that he did a lot of work to prepare for this role, especially because of the physical nature of it. His warmth and intelligence showed through in his character. Nyong’o's voice added a deep soulful feel to the mother wolf. Kingsley’s voice gave us a rich commanding panther that was filled with compassion. Elba’s voice for the tiger was perfectly intense, intimidating, and filled with fire. Johansson’s voice for the seductive Python was mesmerizing. Murray was both captivating and funny as the day saving bear. Christopher Walken’s voice (and singing) was scene stealing as King Louie (homage to Louie Armstrong whose voice was used on the 1967 version of this film) the Gigantopithecus Bornean orangutan and king of the monkey world. Walken was amazing. Justin Marks wrote a fantastic screen play from Kipling’s book. Jon Favreau did all his homework and made sure this film sets a new standard in animation. Additionally, his use of 3-D was spot on. It was an addition not a distraction. Bravo!

Overall:  Disney shows it still has the chops to deliver the highest quality animation film having an engaging story while setting a new benchmark for all those who follow.

Stand Up Guys

First Hit:  Very enjoyable to watch acting pros work.

Val (Al Pacino) is getting out of prison after spending 28 years behind bars. His best friend and running mate “Doc” (Christopher Walken) is there to pick him up.

We quickly figure out Doc has to kill Val because he killed mob boss Claphands' (Mark Margolis) son during a job many years ago. Killing Val is about revenge. Because Doc has until 10:00 AM the next day to kill Val, Doc and Val go out and have some fun.

One of the decisions they make is to rescue the one other member from their earlier days. This third member is Hirsch (Alan Arkin) who was their driver on the jobs they use to pull. The overall camaraderie between the 3 guys is amazing as they make their way through the night doing things they want to do together.

The scenes in the diner with Alex (Addison Timlin) are precious. Yes, there are scenes that are predictable but the way Walken, Pacino and Arkin work the script, their experience as great actors’ is evident.

There are truly funny parts through the snappy and wonderful delivery of the script and it revolves around a believable heartfelt story of friendship.

Walken is superb as an aging crook who is trying to find a little peace in his life by doing right especially to his granddaughter. Pacino gives the best performance in years in this film. Arkin continues his streak of great performances in the past couple years. Margolis is solid as the unforgiving no nonsense crime boss. Lucy Punch as Wendy the Madame at the house of prostitution was a perfect choice as the daughter of the original Madame. She was witty, fun and business like all in one. Timlin was sublime as Walken’s granddaughter. Julianna Margulies plays Hirsch’s daughter Nina and makes the very most of this small role. She is what you focus on when she says her lines. Noah Haidle wrote a fun although, at times, predictable script. Fisher Stevens directed these excellent veteran actors with aplomb.

Overall:  A totally enjoyable film because you watch excellent actors doing what they do best.

Seven Psychopaths

First Hit:  A very oddly violent funny film.

Like many people I watched the funny and odd previews for this film and the result of going to see this film is that it is more violent and funnier than I anticipated.

The concept of a film being written about the film the audience is watching is not new, but the way this was done was inventive in that the scenes were near the edge of believable. They were bizarrely constructed and well executed.

The actors were the glue that made these stories work. Billy (played by Sam Rockwell) is the main character whose has a best friend named Marty (played by Colin Farrell). Marty is struggling to write a new screenplay based on a name he thinks he came up with, “Seven Psychopaths”.

But as the film moves along we see that is Billy who is coaxing this story along and Marty's job is to coalesce it into a viable screenplay. Billy also has another job, he steals dogs with Hans (played by Christopher Walken) and then when the owner posts a reward for the dog, Hans returns the dog, collects the reward.

Hans is married to Myra who has cancer and Hans gives her the money for her treatment. Billy steals a mob bosses’ Shih Tzu named Bonny. The mob boss named Charlie (played by Woody Harrelson) is very attached to his dog and he and his band of thugs are out to find and kill the thieves.

There are other oddly outstanding characters including a Vietnamese Priest (played by Long Nguyen) who is out for revenge. The downside of the film for me was that there was a whole host of gratuitous violence.

Rockwell was expertly cast. He’s great at looking and acting normal but psychopathic at the same time. Farrell is good here as well. He’s the sane one. Walken is a trip. He does this role effortlessly – great job. Harrelson is strong in this part as a gangster. It is slightly different than “Natural Born Killers” and his turn as Larry Flynt in “The People vs. Larry Flynt gave him the wherewithal to do another turn in a wheelchair in a small scene. Martin McDonagh put together a very oddly constructed and engaging script in which he directed the same way.

Overall:  Even days after watching the film I smile and chuckle with the memory playback of some of the scenes.

Hairspray

First Hit: I was very pleasantly surprised. It is a good lighthearted romp.

It must confess that musicals are something I generally don’t like; however the last three I’ve seen have been good including this one.

The first one I liked was Moulin Rouge. The second was film, which is reviewed on this site, is Once and then there is this film Hairspray.

The songs worked, the period was brought forth faithfully and I immediately remembered my own local dance program that I use to watch. The film brought back good memories.

Nikki Blonsky was wonderful and believable in her role. Travolta had a more minor role and was good, although I keep seeing John Travolta playing a character versus the character.

Michelle Pfeiffer was funny as a bitchy controlling station manager and mother. Christopher Walken has been doing wonders with small interesting quirky roles and he doesn’t disappoint here as the husband. The scene he has with Michelle Pfeiffer was great.

I liked the that they dealt with segregation in the language and the feeling of the time. It was a good reminder of the power of Martin Luther King and what was wrong back then.

Overall: It was a wonderful romp and I had a wonderful time and left the theater feeling good.