Midway

First Hit: Besides being too long, I didn’t like and couldn’t engage with the main character Dick Best (Ed Skrein).

As portrayed here, Best was a pilot who liked breaking the rules, thought highly of himself and his flying skills, but eventually, his arrogance, depicted as bravery, helped to win the war over Japan at Midway.

I don’t know what it was, but if another actor played Best, I might have better related with this character. Actors, from another time, who might have made this role work are Steve McQueen or Paul Newman. These guys had a way of being edgy and arrogant but likable.

There are other issues with this film that stood out as well. There were sections that were supposed to provide a depth to the story but seemed needless. Additionally, the strategic planning of the attack on Midway became muddled.

On a positive note, many of the action scenes were well choreographed and very exciting to watch.

This film is about how the battle of Midway became the turning point of the Pacific War between the United States and Japan. Early on, we see Pearl Harbor being bombed. This was particularly effective and was well depicted with the surprise and the panic that set in after the attack.

The US goal was to hit back at Japan in a way that would have them rethink their choice to attack the United States.

The key players in this story are Best, Lieutenant Commander Edwin T. Layton (Patrick Wilson), who was an intelligence officer, and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (Woody Harrelson). Layton had developed data, with a team of intelligence analysts, that gave him a hunch that the Pearl Harbor attack was coming. Nimitz had heard about Layton’s ideas and after his assignment to head the Pacific Fleet, he told Layton to bring him information that would allow his decimated fleet to execute a surprise counterattack.

Midway was that surprise attack. In addition to this story, there were side stories. One was about Vice Admiral William “Bull” Halsey (Dennis Quaid), who was the on-boat commander of the aircraft carrier leading the fleet. He had a horrible case of shingles, which eventually put him out of commission. There was also a story about Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle (Aaron Eckhart) who first bombed Japan, and because the way the mission worked out, he and his entire squadron had to ditch their planes because they ran out of fuel.

There are also sweet scenes with Best and his wife Anne (Mandy Moore), one of the few who understood and embraced her husband’s erratic intensity. There are also depictions of Japanese ship commanders and Admirals, which are brief and attempt to show the ignorance of and blind devotion to the war effort as commanded by their emperor.

Skrein was not likable as Best. What I don’t know was it Skrein or his character I didn’t like or want to champion. Eckart, in the bombing of Japan side story, was solid as Doolittle. Wilson was excellent as the intelligence officer Layton. The scene where he is pressed for the details on the theory of a Midway attack by the Japanese was powerful. Harrelson gave a strong performance as Nimitz. His belief in his team, especially Layton, was well executed. Quaid was good as Halsey, a “bull” of a man. Moore was excellent as the trusting and understanding wife of the film’s wildcard character. Wes Tooke wrote a meandering script that seemed to take in too many stories. Roland Emmerich had an excellent eye for many of the action scenes, but the story seemed to take too large a bite.

Overall: Because I couldn’t get into the main character, the film fell flat.

The Commuter

First Hit:  There are excellent and overdone parts in this engaging film.

I will start with that this film was very creative in providing the audience with the setup about who Michael MacCauley (Liam Neeson) is. He’s married, he has a very predictable routine, and he works hard to help his son get a good education. All this is delivered before the opening credits are complete. In other words, if you don’t get to the film on time, don’t bother because then the point of the film is lost.

At work one day, after closing another client on buying an insurance policy, he gets called into his boss’s office and gets terminated. Because the audience was part of his selling the insurance policy just a few moments earlier, we know how this puts him in deep financial straits.

Heading home on the train to tell his wife and son, he’s approached by Joanna (Vera Farmiga) who gives him a proposition, find someone on the train, put a tracking device in their bag, and be paid $100K. Given the financial situation he’s in, being a former cop, and his inquisitive nature he tries to solve the riddle.

However, soon after he begins, everything falls apart and the story gets intense real quick.

This is also where the film begins to get unreal, overly complicated, and overdone. How does Joanna know exactly what is happening on the train, moment by moment, is difficult to buy. The number of fights, the length of the fights, and how undamaged Michael is after all the fights wasn't realistic. The train crash, although spectacular, was not realistic. The crash lasted too long and wouldn’t have happened in the way that it did. Additionally there are a number of other scenes that were not realistic. However, it’s engaging because Neeson is always fun to watch and he’s a great “every” man.

Neeson is excellent as Michael. He can make an unrealistic film good enough to watch and stay engaged with. Farmiga was very good as the elusive Joanna. Her calm demeanor and controlled engaging voice really worked. Patrick Wilson as Police Lt. Alex Murphy was very good and convincing as walking two different sides of the street. Jonathan Banks as another commuter named Walt was very good. His gruff, yet inviting self, worked perfectly. Byron Willinger, Philip de Blasi, and Ryan Engle wrote a convoluted script, which delivered action. Jaume Collet-Serra directed the film with the assurance of having Neeson as his protagonist.

Overall:  Despite its flaws, it is a fun film to watch and it’s the actors that make it work.

Young Adult

First Hit: Theron fully embodies this depressed disillusion woman’s journey to the past.

There were multiple great and wonderful scenes in this film and a couple of the ones that I thought captured the depth of the character were: When Beth’s (played by Elizabeth Reaser) band, Nipple Confusion,  dedicated and played a song for Beth's husband Buddy (played by Patrick Wilson). This song was Mavis (played by Charlize Theron) and Buddy’s song in high school.

As the band and Beth played their heart out, Mavis’s face moves from one feeling to the another all encased with this semi stoic shocked looked. She was angry, hurt, and marginalized all in one place and time. All of these feelings were clearly transmitted to the audience.

Adding to the impact, her heart begins to beat so hard and strong with this pent up hurt and frustration and shock that that the gold heart necklace hanging around her neck starts to move with each beat of her heart.

Another amazing scene was the climactic scene where family and friends are at Beth and Buddy’s house for the baby naming party. Mavis goes off on everyone, especially Beth, noting that she thinks it should have been her and Buddy’s baby they were naming not Beth and Buddy’s.

A very rich scene carried off with pointed revealing clarity. I also loved her slightly off key singing of Buddy and her song over and over again as Mavis drove to her old town of Mercury, Minnesota to steal Buddy away from his current life and wife. The other strong story in this film is of another high school acquaintance named Matt (played by Patton Oswalt).

Matt had a locker next to Mavis but when they meet in an old bar, Mavis only really connects with who Matt is after he tells her that he was the guy all the jocks nearly killed because they thought he was gay (which he wasn’t). He is also caught in a life based on the past, but his is holding on to the pain of what was done to him by others.

These two continually meet up to share their depressed sadness with each other and the ore we watch them the more we know they are so very much alike.

Theron was amazing at embodying this depressed, alcoholic and living in the past character. The subtleties of her work through her expressionless and expressing eyes along with her body language was amazing. Reaser was perfect as Buddy’s wife. Confident in her relationship with Buddy and also with who she is made for a perfect character. Wilson was very good as the husband who really loves his wife and daughter along with being clear about what he was about. Oswalt was very strong as the guy who was holding on to his pain as a badge for his depressed introverted life. Louisa Krause played the hotel front desk girl so well she deserves a mention. Mavis’s Pomeranian dog was way too cute and deserves credit. Diablo Cody wrote a very strong crisp script. Jason Reitman directed this film cleanly and well getting the most of the script and actors.

Overall: I really enjoyed this film and realized at some time or another, people look back thinking that their high school days were where they were their best. This film shows you that this view probably isn’t true.

The Switch

First Hit: Although the ending is telegraphed it was watchable and, at times, funny.

Jennifer Aniston plays Kassie Larson a woman who has reached an age that is telling her, either she gets pregnant now or forgets about being a mother.

She’s had a number of relationships which didn’t work out including a brief dating stint with her best friend Wally Mars (played by Jason Bateman). It is obvious they like each other and get along well even though Wally is a cynical person who always pointing out what is wrong with something.

Kassie is hopeful and ends up in relationships that are not well thought out. I’m wondering if the tabloid Aniston was the inspiration for the character here. Anyway, she decides to find a sperm donor and tells Wally he’s not good looking enough to be the guy.

At a sperm donor inception party we meet Roland (played by Patrick Wilson) who is certainly good looking enough but dumber than a brick. This doesn’t fit because, in this film, Kassie is supposed to be a smart girl. A turn of events has Wally spilling Roland’s sperm so he replaces it with his own.

We’re supposed to believe he doesn’t remember it because of the drugs and alcohol he’s ingested but… This is about a low as this film gets and from here it is a long slow climb back to mediocrity.

Aniston, just seems to play the same type person much of the time. Because I’ve seen her much better in roles, I wish she’d stretch her talents. However, she is about the only thing (besides the kid) worth watching. Bateman plays a cynical sourpuss with little reason to be this way. At one point we get a glimpse of his history but not enough to make it real. Two lines of dialogue doesn’t make a history. Thomas Robinson and Bryce Robinson play their son Sebastian at different ages and they hold up their end of the story with solid acting talent. They are funny, smart and vulnerable and make it believable. Yet the funniest scene is between Bateman and Victor Pagan who plays a spontaneous street talker. I wonder if it would have been a better film had it been directed by one versus two directors (Josh Gordon and Will Speck).

Overall: Not much of a film, but Aniston does enough to keep people interested while I tired of Bateman.

The A-Team

First Hit: Overly long, failed to be interestingly complex, but the characters and explosions were fun to watch.

I admired that this film didn’t fall into the trap of trying to be its namesake television show.

To set up the characters and their relationship there is a long (Okay real long) opening segment prior to the film title appearing on the screen.

This set up tells us that B.A. Baracus (played by Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson) is the newest member of the group and that included Hannibal (played by Liam Neeson), Faceman (played by Bradley Cooper), and Murdock (played by Sharlto Copley).

Each team member has a special skill and we get to experience their skills as the film moves along. After the opening segment, there is a short interlude where the team works together in Iraq. After distinguishing themselves as the only team to deliver in Iraq, they get themselves involved in a job to steal back some US currency printing plates.

However, this job is a partial setup between the CIA, top Army intelligence, the regular Army and a group of private security people.

This is the main story for the film; however the writers don’t believe we think they're capable enough so we’re shown their will, strength, and skills again, by being wrongly thrown in prison so that we can see them escape.

The film drags on with a bunch of effects, like surviving their plane being blown up by parachuting down inside a tank which was in the cargo area and as it falls to earth it loses two of its three chutes, therefore to slow their descent they fire the tank gun at the ground while they fall. Who thought of that for the script?

BTW: Best shot, the aerial view of the wreckage of the container ship after being blown up.

Neeson, plays smart rugged and gruff well. Cooper plays I’m pretty and tough reasonably well. Jackson plays brutish and compassionate adequately, Copley plays psychopathic really well. Jessica Biel plays Army intelligence in a way that wasn’t believable. Patrick Wilson plays a CIA honcho like he had earned his stripes through years of good work but it appears on the screen as simplistic arrogance.

Overall: Some of the characters were amusing and there were occasional out loud guffaws, but you’ll have to sit through a lot to get them.