Beirut

First Hit:  I really liked the way this film was put together and came to fruition.

Some people don’t like Tony Gilroy films because he doesn’t lead the story with obviousness. The script for Beirut is the same way. However, I like his films (the Bourne films, Duplicity, Michael Clayton to name a few) for this very reason. Viewers go on a ride and must trust the storyteller and director to bring the film home satisfyingly.

In this film, there are two different time periods. The first one is the 1970’s and Beirut is a melting pot of people and religions. It opens with Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm) hosting a party in his Beirut home. As part of the US Government, there is a senator and other diplomats present. A young boy named Karim has been partially adopted by Mason and his wife.

Government agents come to collect Karim because his notorious radical brother Jassim/Rami (Ben Affan) is loose and they hope to use Karim to capture him. In the battle, Government plan goes bad, Mason’s wife is killed, and Karim is taken by Islamic radicals. The film then moves forward ten years.

Mason is a drunk, back in the United States, and mediating union/management negotiations. Sandy Crowder (Rosamund Pike) comes to collect Mason because Cal Riley (Mark Pellegrino) has been abducted by a Islamic group and there’s been a request for Mason to negotiate his release.

Mason reluctantly goes back to Beirut and the flood of feelings come back from his time there some ten years earlier.

The negotiations are tough and there are many people, even in the US Government, who have different agendas with this issue. In essence, it is now Karim (Idir Chender) who is negotiating for his brother’s release and they're using Cal as the bait.

The way the films shows the 70’s was perfect. I loved the detail used. Everything from the hair styles to the sideburns on Mason. The film quality also reflected the time, with the tint and style. I loved the way the audience falls into the story and isn’t given large hints or steps that telegraph the film’s direction.

Hamm was fantastic. His portrayal of the caring loving husband and then to the drunk who cares and doesn’t care is phenomenal. Affan was strong in this minimal role. Chender was excellent as the older version of Karim. Pellegrino was very strong as the kidnapped US Government service representative. Pike was excellent as the tough, thoughtful, and daringly intelligent agent. Tony Gilroy wrote an outstanding script. I loved how it slowly comes together in the end. Brad Anderson did a wonderful job of making this script come alive.

Overall: This was an excellent film and expressed the complications of the middle east quite well.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

First Hit:  Could not get into the story nor did I think it was well thought out.

A franchise series of films is always challenging. Even one of the best, Star Wars, has had some clunkers or at least clunker moments; think Jar Jar Binks in “Episode I – The Phantom Menace”. Where does this film fit with the series? My guess is that it probably fits after “Episode III:  Revenge of the Sith” and “Episode IV:  A New Hope”.

Was this film needed to make the series whole? Probably not, but it was a way for Disney to make it a key component in the series as this tells the bit about the Princess Leia (Ingvild Deila) and the Rebel Alliance getting the plans to Death Star. As we know in later episodes Leia implanted these plans into R2-D2.

Although this was an OK idea, the film fell apart in one of the later opening scenes where Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), his wife Lyra (Valene Kane), and their child Jyn (Dolly Gadsdon – youngest, Beau Gadsdon – young, and Felicity Jones - adult) were found by agents of the Empire hiding on a small deserted planet Lah’mu.

I do not know how, but during the dialogue between Galen and Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) about their involvement with the design and use of the Death Star, I lost interest. Maybe it was the convoluted opening, the rip off use of the opening for the first Star Wars film or maybe it was simply not interesting enough.

My hope picked up again when Saw Gerrera (Forrest Whitaker) finds young Jyn and takes her to safety. Here I thought, OK with Whitaker we'll get some meat into this storyline, but again this fell short. I've always been able to count on Whitaker to make something better, but his role wasn't critical and I fell back into unengaged and uninterested in what was taking place on the screen.

The story leaps in time to find Jyn (now played by Jones) being an important and, at times, a despised member of the Alliance because her father's role in completing work on the Death Star. Her status as leader or rebel of substance happens, not by anything she does, but because her father sends her a message, through a hologram, that he’s made a back-door flaw in the Death Star which the Alliance can use to destroy it.

By this time the audience is treated to an elongated battle which is poorly choreographed. There are some nice CG effects, but the acting, storyline and dependence on battle scenes to create action and interest weighed this film down.

Jones does not have the chops to make a believable rebel character or leader. There is a lack of innate strength of spirit which her acting cannot overcome that makes her a weak link in this film. Whitaker is wasted in this role as a wise elder warrior for the Alliance. Mikkelsen is good as Galen, but the role is limited by the script. Diego Luna (playing Cassian Ando Rebel Intelligence Officer) gave it his best, but the script and story didn’t have this character develop. His big turning point moment is when he’s supposed to kill Galen (unknown to Jyn); what does he choose? Donnie Wen (as Chirrut Imwe) playing a blind Jedi wanna-be was OK and provided some amusing moments. Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy wrote a weak script and the lack of direction, thereby creating an uninteresting film with characters we don't care about, falls on Gareth Edwards.

Overall:  This film feels like a throwaway created for money because all the main characters die, their story ends, and it filled a small gap in the Star Wars saga sequence.

The Bourne Legacy

First Hit:  Very disappointing and I hope that this isn’t the legacy film for this franchise.

The one thing I liked about the Bourne series is that Matt Damon, although having an amazing physical prowess, came off as a normal caring guy.

In this offering, Aaron Cross (played by Jeremy Renner) uses drugs to aid in his physical and mental enhancements. We are introduced to Cross while he is submerged in semi frozen lake in what appears to be Alaska. While on his way to some other remote place, he’s popping green and blue pills. He also takes a sample of his blood. He reaches his destination and is supposed to have his blood tested.

During this opening sequence we have flashes to some poorly created urgency about the “Operation Treadstone” or “Operation Blackbriar” being found out by congress. Somehow Eric Byer (played by Edward Norton) is in charge of some unit which seems to have some juice but we never know with whom or why.

Half the time he speaks in doublespeak urgency about how these programs are going to be found out so he decides to kill all the drug induced agents. Cross, now being hunted by the government, and running out of meds/drugs, decides to find a creator of the meds Dr. Marta Shearing (played by Rachel Weisz). He hopes to continue being drug smart and drug strong.

The film tries to give us a reason why, but I didn’t buy it. Else the film is filled with chases and killings. The only time I got interested or excited was when they brought up Jason Bourne’s name, I was hoping Damon was coming to save the film – no such luck.

Renner is good at the physical stuff but unfortunately he had a poor script and story. Weisz did her best with the role and like Renner, they good with what they had but there wasn’t much of a storyline for them to work with. Scott Glenn (as Ezra Kramer) was reinstated in this film from the earlier Bourne films in a minor role and it showed. Norton tries really hard with a bad story and I’m starting to wonder about his choice in films. Stacy Keach (as Mark Turso) was mediocre in a poorly conceived role where his character's participation is questionable. Tony and Dan Gilroy wrote a poorly conceived story and script, while Tony did a fair job of directing this mess.

Overall:  It is extremely unfortunate that this film is named “Legacy” because it left a bad taste in my mouth.

Michael Clayton

First Hit: This is a Hollywood film that takes its time to unfold and provide a very substantive finish to which the audience spontaneously applauded.

All the acting in this film is first rate. Tom Wilkinson, Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton, and George Clooney all give fine performances.

The story focuses on Michael Clayton played by George who is the “janitor”, miracle man, or fixer for a heavy hitting law firm. The set up is well done as the film begins with a brief view of the future, then dials back 4 days to bring the audience up to speed, then moves the story forward to a wonderful conclusion.

The film takes it time to give the characters some depth. I really liked the flashes of Tilda preparing for her speeches and presentations.

Each character has its strengths and weaknesses and you see both sides to almost every person on the screen. This made the film feel full and real.

The direction of Tony Gilroy was excellent and the subtleness of some of the scenes was extraordinary. My favorite was in the initial set up we see Michael stop his car and walk up a hill and come face to face with grazing horses. Then nearing the end of the film he opens a copy of his son’s favorite book and there is a sketch of a hill with trees and horses.

Then the early scene replays and you now know why he stopped the car to walk up the hill to come face to face with the horses. This scene ties multiple aspects of this story together but doesn't hit you with a sledgehammer to do so.

Overall: When the audience is so involved in the film that the conclusion brings spontaneous applause you know this is a well crafted story and film.