Short Attention Span Review: The Dark Tower (2017)

Short Attention Span Review: The Dark Tower (2017)

Let's be clear about this: I wasn't looking forward to this version of The Dark Tower.  I treasure the books, and if it were up to me, we would get an adaptation akin to what Ron Howard allegedly pitched.  I've read that he envisioned a sprawling saga unfolding over the course of a few movies with a television series serving to fill in the gaps.  That sounds about right.  Then this movie hit, and the buzz surrounding it was not the sort of buzz that a devotee of the material might hope for.  No, it was more like the buzz that occurs when flies discover a fresh pile of poo.  I was already skeptical of the approach and the casting (but not for the reasons that so many were bitching about), and I really wasn't feeling it.  So, of course, once I actually sat down to view director Nikolaj Arcel's much-maligned film, I wound up enjoying the hell out of it even if it is a bit goofy.  First off, it makes no attempt to faithfully adapt King's novels, merely borrowing names and themes to go along with a few plot threads in what is clearly a totally different take on the material.  By and large, this kept me from measuring it against the literature that inspired it, and that benefited the movie in a big way.  Secondly, it put two fantastic performers in a wonky fantasy/sci-fi/horror/western that essentially stands as an oversimplified good vs. evil yarn with a lean run time.  I'm cool with that.  Was it groundbreaking?  Hardly.  Was it terrible?  Nope.  Was it entertaining?  I do believe so.  McConaughey was game as the baddie, channeling Nicholas Cage when Nicholas Cage is invested in a part (which is admittedly rare), but this take on The Dark Tower is undoubtedly Idris Elba's show from start to finish.  As one would expect, Elba was magnificent in his role; dude was good with bullets and even better with CGI.  At one key moment, he fired one bullet, then fired a second bullet that ricocheted before catching up with the first bullet--and redirecting it.  I was in awe.  Seriously, I enjoyed all the Easter eggs and the action bits were ludicrous but fun to watch.  I won't make a case for The Dark Tower as a quality adaptation or a fine film, for it is surely neither of these things.  I will say I went in expecting a total shitshow, and instead I turned my brain off for 95 minutes and had a cheesy good time with Roland of Gilead and the nefarious man in black. 

I can only hope that I haven't forgotten the face of my father . . .

Final Grade: C+

Say what you will about the movie, but don't you dare knock my main man Idris Elba.

Short Attention Span Review: Interstellar (2014)

Surprise, surprise--Christopher Nolan has delivered another stirring picture!  Seriously, Nolan producing something mesmerizing is almost old hat at this point.  Interstellar is only his latest riveting motion picture experience, and while it doesn't represent his best work, it's still one hell of a film.  Thoughtful, emotional, bold, exciting, and challenging, this sci-fi epic is a fine example of the power that high-caliber cinema can yield.  Nolan has always placed incredible talents front and center in his work and that makes this a bold statement, but for once I believe that the greatest strength of this movie was not the gifted director who I'm praising but the star I'm about to start praising.  Mathew McConaughey is on some kind of a roll right now, and while this isn't his best work either, the charm and grace he brings to Interstellar is a fantastic treat to behold.  The best thing about McConaughey is his ability to convey so much and get an audience so invested in such a natural manner.  Many thespians go to elaborate lengths to generate a response, but McConaughey reminds me a bit of the legendary Henry Fonda in that he can dominate the screen with such ease that it seems downright effortless.  There's a feeling that such a performer could walk in a room, pick up a script, read a line once, and then deliver it with remarkable authenticity.  It seems like child's play.  Regardless of how nonchalant his approach may appear to be, McConaughey's work here is impeccable and his performance is nothing short of captivating.  He is joined by wonderful performers like Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine, as well one major surprise, and the acting is top-notch across the board.  The plot is complex yet entertaining, and like many of Nolan's films the less you know going in the better.  The effects are fabulous and the science is very convincing--though I would be one of the last people to know if they were totally defying the laws of physics and such.  The score is superb, which is what we've come to expect from Hans Zimmer, particularly when he works with Nolan.  In closing, Interstellar covers a lot of ground that previous science fiction films regarding space travel have covered, but it never feels like an imitation.  It's fresh, surprisingly sentimental, and very rewarding.

Final Grade: A

Once again, Nolan delivers an emotionally charged mindbender.

Short Attention Span Review: Killer Joe (2011)

I greatly enjoy many of William Friedkin's films.  The Exorcist is an iconic horror film, and I'm equally fond of his most underrated picture, Sorcerer.  In truth, I typically have a hard time recommending Sorcerer because it's so grim that I know that many probably won't enjoy it despite the fact that I believe that it's a genuine masterpiece.  With that in mind, let me start this review by saying that Sorcerer is about as merry and heart-warming as Annie when compared with Killer Joe.  Seriously, this is one nasty movie, and it gleefully takes vulgarity to new heights.  Or should it be lows?  It doesn't matter--the point is simply this: there are times when this movie is surely as grotesque and revolting as anything you're apt to see that is worth watching.  Yet it is also a superb effort bolstered by fabulous performances, flawless direction, and remarkable cinematography.  The script (adapted by Tracy Letts from his play) is also a major achievement in that it keeps you riveted even though the cast of characters is mostly unlikable and the story that unfolds is a wicked descent into utter depravity.  It's really Mathew McConaughey's show, and he sizzles throughout, totally owning a part that would have brought many gifted performers to their knees.  He is vicious, charismatic, insane, and extremely entertaining.  The rest of the cast (including Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Gina Gershon and her beaver pelt, and Thomas Haden Church, who join forces to portray what may be the stupidest family in the history of the cinema) are also down for this darkly comedic ride.  The ending is truly marvelous--I'm tempted to say that it may be the finest abrupt ending that I've ever beheld.  It's a perfect spot to close the show out even though it comes during the most striking moment in the film and leaves you with a couple of potent questions to ponder during the credits.  In closing, if you can stomach it, you're going to be rather amazed by Killer Joe.

Final Grade: A

You will never look at a drumstick quite the same way after watching this one.