Popcorn Perspectives
Week of October 2, 2017
American Made
Rated R for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
In Theaters
In the 1970s and 80s, Barry Seal spent his time working privately for the CIA to provide reconnaissance in Central and South America, which lead to him running guns, and drugs and lots of other crazy illegal activity, all the while making him ludicrously wealthy and time putting him and his family in extreme danger. This amazing true story is told with Tom Cruise at the lead with a strong supporting cast and an equally strong production team including Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) at the helm. I’ll admit that I really dislike Tom Cruise as a person and abhor his lifestyle, but man is he talented in the right role. But rather than giving him all of the credit, here the story reigns. It is sharply told and incredibly relevant, giving its audience a knowledge they might wish they didn’t have when it comes to the Iran-Contra Affair. And while it is hysterically funny and thrilling, it is surprising relevant. I’m sure in 20 years’ time we will be watching another hot actor (or maybe actress) show us a story of the nutty crap that is probably going on as we speak in the current administration. But until then, check out this terrific political/action/comedy/thriller and try not to get too depressed that our leaders would actually allow this to be done on purpose. A-
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Rated PG-13 for sequences of adventure violence, and some suggestive content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Apparently, audiences will never get tired of watching Johnny Depp as a drunk pirate as, in spite of horrible reviews and bad PR for Depp’s personal life, this fifth installment of the franchise proved as it pulled in $172 million at the box office. In this latest journey, a dead naval captain played by Javier Bardem wants to kill all pirates on the sea, starting with Jack Sparrow. Apparently, just like one of the other summer tent pole franchise films, Transformers, Pirates apparently has run out of decent stories to tell. The plot is absurd and the lack of originality is astounding. Sure, Depp is fun to watch at times, but his actions are also tedious at others. And at 135 minutes, the film kills you with redundant thoughts and a complete disregard for the audience. But with the financial message sent at the box office, it appears that we will be forced to watch at least another mess of a film before they hopefully give up on them. D
A Ghost Story
Rated R for brief language and a disturbing image
Rotten Tomatoes Score 92%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Casey Affleck and his young wife Rooney Mara live in a fixer upper when Affleck dies and spends eons waiting for a last chance to communicate with her, all from inside his sheet with eyeholes cut out. I will tell you right now that most of you will not like this film. It was designed for academics and film aficionados and while I’m sure that many folks connected to it, the majority of people will find it just too weird and meaningless. It is slow yet methodical as it attempts to demonstrate the lack of an importance on time once you’re dead. Personally, I found it very interesting and potentially impactful to the right person, but I wasn’t in the mood when I saw it and I would predict that being engaged is vital to appreciating and respecting. C+
Churchill
Rated PG for thematic elements, brief war images, historical smoking throughout and some language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While he is one of the world’s great modern leaders, so little fiction is dedicated to him. That’s changing this year with this film and another coming out in two months, the much anticipated “Darkest Hour” directed by Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice). Unfortunately, this first film is a mess of a project, focusing on Churchill’s lack of support of D-Day which is not just creative license, but apparently an absolute falsehood. Having been to the Churchill Museum and the Cabinet War Rooms in London, I was intrigued by the presence of the man and his world, but even the excellent performance by Brian Cox as the iconic leader can overcome the script troubles and lousy supporting performances on display here. I just hope “Darkest Hour” can pull the WWII hero out of the funk that “Churchill” has put him into. C-