One thing you have to give “Trance” is that it’s not one of Danny Boyle’s typical films. Prone to delivering grit, even with family fare like “Millions,” his newest opus is something of a surreal and mind bending thriller that constantly shifts between plains of consciousness and vision that often fools the viewer in to trying to figure out what’s reality and what’s pure dream. And that’s the point of “Trance” in theory. It’s supposed to be about characters living in trances, many of whom are avoiding reality. It’s a shame the premise is so interesting as Danny Boyle’s film is a complete misfire.
Annabelle (2014)
I don’t think we really needed to know the story of “Annabelle” nor did we need a movie about her. And if we had to have one, wouldn’t it have been better to expand on the events from the prologue of “The Conjuring”? What’s sad is that the first five minutes of “The Conjuring” involving Annabelle is more terrifying than the ninety minute bore that is “Annabelle.” It seems like often times the movie can reach the heights of pure terror if it wants to, but pulls back for some odd reason. Either director John R. Leonetti doesn’t know how to hit those highs that “The Conjuring” did, or just didn’t want to, for the sake of a sequel. “Annabelle” sets up the prologue by staging the first five minutes from “The Conjuring” to let audiences know this is a direct sequel, and spin off, and prequel. It’s all three.
Under the Skin (2014)
Girl drives. Girls picks up guy. Girl lures guy into black muck. Girl drives. Girls picks up guy. Girl lures guy into black muck. Girl drives. And that’s the gist of “Under the Skin.” I’m not sure if I’d recommend “Under the Skin” to even the most open minded arthouse buff. It’s not to say that “Under the Skin” is awful. It’s just an experience that won’t lend well to repeated viewings. Especially when you consider that much of what occurs is either explicitly stated and or subtly hinted at for ambiguity. For the sake of science fiction, much of “Under the Skin” is obvious, while director Glazer also vies for a gritty realism that’s sorely out of place when we see it.
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)
It must either be really wise decision making, or a really weird coincidence that Eva Green stars in two Frank Miller based projects in 2014, both of which are pretty much just god awful cash grabs of their former films, and she ends up being about the best aspect of both films. Green really stole “Rise of an Empire” from everyone, and here she seems to embrace the absurdity in the incredibly rancid “A Dame to Kill For.” I’m not going to say I’m disappointed that “A Dame to Kill For” is awful, mainly because I didn’t ask for a sequel and I didn’t want one. I likened “Sin City” to Robert Rodriguez’s own wonky version of “Pulp Fiction.”
Do we need a sequel to “Pulp Fiction”? Hell no.
John Wick (2014)
Director Chad Stahelski’s “John Wick” is almost a contemporary vision of “Unforgiven,” and one that proves to be an excellent look at the cycle of violence. Stahelski opens up a world and narrative that feels paper thin but really is filled with layers and complex themes about grief and revenge. Keanu Reeves almost monotone performance comes in handy, as he plays a relentless and mythic hit man tasked with paying respect to the memory of a loved one. He does so with a gun, martial arts, and leaves a massive trail of bodies in his wake.
Why Young Animal Lovers Should Watch the “Dolphin Tale” Movies
You would think a movie with such a goofy name like “Dolphin Tale,” centered on a dolphin with literally no tail would be just an unbearable cutesy movie. Truthfully, “Dolphin Tale” is very much a film about nature, wildlife, and the very fragile balance that can be ruined when man is reckless.
Much of the first moments of “Dolphin Tale” are depicted with large splashes of dolphin and underwater life suddenly disrupted by fishermen in the waters. The introduction of Winter, the dolphin ends when we see a fisherman drop a crab cage in to the water. This is unfortunately not the last time we’d see her. When we do get to meet her once again, she’s been beached, is dying from dehydration, and her tail is horribly caught in the very crab trap we saw moments before.
The Babadook (2014)
In a time where studios aim for shocks over substance, especially with the advent of the found footage sub-genre, it’s great to see a horror movie that’s horrifying and about something. Director Jennifer Kent’s first outing as a horror director is a downright flawless effort that doesn’t just shock audiences, but has a ton of subtext, and undertones that deserve to be examined by literally everyone. It’s not just a movie about a mother and son being terrorized by a monster, but a movie about the mother and son dynamic. More to the point, it’s about the birth of a child, and how blame can often be misplaced on the unborn child for circumstances beyond their control.