Spectre: The James Bond film released immediately after series standout Skyfall was pretty much bound to be a letdown, but even with lowered expectations, Spectre still manages to underwhelm. Spectre has the look of a spectacle with elaborate setpieces and exotic backdrops galore, but no amount of big-budgeted action scenes and pretty scenery from various locations around the world can disguise how routine this film is. The story especially embodies the pedestrian spy film formula as Bond takes on a tech-savvy global terror group called "Spectre" led by the mysterious Ernst Stavro Blofeld (a criminally underutilized Christoph Waltz), who has been responsible for a majority of the deaths of Bond's loved ones in recent years. This really simple setup is somehow stretched into a nearly two-and-a-half hour film that's often dull, frequently underdeveloped and brings back the overwhelmingly hokey vibe that hasn't been present in the series since Pierce Brosnan played the British superspy. The only thing that saves Spectre from going completely off-the-rails is the work of Daniel Craig. Craig continues to portray Bond in a refreshingly gritty manner and his excellent performance makes even the most trite sequences in this film somewhat bearable. Spectre is a passable, but completely forgettable entry in the Bond series. It would be an absolute shame if this truly was Craig's swan song to Bond. He deserves a much better finale than this.
3/5 Stars
Spotlight: A few times a year, a film will come along and tell a under-the-radar true story that needs to be heard. For 2015, that film is Spotlight. Spotlight tells the story of a group of Boston Globe investigate reporters -known as the "Spotlight" team- who uncover the rampant child molestation among priests in the Boston archdiocese and susbquent cover-ups by the higher-ups in the Catholic Church. While this story was published in 2002, the general public has somehow largely forgot about it and that makes this film an essential reminder of just how impactful the information the Spotlight team uncovered is. The dramatization of these true-life events does an excellent job of telling this story in a riveting, thoughtful manner by exposing just how widespread the corruption and cover-ups in the Catholic Church ran while also honoring the immense psychical and emotional pain the victims of these heinous cases of abuse endured. The only disappointing aspect of Spotlight is that no one out of the highly talented ensemble cast gives a true standout performance. Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber and Brian d'Arcy James all turn in good performances as the reporters and lawyers that helped bring this story to light, but none of them are memorable enough to draw serious contention for nominations once award season rolls around. Spotlight is one of the finest cinematic accomplishments of 2015 so far and I will not be the least bit surprised if it ends up emerging as the frontrunner for Best Picture.
4/5 Stars
The Night Before: The Night Before sees Seth Rogen and his cohorts finally trying their hand at a holiday film and it ends up being one of the finest projects the polarizing stoner comic icon has ever produced. The Night Before focuses on a group of friends (Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie) in their early 30's enjoying the final installment of their 12-year tradition of partying together on Christmas Eve before they finally accept their various adult responsibilities. The trio is excellent together as they fire off jokes and establishing a friendship that feels entirely believable. The star-studded supporting cast including Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex), Jillian Bell (Workaholics), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Mindy Kaling and a scene-stealing Michael Shannon only adds to the brilliance by manufacturing a ton of laughs in their limited time on screen. The parade of sex-and-drug fueled humor that drives Rogen's films is still very much present here, but what's surprising about The Night Before is just how heartfelt it is. The film's messages about friendship, first-time parenthood, growing up and relationships are intelligent and poignant. Contrary to popular belief Rogen's films aren't always simple stoner comedies with nothing meaningful to say, but even as a longtime fan of his work, I was surprised by how many deep and emotionally-resonant the messages in this film were. With it's non-stop laughs and season-appropriate warmth, The Night Before is an instant holiday classic.
4.5/5 Stars
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