FIGHT CLUB (Released to Theaters USA 1999)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì 

Fight Club—Edward Norton and Brad Pitt—has a very different story to tell. Creative, completely unique, with a surprise at every turn of a scene, it turns life inside out and asks tough questions about our humanity. Be aware this is an adult film with sex scenes that intersperse a tough story. 

 Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images

Storyline 

A businessman, who works in a dead end job and can’t sleep at night, goes to every group therapy he can find (where they talk about problematic lives and how to break through emotional trauma and get well). He tries to find meaning in life. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director David Fincher for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producer Arnon Milchan, Producers Ross Grayson Bell, Ceán Chaffin, Art Linson, and Associate Producer John S. Dorsey, for making the film possible. Cast include Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Meat Loaf, Zach Grenier, Richmond Arquette, David Andrews, George Maguire, Eugenie Bondurant, Christina Cabot, and Helena Bonham Carter.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. It's a tough story to watch, but moves along well and has a convoluted, inside out approach to understanding life. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ONE LIFE (Released to Theaters USA 2023)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.6|5.0 Starsìììì 

One Life—WOW!—is a 'need to be told' story. Anthony Hopkins, terrific performer, gives one of the best performances of his career. Helena Bonham Carter gives a beautiful peek into the complexity of her essence. Watch for the terrific performance by Johnny Flynn as Young Nicky Winton. This movie is a good example of what makes movie fans want to pay money for their ticket. The story is inspirational and meaningful. Watch for a cameo appearance of Jonathan Pryce.

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images

Storyline 

During the early years of Hitler's invasion of Europe, a British citizen finds that refugees fleeing to Czechoslovakia are in dire need of help. He feels compelled to help and takes on the daunting task of rescuing and transporting nearly a thousand children to safety. 

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director James Hawes for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producer Simon Gillis, Peter Hampden, Maria Logan, Anne Sheehan, Barbara Winton, and Eva Yates for making the film possible. Cast includes: Anthony Hopkins, Lena Olin, Johnny Flynn, Helena Bonham Carter, Tim Steed, Matilda Thorpe, Daniel Brown, Alex Sharp, Jirí Smek, Romola Garai, and Barbora Váchová. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. Thank you to everyone involved in re-telling this story.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

 

ENOLA HOLMES 2 (Video on Demand (VOD) USA 2022)

 Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.2|5.0 Starsìììì 

Enola Holmes 2—mystery detective movie—bases itself on the old Sherlock Holmes characters except it includes the entire Holmes family and rounds out the earlier Holmes’ movies. The sequel improves on the Enola Holmes 1 movie in that there is more cooperation between the entire family to solve crime, governmental support is enhanced, and there is less breaking of the 3^rd wall (which was quite disconcerting in the first film). Millie Bobby Brown reprises her role as Enola Holmes.  Henry Cavill reprises his role as Sherlock Holmes. Mycroft Holmes is not in this film. but Louis Partridge as Twerksbury and Helena Bonham Carter as Eudoria Holmes reprise their roles. Susan Wokoma receives an enhanced role. The movie deserves a sequel. It is a good watch for detective/mystery fans. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Enola Holmes endeavors to help a young girl find her friend. 

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Harry Bradbeer for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Ali Mendes, Millie Bobby Brown, and Robert Brown for making the film possible. Cast includes: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, and Helena Bonham Carter. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This is a great sequel to the first film and begins to round itself out into a solid storyline for many sequel films to follow.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ENOLA HOLMES (Netflix Release World -Wide 2020)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.2|5.0 Starsìììì 

Enola Holmes—based on the Nancy Springer young adult novels—expands on a character originally created by author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writer of the Sherlock Holmes stories. The movie uses a technique where the main character breaks the wall between the audience and the actors onscreen and turns toward the audience and talks directly to them. This becomes a little unnerving at first and creates a disruption that may cause difficulty in following the story. The main character, Enola, is the youngest sister of Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes, two brothers who obviously get along quite well even though they have different personalities and places in society. Doctor John Watson does not feature in this film. The movie is put together well and the acting and portrayal are quite good. However, the movie may require a second viewing to catch all the small, unexpected, and obscure nuances that plague this movie. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia 

Storyline 

A mother raises her daughter in a way quite out of the norm and the daughter learns why when her mother disappears. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Harry Bradbeer for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Ali Mendes, Millie Bobby Brown, and Paige Brown for making the film possible. Characters/cast: Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown), Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill), Mycroft Holmes (Sam Claflin), Eudoria Holmes (Helena Bonham Carter), Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge), Linthorn (Burn Gorman), Lestrade (Adeel Akhtar), Edith (Susie Wokoma), Lady Tewkesbury (Hattie Morahan), Sir Whimbrel Tewkesbury (David Bamber), The Dowager (Frances de la Tour), Mrs. Lane (Claire Rushbrook), Miss Harrison (Fiona Shaw), and Miss Gregory (Ellie Haddington). 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. A good watch that expands on the Sherlock Holmes family. Expect a sequel in 2022. The movie could easily become a favorite once the formatting is understood and expected. 

Video Critique Available Here:

 

Ben Meyers

TERMINATOR SALVATION (Theatrical Release USA 2009)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.6|5.0 Starsììì

Terminator Salvation needs improvement in strength of presentation, believability, and camera work. It's good to see Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Common, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Helena Bonham Carter in the movie.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

After the nuclear holocaust, the survivors form a resistance to the terminators and Skynet.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director McG for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Jeanne Allgood, Kathy Chasen-Hay, Chrystal Dowd, Sean Cushing, Peter D. Graves, Mario Kassar, Janet Lewin, Dan Lin, Emma McGuinness, Joel B. Michaels, MIchael Pardee, Jon Silk Stefan Sonnenfeld, and Andrew G. Vajna for making the film possible. Additional Cast include: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Helena Bonham Carter, Anton Yelchin, Jadagrace, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Common.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. Terminator has been presented in installments. This is the fourth installment of the series. For those who are following the series, this is the next in the series. Hopefully, the next film, Terminator Genisys, can restore the former glory of the series.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

THE KING’S SPEECH (Theatrical Release USA 2010)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì

The King’s Speech—a ‘don’t miss it’ inspirational film—utilizes the talents of an outstanding cast that includes: Colin Firth, Geoffery Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, and Timothy Spall. Director Tom Hooper allows room for a full expansion of the casts’ talents. The film is a family watch film that provides opportunity for much educational conversation before and after watching.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

King George VI (Colin Firth) needs to overcome a serious speech impediment in order to speak to the English people publicly. He engages Geoffrey Rush (Lionel Logue) to help him.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Tom Hooper for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Paul Brett, Mark Foligno, Geoffrey Rush, Tim Smith, Bob Weinstein, and Harvy Weinstein for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: King George VI (Colin Firth), Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), Archbishop Cosmo Lang (Derek Jacobi), Equerry (Robert Portal), Private Secretary (Richard Dixon), Chauffeur (Paul Trussell), BBC Radio Announcer (Adrian Scarborough), Robert Wood (Andrew Havill), and BBC Technician (Charles Armstrong).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s an excellent watch.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Theatrical Release USA 2010)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì

Alice in Wonderland—very well written and creative—is not a remake of the 1951 Alice in Wonderland. This seems to be a sequel to the 1951 movie. Alice is much older here and the film has flashbacks and references to an earlier time. Overall, it is very well done. This movie takes time to understand but by the end of the film viewers will be able to decipher where it was going from the original story.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) follows a white rabbit and falls into a rabbit hole again.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Tim Burton for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Chris Lebenzon and Peter M. Tobyansen for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska), Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), White Queen (Anne Hathaway), Stayne/Knave of Hearts (Crispin Glover), Tweedledee/Tweedledum (Matt Lucas), and White Rabbit (voice of Michael Sheen).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. Very creative and imaginative movie built around Alice in Wonderland characters serves well for involving entertainment.

Video Critique Available Here: 

Ben Meyers

LES MISÉRABLES (Theatrical Release USA 2012)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì

Les Misérables starts well—almost with the majestic feel of Lord of the Rings. This musical is not the ‘typical’ musical—much of the dialogue is sung without the benefit of rhyming lyrics and musical score. Now that the format is understood, the story can be settled into. The first big surprise is that Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway can sing—well. We already know Hugh Jackman can sing (Oklahoma!). The acting is—good. The story is—unsettling, darkly written. It’s no Cinderella story—the working-class, single mother does not rise to a place of plenty, but is lowered into a life of prostitution, disease, and poverty. This story is a dive into reality where revolutionaries do not live to celebrate the day, but are massacred as they stand and deserted by those for whom they fight. Good deeds are not rewarded and injustices are madly pursued until the critical question is finally asked, “If we live in a world of grace and forgiveness, what happens to law and order?” Irreconcilable worlds clash, neither one forgiving of the other, until it seems that only on the other side of death shall all be made right. The climatic ending scenes send this movie through the roof for kudos. Les Misérables takes a while to tell its story, but don’t miss it.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is released on parole, but cannot find a job. Bishop of Digne (Colm Wilkinson) gives him a place to stay, but Jean Valjean steals his silver. When the police catch Jean Valjean, the Bishop tells them he gave the silver to Jean Valjean and then tells Jean to go make a life for himself.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Tom Hooper for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Nicholas Allott, Liza Chasin, Angela Morrison, F. Richard Pappas, and Thomas Schönberg for making the film possible. Additional character/cast include: Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), Javert (Russell Crowe), Fantine (Anne Hathaway), Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), Thénardier (Sacha Baron Cohen), Madame Thénardier (Helena Bonham Carter), Marius (Eddie Redmayne), and Enjolras (Aaron Tveit).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. The film’s message is unmistakable and needs to be retold again and again.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers