The Big Short (2015)

 

Storyline

Three separate but parallel stories of the U.S mortgage housing crisis of 2005 are told. Michael Burry, an eccentric ex-physician turned one-eyed Scion Capital hedge fund manager, has traded traditional office attire for shorts, bare feet and a Supercuts haircut. He believes that the US housing market is built on a bubble that will burst within the next few years. Autonomy within the company allows Burry to do largely as he pleases, so Burry proceeds to bet against the housing market with the banks, who are more than happy to accept his proposal for something that has never happened in American history. The banks believe that Burry is a crackpot and therefore are confident in that they will win the deal. Jared Vennett with Deutschebank gets wind of what Burry is doing and, as an investor believes he too can cash in on Burry's beliefs. An errant telephone call to FrontPoint Partners gets this information into the hands of Mark Baum, an idealist who is fed up with the corruption in the ...

Review

Reviewed by Larry Gleeson. Viewed during the AFI Filmfest 2015.

"The Big Short," directed by Adam McKay, based on the book by Michael Lewis, was adapted by McKay and Charles Randolph and made its world premiere Thursday, November 12, 2015 at the historic TCL Grauman's Chinese Theater as the closing night film for the latest edition of the American Film Institute's AFI FEST film festival.

The film's narrative is driven by four cynical, fringe Wall Street entities disgusted with the large banking institutions' overriding greed for profits. They make the decision to capitalize on the ensuing housing market calamity and the financial meltdown of 2008 upon discovering the market frenzy is being driven by worthless collateral debt obligations.

McKay chooses to inject a significant dose of humor in the early scenes to condition the audience receptors for what they are about to experience. Utilizing the Martin Scorsese docudrama style in a similar setting with "Wolf of Wall Street," a strong narrative voice dominates particular moments. Several of these deliberately break the 'Fourth Wall" in the style of "Wolfie," Jordan Belfort, as the characters, including a hilarious cameo by Selena Gomez, speak directly into the camera to explain the complexities of Wall Street finance. The overall effect adds additional humor and adds another layer in creating a sense of authenticity and truth about the film's subject matter.

After a rather lengthy dizzying, yet delightful, character introduction, the film picks up pace as the drama begins to unfold. Dr. Michael Burry, an eccentric financial analyst, with complete autonomy of an investment fund, uncovers variables in his economic forecast indicating a massive housing market collapse. He informs his higher up, Lawrence Fields, played convincingly by Tracy Letts, of his discovery and creates a financial prospectus. In essence, he creates a commodity of selling short on bundled mortgages.

The bankers laugh as they willingly sell Burry all the "insurance" he wants. Word quickly spreads of Burry's perceived madness in a after-work cocktail scene. With interest piqued upon overhearing the Wall Street gossip of the day, Jarred Bennett, portrayed by Ryan Gosling, scoops up the essence of Burry's move. Soon, he sells a group led by Steve Carell's all-too-human, Mark Baum to buy in.

As the debacle is in full free-fall, Baum struggles with disbelief as he and his group have bet against their own umbrella entity, Morgan Stanley. The final team that has uncovered the impending financial crisis, made up of two Wall Street neophytes and veteran Ben Rickert, played by one of the film's producers, Brad Pitt, also struggles with the imploding financial system caused by corporate greed and indifference.

With a mammoth cast, McKay draws on a plethora of talent in the likes of Hollywood A-listers including Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Selena Gomez, Christian Bale, Karen Gillan Steve Carell, Marisa Tomei, Melissa Leo and Finn Wittrock. McKay and Randolph create characters with witty dialogue coupled with complementary cinematography provided by Barry Ackroyd. The soundtrack carries a similar tone of "Wolf of Wall Street," with a compilation of classic rock anthems. Nicholas Britell widely recognized for his work on Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave," where Britell composed on set the on-screen violin performances, work songs, dances and spiritual songs rarely misses a beat this time out. Much like another AFI FEST 2015 film, "The Clan," Argentina's official entry to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Best Foreign Language Category for Oscar, "The Big Short," musical score is often in juxtaposition to the the narrative and mies-en-scene adding a deeper visceral quality to the viewing experience.

In its most basic essence, "The Big Short," builds on the visceral truth of Scorsese's "Wolf of Wall Street." It depicts a not-so-long-ago present where a noble ideal, making home ownership a reality for Americans, is bastardized by the indifferent market forces of capitalism. Probably not what Adam Smith had in mind when he penned his treatise, "The Wealth of Nations." Warmly Recommended.

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Concussion (2015)

Storyline

Will Smith stars in Concussion, a dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu's emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world.

Review

Concussion is a biographical picture that takes place in the early 2000's. The movie starts out by showing these players who freak out and start getting dimentia. Will Smith is a pathologist who starts doing autopsies on these players and discovers that there is a common theme, being repeated head trauma to the brain. The NFL knew about what was going on, but didn't say anything. Will Smith tries to shine light on the situation but the NFL does what it can so that the story does not leak.

This movie was a movie I had been looking forward to for a long time because I thought it was very courageous for a movie to tackle this (pun intended) especially with the NFL playoffs right around the corner. This movie certainly makes a statement, but doesn't pack the punch I was hoping to see. Now this movie is not all bad. Will Smith delivers his best performance to date, which he is already being acknowledged for a golden globes (as he should be). He is phenomenal in his role and is committed. Smith does have an accent, but after a couple minutes, you forget that there even is an accent, and you truly believe he talks the way he does. As for the other performances, they were top notch as well.

Besides the performances "Concussion" is a let down. By the end you will find yourself wanting more. There is so much more you wanted to learn about the matter at hand, that the movie drifts away from. The movie ends up being more about Will Smiths character than the football itself, which is fine, but not the movie I thought I was going to see. But it did take away from the balance of the movie.

In the end, As a quarterback I wanted Concussion to go for the endzone, but it ends up doing more of a button hook.

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Synopsis

 The film opens with a footage of football player Mike Webster (David Morse), showing him in action during games, as well as the man speaking in a conference. In the present time, Mike is homeless and living in his car, suffering from dementia.

Nigerian pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) is giving a testimony in court over a murder case. Based on his research, he determines that the blood on the defendant's hands was not that of the victim's because the defendant is a hemophiliac and could not risk something for possibility of injury or death.

Bennet works at the coroner's office where he has an odd habit of speaking to the deceased so that he can get an idea as to what it is that killed them. He is friends at work with Gracie (Sara Lindsey) but is antagonized by Danny (Mike O'Malley). Bennet also tends to throw away knives after being used once. He is called into the office of his boss, Dr. Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks) over this. Bennet asks Cyril if he would like it if Bennet cut his mother open with the same knife he used on a serial killer. Cyril says yes, and that he would personally ask him to do so.

Bennet is asked to provide care for a young immigrant woman named Prema Mutiso (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). He takes her to his home and offers her some money, which she appears to find offensive. Bennet explains to her that it's okay to need money and that it doesn't make her weak, but in America, sometimes it is necessary to fake it in order to get ahead.

Webster visits Dr. Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin) over his condition. He appears to be getting worse. Webster is visited at his car by fellow football player Justin Strzelczyk (Matthew Willig), who is also suffering from a similar condition. Webster complains that he doesn't want to go to sleep, so he is seeing tasing himself to stay awake. He is later found dead.

Mike Webster's death shocks the city. His body is brought in for Bennet to examine. He observes that Webster pulled out his teeth and superglued them back together. Bennet takes a look at Webster's brain and discovers severe head trauma that led to his mental deterioration. He brings this to Cyril's attention. Bennet furthers his research by studying football videos and noticing the amount of times someone like Webster took serious blows to the head.

Bennet and Prema spend the night out and quickly fall in love. Bennet later proposes to her and they are married, and later are expecting their first child.

Strzcelczyk is seen ready to attack his wife and children, claiming that the voices in his head are telling him to kill them. His wife screams at him to get out, and he drives away. He turns up dead, and another football player, Terry Long, is reported to have died from drinking antifreeze. Bennet examines them as well and concludes that the men suffered from CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). He presents his research to Dr. Steven DeKosky (Eddie Marsan) and Dr. Ron Hamilton (Stephen Moyer), who reluctantly agree with him. After word of this gets out, it is believed that Bennet is trying to shame football, earning him a number of enemies. He is told to retract his statements, saying that he made it all up to harm the NFL's reputation. He does, however, receive support from Julian, who distances himself from the NFL's actions.

Dave Duerson (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) is approached by fellow player Andre Waters (Richard T. Jones). Waters is suffering from a mental condition as well and begs Duerson to help him, but Duerson leaves him and walks away. Waters is later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Bennet and Julian meet with Dr. Joseph Maroon (Arliss Howard) over the matter. He chastises Bennet and thinks he is trying to destroy football, although Bennet continuously urges him to tell the truth that could prevent other football players from suffering similar fates to the recently departed.

Roger Goodell (Luke Wilson) is made the new commissioner of the NFL. Bennet is called upon to speak at a summit for concussion. However, Julian later tells him that they don't want Bennet to speak, but rather for Julian to speak since he was the NFL's neurological consultant, leading the two men to conflict. Furthermore, the FBI shows up to Bennet's job to indict Cyril on multiple charges for supporting Bennet's work, while also coming for Bennet. Bennet decides he must resign and look for work in another state.

Prema is driving by herself when she feels that someone is following her. She makes a detour and loses the car, but she experiences a problem. She is taken to the hospital and joined by Bennet, where they are told that the doctors cannot find a heartbeat from the baby. After Bennet is forced to sell his home, he breaks down, feeling utterly defeated.

Three years later, Bennet and Prema are living in Lodi, California with their daughter. Bennet is called by Julian when Dave Duerson commits suicide and requested that his brain be examined.

Bennet speaks before a group of people on his research, while also simultaneously admiring the sport of football. Talks of CTE begin flowing through the country, sparking comparisons between tobacco companies and their denial of the links between their products and bad health. Bennet is redeemed, and he is offered a job in Washington DC. In the final scene, he later drives by a school during football practice and watches as two players run head-to-head into each other.

The final text states that Bennet Omalu turned down the Washington job and remained in California with Prema Mutiso and their two children. Multiple retired NFL players filed lawsuits against the NFL for concealing information on concussed football players. The NFL settled on the condition that it would not have to disclose that it knew, and when, on the effects of concussion on football players. It was later determined that 28% of football players have or will suffer from CTE. All charges against Cyril Wecht were dropped. In February 2015, Bennet Omalu officially became a US citizen.

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Storyline

In the cold war, a lawyer, James B. Donovan is recruited by the CIA and involved in an intense negotiation mission to release and exchange a CIA U-2 spy-plane pilot, Francis G. Powers. The pilot was arrested alive after his plane was shot down by the Soviet Union during a mission and stays in the company of a KGB intelligence officer, Rudolf Abel, who was arrested for espionage in the US.

Review

Bridge Of Spies is a historical drama film starring Tom Hanks, co-written by the Coen brothers, and directed by Steven Spielberg. Even though its subject matter of the Cold War is something I know very little about, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am now more interested than ever to learn more about it. I rank it among the best of Spielberg's most recent movies.

In 1957, tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War are at their peak. Spies from both the American CIA and Soviet KGB are a major threat to the security of both world powers and each side often resorts to hasty measures to stop any classified information from being leaked. In Brooklyn, New York, Rudolf Abel is arrested under the suspicion of being a spy. James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) is assigned as Abel's defence lawyer. However the idea of defending a potential Soviet spy proves to be an unpopular and difficult task for Donovan. Meanwhile, over in the Soviet Union, an American spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers is shot down and captured by the KGB. As a means to ease tension between the two warring countries, Donovan proposes a swap between the two prisoners of war, Abel for Powers.

Despite containing barely any action scenes and being almost entirely made up of talking, the film never feels boring or slow paced. This is most likely due to the Coen brothers' clever screenplay and Steven Spielberg's creative direction. There were many suspenseful moments where it felt like the prisoner negotiations would go horribly wrong and that kept me on the edge of my seat. Tom Hanks also gives another memorable performance as James B. Donovan, once again proving his versatility as an actor.

I rate it 8.5/10.

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Everest (2015)

Storyline

On the morning of May 10, 1996, climbers from two commercial expeditions start their final ascent toward the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. With little warning, a violent storm strikes the mountain, engulfing the adventurers in one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered by man. Challenged by the harshest conditions imaginable, the teams must endure blistering winds and freezing temperatures in an epic battle to survive against nearly impossible odds.

Reviews

This is the true story of two different expeditions in 1996 who attempt to scale Everest but encounter massive storms on the descent down the mountain. Everest is a stunning looking film that you come away from , feeling totally exhausted. Because it is so realistic you do feel you are with the climbers at times. Sure , it's a stock disaster movie but because of the nature of the true story behind it , you feel more connected. The special affects are amazing and the performances from Jason Clarke and Keira Knightley are great too. I watched this in 3D but ended up taking the glasses off because it was so annoyingly dark so i recommend watching it in 2D instead. It's a staggering statistic that 1 in 4 people who attempt to get get to the summit of Everest , dies. Why do people do it? that question is asked in this film but apart from the stock answer of " Because it's there" it is never really answered . Perhaps there isn't one?

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