Thank You for Your Service review

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE:

AN INTENSE BUT THOUGHT-PROVOKING LOOK AT THE HORRIFYING EMOTIONAL IMPACTS OF SOLDIERS AT WAR!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS PICTURES

Miles Teller in Thank You for Your Service

            I find it humorous that last week I reviewed Only the Brave, a drama starring Miles Teller (The Spectacular Now, Whiplash, Only the Brave) only to immediately follow it up with another one. Seriously was that intentional to release the war-drama, Thank You for Your Service one week after Teller’s firefighter drama, Only the Brave?

            American Sniper writer, Jason Hall makes his directorial debut with the film, Thank You for Your Service based on the non-fiction book of the same name by David Finkel, and inspired by the true story of U.S. soldiers trying to adjust to civilian life after returning from Iraq. It’s always refreshing to watch a war-themed movie and not have the actual war be the main focus, this is not your Spielberg-ified Saving Private Ryan or overblown Michael Bay 13 Hours, this is a well-intended film that honors those whose lives were lost at war and analyzes the horrific emotional impacts the war may have on a soldier after returning to his/her everyday life.

            So, seeing how I was pretty much blown away by Only the Brave last week I figured it would make sense to watch another Miles Teller drama afterwards. That and the reviews for Jigsaw and Suburbicon ranged from mixed to negative but I might give you guys a Jigsaw review later on.

            Anyway, Thank You for Your Service is a very solid film, I don’t think it’s quite as good as Only the Brave but nevertheless it delivers the intensity and emotion that the impacts of war have on people. Add a talented cast with solid chemistry, a thought-provoking script, and even a sense of mystery and horror and you got quite an experience in the war-drama genre.

            The film follows a group of U.S. soldiers, Staff Sergeant Adam Schumann (Teller), Specialist Tausolo “Solo” Aieti (Beulah Koale-Shortland Street, One Thousand Ropes, Hawaii Five-0), Will Waller (Joe Cole-Peaky Blinders, Green Room, Secret in Their Eyes), and Michael Adam Emory (Scott Haze-Midnight Special, Between Us, Only the Brave) returning from war in Iraq who struggle to integrate back to their families and civilian lives. One of them has a wife and two children to look after, another is looking for employment and benefits, one is suffering from PTSD, and one is looking for his wife and daughter who supposedly ditched him when he went into service but living with the memory of the war threatens to destroy them long after they’ve left the battlefield.

            The film also stars Haley Bennett (The Equalizer, The Magnificent Seven (2016), The Girl on the Train) as Adam’s wife, Saskia Schumann, Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer, Trainwreck, Snatched) as Amanda Doster, Brad Beyer (Third Watch, Jericho, 42) as Sergeant First Class James Doster, Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones) as Alea, Omar Dorsey (The Blind Side, Django Unchained, Selma) as Dante, and Kate Lyn Sheil (You’re Next, House of Cards, Brigsby Bear) as Bell.

            Overall, Thank You for Your Service is a well-intended tribute to the real-life people who went to fight in Iraq and a rare instance where the intensity of the movie isn’t even during the war but rather the aftermath and how soldiers adjust to coming back to society after all this violence. It’s quite fascinating and an interesting depiction of people traumatized by war flashbacks and the lead actors really sell it.

            Miles Teller keeps knocking it out of the park with his acting to the point where I pretty much forgot he was involved in the awkward and dull Fantastic Four reboot. Every time he’s on-screen he just owns the moment and he’s not made out to be some kind of hero, they allow him to make mistakes and have flaws which makes him more identifiable and relatable as a character, it’s no Whiplash but his performance works very well.

            But who really surprised me was Beulah Koale as Solo, every time he experiences a war flashback he flips out and goes into this violent rage thinking that he’s back in the war to the point where he starts taking ecstasy and gets roped into doing jobs for a gang. It’s horrifying and sad at the same time and Koale really gives it his all in his performance.

            Thank You for Your Service is a war-drama that will hit the feels in every sense, inspire, and make you learn more about how much a war can impact a soldier even long after it’s over. It’s no Saving Private Ryan or Full Metal Jacket and maybe that’s for the best, war movies that aren’t overblown with explosions, bullets, and carnage don’t come along often and this is a good one to look at.

Only the Brave review

ONLY THE BRAVE:

JOSH BROLIN, MILES TELLER, AND JEFF BRIDGES MAKE THIS DRAMA SHINE AS BRIGHT AS FIRE!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

COLUMBIA PICTURES

Miles Teller and an elite crew of firefighters battling the Yarnell Hill Fire in Only the Brave

            Who would have thought the director of Tron: Legacy and Oblivion did a better job directing a firefighter drama than Ron Howard? I can go on record and say Only the Brave is director, Joseph Kosinski’s (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion) best movie so far.

            The film is based on the true story about the elite crew of firefighters who battled the Yarnell Hill Fire in June 2013. And damn, did they knock this movie out of the park? This is one of the most powerful and inspiring films I’ve seen in a long time, it captures intensity and dramatic elements without losing its heart and moral of family and doesn’t go into full-blown Hollywood spectacle mode like several other films based on real-life events.

            Yes, it does have a very expensive-looking shot of a bear on fire running towards the viewer and a lot of the fire sequences do look very Hollywood blockbuster-ish but the film packs a lot of story and character and results in more substance than style. Listen Michael Bay, you can still burn and blow things up but have a strong narrative and actual characters at the same time.

            The film follows the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a local firefighter unit that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the urge to protect their families, neighborhood, and country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the country. The team consists of Eric “Supe” Marsh (Josh Brolin-True Grit, Men in Black 3, Marvel Cinematic Universe), Brendan “Donut” McDonough (Miles Teller-The Spectacular Now, Whiplash, War Dogs), Jesse Steed (James Badge Dale-The Departed, The Grey, Flight), Chris MacKenzie (Taylor Kitsch-Snakes on a Plane, Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor), Travis Turbyfill (Geoff Stults-D.E.B.S., Wedding Crashers, J. Edgar), Andrew Ashcraft (Alex Russell-Carrie (2013), Unbroken, Blood in the Water), Scott Norris (Thad Luckinbill-The Young and the Restless, The Good Lie, Sicario), Wade Parker (Ben Hardy-EastEnders, X-Men: Apocalypse, Mary Shelley), and Clayton Whitted (Scott Haze-CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Midnight Special, The Vault) who risk their lives every day to protect their country and especially their loved ones by instead of running away from danger they run towards it and watch over our lives and everything we hold dear.

            With the support of Duane Steinbrink (Jeff Bridges-Tron, The Big Lebowski, Iron Man, who previously worked with Kosinski and Brolin on Tron: Legacy (Kosinski) and True Grit (2010) (Brolin)), Eric’s wife, Amanda Marsh (Jennifer Connelly-Labyrinth, Requiem for a Dream, A Beautiful Mind), Duane’s wife, Marvel Steinbrink (Andie MacDowell-Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Groundhog Day, Magic Mike XXL), and Brendan’s ex-wife, Natalie Johnson (Natalie Hall-All My Children, Pretty Little Liars, Star-Crossed) this team of firefighters will learn the importance of family and teamwork, prepare, and protect their loved ones by battling the Yarnell Hill Fire of June 2013 and coming out as national heroes.

            Overall, Only the Brave does everything a great drama should do especially when it’s based on an actual event, have a powerful story that understands the reality of the event, well-developed characters with believable acting, and hits the emotions and make the people watching care. The performances by the lead actors especially Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, and Jeff Bridges are amazing and they sell it so well that you almost forget that they’re acting, also on a side note this is the best I’ve seen Taylor Hirsch so far and hopefully he’ll get better acting roles in the future, the guy’s come a long way since the critical and financial flop, John Carter.

            Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges, and Jennifer Connelly have become cinema darlings when it came to their acting and there’s no exception here. Brolin as the leader of the firefighters obviously that works well, Jeff Bridges as the wildland division chief of the city of Prescott who is partially responsible for creating the Hotshots and plays Ghost Riders in the Sky in a bar works to a tease since Bridges has rocked a guitar before with Crazy Heart, and Jennifer Connelly despite being a supporting role doesn’t slack off and continues to make an impression every time she’s on-screen, and even Miles Teller is following in their footsteps and already becoming a new classic film icon star.

            The movie tackles the importance of sacrifice, being dedicated to your work, and family in all the right ways without getting hammy and forced and the actors nail every moment. At first it feels like a typical team of misfits who don’t get along but as the movie progresses a strong brotherhood with a near-perfect blend of fun chemistry between the characters, thrills, and tragedy and those who are familiar with the actual event already know how this movie ends.

            Only the Brave honors the Granite Mountain Hotshots and a gripping drama that’ll hopefully gain some Oscar attention later on this year. It’s a powerful experience and a touching tribute to a group of men who risked their lives to save the people they loved, it’s like the Hacksaw Ridge of firefighter dramas and if Ron Howard popularized the genre with Backdraft then Joseph Kosinski perfected it here, it shines just as bright as the fire that inspired it.

Happy Death Day review

HAPPY DEATH DAY:

PG-13 GROUNDHOG DAY-INSPIRED SLASHER-COMEDY IS A FLAWED BUT FUN CELEBRATION!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Apparently, the day you die can also be the day you were born…oh well, Happy Death Day

            We’ve seen this concept done to death where a person lives the same day over and over again in an endless loop. From the classic Bill Murray comedy, Groundhog Day to a sci-fi action take with Edge of Tomorrow, and even former Disney Channel star, Christy Carlson Romano made her directorial debut with a Christmas special following the same formula with Christmas All Over Again, the idea is unoriginal but whenever they take a new spin on it, the idea feels fresh.

            That’s where Happy Death Day comes in, the latest horror film produced by Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity franchise, Split, Get Out) and directed by Christopher B. Landon (Burning Palms, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse). Up until this point I haven’t been the biggest fan of Christopher B. Landon when it came to directing scary films, he directed what I considered the worst Paranormal Activity movie in the series and his 2015 horror-comedy Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse I found obnoxious and lacking the humor its bizarre concept deserved…It must have been his birthday because Happy Death Day was surprisingly kind of fun.

            Is it legitimately scary and will keep me up at night? Probably not, it’s mostly self-aware of how over-the-top it’s being and it’s blended with a dark sense of humor. Would I consider it a new horror classic? No, but I do consider it a decent scary film and there are some things about the story and takes on these old slasher movie clichés and tropes that are actually pretty unique.

            The film follows a college girl named Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe-Mary + Jane, Wolves, La La Land) who isn’t exactly the nicest girl on campus, she’s often rude, snobby, and a lot of people don’t seem to like her…and it just happens to be her birthday. However, just as she’s about to go out for a surprise party her roommate put together, she is murdered by a killer wearing a baby-face mask only to wake up back in her bed on the same day again.

            Tree soon realizes that she’s trapped in an endless loop of the same day and the only way to stop it is to find out who her killer is. After death, after death, and after death Tree gets closer and closer to discovering the truth and maybe that person is not who you’d expect.

            The film also stars Israel Broussard (Sons of Anarchy, The Bling Ring, Fear the Walking Dead) as Carter Davis, Ruby Modine (Memoria) as Lori, and newcomers, Rachel Matthews and Charles Aitken as Danielle and Gregory.

            Overall, Happy Death Day is a very tongue-and-cheek take on the slasher movie genre and the film has fun with its concept and how over-the-top it is. This is not like your Halloween or Texas Chainsaw Massacre slasher films but more along the lines of horror-comedies or self-aware scary films like Gremlins, The Cabin in the Woods, or Krampus where they have a creepy tone but at the same time a humorous touch.

            The characters are all college/high school student stereotypes, in fact take out the horror element and this could have been Mean Girls Go to College. You got the mean girls, the tool, the nice guy, and the flawed protagonist, we’ve seen these characters before but here it feels intentional and adds more to the story, not to mention the actors look like they’re enjoying their roles, it’s like what Ice Cube said, “Embrace your Stereotypes!”.

            What I really have to give the movie props for is doing the one thing that a lot of modern scary films miss, have me give a crap about the main character(s). I don’t care if Tree’s a rude b*tch this movie makes you root for her and you want her to stop the killer, she’s not there just to die (though she does a lot of dying in this movie) but as she’s uncovering the mystery behind her killer she’s changing as a person along with it, and Jessica Rothe really knocks it out of the park with her performance, it’s like if Bill Murray’s character from Groundhog Day as a college girl (And nobody draw that, please, I beg of you!).

            The Groundhog Day references when discussing this movie are pretty much a given but at times it also reminds me a lot of Edge of Tomorrow. Specifically, because of a montage of Tree getting killed over and over set to a pop song, very reminiscent to when Tom Cruise was constantly killed during the alien war in Edge of Tomorrow.

            Normally, a slasher movie with a PG-13 rating would be an instant turnoff point for me because the gory deaths are also part of the genre's fun, but because of its more comedic tone and the fact the events immediately reset after a kill due to its Groundhog Day-inspired premise it doesn't feel like a cheap cop out and integral to the film's story. This is a tongue-in-cheek horror-comedy where a character gets stuck in a time-loop and a slasher movie second and it's done well. 

            I was pleasantly surprised by Happy Death Day and found it to be a fun, clever take on both slasher movies and films about time-loops. It has laughs, terror, repeating events, as well as strong characters, you'll definitely want to go to this bloody party.