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Movie reviews: ‘Mockingjay, Part 2,’ ‘The Night Before’

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Jennifer Lawrence in 'Mockingjay Part 2'

By Tim Lammers

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” (PG-13) 3 stars (out of four)

The final arrow has been slung – but doesn’t have nearly as much zip – in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2,” a solid yet underwhelming conclusion to the franchise based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling book trilogy. Jennifer Lawrence is superior once again as Katniss Everdeen, but a lumbering start followed by uneven pacing makes the hotly anticipated final installment in the four movie saga the weakest in the series. It’s still a good movie, just not as accomplished as its three predecessors.

“Mockingjay, Part 2” picks up almost immediately where “Part 1” left off, with a rescued but emotionally damaged Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) still strapped to his hospital bed after he tries to choke Katniss to death. He’s clearly traumatized – maybe for life – by the treacherous President Snow (Donald Sutherland at his menacing best), who is laying a trap for the inevitable invasion of the Capitol by the District 13 rebellion. Despite his troubled mind, Peeta is sent along with a strike force including Katniss to execute the plan, and with any luck, give the symbolic Mockingjay her chance to assassinate Snow for all the pain and death he’s caused her and the oppressed districts of Panem.

“The Hunger Games” series has generally had three major things going for it the entire time: A story that became more textured and thought provoking as it progressed; exciting direction by Garry Ross for the first film and Francis Lawrence for the remainder, and an enormously talented ensemble cast led with ferocity by Lawrence. “The Hunger Games” of course were about adolescents dueling to the death, and “Catching Fire” upped the stakes by pitting former champions against each other. That, of course, led to the rebellion against the Capitol in “Mockingjay,” which in typical Hollywood money-grab fashion, was split into two movies to maximize profits.

Rarely has that formula worked. “Harry Potter” introduced it with “The Deathly Hallows” to great effect, but since then, it’s been employed by the dreadful “Twilight” series and much better but “Hunger Games”-like “Divergent” series.

As the 2 hour 20 minute “Mockingjay, Part 2” plays out, you begin to get the sense that the move was made solely to please the fans who want the detail and nuance of the books. That’s all well and good, so long as it translates to an exciting movie experience, and that’s exactly where this final chapter in “The Hunger Games” series is lacking. As a two-part film that nearly runs 4 1/2 hours, “Mockingjay, Part 2” simply feels stretched too thin.

For all its shortcomings, “Mockingjay, Part 2” still feels complete with this latest chapter, and doesn’t, well, leave you hungry for more. With most of his scenes opposite Julianne Moore as shifty District 13 President Alma Coin, you can’t help but be left with a bittersweet feeing watching the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman in his final role as gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, as the character seems far less involved than in the previous two films as “Mockingjay, Part 2” draws to a close.

One word of warning, like “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “Mockingjay, Part 2” can’t quite seem to settle on an ending. Book fans will know the ending when they see it, but for the rest of us, the conclusion seems filled with indecision until the credits roll.

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“The Night Before” (R) 2 stars (out of four)

Seth Rogen is haunted by the ghost of stoner movies past with “The Night Before,” a retread of the dopey film formula that has followed the actor throughout most of his career. The raunchy Christmas comedy isn’t a complete disaster – Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie make up for Rogen’s lame presence – it just requires a lot of patience as you’re hoping for fresh laughs amid the same old tired jokes.

Gordon-Levitt stars as Ethan, an aspiring musician whose life was rocked by tragedy in his early 20s when his parents were both killed in a traffic accident on Christmas Eve. To help their friend Ethan cope, his two closest friends, Issac (Rogen) and Chris (Mackie), start a Christmas Eve tradition where they party their way across New York City – all in the hopes of getting passes into the ultimate bash called the Nutcracker Ball. Unfortunately, the annual event seems to be losing its luster as Isaac is preparing to start a family and Chris is enjoying success as an NFL star.

“The Night Before” is packed with everything you’d expect out of a Rogen movie: Lots of drugs, booze and jokes about a certain member of the male anatomy. It’s really only saved by the charm of Gordon-Levitt and Mackie, and a welcome, unexpected comedic turn by Michael Shannon as a small-time dope dealer who doubles as a “Christmas Carol”-type ghost of past, present and future.

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie reviews: ‘Love the Coopers,’ ‘Spotlight’

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Diane Keaton and John Goodman in 'Love the Coopers' (CBS Films)

By Tim Lammers

“Love the Coopers” (PG-13) 3 stars (out of four)

If you’re looking to get into the Christmas spirit early you should at the very least like “Love the Coopers,” a dysfunctional family comedy that avoids the trappings of the genre as it winds down to a predictable yet very sweet conclusion.

Diane Keaton and John Goodman star as Charlotte and Sam Cooper, whose marriage has soured after 40 years together. Wanting to gather their family together for one last Christmas before they split, the Coopers struggle to hold it together as their children and extended family each make their respective treks to the family household.

“Love the Coopers” plays out in five individual stories before the family gathering, as we follow the complicated lives of Cooper children Hank (Ed Helms) and Eleanor (Olivia Wilde), grandpa Bucky (Alan Arkin), Charlotte’s sister, Emma (Marisa Tomei), and of course, Charlotte and Sam.

Hank is going through a divorce and is in search of a job, while Eleanor has a mess of a love life until she meets a soldier (Jake Lacy) on leave. Bucky, a lonesome widower, is distraught that his good friend, Ruby (Amanda Seyfried) is moving away; while Emma struggles to come to terms with her longtime sibling rivalry with Charlotte. Also involved wrapped up in the family trials are a taciturn police officer (Anthony Mackie), an eccentric aunt (June Squibb) and Hank’s estranged wife (Alex Borstein) and their lovelorn teenage son, Charlie (Timothee Chalamet).

“Love the Coopers” feels like a number of different films, from “Home for the Holidays” to “A Christmas Story,” because the story is aided with a wise, introspective narration. It also feels a lot like “Love, Actually,” because it starts out with separate stories that eventually intertwine.

Despite its shortcomings, “Love the Coopers” works because it could have easily gone the way of a screwball comedy, yet instead relies on its gifted cast’s talents as actors whom possess natural gifts for both drama and comedy. It has a surprising blend of humor and poignancy, all while telling us a story we all know too well: Families are complicated. But since the Coopers are loaded with family members you can relate to, don’t be surprised if you leave the film with a big smile on your face.

“Spotlight” (R) 3 1/2 stars (out of four)

Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams head up an all-star cast in writer-director Thomas McCarthy’s “Spotlight,” a compelling film about the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team’s investigation into the Boston Archdiocese child sex abuse scandal – a report that led to a falling out in the Catholic Church and exposure of hundreds more scandals in parishes nationwide.

Set largely in 2001 – in the days before the Wild West journalism of the Internet (and a sad reminder of how investigative journalism is currently on life support) – “Spotlight” follows editor Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton), reporters Michael Rezendes (Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (McAdams) and Matt Carroll (Brian d’Arcy James) as the team digs into allegations of child molestation against defrocked priest John Geoghan. As it turns out, Geoghan is only the tip of a very large iceberg, leading the reporters to groundbreaking investigation into the Catholic Church’s cover-ups of child sex abuse by defrocked, and in some cases, reassigned, priests.

“Spotlight” runs the gamut of emotions. You’ll feel sadness hearing the tragic revelations of abuse survivors in interviews conducted by reporters; and anger when you see the thinly-veiled threats by the church’s powerful supporters as Spotlight is urged to back off its investigation. There’s also frustration as journalists desperately try to get sensitive court documents unsealed, and disbelief as the reporters uncover a coded system in the church’s records to detect how priests accused of abuse were dealt with in a very large and convoluted system.

In the end, “Spotlight” is a very difficult film to watch, but an important film to watch nonetheless. It’s easily one of the best films of the year.

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie reviews: ‘Spectre,’ ‘The Peanuts Movie’

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Daniel Craig in 'Spectre' (photo -- Sony Pictures)

“Spectre” (PG-13) 2 1/2 stars (out of 4)

James Bond has tumbled from the greatness of “Skyfall” back into familiar territory with “Spectre,” an underwhelming follow-up to the phenomenal 007 blockbuster in 2012. Diehard fans of the famed British superspy will still likely be satisfied with the film, but those looking for something new and fresh from the character will be disappointed.

The plot feels familiar, and in some ways it should since the film reboots a classic character and underground criminal organization. Bond (Daniel Craig), acting on a posthumous message from M (Judi Dench), is told to hunt down and kill a member of a nefarious organization (which plays out in a spectacular opening sequence), which will lead him to a much bigger conspiracy. The organization is SPECTRE, led by the mysterious villain Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz), who, through global surveillance, is about to put a chokehold on the world. As the plot unfolds, a familiar name in Bond lore emerges, a move that actually hearkens “Austin Powers” more than 007.

Clocking in at nearly 2 1/2 hours, “Spectre” works from an action standpoint, as director Sam Mendes creatively finds way to keep the film moving as the plot unfurls. The acting, naturally, is solid, led by the edgy Craig in his fourth turn as 007, joined by Ralph Fiennes as the new M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny and Ben Wishaw as Q. New to the cast is Lea Seydoux, who is alluring as Madeleine Swann, the daughter of a SPECTRE defector who knows her way inside the organization; and Dave Bautista has a big presence as Hinx, an Oddjob-like henchman who, sadly, is only given one word of dialogue throughout the whole film.

Unlike “Skyfall,” which concentrated more on the mystery behind Bond the man, “Spectre” retreats back to the sort of procedural plots that has plagued so many 007 movies. In fact, the movie is so by-the-numbers – Bond is an insubordinate and the 00 program is threatened; Bond meets and seduces women; the bad guy plans world domination, etc. – that you can’t help but wonder how much longer the 007 franchise can last. Bond’s world needs to be shaken up (not stirred) — and fast.

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In brief …

“The Peanuts Movie” (G) 3 1/2 stars (out of 4)

The late, great Charles M. Schulz’s comic-strip-turned-hand drawn animation characters vibrantly come to life in computer-animated form in “The Peanuts Movie,” a wonderfully warm reintroduction to Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang.

The premise is fairly simple – Charlie Brown (voiced by Noah Schnapp), troubled by insecurity and perceived failures, vies for the attention of a new girl in class, all while learning to cope with positive attention when he pulls off a remarkable score on a test. Meanwhile, Snoopy’s nemesis the Red Baron is back, and the intuitive beagle takes chase while typing out his thoughts atop his dog house in Charlie Brown’s yard.

“The Peanuts Movie” has everything you love about Peanuts and Charlie Brown – the music, vibe, humor, heart and overall spirit of the characters as the voices sound exactly like the voices of the classic TV specials. It’s a perfect film for kids and parents – especially those who grew up with the Peanuts holiday specials. The big difference is the 3D, which is terrific. Don’t be late, as a pre-movie segment by the cast features some 3D visuals that jump off of the screen.

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie reviews: ‘Our Brand is Crisis,’ ‘Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse’

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Sandra Bullock in "Our Brand is Crisis" (photo -- Warner Bros.)

“Our Brand is Crisis” (R) 2 1/2 stars (out of four)

A terrible title is not the only thing wrong with “Our Brand is Crisis,” a political dramedy based on a 2005 documentary of the same name. Starring a stunning Sandra Bullock and talented cast of co-stars including Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie and Zoe Kazan, the film — about dueling political strategists in the 2002 Bolivian presidential race — will likely only appeal to political junkies that is if they aren’t already burnt out by America’s exhausting race for the White House. Ultimately, though, the film is hurt by its own identity crisis.

Bullock stars as “Calamity” Jane Bodine, a whip-smart former political strategist coaxed out of retirement to help former Bolivian President-turned Sen. Pedro Gallo (Joaquim de Almeida), who is struggling in the polls to regain his old job. With only 90 days to go before the election, Bodine must find a way to boost Gallo 30 points in the polls – that is if she can find a way to out-maneuver her old nemesis Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton), who is helping the election’s frontrunner.

Bullock’s talents as both a comedic and serious actress are put to good use in “Our Brand is Crisis,” although the film (produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov) is too silly sometimes for its own good. And therein lies the biggest problem of “Our Brand is Crisis” – looking for a platform for Gallo to run on, Jane stresses how the politico should stress the “crisis” the country is going through, so suddenly, the madcap antics of the strategist feel awkward when the film gets serious. On top of that, Jane, as it turns out, has some complex issues plaguing her psyche, which are revealed as the film unfolds.

Character issues aside, “Our Brand is Crisis” is ultimately about politics, and politics being politics, the candidates eventually show their true colors and reveal themselves as slimy politicians that steal and lie; and the strategists do their best to manipulate the outcome of the election with their dirty, underhanded tricks. If anything, the film is a disheartening, defeating peek behind-the-curtain of the political system as a whole, and sadly, the world is just as scummy as you would expect it to be. There’s a crisis alright, and it starts with the people constituents put in charge to prevent them from happening in the first place.

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In brief:

“Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” (R) 2 1/2 stars (out of four)

In a film and television world over-saturated with the zombie genre, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that the gory comedy “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” is death warmed over. A cross between the clever horror classic “Shaun of the Dead” and the amped-up zombie sensibilities of “World War Z,” “Scouts Guide” starts off in a deep grave before the film miraculously climbs out for a wild and inventive final half. Tye Sheridan (“Mud”) is sharp as the leader of a trio of teen Boy Scouts who put their skills to expert use when a zombie epidemic takes over a small town, and Sarah Dumont adds some edge to the film as an ass-kicking cocktail waitress who joins the teens in their plight for survival. David Koechner and Cloris Leachman are hilarious in their supporting roles as a trooper leader and neighbor lady, respectively. In the end, “Scout’s Guide” really works best for millennials and older teens, as the humor in the movie is squarely aimed at the key demographic.