The boy rides the crux
Of becoming his hero:
Outlaw or father
Crowe and Bale strike true
As likable outlaw and
underdog rancher
The old west’s ying yang
Justice rides the 3:10 train
Gunslingers roundup
Tag: James Mangold
FORD VS FERRARI (2019) movie review
REVIEW:
What’s not to love about being in a fast car with Christian Bale for two hours? Director James Mangold filmed exquisite racing scenes putting audiences behind the wheel flying over famous raceways.
Damon, the same, consistent character, even with his hint of a southern accent plays the charmer. As always, if you love him already, you’ll love him in this. Each actor plays a likable caricature, which I’ve decided is the outcome of historical films that take themselves too seriously. As the story went, Henry Ford II did take on the Enzo Ferrari, who was always at the top of the speed game. It took a pure driver in love with racing, who had already seen battle, to go to war in the most difficult race in the world.
RATING: B (Being a nice way to spend an evening…)
REVIEW in HAIKU:
Bale drives cars as fast
As Damon can design them
Classic speed racers
LOGAN (2017) movie review
I trust James Mangold with stories. I loved his remake of the western 3:10 to Yuma, and now he brings the X-Men franchise and specifically Wolverine’s story to a colossal finale allowing a curtain call for the Mercutio of the mutant clan. 
Wolverine, the classic loner with adamantium claws and a zeal for personal justice becomes Logan, a limo driver for hire in 2029 who also cares for the aging and unwell Professor X.
Charles Xavier is not finished finding and training young mutants, however, and the two must venture back out into the world to rescue a small girl with striking similarities to our hero, Logan.
Mangold wrote the screenplay then directed the film. Taking this film through Gladiator rounds, he begins lopping heads and slicing limbs to appease the masses of film-goers. It easily earns the R-rating with both language and violence in the first five minutes, setting the stage for a gritty and brutal film. 
Somehow, however, this film flows like a western, the sheriff admonishing the ruthless with cruel justice. Somehow Logan becomes a Christ-figure. 
And, somehow this film overwhelms with significance as it builds relational depth between characters and as it proclaims the truths that brutality is not without consequence and a life lived selfishly is lived without purpose.
MALEFICENT (2014) movie review
Maleficent is a fairy tale in the truest form of the word. It is about a fairy, one lone fairy whose heartbreak allows bitterness to rule her until protecting and mothering a young girl teaches her to love again. For, true love does conquer all.
I loved the parallels to the original Disney Sleeping Beauty: the costuming and casting, the bumbling three fairies, the lines from the old film, the power in Jolie’s voice and presence. 
Elle Fanning, favorite lovely of the fashion duo Rodarte and no longer known as Dakota’s sister, stepped easily into the sweet princess Aurora role.
The film is perhaps a tribute to the selfless love of sarrogate mothers or mothers’ hearts. Perhaps this was the carrot dangled before Jolie who was allowed to have all of her children in the film. Most played cameos, but her little “Viv” got to play tiny Aurora. 
Either way, it’s an inverted villain story. Maleficent is Disney’s Despicable Me. The villain is not cruel, just misunderstood.
My mother always said, “We all have two dogs inside us. The one that wins is the one we feed the most.”
I’ve been fascinated by the concept of writing the villain lately. A study of the film 3:10 to Yuma (2001) offered much insight. In the director’s commentary, James Mangold discussed the role of the villain as hero in their version of the story. They are equally as cause-driven. They share a path with the hero, but not the identical vehicle. A villain must believe that he or she is doing the righteous right thing for the sake of furthering what they care about. This is Russell Crowe’s role in 3:10 to Yuma. This is Redford’s character in Captain America: Winter Soldier. This is Magneto and Mystique and… Maleficent. The true villain of the film Maleficent appears to be the average Joe who lets greed consume him. The message continues: we all must choose which dog to feed.
Maleficent, too, gives in to the pain and vengeance and turns to the dark side, much like Anakin. But like Elsa in Frozen, her heart melts for the motherless girl in her sphere. She lashes out in helpless throttle allowing her control over nature to envelope and enthrone her. Parallels abound. True wickedness waits to be seen. Speaking of Wicked…perhaps all villainy eventually goes green.
WOLVERINE (2013) movie review
I am sad to report that this film was a shameful contribution to an already too slobbery Wolverine franchise. I usually respect director James Mangold for his visual decisions. I loved his 3:10 to Yuma, and Night and Day was just plain fun. Though not all great decisions, I did recognize some of his signature camera angles in this, his stunt tricks like killing off the same guys more than once, and his forced Christ-pose via tethered arrows. I was surprised at his choice to spare audiences the sight of blood, perhaps keeping it PG-13. The Wolverine’s 3-prong approach is usually a bloody business. Not here.
Perhaps we blame the cuts made on the editing floor – or rather the cuts that should have been made. The Venomous skin-peeler could have made fewer appearances, said almost no lines and still perfected her 80’s snake dance move at the end. 
Every scene took a mini-series pace. This movie made an episode of Downton seem rushed. Hugh Jackman, though I’m a great fan of his body…of work, could have left his one liners at the door and sung this. There’s an idea! Wolverine the musical!
This tale follows our hero from Japan at the end of the Second World War to animal activism in Alaska, through too many Inceptionesque visits with nightie-clad ghost Jean Grey, and back to Japan.
Upon re-entry into Tokyo, it feels like a remake of The Karate Kid Part 2. 
Remember when Mr. Miyagi takes Danielson back to Okinawa? Ralph Macchio fights the angry cast off son, wins the girl who falls in love with him over a tea ceremony, and finally fights in the great battle at the end to the sound of spinning drums. It’s all here in this film. But I really missed that Peter Cetera song in this one. So, here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgRw3m4h13c&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Splatter: on FILM 