In this first edition of the Phantom Three-Pack, I will be reviewing the following set of three films: The independent dramedy Sunshine Cleaning, a return-to-form from Dreamworks Animation with Rise of the Guardians, and the stellar Ben Affleck-directed The Town.
SUNSHINE CLEANING
Cast:
Amy Adams as Rose Lorkowski
Emily Blunt as Norah Lorkowski
Alan Arkin as Joe Lorkowski
Mary Lynn Rajskub as Lynn
Eric Christian Olsen as Randy
Jason Spevack as Oscar Lorkowski
Kevin Chapman as Carl Swanson
Steve Zahn as Mac
Clifton Collins Jr. as Winston
Story:
Disillusioned by her recent path in life, Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) quits her job after getting a job offer from her married cop boyfriend, Mac (Steve Zahn). Getting the opportunity at a profitable crime scene clean-up gig, Rose starts her own cleaning business with her under-achieving sister Norah (Emily Blunt), of which she calls “Sunshine Cleaning”. However, starting the business is not as easy as the sisters originally envisioned it to be, but they keep at it, hoping to one day make the major breakthrough that their respective jobs demand.
My Take: I have always been a fan of independent film, dramas and comedies alike, and Sunshine Cleaning definitely fits into that mold. So, while many movie watchers may prefer to constantly guffaw when seeing Judd Apatow comedies, I enjoy more honest productions that nicely blend comedic elements with dramatic ones. While there may be films that better sum up that very dynamic, I believe that Sunshine Cleaning did a very fine job, leading to a mostly compelling viewing experience. Actresses Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and even Alan Arkin deliver understated but effective performances in what is essentially an understated film. Overall, the story is decent, but it is not there to completely enthrall the viewer. It is a nice, brief escape, but it is by no means momentously engaging. So, while Sunshine Cleaning is definitely a good movie, it is also not that memorable.
My Rating: ★★★½
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
Cast:
Chris Pine as Jack Frost
Alec Baldwin as North
Hugh Jackman as Bunnymund
Isla Fisher as Tooth
Jude Law as Pitch Black
Dakota Goyo as Jamie Bennett
Story:
The spirit of winter, Jack Frost (Chris Pine), finds himself recruited by the Guardians, which includes the Santa Claus called North (Alec Baldwin), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), and the Sandman, when the evil Boogeyman, named Pitch Black (Jude Law), returns to wreak havoc on the children of the world. Determined to create a world where none of the Guardians are believed in by the world’s youth, Pitch tries his very hardest to make everyone believe in him and the fear he provides. So, with their backs against the wall, the Guardians do their best to persuade Jack to join their cause, especially when Pitch’s plan comes closer and closer to fruition, thereby threatening the love and belief the children have for them.
My Take: When I first saw the trailers for Rise of the Guardians, I did not think it was going to be anything special. It looked like your average holiday kids movie. But when I actually got to see the motion picture, I was very pleasantly surprised. Overall, the voice acting was pretty superb with the key standouts being actors Alec Baldwin as the almost Russian badass Santa Claus, Hugh Jackman in his native Australian accent as the Easter Bunny, and Jude Law as the frighteningly creepy Boogeyman Pitch Black. In fact, Chris Pine as lead character Jack Frost was probably the only hired voice actor that did not leave that much of an impression. However, that was more a fault of the writers creating an almost bland character than of the merits of the actor himself, but I digress… Story-wise, I thought the idea of figures from various children’s imaginations, such as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy, coming together as a team to battle a powerful evil was very clever. It was an almost pseudo-Avengers-type flick for young children that I enjoyed immensely to the point where I am very much hoping that a sequel is en route.
My Rating: ★★★★
THE TOWN
Cast:
Ben Affleck as Douglas “Doug” MacRay
Rebecca Hall as Claire Keesey
Jon Hamm as FBI Special Agent Adam Frawley
Jeremy Renner as James “Jem” Coughlin
Blake Lively as Kristina “Kris” Coughlin
Chris Cooper as Stephen MacRay
Pete Postlethwaite as Fergus “Fergie” Colm
Slaine as Albert “Gloansy” Magloan
Owen Burke as Desmond “Dez” Elden
Titus Welliver as Officer Dino Ciampa
Dennis McLaughlin as Rusty
Brian Scannell as Henry
Isaac Bordoy as Alex Colazzo
Jack Neary as Arnold Washton
Edward O’Keefe as Morton Previt
Victor Garber as David
Story:
When four Boston criminals successfully rob a bank after taking the bank’s manager, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), hostage during the encounter, the leader of the gang, Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), volunteers to get close to Claire in an attempt to decipher whether or not she has any information that could implicate him and his three partners in the robbery. However, in the process, he starts to fall in love with her, which begins to threaten his relationship with longtime friend James Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), whose tendencies to erupt could derail the whole situation. Meanwhile, FBI Special Agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) knows that it is MacRay’s gang that is pulling off all the robberies in time, but is just not able to prove it. As a result, he does all he can to bring them to justice, all as Doug is busy planning his last-ever “job” for local crime lord Fergus “Fergie” Colm (Pete Postlethwaite), which is a heist that, if it goes wrong, could screw everything up for everyone involved.
My Take: Fresh off of the terrific “Gone Baby Gone” as his feature film directorial debut, Ben Affleck returns to the streets of Boston in The Town, but, this time around, he is the lead, not his younger brother, Casey. Based on Affleck’s failures in the past to deliver compelling performances, I was a bit concerned when this film came around. However, those concerns were completely unjust. He not only shows off nice acting ability, but he also effectively goes two for two when it comes to his directing gigs. The Town is an action-packed and immensely suspenseful motion picture that delivers everything you really want in a film. Acting-wise, Affleck is strong, but so is actors Jeremy Renner as “Jem” and Rebecca Hall as Claire. Jon Hamm is also good as Agent Frawley, but there is no real depth to the character whatsoever. His sole purpose is to relentlessly go after Doug MacRay’s gang and nothing more. So, that is kind of disappointing, but nothing else really was. The brotherhood shared between MacRay and Coughlin is a strong component of the film, as is the developing romance between MacRay and Claire. And it all leads to a suspenseful heist at Fenway Park that leads to mass casualties, as well as some nice twists and turns, ultimately delivering a very compelling crime tale that continues my renewed hope in Affleck’s skills as both a director and an actor.
My Rating: ★★★★
Corner Ten Punch 