The Invitation (2016) **

A group of 30 somethings gather together for a mysterious dinner party and strange events ensue.  They are all connected in some way and have experienced some form of loss.  The Invitation feels like a humorless version of the The Big Chill with an Agatha Christie premise added to the mix.  At first everyone is all politeness and smiles, until the hosts introduce their guests to the fascinating "group" (not a cult) they discovered in Mexico. And there's no cell phone service either at the house (of course).  While the film builds up the tension well enough, it's hard not to miss where it's all going.  Logan-Marshall Green as the lead gives deadpan performance, epitomizing the banal dialogue and cliche plot points that carry a slight charm. Above all, these people are soap opera cut outs.  The Invitation works as an above average TV movie and that's where it would belong in another decade.  

Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in his Own Words *** (2016)

Eat That Question looks back at the career of Frank Zappa (1940-1993) through skillful use of archival footage, consisting mostly of interviews and excerpts from his live performances. Zappa was known more for his personality and battles with censors instead of his music (which rarely got radio play.)  Classically trained, Zappa's ability compose music put him way ahead of his contemporaries. His music combined elements of classical, jazz, fusion, doo wop, and noise rock - releasing over 80 albums of original material.

With his band The Mothers of Invention, Zappa made performance art a major part of his act.  His music was loaded with social commentary on all sorts of topics, breaking all sorts of barriers.  

Zappa's full of surprises. Despite his outlandish appearance and unconventional music he never drank alcohol or abused drugs (more of a cigarettes and coffee guy). When touring he would dismiss band members who took drugs.  Often grouped with the counterculture, Zappa actually despised hippies, viewing them as conformists. In the 1980s, Zappa led the fight against Tipper Gore's attempt to censor rock and rap albums.

Later in life Zappa got actively involved in politics.  In Czechoslovakia he served as a cultural ambassador and in 1992 he planned a run for the presidency until a cancer diagnosis sidetracked him.

Zappa passed away way too early at age 52, God Knows what he would make of America at the current moment, but voices more like him are desperately needed. Eat the Question is an excellent introduction to his work.  Don't miss his appearance on the CNN show Crossfire.

The Midnight Special (2016) **1/2

The Midnight Special, a film compared to Spielberg classics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. upon its release, feels more like a slightly above average X-Files episode. The film is about a boy with psychic gifts who is on the run with his father (Michael Shannon) and his highway patrolman friend/guardian angel (Joel Edgerton). A religious sect believes the boy transmits messages from God. Meanwhile, the government is also interested in the boy (for drone warfare or something).  Director Jeff Nichols tried to compensate for the cliche elements of the script with iconic performances from Shannon and Edgerton, but both are more opaque than memorable. Shannon and Edgerton kept their characters too remote for there to be any emotional resonance.  Even when Kirsten Dunst appears as the mother the film never quite hits the right note. Adam Driver also appears as a sympathetic NSA analyst. Spielberg's great strength was establishing an emotional connection with the audience while dazzling them with special effects, a style few of his disciples have perfected.  Unfortunately, the conclusion felt routine and underwhelming. In saying that, The Midnight Special is not a bad film, there's a modicum of suspense to sustain the narrative - along with some exceptional cinematography. 

Cafe Society (2016) ***

Woody Allen's Cafe Society makes for a perfect escape from the August heat, a dreamy period piece set in 1930s Hollywood and New York City. Jesse Eisenberg stars as a young man on the make in Hollywood trying to get a job through his "big time" agent uncle played by Steve Carrel.  He strikes a friendship and romance with his uncle's striking secretary played by Kristen Stewart. As the characters get entangled in Romantic intrigue and unrequited love, questions are raised on the idea of fate and free will. Many will consider the plot a bit trite, but watching these actors work together is the best part of Cafe Society.  There's also hints of F.Scott Fitzgerald and Casablanca, themes of being in love and making difficult choices. The cinematography is beautiful, a welcome alternative to the current crop of blockbusters. 

Star Trek: Beyond (2016) ***

Star Trek: Beyond, third film in the reboot series, does a great job of honoring the tradition of the long running series with engaging characters, idealistic themes, and exciting action.  The members of the new cast have grown comfortably into their roles, keeping the franchise vibrant and relevant.

The film opens with the U.S.S. Enterprise in the third year of its mission, with Kirk and his crew getting restless, even bored, in their travels through space.  Spock is considering leaving Starfleet to devote his life to rebuilding Vulcan culture.  Meanwhile, Kirk considers taking a desk job.  Desperate for a challenging mission, the crew answers a distress call coming from a distant part of the galaxy where they discover a dangerous threat to the Federation.

Idris Elba, in heavy makeup as the villain Krall, may not be the most memorable Star Trek antagonist of all time, but his compelling backstory warranted more screen time.

Gene Roddenberry's original concept imagined the United Federation of Planets as an alliance dedicated to exploration and promoting peace, envisioning a future where humanity had overcome its violent tendencies, although those tendencies never completely disappeared, a conflict that always defined Star Trek. 

The search for purpose and meaning adds a timely philosophical component to Star Trek: Beyond.  At the current moment, the United States is searching for purpose in an acrimonious election year, agonizing over two differing ideas of how the country should proceed into the future. 

In the film Kirk and crew, by sticking to their basic principles and staying dedicated to each other's well being, all learn something about themselves and what to do with their futures. 

Simon Pegg, who co-wrote the script, gave all the cast members substantial roles. Chris Pine's a natural as Kirk and Quinto's tragic version of Spock builds upon the work by Leonard Nimoy.  

Director Justin Lin, a newcomer to the series, did a great job of balancing character and story development.  Unlike the J.J. Abrams directed films Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013), there was less of a need to directly homage previous Star Trek.

With Star Trek celebrating its 50th Anniversary and a new TV show set to debut in January, Star Trek: Beyond is a worthy edition to one of the pillars of modern Science Fiction.

Ghostbusters *1/2 (2016)

The new Ghostbusters movie epitomizes the problem with so many Hollywood movies in 2016:  the entire enterprise gets lost between trying to stay loyal to the original film , while attempting to deliver a new twist to a moldy franchise. A fail on both counts. Shoddy CGI effects + a milquetoast script = forgettable.

The all female recasting of the Ghostbusters seemed a fresh starting point for a remake, a great way to re-imagine the 1984 classic. The new cast of Krtisten Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones are all talented, but have no chemistry whatsoever. Everyone's doing their own shtick. How many times must Kristen Wiig get slimed?  How many food jokes at the expense of McCarthy?  

As for the plot, there isn't much of one.  Each scene plays more like a prolonged SNL sketch rather than a cinematic film.  Wiig is a Physics professor close to getting tenure until her supervisors discover she once wrote a book on paranormal studies with former colleague McCarthy, who works at a lesser college in New York City along with Holtzman (McKinnon) as her research assistant.

I'm not sure what to make of McKinnon's character: Is she simply eccentric?  Or does she have a personality disorder? Are we supposed to laugh at her because she is socially awkward? It's never clear.  

In fact the tone of the whole movie feels like audiences are supposed to laugh at the female Ghostbusters because they see the world differently and are therefore "weird," instead of laughing with them as hip outsiders with unique world views. 

They are joined by Patty (Jones), a New York subway worker, a character reduced to delivering sitcom ready one liners. She's rarely a part of the action, just comments on it.

Cameos from the original cast fall flat as well.  Why did Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson not reprise their old characters?  Why no changing of the guard scene? Their token appearances feel forced, like pleasantries you would exchange with remote relatives.  And that's never a good time.

30 for 30: Believeland 2016 **** (for Cleveland Fans)

The victory of the 2015-2016 Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals marked the end of a long drought for Cleveland fans everywhere. The ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Believeland recently aired with a new epilogue following the Cavalier victory. The long history of glorious defeats in Cleveland history, defeats that paralleled the economic decline of the city by the lake, are all covered in their painful detail.

For the first half of the 20th Century, Cleveland personified American industrialism and prosperity. In 1964 the Browns won the NFL championship 27-0 over the Baltimore Colts with legendary Jim Brown leading the way, a dynasty appeared in the making. However, Brown retired to pursue a film career and the Browns stepped aside to watch their arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers rule the 70s.

I imagine living in Cleveland during the 1970s to be a sometimes frightening and often surreal trip, a post- industrial metropolis on the brink of some new kind of reality. Stranger Than Paradise, the 1984 Jim Jarmusch captured the bleak mood. The American Splendor comics of Harvey Pekar told the story of an everyman trying to survive in Cleveland.  In the midst financial breakdown, the city's music scene thrived, playing a leading role in the birth of punk. Such music could only come from places like Cleveland.

Meanwhile, the sports teams languished in mediocrity.

Believeland benefits from off the wall interviews, Clevelanders putting all their feelings on the table. Former players also share their memories. 

As the big freeze of the 70s gave way to the 80s, the Browns regained their footing only to lose the big game in dramatic fashion time and time again. Red Right 88. The Drive. The Fumble. Those phrases conjure tragic images for Cleveland fans.  Growing up I remember watching VHS tapes of these games over and over and hoping for a different outcome, revisiting the moment of trauma.

By the 90s the city underwent a renaissance with a new baseball stadium and the Indians became a winning team.  The 1995 squad won 100 games and the AL pennant behind a potent offense.  In 1997 they came within two outs of winning the World Series, only to blow it once again in grand Cleveland style. Many started to lose their faith.

Then the Browns left town in 1995, in perhaps the most cruel blow of all to Cleveland fans. When the Browns were revived in 1999, a comedy of errors ensued.

But there's a happy ending.

The Cavaliers won the 2003 NBA draft lottery and acquired Lebron James of Akron, already declared the chosen one by Sports Illustrated. And James did not disappoint, quickly rising to superstardom and taking the Cavs to the NBA finals in 2007.  Yet fans felt betrayed again in 2010 when Lebron left Cleveland for the Miami Heat, leading them to two world championships.

After sustaining a barrage of criticism from Clevelanders, James returned to his hometown in 2014 to make things right.  

Believeland does a great job of capturing the spirit of a city. Amazing archival footage adds an authenticity to the film.  Could the Cavalier championship mean a change of fortune? Who knows, but for many people, after June 19, 2016 the future suddenly looked much brighter.