Isaac's Film Reviews

Neither here nor there Film review by Isaac Handelman The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies tries simultaneously to be the culmination of The Hobbit trilogy, the missing link to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the “defining chapter” of Peter Jackson’s epic “Middle-earth saga." The result is a film that struggles to live up to its lofty ambitions. That’s more than can be said for perpetually ignored protagonist Bilbo Baggins, who has few ambitions at all during this final chapter. This time around, the titular hobbit does very little over the course of the film’s two-and-a-half-hour duration. Martin Freeman again does quite well with the material he’s given, showcasing his stellar deadpan comic delivery and ensuring that Bilbo is, far and away, the most relatable of The Hobbit ’s huge ensemble of characters. But as far as the events of the main narrative go, Bilbo is much more an observer than an active participant. The film’s scope is more confined than has...

A delectable witch's brew Film review by Isaac Handelman Disney’s Into the Woods is just the sort of eclectic, devilishly clever film that’s tailor-made for a Christmas Day release. This adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s beloved Broadway hit draws inspiration from a multitude of classic fairy-tale sources to craft a spectacularly entertaining final product greater than the sum of its disparate parts. Weaving together the tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lila Crawford), Jack (Daniel Huttlestone) and the Beanstalk and more, Woods finds a focal point in the form of the unnamed Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt). The childless couple is approached by a delightfully deranged witch (Meryl Streep), who promises them fertility in exchange for the ingredients necessary to restore her youth. And so, the couple sets off into the woods to mount their search; luckily, several fairytale characters have also ventured forth, each bearing an ingr...

Above it all? Film review by Isaac Handelman Do you think that Hollywood has been diluted by a constant stream of mindless, action-heavy blockbuster releases? Then you’ll probably be a big fan of Alejandro Inarritu’s Birdman , because it thinks so, too, and it makes no attempt to mask its bias. Birdman may not succeed entirely in delivering this argument with subtle grace, but it still serves as a wickedly funny, emotionally profound character study that’ll keep you thinking long after you leave the theater. Michael Keaton stars as Riggan Thompson, a once-famous actor renowned -- and now rejected -- for his starring role in the fictional “Birdman” superhero film series. Obsessed with rekindling the respect he once garnered, Riggan has written a more mature play for production on Broadway. Birdman calls Riggan's reality into question. What Riggan will undoubtedly succeed at is earning an Oscar nomination for Keaton, who portrays the gradual fraying of Thomson’s p...

Hungry for more Film review by Isaac Handelman Following the trend set by Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hobbit , Mockingjay is the latest literary sensation to see multiple films devoted to its adaptation. Next year’s Mockingjay - Part 2 will serve as the finale of the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, but for now we’re being treated to a consolation prize in the form of Mockingjay - Part 1 . What’s here is almost exactly what you’d expect: too little content stretched across too many minutes, rescued by the strong performances, memorable characters and high production values that we have come to expect out of the franchise. Katniss takes a return visit to District 12. Picking up right after Catching Fire , Mockingjay - Part 1 finds Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her buddies Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Plutarch (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) within the confines of the elusive District 13. Unfortunately, Katniss isn’t feeling too friendly towards her friends; ...

Larger than life Film review by Isaac Handelman In a drastic departure from the return-to-fairytale-roots of last year’s Frozen , Disney’s latest animated effort, Big Hero 6 , takes its inspiration from an obscure Marvel Comics property dating back to the late 1990s. The film’s geeky origins have been watered down to appeal to a family-oriented audience, but Big Hero 6 still packs enough charm and ingenuity to stand out as a solid Disney effort, and one that’s sure to have a wide demographic appeal. Big Hero 6 is full of characters, but the true star of the show is the setting. The bluntly named “San Fransokyo” is a gleaming metropolis that blends elements of eastern and western culture in a way that’s rarely seen. The combination of beautiful Californian vistas with Japanese urban influences makes for a refreshing change of scenery and plenty of creatively designed environments. It’s the sort of one-of-a-kind place that makes me yearn for a sequel just because I want to se...

Where no film has gone before Film review by Isaac Handelman After taking us deep into the human mind for his previous original directorial outing, Christopher Nolan has reversed course, propelling viewers to the farthest reaches of the universe in his latest “I”-word titled blockbuster. Interstellar is beyond grand; its scale is so immense that, even given its gargantuan three-hour runtime, the sheer scope of the film can be difficult to wrap one’s head around. Spanning from rural America to a mystical galaxy beyond the Milky Way, Interstellar ’s imperfections are downplayed by its astonishing ambition, breathtaking visuals, and surprising emotional sophistication. At an unidentified point in the near-future, humanity has exhausted most of Earth’s natural resources, with food and oxygen lined up as the next to go. NASA-pilot-turned-corn-farmer Cooper (McConaughey) is soon guided back to his career roots, employed by Dr. Brand (Caine) of NASA to lead a mission through...