The Longest Ride - C

Rated PG-13, 128 minutes
Wes's Grade: C

Handsome leads and Alda aside, the stale romance drama "The Longest Ride" sure feels like one

No matter how you spin the mildly compelling but woefully formulaic new romantic drama "The Longest Ride," you've taken a ride down this star-crossed trail of tears with Nicholas Sparks before: this is essentially "The Notebook," told cowboy-style. The movie tells the story of Luke (Scott Eastwood, Clint's doppleganger son), a former champion bull rider looking to make a comeback, and Sophia (Britt Robertson), a college student who is about to embark upon her dream job in New York City's art world. As conflicting paths and ideals test their relationship, Sophia and Luke make an unexpected and fateful connection with Ira (Alan Alda), whose memories of his own decades-long romance with his beloved wife deeply inspire the young couple. Directed by George Tillman, Jr. (of the "Barbershop" movies) and written by Craig Bolotin, based on Sparks' best-selling novel of the same name, the overlong, dull "The Longest Ride" has some touching moments and handsome leads, but is so calculated and sappy its title becomes a huge understatement (and a special note to the guys, the underlying message of the film is about making sacrifices for love-consider this one of them). Sparks has become to romance movies what Stephen King became to horror movies, and "The Longest Ride" bears the familiar Sparks formula: star-crossed, tragic lovers forced to tough decisions while looking pretty in the rain and/or dirt. Fortunately, this Sparks effort, in true "Notebook" style, is saved by the immensely charming Alda, and his backstory, featuring the lovely Oona Chaplin (Charlie's grandaughter) and "Boardwalk Empire's" Jack Huston, is much more interesting and well-acted than the stale contemporary story, which is given more screen time but still isn't all that fleshed out or interesting. Young, bland newcomers Robertson and especially Eastwood, who seems poised for stardom after this role, are easy on the eyes, likely making up for how boring and cliched their storyline is; and for the record, the movie's last contrivance (among many throughout the film), involving trusting some valuable artwork to this dopey pair, is simply ridiculous. "The Longest Ride" pulls absolutely no surprises and is mainly for Sparks' large fan base, who tend to know exactly what they're getting into. This time it just happens to be a lot of bull. 

While We're Young - B+

Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts

Rated R, 94 minutes 
Wes's Grade: B+

Honest "While We're Young" is a smart, fresh look at generation gaps

If you've ever been told to act your age, then then the organic yet entertaining new comedy "While We're Young" provides a fresh, well-acted exploration of age-appropriateness, generation gaps and ambitions. Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts are Josh and Cornelia, a childless and forties New York couple, a documentary filmmaker and his film producer wife. As their other friends are having children, Josh and Cornelia gravitates toward a young, charming hipster couple named Jamie (Adam Driver), who's an aspiring documentary filmmaker himself, and his lovely wife Darby (Amanda Seyfried). The couple feel some newfound energy with Jamie and Darby, though Josh soon discovers their new friends aren't as honest as they might seem. Directed and written by Noah Baumbach ("The Squid and the While"), "While We're Young" is an effusive, honest and well-acted dramedy that highlights our age gaps and knowing the time to really grow up (and more importantly, knowing when and if to have children), not to mention each group's motivations and approach to life and work; it's one of Baumbach's more original efforts as of late, with some great dialogue and terrific performances from all involved, especially from Stiller and "Girls" Driver, who nearly steals the movie as the charming hipster (fedoras and wing-tips with no socks) who's so disarming it hides the real prick underneath all his charm, though as Stiller's character says of him: he's not a bad person per se, he's just young. "While We're Young" also has a strong supporting cast, including veteran actor Charles Grodin (remember him from "Beethoven"?) in one of his funniest roles in years, not to mention singer Adam Horovitz, yes that Adam Horovitz of "Beastie Boys" fame, as Stiller's age appropriate best friend, and actor/real estate agent/reality star Ryan Serhant in one of the film's funniest sequences in which Josh attempts to get financing for his film. The movie rambles some near the end, and Seyfried's character is largely nonessential, but the smart "While We're Young" is still an enjoyable, relatable comedy that says some bad behavior can be pinned to age. One of Baumbach's stronger efforts of late, it's worth a look.

Coming Soon: USA Film Festival April 22-26 in Dallas TX

The 45th Annual USA Film Festival is in Dallas, Texas April 22-26 at the Angelika Dallas theater. Tickets go on sale April 8th.

Click here for more details:

http://www.usafilmfestival.com/

Cut Bank - C

Rated R, 93 minutes
Wes's Grade: C

"Cut Bank" has a great cast, but is a routine, unoriginal thriller

"Cut Bank" refers to a real-life, small Montana town that is the setting for this well-acted but derivative thriller that has a Coen brothers/"Fargo"-esque ring to it. Dwayne McLaren (Liam Hemsworth) dreams about escaping small town life in Cut Bank, Montana with his vivacious girlfriend Cassandra (Teresa Palmer). When Dwayne witnesses an awful crime involving a beloved postman (Bruce Dern), he tries to leverage a bad situation into a scheme to get rich quickly but he finds that fate and an unruly accomplice are working against him. Thrust into the middle of a police investigation spearheaded by the local sheriff (John Malkovich), everything goes from bad to worse. Directed by TV director Matt Shakman in his feature debut and written by Robert Patino, writer for the TV show "Sons of Anarchy," the crime drama "Cut Bank" (which was actually filmed in Canada and not the real-life small town it takes its title from) has a stellar ensemble cast and a nice, dark tone, but it otherwise goes through some routine, predictable paces. It's no small coincidence that several cast members, including Billy Bob Thornton, Malkovich and Michael Stuhlbarg, have Coen brothers or "Fargo" connections, with Thornton in the TV show version of the film, especially since this is essentially a less fun and unremarkable rip-off of that film. Speaking of which, "Cut Bank" could've used more of the Coen's dark humor, as well there's not a sympathetic character in the bunch, even Malkovich's pesky sheriff, and it's hard to buy into why things decide to turn violent in this small town after all these years, though Dern was fun as the cranky postman with some secrets (however, Stuhlbarg is miscast and Hemsworth too bland to carry the movie). The unoriginal "Cut Bank" is a second-rate, unremarkable thriller with a handful of decent moments, but it would've worked better on the small screen.

Furious 7 - B

Rated PG-13, 142 minutes
Wes's Grade: B

With its usual, outrageous stunts "Furious 7" is a solid yet bittersweet ride

Many thought the tragic death of actor Paul Walker would put a halt to the immensely popular "Fast and Furious" film franchise but after seeing the action-packed seventh installment, simply titled "Furious 7," you wouldn't know it. Featuring its trademark, over-the-top stunts and car chases, it's hardly anything new and while it's not the best entry in the series, it also won't disappoint its large base who are used to this type of cheesy excitement. After defeating Owen Shaw, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O'Conner (Walker) and the rest of the crew return to their normal lives again as they had wanted. However, Owen's older brother, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham, scowling), is after Dom and his crew, seeking revenge for his brother's death and putting the entire crew in danger once more. After learning of Han's death, the crew sets out to find the man who killed one of their own, before he finds them first. Directed by acclaimed horror film director James Wan (of another popular movie franchise, "Saw") and written by Chris Morgan, writer of the last few of the "Fast and Furious" films, "Furious 7" is an energetic, fun movie filled with some typical, outrageous stunts and preposterous set pieces that has made these films so popular, not to mention a bittersweet, much-talked about coda to Walker. Wan handles the action nicely, in what boils down to three main action set pieces: one in the mountains, one in Abu Dhabi and the final one in Los Angeles; unsurprisingly, everything in between is typically cheesy (including its ridiculous plotting), even for these films, and some of the gaps in filming after Walker's death seem to give it an uneven flow; on a slightly disappointing note, most of the later scenes, particularly the final one, show that stand-ins, including Walker's brothers, along with a minor dose of CGI, were used. As well, the film's mid-section in particular is problematic, with the whole Abu Dhabi section overlong and unnecessary yet still peppered with some breathtaking stunts. The mountain piece was my favorite of the three, but the final act does have a terrific fight between Diesel and Statham that is among "Furious 7's" more memorable parts. Speaking of which, for the first time, you'll likely need some tissues for a "Fast and Furious" film, as the fitting tribute to Walker, including some clips from other "F&F" films, is also a very emotional one, yet one that also allows this franchise to continue on without him. "Furious 7" isn't the best car on the "Fast and Furious" franchise lot, but it's still a decent ride, though it won't be the same without Walker.

DIFF is coming April 9-19, 2015

It's that time of year again! The Dallas International Film Festival is coming April 9-19 2015 in Dallas, Texas. More info here: http://diff2015.dallasfilm.org/. Hope to see you there!

Woman in Gold - B-

Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds

Rated PG-13, 110 minutes
Wes's Grade: B-

Mirren shines in the uneven but compelling true drama "Woman in Gold"

The compelling, slightly uneven new drama "Woman In Gold" is a well-acted, intriguing blend of art history and personal docudrama, with an heavy emphasis on the latter. Though it relies too heavily on flashbacks, the solid casting and the worthy story make "Gold" for satisfying viewing, lifting it above some its typically calculated, true-story plotting. Sixty years after she fled Vienna during World War II, an elderly Jewish woman, Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), sets out to retrieve valuable family possessions seized by the Nazis, among them Klimt's famous painting 'Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I', or known by some as "Woman in Gold." With her inexperienced yet energetic young lawyer Randy Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), she embarks upon a significant legal and personal battle that takes her back to her native Austria and the U.S. Supreme Court. Directed by "My Week With Marilyn's" Simon Curtis and written by British playwright Alexi Kaye Campbell, the entertaining, well-performed "Woman in Gold" works primarily due to another impeccable, poignant performance from Oscar-winner Mirren as the late Altmann (who died in 2011 a very wealthy woman), and even more remarkable, it works well with (or maybe in spite of) the teaming with Reynolds. Reynolds turns in another of his serviceably bland turn, who isn't necessarily miscast as much as it is baffling casting: why weren't there better actors available for the role (and he doesn't really look like the real Schoenberg, who was balding); he isn't terrible, his charming presence designed to add an odd-coupling levity to the proceedings, and it's these moments that tend to give it an uneven feel. As well, "Woman in Gold's" tends to plod along with an unnecessary reliance on flashbacks, detracting from the contemporary story; most memorable of these is a compelling turn from "Orphan Black's" Tatiana Maslany as a young Maria, who gives some heart and tenderness to a redundant backstory. Still, there are some moving, uplifting moments from the story (have tissues handy for that final, wrenching flashback when the young Maria must say goodbye to her folks) and the always sublime Mirren, whose shining confidence carries the movie on her back. "The Woman in Gold" is an above-average, well-acted true tale that would've worked even better with less flashback and more Mirren. If you want even more, check out a documentary on the same subject, titled "Adele's Wish."