Tuesday Releases: Now You See Me & The Iceman

September 3, 2013 / Leave a Comment

SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2013

THE ICEMAN // Michael Shannon is irrevocably one of the best actors of his generation, nailing his nuanced performances in every role that he takes. “The Iceman” is no different. With a harden face and killer glare, Shannon plays real life contract killer Richard Kuklinski and from the family man to the murdering man, you believe Shannon in this role. “The Iceman” also carries some other unexpected performances, especially from Winona Ryder, who looks better than ever, as well as Chris Evans, who delivers another highlight performance. Although the film trudges on with little direction and a been-here-done-that mentality, Michael Shannon gives this film the punctuation that it needs and becomes more of a character study than a thrilling drama.

NowYouSeeMe-header

NOW YOU SEE ME // “Now You See Me” takes you for a ride. Whether its a ride without bumps is up to your interpretation. Bringing together four magicians known as the Four Horsemen, who unveil a three act, three location show turn out to be very success bank robbers. Using the basic principles of magic, we are treated to an “Oceans 11” model for slight of hand and misdirection to rob high end banks. Where the film does succeed is in assembling a well-trained team of actors who carry their roles to new heights. Jesse Eisenberg steps up as the clear front-runner, taking a majority of the memorable lines and screen-time. His comfort in the cocky role makes him stand out and breaks him out of his previous typecast (helped mostly by his role in “The Social Network”). Isla Fisher is hardly allowed to develop, although she too steps into an uncommon role for herself, but is gorgeous and sweet enough to still grab your attention. Woody Harrelson is kept at bay most of the film, except for a few moments where he’s allowed to shine. Mark Ruffalo and Melanie Laurent also make a great team as the officers chasing down the Horsemen. Add in Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine, and this cast is so well rounded, it rivals most blockbuster films this summer. Now, where the film loses steam is in its presentation and its relying on paper thin plot points. A film about magic could do a much better job at presenting more of a reality rather than relying on digital effects. Had the film used more practicals in its magic, I would have been more impressed, but since you can do absolutely anything with CGI, there’s little incentive to believe this could actually happen. With that, the plot falls a bit thin, and although it entertains throughout, keeping you guessing until the end, the character’s motives are rather weak and their end goal is abstract, leaving the audience wondering why the means justify the end. As with most films that rely on a huge twist, “Now You See Me” is only a fresh new film once and will be slightly less entertaining the second time through. That being said, Louis Leterrier does a fantastic job entertaining and allows this star-studded cast to completely sell this film.

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