So-so ‘Ant-Man’ should especially appeal to pre-high school kids
By Steve CrumAnt-Man will appeal mostly to ant-people. Translated: children. Factor in fans of Paul Rudd and Marvel superheroes, and you could have a box office community picnic. (Sorry, I’ll try to contain any more ant references.) That also translates to family viewers, since kids are involved. Those who either do not have kids or are high school age and above should be leery of Ant-Man. Besides its slow pacing, the movie’s predictable plot could be excruciating for adults. Considering the target audience, the 117-minute running time should have been pared way down.
However, and this is a huge however, star Paul Rudd also contributed dozens of funny lines to help spice up the story and turn Ant-Man into something more like a comedy-superhero flick. That would make the movie either a comero or a supedy. The laughs are appreciated and much needed, particularly during the non-action sequences where too often there are lengthy explanatory speeches delivered by Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym character. Digital effects, such as numerous shrinkings and miniaturized action among an army of ants, are impressive. Truthfully, I was just as impressed, maybe even more, with the non-digital miniatures in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids—26 years ago.
Director Peyton Reed (The Break-Up) and his screen scribes (Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay, and Paul Rudd) have taken a relatively minor Marvel comic book superhero, Ant-Man, and launched him toward either his own franchised movie series or as another teammate of The Avengers in that franchise’s future films. (Not to go ballistic spoiler, but stick around during and after the end credits.) IF this Ant-Man kills at the box office, then both choices are possible. I understand that Ant-Man comic book fans (I am not one of them) already know what the Marvel future holds in this regard.
Regarding Ant-Man’s predictable plot, we get a deranged scientist who has his eyes on monetary profit and earth’s dominance (Corey Stoll as Darren Cross/Yellowjacket). Factor in Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), whose miniaturizing technique has been stolen by the evil Cross. Enter Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang, an ex-con (for burglary) recruited by Pym to wear his Ant-Man suit to organize actual ants to help defeat Cross. Later in the film, Cross dons his own suit, that of the imposing Yellowjacket. 
As a turn on most superhero movies, Lang has an ex-wife, Maggie (Judy Greer) and young daughter. Maggie has married a policeman (Bobby Cannavale), which adds a unique layer to the storyline. To balance the love subplot, there is Pym’s scientist daughter, the unmarried Hope (Evangeline Lilly). Well, Lang is single now, so….
A definite plus of Ant-Man, outside of some clever action sequences, is Michael Peña’s funny Luis. A former cellmate of Scott Lang, Luis joins the Lang-Pym team as comrade-at-arms and sidekick-comedy relief. Ant-Man is highlighted by bursts of fun special effects (thousands of ants and miniaturizing sequences) and tame violence.
Addendum: I confess that throughout Ant-Man I was looking for Marvel comics guru Stan Lee (who always appears in cameo during a Marvel movie) to pop up as a cricket.
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GRADE: On an A to F scale: C+
‘Jurassic World’ terrifies with squirm in your seat fun
By Steve CrumBeing a huge Jurassic Park film fan, I was very excited about Jurassic World, the impatiently awaited fourth installment to the dinosaur franchise. Fellow enthusiasts, prepare for a towering T-rex, calculating raptors, and much more. Jurassic World is just what the pterodactyl ordered.
The film succeeds, despite the gamble this is the second time a Jurassic Park work has not been directed by its mentor, Steven Spielberg. (Joe Johnston helmed the third one.) That is no slight to World director Colin Trevorrow, whose major stylistic difference is the near absence of take-a-breath time between numerous heart-pounding action sequences. The only flaw is pretty much unavoidable in that everything is highly predictable.
We know, we expect, we savor man-eating creatures breaking loose from their caged confines and preying upon any nearby human. We also know the humans will fight back and eventually win. The fact the CGI dinosaurs appear absolutely real is also a given expectation. The basic plot structure was set in 1993 with the first film, Jurassic Park, and copycatted through its sequels, The Lost World (1997) and III (2001).
Michael Crichton’s 1990 best selling novel, Jurassic Park, formed the template, so why mess with huge profits? It worked in the book, the first three versions, and it works with World. It has also worked via comic books and video games. Expectation is everything, folks, which is why there are so many movie sequels down the pike.
As we learned in the previous three films, business profiteers are the root of all murderous problems. If they don’t directly cause mayhem, they trigger its occurrence.Wherein the genetically engineered dinosaurs were created by visionary John Hammond for the sake of scientific as well as public observation, there is always some corporation out there scheming to exploit the creatures to turn big bucks. With Jurassic World, logically set 22 years after the first movie, big business has finally taken over the remote dinosaur island, and packaged it as a Disneyland-like zoo for big budgeted families. Jurassic World is the theme park’s name. Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) runs a hands-on show as CEO of the Masrani Corporation owners. 
Enter Owen Grady, a Velociprator trainer, who lives pretty much independently on the island, outside the zoo area. Chris Pratt portrays Grady, and this is the first time we have seen Pratt in a role virtually absent of any humor. Nonetheless, Pratt realistically personifies the hero. 
Bryce Dallas Howard is Claire Dearing, the prim, all about business park operations manager who has to deal with the obstinate Grady, two visiting nephews, and an internal struggle for power. Add an uncontrollable, hybrid dinosaur known as Indominus rex, sporting multiple breeds of dinosaur genes, and a humongous sea creature that does dolphin theatrics to thrill the JW crowds. Oh yes, there are also birds…dirty, lousy, stinkin’ birds—big ones that like tourists for snacks. And all is displayed in very effective 3D.
It is obvious by the end of Jurassic World that in no way will another sequel occur. Pause. Reword. Due to the huge profits Jurassic World will undoubtedly rake in, in every way another sequel will occur. I’ll be first in line.
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GRADE on an A-F Scale: B+
Jason Patric prefers indie films
This Jason Patric piece appeared in The Kansas City Kansan, Nov. 21, 2003. Since that time Patric has appeared in 20 movies, including his role as Jim Bowie in 2004’s “The Alamo,” and Lt. Kirklander in “In the Valley of Elah” (2007). It is no surprise that most of the 20 are indies.
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By Steve CrumJason Patric is prepped to talk. It is Thursday, Nov. 14—the Kansas City map dot on a multi-dot promotional tour for this star’s movie, Narc, which opens in several weeks, Jan. 10.
The star whose career really began 15 years ago as the endangered teen amongst vampire buddies in The Lost Boys sits in a private dining area in the Plaza’s Fairmont Hotel. At 36, Patric barely resembles his role as Narc’s haggard and beleaguered undercover cop, Nick Tellis. His beard is shadow faint now, fashionable.
An actor who prefers roles in small budget, independently produced films, he was drawn to Narc.An “indie” from the get-go, it became big time after industry buzz and Tom Cruise’s championing attracted Paramount/Lions Gate to distribute.
These 30 minutes with Patric are mainly about the business of Narc. Unmentionable is any reference to his late grandfather, TV’s “Great One,” Jackie Gleason. He has said his grandfather was never a part of this growing up. And stay away from the time he ran off with Julia Roberts on the eve of her marriage to his pal Kiefer Sutherland. Verboten. Patric is now attached to super model Christy Turlington. Although his late dad, actor-playwright Jason Miller, star of The Exorcist, was a writer most his life, the son has no such aspirations.
Patric does talk about his sporadic film career peppered with little known independent titles (3 Days of Rain, Denial), a TV movie (Geronimo: An American Legend), and Hollywood product (Your Friends & Neighbors, Rush, Sleepers). Little is said of his star spot in the poorly received Speed 2: Cruise Control. “1997 was a bad year,” he recalls. “There were Sleepers, Incognito, and Speed 2.” He then chose to produce and star in 1998’s Your Friends & Neighbors. “I enjoyed the production end, but it takes a lot of time.” A half smile. “But it’s worth it.”
In the beginning, circa 1987, he was cast with fellow teens Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim, and Corey Feldman in a tale of urban vampirism, The Lost Boys.“I never made the Brat Pack movies after that,” he says, even though he had every opportunity to follow his colleagues. Movies like License to Drive and Young Guns were typical for them. Instead he chose movie roles like the Afghan tank driver in The Beast, the kind of film that artistically satisfies Patric.
Along came Narc with an economical location shoot in Ontario, substituting for Detroit. “It was shot in 28 days,” Patric says. “The budget allowed the launching of some careers.” One hopeful is rapper Busta Rhymes, who plays a drug dealer.
After the low budget Narc wrapped, Patric and co-star Ray Liotta knew they were part of a superior crime drama, and got caught up in the word-of-mouth publicity snowball that led to major studio backing.
As for his Nick Tellis, the gritty undercover cop/harried family man: “My character is haunted by something he cannot get away from” Actors often draw characterization from experience. “I know a cop in New York,” Patric says, “and I know about the men who are thrust in this situation.” In the film, Patric’s Tellis teams with Liotta’s Henry Oak to solve the murder of a fellow narcotics policeman. The future looks like more indie movies for Jason Patric. “Larger movies have a mainstream audience to be fed,” he says. He prefers the opposite. “In independents, (as an actor) you project yourself upon them, so you are or you know one of those characters.”
‘True Story’ needs more action, pacing—truly
By Steve CrumTrue enough that there is plentiful cat-and-mouse interplay between the two leads, that the movie is based a truth-inspired memoir, and that a compelling plot line hooks the viewer pretty much throughout. But the truth of True Story’s failing lies is in its pacing and character development. Casting a limited actor like Jonah Hill in one of the two leading roles does not help elevate the film above C level.
As refreshing as it is not to see a comic book, slam-banger movie this close to summer releases, the talky True Story could use some movement. Adapting it as a stage play seems more plausible.
That said, True Story’s director, Rupert Goold, teamed with David Kajganich to adapt Michael Finkel’s best selling book into an intriguing screenplay. This is Goold’s first feature film after helming a smattering of PBS-TV Masterpiece Theatres. At the story’s outset, Finkel (Hill) is covering a human interest story in Africa about the slave trade. The story is lauded and featured on his paper’s front page, the tenth time his stories have achieved New York Times cover status over the last three years. Finkel and his wife, Jill (Felicity Jones), enjoy a comfortable life outside the city.
Then complications ensue as hell breaks loose. Christian Longo, creepily and believably portrayed by James Franco, is arrested in Mexico. Longo has been on the lam since his wife and three small children were found brutally murdered. The twist is he has been hiding out by using the name Michael Finkel.
Concurrently, the real Finkel is fired from his job for falsifying his African story. Soon after, Finkel learns of his namesake’s activities. It does not take long for him to visit Longo at prison with the hope of writing a book recounting the heinous murders. It echoes Truman Capote, but with a same-name angle. However, Longo has other ideas which jeopardize the credibility of the already disgraced Finkel. James Franco really carries the film as the questionable suspect, while Hill’s Finkel comes across as naive and witless—so out of character for a guy who was once a major journalist with the country’s top newspaper.
Mentioning Felicity Jones as Mrs. Finkel is hardly worth a sentence since her role is pretty much nondescript, except for pouting her lips.
Jonah Hill deserves a plus for stretching his screen persona from daffy teen airhead (21 Jump Street; Superbad) to two Oscar nominations (Moneyball; The Wolf of Wall Street). True Story is a very serious film, and Hill gives it his best. But maybe it is a loft out of his reach since this time he is one of the two stars, not a supporting actor. Throughout he seems to carry the same impassive look.Releasing True Story now is timely in lieu of reporting scandals over the past months by Rolling Stone magazine as well as NBC’s Brian Williams.
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GRADE on A to F Scale: C
Shirley Jones: DO throw bouquets at her
This interview with the renowned singer/actress/Oscar winner, Shirley Jones, was published in the Kansas City Kansan on Sept. 18, 2002. It won a First Place plaque for Best Entertainment story from the Kansas City Press Club’s Heart of America 2003 Excellence in Journalism. I could not have accomplished such without the gracious Shirley Jones.
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By Steve CrumLife is still a carousel for Shirley Jones.
At 68 young years, the silver-haired diva and Oscar winner (Elmer Gantry) sang to an appreciative 500 last Friday evening. Harrah’s Casino in North Kansas City hosted the private one-hour concert that ran the Broadway showstopper gamut. Billed as “An Evening With Rodgers and Hammerstein,” it was that and more.
Medleys from Jones’ hit movie musicals The Music Man, Oklahoma!, and Carousel were sandwiched around less heard renditions of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” and classic film songs “As Time Goes By,” “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man,” and the Al Jolson and Judy Garland mainstay, “You Made Me Love You.” Her semi-operatic soprano never sounded better—and why is that surprising?
Dressed in a poured-into, red-sequined, high-slitted show gown, the forever Mrs. Partridge never looked better either. No, no…must not hit on David Cassidy’s stepmom. Besides, she’s still—at present—married to Marty Ingels, and they have had well publicized marital ups and downs over the years. Following a knock-out closing with the emotional ”You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Jones sat for greetings and autographs for nearly 45 minutes. Poorly set air conditioning prompted her manager to wrap a shawl around her shoulders.Then it was my turn. Shirley’s half-filled martini glass, another warmth aide, was placed near me in preparation for her interview seating. My few minutes alone with Shirley Jones were interesting, revealing, and most charming.
“It is perfect for my voice,” Shirley reasons as to why she continues to use Rodgers and Hammerstein music as a centerpiece for her performances.
It all began, she recalls, when she auditioned for none other than Richard Rodgers himself for a role in the original Mary Martin Broadway cast of South Pacific, back in the late 1940’s. The former Shirley Mae Jones of Charleroi, Pennsylvania was immediately cast as one of the Navy nurses.
A screen test at 20th Century Fox followed, and Jones’ mini whirlwind of film musical stardom began in 1955. She was Laurey in Oklahoma! and Julie in Carousel (1956), both Rodgers and Hammerstein scored. And she was paired with her idol, Gordon MacRae. “My very favorite show,” she beams, “is Carousel.”
A little known fact is that both films were shot in two different versions—one in Cinemascope and one in Todd-AO. That meant double filming for everyone involved, prompting Frank Sinatra, who was originally signed as Carousel’s Billy Bigelow, to bail out.
Jones explains: “The story goes that Sinatra arrived on the set for the first day’s filming, found out about the double-filming, and promptly got back into his limousine, saying, ‘No way!’ Sinatra was a one-take guy as it was.” Enter replacement Gordon MacRae, her co-star in Oklahoma!…and movie history was made.
“Sinatra and I had already done all the pre-recorded songs too,” said Jones. So what happened to those Sinatra-Jones recordings? “We have looked for them for years,” she laments. “They are apparently lost forever.”A year after Carousel, Jones was paired with pop singer Pat Boone for April Love. Then movie musicals gasped for air. Their era had mostly passed. Shirley Jones had to adapt. In 1960, she adapted superbly to straight drama.
“I owe it to Burt Lancaster who fought to have me cast in Elmer Gantry,” Jones said. She won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her role as prostitute Lulu Bains. For the next 40 years, she would star in over 50 movies, both theatrical and made-for-TV, as well as TV sitcoms Shirley and The Partridge Family, the latter co-starring the stepson from her marriage to singer Jack Cassidy, David. The secret of The Partridge Family’s lasting success in reruns? “Family,” she answers. “Even though we were a family on the road, and I was unmarried, we were happy and loved each other…and we were the first series to feature a single mother.”
Her life would include charitable work, community projects, book writing, and fitness videos (she is in) as well.
Always there have been the concerts, like the Harrah’s tour she is on now. Next month, in October, look for her on PBS stations in a solo concert of Broadway songs, as well as a Kennedy Center evening of show tunes, hosted by Shirley, and featuring legendary talents like John Raitt and Howard Keel. Raitt, the original Billy in the stage Carousel, will duet “If I Love You” for the first time with Shirley Jones.
Then there is Shirley’s movie career. She is getting great notices for her performance in Manna From Heaven, now playing. Next year, her first horror film, Bloodhead, opens. She is still filming another departure, that of “Crazy Aunt Sis,” in Bathroom Boy. Her part is that of a “tobacco spitting, trailer park owner.”
Four decades back, in 1962, Shirley Jones wowed at the lily-pure Marian the Librarian in what she calls “a true American class, The Music Man.” Months of filming was about to begin, she recalls, when she was told of her pregnancy. “I reluctantly told the director, Morton DaCosta, who was stunned,” she smiles. “He ordered, ‘Whatever you do, don’t let anyone know!’”
So they both kept the secret as the weeks and months passed. As her waistline expanded, DaCosta ordered special dresses adorned with large bows and such as coverups.“By the time the final scene on the bridge with Robert Preston was shot,” Jones muses, “I was pretty large. Robert took me in his arms, closely embracing me, ready for a tender kiss, when…suddenly, he literally jumped backwards a foot. He yelled, ‘What the hell was that?’ I answered, ‘That was Patrick Cassidy!’ He, of course, didn’t know I was expecting. Years later, when Patrick was grown, he was thrilled to meet Robert Preston in his dressing room one evening. As he held out his hand for a shake, saying, ‘I’m Patrick Cassidy,’ Preston immediately jerked his hand away, and jumped backwards, shouting, ‘I know, I know! We met already!’”
Shirley, you jest.