Take in dinosaurs in a lost park, Bacon in a ‘Cop Car’
“Jurassic World”
Steven Spielberg directs a lot of great action films because he knows the balance between cutting-edge effects and tension-filled scenes, but most importantly, he takes time with his characters and makes us like them. Now Spielberg takes a producer role in this dino franchise and gives the director chair to Colin Trevorrow (“Safety Not Guaranteed”), and Trevorrow must’ve taken notes. This big budget blockbuster is built from the heart up, and the cast feels handpicked to deliver the earnest goods. Chris Pratt’s sweetness makes him a guy we can root for in not only this franchise, but also as a superhero in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Bryce Dallas Howard has a sense of vulnerability and strength. Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson keep the childhood wonder/heartbreak alive in the story. Jake Johnson adds comic relief. Vincent D'Onofrio and BD Wong add a bit of villainy. Trevorrow already got the nod for another “Jurassic” sequel. He’s also landed “Star Wars: Episode IX” to his schedule. It seems he’s found a balance between the referential treatment to the original material while not being afraid to move into new territory – worth a watch.
“Paper Towns”
The novels of John Green are crafted for book-to-film conversion. They’re coming of age stories. The lead characters are quirky – a little geeky, a lot adventurous. Casting seems to be the key. In Green’s first adaptation “The Fault in Our Stars,” the chemistry of Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort pushed the depressing content forward. For this one, Nat Wolff (who was also in “The Fault in Our Stars”) takes the lead as a high school senior chasing his mysterious, life-long crush, Margo, played by fashion model Cara Delevigne. Wolff and Delevigne’s chemistry aren’t sparks and gunpowder kegs. It’s more like matches and sparklers. Writers Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber hack up Green’s novel quite a bit, leaving out some vital information for fans. (They also adapted “The Fault in Our Stars.”) Director Jake Schreier wasn’t able to create the same magic he conquered on 2012’s “Robot & Frank.” Let’s hope the next Green adaptation on the horizon, “Looking for Alaska,” has a brighter future, because this one is paper thin in comparison to past efforts – pass.
“Cop Car”
For most of this movie, Kevin Bacon chases two young boys (Hays Wellford and James Freedson-Jackson) in his stolen cop car. Bacon sizzles with foulness. The boys act like typical twelve-year-old boys. They argue. They laugh. They test out cuss words. They steal a police car. This plot is not your usual thriller, but there’s plenty of suspense in its 88 minutes. Writer/director Jon Watts develops characters naturally and allows the story to tell itself without being jammed down your throat. The twists and turns are hard and fast, but the backstory rolls out in subtle ways. It makes sense that Watts got the greenlight to helm the Spider-Man reboot for Marvel Universe – Spidey gets younger in an out-of-control world. Watt proves here he can do a lot with a simple story and a small budget – worth a watch.
This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 7:25 PM with the headline "Take in dinosaurs in a lost park, Bacon in a ‘Cop Car’."