"Insurgent"

The second installment in the "Divergent" series, directed by a new director, Robert Schwentke ("RED"), picks up after the conclusion of "Divergent."

Tris (Shailene Woodley, “The Descendants”) and Four (Theo James), as divergents, now hunted and on the run after the decimation of the Abgenation faction, concocted by the ruthless leader of Erudite, Jeanine (Kate Winslet).  They’re accompanied by Tris’ brother, Caleb (Ansel Elgort), and her frenemy, Peter (Miles Teller).  The latter brings some well-needed humor in the bleak story.

In a dystopian society that is divided into five factions based on virtues (Abgenation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite), Jeanine sees Erudite as the fittest to take over the government and keep the peace.  Words have gotten out, however, that the coup was led by divergents, which make Tris and company fugitives.  They’re able to seek a sanctuary temporarily in Amity, until the land is swarmed by the Dauntless turncoats, loyal to Jeanine.

Caleb and Peter choose sides, although not without twists.  Tris and Four outrun armored tanks and gun fires and make a daring escape, hopping on a fast-moving freight train.  They run into Factionless and are forced into fierce hand-to-hand combats.  They finally end up in the Factionless headquarters and met by its leader, Evelyn (Naomi Watts, "The Impossible"), who has a history with Four. Whereas divergents are those who fit into more than one faction, factionless people are those who do not fit into any faction.  Four wants nothing to do with Evelyn (although it doesn’t last long) and traipses over to Candor to reunite with the rest of the Dauntless currently sheltered there.

Being known fugitives, Candor isn’t easily accepting and wish to turn Tris and Four over to the Council.  But when the truth serum is administered, deepest fears and painful truths are exposed and come to light.  It’s agonizing to see Tris’ suffering from the all-consuming loss, grief and guilt from losing her parents and best friend in the attack, her anger to avenge, and her dread that those who get close to her would die.

At Erudite, Jeanine shows a mystery box thought to contain message from the factions’ founders about the future of humans’ existence.  Divergents are not fitting into society and therefore she believes that they pose a threat and must be eradicated.  The irony is that the box can only be opened by a 'true' divergent, one that can pass all five factions’ tests.  And Tris, not surprisingly, is the chosen one.  Jeanine would stop at nothing to get her, including killing innocents.  Winslet and Woodley play out their characters’ antagonistic relationship well.

Tris, at her own volition, chooses to take the tests to end the killing. Each test is a potentially fatal simulation, testing how a divergent would take control or get out of a deadly situation using the dominant attribute of each faction.  

The simulations are surrealistically well-done. Characters and graphics are integrated seamlessly that while you’re intellectually aware they’re not real, they feel frighteningly real. Burning house floating over a city in ruin, skyscrapers crumble, people disintegrate into fragments, with Tris leaping, falling, running, tossing, tumbling, crushing, sliding and escaping – deciding which one is simulated and which one is real, trying to survive or save the ones she cares about.  The ultimate test is one where she has to face herself, accept what is, and leave the past behind.

“Insurgent” doesn’t delve much into the lives of the other characters that are part of the story or their connection to the main characters.  It moves fast from one action scene to another and the film feels cold as a whole.  But when the box finally opens and the message is delivered, it is indeed about the survival of mankind, except the message is not what has been propagated to the masses.  The storyline actually makes sense and that’s what helps the movie surge forward with hope and anticipation.

Humanity unites and “Insurgent” ends on a promising note of what’s to come in the horizon. “Allegiant: Part I” will be released in 2016.

http://tinyurl.com/insurgentbook

"Cinderella"

From 2/26/15 press screening:

It's every little girl's fantasy. Being a princess. And among all the princesses, Cinderella is arguably the fairest of them all.

Director Kenneth Branagh (“Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,” “Thor”) took reign of adapting this timeless tale, “Cinderella.” Unlike the reinvention of the last several adaptations, which edges on the darker side, such as “Snow White and The Huntsman” and “Into the Woods,” or leans towards modern feminism in “Frozen” and “Maleficent,” “Cinderella” is a straightforward retelling of the classic, although it's not without surprising gems.

The story begins with a little girl named Ella (Lily James), who lives in a stately estate in a sunlit forest. Deeply loved and cherished by her parents, she has a golden childhood.  Before her mother (Hayley Atwell, “Captain America:The First Avenger”) passes due to illness, she imparts upon her young daughter to “have courage and be kind.” Ella grows up and continues to have a loving relationship with her father (Ben Chaplin) , a worldly merchant. The mansion is elegantly and artfully decorated with paintings, statues, tapestries, brocades and other craft items from his travels abroad.

Things start to change when Ella's father brings home a new stepmother, Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett, “Hanna”) with her two daughters (Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera). Blanchett looks like she's having a ball, vamping up the role with style and malice. Ella's life becomes unbearable after her father dies and her sinister stepmother and snobbish stepsisters took full control. She's relegated to being a servant, sleeping in a dusty attic, serving their every need on hand and foot, and poorly treated in general. She's nicknamed Cinderella (from Cinder-Ella), since her face is often plastered with ash. While sorrowful, Ella continues to show kindness and takes joy in simple things, like friendship with her animated mice companions.

One day Ella rides into the forest to escape from her misery, she has a run-in with a handsome young man (Richard Madden), who unbeknownst to her, is Prince Charming. The down-to-earth prince is instantly enraptured by her spirit, beauty and goodness. They part ways without knowing each other's identity. 

Majestic views of the coastal kingdom, nestled among verdant mountains, will take your breath away.  Back at the castle, the prince is pushed by his father (Derek Jacobi) and adviser (Stellan Skarsgard) to find a princess and marry for the sake of the kingdom. A kingdom needs stability, which means a suitable, political marriage and an heir. The prince seizes the opportunity to hold a royal ball and open the invitations to every maiden in the land, with the hope of finding the mystery girl who has captured his heart. At his deathbed, the king wises up and gives his blessing for his son to marry for love. It's a tender exchange mirroring Ella's final scene with her mother.

While in despair for not being able to attend the royal ball, fairy godmother, gleefully played by Helena Bonham Carter (“Les Miserables,” "The King's Speech") makes her presence known to Cinderella, after initially testing her for kindness. The fairy magic does wonders. It's magical to see Cinderella transform, twirl and glow in the shimmery ball gown and sparkling glass slippers. And the rest is a delightful treat because of the gradual transmutations where you can still see partial semblance to the original forms. From pumpkin turning carriage, mice into horses, goose into coachman, lizards into footmen, and back to their origins. 

At the entrance of the ballroom, Cinderella glides through the staircase and sparkles among a sea of colors as the belle of the ball. She enchants everyone's attention, especially the prince's, who asks her for a dance. They only have eyes for each other and gracefully dance. They step out and talk, and while Cinderella is now aware of the identity of the man she met in the forest, the prince is still in the dark. 

True to the original, Cinderella dashes before the clock strikes midnight and accidentally slips out of one of her glass slippers. The prince vows to find her and orders a kingdom-wide search. The right maiden who will fit into the slipper.  He's smart enough to know there may be forces against him and takes precaution to ensure that the searches would be thorough and fair. 

Lady Tremaine eventually finds out that Cinderella was the "mystery princess." She makes a wicked offer to take advantage of Cinderella's position, one that she could easily accept as a way out, but promptly refuses. She then makes a last-ditch effort to lock Cinderella in the attic and hide her from sight. Love, of course, finds a way, and Cinderella is reunited with her prince. For an old-fashioned story, it ends with an empowering message to speak your mind, stay true to yourself and have the courage to do the right thing. James is excellent throughout; she not only radiates Cinderella's humility, pure-heartedness and innocence, but she also carries her with poise and confidence.

Lushly gorgeous and opulently vibrant, “Cinderella” is so earnest and charming that you'll be swept away in the dreamy fairy-tale romance and magic of happily ever-after.

https://www.thecoastnews.com/film-review-cinderella-is-right-fit-for-happily-ever-after/

DVD (animation): https://tinyurl.com/cinderellaoriginaldvd
DVD (2015): https://tinyurl.com/cinderelladvd2015
Blu-ray (2015): https://tinyurl.com/cinderellabluray