Alex Garland embeds ‘Warfare’, Rami Malek is ‘The Amateur’, Michael Cera ‘Sacramento’ — Theatrical Release Guide for April 11
Alex Garland embeds ‘Warfare’, Rami Malek is ‘The Amateur’, Michael Cera ‘Sacramento’ — Theatrical Release Guide for April 11 from FilmsGoneWild.com
The Amateur
Starring: Rami Malek, Laurence Fishburne Directed by: James Hawes
Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office at headquarters in Langley whose life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible, his intelligence serving as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge.
Critic reviews:
It’s a promising premise—a nerdy CIA decoder (Rami Malek) turns unlikely action hero when his wife (Rachel Brosnahan) is murdered by terrorists—but the movie promises more than it delivers in terms of suspense, escalating tension and a reason for being.
– Peter Travers, ABC News
Charlie is both too savvy (when it comes to tech stuff) and too hapless (when it comes to spycraft) to fit the bill, and the film ends with more of a shrug than a revelation, or even a gut punch.
– Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times
Alex Garland embeds ‘Warfare’, Rami Malek is ‘The Amateur’, Michael Cera ‘Sacramento’ — Theatrical Release Guide for April 11
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Warfare
Starring: Joseph Quinn, Will Poulter Directed by: Alex Garland
Written and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland (Civil War, 28 Days Later), Warfare embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission gone wrong in insurgent territory. A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare and brotherhood, told like never before: in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it.
Critic reviews:
“Warfare’s” mission, should audiences choose to accept it, is 95 minutes of tension and occasional release without conventional catharsis or hooyah triumphalism.
– Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
Mendoza has crafted a taut, harrowing reenactment that initially brings to mind the adage that war can best be described as interminable boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror.
– Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
Certainly, it is hard to come away from “Warfare,” with its soldiers’ screams still ringing in your ears, and see the American military’s presence in Iraq as anything but a violent, misguided intrusion.
– Justin Chang, The New Yorker
Alex Garland embeds ‘Warfare’, Rami Malek is ‘The Amateur’, Michael Cera ‘Sacramento’ — Theatrical Release Guide for April 11
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Sacramento
Starring: Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart Directed by: Michael Angarano
Following the death of his father, energetic and free-spirited Rickey (Michael Angarano) convinces long-time friend Glenn (Michael Cera) to go on an impromptu road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento. Frustrated by Rickey’s Peter Pan complex, Glenn is encouraged by his pregnant wife Rosie (Kristen Stewart) to go on the adventure to reconnect. In the worn yellow seats of Glenn’s old college convertible, the two men confront their anxiety-ridden lives, addressing past mistakes and questioning what their futures hold.
Critic reviews:
One more screenplay draft would have been worthwhile; there are glimmers of a better version that create some optimism for Angarano’s next film.
– Nell Minow, RogerEbert.com
“Sacramento” is crisply filmed (by Ben Mullen), and it idles engagingly before shifting into gear, but it’s a half-hour short marooned in a feature-length film.
– Ty Burr, Washington Post
