“Presence”

(Drama/Thriller: 1 hour, 25 minutes)

Starring: Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday and West Mulholland

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Rated: R (Violence, drug content, strong language, sexuality and teen drinking.)

Movie Review:

“Presence” is a movie by Steven Soderbergh, for which he also serves as cinematographer. It has an interesting screenplay that many call a psychological horror. It has plenty of clever technical concepts but few jump scares. However, this movie has a short runtime of uneven storytelling by writer David Koepp.

About two and a half minutes are spent showing camera angles from a first-person point of view before audiences ever have a chance to meet the Payne Family: Rebecca (Liu), Chris (Sullivan), and their children Tyler (Maday) and Chloe (Liang). They live in a very old and large house. Like any other family, they have problems, but they are working through them. Matters change when they discover a presence in the house, a voyeuristic apparition.

“Presence” is interesting because its cinematography consists of point-of-view shots from the presence’s perspective in a series of long takes. The audience becomes the presence haunting this suburban home, making the movie more intimate.

Yet, the story does not always make sense. This is mainly because the ghost in this story does not always have consistent actions. This being can trash a room and knock a cup off a table to save someone, but it avoids directly attacking a person about to kill someone. It runs for help instead. The being’s actions appear illogical, and the Payne Family’s ability to acquiesce to the presence in their home is too instant. Plus, nothing cerebral exists here that gives you a chance to care about The Payne Family.

Stephen Soderbergh is a talented director. His notables are “Traffic” and “Erin Brockovich.” Both debuted in 2000 and garnered Soderbergh Best Director Oscar nominations in 2001, which he won for “Traffic.” His style of moviemaking is impressive, yet “Presence” is marred by an inconsistent narrative and superfluous, enigmatic material. Koepp want audiences to see something unseen while not providing enough information to understand their plot fully.

Grade: B- (Your presence is welcomed even if in limbo.)

“Flight Risk”

(Thriller: 1 hour, 31 minutes)

Starring: Michelle Dockery, Mark Wahlberg and Topher Grace

Director: Mel Gibson

Rated: R (Violence and language)

Movie Review:

“Flight Risk” is directed by Mel Gibson. It is good to see him behind the camera again. Here, he creates a stereotypical popcorn flick. The story may not make sense with characters’ repetitive actions, but the characters are irritatingly entertaining, so one must see how their story ends. This flight has onboard entertainment, but passengers may want to travel via other means.

In a remote part of Alaska, United States Marshal Madolyn Harris (Dockery) is transporting a fugitive Winston (Grace), an accountant who has agreed to testify against mob boss Moretti. Their only way to arrive at their destination is to take a cargo plane to Anchorage. They board a small plane with a southerner with a deep accent, pilot Daryl Booth, an over-portrayal by Mark Wahlberg. Soon, Harris and Winston realize their pilot is not who he presumes to be. He is also an assassin determined to stop Winston from making it to court.

This cast is a small one. We mainly observe three people until the very end, Harris, Booth and Winston. Audiences hear other voices from the cockpit’s communications systems, but most of the movie features amusing B-movie acting from its three lead actors.

The characters do not always do the right thing in this movie. Their actions are brainless fun but irritating. However, if a movie’s characters inspire one to yell at their actions, the movie cannot be all bad as it is at least engaging. Of course, this notion means it cannot be all good either.

Grade: C+ (“Flight Risk” is risky but delivers for those wanting only entertainment minus wit.)

“Hard Truths”

(Drama: 1 hour, 37 minutes)

Starring: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin, David Webber and Tuwaine Barrett

Director: Mike Leigh

Rated: R (Language)

Movie Review:

“Hard Truths” amuses by showcasing a woman who constantly complains. That woman is Pansy, played excellently by the always impressive Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Despite the character’s annoying qualities, she is absorbing. Director-writer Mike Leigh (“Secrets & Lies,” 1996; “Vera Drake,” 2004) returns to cinema with a screenplay that explores the tragic side of a woman’s psychological isolationism.

Pansy is chronically depressed. She is also claustrophobic, a hypochondriac and suffers from biophobia, an aversion to nature. She has petty arguments with a furniture salesperson, people in a grocery store line and even with a stranger in a parking lot that resorts to a vulgar shouting match containing threats. She constantly berates her son and ignores her husband. The two men avoid her mostly, although they are equally in a melancholic state similar to Pansy.

Pansy can complain about anything, including why babies do not need pockets on their clothes. She elaborates in a scene, “What’s a baby got pockets for? What’s it going to keep in its pocket?”

Pansy’s sister Chantelle is just the opposite. She seems to be constantly happy as are her daughters Kayla (Ani Nelson) and Aleisha (Brown). Chantelle is Pansy’s confidant, but Chantelle tells her sister, “I don’t understand you, but I love you.”

That familial bond between the women sustains the movie. Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin, who worked with Mike Leigh in “Secrets & Lies” are a charming, talented pairing.

“Hard Truths” has some light moments of humor. but it is really a drama about one lady’s reluctance to find happiness in anything. Pansy constantly tells those around her she is tired. It is almost as if she is ready for death but not wanting to die. At this point, her complaining becomes a cry for help, and Jean-Baptiste’s portrayal of her generates sympathy for her situation.

Grade: B (A hard truth: This good movie deserves plenty of attention.)

“Inheritance”

(Thriller: 1 hour, 41 minutes)

Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Rhys Ifans and Kersti Bryan

Director: Neil Burger

Rated: R (Language and sexual content/nudity.)

Movie Review:

“Inheritance” has mild action for suspense, yet it offers more than enough to make it worthy. It is not your typical espionage photoplay, so no double-crossing agents appear. It remains an adequate conflict between a daughter and her estranged father.

At her mother’s funeral, Maya (Dynevor) reencounters her father Samuel Robertson (Ifans). He tells Maya that she can make a lot of money assisting him overseas with a work assignment, a quick job that will not take much time. Once there, the young lady is faced with a major dilemma when she receives a call that her father has been kidnapped, and she must deliver an item of his if she wants to see him alive.

Neil Burger (“The Illusionist,” 2006) filmed “Inheritance” on an iPhone. It is a subtle espionage movie. No James Bond-type characters nor grandiose stunts exist here. The familial connections — or lack thereof — form the basis of this movie. Maya, played nicely by Dynevor, must determine what is true and decide on what is good for her, her father and government secrets.

Inheritance starts sluggishly but quickly rebounds to be a suspenseful movie although the thrills are mild. Even more, the narrative concludes unexpectedly, and it is at the end that the title makes sense.

Grade: B- (The inheritance is enough to appreciate.)

“Brave the Dark”

(Drama: 1 hour, 52 minutes)

Starring: Nicholas Hamilton, Jared Harris and Sasha Bhasin

Director: Damian Harris

Rated: PG-13 (Domestic violence/bloody images, suicide, strong language, teen drinking, drug material and smoking.)

Movie Review:

Based on actual events, “Brave the Dark” pleasantly showcases the work good teachers do often or in this case, the work of one man. Writing as an educator, teachers do more than just stand in a classroom and talk and instruct. Often, they spend their own funds and go out of their way for other people’s children. Teachers are the first, first responders.

This drama happens during the 1986-1987 school year in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is about Stanley Deen (Harris), the school’s English and theater teacher, who works diligently to save an unruly high school student Nathan Williams (Hamilton). Deen believes Williams is redeemable. Despite Williams’s recent arrest by the police, Mr. Stan shelters and helps the at-risk student cope with the past traumas that haunt him.

Jared Harris (“Lincoln,” 2012) is a dramatic good actor. He joins his brothers director Damian Harris and actor Jamie Harris in this family-affair screenplay. Harris’ scenes with an impressive Nicholas Hamilton make this a subdued good drama. It appeals with its story of forgiveness and humanitarianism.

Grade: B (Brave the day to see this appealing drama.)