Jesse Eisenberg
2016 is already shaping up to become the year of reboots and sequels; whether or not they are deemed acceptable is a different matter. Now You See Me indeed worked as a solo endeavour back when the magic was introduced three years previous. The existence of the sequel may come as a surprise to some, due to the mixed responses circling the first instalment.
Is it possible for a contemporary America drama dealing with grief not be referred to using the “post-9/11” prefix? Louder Than Bombs charts the emotional complexities of a middle-class New York family as a retrospective article about their deceased war photographer mother/wife is published in the New York Times, resurfacing their most base fragilities. There is nothing in the film that remotely refers back to that harrowing event in American history, yet for many audiences it’s embedded in the subtext – New Yorkers who are confused how to react after this unexpected turbulent event in their lives.
American Ultra is one of those films that sounds really good on paper and even executes well at first, but quickly loses its luster after the quirkiness of its original premise wears off. In this case, its uniqueness comes from the idea of a stoner being a sleeper agent for the government. “Original” might be a little generous, as the film is adapted from the graphic novel of the same name; nevertheless it is something new to the screen, and it stays fun while it continues to feel that way.
Among the final moments of The End of the Tour, author David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) pulls his interviewer David Lipsky aside and says: “I don’t think you wanna be me.” Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) objects with the same how-could-you look I’ve returned incriminating but sensible remarks.
First of all, I was struck by the impressive cast of this movie. Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo… That’s quite the list. Now You See Me tells us the story of four street-wise magicians, not afraid to scam a person or two while they’re at it.