In this edition of Montage, we discuss Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi action film Chappie, indie darling Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and dark comedy Stretch, starring Patrick Wilson and Chris Pine.

Chappie

With District 9, co-writer/director Neill Blomkamp instantly emerged as one of the most exciting sci-fi filmmakers to come along in years. Sadly, his 2013 follow-up, Elysium, doused the growing enthusiasm for his work, and Chappie — while a very slight improvement over that forgettable Matt Damon vehicle — doesn’t do much to earn back audience goodwill. The film’s vision of a future where law enforcement is comprised largely of militarized robots has promise, to be sure, and its titular character (voiced by frequent Blomkamp star Sharlto Copley) is alternatively endearing and unpredictable, allowing Chappie to serve as a blatant allegory for the allure and inherent danger in technology. However, as the film progresses, its themes and ideas run amok in an unwieldy story that does a disservice to gifted actors like Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman and Sigourney Weaver. Here’s hoping Blomkamp gets back on track (and gives us that long-desired District 9 sequel) sooner rather than later.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

A critical darling and Sundance sensation, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is the sophomore directorial feature for Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Glee, American Horror Story). The film centers on high-schooler Greg (the titular “me”), played by Thomas Mann, as he reluctantly befriends classmate and recently diagnosed leukemia patient Rachel (Olivia Cooke). He and his buddy Earl (RJ Cyler) soon share their series of short film parodies with Rachel and the trio find the friendship shaping their lives in surprising ways. In many respects, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a powerful, affecting take on coming-of-age stories. The film routinely breaks cliché and has some interesting points to make about the people who pass through our lives. However, its narrative notes these elements so blatantly that the story at times lacks any form of subtlety. Rather than allow the story to simply play out, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl appears to be desperately vying to convince audiences how different it is from other films of its kind.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

For years, Patrick Wilson has been weaving in and out of genres with such ease that his status as an underrated Hollywood talent likely results from his refusal to remain pigeonholed in a particular onscreen persona. Likewise, Stretch toys at once with dark comedy, action, thriller and romance elements, giving Wilson perhaps his most quintessential release to date. Directed by Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces), the film follows a limo driver (WIlson) who is out to settle a debt when he crosses paths with an eccentric (to say the least) billionaire (Chris Pine). With its devil-may-care attitude, Stretch often threatens to veer off-road but stays focused enough on its main character’s predicament to remain a cohesive, wholly satisfying experience. A deliriously fun thrill ride, the film’s extreme nature may turn off some viewers, but it’s worth watching for Pine’s off-the-wall performance alone.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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