Francis Lawrence, 2013
4/5
I try to watch a lot of films. I try to avoid the bad ones, but sometimes you just don't see them coming. The unfortunate thing is you can't get that time back. Life is short. I'll try to steer everyone in the right direction. I rate films on a 5 point scale. This will always be a Spoiler-Free blog.
Showing posts with label Based on a Book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Based on a Book. Show all posts
January 28, 2016
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
December 31, 2015
Room
Lenny Abrahamson, 2015
4/5
In terms of modern day literary adaptations, Room is certainly pulled from dark subject matter. Told from the perspective of main character / five year old boy Jack (Jacob Tremblay) , in structure it resembles similarly disturbing adaptation “The Lovely Bones” which was adapted to screen by Peter Jackson in 2009. Bones was told by an abducted teenage girl slain by a serial killer. While Bones dives a little deeper into the darkness, Room definitely puts you in an unsettling place. Actually, it immediately puts you in it. The film opens up inside the small shed / tiny prison where mother Ma (Brie Larson) and her little boy are laying in bed. The film doesn't jump into the past, showing you what circumstances led to their captivity. Nope, just right to the shed. It goes on to show you that Ma has created a routine for him, clearly trying to maintain some kind of stability while housed in such a small space under horrific circumstances. Not only does it show her dedication as a parent but it shows her patience as well. When Jack erupts into small tantrums, she has no choice but to stay close to him and take a deep breath and try to let it go. Tough work as any parent realizes. Walking away, leaving the room (or "Room" as they call it) is not an option. An early success in the film is how quickly you become invested in their characters. Larson is no stranger to playing a troubled female lead, as she did remarkably in Short Term 12. Larsen and Tremblay are really the shining performances of the film, easily outshining veterans Joan Allen and William H Macy. Macy's talents don't really feel used properly in the film. He just sort of passes through quickly, and sort of fades away insipidly.
Room is a very different movie from Abrahamson's work last year in Frank. Although he does have a way of blending black comedy elements into a dark drama as he does in both pictures. Room is really a heart-wrenching story, uncomfortably tense at times, about a mother and her son forced to try and endure unimaginable circumstances. It's a provocative & unique drama, certain to make some kind of impression on you.
August 27, 2015
Far From the Madding Crowd
Thomas Vinterberg, 2015
3/5
Madding Crowd can be simply described as a love story, but it's a story that doesn't really have simple love. It gets complicated. Based on the Victorian novel written by Thomas Hardy, it's a story that is centered around young heiress Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan). Bathsheba is surprised to find herself the recipient of a large inheritance part of which is a large farm plantation.
Carrie Mulligan is a pretty good fit for the role, possessing that adorable Carey Mulligan-like charm coupled with a confident seriousness that she has shown in Drive and Steve McQueen's under-rated Shame. Bathsheba is a independent character by nature, quick to break tradition as shown early on when she admits that she's resistant to become another man's "property" and eager to get her hands dirty on her farm. While she is on the receiving end of good fortune, the men that surround her are victims of misfortune. Shepherd Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) loses his entire flock in heartbreaking fashion early in the story. Neighbor and fellow wealthy person William Boldwood (Michael Sheen) has become lonely to the point of desperation in his life. He's been able to accumulate large wealth while poor in his pursuit of lasting romance. Sergeant Francis Troy (Tom Sturridge) is still licking his wounds over a wedding disaster.
3/5
Carrie Mulligan is a pretty good fit for the role, possessing that adorable Carey Mulligan-like charm coupled with a confident seriousness that she has shown in Drive and Steve McQueen's under-rated Shame. Bathsheba is a independent character by nature, quick to break tradition as shown early on when she admits that she's resistant to become another man's "property" and eager to get her hands dirty on her farm. While she is on the receiving end of good fortune, the men that surround her are victims of misfortune. Shepherd Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) loses his entire flock in heartbreaking fashion early in the story. Neighbor and fellow wealthy person William Boldwood (Michael Sheen) has become lonely to the point of desperation in his life. He's been able to accumulate large wealth while poor in his pursuit of lasting romance. Sergeant Francis Troy (Tom Sturridge) is still licking his wounds over a wedding disaster.
Vinterberg is skillful in creating a compelling adaptation of the classic novel. Mulligan is engaging in the lead but still leaves the question hanging of whether or not she is the type of actress really fit for leading roles, or better in more secondary supporting ones. The film gives you a lot of the beautiful English countryside to gaze at. Vinterberg, as he also shows us in the still under-rated and exceptional The Hunt the he loves to shoot scenes in churches. It's interesting, there are subtle similarities in style in Madding and The Hunt, even though they are completely different types of stories. Madding Crowd is a hearty film and builds up to an emotionally tense climax that will certainly leave you reflecting on the events that occurred.
January 19, 2015
American Sniper
Clint Eastwood, 2014
2/5
To call the opening portion of American Sniper excessively Patriotic would be an understatement. It is like a Budweiser commercial starring Kenny Chesney with two Bald Eagles sitting on his shoulders. Bradley Cooper delivers a restrained, subdued energy to his Chris Kyle character. He's a man that keeps his feelings bottled up, a tradition pased on by the now-overly-cliched 1950's style father. There are attempts to show the origins of Chris Kyle the person, but they are short. They show you the beginnings of his shooting skills with a quick opening hunting scene with his father. They show you his strong devotion to his country when he sees the 9/11 attacks on television, and he is basically on the next plane to Iraq. They are light touches. Instead of constructing a layered protagonist you are served a mumbling Cowboy. You never get a true sense of his sniping numbers piling up. The battle scenes themselves are largely one-sided and never really cut into the complexity of the Middle Eastern conflicts.
To be fair, it is still an important story without question worthy of a movie. If it continues the national dialogue about PTSD sufferers than it succeeds. People like Chris Kyle need to be commended and praised for their service to our country. If it weren't for him, soldiers like him, we would all be living a much different life. Heck, we'd probably be speaking German. But this movie fails to properly examine Chris Kyle the person. Instead it creates a hollow hero image but its a character thats lacking. And in terms of judging this as a Great War film, it isn't even in the conversation. It doesn't have the intensity or impact of a Hurt Locker or Zero Dark Thirty. Instead, it belongs in the same category as not-so-good also rans such as Jim Sheridan’s 2009 PTSD drama Brothers starring Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal. Eastwood is likely to blame. He’s certainly not Kathryn Bigelow. He’s an 84 year old filmmaker whose sensibilities have probably changed. He probably doesn’t have the energy to piss anyone off anymore. Even with the ending of the film, he takes the Werner Herzog approach. It feels like a cop-out. Chris Kyle was an American Hero, and his story would have probably been served better through the eyes of a different filmmaker.
December 27, 2014
Gone Girl
David Fincher, 2014
3/5
Adapted from the popular book written by Gillian Flynn, the film is about husband Nick Dunne (Ben Afflect), suspected of murdering his missing wife Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike).
Fincher sets the tone early in the film with his distinctive style. A starkness, Reznor's ambient score echoing in the background. A low grade tension is present. When we are introduced to Affleck's character, he is already a man of questionable morals. Affleck seems to always be just tolerable enough in front of the camera in terms of his range when it comes to his acting abilities. He's never going to be a energetic force. Fincher seems to get the most out of Affleck with the Nick character, always making you feel suspicious of him. Gone Girl is largely a meditation on America's obsession with killer culture and celebritizing the monsters. We live in a culture where actual wife killers like Scott Peterson get a plethora of media attention. Men like Peterson, or Charles Manson, go on to receive love letters while sitting on death row. We also live in a culture where questionable suspects are tried and convicted by the court of public opinion before actually having set foot in an actual courtroom. These themes are at play, but it's not simply a straight-up satirical piece like Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers. It's a blood-soaked mind-game that looks at relationships and the roles we play. The head games some are forced to engage in. The way the people around us look at us, judge us. The conclusions we jump to with such conviction. If the film were in other hands, it probably wouldn't have worked out so well. And although by the conclusion it feels like the film had multiple endings already, Fincher manages to keep everything in control.
3/5
Fincher sets the tone early in the film with his distinctive style. A starkness, Reznor's ambient score echoing in the background. A low grade tension is present. When we are introduced to Affleck's character, he is already a man of questionable morals. Affleck seems to always be just tolerable enough in front of the camera in terms of his range when it comes to his acting abilities. He's never going to be a energetic force. Fincher seems to get the most out of Affleck with the Nick character, always making you feel suspicious of him. Gone Girl is largely a meditation on America's obsession with killer culture and celebritizing the monsters. We live in a culture where actual wife killers like Scott Peterson get a plethora of media attention. Men like Peterson, or Charles Manson, go on to receive love letters while sitting on death row. We also live in a culture where questionable suspects are tried and convicted by the court of public opinion before actually having set foot in an actual courtroom. These themes are at play, but it's not simply a straight-up satirical piece like Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers. It's a blood-soaked mind-game that looks at relationships and the roles we play. The head games some are forced to engage in. The way the people around us look at us, judge us. The conclusions we jump to with such conviction. If the film were in other hands, it probably wouldn't have worked out so well. And although by the conclusion it feels like the film had multiple endings already, Fincher manages to keep everything in control.
August 27, 2014
The Fault in Our Stars
Josh Boone, 2014
3/5
Hazel (Shailene Woodley) is a cynical teenage girl who has struggled with cancer for most of her young life. But her perspective changes when she meets rebel boy and fellow cancer survivor Gus (Ansel Elgort) who stirs everything up in her life.
Boone's adaptation of John Green's tweener novel is a bold one, challenging the cancer genre by examining the nuances that come with the illness in a relationship/family dynamic instead of just showing two young kids withering away from the disease. We have all seen someone struggle and perish from some form of cancer, but typically not someone sub-30 years old. There is something particularly unfair and difficult to handle about watching someone that young suffer. But this film doesn't just drown itself in melodrama. It doesn't shout "why me? why me?" at the universe. It features characters who have a more off the cuff, unrestrained voice. After all, they've been living with it for so long. But like any other teen they fall victim to their hearts, the most unfortunate aspect of it being that they cant get lost in the "We are going to be together forever and ever" delusion. They realize that there is an early expiration date. Woodley is the perfect fit for the Hazel character. She brings the same vulnerability and sensitivity that she brought in last year's The Spectacular Now. She is certainly one of the best gifts to the world of cinema in the last few years. Hazel doesn't simply play the victim, although it's certainly warranted. She's been kicked in the gut for basically her entire young life. Forced to lug around an oxygen tank to assist her in something we all take for granted, BREATHING - she has long faced the reality that her days are likely numbered and she won't outlive her devoted parents. Her parents, played by Laura Dern and Sam Trammell, really help to show the perspective of the parents who have also been screwed by the universe with their ill daughter. They've basically dedicated all of their adult lives to taking care of her. But once again, the film challenges that dynamic as well. Hazel is frustrated by her parents efforts. She wants them to have a life together, even if she may not be in it with them. They've lost a lot of sleep over the years. They've been at the breaking point more than once. It raises the notion that while the physical cancer is inside of Hazel's body, it really does spread into many of the peripheral lives. The film is probably considered Ansel Elgort's coming out party. At first glance his Gus character is conflicting because of the irritating cockiness that he exudes. There's also that unrealistic unlit cigarette thing. But you're stuck with him for a while, and there is a turning point in the film where his character really comes around and Elgort displays some true talent. The scene where Gus wants to experience his funeral as a living person and hear the eulogies is so unique and beautifully dark, certainly one of those moments likely to stick with you.
The Fault is not a positive piece to put on with hopes of having some smiles and good laugh. It asks a lot of questions and fails to have much of a filter asking them. It's painful and raw, genuine. But not every film is supposed to be a feel-good story. You (should) go to a film to examine the full spectrum of the human experience, and this is certainly on one end of it.
3/5
Boone's adaptation of John Green's tweener novel is a bold one, challenging the cancer genre by examining the nuances that come with the illness in a relationship/family dynamic instead of just showing two young kids withering away from the disease. We have all seen someone struggle and perish from some form of cancer, but typically not someone sub-30 years old. There is something particularly unfair and difficult to handle about watching someone that young suffer. But this film doesn't just drown itself in melodrama. It doesn't shout "why me? why me?" at the universe. It features characters who have a more off the cuff, unrestrained voice. After all, they've been living with it for so long. But like any other teen they fall victim to their hearts, the most unfortunate aspect of it being that they cant get lost in the "We are going to be together forever and ever" delusion. They realize that there is an early expiration date. Woodley is the perfect fit for the Hazel character. She brings the same vulnerability and sensitivity that she brought in last year's The Spectacular Now. She is certainly one of the best gifts to the world of cinema in the last few years. Hazel doesn't simply play the victim, although it's certainly warranted. She's been kicked in the gut for basically her entire young life. Forced to lug around an oxygen tank to assist her in something we all take for granted, BREATHING - she has long faced the reality that her days are likely numbered and she won't outlive her devoted parents. Her parents, played by Laura Dern and Sam Trammell, really help to show the perspective of the parents who have also been screwed by the universe with their ill daughter. They've basically dedicated all of their adult lives to taking care of her. But once again, the film challenges that dynamic as well. Hazel is frustrated by her parents efforts. She wants them to have a life together, even if she may not be in it with them. They've lost a lot of sleep over the years. They've been at the breaking point more than once. It raises the notion that while the physical cancer is inside of Hazel's body, it really does spread into many of the peripheral lives. The film is probably considered Ansel Elgort's coming out party. At first glance his Gus character is conflicting because of the irritating cockiness that he exudes. There's also that unrealistic unlit cigarette thing. But you're stuck with him for a while, and there is a turning point in the film where his character really comes around and Elgort displays some true talent. The scene where Gus wants to experience his funeral as a living person and hear the eulogies is so unique and beautifully dark, certainly one of those moments likely to stick with you.
The Fault is not a positive piece to put on with hopes of having some smiles and good laugh. It asks a lot of questions and fails to have much of a filter asking them. It's painful and raw, genuine. But not every film is supposed to be a feel-good story. You (should) go to a film to examine the full spectrum of the human experience, and this is certainly on one end of it.
May 31, 2014
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Peter Jackson, 2013
4/5
The second film in the Hobbit trilogy catches up to Bilbo Baggins and his Dwarven companions as they inch closer to Erebor which has been guarded by the legendary dragon Smaug for some time.
The second installment in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy bears quite a bit of resemblance to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and there is nothing wrong with that. Jackson has a great track record of providing great style with great story, albeit it mostly CGI'd. The alternate universe depicted in Desolation is a much less forgiving one than the first in the series. Enlarged insects. The dwarves find themselves running into old enemies. The orcs build strength. There is an ominous build-up of dark energy. Bilbo is finding himself falling victim to his new-found ring's powers. Even the landscape itself is a much more bleak one. Absent of the vibrant colors shown in the first film, this one is decorated with cobwebs and gray tones. Unlike the first film, there isn't a lot of time for all-night feasts in pubs. The clock is ticking. While Smaug has a more mythical presence in the first film, he is certainly a physical presence in this one. The enormous digitized beast does not disappoint.
Now with fifteen hours of film created, is there anything more thoroughly entrancing than Jackson's wide-screen depiction Middle Earth? Of course people could say Star Wars, or Star Trek, maybe the Harry Potter films or any other franchise with hours and hours of material. But they just don't feel as detailed. While some of the other franchises may have a more complex story-line, an argument can be made that they fall short visually. Jackson has put the Tolkien-created world on film in a way that when you sit down and start watching, depending on your viewing environment (and you aren't watching it on your iPhone with no headphones), you are IN his world. Those three hours fly by. You don't want it to be over. They are always a feast for the eyes. Candy for the cortex. Merrymaking for the mind. You can't blame the guy for building himself his own Hobbit house in New Zealand. He did that, right?
4/5
The second installment in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy bears quite a bit of resemblance to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and there is nothing wrong with that. Jackson has a great track record of providing great style with great story, albeit it mostly CGI'd. The alternate universe depicted in Desolation is a much less forgiving one than the first in the series. Enlarged insects. The dwarves find themselves running into old enemies. The orcs build strength. There is an ominous build-up of dark energy. Bilbo is finding himself falling victim to his new-found ring's powers. Even the landscape itself is a much more bleak one. Absent of the vibrant colors shown in the first film, this one is decorated with cobwebs and gray tones. Unlike the first film, there isn't a lot of time for all-night feasts in pubs. The clock is ticking. While Smaug has a more mythical presence in the first film, he is certainly a physical presence in this one. The enormous digitized beast does not disappoint.
Now with fifteen hours of film created, is there anything more thoroughly entrancing than Jackson's wide-screen depiction Middle Earth? Of course people could say Star Wars, or Star Trek, maybe the Harry Potter films or any other franchise with hours and hours of material. But they just don't feel as detailed. While some of the other franchises may have a more complex story-line, an argument can be made that they fall short visually. Jackson has put the Tolkien-created world on film in a way that when you sit down and start watching, depending on your viewing environment (and you aren't watching it on your iPhone with no headphones), you are IN his world. Those three hours fly by. You don't want it to be over. They are always a feast for the eyes. Candy for the cortex. Merrymaking for the mind. You can't blame the guy for building himself his own Hobbit house in New Zealand. He did that, right?
April 27, 2014
Rabbit Proof Fence
Phillip Noyce, 2002
2/5
Set in 1931, Three Aborigine girls are taken from their family in an effort to slowly eradicate Australia of its indigenous population.
Rabbit Proof has some really great qualities, but is ultimately a film that is lacking to a certain degree. The acting and cinematography really stand out, with the young girls showing durability and endurance while encompassed by superior camera work. The barren Australian Outback really invokes a sense of vast despair for the girls as they try to make their way back home. At times the heat radiates from the surface of the dry earth, reinforcing the unforgiving conditions the poor girls must endure. Sometimes the camera is attempting to focus on the silhouettes of the girls as they appear to almost float above the white surface. The actual fence they follow serves as a symbol in a sense, the descendants of British colonists trying so desperately to efface any anterior heritage. Their eagerness to "breed out" the half-castes is similar to that of the Nazi's Final Solution. But with that being said, the film is guilty of dragging when it comes to the story. Wearisome, sometimes almost feeling like homework. It is by no means an un-watchable film, but it certainly is an overrated one based on the wide critical acclaim it receives. The book likely gives the story much better treatment and probably makes more of an impact. That's what is ultimately lacking in Rabbit Proof. The story itself never seems to create a gripping, emotional impression. At the end of the day, the film at least takes you into a chapter of world history not often explored, it's just a shame it lightly glides through it without leaving you with any deep-seated memories.
Rabbit Proof has some really great qualities, but is ultimately a film that is lacking to a certain degree. The acting and cinematography really stand out, with the young girls showing durability and endurance while encompassed by superior camera work. The barren Australian Outback really invokes a sense of vast despair for the girls as they try to make their way back home. At times the heat radiates from the surface of the dry earth, reinforcing the unforgiving conditions the poor girls must endure. Sometimes the camera is attempting to focus on the silhouettes of the girls as they appear to almost float above the white surface. The actual fence they follow serves as a symbol in a sense, the descendants of British colonists trying so desperately to efface any anterior heritage. Their eagerness to "breed out" the half-castes is similar to that of the Nazi's Final Solution. But with that being said, the film is guilty of dragging when it comes to the story. Wearisome, sometimes almost feeling like homework. It is by no means an un-watchable film, but it certainly is an overrated one based on the wide critical acclaim it receives. The book likely gives the story much better treatment and probably makes more of an impact. That's what is ultimately lacking in Rabbit Proof. The story itself never seems to create a gripping, emotional impression. At the end of the day, the film at least takes you into a chapter of world history not often explored, it's just a shame it lightly glides through it without leaving you with any deep-seated memories.
January 5, 2014
Casino
(REWATCHED)
Martin Scorcese, 1995
4/5
This mob drama follows a pair of friends Sam Rothstein (Robert De Niro) and Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) as they attempt to build their wealth through different avenues on the 1970's Vegas Strip. Sam works on a more calculated career backed by the mob managing the Tangiers casino while Nicky recklessly uses his mafia ties to strong-arm his way to the top.
Scorcese packs his bags and heads out west to the old Vegas. A Vegas more focused on loyalty and class than pure corporate commercialism. And while much of the film has a lot of Scorcese's familiar elements (dolly shots, Rolling Stones, violence, male dominance, domestic violence, drug use) it's a behemoth of a film as vast as a Casino floor that never makes you feel like you are watching Goodfellas Part II. The camera pans through the elegantly-lit Tangiers with its hypnotic carpeting and lingering cigarette-smoke. At times you're flying over the barren Nevada desert as Pesci chillingly hints at how many problems are solved out there. Pesci's Nicky Santoro is as heedless and unpredictable as Tommy Devito (Goodfellas). But he somehow makes it different. De Niro's Sam Rothstein shows the clear rise and fall of a man very much like Jake La Motta (Raging Bull). Sam puffs his cigarettes as his hair grays and he burns another five minutes off his life. A guy who stays in the game too long. But once again, he somehow makes it different. Sharon Stone giving it her all as the hot-mess-alpha female-in which she was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe. All playing with the backdrop of the cocaine-fueled, golden-framed 1970's, with so many layers. The deception between two life long friends. The ignored warning signs of a toxic relationship and it's inevitable demise. The naivety of love. Greed. Uncertainty. Political leverage. In the end, it's just another story reminding us of the very finite nature to it all. With everyone having a hand in the money-grab, it can only last for so long before it all falls apart.
There's certainly a poetic quality to the picture. De Niro's narration romanticizes about a better Vegas, back when people knew what kind of drink you wanted when you walked into the casino. Very much like the old Times Square in mid-town Manhattan before it was Disney-fied. Romanticizing about how the good-old-days almost has an ironic comedic quality to it with the mental image of a giant tank of a casino like the Tangiers with a lot of holes on the outside, with gangsters waiting outside trying to fill up their buckets. Scorcese avoids any subtlety as you see the classic Casinos being demolished as next-gen obese tourists ascend on the homogenized MGM Grand, stylistically similar to that great final shot of Gangs of New York as the Brooklyn graveyard gives way to a skyline shot of the Twin Towers.
Martin Scorcese, 1995
4/5
Scorcese packs his bags and heads out west to the old Vegas. A Vegas more focused on loyalty and class than pure corporate commercialism. And while much of the film has a lot of Scorcese's familiar elements (dolly shots, Rolling Stones, violence, male dominance, domestic violence, drug use) it's a behemoth of a film as vast as a Casino floor that never makes you feel like you are watching Goodfellas Part II. The camera pans through the elegantly-lit Tangiers with its hypnotic carpeting and lingering cigarette-smoke. At times you're flying over the barren Nevada desert as Pesci chillingly hints at how many problems are solved out there. Pesci's Nicky Santoro is as heedless and unpredictable as Tommy Devito (Goodfellas). But he somehow makes it different. De Niro's Sam Rothstein shows the clear rise and fall of a man very much like Jake La Motta (Raging Bull). Sam puffs his cigarettes as his hair grays and he burns another five minutes off his life. A guy who stays in the game too long. But once again, he somehow makes it different. Sharon Stone giving it her all as the hot-mess-alpha female-in which she was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe. All playing with the backdrop of the cocaine-fueled, golden-framed 1970's, with so many layers. The deception between two life long friends. The ignored warning signs of a toxic relationship and it's inevitable demise. The naivety of love. Greed. Uncertainty. Political leverage. In the end, it's just another story reminding us of the very finite nature to it all. With everyone having a hand in the money-grab, it can only last for so long before it all falls apart.
There's certainly a poetic quality to the picture. De Niro's narration romanticizes about a better Vegas, back when people knew what kind of drink you wanted when you walked into the casino. Very much like the old Times Square in mid-town Manhattan before it was Disney-fied. Romanticizing about how the good-old-days almost has an ironic comedic quality to it with the mental image of a giant tank of a casino like the Tangiers with a lot of holes on the outside, with gangsters waiting outside trying to fill up their buckets. Scorcese avoids any subtlety as you see the classic Casinos being demolished as next-gen obese tourists ascend on the homogenized MGM Grand, stylistically similar to that great final shot of Gangs of New York as the Brooklyn graveyard gives way to a skyline shot of the Twin Towers.
December 31, 2013
The Spectacular Now
James Ponsoldt, 2013
4/5
Sutter (Miles Teller) is a high school senior who decides to get drunk after a break-up with his girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson). Suddenly awoken on a stranger's lawn by paper girl Aimee (Shailene Woodley), he helps with her deliveries while he attempts to locate his car. Love blossoms between the two and Sutter attempts to live in the moment while also at the same time is constantly reminded of the approaching future.
2013 was an interesting and great year for movies. It brought us several apocalyptic (and post-apoc) films (Oblivion, After Earth, The World's End, This is the End) but it also delivered a handful of coming-of-age films (The Way Way Back, The Kings of Summer) including The Spectacular Now. Directed by James Ponsoldt (Off the Black, Smashed) and written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (500 Days of Summer), Spectacular stands out from the others because of one discernible difference: they were able to effectively capture young love in it's purest form from synthesis to progression. That point in a teenager's life where it's an all-consuming thing. When it appears during strange coincidences, with surprising people, and sometimes to the surprise of peers. They are able to capture the innocence and vulnerability of it with much help from the two stars Teller (Project X, Footloose (the remake) and Woodley (The Descendants). Sutter's character is conflicting at times but that may be because he's identifiable. He has this pseudo-alpha never-take-anything-too-seriously approach to everything but at the end of the day he's terrified about the future, unsure of who is going to become while feeling pressured by the people around him. Terrified of repeating the same mistakes of his parents. When he opens his eyes and sees Aimee standing over him, the new chapter is immediately opened. And while parts of his past may linger, things have already changed and will continue changing. Sutter has to live through some of the defining moments of his life. He needs to have his heart broken, needs to meet his estranged father, needs to question the deficiencies in his mother's parenting. The camera is there to capture it. Shailene Woodley nails it with her outstanding performance as the insecure bookworm, surprised to find herself in the eyes of the popular Sutter. You buy into their connection immediately and the rest of the film plays out really well with the necessary ebbs and flows of a romantic drama with some sudden and difficult turns along the way.
2013 was an interesting and great year for movies. It brought us several apocalyptic (and post-apoc) films (Oblivion, After Earth, The World's End, This is the End) but it also delivered a handful of coming-of-age films (The Way Way Back, The Kings of Summer) including The Spectacular Now. Directed by James Ponsoldt (Off the Black, Smashed) and written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (500 Days of Summer), Spectacular stands out from the others because of one discernible difference: they were able to effectively capture young love in it's purest form from synthesis to progression. That point in a teenager's life where it's an all-consuming thing. When it appears during strange coincidences, with surprising people, and sometimes to the surprise of peers. They are able to capture the innocence and vulnerability of it with much help from the two stars Teller (Project X, Footloose (the remake) and Woodley (The Descendants). Sutter's character is conflicting at times but that may be because he's identifiable. He has this pseudo-alpha never-take-anything-too-seriously approach to everything but at the end of the day he's terrified about the future, unsure of who is going to become while feeling pressured by the people around him. Terrified of repeating the same mistakes of his parents. When he opens his eyes and sees Aimee standing over him, the new chapter is immediately opened. And while parts of his past may linger, things have already changed and will continue changing. Sutter has to live through some of the defining moments of his life. He needs to have his heart broken, needs to meet his estranged father, needs to question the deficiencies in his mother's parenting. The camera is there to capture it. Shailene Woodley nails it with her outstanding performance as the insecure bookworm, surprised to find herself in the eyes of the popular Sutter. You buy into their connection immediately and the rest of the film plays out really well with the necessary ebbs and flows of a romantic drama with some sudden and difficult turns along the way.
November 3, 2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Peter Jackson, 2012
4/5
Bilbo Baggins is surprised to find his normally quiet home suddenly filled with dwarves, at a dinner organized by Gandalf. He learns that his presence is requested on a journey to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their home that has been overtaken by the dragon Smaug. Hesitant and not so ready to leave his peaceful life, Bilbo realizes that it's a once in a lifetime opportunity that will provide him with a fascinating tale to tell.
Well, it's been ten years since the last film. And Mr. Jackson, you did it again. You once again bring everyone into Tolkien's world. As the camera flies over the Shire, you look down and pick the dwelling that you would want to occupy. When the dwarves surround the thick wooden table with drink in hand and ready for song, you wish you could be there to join in. It's interesting that Tolkien's world becomes so inviting, because when it comes down to it - it's quite volatile. Even Bilbo himself can't escape the conflicts outside of his small community. This film feels largely consistent with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Peter Jackson has a proven track record of meeting and beating expectations with the films. It's more of a micro story than the very macro feel of the Rings films. Martin Freeman seems like he's born to play Baggins, never missing a cue and delivers a great deal of energy. The film is of course a feast for the eyes. The saturated greens of The Shire, the endless plains, the shadowy forests that are just exuding bewilderment. You venture below ground, to the firelit crevices where the Orcs dwell. Everything feels so elaborate. There's some familiar faces, and of course some new ones. CGI Porn at it's best. There is a sense of refinement to the effects. Perhaps it's because of the advances in technology, or perhaps it's been a while since the last viewing of the Trilogy. The sudden shifts in perspective that the camera makes are so fluid and they never take you out of the moment. There's of course not one bad shot in the film. The Lord of the Lord of the Rings does it again, and why wouldn't he? He's had practice. It's just another great story of the underdog. Themes of loyalty, courage, companionship. Not looking back, pushing forward - even if you're homesick. The universal clinging to materialism. Old grudges. Honor. Drunkenness and dwarf songs. It's all there. And it's put together so nicely.
4/5
Well, it's been ten years since the last film. And Mr. Jackson, you did it again. You once again bring everyone into Tolkien's world. As the camera flies over the Shire, you look down and pick the dwelling that you would want to occupy. When the dwarves surround the thick wooden table with drink in hand and ready for song, you wish you could be there to join in. It's interesting that Tolkien's world becomes so inviting, because when it comes down to it - it's quite volatile. Even Bilbo himself can't escape the conflicts outside of his small community. This film feels largely consistent with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Peter Jackson has a proven track record of meeting and beating expectations with the films. It's more of a micro story than the very macro feel of the Rings films. Martin Freeman seems like he's born to play Baggins, never missing a cue and delivers a great deal of energy. The film is of course a feast for the eyes. The saturated greens of The Shire, the endless plains, the shadowy forests that are just exuding bewilderment. You venture below ground, to the firelit crevices where the Orcs dwell. Everything feels so elaborate. There's some familiar faces, and of course some new ones. CGI Porn at it's best. There is a sense of refinement to the effects. Perhaps it's because of the advances in technology, or perhaps it's been a while since the last viewing of the Trilogy. The sudden shifts in perspective that the camera makes are so fluid and they never take you out of the moment. There's of course not one bad shot in the film. The Lord of the Lord of the Rings does it again, and why wouldn't he? He's had practice. It's just another great story of the underdog. Themes of loyalty, courage, companionship. Not looking back, pushing forward - even if you're homesick. The universal clinging to materialism. Old grudges. Honor. Drunkenness and dwarf songs. It's all there. And it's put together so nicely.
September 29, 2013
Behind the Candelabra
Steven Soderburgh, 2013
3/5
Soderburgh creates a glittery performance-driven picture, one that not only showcases the talent of Liberace the beloved American performer but also a figure who was very human - at times flawed and tempestuous. When the stage lights were on, the applause was loud. But when the curtains were closed, you see that the Liberace world was not all glamour. The qualities you see in Liberace's romantic life are qualities seen in any flawed relationship. Jealousy, manipulation, ego getting in the way. Unfortunately he lived in a place and time where he was bound to secrecy, fearing that if his sexuality was exposed it would be the end of his career. This of course would have elements that would spill into his relationships. His relationships would appear to be quite cyclical, when he's introduced to the new boy you can certainly see his past standing on the other side of the room.
3/5
Scott Thorson (Matt Damon) clearly comes off as a sympathetic figure in the film. Having to endure a turbulent upbringing, he's introduced to Lee and basically forced into a relationship with him. He's promised wealth and security. He later finds that those benefits will come at a high price. He finds he's also living in a world where he's not alone with Lee. There are many people the periphery - from managers, to assistants, to house staff. Soderburgh does a good job in pacing the genesis and the inevitable decay of the relationship. The arch of Scott's character feels quite authentic from the innocent eager-to-please young boy to the paranoid cocaine addict.
Douglas gives one of the best performances of his career. Hopefully this does not overshadow Damon's performance because that was probably AS good. The editing is quite impressive, given that you assume Michael Douglas cannot play piano that well. Luckily there were not any distracting close shots of a pair of hands clearly not his. At first it almost looked as if Douglas' head was unevenly placed on the actual piano player, but it soon dissolved. There are also some great performances by Rob Lowe (probably the funniest character he's played), Dan Akroyd and Bob Black. It's disappointing that Soderburgh could not get funding for the film from the major studios (they said it was "too gay"). HBO came to the rescue, but the struggle seemed to have pushed him into his much publicized film sabbatical with a bad taste in his mouth. It should ultimately prove once again that we are now in a world where big-budget theatrical distribution is not the only release channel and there are now many avenues where a film can still be seen by many.
September 7, 2013
The Snow Walker
Charles Martin Smith, 2003
3/5
Veteran pilot Charlie Halliday (Barry Pepper) agrees to transport a sick Inuk girl named Kanaalaq (Annabella Piugattuk) along in his bush plane to bring her to a hospital after he makes a delivery to a small tribe. Soon after takeoff the plane crashes and he is left in the frozen wilderness to survive. His friends lose hope of finding him in the tundra, but he is fortunate to have taken the ailing passenger along with him.
Based on the short story "Walk Well My Brother", this drama contains some familiar themes. The American man teamed up with the capable native woman is similar to Dances with Wolves. The plane crashing in the wilderness, forcing the characters to utilize their survival skills is similar to The Edge. But this film certainly has some unique qualities, and it is certainly one of the better Survival dramas made. A few minutes into the film you get a feel for Charlie's character, as he boozes it up while playing pool in the bar. He's full of himself, and everyone knows it. Some of the men around him are bothered by it, while some women are attracted to it. It's similar to his character Frank in Spike Lee's 25th Hour. A man with a clear Inuit descent accidentally bumps into him and is clearly apologetic about it, but Charlie pushes him away with dismissive aggression ("I am NOT your brother..."). This shows the divide between his people and the natives, the natives who he would later come to appreciate for helping him survive. Kanaalaq is at first just a coughing girl wrapped in animal furs, but she soon becomes a rather critical key to his survival. Without her help, he without a doubt would not have made it. Her instincts had a relaxing quality, because she never appears to be out of her element. The plane crashes, she immediately throws a line into the water to catch a fish - knowing that they need to be worrying about their next meal. Her lack of English makes it difficult to communicate at first, but she slowly picks up on some words. Piugattuk was very effective at showing someone who was trying to use the English language but was still getting caught up in some of her native tongue. While the barren landscape at times feels a bit too forgiving and lacking natural predators, it was aesthetically pleasing. There were some really beautiful moments in the film such as one scene where you see a purple sunset combined with an Inuit song playing in the background. In the end Charlie is humbled by his circumstances, while watching you imagine that if he ever makes it home - he's going to be a changed man.
3/5
Based on the short story "Walk Well My Brother", this drama contains some familiar themes. The American man teamed up with the capable native woman is similar to Dances with Wolves. The plane crashing in the wilderness, forcing the characters to utilize their survival skills is similar to The Edge. But this film certainly has some unique qualities, and it is certainly one of the better Survival dramas made. A few minutes into the film you get a feel for Charlie's character, as he boozes it up while playing pool in the bar. He's full of himself, and everyone knows it. Some of the men around him are bothered by it, while some women are attracted to it. It's similar to his character Frank in Spike Lee's 25th Hour. A man with a clear Inuit descent accidentally bumps into him and is clearly apologetic about it, but Charlie pushes him away with dismissive aggression ("I am NOT your brother..."). This shows the divide between his people and the natives, the natives who he would later come to appreciate for helping him survive. Kanaalaq is at first just a coughing girl wrapped in animal furs, but she soon becomes a rather critical key to his survival. Without her help, he without a doubt would not have made it. Her instincts had a relaxing quality, because she never appears to be out of her element. The plane crashes, she immediately throws a line into the water to catch a fish - knowing that they need to be worrying about their next meal. Her lack of English makes it difficult to communicate at first, but she slowly picks up on some words. Piugattuk was very effective at showing someone who was trying to use the English language but was still getting caught up in some of her native tongue. While the barren landscape at times feels a bit too forgiving and lacking natural predators, it was aesthetically pleasing. There were some really beautiful moments in the film such as one scene where you see a purple sunset combined with an Inuit song playing in the background. In the end Charlie is humbled by his circumstances, while watching you imagine that if he ever makes it home - he's going to be a changed man.
August 18, 2013
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Peter Weir, 2003
3/5
This epic, based on the book by Patrick O'Brian, follows a British ship as it battles in the open sea against Napoleon's France. With his closest adviser growing impatient with his hunger for war, he continues to struggle to maintain a stronghold in the South American waters and also keep his soldiers morale at healthy levels.
Russell Crowe stars as Captain Jack Aubrey, a veteran captain who has lived through many battles and served under many famed leaders. You get the feeling that he doesn't like the feel of soil, it seems as if his true comfort zone is on his ship. There is a noticeable benevolence that he shows to the youngsters on his ship, with the hopes that he can set a good example for them as they will lead one day themselves. He clearly sees a lot of himself in them, and treats them to stories of his early days as he sips his wine. The film is not just a lengthy war movie, it's a character study of Captain Aubrey - and his interminable hunger for battle. He obviously wants to make his mark in the history books.
The film won Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing. The camera work is very impressive, seeing as the entire movie is shot in the obvious presence of water - which at times is delivered in the form of violent storms. The ship itself feels like it's in another world at times. Almost other-dimensional, like in Valhalla Rising. The cabin is beautifully constructed with some memorable shots of the camera moving through battle scenes, showing cannon fire and soldiers frantically rushing to their posts. Shots of the foggy horizon, with the sudden orange glow of an impending onslaught. While the loaded dialogue is difficult to keep up with at times, the film is still quite alluring. Weir effectively develops characters that you take a genuine interest in.
3/5
Russell Crowe stars as Captain Jack Aubrey, a veteran captain who has lived through many battles and served under many famed leaders. You get the feeling that he doesn't like the feel of soil, it seems as if his true comfort zone is on his ship. There is a noticeable benevolence that he shows to the youngsters on his ship, with the hopes that he can set a good example for them as they will lead one day themselves. He clearly sees a lot of himself in them, and treats them to stories of his early days as he sips his wine. The film is not just a lengthy war movie, it's a character study of Captain Aubrey - and his interminable hunger for battle. He obviously wants to make his mark in the history books.
The film won Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing. The camera work is very impressive, seeing as the entire movie is shot in the obvious presence of water - which at times is delivered in the form of violent storms. The ship itself feels like it's in another world at times. Almost other-dimensional, like in Valhalla Rising. The cabin is beautifully constructed with some memorable shots of the camera moving through battle scenes, showing cannon fire and soldiers frantically rushing to their posts. Shots of the foggy horizon, with the sudden orange glow of an impending onslaught. While the loaded dialogue is difficult to keep up with at times, the film is still quite alluring. Weir effectively develops characters that you take a genuine interest in.
July 2, 2013
Friday Night Lights
Peter Berg, 2004
3/5
The Permian High Panthers are a high school football team that gives the depressing town of Odessa, TX hope... and also high expectations. The players are competitive yet innocent, looking ahead to their future while also trying to please everyone around them by bringing home the big victory. Based on the book by H.G. Bissinger.
Berg successfully captures the rapid pace of a football game, and augments his unsteady camera work with a transcendent soundtrack. Transitional shots of industrial rust-littered landscapes are peppered in throughout the film with beautiful, ambient musical elements that are reminiscent of early Modest Mouse. The high expectations resonate throughout the town, from the deadbeat old-jock father vicariously living through his son's athletic moments to the African American uncle who just wants his nephew to have a future more meaningful than his own. The high expectations of the Panthers do not just stop at the players. Coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) feels the weight of the pressure on his own shoulders, and at times wonders if the long hours and late-night arrivals at home to a cold dinner plate are really worth it. Berg effectively paces the film to a big climax of a championship game. Versatile cinematography really puts you in the middle of the action on the field, although at times it's a bit erratic with jumping back to the scoreboard quickly and then back to the line of scrimmage. You find that you lose track of the game clock, presumably because Berg wanted to focus on the individual player drama more than the technical details of the game. Too often sports dramas have that cheese factor: repetitive shots and exhausting cliches with scenes that might as well play out to the "Chariots of Fire" theme on repeat. Berg avoids the cliches here and really paints a compelling picture.
3/5
Berg successfully captures the rapid pace of a football game, and augments his unsteady camera work with a transcendent soundtrack. Transitional shots of industrial rust-littered landscapes are peppered in throughout the film with beautiful, ambient musical elements that are reminiscent of early Modest Mouse. The high expectations resonate throughout the town, from the deadbeat old-jock father vicariously living through his son's athletic moments to the African American uncle who just wants his nephew to have a future more meaningful than his own. The high expectations of the Panthers do not just stop at the players. Coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) feels the weight of the pressure on his own shoulders, and at times wonders if the long hours and late-night arrivals at home to a cold dinner plate are really worth it. Berg effectively paces the film to a big climax of a championship game. Versatile cinematography really puts you in the middle of the action on the field, although at times it's a bit erratic with jumping back to the scoreboard quickly and then back to the line of scrimmage. You find that you lose track of the game clock, presumably because Berg wanted to focus on the individual player drama more than the technical details of the game. Too often sports dramas have that cheese factor: repetitive shots and exhausting cliches with scenes that might as well play out to the "Chariots of Fire" theme on repeat. Berg avoids the cliches here and really paints a compelling picture.
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