Quiet Man, Loud Voice: January 2014

Friday, January 17, 2014

MONA LISA SMILE

I got the job, off to Chicago I go!

...and it appears I'll be arriving right in the middle of the Polar Vortex 2.0.

MONA LISA SMILE: Two out of five stars.

Avoiding the obvious (and boring) Julia Roberts smile jokes here and instead choose to remember fondly when Julia Stiles was the hottest young actress around. What happened? I still find her incredibly attractive (even by Hollywood's obnoxious standards) and she is phenomenally talented - so why don't we see her in films that much anymore unless its a supporting role?

She's way better than the bit parts she played in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK or the BOURNE films. Instead we're stuck with the much less attractive and much less talented Kirsten Dunst in everything. At least Ginnifer Goodwin and Maggie Gyllenhaal are still working in major roles on film and television.

While the charisma of the cast, Dunst excepted, is phenomenal and Roberts provides a earnest performance the film falls flat under the weight of other similar films about teachers trying to raise their students above the limited expectations of society - most notably DEAD POETS SOCIETY. The film feels much like the Van Gogh paint-by-the-numbers that forms the sentimental ending of the film - familiar but not as good as the original.

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (3.5/5)
January 3: THE ARTIST (5/5)
January 4: THE KING'S SPEECH (2.5/5)
January 5: UPSTREAM COLOR (5/5)
January 7: THE PIANIST (4.5/5)
January 8: DRINKING BUDDIES: (4/5)

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

FAST & FURIOUS 6: (3/5/5)
January 10: THE IRON LADY (1.5/5)
January 11: THE FIRST GRADER (3/5)
January 12: THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (4/5)
January 13: GOOD BURGER (2.5/5)
January 14: HOFFA (2.5/5)
January 15: J. EDGAR (3.5/5)
January 16: WOLF OF WALL STREET (5/5)
January 17: MONA LISA SMILE (2/5)

Thursday, January 16, 2014

WOLF OF WALL STREET

Today, for the first time, I used a theater's captioning device to watch a film. What a marvelous piece of technology! I hope one day it will no longer be as bulky as it currently is (and I know they've slimmed down a lot) so I wont feel self-conscious wearing it.

WOLF OF WALL STREET: Five out of five stars.

"I should've become a stock broker," was my prevailing thought as I watched DiCaprio's character, Jordan Belfort, sink deep into depravity. I understand the criticisms of the film glorifying excess and criminality but all crime films these days do. WOLF OF WALL STREET is unique in that instead of representing gangsters and mobsters it focuses on brokers.

Anchored by DiCaprio's strong performance WOLF OF WALL STREET is easily one of the funniest movies I've ever had the opportunity to see. The Quaalude scene alone is a masterclass in physical comedy and should be shown in acting classes everywhere. Jonah Hill's own performance is brilliant though no one shines brighter on screen than the luminous Margot Robbie as Jordan Belfort's paramour.

Filled with more tits and ass that you'll ever need, scenes of doing blow in a hooker's asshole, S&M, orgies, public sex, voyeurism, Jonah Hill's fake penis, and drugs drugs drugs drugs this is not a film for the faint of heart or the conservative of value and I fucking loved it for it. Scorcese's directing makes every depraved beat shine - of particular amusement were the scenes shot when Belfort was high on one illicit substance or another - various continuity errors intercut with clever scene transitions throw you off balance enough to feel stoned yourself.

My only fault with this film was the running time - three hours of excess. While some scenes could have easily been trimmed down to bring the film under two and a half hours I am glad the decision was made not to. I have heard of longer cuts of the film and I do hope they are released one day.

Brilliant brilliant brilliant film. Can't stop thinking about it!

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

J. EDGAR

Still on a crime kick, though this one takes place on the opposite side of the law.

J. EDGAR: Three and a half out of five stars.

I remember a time when I hated Leonardo DiCaprio. It was around the height of his TITANIC fame and I accused him of being an overrated actor who only got roles based on his looks.

I was clearly wrong.

Since then DiCaprio has gone on to make some absolutely amazing films and turned in some fantastic performances that I now consider him one of my favorite actors. I am particularly fond of his turns in DJANGO UNCHAINED, THE DEPARTED, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, and INCEPTION. I could go on - but tomorrow I am planning to see WOLF OF WALL STREET and will report more on DiCaprio then.

In J. EDGAR DiCaprio turns in a transformative performance as one of America's most famous (and much reviled) lawmen. Unfortunately in roughly a quarter of his scenes he is forced to try to emote under heavy old age makeup. A particular pet peeve of mine -- old age makeup no longer looks good on screens as technology has rapidly transitioned to high definition viewing. Instead of watching the film and accepting the actor as an older version of the character in the film, far too often we are taken out of the experience to comment on it.

To DiCaprio's credit - by the films end he -somehow- manages to overcome this difficulty and makes something out of nothing. The only other fault with this film, ably directed by Clint Eastwood, was the sudden shifts backwards and fowards in time - it served to do little than to keep the viewer off balance. And while the framing device worked well in theory something constantly seemed off about the film.

Overall J. EDGAR is anchored solidly by DiCaprio - with welcome supporting turns by the always fantastic Judi Dench and the able Armie Hammer. But the performances aren't enough to compensate for the films two flaws.

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

HOFFA

On a crime kick lately.

HOFFA: Two and a half out of five stars.

While Nicholson veers a bit into self-parodying with his interpretation of Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa, Danny DeVito's performance somehow keeps the film grounded. Unfortunately with Nicholson taking the bulk of the screen time we are left wanting for an actor that doesn't resort to his usual tricks to convey characterization.

HOFFA's other big problem lies in the mis-en-scene. Far too often we are treated with majestic shots of obviously matte-painted sunsets and orange skies in fake forests that we immediately realize the film as being shot on a studio lot. To DeVito's credit, he makes the most of the film and the costuming is incredibly well done and captures the time period.

Overall I found my attention drifting away at far too many points in the film.

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

FAST & FURIOUS 6: (3/5/5)
January 10: THE IRON LADY (1.5/5)
January 11: THE FIRST GRADER (3/5)
January 12: THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (4/5)
January 13: GOOD BURGER (2.5/5)
January 14: HOFFA (2.5/5)

Monday, January 13, 2014

GOOD BURGER

Sometimes its been so long since you've seen a movie that you honestly can't remember if you watched it or not.

GOOD BURGER: Two and a half out of five stars.

There's just something inherently funny about the sheer stupidity of this film. It's not a "so bad its good film" its a "so bad and it owns it" film. I can't believe a movie that has Carmen Electra in her 90's heyday trying to seduce a teenager who may or may not be mentally retarded (but almost certainly is the stupidest man on earth) was made for and marketed for kids. It reminds me more of a tame stoner comedy that a true Nickelodeon film.

Funnily enough, I found myself laughing at it more than I do for a lot of the currently produced films. Keenan and Kel are so effortlessly charming as the two leads that you can't help but root for them, cliched plot twists and all.

Vastly underrated kids comedy and something I'll introduce my preteens to one day (on the rare chance I have some).

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

FAST & FURIOUS 6: (3/5/5)
January 10: THE IRON LADY (1.5/5)
January 11: THE FIRST GRADER (3/5)
January 12: THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (4/5)
January 13: GOOD BURGER (2.5/5)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY

Jesus, that was a long movie.

THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY: Four out of five stars.

There are two big problems with this film - both are writing issues. The first is the refusal of the Italian police to make use of fingerprinting. I don't know if that isn't something that is done in Italy but it would certainly solve the identity issue that lies at the heart of the film. The second problem is the length - the film is overblown at times and some scenes do drag.

Overall though the film succeeds on the backs of its stars - Damon stars as the titular character and makes us sympathize with the young Tom who doesn't kill out of deviation but out of deprivation. Its an interesting motivation for murder and not something I had seen done before. Cate Blanchett, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow are all equally well cast though Phillip Seymour Hoffman seems to be channeling his usual dickery of a persona.

Troubling is how easily audiences find themselves sympathizing with Tom and hoping he gets away with his crimes - we can easily imagine ourselves having suddenly come into a dream life and how we would do anything to keep hold of it.

If the film was tighter in its pacing and maybe a half hour shorter and didn't have plot holes you could steer a boat through, this would be a near-perfect film.

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

FAST & FURIOUS 6: (3/5/5)
January 10: THE IRON LADY (1.5/5)
January 11: THE FIRST GRADER (3/5)
January 12: THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (4/5)

Saturday, January 11, 2014

THE FIRST GRADER

Felt like watching something inspirational today - had very little else to do.

THE FIRST GRADER: Three out of five stars.

Based on the true story of Kimani Maruge, THE FIRST GRADER was everything THE IRON LADY was not. It expertly interwines flashbacks into its narrative and Maruge, played by Oliver Litondo is a wonderful character. While towards the end it does have a moment of Western sentimentality when Margue shows the politicians exactly what tortured he suffered in the internment camps, overall the film succeeds on its premise.

Justin Chadwick's direction brings a beauty to the desolate Kenyan landscape though his reliance on blurry shots to convey Maruge's inability to read became a little hokey after the first time.

Overall, a decent movie - though nothing to write home about.

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

FAST & FURIOUS 6: (3/5/5)
January 10: THE IRON LADY (1.5/5)
January 11: THE FIRST GRADER (3/5)

Friday, January 10, 2014

THE IRON LADY

Made the first step in returning to Chicago today! Decided to watch THE IRON LADY as well.

Confession: I think Meryl Streep is one of the most overrated actors of all time.

THE IRON LADY: (One and a half out of five stars).

Jim Broadbent is one of the most under-appreciated actors of all time and its through his acting that THE IRON LADY is even watchable. The rest of the movie bounces between Meryl Streep with bad old age makeup to Meryl Streep being Meryl Streep. More annoyingly whenever one of the "flashback" scenes starts getting interesting the film cuts away to "flashforward" Meryl Streep who is slowly going insane.

These "future" scenes are the least interesting part of the film and far too much time is spent on them and away from more interesting matters of politics. And by interesting I mean a paint-by-the-numbers wikipedia entry of Margaret Thatcher's life.

I regret watching this crap.

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

FAST & FURIOUS 6: (3/5/5)
January 10: THE IRON LADY (1.5/5)

Thursday, January 9, 2014

THE LONE RANGER / FAST & FURIOUS 6

I am SO fucking bored I went to Redbox and rented two movies. First up:

THE LONE RANGER: (One out of five stars)

Look, this film has already been widely panned by everyone, there's nothing more I can say that hasn't already been said more eloquently by real critics. All I know is that I stopped paying attention at one point in the film and starting browsing the internet. Didn't even bother to pause or anything, the film just couldn't keep my attention long enough for me to give two shits. I gave it a single star because early on in the film Armie Hammer's head got dragged through horse shit and I felt that scene was clever foreshadowing of how the rest of the movie was going to be.

On the other hand...

FAST AND FURIOUS 6: (Three and a half out of five stars.)

I'm not one of those film snobs that can't sit down and enjoy a fun popcorn flick. The Fast and Furious series has really taken off lately and has been firing on all cylinders. I didn't really like the first movie but I continued to watch - and I think after FAST AND FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT is when the series found its legs and started kicking all sorts of ass.

This isn't a film I can measure by tightly paced dialogue or intricate plots. It's a balls-to-the-walls action flick and doesn't try to fool you into thinking its something else (I'm looking at you THE DARK KNIGHT RISES). The action sequences in this film are extraordinary - Justin Lin films the scenes with crisp clarity that you're never lost trying to figure out whats going on and you still have a sense of kinetics. Michael Bay could take some lessons from him.

So when I rank it as three and a half stars, the same as BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, Im not saying both films are perfectly equal in quality. I'm saying that each film had its own goals and I judged it based on what it was trying to accomplish. FAST & FURIOUS 6's sole goal was to entertain me with pulse pounding and innovative car chase scenes and on that note - it succeeded.

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

FAST & FURIOUS 6: (3/5/5)

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

DRINKING BUDDIES

Got in touch with a dear friend of mine today after she took some (well deserved) time to focus on herself. Decided to watch DRINKING BUDDIES in honor of our whiskey drinking nights in the office.

DRINKING BUDDIES: Four out of five stars.

What impressed me the most about this film was its refusal to follow the usual rom-com formula. I looked up the scores on Rotten Tomatoes afterward and while the critics loved it, audiences didn't. I expect it is because the film doesn't end neatly as you'd expect. Instead its a very honest look at relationships and friendships between four actors I always love seeing on television. The chemistry between Jake Johnston and Olivia Wilde is more than enough to carry the film - but the addition of Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston really make the film something special.

The dialogue was entirely improvised, which I only discovered AFTER I watched the film, and I remember remarking to myself, "Self, this dialogue sounds so real."

Confession: most of my friends are women - so the friendship between Johnston's Luke and Olivia's Kate often hit very close to home. I'm glad the film ended the way it did - and couldn't think of a better way to cap on a surprisingly enjoyable movie-watching experience.

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (3.5/5)
January 3: THE ARTIST (5/5)
January 4: THE KING'S SPEECH (2.5/5)
January 5: UPSTREAM COLOR (5/5)
January 6: THOR: THE DARK WORLD (cancelled)
January 7: THE PIANIST (4.5/5)
January 8: DRINKING BUDDIES: (4/5)

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

THE PIANIST

Due to inclement weather I was unable to make a trip to the movie theater to see THOR: THE DARK WORLD with a friend yesterday. We've rescheduled for sometime in the future when it is no longer as cold as balls.

THE PIANIST: Four and a half out of five stars.

I admit to being a sucker for World War II dramas (exception: THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS is utter schlock) and loved this tale of composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, played spectacularly by Adrien Brody. It also introduced me to the extraordinary individual that is Wilm Hosenfeld, the Nazi officer who helped Szpilman hide in captivity. I've long held the view that ALL Nazi's were evil human beings and the "just following orders" excuse is weak at best - so it was refreshing to see at least one Nazi officer assisting those in need.

There is a moment near the end of the film, a beautiful shot by Roman Polanski that I am still thinking of in my mind - Szpilman is asked to play the piano for Hosenfeld and obliges and Polanski frames a shot with Szpilman seated at the piano, lit by hazy sunlight, with Hosenfeld's hat next to him. It recalled back an earlier point in the film where an old man avoids Nazi persecution for himself and the children he protects by entertaining them - and Szpilman finds himself doing the same. Indeed, at the end of the film Szpilman's movements echo the clownish stumbles of that old man.

Where I have issues with this film is drawing the line between the art itself and the person creating it. Polanski's troubles with the law are well known and while he admits to his guilt - his crime against a child is heinous enough to weigh on the back of your mind in everything he produces. I'm not sure how to feel about a fantastic piece like THE PIANIST in light of this.

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (3.5/5)
January 3: THE ARTIST (5/5)
January 4: THE KING'S SPEECH (2.5/5)
January 5: UPSTREAM COLOR (5/5)
January 6: THOR: THE DARK WORLD (cancelled)
January 7: THE PIANIST (4.5/5)

Sunday, January 5, 2014

UPSTREAM COLOR

Holy shit.

UPSTREAM COLOR: Five out of five stars.

This film is going to take me a while to process - I know at its core it is about breaking cycles, but there is so much going on here that I am going to need to watch it a second time and have discussions with people about it before I can fully comprehend everything. And I absolutely LOVE it for that. While watching this gem by Shane Carruth I was reminded of this quote from Chuck Palahniuk's Lullaby:

“Centuries ago, sailors on long voyages used to leave a pair of pigs on every deserted island. Or they'd leave a pair of goats. Either way, on any future visit, the island would be a source of meat. These islands, they were pristine. These were home to breeds of birds with no natural predators. Breeds of birds that lived nowhere else on earth. The plants there, without enemies they evolved without thorns or poisons.

Without predators and enemies, these islands, they were paradise.

The sailors, the next time they visited these islands, the only things still there would be herds of goats or pigs.

Oyster is telling this story.

The sailors called this "seeding meat."

Oyster says, "Does this remind you of anything? Maybe the ol' Adam and Eve story?"

Looking out the car window, he says, "You ever wonder when God's coming back with a lot of barbecue sauce?"

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (3.5/5)
January 3: THE ARTIST (5/5)
January 4: THE KING'S SPEECH (2.5/5)
January 5: UPSTREAM COLOR (5/5)
January 6: THOR: THE DARK WORLD

Saturday, January 4, 2014

THE KING'S SPEECH

Confession: I hate Tom Hooper's directing.

THE KING'S SPEECH: Two and a half out of five stars.

This film, despite a brilliant performance by Colin Firth as King George VI, was certainly not worth the Oscar. Overly sentimental at times and predictable at others, Firth and Geoffrey Rush as his speech therapist, Lionel Logue are the two driving forces behind this otherwise overrated movie. Hooper's filmmaking style either focuses on unrelenting closeups - which, in this case at least, works when used - or epilepsy inducing shaky cam combined with strangely angled camera shots.

THE KING'S SPEECH, thankfully, does not have a lot of Hooper-isms that I've come to hate. At times the pacing of the film borders on the monotonous and, most despairingly, the film ends up being a toothless ode to the monarchy - avoiding any hints of darker and deeper within the palace. I much enjoyed THE QUEEN for its unflinching look at the monarchy than this film.

I feel that one could almost compare this, beat for beat, for a buddy cop comedy. Two polar opposites forced together by extenuating circumstances find themselves initially at odds, grow to respect each other, fall apart, then come back again to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Cue music, cue credits, cue applause, cue Oscar victory.

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (3.5/5)

January 3: THE ARTIST (5/5)

January 4: THE KING'S SPEECH (2.5/5)

January 5: UPSTREAM COLOR

Friday, January 3, 2014

THE ARTIST

How in the world did I not watch THE ARTIST when it screened in theaters near me? A missed opportunity for sure.

THE ARTIST: Five out of five stars.

There is a moment at the beginning of THE ARTIST when we are introduced to the character of Peppy Miller and the actress portraying her, Bérénice Bejo, flashes one of the most winning smiles I've ever seen captured on film. And at that point I was hooked. While even in the recently watched (and loved) THERE WILL BE BLOOD there were moments that I felt a little tuned out on, there wasn't a single second in this film that I wasn't completely engrossed in the story of George and Peppy.

I didn't think a modern film could top HUGO when writing a love letter to cinema but here we are with one of the most beautiful odes to Hollywood I've seen in years.

I've long argued that if we view modern visual art (especially theater) through Aristotle's POETICS (which is still incredibly relevant) you'll find that viewers rely less and less on aural means of communication and far more on visual. Or rather, that now Aristotle wouldn't rank language higher than spectacle in terms of necessary importance. THE ARTIST proves what filmgoers in the 20s knew - language is no substitute for artfully shot cinematography and skillfully drawn characters.

A personal note: I'm almost positive Jean Dujardin spoke all of his lines in French as he was the only principal character whose lips I could not read.

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (3.5/5)

January 3: THE ARTIST (5/5)

January 4: THE KING'S SPEECH

Thursday, January 2, 2014

BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID

Didn't do much today outside of shovel about eight inches of snow off of two driveways. Rewarded myself with a fresh bowl of homemade chili and watching BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. Most people I spoke to said it didn't hold up...

BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID: Three and a half out of five stars.

Its interesting to go back and watch classic films that are on the cusp of the modern cinematic era but are still holding on to a lot of the previous era's style. Released in 1969, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID has all the hallmarks of a classic western with a touch of 70s pacing. While Paul Newman and Robert Redford are wonderfully charming as the titular bandits pacing issues made this film feel an hour longer than it was. A random three minute photograph montage in the middle of the film and many scenes done with the director choosing to substitute music for dialogue made it tedious at times to get through. But when Redford and Newman are playing off of each other, the film absolutely crackles with charm. Overall it proved to be an enjoyable film though problematic for modern audiences.

This is a phenomena that I've noticed that isn't limited to cinema. The pacing and style of writing is different in comic books, novels, and plays. Many older forms of entertainment seem like a chore to get through these days - I'm not sure if it is because our brains have been trained to process information faster than earlier eras and get bored easy or if we're just getting dumber.

Probably both.

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (3.5/5)

January 3: THE ARTIST

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

I made two resolutions at the beginning of the year - One of them was to blog at least once a day - a minimum of five times a week. These entries don't necessarily have to be longer than a paragraph or two - as long as I am writing something.

My second resolution was to watch films - classic films that all fans of cinema should see at least once. There are gaping holes in my cinematic knowledge and I'd like to fix them. And then to write a quick review of the film - as long or short as I want to.

I kicked off the New Year by watching a film I've long had in my Netflix queue but never got around to watching: Paul Thomas Anderson's THERE WILL BE BLOOD.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD: Five out of five stars.

Anchored by a mesmerizing performance by Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview, a man who slowly loses his humanity as he is overcome with greed, Day-Lewis somehow manages to make the audience empathize with a man with little to no redeeming qualities. Towards the end of the film, when the only thing he ever loved, outside of money, abandons him he delivers one of the cruelest speeches a father can give to his son and delivers it with such force you can't help but feel sorry for both men. And the final scene of the film where Plainview destroys corrupt preacher Eli Sunday so completely you can't help but admire his thoroughness I found myself applauding the last actions of this tortured man.

On a more personal note, the use of sound and the characterization of H.W. Plainview may be the best interpretation of deafness I have seen on film. There is a moment when young H.W. is sitting alone snapping his fingers next to his years in a desperate plea for a miracle - that his hearing will return. But by the end of his story he has accepted his deafness and has moved on to become his own man and has broken free of his desperate need to make his father proud.

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID