Tina Fey and Steve Carell are the real deal. Fey's comical embodiment of Sarah Palin is something of epic comic genius. The SNL skit with 'Sarah Palin' and 'Katie Couric' will be examined years from now as one of the most spot-on comic moments in history (it already is one of the funniest things I've ever seen), and Carell is a veteran of goofy humor outside of a three-dimensional character (see "Get Smart," "The 40 Year-Old Virgin," "Little Miss Sunshine," and the first four seasons of NBC's "The Office" for reference). That being said, "Date Night" struck me as a disappointing film but is still worth a trip if you know what you're in for.
The previews make it seem like "Get Smart" as a tag-team when Claire and Phil Foster (Fey and Carell, of course) decide to spice up their traditional date night by dressing snazzier and stealing a reservation for the Triplehorns at an uptight NYC restaurant and end up in an action film the characters have no interest in being a part of. Believe me, reader, when I saw that Tina Fey and Steve Carell were teaming up to do an action-comedy, I practically already bought my ticket, but it felt as if their comedic talents were limited to a film that isn't as good as its premise.
When you see the previews, you pretty much already know the story. I remember getting a big, goofy smile on my face and practically howling with laughter when I was first introduced to the previews, but I did feel let down upon leaving the theater. Sure, there are tons of cameos from excellent actors and it leaves plenty of room for both to improvise, however, I found myself hungry for more.
I believed every actor in their role, and I started out just wanting these two dorks to have a good night knowing that trouble was brewing in the near future. And I liked that the funniest moments occurred when the two suburbanites were out of their element and had to act on a ridiculous impulse in order to survive. And I liked that the Fosters didn't turn into action heroes. And I loved that what happened seemed to make some sense. The key scene was after the two go to Holbrooke (Mark Wahlberg, NEVER wearing a shit), a former private detective, and Claire makes sexual comments. After they leave, they get into a real, dramatic argument about how Phil felt demoralized and Claire felt that she had no energy left. That is what a real couple like the Fosters would do (also, it must have been a directorial choice to let us clearly see Fey's scar on her left cheek in this scene). A stupid, one-joke comedy would simply cut the scene and movie into another gag.
There really isn't much else to say. The script wasn't all bad, but it could have definitely been longer (not necessarily with more screwball but with more energy). The director used some interesting filters to give us a grainier, more action-friendly view on some of the scenes, but for the most part, it seemed as if he just stood back and watched the two comedians play out the script. There are tons of cameos: watch for Oscar-nominee Taraji P. Hensen (for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' actor Jimmi Simpson partnered with rapper Common, James Franco ("Pineapple Express" and "Milk"), Mila Kunis (voice of Meg Griffin on 'Family Guy' and actress in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"), Mark Ruffalo and Kristen Wiig (don't get so excited- they're each in one scene and aren't comedians this time), Ray Liotta ("Goodfellas," uncredited in this film for no apparent reason), and William Fichter (you've seen him in a lot but don't know his name).
This throwaway popcorn movie is fun, takes too long to get started, and could have been something epic for this decade if it would have been left entirely up to Tina Fey and Steve Carell. They shine through and prove what can be done with simply great acting. They never run around, seeming to say to us, "look at how funny we are!" but instead craft their characters and let the fish-out-of-water element work with them. I'm sure Tina Fey (who wrote the hilarious "Mean Girls") could have turned this pretty good film into something more, but alas, what we're left with is a little movie with some great belly laughs that the actors provide while improvising and a script with a couple good ideas in it. I recommend it if you're just looking for a throwaway for your own date night or just a night out with friends. I'm sure it would be funnier with a large crowd.
Rated PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference.
Check your local theater for showtimes.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Funny People - ***+ out of ****
“Funny People” may seem misleading to most, as it was advertised as being “from the writer/director of the 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up,” but what results is a comedy without laughs every minute but ultimately serves as one man’s realization of his mortality as he tries to live out what little time he has left. This man is George Simmons (Adam Sandler’s finest acting to date, at least deserving of a Golden Globe nomination but possibly an Oscar nom as well). George seems to have the same career as Adam Sandler, making goofy high-concept comedies that never go beyond the concept, but what is underneath is what we see. He is a bastard with no real friends because he can’t pay for them to be around him. He fucks hot girls for his own libido and so they have a story to tell their friends. He poses happily for pictures with fans so he can pretend he’s happy, but he knows who he really is. George gets some news from his doctor that he has a blood disease in the leukemia family and may not have much time left to live.
What happens now? He seems to crave that personal connection with people, so he goes back to his stand-up days, but he has no material. “When you hear the waitresses’ footsteps, you know you’re not doing too good…” he presents during a rather heartbreaking performance. However, his performance doesn’t end up just being an awkward spot, but Ira Wright (a skinny Seth Rogen, reliably in his character) uses his horrible performance for laughs in his. Ira works behind the counter at Otto’s, a deli, and aspires to become successful in his stand-up career, but the problem is that he’s just not that funny. Most of his jokes seem to be about his dick and farts, and he wonders why no girls want to stay with him. Thus, George hires Ira to be his stand-up writer, and the boundaries are blurred as to where Ira stands in George’s life. Should he serve as a counselor and try to be his friend or just write the damn jokes?
There is significance in the fact that the characters are named George and Ira. George and Ira Gershwin were a brother music/lyricist team that worked within Broadway plays as well as the classical realm where George would write the music while Ira would write the lyrics. Sandler writes the rhythm and pacing while Rogen provides the punchlines. The Gershwins have managed to write several hits together and many songs that I’m sure you’ve heard before (“I Got Rhythm”? “Rhapsody in Blue”? “Porgy and Bess”?). The movie seems to suggest that George and Ira could have been brothers in a different life.
The supporting cast is terrific. Leslie Mann is a genius of deadpan humor as “the one who got away” from George before. She had a brief, gut-busting performance in Apatow’s “The 40 Year-Old Virgin” as a “drunk bitch” that ends up traumatizing poor Andy after drinking too much, but her most notable work was her performance as Nicky in “Knocked Up,” a characterization that was honest and beyond a simple description.
Eric Bana (from “Munich,” irony present) speaks with his native Aussie tongue so he can improvise more easily. I don’t ever remember seeing him do comedy in the past, but he has natural comedic instincts here. He is never interested in playing a two-dimensional character of any kind, and his work here is no exception. There is always a living, breathing person behind every character he plays (especially in his villain role as Nero in the new “Star Trek”), and he is one actor to keep watching. There is extraordinary talent present.
The rest of the cast contains only one Apatow veteran (Jonah Hill) with Jason Schwatrzman as George Simmons with the same outlook now stuck in his early career. He’s the lead actor in “Yo, Teach!” a “comedy” that should not have lived past the pilot. You only see bits and pieces of it, and wisely, you are not meant to like it. It seriously sucks.
The rest of the supporting cast aside, I feel I must mention one name; Aubrey Plaza as Daisy. Every single second she was on-screen, I believed whole-heartedly that she was a stand-up comedian. The glimpse we get of one of her routines serves as what I wish more stand-up would be like. I mean, her bit about rap music telling women what to do is one for the time capsule. Plaza doesn’t have much of a film resume, but we can only hope that she continues to work. Just watch the movie, and you’ll know what I mean.
Everything said, I was reminded of my time in New York City when every Sunday night, some of my roommates and I would go to the Upright Citizens’ Brigade for free stand-up and $2 Pabst Blue Ribbons. I was amused, I laughed a lot, but I never really wondered what was going on backstage. I never saw the comedians on the streets, I never spoke to them privately, but they seemed to serve as beacons for my entertainment in an area that isn’t exactly a go-to for me.
I don’t wish to spoil the plot, but I will say that it’s not typical of Judd Apatow to conclude this story the way he does, but upon reflection, I realized that Apatow is a born filmmaker and takes pride in destroying clichés while still making a movie that is true to itself. Maybe the laughs aren’t as consistent as they were in his earlier films, but what “Funny People” manages to accomplish is beyond simple entertainment. You’re left with a movie that sticks with you and serves as a reflection as to who exactly these ‘funny people’ are that we come to rely upon.
Rated R for language and crude sexual humor throughout, and some sexuality. (Unrated DVD)
Buy it here.
What happens now? He seems to crave that personal connection with people, so he goes back to his stand-up days, but he has no material. “When you hear the waitresses’ footsteps, you know you’re not doing too good…” he presents during a rather heartbreaking performance. However, his performance doesn’t end up just being an awkward spot, but Ira Wright (a skinny Seth Rogen, reliably in his character) uses his horrible performance for laughs in his. Ira works behind the counter at Otto’s, a deli, and aspires to become successful in his stand-up career, but the problem is that he’s just not that funny. Most of his jokes seem to be about his dick and farts, and he wonders why no girls want to stay with him. Thus, George hires Ira to be his stand-up writer, and the boundaries are blurred as to where Ira stands in George’s life. Should he serve as a counselor and try to be his friend or just write the damn jokes?
There is significance in the fact that the characters are named George and Ira. George and Ira Gershwin were a brother music/lyricist team that worked within Broadway plays as well as the classical realm where George would write the music while Ira would write the lyrics. Sandler writes the rhythm and pacing while Rogen provides the punchlines. The Gershwins have managed to write several hits together and many songs that I’m sure you’ve heard before (“I Got Rhythm”? “Rhapsody in Blue”? “Porgy and Bess”?). The movie seems to suggest that George and Ira could have been brothers in a different life.
The supporting cast is terrific. Leslie Mann is a genius of deadpan humor as “the one who got away” from George before. She had a brief, gut-busting performance in Apatow’s “The 40 Year-Old Virgin” as a “drunk bitch” that ends up traumatizing poor Andy after drinking too much, but her most notable work was her performance as Nicky in “Knocked Up,” a characterization that was honest and beyond a simple description.
Eric Bana (from “Munich,” irony present) speaks with his native Aussie tongue so he can improvise more easily. I don’t ever remember seeing him do comedy in the past, but he has natural comedic instincts here. He is never interested in playing a two-dimensional character of any kind, and his work here is no exception. There is always a living, breathing person behind every character he plays (especially in his villain role as Nero in the new “Star Trek”), and he is one actor to keep watching. There is extraordinary talent present.
The rest of the cast contains only one Apatow veteran (Jonah Hill) with Jason Schwatrzman as George Simmons with the same outlook now stuck in his early career. He’s the lead actor in “Yo, Teach!” a “comedy” that should not have lived past the pilot. You only see bits and pieces of it, and wisely, you are not meant to like it. It seriously sucks.
The rest of the supporting cast aside, I feel I must mention one name; Aubrey Plaza as Daisy. Every single second she was on-screen, I believed whole-heartedly that she was a stand-up comedian. The glimpse we get of one of her routines serves as what I wish more stand-up would be like. I mean, her bit about rap music telling women what to do is one for the time capsule. Plaza doesn’t have much of a film resume, but we can only hope that she continues to work. Just watch the movie, and you’ll know what I mean.
Everything said, I was reminded of my time in New York City when every Sunday night, some of my roommates and I would go to the Upright Citizens’ Brigade for free stand-up and $2 Pabst Blue Ribbons. I was amused, I laughed a lot, but I never really wondered what was going on backstage. I never saw the comedians on the streets, I never spoke to them privately, but they seemed to serve as beacons for my entertainment in an area that isn’t exactly a go-to for me.
I don’t wish to spoil the plot, but I will say that it’s not typical of Judd Apatow to conclude this story the way he does, but upon reflection, I realized that Apatow is a born filmmaker and takes pride in destroying clichés while still making a movie that is true to itself. Maybe the laughs aren’t as consistent as they were in his earlier films, but what “Funny People” manages to accomplish is beyond simple entertainment. You’re left with a movie that sticks with you and serves as a reflection as to who exactly these ‘funny people’ are that we come to rely upon.
Rated R for language and crude sexual humor throughout, and some sexuality. (Unrated DVD)
Buy it here.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
30 Best of the Decade
I'm not a huge fan of competing art forms, but I'd like to point out what films left me feeling something beyond simple entertainment. Yes, I love walking into the theater bored and leaving with a new-found energy, but what these movies did to me was quite extraordinary. I decided on the number 30 for the reason that if I mentioned every single movie that did that to me, no one would want to read everything. So, I'll keep this as short as possible, and here, in alphabetical order, are what I found to be the 30 best of the decade.
1. Adaptation.
What this movie achieves is a comedy based on the human mind, Charlie Kaufman's best territory. What starts as one of the most original films to date ends on an unbelievably cliche note. It may seem odd and strikes many viewers that way, but the movie is about something adapting to its environment. In today's "Transformer" climate, Adaptation is forced into that mindset. This is one of my all-time favorites. Buy it here.
2. Atonement
I hate love-fueled drama stories, but this one actually has bite. You believe the connection between the couple, but that isn't the movie's primary focus. The girl who causes their relationship to take a detour must live with what she did because she didn't understand what was happening. Buy it here.
3. Bowling for Columbine
I'm sure that after Fahrenheit 9/11 your mind is already made up about Michael Moore, but this film (even if its focus is a little too scattershot to take on one viewing alone) resonates and causes us to face the demons of why exactly tragic events such as the infamous school shooting at Columbine took place without offering the universal solution we'd all like to have. For those wondering who the finger is pointed at, it should be no surprise that it isn't Marilyn Manson, violence in video games and movies, or drug usage but the news media. American news is so overly sensationalized that it should be no wonder why most Americans live in fear. Buy it here.
4. Brokeback Mountain
Ah yes, the "gay cowboy movie." First off, that is a GROSS oversimplification. This film is an analysis of social roles, asking us why we should force people to conform to what we believe is normal. Take some time to review that last sentence carefully, and let's focus on the last part: what we believe is normal. Buy it here.
5. Chicago
This fascinating and thrilling musical is a shot of pure adrenaline. The original stage version (my first Broadway show, with Huey Lewis as Billy Flinn) was done with a major emphasis on the comedy, but the film keeps the satire fresh, that the best way to get away with murder is to get famous. And yes, the music will be stuck in your head, and you'll be left wanting more, more, more. Buy it here.
6. Crash
It seemed that in 2005 the general thought was to take the two frontrunners for Best Picture (Crash and Brokeback Mountain) and love one while hating the other. That's just unfair and unnecessary; both are excellent films. Crash keeps its focus steady, causing its many storylines to crash into each other (yeah, we ALL get it). Everything doesn't get tied up in the end, but the final feeling after the emotional devastation of one simple scene (if you saw it, you know exactly what I'm talking about) is one of hope and understanding while remaining stirred. Buy it here.
7. The Dark Knight
Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know the drill; if you don't put The Dark Knight on your "Best" list wherever it's eligible, you get hate. However, this is one film that took what could have been a standard superhero story and flipped it on its ear, creating an Oscar-winning villain (although it was understood that this would be Heath Ledger's year- no exceptions) while continuing to explore the depths of a great character. You'll definitely be entertained, but some will leave with much more. Buy it here.
8. The Departed
Scorsese can direct a movie, God knows, but the punch behind the absolutely brilliant concept of cops and criminals ("When you're facing a loaded gun, what's the difference?") never gets old and remains suspenseful and thrilling. I haven't watched the Hong Kong original, but what I understand the movie does is simply borrow ideas rather than make an attempt to redo things for an American audience. Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the finest actors working today, and this movie solidified my love for his skill. It flows like a Guinness draft and stings like a bullet wound. Buy it here.
9. Doubt
What does gossip do to us? While it is never revealed whether or not Father Flynn is guilty or innocent, what makes me chuckle is that everyone who watched the movie leans one way or another. Admittedly, I think I know what happened, but the fun from the movie came from that. Meryl Streep (who I believe should have taken home two Oscars in two years for this and Julie and Julia) takes her character and makes her quite a tragic figure, one that is so afraid that what happened in the past will repeat itself that she forces her own certainty. Amy Adams gives a stunning performance as a sister trying to battle her own desire for peace, Phillip Seymour Hoffman continues his stance as one of the best actors who ever lived by only giving us momentary glimpses into who Flynn really is, and Viola Davis...oh my God. Just watch what she does with around 10 minutes of screentime. Buy it here.
10. Gosford Park
The "Mansion Murder Mystery" is a genre that I wish to see more of (I'm in the process of writing my own), and the darkly funny Gosford Park never lets up. A bastard with what for most people would be a regrettable past is murdered twice in the same night. You read that correctly. He is poisoned by one and stabbed by another, but what two people would have the drive to commit such an act? Helen Mirren gives such a resonating performance that the sheer power of her final scenes is enough to floor you, and Maggie Smith is a goddess of deadpan. Both were Oscar-nominated and the script took home the gold, and the fact that the camera never quits moving in the mansion allows us to feel like guests. Treat yourself to brilliance. Buy it here.
11. The Hours
Virginia Woolf is not an easy character to possess, and the beautiful novel upon which the film is based carries the theme of transcendence through time. The movie nails every moment as Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep try to battle with the times. This, along with Atonement, is a film that should be standard material for film students wishing to learn how to properly adapt a perfect novel. It can be done. Buy it here.
12. In the Bedroom
It would be tremendously unfair for me to reveal the plot twist that causes every wheel to spin into action, but what I will say is that this film is unmistakable in its portrayal of two parents (the priceless Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson...when will Tom take home his overdue award?!?) trying to come to terms with their only child (Nick Stahl, reliably great) coming into a serious relationship with a divorced woman with two young boys (Oscar-winner Marissa Tomei...and count me among the few that felt she deserved her statue for My Cousin Vinny). There's nothing more I will reveal except that this is a master class in filmmaking. Buy it here.
13. In the Loop
I can't hype this film enough. If you're capable of understanding a movie that combines both British and American laughs, then treat yourself to the best political satire since Dr. Strangelove. The plot is a little complicated, but the cast is up to game with their eccentric characters, especially Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker, a foul-mouthed Scot whose character the entire screenplay was based upon. Buy it here.
14. King Kong
I don't often feel that remakes are called for, but this one takes the original concept of something we didn't understand (the embodiment of The Great Depression) tragically climbing the symbol for hope in times of uncertainty (The Empire State Building) and works wonders with it. Instead of symbolizing The Great Depression, Kong instead seems to resemble the environment. However, this time, as my father told me, it wasn't "beauty [that] killed the beast," but greed and exploitation. Also, this won the Oscar for visual effects, so even if you don't like some of my favorite "thinkin' pictures," you'll be entertained. Buy it here.
15. Knocked Up
The romantic comedy genre is not one that has much going for it, but everything works here. Reportedly, the movie had a tiny screenplay, so the actors were to create their characters first and worry about dialogue later. This may not work in most movies, but there wasn't another way in this case. It flows, it never takes the easy way out with drama (no complications with the pregnancy or other obvious dramatic standards), and ultimately keeps the focus on the characters. It is touching, raunchy, and tells a wonderful story. Buy it here.
16. Little Children
Next to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, this is Kate Winslet's best performance. The story of a married house-husband in one household and unhappy wife in another having an affair isn't exactly new, but there are several factors that make this a perfect film. One is that the acting is beyond superb, Two would be the very real concept that sometimes fantasies in our minds are fantasies for a reason, and Three would be the supporting actor Jackie Earle Haley embodying an unbelievably difficult role. He is an older man with a psychosexual disorder living with his mother while trying to find peace after becoming a registered sex offender. The film dares to give us sympathy for him, relying on the belief that people don't try to be evil. Buy it here.
17. Little Miss Sunshine
This movie redefined my love for modern comedy. The quirky cast (all aces once again) let their characters' wills be seen, and as the drama unfolds and the laughs knock you the hell out, we're left with a portrait of a real modern family. If you haven't watched it yet, just do it already. Buy it here.
18. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
I can't just pick one, and I'd have to throw out two others on this list to name all three, and I didn't feel like doing that. This mega-budget blockbuster became a cultural phenomenon while securing Peter Jackson's place in our hearts. The Hobbit is planned for two movies, and after seeing the trilogy, I could use more of this. The finale wraps up every single loose end, even the ones I forgot about, and contains probably some of the best battle sequences ever filmed. I don't want to throw plot at you because you probably already know it, and if you don't, just check them all out. Buy it here.
19. Lost in Translation
Sophia Copolla won a couple Razzies for her acting in The Godfather: Part 3, but no one would think that of her directing skill after seeing this masterpiece on public isolation. Bill Murray gives what I believe should have been an Oscar-winner (sorry Sean Penn, this doesn't mean I dislike you or think you're unworthy) as an actor with one or two too-many braindead blockbusters taking a trip to Japan to film a whiskey commercial. He meets Scarlett Johansson, and the two form an immediate bond. It isn't a love connection, but they see each other as lonely souls in need of a friend. Johansson is epic in this film, and after seeing the movie, I keep anxiously awaiting her next tour-de-force. Buy it here.
20. Michael Clayton
Clooney can play a character like Michael Clayton like no actor I've ever seen, nailing every nuance, every look, every second. I couldn't shake the sheer power of this vision of a "janitor." Tilda Swinton shows what supporting performances are made of by painting a picture of someone who is inherently average and not special in any way attempting to be a villain. I was fascinated by everything the movie has to offer from the incompetent hitmen to Tom Wilkinson's brilliant and passionate performance as a man like Clooney who stops taking his medication to begin to see the world in which he has placed himself. This movie hit me like a cannon to the gut. Buy it here.
21. Milk
Sean Penn is a wonderful actor who has cemented his reputation as playing the straight, conflicted man in a dominantly masculine context, but here, he plays the flamboyant Harvey Milk fighting for gay rights. "You gotta give 'em hope," he says. Well, this entertaining biopic gave me hope for an accepting society. Buy it here.
22. No Country for Old Men
What is death? The Co-bros' take on the archaic western was perfectly cast, thrilling, and crafted the scariest villain since Hannibal Lecter. If you don't know anything about the movie, just see it. It'll be studied and only gets better with time. Buy it here.
23. The Queen
What was quite a risk for all involved became a touching look into what happened behind closed doors during one of the most tragic events this decade. Helen Mirren's unflinching portrayal of The Queen reportedly caused many key grips and other backstage workers to snap into good posture. After all, they were in the presence of one of the greatest performances of all time. Buy it here.
24. The Savages
Two older siblings come to the realization that they must take care of their father who never much cared for them. After he writes the word, "Prick" on the wall with his feces and his live-in girlfriend dies, they must take him back to their town of Buffalo, NY and find a suitable assisted living environment for him. However, the two siblings are not exactly great people. Wendy Savage (Laura Linney's Oscar-nominated performance and as I believe, what should have won) steals supplies from her temp jobs while trying to get her mediocre plays published. She came up negative for cancer, but she still treats it as an area in which she can exploit for sympathy. John Savage (Phillip Seymour Hoffman...whose performances in films never disappoint) can't commit to his international girlfriend and cries when she makes him eggs. His draft of a book on Bertolt Brecht is still in progress as he teaches theater at a university. Phillip Bosco's performance as their father was overlooked that particular year, but you shouldn't do the same. This is one of the top films of the decade. Buy it here.
25. A Serious Man
I wrote a four-star review on this film. If you have questions, check it out. There will be a later post on my "findings." Just watch the damn movie already! Buy it here.
26. There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson seems to have made a movie that is somewhat contrary to his style (large casts with intercepting storylines in such films as "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia"), but everything works even better here. This is not an easy film to understand or take as the anti-hero is someone that makes it impossible to sympathize with. The film based on Upton Sinclair's novel, "Oil!," has a certain timeless feel to it. Buy it here.
27. Traffic
Drug trafficking is the subject of Stephen Soderbergh's tale of coincidences and irony in this complex film. Michael Douglass stars as a conservative judge who discovers that his daughter is a drug addict, but the power doesn't stop there. A hitman, an Italian housewife whose husband has been arrested for the title crime, two Mexican drug enforcement cops, two DEA agents, and many others combine to make a film with only gray characters, never black and white. Buy it here.
28. Tropic Thunder
This very, very, very funny take on Hollywood takes risks (Robert Downey, Jr.'s Oscar-nominated part is probably the biggest) but also gives several actors a much needed jump-start into a better career. Ben Stiller's screenplay and acting will roll you in the aisles, and Tom Cruise will amaze you. RDJ had the unfortunate luck of being nominated for this the same year Heath Ledger for "The Dark Knight," but his performance cements his reputation for being one of the best living actors, especially in comedy. Buy it here.
29. Up
I'm not much for animation, but this movie couldn't be done in any other way. The screenplay is hilarious and touching without telling you how you should be feeling. The honesty present in this highly entertaining film is more than I'm used to. Buy it here.
30. Up in the Air
What I felt was the best film of last season walked away empty-handed. This is a movie that speaks for the time in which we live currently, one of uncertainty. Clooney is able to do another one of his epic portrayals of a man attempting to run from his life, and the star-making performances of Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick are enough to give this movie its due. Also, it's by Jason Reitman, the man behind Juno and Thank You For Smoking, so you know it'll be amazing. Buy it here.
1. Adaptation.
What this movie achieves is a comedy based on the human mind, Charlie Kaufman's best territory. What starts as one of the most original films to date ends on an unbelievably cliche note. It may seem odd and strikes many viewers that way, but the movie is about something adapting to its environment. In today's "Transformer" climate, Adaptation is forced into that mindset. This is one of my all-time favorites. Buy it here.
2. Atonement
I hate love-fueled drama stories, but this one actually has bite. You believe the connection between the couple, but that isn't the movie's primary focus. The girl who causes their relationship to take a detour must live with what she did because she didn't understand what was happening. Buy it here.
3. Bowling for Columbine
I'm sure that after Fahrenheit 9/11 your mind is already made up about Michael Moore, but this film (even if its focus is a little too scattershot to take on one viewing alone) resonates and causes us to face the demons of why exactly tragic events such as the infamous school shooting at Columbine took place without offering the universal solution we'd all like to have. For those wondering who the finger is pointed at, it should be no surprise that it isn't Marilyn Manson, violence in video games and movies, or drug usage but the news media. American news is so overly sensationalized that it should be no wonder why most Americans live in fear. Buy it here.
4. Brokeback Mountain
Ah yes, the "gay cowboy movie." First off, that is a GROSS oversimplification. This film is an analysis of social roles, asking us why we should force people to conform to what we believe is normal. Take some time to review that last sentence carefully, and let's focus on the last part: what we believe is normal. Buy it here.
5. Chicago
This fascinating and thrilling musical is a shot of pure adrenaline. The original stage version (my first Broadway show, with Huey Lewis as Billy Flinn) was done with a major emphasis on the comedy, but the film keeps the satire fresh, that the best way to get away with murder is to get famous. And yes, the music will be stuck in your head, and you'll be left wanting more, more, more. Buy it here.
6. Crash
It seemed that in 2005 the general thought was to take the two frontrunners for Best Picture (Crash and Brokeback Mountain) and love one while hating the other. That's just unfair and unnecessary; both are excellent films. Crash keeps its focus steady, causing its many storylines to crash into each other (yeah, we ALL get it). Everything doesn't get tied up in the end, but the final feeling after the emotional devastation of one simple scene (if you saw it, you know exactly what I'm talking about) is one of hope and understanding while remaining stirred. Buy it here.
7. The Dark Knight
Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know the drill; if you don't put The Dark Knight on your "Best" list wherever it's eligible, you get hate. However, this is one film that took what could have been a standard superhero story and flipped it on its ear, creating an Oscar-winning villain (although it was understood that this would be Heath Ledger's year- no exceptions) while continuing to explore the depths of a great character. You'll definitely be entertained, but some will leave with much more. Buy it here.
8. The Departed
Scorsese can direct a movie, God knows, but the punch behind the absolutely brilliant concept of cops and criminals ("When you're facing a loaded gun, what's the difference?") never gets old and remains suspenseful and thrilling. I haven't watched the Hong Kong original, but what I understand the movie does is simply borrow ideas rather than make an attempt to redo things for an American audience. Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the finest actors working today, and this movie solidified my love for his skill. It flows like a Guinness draft and stings like a bullet wound. Buy it here.
9. Doubt
What does gossip do to us? While it is never revealed whether or not Father Flynn is guilty or innocent, what makes me chuckle is that everyone who watched the movie leans one way or another. Admittedly, I think I know what happened, but the fun from the movie came from that. Meryl Streep (who I believe should have taken home two Oscars in two years for this and Julie and Julia) takes her character and makes her quite a tragic figure, one that is so afraid that what happened in the past will repeat itself that she forces her own certainty. Amy Adams gives a stunning performance as a sister trying to battle her own desire for peace, Phillip Seymour Hoffman continues his stance as one of the best actors who ever lived by only giving us momentary glimpses into who Flynn really is, and Viola Davis...oh my God. Just watch what she does with around 10 minutes of screentime. Buy it here.
10. Gosford Park
The "Mansion Murder Mystery" is a genre that I wish to see more of (I'm in the process of writing my own), and the darkly funny Gosford Park never lets up. A bastard with what for most people would be a regrettable past is murdered twice in the same night. You read that correctly. He is poisoned by one and stabbed by another, but what two people would have the drive to commit such an act? Helen Mirren gives such a resonating performance that the sheer power of her final scenes is enough to floor you, and Maggie Smith is a goddess of deadpan. Both were Oscar-nominated and the script took home the gold, and the fact that the camera never quits moving in the mansion allows us to feel like guests. Treat yourself to brilliance. Buy it here.
11. The Hours
Virginia Woolf is not an easy character to possess, and the beautiful novel upon which the film is based carries the theme of transcendence through time. The movie nails every moment as Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep try to battle with the times. This, along with Atonement, is a film that should be standard material for film students wishing to learn how to properly adapt a perfect novel. It can be done. Buy it here.
12. In the Bedroom
It would be tremendously unfair for me to reveal the plot twist that causes every wheel to spin into action, but what I will say is that this film is unmistakable in its portrayal of two parents (the priceless Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson...when will Tom take home his overdue award?!?) trying to come to terms with their only child (Nick Stahl, reliably great) coming into a serious relationship with a divorced woman with two young boys (Oscar-winner Marissa Tomei...and count me among the few that felt she deserved her statue for My Cousin Vinny). There's nothing more I will reveal except that this is a master class in filmmaking. Buy it here.
13. In the Loop
I can't hype this film enough. If you're capable of understanding a movie that combines both British and American laughs, then treat yourself to the best political satire since Dr. Strangelove. The plot is a little complicated, but the cast is up to game with their eccentric characters, especially Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker, a foul-mouthed Scot whose character the entire screenplay was based upon. Buy it here.
14. King Kong
I don't often feel that remakes are called for, but this one takes the original concept of something we didn't understand (the embodiment of The Great Depression) tragically climbing the symbol for hope in times of uncertainty (The Empire State Building) and works wonders with it. Instead of symbolizing The Great Depression, Kong instead seems to resemble the environment. However, this time, as my father told me, it wasn't "beauty [that] killed the beast," but greed and exploitation. Also, this won the Oscar for visual effects, so even if you don't like some of my favorite "thinkin' pictures," you'll be entertained. Buy it here.
15. Knocked Up
The romantic comedy genre is not one that has much going for it, but everything works here. Reportedly, the movie had a tiny screenplay, so the actors were to create their characters first and worry about dialogue later. This may not work in most movies, but there wasn't another way in this case. It flows, it never takes the easy way out with drama (no complications with the pregnancy or other obvious dramatic standards), and ultimately keeps the focus on the characters. It is touching, raunchy, and tells a wonderful story. Buy it here.
16. Little Children
Next to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, this is Kate Winslet's best performance. The story of a married house-husband in one household and unhappy wife in another having an affair isn't exactly new, but there are several factors that make this a perfect film. One is that the acting is beyond superb, Two would be the very real concept that sometimes fantasies in our minds are fantasies for a reason, and Three would be the supporting actor Jackie Earle Haley embodying an unbelievably difficult role. He is an older man with a psychosexual disorder living with his mother while trying to find peace after becoming a registered sex offender. The film dares to give us sympathy for him, relying on the belief that people don't try to be evil. Buy it here.
17. Little Miss Sunshine
This movie redefined my love for modern comedy. The quirky cast (all aces once again) let their characters' wills be seen, and as the drama unfolds and the laughs knock you the hell out, we're left with a portrait of a real modern family. If you haven't watched it yet, just do it already. Buy it here.
18. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
I can't just pick one, and I'd have to throw out two others on this list to name all three, and I didn't feel like doing that. This mega-budget blockbuster became a cultural phenomenon while securing Peter Jackson's place in our hearts. The Hobbit is planned for two movies, and after seeing the trilogy, I could use more of this. The finale wraps up every single loose end, even the ones I forgot about, and contains probably some of the best battle sequences ever filmed. I don't want to throw plot at you because you probably already know it, and if you don't, just check them all out. Buy it here.
19. Lost in Translation
Sophia Copolla won a couple Razzies for her acting in The Godfather: Part 3, but no one would think that of her directing skill after seeing this masterpiece on public isolation. Bill Murray gives what I believe should have been an Oscar-winner (sorry Sean Penn, this doesn't mean I dislike you or think you're unworthy) as an actor with one or two too-many braindead blockbusters taking a trip to Japan to film a whiskey commercial. He meets Scarlett Johansson, and the two form an immediate bond. It isn't a love connection, but they see each other as lonely souls in need of a friend. Johansson is epic in this film, and after seeing the movie, I keep anxiously awaiting her next tour-de-force. Buy it here.
20. Michael Clayton
Clooney can play a character like Michael Clayton like no actor I've ever seen, nailing every nuance, every look, every second. I couldn't shake the sheer power of this vision of a "janitor." Tilda Swinton shows what supporting performances are made of by painting a picture of someone who is inherently average and not special in any way attempting to be a villain. I was fascinated by everything the movie has to offer from the incompetent hitmen to Tom Wilkinson's brilliant and passionate performance as a man like Clooney who stops taking his medication to begin to see the world in which he has placed himself. This movie hit me like a cannon to the gut. Buy it here.
21. Milk
Sean Penn is a wonderful actor who has cemented his reputation as playing the straight, conflicted man in a dominantly masculine context, but here, he plays the flamboyant Harvey Milk fighting for gay rights. "You gotta give 'em hope," he says. Well, this entertaining biopic gave me hope for an accepting society. Buy it here.
22. No Country for Old Men
What is death? The Co-bros' take on the archaic western was perfectly cast, thrilling, and crafted the scariest villain since Hannibal Lecter. If you don't know anything about the movie, just see it. It'll be studied and only gets better with time. Buy it here.
23. The Queen
What was quite a risk for all involved became a touching look into what happened behind closed doors during one of the most tragic events this decade. Helen Mirren's unflinching portrayal of The Queen reportedly caused many key grips and other backstage workers to snap into good posture. After all, they were in the presence of one of the greatest performances of all time. Buy it here.
24. The Savages
Two older siblings come to the realization that they must take care of their father who never much cared for them. After he writes the word, "Prick" on the wall with his feces and his live-in girlfriend dies, they must take him back to their town of Buffalo, NY and find a suitable assisted living environment for him. However, the two siblings are not exactly great people. Wendy Savage (Laura Linney's Oscar-nominated performance and as I believe, what should have won) steals supplies from her temp jobs while trying to get her mediocre plays published. She came up negative for cancer, but she still treats it as an area in which she can exploit for sympathy. John Savage (Phillip Seymour Hoffman...whose performances in films never disappoint) can't commit to his international girlfriend and cries when she makes him eggs. His draft of a book on Bertolt Brecht is still in progress as he teaches theater at a university. Phillip Bosco's performance as their father was overlooked that particular year, but you shouldn't do the same. This is one of the top films of the decade. Buy it here.
25. A Serious Man
I wrote a four-star review on this film. If you have questions, check it out. There will be a later post on my "findings." Just watch the damn movie already! Buy it here.
26. There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson seems to have made a movie that is somewhat contrary to his style (large casts with intercepting storylines in such films as "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia"), but everything works even better here. This is not an easy film to understand or take as the anti-hero is someone that makes it impossible to sympathize with. The film based on Upton Sinclair's novel, "Oil!," has a certain timeless feel to it. Buy it here.
27. Traffic
Drug trafficking is the subject of Stephen Soderbergh's tale of coincidences and irony in this complex film. Michael Douglass stars as a conservative judge who discovers that his daughter is a drug addict, but the power doesn't stop there. A hitman, an Italian housewife whose husband has been arrested for the title crime, two Mexican drug enforcement cops, two DEA agents, and many others combine to make a film with only gray characters, never black and white. Buy it here.
28. Tropic Thunder
This very, very, very funny take on Hollywood takes risks (Robert Downey, Jr.'s Oscar-nominated part is probably the biggest) but also gives several actors a much needed jump-start into a better career. Ben Stiller's screenplay and acting will roll you in the aisles, and Tom Cruise will amaze you. RDJ had the unfortunate luck of being nominated for this the same year Heath Ledger for "The Dark Knight," but his performance cements his reputation for being one of the best living actors, especially in comedy. Buy it here.
29. Up
I'm not much for animation, but this movie couldn't be done in any other way. The screenplay is hilarious and touching without telling you how you should be feeling. The honesty present in this highly entertaining film is more than I'm used to. Buy it here.
30. Up in the Air
What I felt was the best film of last season walked away empty-handed. This is a movie that speaks for the time in which we live currently, one of uncertainty. Clooney is able to do another one of his epic portrayals of a man attempting to run from his life, and the star-making performances of Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick are enough to give this movie its due. Also, it's by Jason Reitman, the man behind Juno and Thank You For Smoking, so you know it'll be amazing. Buy it here.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Kick-Ass- **** out of ****
Alright, I'm completely and fully aware of the serious moral objections many people have to this movie, so I will say this right now; the bottom line of "Kick-Ass" is that after seeing the previews, you know whether or not you'll like this movie. God help me, I loved it.
The moral objections seem to come from a supporting character named Hit Girl (13 Year-Old Chloe Moretz of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and "500 Days of Summer"), but we'll get to her in a minute. First, we should lay some context behind the best-titled movie in a long time. Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson, a new actor who is perfectly cast and charming) is a hopeless, awkward dweeb in high school. He hangs out with his loser friends at a comic book store and occasionally gets mugged on his way home. Dave has a fantasy about being a superhero, but the problem is that he has no powers, but as it is discussed, neither does Batman. Dave goes online and orders a teal and yellow scuba suit, calls himself Kick-Ass, and hits the streets to fight crime. He begins looking for 'Bitey' the cat and ends up thwarting a gang beating, getting videotaped, and ending up the biggest sensation on the internet since Chocolate Rain. Kick-Ass has 30,000 friends on MySpace and constantly receives requests for tasks that only a masked superhero can achieve, but the one he takes most seriously is from his crush. He ends up in way over his head and receives some unexpected assistance from Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and the aforementioned Hit Girl.
Here's where the religious right gets super pissed off. Daddy lost his wife and ended up with only his little girl, and so he trains her to become a killer so they can, together, slice and dice the man transitively responsible. Damon and Mindy Macready (Big Daddy and Hit Girl) share this desire, but it never feels forced or fake. Despite how strange Damon acts or the fact that Mindy calls her foes "cunts," they truly are three-dimensional characters who share a strange bond over guns, knives, and grenades.
Kick-Ass teams with Daddy and Girl, but before they know it, another crusader is on the news; Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, or as you know him, McLovin'). Despite this concoction of characters in the same movie, it never feels campy or like it's stretching for laughs. The laughs come in juxtaposition with the action/violence, so the energy remains high. This movie is never boring and is quite satisfying.
One praise I must mention involves the fight choreography. In both "Transformers" movies, when the robots fight, Michael Bay doesn't let the action play out. Instead, he just uses fast cuts that take around 1/4 of a second, and so you're left with a couple minutes of fast moving pictures and loud clanging and only know who is winning by the aftermath. What "Kick-Ass" does (and quite a few other excellent films including the Crazy 88 showdown in "Kill Bill Vol. 1") is that it lets the choreography play out as if it were a violent dance sequence. Sure, there are some quick cuts, but by letting the fight coordinator(s) show their work is not only impressive but also allows the scenes to flow. That takes some real skill and cannot be faked or half-assed.
Why did I give this violent, controversial film a perfect rating while "Shutter Island" only gets ***+? Here's how I work: not all movies can be judged on the same exact scale, so what I do is that I try to give the movie a rating in accordance with its genre and style. A three-star drama might be a better movie than a three and a half-star comedy, but who says we have to compete these films? If we take film competition out of the picture and simply award "Kick-Ass" what I believe is the best rating for this superhero action-comedy, then I believe that a perfect rating is in order.
Rated R for strong brutal violence throughout, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some drug use - some involving children.
Wide release- check your local theater for showtimes.
The moral objections seem to come from a supporting character named Hit Girl (13 Year-Old Chloe Moretz of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and "500 Days of Summer"), but we'll get to her in a minute. First, we should lay some context behind the best-titled movie in a long time. Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson, a new actor who is perfectly cast and charming) is a hopeless, awkward dweeb in high school. He hangs out with his loser friends at a comic book store and occasionally gets mugged on his way home. Dave has a fantasy about being a superhero, but the problem is that he has no powers, but as it is discussed, neither does Batman. Dave goes online and orders a teal and yellow scuba suit, calls himself Kick-Ass, and hits the streets to fight crime. He begins looking for 'Bitey' the cat and ends up thwarting a gang beating, getting videotaped, and ending up the biggest sensation on the internet since Chocolate Rain. Kick-Ass has 30,000 friends on MySpace and constantly receives requests for tasks that only a masked superhero can achieve, but the one he takes most seriously is from his crush. He ends up in way over his head and receives some unexpected assistance from Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and the aforementioned Hit Girl.
Here's where the religious right gets super pissed off. Daddy lost his wife and ended up with only his little girl, and so he trains her to become a killer so they can, together, slice and dice the man transitively responsible. Damon and Mindy Macready (Big Daddy and Hit Girl) share this desire, but it never feels forced or fake. Despite how strange Damon acts or the fact that Mindy calls her foes "cunts," they truly are three-dimensional characters who share a strange bond over guns, knives, and grenades.
Kick-Ass teams with Daddy and Girl, but before they know it, another crusader is on the news; Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, or as you know him, McLovin'). Despite this concoction of characters in the same movie, it never feels campy or like it's stretching for laughs. The laughs come in juxtaposition with the action/violence, so the energy remains high. This movie is never boring and is quite satisfying.
One praise I must mention involves the fight choreography. In both "Transformers" movies, when the robots fight, Michael Bay doesn't let the action play out. Instead, he just uses fast cuts that take around 1/4 of a second, and so you're left with a couple minutes of fast moving pictures and loud clanging and only know who is winning by the aftermath. What "Kick-Ass" does (and quite a few other excellent films including the Crazy 88 showdown in "Kill Bill Vol. 1") is that it lets the choreography play out as if it were a violent dance sequence. Sure, there are some quick cuts, but by letting the fight coordinator(s) show their work is not only impressive but also allows the scenes to flow. That takes some real skill and cannot be faked or half-assed.
Why did I give this violent, controversial film a perfect rating while "Shutter Island" only gets ***+? Here's how I work: not all movies can be judged on the same exact scale, so what I do is that I try to give the movie a rating in accordance with its genre and style. A three-star drama might be a better movie than a three and a half-star comedy, but who says we have to compete these films? If we take film competition out of the picture and simply award "Kick-Ass" what I believe is the best rating for this superhero action-comedy, then I believe that a perfect rating is in order.
Rated R for strong brutal violence throughout, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some drug use - some involving children.
Wide release- check your local theater for showtimes.
Hard Candy- No Rating
The movie opens with a chat window- A 32 year-old man with "Photographer" in his screenname (Patrick Wilson from the brilliant "Little Children" and "Angels in America" miniseries) talks with a 14 year-old girl named "ThongGirl" (a 17 year-old Ellen Page from "Juno"). The scene is short, but it leads to their date at a coffee house where he buys her everything she wants. They soon decide to head back to his place where a bizarre turn of events causes them to be at odds, battling the other for dominance.
"Hard Candy" is a fascinating movie that occasionally doesn't seem to know what it's trying to say. Pedophilia is bad, perhaps? That can't be it since it seems that most people believe it, and pedophiles don't tend to share that aspect of their lives with others. It seems to harbor a belief that even if an adult sexually desires a minor that they have to act within the capacity that they are placing the child in a vulnerable position where if they act as a lover, then they aren't helping the kid, and if they act as a parent, the love is gone. This is territory I try not to jump into. The movie has a muddled message, but it probably speaks to some people better than others.
All that being said, the movie is a horror/thriller. There are no supernatural elements, and the violence mostly happens offscreen, but when push comes to shove, I would say that it is closer to the thriller field than horror. Not to say that it isn't scary- this is the best developed "strangers from the internet meeting" movie I've ever seen (although not that many come to mind).
So, there is no nudity or sex except what is discussed in the dialogue, and most violence happens off-screen although there isn't much of it- what keeps this movie going? Reader, that would be the dialogue. This revenge fantasy doesn't jump into "Saw" territory by trying to show you the most graphic ways someone can torture themselves with a big, silly machine, but instead, the most thrilling moments come from what is left unsaid and the amount of time it takes for characters to realize what is going to happen to them.
I don't have much else to say except that I was on the fence about recommending this movie for a while. I finally decided that I would just say that if what I have written seems to be your kind of movie, go ahead and check it out. However, like "The Truman Show," it seems that the movie's most shocking twist has been revealed to just about everyone. If you're among those that do not know the twist and want to check this out, count yourself lucky and go for it.
I should probably answer the question about why I didn't give the movie a rating. See, this is clearly a movie that you're either in the audience for or not, and although its content isn't disturbing, the general atmosphere and the way certain scenes were shaped does make it so. This is not a pleasant movie, and it doesn't pretend to be. I'll say no more.
Rated R for disturbing violent and aberrant sexual content involving a teen, and for language.
Buy it here.
"Hard Candy" is a fascinating movie that occasionally doesn't seem to know what it's trying to say. Pedophilia is bad, perhaps? That can't be it since it seems that most people believe it, and pedophiles don't tend to share that aspect of their lives with others. It seems to harbor a belief that even if an adult sexually desires a minor that they have to act within the capacity that they are placing the child in a vulnerable position where if they act as a lover, then they aren't helping the kid, and if they act as a parent, the love is gone. This is territory I try not to jump into. The movie has a muddled message, but it probably speaks to some people better than others.
All that being said, the movie is a horror/thriller. There are no supernatural elements, and the violence mostly happens offscreen, but when push comes to shove, I would say that it is closer to the thriller field than horror. Not to say that it isn't scary- this is the best developed "strangers from the internet meeting" movie I've ever seen (although not that many come to mind).
So, there is no nudity or sex except what is discussed in the dialogue, and most violence happens off-screen although there isn't much of it- what keeps this movie going? Reader, that would be the dialogue. This revenge fantasy doesn't jump into "Saw" territory by trying to show you the most graphic ways someone can torture themselves with a big, silly machine, but instead, the most thrilling moments come from what is left unsaid and the amount of time it takes for characters to realize what is going to happen to them.
I don't have much else to say except that I was on the fence about recommending this movie for a while. I finally decided that I would just say that if what I have written seems to be your kind of movie, go ahead and check it out. However, like "The Truman Show," it seems that the movie's most shocking twist has been revealed to just about everyone. If you're among those that do not know the twist and want to check this out, count yourself lucky and go for it.
I should probably answer the question about why I didn't give the movie a rating. See, this is clearly a movie that you're either in the audience for or not, and although its content isn't disturbing, the general atmosphere and the way certain scenes were shaped does make it so. This is not a pleasant movie, and it doesn't pretend to be. I'll say no more.
Rated R for disturbing violent and aberrant sexual content involving a teen, and for language.
Buy it here.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
It's Complicated- *** out of ****
"It's Complicated" is best viewed with an audience ready to laugh. I saw it twice in theaters, and there was a notable difference between the two audiences. The first time, the theater was jam-packed, and there were times where the dialogue couldn't be heard above the laughter, but the second time was with a more somber audience. They didn't laugh often, and the atmosphere was hurt because of it.
That being said, this isn't a movie for everyone. Nancy Meyers, the writer and director behind the Oscar-nominated script for "Private Benjamin," is a romantic comedy veteran, but "It's Complicated" never feels like a formula film. It is rated R, and the audience is meant to be middle-aged women and their husbands. Needless to say, I don't think I was in the target range, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it.
The comedy follows Jane (Meryl Streep), the owner of a bakery who is doing quite well for herself, all things considered. Her three children have grown up, the oldest being engaged to marry Harley (John Krasinski, hilariously stealing every scene) and the youngest, Luke (Hunter Parish from HBO's "Weeds") is ready to graduate college in New York. Jane's ex-husband, Jake (Oscar nominee for "The Cooler" Alec Baldwin in an excellent comedic performance) has married the woman who caused him to gain his 'ex' status, Agness (Lake Bell). Agness can't attend Luke's graduation because her snot-nosed kid is sick, so Jake must go alone. Jane and Jake are staying in the same hotel, and after a drunken night, they get intimate. Jane has become "that woman."
This complicates matters in her life because she can't tell her kids and has a thing for the architect who is designing the expansion on her house, Adam (Steve Martin, throwing off "The Pink Panther" for a great character who is as funny as his role in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"). After you meet the characters, everything else seems to just fall into place. The affair serves as a ticking time bomb that must inevitably come to light eventually, but when it does, the reveal actually makes sense. The drama is believable because the actors are more than up to game. The script stays consistently funny while not succumbing to lazy cliches. No, the script doesn't quite defy every cliche, but do you remember "The Proposal?" Of course, everyone knew that Sandra Bullock had to come clean about the marriage sham, but why the hell did she have to come clean at the wedding? As I said, it doesn't succumb to lazy cliches but has cliches. Where is the line? I would say that the setup is everything; the way everything comes about is more important than the events themselves. Perhaps it is predictable, but this isn't meant to be a genre-busting comedy (and romantic comedy itself is inevitable for predictability), but it's meant to be an enjoyable experience. It's a success on that level.
In short, this comedy, nominated for 3 Golden Globes (Best Picture: Comedy/Musical, Best Actress: Meryl Streep, and Best Screenplay), is very real and very funny. Being the youngest of three kids in a divorced family, I understand the drama behind the idea of my parents getting back together. I loved both of them, but the idea of everything being back the way it was just hurt. It felt right and normal for my parents to be separated, and I can't quite put my finger on why neither myself nor any of my siblings wanted them to get remarried, but we just knew that it was wrong.
There's a good stretch of goofy comedy (Jane, Jake, and Adam sharing a joint is priceless), and it takes a little too long to get set up, but this film is one I must recommend. I laughed, I thought, but I'm not sure if this will be something I'll be analyzing years from now.
This is probably my shortest review. In all honesty, there isn't much else to say. At this point, you probably have a rough idea of whether this is your kind of movie or not. Act accordingly.
Rated R for drug content and some sexuality.
Released on DVD April 27. Pre-order it here.
That being said, this isn't a movie for everyone. Nancy Meyers, the writer and director behind the Oscar-nominated script for "Private Benjamin," is a romantic comedy veteran, but "It's Complicated" never feels like a formula film. It is rated R, and the audience is meant to be middle-aged women and their husbands. Needless to say, I don't think I was in the target range, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it.
The comedy follows Jane (Meryl Streep), the owner of a bakery who is doing quite well for herself, all things considered. Her three children have grown up, the oldest being engaged to marry Harley (John Krasinski, hilariously stealing every scene) and the youngest, Luke (Hunter Parish from HBO's "Weeds") is ready to graduate college in New York. Jane's ex-husband, Jake (Oscar nominee for "The Cooler" Alec Baldwin in an excellent comedic performance) has married the woman who caused him to gain his 'ex' status, Agness (Lake Bell). Agness can't attend Luke's graduation because her snot-nosed kid is sick, so Jake must go alone. Jane and Jake are staying in the same hotel, and after a drunken night, they get intimate. Jane has become "that woman."
This complicates matters in her life because she can't tell her kids and has a thing for the architect who is designing the expansion on her house, Adam (Steve Martin, throwing off "The Pink Panther" for a great character who is as funny as his role in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"). After you meet the characters, everything else seems to just fall into place. The affair serves as a ticking time bomb that must inevitably come to light eventually, but when it does, the reveal actually makes sense. The drama is believable because the actors are more than up to game. The script stays consistently funny while not succumbing to lazy cliches. No, the script doesn't quite defy every cliche, but do you remember "The Proposal?" Of course, everyone knew that Sandra Bullock had to come clean about the marriage sham, but why the hell did she have to come clean at the wedding? As I said, it doesn't succumb to lazy cliches but has cliches. Where is the line? I would say that the setup is everything; the way everything comes about is more important than the events themselves. Perhaps it is predictable, but this isn't meant to be a genre-busting comedy (and romantic comedy itself is inevitable for predictability), but it's meant to be an enjoyable experience. It's a success on that level.
In short, this comedy, nominated for 3 Golden Globes (Best Picture: Comedy/Musical, Best Actress: Meryl Streep, and Best Screenplay), is very real and very funny. Being the youngest of three kids in a divorced family, I understand the drama behind the idea of my parents getting back together. I loved both of them, but the idea of everything being back the way it was just hurt. It felt right and normal for my parents to be separated, and I can't quite put my finger on why neither myself nor any of my siblings wanted them to get remarried, but we just knew that it was wrong.
There's a good stretch of goofy comedy (Jane, Jake, and Adam sharing a joint is priceless), and it takes a little too long to get set up, but this film is one I must recommend. I laughed, I thought, but I'm not sure if this will be something I'll be analyzing years from now.
This is probably my shortest review. In all honesty, there isn't much else to say. At this point, you probably have a rough idea of whether this is your kind of movie or not. Act accordingly.
Rated R for drug content and some sexuality.
Released on DVD April 27. Pre-order it here.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Shutter Island- ***+ out of ****
Shutter Island is a very curious movie made by a director that upon watching the film seems a very strange decision. Don’t think that I mean that Scorsese, one of the best directors today, has done a bad job- far from it. The idea that this doesn’t seem to be his usual movie only works to his strengths, allowing him to create something of a fascinating thriller shot with the care and sharpness present in his best films.
The movie begins with a mystery. Two detectives are sent to an island that houses the most violent sociopaths caught by the American judicial system to find a woman who has escaped and is still believed to be on the island. She drowned her three children and has somehow left her locked room without her shoes and snuck past scores of armed guards only to be left on the island where the only survivable way out is through a ferry that is monitored by the security personnel. The movie starts asking the ‘how’ but gradually moves into the ‘why,’ as the detectives attempt to discern where she could be hiding.
If you’ve ever watched a Scorsese film, you know that the plot is much more complicated than that. Ulterior motives, possible conspiracies, and corruption are uncovered as the detectives realize what they have managed to get themselves into.
As I mentioned before, the script goes from an episode of ‘Monk’ into something darker by replacing the ‘how’ with ‘why.’ Some viewers might find it to be frustrating- I was on the edge of my seat, awaiting the next twist or turn and attempting to discover the conclusion before the actors.
That’s all I’m going to say about the plot. If I reveal anything else, some part of the movie will be ruined, and I don’t want to spoil the plot. Perhaps you have guessed the conclusion or feel like you know what the mysteries of Shutter Island entail, but that’s only half the fun. The story, adapted from a Dennis Lehane novel (he wrote the source material for Clint Eastwood’s “Mystic River”) causes the audience to engage in the characters, only inferring who we should trust and who we shouldn’t. Most is up to you, but this roller-coaster ride remains something fun and heart-wrenching at the same time.
The cast is fascinating. Michelle Williams continues to do fine work with a difficult part; she is Teddy Daniels' (DiCaprio's) deceased wife, Delores. Mark Ruffalo matches wits with Daniels as the mystery unravels. Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow create a symphony of angst and wonder as two of the psychiatric heads of the island. Jackie Earl Haley, previous Oscar nominee for the brilliant "Little Children," finds the right notes as a patient in the most violent wing of the hospital. Finally, I come to the point where I mention who stole the show in the supporting world; there are actually two winners this time, but they are both playing the same character (it's not hard to understand). They are Emily Mortimer and Patricia Clarkson. You can watch them perform a balancing act in the fascinating, touching, and hilarious "Lars and the Real Girl," but here, they begin to unravel more acting skills that have been bottled up inside them for some time. I wonder why Patricia Clarkson has only received one Oscar nomination for the mostly unknown "Pieces of April" and Mortimer has received no nominations. Perhaps this serves as evidence that these two deserve a bright and productive future.
Leonardo DiCaprio is one of my favorite actors today, nominated for three Oscars (“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “The Aviator,” and “Blood Diamond,” although methinks the last nomination was meant to encompass his masterwork in “The Departed”) but the winner of zero. He seems to be an actor with the unfortunate luck of having to compete with the finest acting some do in their careers, the winners of those years being Tommy Lee Jones from “The Fugitive,” Jamie Foxx from “Ray,” and Forrest Whitacre from “The Last King of Scotland” respectively. I have to wonder what is in store this year as well as if his work in “Shutter Island,” tied with “The Departed” as his best performance to date, will give him his due. According to www.imdb.com, he has 32 films coming out, including “Aquaman,” a “Twilight Zone” project, and an IMAX Sci-Fi thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, the man behind the camera of “The Dark Knight,” called “Inception.” Certainly work isn’t hard to find for this actor as he continues to rise in his super-stardom.
That being said, I must say that the Scorsese/Dicaprio team seems yet to fail or falter, while I have heard many complaints about some of the Burton/Depp projects. “Shutter Island” may or may not be your movie, but one undisputed fact is that this project is not Oscar bait; the cast and crew were setting out to make a good movie, not something that begs for awards. After all, isn’t that why “Casablanca” was such a success?
Rated R for disturbing violent content, language, and some nudity.
Buy it here.
The movie begins with a mystery. Two detectives are sent to an island that houses the most violent sociopaths caught by the American judicial system to find a woman who has escaped and is still believed to be on the island. She drowned her three children and has somehow left her locked room without her shoes and snuck past scores of armed guards only to be left on the island where the only survivable way out is through a ferry that is monitored by the security personnel. The movie starts asking the ‘how’ but gradually moves into the ‘why,’ as the detectives attempt to discern where she could be hiding.
If you’ve ever watched a Scorsese film, you know that the plot is much more complicated than that. Ulterior motives, possible conspiracies, and corruption are uncovered as the detectives realize what they have managed to get themselves into.
As I mentioned before, the script goes from an episode of ‘Monk’ into something darker by replacing the ‘how’ with ‘why.’ Some viewers might find it to be frustrating- I was on the edge of my seat, awaiting the next twist or turn and attempting to discover the conclusion before the actors.
That’s all I’m going to say about the plot. If I reveal anything else, some part of the movie will be ruined, and I don’t want to spoil the plot. Perhaps you have guessed the conclusion or feel like you know what the mysteries of Shutter Island entail, but that’s only half the fun. The story, adapted from a Dennis Lehane novel (he wrote the source material for Clint Eastwood’s “Mystic River”) causes the audience to engage in the characters, only inferring who we should trust and who we shouldn’t. Most is up to you, but this roller-coaster ride remains something fun and heart-wrenching at the same time.
The cast is fascinating. Michelle Williams continues to do fine work with a difficult part; she is Teddy Daniels' (DiCaprio's) deceased wife, Delores. Mark Ruffalo matches wits with Daniels as the mystery unravels. Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow create a symphony of angst and wonder as two of the psychiatric heads of the island. Jackie Earl Haley, previous Oscar nominee for the brilliant "Little Children," finds the right notes as a patient in the most violent wing of the hospital. Finally, I come to the point where I mention who stole the show in the supporting world; there are actually two winners this time, but they are both playing the same character (it's not hard to understand). They are Emily Mortimer and Patricia Clarkson. You can watch them perform a balancing act in the fascinating, touching, and hilarious "Lars and the Real Girl," but here, they begin to unravel more acting skills that have been bottled up inside them for some time. I wonder why Patricia Clarkson has only received one Oscar nomination for the mostly unknown "Pieces of April" and Mortimer has received no nominations. Perhaps this serves as evidence that these two deserve a bright and productive future.
Leonardo DiCaprio is one of my favorite actors today, nominated for three Oscars (“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “The Aviator,” and “Blood Diamond,” although methinks the last nomination was meant to encompass his masterwork in “The Departed”) but the winner of zero. He seems to be an actor with the unfortunate luck of having to compete with the finest acting some do in their careers, the winners of those years being Tommy Lee Jones from “The Fugitive,” Jamie Foxx from “Ray,” and Forrest Whitacre from “The Last King of Scotland” respectively. I have to wonder what is in store this year as well as if his work in “Shutter Island,” tied with “The Departed” as his best performance to date, will give him his due. According to www.imdb.com, he has 32 films coming out, including “Aquaman,” a “Twilight Zone” project, and an IMAX Sci-Fi thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, the man behind the camera of “The Dark Knight,” called “Inception.” Certainly work isn’t hard to find for this actor as he continues to rise in his super-stardom.
That being said, I must say that the Scorsese/Dicaprio team seems yet to fail or falter, while I have heard many complaints about some of the Burton/Depp projects. “Shutter Island” may or may not be your movie, but one undisputed fact is that this project is not Oscar bait; the cast and crew were setting out to make a good movie, not something that begs for awards. After all, isn’t that why “Casablanca” was such a success?
Rated R for disturbing violent content, language, and some nudity.
Buy it here.
The Blind Side- *+ out of ****
Sandra Bullock had a fascinating year. Upon winning the Razzie for Worst Actress for All About Steve, she received two Golden Globe nominations for Drama and Comedy in The Blind Side (won) and The Proposal respectively, then went on to take home the Oscar for The Blind Side, beating out past winners Meryl Streep (Sophie's Choice and Kramer vs. Kramer, nominated this year for Julie & Julia) and Helen Mirren (The Queen with another nomination for Gosford Park, nominated this year for The Last Station) and newcomers Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Carey Mulligan (An Education). How did this happen especially when she was the weakest nominee of all?
Let's start with the story. In The Blind Side, Bullock plays a woman married to a wealthy man who notices a poor, black student ('Big Mike,' Quinton Aaron) walking alone in the rain. The student has no place to go and is looking to sleep on the floor of the gym, or something melodramatic. I kept waiting for him to whip out a goldfish in a plastic bag named 'Hope' or 'Sparky' or something so the script could kill him off later. Anyway, I'm sure everyone who watched a single preview of the movie knows that Bullock takes him in, gives him a room, and gradually begins to give him hope and education.
Yeah, this would normally be quite an amazing feel-good story with a strong message about stepping out of your comfort zone to help someone in need, but I have a problem with dishonesty in storytelling. The very wealthy Tuohys were written without a single flaw except for one scene towards the beginning where Leigh Anne (Bullock) asks Sean (Tim McGraw) if she's doing the right thing. That's it. No other flaws were present in the family. They're nice, kind, conservative, rich white people without a single problem except for Leigh Anne's occasional abrasiveness, but that's used for comedy so it doesn't count. Their daughter, Collins (Lily Collins), isn't important enough to remember. The other son, S.J. (Jae Head), is supposed to be comic relief in this drama without conflict, but there are some problems; 1. Let's face it- the kid can't act, 2. the movie takes the "little kid bossing around adults" and "little kid training higher up" motifs and mushes them into a fine paste then crams them in our faces until we can't taste or smell anything else, and 3. it just doesn't work and becomes tedious and awkward.
I have no problem at all with feel-good stories. I enjoyed Erin Brockovich (tidbit- Julia Roberts was offered the role before Bullock but turned it down. Wonder if the role would have still won the Oscar if Roberts accepted...), but this movie made me feel like i just swallowed a tall glass of over-sugared iced tea. Every single character based on a real person has no flaws- not even the students in the school. I don't care if it is a Christian Academy; someone is going to make fun of him. It's just in the nature of Junior High and High School kids to attempt to dominate over those they view as weaker. Not wanting to defame the school Michael Oher attended, the movie continues...
I mentioned the Tuohys, but what about Big Mike's mom? She was an alcoholic, addicted to drugs, and didn't provide him as much as a place to sleep at night. Surely she has at least one flaw present, right? Wrong. You feel sympathy, and if the movie stayed on that scene, you probably would have forgiven her. Not a single flaw there either. Actually, I think that scene is the part where you're supposed to cry and/or get emotional.
Here's where the movie realizes that it must present some flaws to somebody while still remaining fair: Leigh Anne is having a $30 salad lunch with her friends, and they begin to ask if she's afraid that Big Mike will steal or rape her daughter. She says, "Shame on you."
Big Mike goes back to his black, drug dealing friends. They hear about what's he's doing, and one continues to make comments about going over there and screwing Leigh Anne, so Mike beats a bunch of them up and throws them through breakable things to defend her honor. How the hell is that even? There isn't even a single mention of Leigh Anne refusing to talk to her snot-nosed friends again, but her "shame on you" was enough to change them. I guess rich white people are more human than drug dealers.
Alright, obviously the movie isn't perfect since the characters aren't anywhere close to three-dimensional, the plot has virtually no conflict, the movie is uneven and a little bit racist, and nothing really profound happens, so why did I bother giving it *+ stars? Well, there are two reasons. Quinton Aaron can act. His role was badly written, and he successfully avoids cutting corners and stereotyping his character. I could have lived with an Oscar nomination for him.
Some scenes were funny and worked. The main scene was where Leigh Anne explains to Mike in terms that he can understand what his role on the football team was. I laughed and found it to be interesting. And the movie earns its *+.
I enjoy seeing Sandra Bullock play real characters (as in 3-dimensional; I don't care whether they're real or fictional), and this role was not it. The best acting I have seen Bullock do to date would be in her supporting role in Crash- her characterization cut no corners. Why don't you watch that instead of this?
Even if you don't agree with the majority of what I've written, at least give me the fact that S.J. was overused. That being said, it should be concluded that The Blind Side should have not been nominated for Best Picture. What about In the Loop (nominated for Adapted Screenplay), The Messenger (nominated for Best Supporting Actor- Woody Harrelson and Original Screenplay), The Hangover (Golden Globe winner for Best Picture- Comedy or Musical...also, it's the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time) or even the update of Star Trek (winner of Best Makeup, nominated for a bunch of technical awards)? All received praise from both critics and audiences, and all were better films than The Blind Side in my eyes. The only way I can muster its nomination is that the Academy wanted justification for giving Bullock the Oscar. I, of course, ask why it had to be her, especially given the fact that as I mentioned before, Crash is her best acting to date.
Feel-good stories are difficult to write, direct, and act, but that's no excuse; so is sci-fi. Although I really dislike giving movies bad reviews, I have to share that I found The Blind Side to be the year's biggest disappointment as well as the year's biggest cheap-shot. When The Blind Side turned a blind eye to good, honest writing, I wished John Lee Hancock (Director and Writer of the Adapted Screenplay) would hang his head in shame. This Oscar bait deserved much less.
Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references.
Buy it here.
Let's start with the story. In The Blind Side, Bullock plays a woman married to a wealthy man who notices a poor, black student ('Big Mike,' Quinton Aaron) walking alone in the rain. The student has no place to go and is looking to sleep on the floor of the gym, or something melodramatic. I kept waiting for him to whip out a goldfish in a plastic bag named 'Hope' or 'Sparky' or something so the script could kill him off later. Anyway, I'm sure everyone who watched a single preview of the movie knows that Bullock takes him in, gives him a room, and gradually begins to give him hope and education.
Yeah, this would normally be quite an amazing feel-good story with a strong message about stepping out of your comfort zone to help someone in need, but I have a problem with dishonesty in storytelling. The very wealthy Tuohys were written without a single flaw except for one scene towards the beginning where Leigh Anne (Bullock) asks Sean (Tim McGraw) if she's doing the right thing. That's it. No other flaws were present in the family. They're nice, kind, conservative, rich white people without a single problem except for Leigh Anne's occasional abrasiveness, but that's used for comedy so it doesn't count. Their daughter, Collins (Lily Collins), isn't important enough to remember. The other son, S.J. (Jae Head), is supposed to be comic relief in this drama without conflict, but there are some problems; 1. Let's face it- the kid can't act, 2. the movie takes the "little kid bossing around adults" and "little kid training higher up" motifs and mushes them into a fine paste then crams them in our faces until we can't taste or smell anything else, and 3. it just doesn't work and becomes tedious and awkward.
I have no problem at all with feel-good stories. I enjoyed Erin Brockovich (tidbit- Julia Roberts was offered the role before Bullock but turned it down. Wonder if the role would have still won the Oscar if Roberts accepted...), but this movie made me feel like i just swallowed a tall glass of over-sugared iced tea. Every single character based on a real person has no flaws- not even the students in the school. I don't care if it is a Christian Academy; someone is going to make fun of him. It's just in the nature of Junior High and High School kids to attempt to dominate over those they view as weaker. Not wanting to defame the school Michael Oher attended, the movie continues...
I mentioned the Tuohys, but what about Big Mike's mom? She was an alcoholic, addicted to drugs, and didn't provide him as much as a place to sleep at night. Surely she has at least one flaw present, right? Wrong. You feel sympathy, and if the movie stayed on that scene, you probably would have forgiven her. Not a single flaw there either. Actually, I think that scene is the part where you're supposed to cry and/or get emotional.
Here's where the movie realizes that it must present some flaws to somebody while still remaining fair: Leigh Anne is having a $30 salad lunch with her friends, and they begin to ask if she's afraid that Big Mike will steal or rape her daughter. She says, "Shame on you."
Big Mike goes back to his black, drug dealing friends. They hear about what's he's doing, and one continues to make comments about going over there and screwing Leigh Anne, so Mike beats a bunch of them up and throws them through breakable things to defend her honor. How the hell is that even? There isn't even a single mention of Leigh Anne refusing to talk to her snot-nosed friends again, but her "shame on you" was enough to change them. I guess rich white people are more human than drug dealers.
Alright, obviously the movie isn't perfect since the characters aren't anywhere close to three-dimensional, the plot has virtually no conflict, the movie is uneven and a little bit racist, and nothing really profound happens, so why did I bother giving it *+ stars? Well, there are two reasons. Quinton Aaron can act. His role was badly written, and he successfully avoids cutting corners and stereotyping his character. I could have lived with an Oscar nomination for him.
Some scenes were funny and worked. The main scene was where Leigh Anne explains to Mike in terms that he can understand what his role on the football team was. I laughed and found it to be interesting. And the movie earns its *+.
I enjoy seeing Sandra Bullock play real characters (as in 3-dimensional; I don't care whether they're real or fictional), and this role was not it. The best acting I have seen Bullock do to date would be in her supporting role in Crash- her characterization cut no corners. Why don't you watch that instead of this?
Even if you don't agree with the majority of what I've written, at least give me the fact that S.J. was overused. That being said, it should be concluded that The Blind Side should have not been nominated for Best Picture. What about In the Loop (nominated for Adapted Screenplay), The Messenger (nominated for Best Supporting Actor- Woody Harrelson and Original Screenplay), The Hangover (Golden Globe winner for Best Picture- Comedy or Musical...also, it's the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time) or even the update of Star Trek (winner of Best Makeup, nominated for a bunch of technical awards)? All received praise from both critics and audiences, and all were better films than The Blind Side in my eyes. The only way I can muster its nomination is that the Academy wanted justification for giving Bullock the Oscar. I, of course, ask why it had to be her, especially given the fact that as I mentioned before, Crash is her best acting to date.
Feel-good stories are difficult to write, direct, and act, but that's no excuse; so is sci-fi. Although I really dislike giving movies bad reviews, I have to share that I found The Blind Side to be the year's biggest disappointment as well as the year's biggest cheap-shot. When The Blind Side turned a blind eye to good, honest writing, I wished John Lee Hancock (Director and Writer of the Adapted Screenplay) would hang his head in shame. This Oscar bait deserved much less.
Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references.
Buy it here.
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