The Reader review

I think there’s an incredibly moving picture hidden within The Reader; it just didn’t really come out in two hours and three minutes. I think the shifting between past and present undermined some of the power the film could’ve had, as we go back to 1958 as a young German boy is suffering from an illness on the side of the street as an older woman cleans him up out of some sort of cold kindness. To thank her, he buys her flowers. Here in some unknown silence they form a sexual relationship built on lust and reading. Years, later after the relationship ends, he finds himself studying law and getting first hand experience by covering a Nazi war crimes trial only to see Hannah (Kate Winslet), the woman he had an affair with as a younger boy, accused of war crimes.

Dark, erotic and interesting subject matter is given to us in a stale manner. Winslet is amazing here; incredibly distant yet naïve. She’s unashamed to apply sexuality and full nudity here, for those reasons she acts out a young man’s dream of seducing an older woman. I tried to read deep into her motives, but in the final act, she conceals them well. I just don’t know if that works for the benefit of the story or not. Seen through the male’s point of view, this affair could be steamy hot, but through the woman’s? Hmm, I don’t know if many women will enjoy this. I guess there’s an element of ick here, rightfully so, as the “boy” as she likes to call him has to be 17 or so when this affair starts and she is perhaps in her late 20’s, early 30s. I wouldn’t be surprised to know that she is mid 30s to tell you the truth.

Age certainly is a factor as the affair abruptly ends and he moves on and grows up. This entire segment and discussion ends as it now becomes a court drama, with a bit of evidence that could save her from what she’s being accused of. This shift is even more uneven since we are going back to the past and then present, with the “boy” now a man, as played by Ralph Fiennes. The film plays out as a male-fantasy within the backdrop of the crimes of Nazism and I don’t think it works as well as it thought it would.

Rating:

Doubt review

The poster for Doubt features a solid black cross with white surrounding it. It’s simple and cold, much like the Catholic school Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) runs. She hates all roads that lead into the modern world (here 1964). She has old-time beliefs on being strict, something most people who went to a Catholic school can attest too. Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is something I think most people would want a priest to be. He’s friendly, his relates his sermons into daily terms, and as he tells Sister Aloysius, “I think the Church needs to be friendlier.” These two forces are going to collide.

Doubt is sharply written. It must’ve been a delight for Streep and Hoffman to work with such material; there’s depth and subtleness, stuff great actors can take and explore. Based on a Tony award-winning play, the film is simple but incredibly complex. From Father Flynn’s opening sermon about the nature of doubt within us, the film is constantly exploring intentions, motivations, and this theme. John Patrick Shanley, piques our interest, and even as we sit there, we too are forced to confront our own doubts about Father Flynn.

The story features the first African-American to be accepted in this school and he’s immediately singled-out and ignored. Father Flynn decides to befriend him, which is admirable, but after he’s caught with alcohol people start questioning the relationship between him and Father Flynn. This gives Sister Aloysius ammo to take him down. Audiences looking for a clear cut story will be aggravated that this film forces you to question things, but I found that to be one of the film’s strengths. Hints will lead to a few revelations along the way, but you’ll be talking about the film and it’s ending well after the credits roll. Streep and Hoffman collide in pure acting supreme; they’re so good you can take your eyes off of their interactions and dialogue. Shanley has created an emotionally deep and intelligent film, worth attending.

Going back to the poster, which gives us the film and its characters right there through the use of two non-colors; black and white, no gray. Maybe there is gray. Doubt is certainty married to suspicion. We question what we think we know, or do we accept things based on fact? Doubt will lead you to some interesting discussions, and for that alone it is worth the ticket price. Did I mention Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman go head-to-head? Who wouldn’t want to see that?

Rating:

Valkyrie review

It was distressing to hear the negativity the hovered over the production, and the studio constantly moving release dates for Bryan Singer’s WWII drama didn’t help either. I like Singer, I felt as if in every film he gives it his all and delivers on certain levels of enjoyment. Unfortunately, the last year or two hasn’t been kind to Tom Cruise, and despite his wonky personal life and media grabbing headlines, I have found him to be a decent actor. I’ll admit it.

So finally, Valkyrie is released and was all of that drama worth it? No, in fact, it’s silly that there was even any fear that the film was “in trouble”. Valkyrie is a good drama that has the disadvantage of having every audience member know the fact that Hitler doesn’t die. How do you play against that fact and still make an interesting, suspense-filled tale?

Singer constructs the film with such precision that each act, each motive, is there for a reason and moves the plot along smoothly. History tells us Hitler committed suicide. I would be lying if I was at least for a moment thrown for a loop in thinking maybe Colonel Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) pulled the 14th (!) assassination attempt off successfully. Singer displays all of it in a thrilling manner, as the film essentially has two bits of action and is mostly all dialogue. The film systematically shows the planning of Operation Valkyrie, what could’ve went right and what did go wrong.

If anything, because of Singer’s precise direction, unless you’re a huge history buff, you might not know one German from the next, but it helps having good actors like Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Cruise to carry us through this bit of interesting history. Also, there are a few bits of dialogue that felt more like Singer and the screenwriter sharing their feelings than the characters. That’s fine; Hitler was prime evil, the Holocaust was perhaps mankind’s darkest hour, but it feels slightly manipulative. I doubt if Stauffenberg cared about the Jews more than nationalism.

Valkyrie is a sharp thriller, full of engaging drama and tension, and Singer proves he’s still here and can deliver solid films outside of the superhero genre. All of the double-crosses and near-misses, watching Stauffenberg’s plan slowing unravel without him fully understanding why, makes for a great time.

Rating:

 

Marley & Me review

“The world’s worst dog”. Ouch. And we all thought it was Cujo or something. But Marley is as unruly as a bratty kid, running around, eating answering machines and underwear. Disrupting even a peaceful walk, and yet as John (Owen Wilson) and Jenny (Jennifer Aniston) look at him, they smile and hug him harder. There seems to be an unnamed rule or two that when it comes to dog movies that if you’re a dog lover, you’ll love the movie, and if it has a dog in it, you’ll cry. Well, yes. I don’t know who set those standards, but they’re there and they work.

Are there mediocre or-gasp!-bad dog movies? Yes, but Marley & Me despite playing to many safe conventions aims to please, and more or less works in such a broad way.  It’s impossible to not laugh and tear up. Manipulative? Sure, but there are times when it’s perfectly fine to play with those age-old favorite conventions and for those who are willing to just have that good old time at the movies, you’re rewarded.

A rather long film, based on a true story and memoir on John Grogan’s experience with Marley, one of the most unruly, but lovable dogs you’ll ever meet. I’m sure there were liberties but the film works, thankfully due to some fleshed out characters. We see John’s insecurities about being a father, being second-rate to a better writer in his wife, and when he thinks he can delay Jenny’s wish for a child by buying a dog, it backfires in a way he didn’t realize: the dog became his best friend.

Sure these are universal themes, done several different times before, but dog fighting rings have became a topic of interest as of late, so it’s nice to see the true nature of man’s best friend. Now like I’ve said before, the film has a few tear-inducing scenes, some are predictable while one or two are unexpected, and comes from the human side of the story. It’s not to hard to show dogs doing cute things to win an audience over, so I applaud the screenwriters for making the human side of the film an interesting one to get invested in. While not anything terribly deep or new, if the film is two hours you better give us something more than that cute dog to like, and in some ways they did.

Wilson and Aniston have good chemistry together and Alan Arkin pleases, and while the film earns its tears (from dog lovers anyway)….well… I’ll let it be. I guess some colder people or cat people won’t care about Marley & Me, and there is nothing wrong with that, just let the dogs have their day.

Rating:

 

 

The Wrestler Review

 

Darren Aronofsky is one of the most enigmatic filmmakers making films in Hollywood today.  His films push the limits of how far an audience is willing to go, and never take the easy way out.  He puts more emphasis on his own vision than that of the studio executive, and his films live on inside the subconscious long after leaving the theatre.  His newest film The Wrestler hits the same notes that his previous films do, but is by far his most accessible film to date.  

The film follows Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke), a washed up professional wrestler struggling with health issues as he works his way through the independent wrestleing circuit.  His health issues prompt him to seek out his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood), and the love of Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) a stripper that he feels a connection with.  All while contemplating, against his doctors orders, a return to the big-time by fighting his former nemesis.  

I’ve never been a fan of wrestling in any way, but that didn’t stop me from being sucked into Randy’s journey.  Mickey Rourke proves that he still has what it takes to carry a film.  His performance is nothing short of amazing.  I’ll be sorely disappointed if he doesn’t earn the Oscar this year,  Marisa Tomei also churns out a killer performance, and even in her forties her beauty is breath-taking.  All of the actors in this film deserve accolades for their performances.  Evan Rachel Wood is also pretty awesome as Randy’s daughter Stephanie.  All of the characters have layers, and it’s enthralling to see these layers stripped off each character with the grace of a master story-teller.  

Aronofsky has really come into his own as a director with this film.  He made a film that will surely be labeled as classic sooner rather than later.  Under his direction the cinematography is vibrant, and captivating, and the acting is career defining.  Even if your not a fan of Aronofsky’s films do yourself a favor and see it if it makes its way to your city.  Because The Wrestler is positively a killer film.

Rating:

The Spirit review

I’m not sure where or what Frank Miller was going for with this film. I think many will see this as a Sin City knockoff but I can only wish that was the case, because the film feels like a series of superhero Saturday Night Live skits strung together. I was hoping for a cool, pulp noir film, stylized, and hopefully, bringing this hero into our modern age. Remember the Shadow? I was hoping it was going to be like that only better, but The Spirit may not be a film we want to remember in 2008, the year of the superhero film.

I don’t really know where to begin with what’s wrong with the film. On paper, it might’ve sounded like it would work, but what we got is a mess. It’s like that teenager who means well, but for whatever reason his or hers room is just a mess. Miller is known for his writing skills; unfortunately he might’ve bitten off too much with writing and directing this movie.

I was expecting from the trailer, from the marketing campaign, to see a dark, crime noir superhero film and that’s what we should’ve got. I know nothing of the source material, apparently a great graphic novel from Will Eisner, but this could not be his vision. We get a ton of over-the-top comical scenes that are unfunny, and one with the Octopus as a samurai that stops the film dead. In fact, most of the comedy elements hurt the film, especially the dumb-as-a-nail henchmen the Octopus uses.

Next up is the ludicrous acting. Sam Jackson can ham it up and still be a riot to watch. I think his performance here really pushes it to irritating, although because only Sam Jackson can do this we buy it. He did need to turn it down a notch. Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, and Gabriel Macht are okay but all of their characters are bland. It comes from, (gasp) the writing. Everything is painted in bug strokes, there’s no intimacy with these characters. We don’t know much about them and in return we don’t care. Essentially, noir characters are the typical dirty cop, femme fatale, and coil villain, but here they are just archetypes. They weren’t interesting one bit.

The film relies on its style and if the script was better, the style would’ve really added to the film. Yes, there are some breathe-taking shots, but what it all comes down to is style-over-substance, that old topic. Nothing ever really clicks as it is all patched up like a 100 minute version of a SNL skit with just the same over-acting, bold, silly dialogue as they do on that show to produce a laugh. The Spirit produces only a groan.

Rating:

Curious Case of Benjamin Button review

The things that happen in life might not be fully understood until one reflects. What shaped the decisions and who did we meet that shaped us? These are some of the questions raised in the latest David Fincher film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a story about a man who was born old and ages younger. Being raised in a retirement home proved to help shape Benjamin into the man he become, and there is where he met Daisy, the little girl who would become the love of his entire life.

The film reflects periodically on the situations that we personally don’t reflect on until it’s too late. Who are the people that taught us something that we would never forget? Would we remember their name? Would their stories make us better people? The film glides right along, an amazing feat for a three hour film, but I think it’s because Fincher is as curious as Benjamin and we are about these ideas and themes. Fincher has been known for tackling dark subject matter, like in last year’s vastly under appreciated Zodiac or even in Fight Club. I don’t think I would call The Curious Case of Benjamin Button a dark film but there’s just this sadness that germinates within the film and carries itself with you long after seeing it.

People react differently to situations and events, and it’s interesting to note that Benjamin in the film never has a reaction of outrage, violence, or cruelness. He faces each event as just another one of life’s happenings, no matter how bad or good, whether it was fate, destiny, or complete randomness, he accepts them. Such a personality is one we all wish we could have, one that can accept the bad with the good, learn, grow, and move on? I think that’s the reason the film works so well. Most of us cannot do this. Some of us grow depressed, mean, or soak it all up within ourselves allowing nothing or anyone to know what that meant to us, whether again, its life, death, love or love lost. Through Benjamin’s eyes we face these things head on as he finds first love, death, a father he never knew and a daughter he’ll never see grow old. These are the emotions the film brings to life.

The heart of the film is Benjamin and Daisy’s love for one another. As he grows old, his appearance grows younger, a dilemma that seems rectified when they meet at almost the exact same age and appearance. Ever since he met her, he’s loved her and the way Fincher shows this, and in the script, for those who are on board, I dare you to keep dry eyes. I couldn’t as I looked through Benjamin’s eyes at the love I once lost, this is the quality of the film.

Fincher needs us to be on board, as the basic principle of the film hinges on FX and it totally sells the idea of old looking baby who ages younger as everyone else ages proper. Glued by fabulous performances, a soft and moody score, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button works a lot like Forrest Gump without all of the pop culture stuff. It’s moody, heartfelt, charming and utterly fantastic. It’s rare to see a film that fully depicts a life lived in full, and like Benjamin who leaves behind a diary of his life that will get shared, maybe we too can learn to be like Benjamin and have a life as fully lived as him.

Rating:

Slumdog Millionaire Review

 

Danny Boyle is an amazing director.  His films have heart, and he never makes the same film twice.  I get excited just hearing that he’s thinking about making a movie.  With is latest effort Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle takes his storytelling skills to another level.  He proves that his ability knows no bounds, and that he can tell a story that takes place in a country not his own, and still have the characters live and breathe perfection.  

 

Slumdog follows an indian boy Jamal Malik that becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of Who Wants to be A Millionaire, so that he can get the attention of the woman he loves.  Through expertly done flashbacks we get to see Jamal grow up.  We see him as a young boy that looks up to his brother, and looses everything that is dear to him because of his faith.  We see him fall in love, and show compassion while doing whatever it takes to stay alive.  Each and every flashback explains how Jamal knew the answer to the questions on Who Wants to be A Millionaire. 

Jamal is an extremely well written character that displays layer after layer of emotion and is never once unbelievable.  I felt sorry for him when times were tough, and laughed with him when times were good.  I cared about what happened to him.  I cared what happened to all of the characters.  I can’t praise this film without praising the writers Simon Beaufoy (screenplay), and Vikas Swarup (novel).  The script is solid.  Rarely do I watch a film that makes me worry about the secondary characters, or the bit players like this film did.  Even the backdrop of the Indian landscape was a character that I began to care about.  The densely populated streets, beautiful architecture, and vicious underbelly of India are all powerful characters themselves.  I found myself wanting to learn more about place that Jamal called home.  

Danny Boyle has crafted a film that deserves to be seen, and should be seen by as many people as possible, no matter what their race, creed, or geographic location.  This is a beautiful film that I am excited to recommend to everyone.  Slumdog Millionaire is positively a killer film.

Rating:

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