Tomorrow is February 24, and that means it's the night of the annual Academy Awards. It's the night where all of film-making's most celebrated and prestigious individuals come together to honor Hollywood's greatest achievements of the year. Well... at least on paper, that's what the event entails. In reality, it's a night fake smiles, politics, and backstabbing full of audiences and members bitching and moaning about who should have won, who shouldn't have, who was snubbed from the nominees, and the general ugly side of the industry. But you know what, none of that really matters. In this industry, there is no award or honor more prestigious, lovely, and celebrated than the good old Oscar, and whether you agree with the picks or not, you have to admit that it's always an exciting evening. The mystery, the anticipation, as well as the often event itself (as long as James Franco never hosts again) is at the very least, an enjoyable experience. So will this year's show live up to the name of Oscar??? We'll find out tomorrow, for now, here are my picks and predictions of the Oscar nominees.
While I haven't seen all of the nominated films this year, 2012 is easily the most I've seen from any respective year. I'm not going in any particular order here, and I won't give detailed responses to all of the categories (but I will give a rundown at the end). That said, I'll save Best Picture for last. Without further ado, here are my thoughts and predictions of this year's nominees.
Best Actor in a Leader Role
Bradley Cooper for "Silver Linings Playbook"
Daniel Day-Lewis for "Lincoln"
Hugh Jackman for "Les Misérables"
Joaquin Phoenix for "The Master"
Denzel Washington for "Flight"
Pretty good and diverse list, I have to say. There were tons of great actors this year and way too many to choose from, and that said, I have no real issues with this list. There's a bi-polar trying to get his life back together, a portrayal of America's 16th president, a musical turn for performer best known to US audiences as an action star, a career best for Phoenix as a mentally unstable war vet, and a troubled pilot fighting the demons of alcohol abuse. Prior to the nominees announcement, I was sure that Joaquin Phoenix was going to get snubbed (because of the dude's questionable career moves, it seemed like a for sure thing), but to the Academy's credit they knew it was a great performance, and they honored it. Personally, my ideal line-up would have included John Hawkes for The Sessions instead of Bradley Cooper (though to Cooper's credit, he was quite good in Silver Linings Playbook), but I have no real objections. Still, my personal favorite is Joaquin Phoenix's unhinged portrayal of Freddie Quell, an disturbed WWII vet who gets mixed up with a self-help movement slowly morphing into a cult (ie Scientology metaphor). As far as predictions go, there's really not a whole lot of mystery to this category. Daniel Day-Lewis looks like he's inline for his third Oscar victory for his role as president Abraham Lincoln. No real objections to that choice, it was a damn good performance and the guy is a damn good actor.
Who Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis
My Pick: Joaquin Phoenix
Best Actress in a Leader Role
Jessica Chastain for "Zero Dark Thirty"
Jennifer Lawrence for "Silver Linings Playbook"
Emmanuelle Riva for "Amour"
Quvenzhané Wallis for "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Naomi Watts for "The Impossible"
Pretty good choices here too, no real objections. I don't think it's a coincidence that this year just so happened to have the category's youngest nominee of all time (Quvenzhané Wallis) competing with category's oldest (Emmanuelle Riva). While both great actresses, I wouldn't bet on seeing Watts or Wallis take home the award, because this looks mostly like a two-way race between Chastain or Lawrence with Riva as an outsider contending for a possible upset. While these are all strong roles and great actresses, my personal pick is still Jessica Chastain as the CIA recruit bent on finding Osama bin Laden. Emmanuelle Riva is very close second though as the elderly French woman struggling to recover from a recent stroke. It's tight race, but I'm going to say Jessica Chastain will probably be taking home the award. That said, if Lawrence got picked, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest. If she did win, I could live with that.
Who Will Win: Jessica Chastain (maybe)
My Pick: Jessica Chastain (with Emmanuelle Riva a very close second)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Arkin for "Argo"
Robert De Niro for "Silver Linings Playbook"
Phillip Seymour Hoffman for "The Master"
Tommy Lee Jones for "Lincoln"
Christoph Waltz for "Django Unchained"
This was one of the more controversial categories of the year, second only to the choices for Best Director (I'll get to that soon). It's also the hardest to predict. Five nominees, all of whom have won Oscar gold in the past, and all who seem to have a strong chance of winning. Three of these picks have fairly recently (Waltz, Hoffman, and Arkin) so they probably won't get called, but you never know. The two most likely contenders seem to be Robert De Niro and Tommy Lee Jones, both whom are great. While I am actually a HUGE De Niro fan, I'm not exactly on board with him winning this year. His performance in Silver Linings Playbook was great, don't get me wrong, I don't think it was strong as the others choices, or even actors that got snubbed, namely Samuel L. Jackson for Django Unchained, Dwight Henry for Beasts of the Southern Wild, and especially Leonardo Di Caprio for Django Unchained, who for me personally, is the biggest acting snub of the night. Among what we have though, my personal favorite is Phillip Seymour Hoffman in The Master, though I'm anticipating Tommy Lee Jones will win. De Niro might come through, but my money's still on Jones.
Who Will Win: Tommy Lee Jones
My Pick: Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams for "The Master"
Sally Field for "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway for "Les Misérables"
Helen Hunt for "The Sessions"
Jacki Weaver for "Silver Linings Playbook"
This category has been unofficially dubbed "The Anne Hathaway Award" this year, since there's little doubt that anyone other than Hathaway is going to win. I have no major issues with that, since Hathaway was legitimately great in the role, but it was really too small of a part to compare with some of the other nominees. If there is going to be an upset, it's probably going to go to Sally Field, whose cute story of how campaigned for the role of Mary Todd Lincoln is usually the kind of sap story the Academy eats up. Still, I would be very surprised anyone other than Hathaway won. Personally, my choice would either come down to Sally Field or Helen Hunt, both of whom I thought were excellent.
Who Will Win: Anne Hathaway
My Pick: Sally Field
Best Director
Michael Haneke for "Amour"
Ang Lee for "Life of Pi"
David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook"
Steven Spielberg for "Lincoln"
Benh Zeitlin for "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Oh boy, the controversy surrounding this category is still an issue. The baffling snubs of Ben Affleck (who for a while seemed like a high contender for the win, let alone a nomination), Kathryn Bigelow, and Quentin Tarantino are ridiculous. I have no problems with Spielberg, Haneke, and Lee making the list, but I'm not exactly on board with Russell and Zeitlin making the nominees. Zeitlin less so, since I really did like Beasts of the Southern Wild and admired it's creativity. David O Russell on the other hand, while a very talented filmmaker, doesn't belong on this list. Granted, Silver Linings Playbook had some really strong performances, due in no small part to the director, but aside from that, it was a very straightforward, by-the-numbers, directorial effort. He was by no means as creative as Tarantino, as precise as Bigelow, or as ambitious as Affleck. Oh well, what are you going to do? With Affleck out of the way, this award looks like Spielberg's to loose. Among these guys, he would be my choice too.
Who Will Win: Steven Spielberg
My Pick: Steven Spielberg
Best Original Screenplay
Michael Haneke for "Amour"
Quentin Tarantino for "Django Unchained"
John Gatins for "Flight"
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola for "Moonrise Kingdom"
Mark Boal for "Zero Dark Thirty"
I like these choices. It was nice to see Moonrise Kingdom get at least one nomination. It was also a pleasant surprise to see Flight get recognized for it's script in addition to Washington's performance. As far as predictions go, it seems like this is the only category where Django Unchained seems like it has a good shot at winning. The controversial nature of the script might turn off some members, in which case it would probably go to Moonrise Kingdom, but I'm thinking Django has it.
Who Will Win: Django Unchained
My Pick: Django Unchained
Best Adapted Screenplay
Chris Terrio for "Argo"
Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar for "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
David Magee for "Life of Pi"
Tony Kushner for "Lincoln"
David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook"
Not too bad either, but I'm not quite as on board with these choices as the Original Screenplay category. Argo seems like the likely victor for this category, both for it's suspenseful and intruiging concept, as well as the "America! Fuck Yeah!" vibes plus a touch of Hollywood's role as the hero and a good opportunity to pat themselves on the back. I'll admit that Argo had a really clever script, but the major thing that has been holding me back from calling the film a bona-fide masterpiece is it's retooling of facts and historical events for the sake of Hollywood drama. Granted it didn't ruin the movie, but it's there. Life Of Pi, both the book and script, were creative, if not a bit pretentious. Silver Linings Playbook was at best, a made-for-TV sitcom style movie with a cliched ending and really doesn't belong among the others. Beasts of the Southern Wild was quite good, but personally I'm rooting for Lincoln this time around. While Lincoln's script may have fudged the facts a bit too, it nonetheless took a fairly routine Oscar-bait concept and turned it into a clever, thrilling, and sometimes funny, analysis of the political system. For that reason, it gets my vote.
Who Will Win: Argo
My Pick: Lincoln
Best Animated Feature
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Bands of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph
I only saw three out of the five movies from this category. Unfortunately, every time I went to a Redbox to find Pirates or Frankenweenie, they were already checked out. So I can't personally speak for either of those. I will say though that the three I did see were quite good, though like last year Pixar isn't the obvious choice for the winner, as they usually are. That said, it seems like it's going to come down to either Brave or Wreck-It Ralph. While my choice would be ParaNorman with Wreck-It Ralph as my second pick, most of the predictions and analysts I've been reading have been leaning toward Brave. ParaNorman and Frankenweenie are too strongly associated with the horror genre and Wreck-It Ralph's video game themed subject matter probably doesn't jive with the mostly senior-aged Academy members. So... while it's not a for sure thing, Brave is my prediction.
Who Will Win: Brave
My Pick: ParaNorman
Best Foreign Film
Amour
Rebelle
No
A Royal Affair
Kon-Tiki
The only film I saw in this category is Amour, so I can't really choose a personal favorite. That said, it seems like that's the likely winners anyways.
Who Will Win: Amour
My Pick: Amour by default
Best Cinematography
Anna Karenina
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall
Hey look! Skyfall made the list! While some were predicting that a James Bond actually stood a chance at getting picked for some of the major categories, it looks like the film is going to have to settle for the technical categories. Overall, these are good choices. My personal pick would probably either come down to Life Of Pi or Skyfall, though Django Unchained had some great camerawork too. Still, I think Life of Pi will ultimately emerge as the winner here.
Who Will Win: Life of Pi
My Pick: Skyfall
Best Editing
Argo
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Once again, Silver Linings Playbook snuck it's way into an undeserved nomination. It's all more insulting when you consider that a far more deserving film like Cloud Atlas (who got snubbed all the way) or Skyfall could have taken it's place. Oh well. Out of these choices, I think Argo is going to take the trophy. That would be my pick too... or maybe Zero Dark Thirty. Both are well edited films that deserve to be recognized.
Who Will Win: Argo
My Pick: Argo
Best Production Design
Anna Karenina
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Nice to see The Hobbit make the ballot in some way. Anna Karenina made quite an impression some of the technical categories too, not that I have any major issues with that. This one is tough to predict. Life Of Pi mostly takes place at sea, created mostly through cgi, though the scenes that do take place on land look pretty spectacular. My personal choice would either be Life of Pi or Lincoln. Though the winner will be... either of Life of Pi or Les Misérables. I guess I need to chose one, let's say Life Of Pi.
Who Will Win: Life of Pi
My Choice: Lincoln
Best Costume Design
Anna Karenina
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Mirror Mirror
Snow White and the Huntsman
Oh great... Mirror Mirror got an Oscar nod... PFFT!!! Well, to the film's credit, the costumes were quite good... BUT THE REST OF THE MOVIE SUCKED!!! Anywho... I think Anna Karenina is going to take home this Oscar, which is fine by me.
Who Will Win: Anna Karenina
My Choice: Anna Karenina
Best Original Song
Before My Time from "Chasing Ice"
Suddenly from "Les Misérables"
Pi's Lullaby from "Life of Pi"
Skyfall from "Skyfall"
Everybody Needs a Friend from "Ted"
It would be kind of funny if the song from Ted won, since Seth Macfarlane, the song's lyricist, happens to be hosting the event. That won't happen though, since this Oscar has Skyfall's name written all over it. Skyfall will win, Skyfall should win, case closed.
Who Will Win: Skyfall
My Choice: Skyfall
Best Visual Effects
The Avengers
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life of Pi
Prometheus
Snow White and the Huntsman
Here's the category that typically is the only area where blockbusters and crowd-pleasers stand a chance at getting recognized. I would have preferred to see Cloud Atlas here instead of Snow White, but these aren't bad choices at all. It would be nice to see The Avengers or Prometheus take home this award, but I have a feeling it's being reserved for Life of Pi. That's cool.
Who Will Win: Life of Pi
My Choice: The Avengers
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Seriously... you nominated Les Miz, and to a lesser extent Hitchcock, for this award while snubbing Cloud Atlas??? Yeah, I call bullshit on that! The Hobbit had some great makeup effects while Hitchcock's were good but nothing amazing all while Les Miz's were very very very passable. Unlike Cloud Atlas, which had some of the most ambitious and incredible makeup I've ever seen! Oh well, I have a feeling that film is going to be a Blade Runner-like cult classic down the line, so we'll wait for it's recognition then. For now, let's Hope The Hobbit gets this award instead of Les Misérables... which will probably win unfortunately.
Who Will Win: Les Misérables
My Choice: Cloud Atlas... but it wasn't nominated, so The Hobbit
Best Picture
Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Alright, I know I skipped a few categories, but I'll include my predictions in the rundown below. Now we come to the category for the best film of the year. This one has been a tough one to predict. When the nominations were announced, it seemed like Lincoln was the likely choice. The logic that because Bigelow and Affleck were snubbed for a director nod, that their chances of winning Best Picture were slim. There have been three films in the history of the Oscars to win Best Picture and not receive a director nod, the last of which was 1989's Driving Miss Daisy. Over the last couple weeks though, Argo has emerged as the film's most likely victor, possibly because the Academy realized they screwed up by neglecting to nominate Affleck, who has been winning award after award for his work on the film... which itself has been winning countless awards including the Golden Globe for Best Drama. So yeah... Argo looks like this year's Best Picture. If you're betting on an upset though... Lincoln is probably second in line, but I wouldn't count on it. Me personally, I would choose Django Unchained. Not only is it Quentin Tarantino's most ambitious film in years, it's also one of the most challenging and well-made movies the many years. That said, it's too damn controversial to actually receive the accolade for Best Picture. I'm kind of surprised it got as many nominations as it did to be honest. But there you go, Best Picture, it's going to be Argo.
Who Will Win: Argo
My Pick: Django Unchained
I'll list my predictions for the films I've mentioned plus the categories I didn't get around to. Keep in mind, below are my predictions, not necessarily my personal choices. Who will win? We'll find out tomorrow!
Best Picture: Argo
Lead Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis
Lead Actress: Jessica Chastain
Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones
Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway
Director: Steven Spielberg
Original Screenplay: Django Unchained
Adapted Screenplay: Lincoln
Animated Feature: Brave
Foreign Film: Amour
Visual Effects: Life of Pi
Editing: Argo
Cinematography: Life of Pi
Production Design: Les Misérables
Costume Design: Anna Karenina
Makeup: Les Misérables
Sound Editing: Zero Dark Thirty
Sound Mixing: Les Misérables
Original Score: Life of Pi
Original Song: Skyfall
Animated Short: Paperman
Live Action Short: Curfew
Documentary: Searching For Sugar Man
Documentary Short: Open Heart
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Zero Dark Thirty - Review
As mentioned above, Zero Dark Thirty chronicles the United States efforts to find and take down the Al Qaeda terrorist leader, Osama bin Laden. Most of the story is told through the eyes of Maya (Jessica Chastain), a young CIA operative who has dedicated her brief time with the agency in the futile pursuit of finding bin Laden after 9/11. She follows every lead, looks into every clue, and acts on nearly every possibility (no matter slim) hoping that whatever she finds will be the key needed to unlocking the secrets of bin Laden's whereabouts. As the hunt becomes increasingly more hopeless, Maya becomes more emotionally damaged, reluctantly observing and allowing extreme tactics, including prisoner torture, to achieve her goal. After 10 years, her findings lead her to a house in Pakistan... and the rest is, how you say, history.
I'm going to start this review with a couple of disclaimers. For starters, while I won't outright spoil anything, I might divulge a few more bits of pieces of the film's ending and plot elements than I normally do.
If you've turned on the news in the last 10 years, few of the film's story elements will be all that surprising, but if you hate spoilers as much as I do, there's your warning. Secondly, throughout the review, I will be addressing some of the controversy surrounding the flick, namely Zero Dark Thirty's depiction of torture. I don't want to make this review a political discussion or a debate, so I'm not going to offer my own personal views on such subjects but in order to properly review the movie, I will have to discuss them a bit. If you would like to leave a comment regarding the political or moral undertones surrounding the flick, I won't stop you, but let's not make this flame war or heated debate. With all that out of the way... let's get to the review.Zero Dark Thirty is not an uplifting movie, in fact it's the very opposite. It's kind of interesting to compare and contrast the timeline of American made war movies. It seems like most can be lumped into one of two categories. There's the "America, Fuck Yeah!" variety (Saving Private Ryan, Pearl Harbor) and "War Is Hell" (Platoon, Apocalypse Now). Zero Dark Thirty leans a bit more toward the second category, but includes bits and pieces of both... without taking too many sides.
In the hands of a lesser filmmaker, this movie could have easily become a cut-rate US propaganda film or a statement of self-indulgent patriotism. Instead, the film is a compelling character study and analysis of politics, terrorism, and warfare that presents facts (well, "facts" in the sense of the information that has been released) and basically allows you to interpret what you see how you like. As mentioned, the hot button topic surrounding the movie was the film's depiction of torture. Early in the movie, Maya accompanies a fellow officer in Pakistan, and observes his interrogation of a detainee with suspected links to Al Qaeda. The interrogation consists of numerous forms of torture, including methods of a physical, mental, and emotional nature. On the other hand, it also depicts non-torturous methods of coercion, and the results that come with those. Which methods are more effective... well, to be honest, both and neither, at least according to the movie. I suppose it leans a little more to an "anti-torture" stance, but it certainly isn't a black and white contrast. As for the rest of the movie's topics, it basically takes that same approach. In this day and age, there's rarely anything that's 100% good or bad, but instead contain varying degrees of right and wrong, with no clear answers. This all makes for a very intriguing and thought provoking movie... which, in my opinion, are the best kind.All of this comes compliments from the combined works of director Kathryn Bigelow, screenwriter Mark Boal, and actress Jessica Chastain. Bigelow's history as an action director has come in handy here, staging some fantastically suspenseful action scenes and dramatic moments. The realistic tone and environments lead to some compelling drama through character interactions, a relentless and hopeless hunt, and some truly suspenseful action scenes that avoid the typical Hollywood excess. The finale, where the Navy Seals raid bin Laden's compound, is one hell of a nail-biter, even though you know exactly how it's going to end. That's just a testament to Bigelow's skills, whom I'm just about ready to call one of the best filmmakers of this generation (time will tell I suppose on that one). I already discussed many elements Mark Boal's script, so I discuss that much more than I already have, but I will say that it's a damn fine piece of writing. It makes some solid observations, moves at a good pace, and has some great interaction between characters. It's hard to gauge just how accurate it is (other than the fact that the character names were made up for this movie), especially since so much information regarding the investigation is still classified, so there's really no way to be sure of that quite yet. Maybe when the information is finally revealed to the public, the film can be re-evaluated. Until then, it works.
The central element the holds the movie together, has got to be Jessica Chastain's flawless performance as Maya. Chastain is quickly climbing the Hollywood ladder of super-stardom after two critically acclaimed performances last year in The Tree of Life and The Help.
Her role as Maya, is hands down the best work of her's so far (that I've seen at least). Every moment she's on screen, you feel her obsessive dedication to her cause. Ultimately why Maya remains so devoted to finding Osama is the ultimate question. She's not some super patriot nor is she a crusader for good or anything like that. She remains so fiercely devoted to the crusade for reasons I don't even think she fully understands. Chastain just sells every single detail of that inner conflict as she relentlessly pursues bin Laden. I was happy to see Chastain receive another Oscar nomination this year. We'll find out in a week whether she'll be taking home Oscar gold, and I'm hoping that she will. The rest of the actors all do a fine job, I have no complaints on that front.Zero Dark Thirty is neither an easy watch or a timid film. I can all but guarantee that everyone leaving this movie will have strong opinions on it one way or another. Still, in addition to being one of the year's best films, it's also one of the year's most important. So unless you don't think you can handle of the movie's more graphic content, I strongly recommend it.
My Score: 5 out of 5!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Worst Movies of 2012
Alright! I've finally sat through enough of 2012's filth to assemble what I believe is a reasonably accurate list for the worst movies of 2012. There were a few critical flops that I didn't get around to seeing, so your list may differ quite a bit from mine. I'll say this, I didn't get a chance to see Piranha 3DD though I liked the first one, I heard the sequel lacked the bite of it's predecessor (sorry, that was a bad pun, but I couldn't help it). I also missed This Means War. I couldn't find a place to rent it and there was no way I was going to buy the DVD. Also didn't get around to seeing That's My Boy, namely because I have just given up on Adam Sandler. There are a few others I didn't get around to checking out, but I feel like I got most of them. So without further ado, here are my picks for the worst movies of 2012.
10. Alex Cross
Tyler Perry's first major break away from comedy... is probably going to end up being his last. I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of Perry's work. He seems like a nice enough guy and it's pretty cool that he has written, directed, and acted in a number of successful comedies. Still, they're just not my kind of films, and neither is this one. Perry was trying hard, I could tell, but he was let down by a miserable script and a director who just phoned in his directorial duties. The only thing that kind of bordered on "so-bad-its-good" was the equally miscast performance of Matthew Fox, who was so over the top that he was, at times, somewhat hilarious. The rest of the movie is just dull and forgettable. On the bright side for Tyler Perry, it doesn't look like the Madea films are going away time soon... so, good for him I guess.
9. Paranormal Activity 4
I've been pretty forgiving toward the not-so-subtle flaws that has plagued this series from the beginning, but I finally drew the line with Part 4. I don't expect much from these movies, so long as each entry delivers a few memorable moments of shocks and suspense. Paranormal Activity 4, however, in addition to falling victim to flat acting, a lame story, and weak ending, just isn't all that scary. Aside for one or two passable scenes, it's just too damn boring to make any real impression. Well, the series was fun while it lasted.
8. The Watch
You would think a film directed by The Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer and starring Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, Vince Vaughn, and Richard Ayoade would have a few laughs, wouldn't you? While it did get an occasional chuckle here and there, it was mostly a huge waste of time. The film never found a consistent tone, switching back and forth between crude adult-oriented jokes, juvenile teen boy humor, and uninspired sci-fi action. Even the film's few honest to God laughs were mostly taken from previous and better movies. In short... it blows.
7. House at the End of the Street
Normally I hate to see talented actors starring in terrible movies, but honestly, I don't think Jennifer Lawrence is going to have any trouble sweeping this stinker under the rug. Lawrence does what she can with such a boring character, and while her natural skill brings a touch of credibility to the film, it doesn't save this horror dud from sucking. The premise had some interesting ideas, but the execution was just forgettable and generic as it's uninspired title. No scares, little suspense, and some of the worst dialogue I've heard in years hold back this piece of crap from amounting to anything other than forgettable. Normally, a film like this would have pulled down it's star with it, but like I said, Jennifer Lawrence is going to do just fine. With a well-received role in The Hunger Games (though I personally didn't care much for that one) an Oscar nominated part in Silver Linings Playbook (possibly a win, we'll find out soon), she'll have no problem rebounding from this.
6. The Lorax
Can we please not get any more feature-length Dr. Seuss adaptations? While I'll always say that you can make a good movie out of anything, I've run out of hope in believing that studios will ever actually invest the necessary time and resources into pulling off a decent adaptation. The Lorax is a dumb and annoying cgi family flick that dilutes the message of it's source material to make room for an uninspired story, stock characters, grating humor, and annoying songs. Eeesh... at least some of the animation was nice. Don't bother with this one. If you've got kids who want to see it, read the book to them instead.
5. One For The Money
I'll come out and say it... I'm not a fan of Katherine Heigl. Sure, Knocked Up was good, but the rest of her filmography, namely her numerous romcoms, have ranged from forgettable to flat-out infuriating (in case you were wondering, no I've never been into Grey's Anatomy either). While she's not a terrible actress per se, she lacks a certain personality and has virtually no comic timing. One For The Money might be her worst film ever, with a script and premise that almost borders on sexist when it's not boring you to death. Katherine Heigl is a bounty hunter... no, that doesn't sound like it would be a good movie now does it? The concept is uninspired, the jokes aren't funny, the film isn't exciting... it's just an all around terrible movie. Even if your a fan of Heigl, skip this one.
4. Gone
Like I said about House at the End of the Street, I hate to see talented actors brought down by shitty movies. Amanda Seyfried has shown that she possesses some real acting ability, but keeps getting cast in God awful movies. She does her best in Gone, but even her talent can't salvage much out of this forgettable thriller. I'm having trouble thinking of things to even say about the film, because honestly, it made practically no impression whatsoever. It has an uninspired concept, the mystery isn't all that interesting, and... that's about it. It's a pretty fitting title though, I must admit. One day, you'll watch it, and the next day, your memories of the film will be as the title implies... Gone.
3. Mirror Mirror
It's a nice looking movie, no doubt about that. Director Tarsem Singh has a good eye for visuals. The production and costume designs are quite creative, I'll say that much. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie is just awful! Julia Roberts is just too reserved to convincingly pull of campy humor, and unfortunately the movie puts a lot of faith in her role. In the long run, I don't know if any actor, no matter how talented, could have pulled off much entertainment value with a script this bad. What could have been an enjoyable camp fest or cute retelling of a classic fairy tale is instead an annoying, infuriating, and God awful snooze-fest. If you haven't seen this one... keep on doing that.
2. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
I admit that Ghost Rider isn't an easy superhero to adapt to film, but come on! The sequel to the only somewhat remembered 2007 film manages the rare feat of being both stupid and boring. The effects are a bit better this time around, but they're still pretty dodgy in most spots. The action is too damned erratic, the characters aren't interesting, and the story is predictable as hell. Even another psychotic performance from Nicolas Cage couldn't save this one... honestly, his shtick has been really wearing thin for a while now. The only positive thing I can say about Ghost Rider 2, is that it's not THE worst movie of 2012. That title goes to the following...
1. The Devil Inside
Wow! What a mess of a film we have here! I will say this, the idea of a horror film that explores the scientific and religious theories behind possession and exorcism is actually an interesting idea. Not to mention, the concept of renegade/underground exorcists is intriguing (mainly in a B-Movie kind of way, but whatever, a good idea is a good idea). Unfortunately, any promise this movie may have possessed (no pun intended) was let down by terrible execution. The actors... crap, the suspense... non-existent, the story... derivative, the ending... AWFUL!!! This film, has what might be the worst, cop out, "screw you" of an ending I've ever seen. Everything up until then was bad, but it was that ending that not only reserved it a spot on my "Worst Of" list but my choice for the worst movie of 2012! It's that bad folks.
So those are the worst movies I saw from 2012. If you haven't seen these movies and are thinking about checking them out... I wouldn't recommend it. Agree or disagree with my list? Leave a comment below and tell me your choices for the worst of 2012.
10. Alex Cross
Tyler Perry's first major break away from comedy... is probably going to end up being his last. I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of Perry's work. He seems like a nice enough guy and it's pretty cool that he has written, directed, and acted in a number of successful comedies. Still, they're just not my kind of films, and neither is this one. Perry was trying hard, I could tell, but he was let down by a miserable script and a director who just phoned in his directorial duties. The only thing that kind of bordered on "so-bad-its-good" was the equally miscast performance of Matthew Fox, who was so over the top that he was, at times, somewhat hilarious. The rest of the movie is just dull and forgettable. On the bright side for Tyler Perry, it doesn't look like the Madea films are going away time soon... so, good for him I guess.
9. Paranormal Activity 4
I've been pretty forgiving toward the not-so-subtle flaws that has plagued this series from the beginning, but I finally drew the line with Part 4. I don't expect much from these movies, so long as each entry delivers a few memorable moments of shocks and suspense. Paranormal Activity 4, however, in addition to falling victim to flat acting, a lame story, and weak ending, just isn't all that scary. Aside for one or two passable scenes, it's just too damn boring to make any real impression. Well, the series was fun while it lasted.
8. The Watch
You would think a film directed by The Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer and starring Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, Vince Vaughn, and Richard Ayoade would have a few laughs, wouldn't you? While it did get an occasional chuckle here and there, it was mostly a huge waste of time. The film never found a consistent tone, switching back and forth between crude adult-oriented jokes, juvenile teen boy humor, and uninspired sci-fi action. Even the film's few honest to God laughs were mostly taken from previous and better movies. In short... it blows.
7. House at the End of the Street
Normally I hate to see talented actors starring in terrible movies, but honestly, I don't think Jennifer Lawrence is going to have any trouble sweeping this stinker under the rug. Lawrence does what she can with such a boring character, and while her natural skill brings a touch of credibility to the film, it doesn't save this horror dud from sucking. The premise had some interesting ideas, but the execution was just forgettable and generic as it's uninspired title. No scares, little suspense, and some of the worst dialogue I've heard in years hold back this piece of crap from amounting to anything other than forgettable. Normally, a film like this would have pulled down it's star with it, but like I said, Jennifer Lawrence is going to do just fine. With a well-received role in The Hunger Games (though I personally didn't care much for that one) an Oscar nominated part in Silver Linings Playbook (possibly a win, we'll find out soon), she'll have no problem rebounding from this.
6. The Lorax
Can we please not get any more feature-length Dr. Seuss adaptations? While I'll always say that you can make a good movie out of anything, I've run out of hope in believing that studios will ever actually invest the necessary time and resources into pulling off a decent adaptation. The Lorax is a dumb and annoying cgi family flick that dilutes the message of it's source material to make room for an uninspired story, stock characters, grating humor, and annoying songs. Eeesh... at least some of the animation was nice. Don't bother with this one. If you've got kids who want to see it, read the book to them instead.
5. One For The Money
I'll come out and say it... I'm not a fan of Katherine Heigl. Sure, Knocked Up was good, but the rest of her filmography, namely her numerous romcoms, have ranged from forgettable to flat-out infuriating (in case you were wondering, no I've never been into Grey's Anatomy either). While she's not a terrible actress per se, she lacks a certain personality and has virtually no comic timing. One For The Money might be her worst film ever, with a script and premise that almost borders on sexist when it's not boring you to death. Katherine Heigl is a bounty hunter... no, that doesn't sound like it would be a good movie now does it? The concept is uninspired, the jokes aren't funny, the film isn't exciting... it's just an all around terrible movie. Even if your a fan of Heigl, skip this one.
4. Gone
Like I said about House at the End of the Street, I hate to see talented actors brought down by shitty movies. Amanda Seyfried has shown that she possesses some real acting ability, but keeps getting cast in God awful movies. She does her best in Gone, but even her talent can't salvage much out of this forgettable thriller. I'm having trouble thinking of things to even say about the film, because honestly, it made practically no impression whatsoever. It has an uninspired concept, the mystery isn't all that interesting, and... that's about it. It's a pretty fitting title though, I must admit. One day, you'll watch it, and the next day, your memories of the film will be as the title implies... Gone.
3. Mirror Mirror
It's a nice looking movie, no doubt about that. Director Tarsem Singh has a good eye for visuals. The production and costume designs are quite creative, I'll say that much. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie is just awful! Julia Roberts is just too reserved to convincingly pull of campy humor, and unfortunately the movie puts a lot of faith in her role. In the long run, I don't know if any actor, no matter how talented, could have pulled off much entertainment value with a script this bad. What could have been an enjoyable camp fest or cute retelling of a classic fairy tale is instead an annoying, infuriating, and God awful snooze-fest. If you haven't seen this one... keep on doing that.
2. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
I admit that Ghost Rider isn't an easy superhero to adapt to film, but come on! The sequel to the only somewhat remembered 2007 film manages the rare feat of being both stupid and boring. The effects are a bit better this time around, but they're still pretty dodgy in most spots. The action is too damned erratic, the characters aren't interesting, and the story is predictable as hell. Even another psychotic performance from Nicolas Cage couldn't save this one... honestly, his shtick has been really wearing thin for a while now. The only positive thing I can say about Ghost Rider 2, is that it's not THE worst movie of 2012. That title goes to the following...
1. The Devil Inside
Wow! What a mess of a film we have here! I will say this, the idea of a horror film that explores the scientific and religious theories behind possession and exorcism is actually an interesting idea. Not to mention, the concept of renegade/underground exorcists is intriguing (mainly in a B-Movie kind of way, but whatever, a good idea is a good idea). Unfortunately, any promise this movie may have possessed (no pun intended) was let down by terrible execution. The actors... crap, the suspense... non-existent, the story... derivative, the ending... AWFUL!!! This film, has what might be the worst, cop out, "screw you" of an ending I've ever seen. Everything up until then was bad, but it was that ending that not only reserved it a spot on my "Worst Of" list but my choice for the worst movie of 2012! It's that bad folks.
So those are the worst movies I saw from 2012. If you haven't seen these movies and are thinking about checking them out... I wouldn't recommend it. Agree or disagree with my list? Leave a comment below and tell me your choices for the worst of 2012.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Top 10 Films Of 2012
Alright, we're halfway through January of 2013, which means I'm two weeks overdue to post my picks for the best movies of 2012. The year has been... actually not that interesting. Don't get me wrong, there were some high points, most of which are included on this countdown. There were also a few duds, which I will cover later on with the Worst of 2012 list. Still, aside from only a handful of films, there weren't a whole lot of excellent films or even disasters really. I guess I should be thankful for the latter, but it doesn't give me a whole lot to talk about (though I've still got a few more to see). Plus, I should mention that I did miss a few of the year's more acclaimed films. Off the top of my head, you won't see The Sessions or Amour on this list because they never made it to a theater in my area, at least none that I knew of. When I do get around to seeing them, I might end up revising this list if I feel like they should have been included. Nonetheless, there were still plenty of solid films to come around and even a few truly great ones. Which movies made my list? Let's take a look!
10. ParaNorman
2012 was a good but not great year for Animated movies I suppose. Disney gave us the enjoyable game-based trip of nostalgia with Wreck It Ralph (which just missed this list by the way), and Pixar saw a modest return to coming off of the underwhelming Cars 2 with Brave (again, good but not Top 10 material). The only truly great animated flick was ParaNorman, a family comedy/horror film that blended creative stop motion models with vivid cgi touches. It had a great cast of characters, some nice tributes to classic horror movies, some truly memorable visuals, and a story that tackled interesting themes like family values, bullying, and social outcasts. I can honestly say it was one of the most interesting and entertaining animated films I've seen in a while, and the 10th best film of 2012.
9. The Master
Paul Thomas Anderson, the incredibly inventive mind behind films like Boogie Nights, Punch Drunk Love, and the always great There Will Be Blood, brought us a new work of art with The Master. A fictionalized retelling of the founding of Scientology, The Master contained a great screenplay and spot-on direction. While not quite as "showy" as say There Will Be Blood or as surprising as Punch Drunk Love, The Master truly shines thanks to the incredible cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and a career best for Joaquin Phoenix, all of whom received well-deserved Oscar nominations. If you missed this one in theaters, I thoroughly recommended checking it out!
8. Cloud Atlas
In an era of declining originality, ambition, and creativity, leave it to the Wachowskis to give us the year's most risky and audacious films in I don't know how long. While I will admit Cloud Atlas doesn't always quite live up to it's sheer ambition, the fact that it works at all, and better yet is damn good movie in it's own right, is nothing short of a miracle. A sci-fi adventure with six loosely connected stories taking place across different times is a pretty lofty flick. When you consider those six stories all feature the same ensemble cast of six actors playing different characters of various races and genders, that's really impressive. It's a great looking movie with stunning makeup, production design, and visuals effects with a compelling story and exciting action. This is one of the best sci-fi movies in years, and while not am immediate critical or financial success, will hopefully be re-evaluated later on as a classic (a la Blade Runner).
7. Skyfall
It's no secret that I am a massive fan of the James Bond films, and entries like Skyfall only serve as a reminder of just why I love the series. Not only was Skyfall the best of the Daniel Craig films, it was one of the finest entries in the series. An emotional character-driven story, great performances, and incredible action scenes... Skyfall was worth the long wait. Is it the best in the series? Still not sure I am going say that quite yet, as there are others that loom pretty high (Goldfinger is going to be a tough one to beat), but I will say it met my expectations toward pretty much everything you could want out of a great action film and a great 007 flick.
6. The Avengers
The greatest superhero film of all time??? Well, not quite, but the fact that the question even comes up is a testament to the film's sheer awesomeness. Marvel's insane experiment to bring comic book continuity to the a universe may have seemed nuts, but The Avengers is proof that it was just crazy enough to work. With five films building up to one of the most anticipated superhero team-ups of all time, expectations were running high... and it met every one of them! A clever script, solid direction, enjoyable characters, great costumes, and bad-ass action made this one of the best popcorn flicks of all time. Now, Marvel is getting ready for Phase 2 of their film universe... can lightening strike twice??? Well... if one of your team members is the God of Thunder, I'd say it's definitely possible.
5. Lincoln
Steven Spielberg's long awaited portrayal of America's 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, at first looked like it was going to be your standard "Oscar Bait-y" biopic. You know, well made and well acted films with predicable and somewhat unoriginal thinking. While Lincoln itself does have the well made and well acted aspects (the acting is actually incredible), it wasn't so much a biopic but rather a complex study of the political and legal system, analyzing the lengths to which such an official must go, be they ethical or not, to accomplish such game-changing motions. The decision to set the story against Lincoln's battle to abolish slavery was a stroke of genius, as was the spot on casting decision of Daniel Day Lewis as the titular president. If the rumors are true, it looks like Lewis will be receiving his third Academy Award in February, and if that is the case... I am totally cool with that. In short, excellent movie, one of Spielberg's best in years.
4. Flight
I really hope that whatever Robert Zemeckis needed to get out of his system by directing all of those underwhelming mo-cop cgi films is gone now, because cinema was desperately lacking his touch in the live action films he had been absent from for so long. The director of classics like Back To The Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit returns in top form, in a compelling story of addiction and alcoholism starring Denzel Washington, in a performance that can be described as no less than excellent! The only thing that kept the film from achieving perfection was a slightly excessive length, but aside from that I don't have many negative things to say about it. It's just that good.
3. The Cabin In The Woods
For the horror genre, 2012 wasn't a particularly good year. There was plenty of crap, a few average but forgettable entries, and only two films I can honestly say that were enjoyable (the other being the good-but-not-great Sinister). It just so happened that the one truly great horror movie of the year, The Cabin In The Woods, would be one of the most creative, innovative, and intelligent horror flicks to come our way in I don't know how long. Blending clever elements of suspense, violence, comedy, and satire... The Cabin In The Woods is arguably the best meta-sendup of the horror genre of all time (not that it had a whole lot of competition). It acknowledges the genre's repetitiveness and cliches, but it does it with a huge smile on it's face, indulging in some of the most creative and over the top horror-influenced filmmaking I've ever seen. It was a strong contender for my number one film, but the next two just barely nudged their way into the top spots.
2. Zero Dark Thirty
When I first heard of the premise for Zero Dark Thirty, I have to admit that I was a bit on the fence. A movie about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden was intriguing, don't get me wrong, but there were a million things that could have possibly gone south with such a potentially controversial subject. And while the movie, as expected, was met with the inevitable protests, I can honestly say that Zero Dark Thirty was better than I could have imagined. Kathryn Bigelow's spot-on direction led to a believable, intriguing, and suspenseful introspective on politics, international relations, and terrorism. Throw in a perfect performance from Jessica Chastain (who I am crossing my fingers will receive her well-deserved Oscar) and you've got a winner.
1. Django Unchained
Leave it to Quentin Tarantino to deliver the most controversial, interesting, provocative, entertaining, and flat out best film of the year. Certainly not one for the faint of heart, Django Unchained is an unflinching and excessively violent tale of racism, slavery, and revenge. Set against the backdrop of the 19th century south in the style of a spaghetti western and complete with all of Tarantino's classic trademarks (shout outs to his favorite movies, brutal violence, buckets of blood, quirky dialogue, and unforgettable characters), Django Unchained is one of his most complex and interesting screenplays. I just don't really know what else I can say, it's got a great script, creative director, and an excellent cast... it's just that damn good. If you haven't seen it yet (and can stomach the brutal content), than this is a one you need to get out and see right away!
So those are my favorite films of 2012. There were a few I had a difficult time leaving off. Argo, for instance, was one I enjoyed very much, but thought it fell just a tad bit short of these ten. Nonetheless, I stand by the list. If you haven't seen any of them, I definitely recommend checking them out. Let's hope 2013 will be even better!
Agree with my list? What were your favorite films of 2012? Leave a comment below!
10. ParaNorman
2012 was a good but not great year for Animated movies I suppose. Disney gave us the enjoyable game-based trip of nostalgia with Wreck It Ralph (which just missed this list by the way), and Pixar saw a modest return to coming off of the underwhelming Cars 2 with Brave (again, good but not Top 10 material). The only truly great animated flick was ParaNorman, a family comedy/horror film that blended creative stop motion models with vivid cgi touches. It had a great cast of characters, some nice tributes to classic horror movies, some truly memorable visuals, and a story that tackled interesting themes like family values, bullying, and social outcasts. I can honestly say it was one of the most interesting and entertaining animated films I've seen in a while, and the 10th best film of 2012.
9. The Master
Paul Thomas Anderson, the incredibly inventive mind behind films like Boogie Nights, Punch Drunk Love, and the always great There Will Be Blood, brought us a new work of art with The Master. A fictionalized retelling of the founding of Scientology, The Master contained a great screenplay and spot-on direction. While not quite as "showy" as say There Will Be Blood or as surprising as Punch Drunk Love, The Master truly shines thanks to the incredible cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and a career best for Joaquin Phoenix, all of whom received well-deserved Oscar nominations. If you missed this one in theaters, I thoroughly recommended checking it out!
8. Cloud Atlas
In an era of declining originality, ambition, and creativity, leave it to the Wachowskis to give us the year's most risky and audacious films in I don't know how long. While I will admit Cloud Atlas doesn't always quite live up to it's sheer ambition, the fact that it works at all, and better yet is damn good movie in it's own right, is nothing short of a miracle. A sci-fi adventure with six loosely connected stories taking place across different times is a pretty lofty flick. When you consider those six stories all feature the same ensemble cast of six actors playing different characters of various races and genders, that's really impressive. It's a great looking movie with stunning makeup, production design, and visuals effects with a compelling story and exciting action. This is one of the best sci-fi movies in years, and while not am immediate critical or financial success, will hopefully be re-evaluated later on as a classic (a la Blade Runner).
7. Skyfall
It's no secret that I am a massive fan of the James Bond films, and entries like Skyfall only serve as a reminder of just why I love the series. Not only was Skyfall the best of the Daniel Craig films, it was one of the finest entries in the series. An emotional character-driven story, great performances, and incredible action scenes... Skyfall was worth the long wait. Is it the best in the series? Still not sure I am going say that quite yet, as there are others that loom pretty high (Goldfinger is going to be a tough one to beat), but I will say it met my expectations toward pretty much everything you could want out of a great action film and a great 007 flick.
6. The Avengers
The greatest superhero film of all time??? Well, not quite, but the fact that the question even comes up is a testament to the film's sheer awesomeness. Marvel's insane experiment to bring comic book continuity to the a universe may have seemed nuts, but The Avengers is proof that it was just crazy enough to work. With five films building up to one of the most anticipated superhero team-ups of all time, expectations were running high... and it met every one of them! A clever script, solid direction, enjoyable characters, great costumes, and bad-ass action made this one of the best popcorn flicks of all time. Now, Marvel is getting ready for Phase 2 of their film universe... can lightening strike twice??? Well... if one of your team members is the God of Thunder, I'd say it's definitely possible.
5. Lincoln
Steven Spielberg's long awaited portrayal of America's 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, at first looked like it was going to be your standard "Oscar Bait-y" biopic. You know, well made and well acted films with predicable and somewhat unoriginal thinking. While Lincoln itself does have the well made and well acted aspects (the acting is actually incredible), it wasn't so much a biopic but rather a complex study of the political and legal system, analyzing the lengths to which such an official must go, be they ethical or not, to accomplish such game-changing motions. The decision to set the story against Lincoln's battle to abolish slavery was a stroke of genius, as was the spot on casting decision of Daniel Day Lewis as the titular president. If the rumors are true, it looks like Lewis will be receiving his third Academy Award in February, and if that is the case... I am totally cool with that. In short, excellent movie, one of Spielberg's best in years.
4. Flight
I really hope that whatever Robert Zemeckis needed to get out of his system by directing all of those underwhelming mo-cop cgi films is gone now, because cinema was desperately lacking his touch in the live action films he had been absent from for so long. The director of classics like Back To The Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit returns in top form, in a compelling story of addiction and alcoholism starring Denzel Washington, in a performance that can be described as no less than excellent! The only thing that kept the film from achieving perfection was a slightly excessive length, but aside from that I don't have many negative things to say about it. It's just that good.
3. The Cabin In The Woods
For the horror genre, 2012 wasn't a particularly good year. There was plenty of crap, a few average but forgettable entries, and only two films I can honestly say that were enjoyable (the other being the good-but-not-great Sinister). It just so happened that the one truly great horror movie of the year, The Cabin In The Woods, would be one of the most creative, innovative, and intelligent horror flicks to come our way in I don't know how long. Blending clever elements of suspense, violence, comedy, and satire... The Cabin In The Woods is arguably the best meta-sendup of the horror genre of all time (not that it had a whole lot of competition). It acknowledges the genre's repetitiveness and cliches, but it does it with a huge smile on it's face, indulging in some of the most creative and over the top horror-influenced filmmaking I've ever seen. It was a strong contender for my number one film, but the next two just barely nudged their way into the top spots.
2. Zero Dark Thirty
When I first heard of the premise for Zero Dark Thirty, I have to admit that I was a bit on the fence. A movie about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden was intriguing, don't get me wrong, but there were a million things that could have possibly gone south with such a potentially controversial subject. And while the movie, as expected, was met with the inevitable protests, I can honestly say that Zero Dark Thirty was better than I could have imagined. Kathryn Bigelow's spot-on direction led to a believable, intriguing, and suspenseful introspective on politics, international relations, and terrorism. Throw in a perfect performance from Jessica Chastain (who I am crossing my fingers will receive her well-deserved Oscar) and you've got a winner.
1. Django Unchained
Leave it to Quentin Tarantino to deliver the most controversial, interesting, provocative, entertaining, and flat out best film of the year. Certainly not one for the faint of heart, Django Unchained is an unflinching and excessively violent tale of racism, slavery, and revenge. Set against the backdrop of the 19th century south in the style of a spaghetti western and complete with all of Tarantino's classic trademarks (shout outs to his favorite movies, brutal violence, buckets of blood, quirky dialogue, and unforgettable characters), Django Unchained is one of his most complex and interesting screenplays. I just don't really know what else I can say, it's got a great script, creative director, and an excellent cast... it's just that damn good. If you haven't seen it yet (and can stomach the brutal content), than this is a one you need to get out and see right away!
So those are my favorite films of 2012. There were a few I had a difficult time leaving off. Argo, for instance, was one I enjoyed very much, but thought it fell just a tad bit short of these ten. Nonetheless, I stand by the list. If you haven't seen any of them, I definitely recommend checking them out. Let's hope 2013 will be even better!
Agree with my list? What were your favorite films of 2012? Leave a comment below!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Les Misérables - Review
It's quite a surprise to think that it's taken this long to finally get a film adaptation of Les Misérables, one of theater's most successful musicals. The musical, of course based on the classic novel by Victor Hugo, saw a thirty-plus year run on Broadway along with productions in Britain, Paris, and all over really. While I have always wanted to see a stage production of Les Miz, it has unfortunately not happened. I would have loved to get the chance to see it, but I never lived in an area near where it was playing. So if your a fan of the play and are wondering how it compares to it's movie counterpart, I cannot answer that as of now. Still, the movie has actually been getting a fair deal of positive buzz, with mostly good reviews, enthusiastic responses from audiences, and eight Oscar nominations. Though I don't personally know that many extreme Les Miz fans, it seems like those said fans have overall reacted quite positively to what they received with this adaptation. There's definitely plenty to work with here to make a good, possibly great movie musical for the ages. With that being said, what did I think of the movie? It's actually pretty good... for the most part.Set in 19th century France, Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean, who is first introduced as a convicted felon just completing a 19 year prison sentence. Upon receiving his freedom, Valjean struggles to find work and nearly starves to death.
Desperate to start a new life, Valjean breaks his parole, forms a new identity, and flees to leaving his previous life behind. He is pursued, however, by Javert (Russell Crowe), the police inspector with a fierce determination to catch Valjean and throw him back into prison for breaking his parole. Meanwhile, Valjean meets up with Fantine (Anne Hathaway), an end-of-her-rope woman turned to prostitution in order to support her young daughter, currently in the care of two corrupt innkeepers. Valjean, seeing this as his chance at redemption, determines himself to help Fantine's little girl, named Cosette. With Valjean still haunted by past and Javert on a relentless hunt to take him in, his freedom and redemption may come at a bigger cost than first realized.Listen, I know that the stage musical (and likely by extension, this film adaptation), has a large and very enthusiastic fanbase. So, I will preface this review by re-stating what I mentioned above... namely, I did like the movie! Didn't love it, not one of the year's best, and certainly not one of the best musicals ever made, but an overall above average film slightly elevated by some strong elements. Making movies in general is hard, making films based on stage productions or musicals, especially one as "show-y" and bombastic as Les Miz, is an incredible challenge. Plays that are known for giant spectacle or large epic production numbers like (based on what I've heard) Les Miz have certain styles that don't translate particularly well on film. I often think of Andrew Lloyd Weber's adaptation of Phantom of the Opera as a good example. It's a great play, not so much because of subtlety or nuance, but rather because the grand scale, huge special effects, are operatic musical numbers are a blast to watch live. The 2004 film adaptation tried to recreate that same feeling, and while it was a worthy effort, it didn't really work. That sort of bombastic spectacle looks really overblown and often kind of goofy on film. Les Miz, fares a little better on that front, but falls victim to many similar problems. The songs themselves are great, the ideas are interesting, and most of the actors are good, but the ambitious style and abstract storytelling just doesn't translate as well as I hoped.
I'll start off by talking about what I did like... the cast. Hugh Jackman is probably best known as the claw-wielding mutant Wolverine from the X-Men movies. While he is frequently cast in action films, many didn't know that the guy has a background in musical theater.
With a few stints on Broadway, the guy has shown he's a legitimate triple threat... a great actor, talented singer, and enjoyable dancer as well. Make no mistake, he was a damn good choice for the role of Valjean. Jackman sells the dramatic scenes are carries musical numbers like the true talent he is. Anne Hathaway's performance as Fantine has received widespread praise as well. Despite only being the film for about fifteen minutes, she sells every minute of her brief role to perfection. When she sings what is arguably the play's most memorable song, "I Dreamed A Dream," the whole sequence is just a close up of Hathaway with no cutaways or anything. Had it not been for her spot on acting, that sequence would not have worked, but Hathaway's voice and range of emotions is just perfect and stands as one of the film's most memorable moments. Short role for sure, but Hathaway is just so perfect, it's one of the film's few truly great qualities.The rest of the cast is a bit hit and miss, but overall they work. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter play the scam artists/innkeepers caring for Cosette, providing a fun musical number and some welcome moments of comic relief. Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne are also solid as the two lovebirds caught in the turmoil of the 1832 Paris Uprising. Overall I can't really complaint... except for Russell Crowe. This is a real bummer, because Crowe is one hell of an actor who is no stranger to overblown period pieces (like Gladiator for instance). Unfortunately, apparently someone didn't tell him that he had to sing here... because he really can't. While it's not the worst voice I've ever heard, vocals clearly aren't the guy's strong point. It wouldn't be so bad if he only had one or two musical numbers, but since most of the film's dialogue is done melodically, you're constantly subjected to the Crowe's off key numbers. Had it not been for Crowe, I might have rated this film a bit higher. Still aside from the one exception, most of the movie's success came down to the film's cast selling the hell out of their roles. That is what ultimately saves the film from mediocrity.
The rest of the movie also has its ups and downs. One thing I haven't mentioned yet is something I do find quite interesting about the film. That is that is one of the few film musicals to feature live singing. In most movie musicals, actors pre-record their songs in a studio and lip sync to their previously recorded tracks while filming. For Les Miz, the live singing really gave the actors a chance to bring some real emotion to their songs, namely Fantine's aforementioned number.
The songs may not work as well as a soundtrack or without the movie to provide context, but for the movie itself, they work. The production design is pretty good, with some impressive sets and artistic designs. The same can be said for the creative costume designs as well. The cinematography and editing, however, is more than a little flawed. For a reason I can't explain, the film has way more dutch angles than was needed. There were some times I was thinking, geez this movie has almost as many as Battlefield Earth (but not quite). There's not a whole lot of rhythm to the editing either (this being a musical, that's kind of a problem). Plus the action and battle scenes toward the end are presented so erratically that they become kind of disorienting and hard to follow. The story itself kind of convoluted as well. I like the basic themes and ideas, and the characters present some intriguing set ups, but the abstract style, while probably effective on stage, just doesn't work as well here. It starts off as Valjean's story of redemption and retribution but then inexplicably becomes about Cosette and Marius along with the 1832 uprising with little explanation or logic. Plus, the film runs at almost three hours. This leads to more than a few noticeable dull moments that really hurt the film's pacing. In the end, it somewhat comes together but there's a lot of flaws along the way.So Les Misérables... it's good, but not great. There are some really strong performances, some memorable songs, and some real artisitc ambition at play here. There's also some really confusing moments, some not-so-memorable songs, and very flawed pacing. Still, I am glad that I saw it. I think most will find something to enjoy from it too. So I give it a recommendation, but not a particularly enthusiastic one.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Thursday, January 10, 2013
The Lorax - Review
Alright... we're over a week into 2013, and as you may have notice, I have not posted my picks of the Top 10 best and worst films of 2012. Why is that? To be honest, at the beginning of every year, this is usually when I'm playing catch up with the films I missed, trying to see as many of them as I can in order to make a reasonably accurate list. While that does mean taking in some good films every so often, (namely the studios' run of Oscar contenders), it usually involves watching the crap that I either missed, forgot about, or skipped... like The Lorax. When I heard that Universal was adapting The Lorax, one of Dr. Seuss's slightly lesser-known works, I actually thought that while it had the chance of working as a feature film, the studio would likely find a way to make it suck (spoiler alert.. the movie sucks). This isn't a huge surprise, as there have been multiple feature length adaptations of various Seuss books (both live action and animated), though not one of them has been any good (excluding the classic animated shorts, many of those are great). It boils down to many factors as to why, one of which is that stretching out a 20 page kids book to a feature length screenplay is incredibly difficult. While I will forever maintain that you can make a good movie out of anything, it takes great care and effort to pull off these kinds of stories... and there in lies the problem. The studio and filmmakers just never put any real effort or care into these stories... relegating the works of one of the most creative and flat-out brilliant kids authors into cheap, shallow, corporate-produced, Hollywood products (you know... the kind of thing this book preached against).The film opens in the town of Thneed-Ville, a walled off, almost semi-dystopian, city completely made of plastic, with nary a tree or any kind of foliage in sight. In fact, since there's no trees, the town runs completely on synthetic air made by the town's ruling corporation, O'Hare, who sells it to the town's citizens. When the twelve-year-old, Ted (played by Zac Efron), hears his friend and crush Audrey (Taylor Swift) mention her longing to see a real life tree, Ted ventures outside of town limits to try and find one and impress his would-be girlfriend. His only hope is the fabled Once-ler, a man who lives miles away from Thneed-ville, whose surrounding area has now been relegated to a desolate wasteland. The Once-Ler then tells the story of how the land used to be a great forest, full of trees, animals, and fresh air... until it was ruined when he opened a business that quickly grew into a giant corporation and swiftly exploited the area's resources until there was no more. Both Ted and the Once-ler ponder... can the land return to it's once former glory???
One challenge I often encounter with this blog is trying to review a movie from a purely objective standpoint. While I do my best to not let my any personal bias, foreknowledge, or inherent fanboyism influence a review, that is often easier said than done.
I mention this all because I happen to think that the book on which this movie is based is one of Dr. Seuss's best works and one of the most important children's books ever written. Okay, I admit that it has it's somewhat preachy undertones and a slightly simplistic and one-sided perspective on the issues of environmentalism and commercialism (I know it's a kids book, but still). That said, it had good concept that touched upon important issues, complete with a rather dark tone that still managed to retain Seuss's trademark rhymes and rhetoric. Not to mention, despite the dramatic subject matter, it still had a cautiously optimistic ending. To adapt such a book into a feature length film would be tricky, but when it comes to feature length movies based on kids books, I honestly think The Lorax was one of the more adapt-able pieces... at the very least,more-so than The Cat in The Hat or The Grinch. The simplistic nature of the message could have been expanded upon, and a good team of filmmakers could have told a compelling story of environmentalism and corporate excess, watered down enough for kids but also giving some substance for the adults. It could have been done well... but it was not.Okay, so I'll just get this out of the way. How is the movie strictly as an adaptation of the book. In a word... TERRIBLE! While in the book, the Once-Ler's appearance was never revealed (aside from his hands), the movie gives him a face... one of a somewhat baby-faced and sympathetic demeanor (doesn't work).
Even the book's main plot, about the Once-Ler's rise to power and subsequent devastation of the forest, is relegated to more of a subplot. Most of the book's content is actually told in a quick, three-minute musical number. Instead, it spends more time focusing on two different stories, one of which is a sort of "bro-mance" between the Lorax and Once-ler (it's weird, don't ask) and the other, I'll get into in a bit. The main character in the movie is actually the aforementioned Ted, who technically was in the book as the boy who listens to the Once-Ler's story. Still, they give him way more screen time, and there in lies the problem. Everything else that made the book so well-known is either gone or severely downplayed. It's an awful adaptation and it really has no reason to be this bad!Of course, a film can't be strictly judged on how well it follows it's source material. The question of how the film stands on it's own... it still sucks. As I mentioned, the main story focuses more on Ted both subsequently trying to impress his would-be girlfriend Audrey and fighting with Thneed-ville's greedy corporate magnate, Mr O'Hare.
The characters are bland, empty, and cliche, and the voice acting is, as predicted, nothing special. The only person who actually got a chuckle or two out of me was Betty White as Ted's eccentric grandmother, but that's Betty White for you, she's always awesome. The rest of the film, is just kind of annoying. The film spends way too much time with the cutesy animals of the forest, which wouldn't be a problem if they weren't annoying as hell. It really does hurt your film's message when the characters that are getting trashed are the one's who get on your nerves the most. It also has a few musical numbers, all of which suck. Honestly, even without the book to go off of, the movie is, at it's best, a below average cgi kids film that's too stupid and irritating to enjoy. The only real positive thing I can say is that some of the animation is nice, namely the design of the forest and Truffula trees. It's nothing amazing but it's at least a reasonably decent looking movie. Other than that, I don't have much to say.So that's The Lorax... and it sucks. It may seem like I'm being a little harsh, trashing what's essentially an innocent kids movie. But still, despite any bias or strong opinions I may have, I just can't think of anything about this film that I can honestly recommend. It sucks, plain and simple. If you haven't seen it yet, don't bother.
My Score: 1.5 out of 5!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Django Unchained - Review
When it comes to finding quality movies these days, you've got to wonder if there is a more reliable director than Quentin Tarantino. It's pretty incredible when you think about it, not just that the guy has directed eight awesome movies (yes that includes Death Proof, I don't care what anyone says, Death Proof is a damn good tribute to 70s exploitation films and contains one of the greatest car chase scenes ever filmed), but rather that Tarantino has struck a chord with nearly everyone. Think about it, how many other filmmakers have been able to appeal to not only critics, but audiences everywhere ranging from film snobs, the blockbuster crowd, elitist hipsters, action junkies, and well... pretty much everyone short of the moral vanguards who have objected to the often violent and/or risqué content often found in his flicks. Why is that? Well, one can offer many theories, but what ultimately has made me remain such an enthusiastic fan (other than the fact that he flat out makes good movies) is what seems like a borderline psychotic obsession he has for the art of filmmaking. I would imagine (or at least I would hope) that all filmmakers have an immense passion for this medium, but Tarantino is a guy who has taken this love to the next level. Not only is he a self-proclaimed cinephile, but just by watching the dude's movies or seeing him being interview, it's plenty obvious that this is a guy who doesn't just love movies, but quite frankly, lives off of them. From sunrise to sunset, this is a guy who lives, eats, and breathes movies. That kind of passion and respect for this medium has resulted in one of cinema's most creative and prolific filmmakers who hones the skills of cinematic artists who have come before him and created his own unique voice and style that continues to entertain. So... with all of that said, how is his new film, Django Unchained?As Quentin Tarantino's first true western, the film opens in 1858, with Django (played by Jamie Foxx), a recently sold slave being transported en route to Texas. His caravan is approached by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a dentist-turned-bounty hunter, who enlists the aid of Django in order to identify his next potential bounty. He promises Django that if he assists him with the bounty, he will receive a share of the profits as well as his freedom. Upon realizing that Django is naturally skilled in the field of bounty hunting, he takes him on as a full fledged partner for the winter bounties. Django only requests that after the season ends, that Schulz assists him in the rescue of his wife Broomhilda, who was sold to a sadistic plantation owner named Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) who infamous for his pitting his slaves in brutal fights to the death. As the two plan their voyage into Candie's estate, nicknamed "Candie Land" (what else?), a land where racism runs rampant, Django and Schultz brace themselves for the horrors they are about to encounter.
Whether or not you approve of Quentin Tarantino's blatant audacity, you have to admit that the guy has serious balls for making a movie like this. Tarantino has often payed tribute to both blaxploitation flicks and spaghetti westerns, but I don't think he's ever done it quite to this extent. Django Unchained includes all of his expected trademarks, including his witty dialogue, established character actors giving eccentric performances, and shout-outs to classic flicks (the most obvious of which is the title and main character being a reference to the 1966 film Django).
This one, while not quite reaching the same level of depth as say, Pulp Fiction, nonetheless features some poignant character beats reminiscent of his earlier movie Jackie Brown... along with the gritty violence of Reservoir Dogs and the over-the-top gore of Kill Bill. There has been more than a little controversy surrounding this flick, some regarding the extreme violence, some about the story's themes, and some about the use of the N-Word. I'm not going to get too in-depth with the film's controversial elements, but there is one thing on which I will comment. In this day in age, with race still being a touchy subject, it's almost impossible to make a race-driven movie without attracting some kind of controversy. So, while I acknowledge that it's a damned-if-you-do/damned-if-you-don't situation, there's just been a way-too-common trend of racially-driven films short-changing or sugar coating either it's messages or subject matter (The Help being a recent example). Django Unchained's take on slavery and racism may not be "sensitive" per se, but it definitely takes it seriously and portrays it for what it is... evil, nasty, brutal, disgusting, and flat-out horrific. Slavery an unfortunate stain on American history that many like to pretend never happened... only it did happen, and it was a period that was significantly darker than many probably would like to admit. Django Unchained doesn't skimp on that front, it's brutal and shocking from start to finish.I would love to know just how Tarantino directs his actors, because this guy has a knack for finding the perfect casts and getting just the right performances. Jamie Foxx has shown on many occasions that he's a talent to be reckoned with, though he hasn't done anything particularly memorable since 2004 (the year of his double-whammy in Ray and Collateral). That all changes here, as he once again brings his top acting chops to the role of Django. He starts off as somewhat reserved, but goes with the flow of his developing character, releasing his anger and hate, as the former slave sets out for revenge, resulting in one of his most dynamic and deeply emotional performances to date. Christoph Waltz reunites with Tarantino after the two collaborated together in Inglorious Basterds (for which Waltz won an Oscar). Waltz, once again, brings his enigmatic talents to another solid role, not only driving the story and bringing some mystery to his character, but also adding some nice touches of comic relief to such a dark film. Both Foxx and Waltz have a good chemistry, and work well enough to keep the audiences invested and wanting to see what will happen next. They're a good duo that I think most will enjoy.
As good as Foxx and Waltz are, there is one performance that managed to rise above pretty much everyone else... and that is Leonardo DiCaprio as the despicable Calvin Candie.
It's kind of funny to think that back in 1997, myself and a lot of others couldn't stand the guy after, despite giving a very average performance in Titanic, Leo-mania hit the world. That said, he's really made a name for himself after, in what could have been his 15 minutes, he continued developing his acting chops and choosing damn good roles. I'll admit that I've become a fan, and his performance here is really something to behold. He is arguably the best villain of the year, and DiCaprio just owns every minute he's on screen. He's such a nasty and dick of a villain, and DiCaprio just sells every ounce of the dude's worst qualities. I would like to see all three of these guys come out with Oscar nods, but as far as I'm concerned, if the Academy doesn't recognize DiCaprio for this... then they really need to get with the program. I won't dwell too much on the rest of the cast since that would take forever, though will say that they were all quite good, and that does include one of Samuel L. Jackson's more memorable roles in recent years.Tarantino is such a master of the craft, that it seems kind of pointless to even mention the guy's direction. What can I say? The guy knows his stuff, inside out. Hell, I imagine the guy could probably direct a movie blindfolded and it would still be cinematic gold. Few directors have a knack for spot on cinematography, action scenes, witty performances, and film pacing.
Even with a near 3-hour runtime, the film was so engaging that is just flew by. The action scenes are all damn-near perfect, with some of the best shootouts to hit the cinematic world in I don't know how long. In addition to being flat out thrilling and suspenseful, they're also bloody as hell, with the aforementioned buckets of blood that he's known for dishing out. The camerawork is beautiful, the editing is perfectly timed, the sets look great, the whole movie is just awesome. As I mentioned before, Tarantino just knows how to find that perfect balance of honoring classic films while incorporating his own vision to create a unique and visceral style. I can't really think of anything bad about this movie, only that it may not be for absolutely everyone. The over-the-top violence and edgy subject matter will no doubt be too much for some. For someone whose no stranger to on screen violence, I'll even admit that there were a couple scenes that kind of disturbed even me (I won't spoil which ones, but I think you'll know when you see them). But honestly, the movie is just that freaking great, plain and simple.In the pantheon of Tarantino's filmography, this may not quite be his best (Pulp Fiction is going to be insanely difficult to top), but it's nonetheless another cinematic gem worthy of his past achievements. The great performances, memorable action, and insanely compelling story make this a very strong contender for best film of 2012. So unless you can't stomach your screen violence, all I can say is that Django Unchained is an absolute must see! Don't wait... go to the theater right now and check it out!
My Score: 5 out of 5!
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