I'm finding it hard to give a brief synopsis of The Blind Side, a true story based on the life of Michael Oher. As a destitute, homeless teenager in Memphis, he is taken in by an upper class family and learns football. But the film is much more than that. The plot is catalyzed by a mother's simple act of kindness, providing a bed for a homeless child. Gradually, Michael becomes a member of the family. The film is full of the most beautiful little things: a sister leaving her friends to sit with her adopted black brother; a mother explaining a football team in terms of a family; Michael reaching his massive arm out, stopping an airbag to protect his brother--I ate it all up. The film is more than just an inspirational story, however. It reveals flaws in our education system through Michael, who has been passed along and cast aside by the system because he learns differently. It also exposes a new, more subtle form of racism in the south through the friends of the mother, Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). A remarkable character, she speaks of the latent potential of boys like Michael, a potential that too often goes unnoticed or unfulfilled due to poverty and lack of opportunity. Sandra Bullock plays the part to perfection in her best performance yet. I thought the movie was brilliantly written, directed, and acted (thanks mostly to Bullock), and it's easily one of the best films of 2009. 9/10
The Wrestler tells the fictional story of an old wrestler's life after his fallout from the public eye. Mickey Rourke plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who was a famed pro-wrestler in the 80s but now, twenty years later, is a bit washed-up. He still wrestles part-time, but he now lives in a trailer, works at a supermarket, has a broken relationship with his daughter, and his romantic interest is a stripper. Rourke's performance is superb and carries the narrative--I immediately believed that I was watching not an actor, but a real wrestler. The long shot following Randy walking from the bowels of the supermarket to the deli counter, with the roar of a crowd in the background, is beautiful and iconic. The film is dark, tragic and upsetting, though (thankfully) not based on a true story. A great performance and a solid film. 8/10
Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a romantic comedy (sort-of) following the relationships of two female friends one summer in Spain. The cinematography is beautiful, full of beautiful landscapes and villages around Barcelona. The film is supported by a great cast, including Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, and Penelope Cruz, whose characters are complex and conflicting. It's funny, it's sad, and in the end you realize everything has been empty and unfulfilled. I have to admit that I got a little bored part of the way through, but I liked it nevertheless. 6.5/10
Black Swan. Now what an insane, ridiculous film. Natalie Portman plays Nina, a ballerina who gets cast as the lead in the ballet Swan Lake. Innocent enough, right? Wrong. The movie is a whole new genre of thriller. The dancing is phenomenal (who knew Natalie Portman was so talented?) and the cinematography took my breath away, both in the awe-inspiring and the oh-my-god-what-the-fuck-is-going-on senses. It's creepy, wild, seductive, disturbing, disgusting, passionate, exhilarating, and a real cinematic experience. I don't know what else to say and I really don't know how to rate this one. I'll just leave it blank until I see it again, but at this point I highly recommend this film.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
The Maltese Falcon, Pirate Radio, and American Graffiti
Friends finally came home and I haven't been watching quite as many movies these past few days. Nevertheless, I've got some catching up to do.
The Maltese Falcon is a detective mystery in which Humphrey Bogart finds himself caught up in a quest for a valuable statuette of a bird. Bogart's character is cool, calculated and clever--not until the end do you discover his motivation. Everyone in the film's got their own agenda and nothing is really as it seems. Thrilling and mysterious, unpredictable and gripping--another classic that I enjoyed, but didn't love. 7.5/10
Pirate Radio, also known as The Boat That Rocked, is a comedy set in the 1960s about a group of radio DJs who broadcast rock music from a boat off the coast of England despite the British government's disapproval. While not really based on a true story, the circumstances and climate were very real in Britain in the 60s. The great cast of DJs have wild, diverse, and hilarious personalities, and there's never a dull moment on board. Kenneth Branagh, who plays a British official intent on shutting down the radio station, is terrifically humorous and ridiculous. Very funny, even a little inspiring, and well worth a watch. 8/10
Directed by George Lucas, American Graffiti follows the crazy nights of four teenage friends before some of them go off to college. The film ranks 62 on the AFI's Top 100 Films list and is held in high regard by most critics--in fact, its commercial success made the making of Star Wars possible--but I wasn't a fan. It reminded me of Dazed and Confused, which I also didn't much like. I found the film a bit slow, the ending predictable, and the characters boring and not terribly likeable, with the exception of Richard Dreyfuss's. The ending was predictable and disappointing. In terms of praise, the story and characters are believable, and the film is a great snapshot of American teenage culture in the 1960s, or so they say. Maybe, not being alive then, I just didn't get it. 5/10
The Maltese Falcon is a detective mystery in which Humphrey Bogart finds himself caught up in a quest for a valuable statuette of a bird. Bogart's character is cool, calculated and clever--not until the end do you discover his motivation. Everyone in the film's got their own agenda and nothing is really as it seems. Thrilling and mysterious, unpredictable and gripping--another classic that I enjoyed, but didn't love. 7.5/10
Pirate Radio, also known as The Boat That Rocked, is a comedy set in the 1960s about a group of radio DJs who broadcast rock music from a boat off the coast of England despite the British government's disapproval. While not really based on a true story, the circumstances and climate were very real in Britain in the 60s. The great cast of DJs have wild, diverse, and hilarious personalities, and there's never a dull moment on board. Kenneth Branagh, who plays a British official intent on shutting down the radio station, is terrifically humorous and ridiculous. Very funny, even a little inspiring, and well worth a watch. 8/10
Directed by George Lucas, American Graffiti follows the crazy nights of four teenage friends before some of them go off to college. The film ranks 62 on the AFI's Top 100 Films list and is held in high regard by most critics--in fact, its commercial success made the making of Star Wars possible--but I wasn't a fan. It reminded me of Dazed and Confused, which I also didn't much like. I found the film a bit slow, the ending predictable, and the characters boring and not terribly likeable, with the exception of Richard Dreyfuss's. The ending was predictable and disappointing. In terms of praise, the story and characters are believable, and the film is a great snapshot of American teenage culture in the 1960s, or so they say. Maybe, not being alive then, I just didn't get it. 5/10
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Say Anything
Now I've been trying to keep my reviews short, but this is a one of my good friend's favorite movies and I genuinely want to talk about it for awhile.
Say Anything is a teen romance in which an underachieving but charming guy falls in love with a brilliant and ambitious girl with plans to go to college. The protagonists Lloyd and Diane are very likable and their love appears genuine and real. Diane's father is a very warm, encouraging and lovable man, even though he sometimes gets in the way of the relationship. The scene of John Cusack holding a boombox blasing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" is iconic. The plot of the movie is standard for a romantic comedy, but its good and feels fresher than most. Pretty much any girl will love it, and a lot of guys will too. I give it 8/10
Romantic-comedy spoiler alert: they end up together. The final scene shows Lloyd and Diane on a plane on their way to England. Diane is extremely frightened of taking off, and Llyod is there talking her through it and comforting her. "If anything happens, it usually happens in the first five minutes of the flight," he says. "When you hear that smoking sign go ding you know everything's going to be ok." In the last few seconds, Diane and Lloyd stare at the no smoking sign until finally, right before the screen goes black, they hear the ding.
This scene sums up the whole movie and is actually a great metaphor. It's only briefly touched on, but Diane is afraid and uncertain about what her future holds. She gives a graduation speech at the beginning of the film, closing with "When I think about the future, the truth is, I am really... scared." Diane has spent her whole young life pursuing goals and opening doors, never stopping along the way to just live. She admits to Lloyd that she went through through high school without getting to know anyone or allowing anyone to get to know her.
Although he is very loving and supportive, her father, I believe, is the main source of her ambitions and fears. He is constantly telling her that she's special, that she has a bright future, that she's at the top of the pyramid. When in the end it's revealed that he's been stealing money, he admits that it was all for her. His affection for his daughter is so strong that it's selfish and damaging, breeding jealousy and causing him to break the law.
Lloyd, on the other hand, has no idea what he wants to do with his life. He's not farsighted like Diane and her father, and in the end he admits that all he really wants to do with his life is be with Diane. He's not particularly gifted and doesn't work that hard, but he's got a great heart. In addition, the absence of his parents (he lives with his sister) suggest that he doesn't have anyone pushing him to succeed. But he's a truly great guy, and you gotta love him.
I very much liked the ending in the airplane, and the characters' behaviors reflect their personality and outlook. Diane needs to establish a checkpoint, telling herself that if something happens in the future, then she's going to be fine. She looks to Lloyd for guidance and support, to assure her that things will work out, both on the plane and in their future life together. In the meantime, she's frozen and intent on reaching that checkpoint. Lloyd tries to play it cool and talks too much, which his friends have earlier identified as a nervous habit. He's waiting too, but not anxiously--what will happen, will happen. At last, the ding comes, telling the audience that everything will work out.
I actually think the ending would have been better without the ding. The truth is, there is no "ding" in the real world--we never know in life when we're safe or when things are going to be all right. Life's just unpredictable. We can only take what comes and trust in ourselves and those around us, those we love, that we'll take off successfully.
Say Anything is a teen romance in which an underachieving but charming guy falls in love with a brilliant and ambitious girl with plans to go to college. The protagonists Lloyd and Diane are very likable and their love appears genuine and real. Diane's father is a very warm, encouraging and lovable man, even though he sometimes gets in the way of the relationship. The scene of John Cusack holding a boombox blasing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" is iconic. The plot of the movie is standard for a romantic comedy, but its good and feels fresher than most. Pretty much any girl will love it, and a lot of guys will too. I give it 8/10
Romantic-comedy spoiler alert: they end up together. The final scene shows Lloyd and Diane on a plane on their way to England. Diane is extremely frightened of taking off, and Llyod is there talking her through it and comforting her. "If anything happens, it usually happens in the first five minutes of the flight," he says. "When you hear that smoking sign go ding you know everything's going to be ok." In the last few seconds, Diane and Lloyd stare at the no smoking sign until finally, right before the screen goes black, they hear the ding.
This scene sums up the whole movie and is actually a great metaphor. It's only briefly touched on, but Diane is afraid and uncertain about what her future holds. She gives a graduation speech at the beginning of the film, closing with "When I think about the future, the truth is, I am really... scared." Diane has spent her whole young life pursuing goals and opening doors, never stopping along the way to just live. She admits to Lloyd that she went through through high school without getting to know anyone or allowing anyone to get to know her.
Although he is very loving and supportive, her father, I believe, is the main source of her ambitions and fears. He is constantly telling her that she's special, that she has a bright future, that she's at the top of the pyramid. When in the end it's revealed that he's been stealing money, he admits that it was all for her. His affection for his daughter is so strong that it's selfish and damaging, breeding jealousy and causing him to break the law.
Lloyd, on the other hand, has no idea what he wants to do with his life. He's not farsighted like Diane and her father, and in the end he admits that all he really wants to do with his life is be with Diane. He's not particularly gifted and doesn't work that hard, but he's got a great heart. In addition, the absence of his parents (he lives with his sister) suggest that he doesn't have anyone pushing him to succeed. But he's a truly great guy, and you gotta love him.
I very much liked the ending in the airplane, and the characters' behaviors reflect their personality and outlook. Diane needs to establish a checkpoint, telling herself that if something happens in the future, then she's going to be fine. She looks to Lloyd for guidance and support, to assure her that things will work out, both on the plane and in their future life together. In the meantime, she's frozen and intent on reaching that checkpoint. Lloyd tries to play it cool and talks too much, which his friends have earlier identified as a nervous habit. He's waiting too, but not anxiously--what will happen, will happen. At last, the ding comes, telling the audience that everything will work out.
I actually think the ending would have been better without the ding. The truth is, there is no "ding" in the real world--we never know in life when we're safe or when things are going to be all right. Life's just unpredictable. We can only take what comes and trust in ourselves and those around us, those we love, that we'll take off successfully.
Dr. Zhivago, The Graduate, and The Philadelphia Story
Thank God for the library--I took out 8 movies today.
Dr. Zhivago is an epic-drama-war-romance (everything but a musical comedy, it seems) based on the novel by Boris Pasternak. It follows the life of a doctor during the Bolshevik Revolution and Russian Civil War. The story did make me angry about Bolshevism and the Red Guards (bravo?). The film had me for about 45 minutes, which is to say I was pretty bored for the other two and a half hours (yes, it's that long). For a number of reasons, I don't much like David Lean as a director (for example, intermission in a film?). Also, Russians portrayed by English people saying "oui, Monsieur" is a tad ridiculous. Even Alec Guinness as narrator couldn't save it. I can appreciate that it's a classic, but I didn't enjoy it that much. 6/10
The Graduate is about--well I'm sure most of you know. Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), a college graduate, has a brief romance with a married woman named Mrs. Robinson but then falls in love with her daughter. The music, provided by Simon and Garfunkel, is phenomenal. The camerawork is unique, though jarring at times, but very effective. The film's got some really great lines and a number of good laughs, but it's also rather touching. You come to feel sympathy for Benjamin's situation--he's trapped and confused. Despite its age, it's definitely not dated. It's sad, funny, and numbing at times, and the ending is beautiful. 8.5/10
The plot of The Philadelphia Story is complex and makes it difficult to sum up without giving much away, so I won't really attempt a synopsis. It starts off slow but takes off in the second half. There are some fun and interesting characters supported by great acting by Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Cary Grant, and the rest of the cast. Great writing and very funny. And I just love James Stewart. 7.5/10
Dr. Zhivago is an epic-drama-war-romance (everything but a musical comedy, it seems) based on the novel by Boris Pasternak. It follows the life of a doctor during the Bolshevik Revolution and Russian Civil War. The story did make me angry about Bolshevism and the Red Guards (bravo?). The film had me for about 45 minutes, which is to say I was pretty bored for the other two and a half hours (yes, it's that long). For a number of reasons, I don't much like David Lean as a director (for example, intermission in a film?). Also, Russians portrayed by English people saying "oui, Monsieur" is a tad ridiculous. Even Alec Guinness as narrator couldn't save it. I can appreciate that it's a classic, but I didn't enjoy it that much. 6/10
The Graduate is about--well I'm sure most of you know. Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), a college graduate, has a brief romance with a married woman named Mrs. Robinson but then falls in love with her daughter. The music, provided by Simon and Garfunkel, is phenomenal. The camerawork is unique, though jarring at times, but very effective. The film's got some really great lines and a number of good laughs, but it's also rather touching. You come to feel sympathy for Benjamin's situation--he's trapped and confused. Despite its age, it's definitely not dated. It's sad, funny, and numbing at times, and the ending is beautiful. 8.5/10
The plot of The Philadelphia Story is complex and makes it difficult to sum up without giving much away, so I won't really attempt a synopsis. It starts off slow but takes off in the second half. There are some fun and interesting characters supported by great acting by Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Cary Grant, and the rest of the cast. Great writing and very funny. And I just love James Stewart. 7.5/10
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
The Tale of a Training Day in Vietnam
No, that's not actually the title of a movie, it's three.
The Tale of Despereaux was so-so, and I don't have much to say about it. It's about some mice, some rats, and some people. A nice little fairytale, but nothing special. 5 stars out of 10 (where 0 is Biodome or The Ruins, and 10 is It's a Wonderful Life or Schindler's List)
Training Day is one of the best police dramas I've seen in a long time, maybe since The Departed. It's about a rookie's narcotics officer's first day working with a successful detective, whose methods are often questionable and uncommon. Denzel Washington's acting is stellar, believable, unpredictable, and even unsettling. Ethan Hawke's great too. The whole movie is a roller-coaster. Really a superb film, and I'll definitely have to see it a few more times to get everything out of it. 9/10
Finally, there's Good Morning, Vietnam. A comedic but irreverent disc jockey causes quite a stir when he's put on the air in Saigon during the Vietnam War. Robin Williams plays himself back when he was funny. The movie has a few laughs, but I was mostly bored. 5.5/10
The Tale of Despereaux was so-so, and I don't have much to say about it. It's about some mice, some rats, and some people. A nice little fairytale, but nothing special. 5 stars out of 10 (where 0 is Biodome or The Ruins, and 10 is It's a Wonderful Life or Schindler's List)
Training Day is one of the best police dramas I've seen in a long time, maybe since The Departed. It's about a rookie's narcotics officer's first day working with a successful detective, whose methods are often questionable and uncommon. Denzel Washington's acting is stellar, believable, unpredictable, and even unsettling. Ethan Hawke's great too. The whole movie is a roller-coaster. Really a superb film, and I'll definitely have to see it a few more times to get everything out of it. 9/10
Finally, there's Good Morning, Vietnam. A comedic but irreverent disc jockey causes quite a stir when he's put on the air in Saigon during the Vietnam War. Robin Williams plays himself back when he was funny. The movie has a few laughs, but I was mostly bored. 5.5/10
Monday, December 13, 2010
Three more
In the past 24 hours I've watched White Christmas, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and Sherlock Holmes.
White Christmas is a classic 1950s romantic comedy, with lots of singing and dancing and good old-fashioned charm. Two entertainers (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) meet a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) and go to Vermont to celebrate a snowy Noel. I'm really not spoiling anything by saying that they pair off and fall in love--it's pretty standard classical Hollywood cinema. The singing and dancing are spectacular and the subplots are great too. The movie's got class and is a real classic (did I mention that it's classically classy?).
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town is kind of like Mr. Deeds, the more recent comedy starring Adam Sandler, only a whole lot better. Same basic plot: a simple man inherits his relative's enormous fortune and moves to New York City to settle things, only to be ridiculed and manipulated. Whereas Adam Sandler's portrayal reeks of Adam Sandler, Gary Cooper's "Mr. Deeds" is quirky but kind-hearted, honest, and noble--truly a hero. Jean Arthur makes you hate her at first, but comes back to make you love her in the end. Frank Capra proves again why he's one of my favorite directors as, in typical Capra fashion, goodness and generosity triumph over malice and greed. I very much liked it.
Sherlock Holmes was predictable and entertaining. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are very entertaining as Holmes and Watson. Downey is masterful in his portrayal of the brilliant but strange detective, and Jude Law is, well, Jude Law I guess. The fight scenes are pretty good, the story's twists are fairly unpredictable, and it ties together nicely in the end. Nothing special about this movie, but a decent watch. And is that a sequel they're setting us up for? My God, I believe it is.
White Christmas is a classic 1950s romantic comedy, with lots of singing and dancing and good old-fashioned charm. Two entertainers (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) meet a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) and go to Vermont to celebrate a snowy Noel. I'm really not spoiling anything by saying that they pair off and fall in love--it's pretty standard classical Hollywood cinema. The singing and dancing are spectacular and the subplots are great too. The movie's got class and is a real classic (did I mention that it's classically classy?).
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town is kind of like Mr. Deeds, the more recent comedy starring Adam Sandler, only a whole lot better. Same basic plot: a simple man inherits his relative's enormous fortune and moves to New York City to settle things, only to be ridiculed and manipulated. Whereas Adam Sandler's portrayal reeks of Adam Sandler, Gary Cooper's "Mr. Deeds" is quirky but kind-hearted, honest, and noble--truly a hero. Jean Arthur makes you hate her at first, but comes back to make you love her in the end. Frank Capra proves again why he's one of my favorite directors as, in typical Capra fashion, goodness and generosity triumph over malice and greed. I very much liked it.
Sherlock Holmes was predictable and entertaining. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are very entertaining as Holmes and Watson. Downey is masterful in his portrayal of the brilliant but strange detective, and Jude Law is, well, Jude Law I guess. The fight scenes are pretty good, the story's twists are fairly unpredictable, and it ties together nicely in the end. Nothing special about this movie, but a decent watch. And is that a sequel they're setting us up for? My God, I believe it is.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Fantastic Mr. Fox and Zack and Miri Make a Porno
I'm on break, none of my friends are home yet, and I've got nothing to do, so I'm watching pretty much whatever comes on Fios. That meant two movies today: Fantastic Mr. Fox and Zack and Miri Make a Porno.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is awesome. Wes Anderson's directing is unique and masterful. The writing is witty and hilarious, the animation is sick, and the story is very entertaining and well crafted. Altogether a really enjoyable film and one of the best animated movies I've watched in awhile. A must see.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is pretty much only good for a couple of laughs, lots of swearing, and some fake porn. The end of the movie is one of the worst I've ever seen. Please, don't waste your time.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is awesome. Wes Anderson's directing is unique and masterful. The writing is witty and hilarious, the animation is sick, and the story is very entertaining and well crafted. Altogether a really enjoyable film and one of the best animated movies I've watched in awhile. A must see.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is pretty much only good for a couple of laughs, lots of swearing, and some fake porn. The end of the movie is one of the worst I've ever seen. Please, don't waste your time.
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