110- John Carter [5.5]
John Carter is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter, who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of another planet.
John Carter is not nearly as bad a movie as the press would let you believe it is. I wish Taylor Kitsch had more charisma (he was very good on Friday Night Lights) to carry this adaptation of Burroughs story, and I’m fairly bummed that we’ll likely never get to see a sequel. By the end of John Carter, I was genuinely interested in what was going to happen next. Time will tell if the CGI that is rampant throughout the film will hold up, but I doubt the general’s audience will.
109- Beginners [9.0]
Imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion, and surprises of love through the evolving consciousness of Oliver. Oliver meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna only months after his father Hal has passed away. This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father who – following 44 years of marriage – came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life.
What a beautiful, moving film. Beginners is an ode to many things– second chances, grand realizations, and finding true love. Sounds awfully cliche, doesn’t it? Director Mike Mills infuses his screenplay with such wonderful little moments that you can’t help but be bottled up by the stories of all that are involved. Beginners is occasionally cute, but not on a false indie film way; rather, the sweetness of discovering or uncovering a crucial part of one’s life is portrayed in a whimsical, if not occasionally frustrating light. I feel as if this film may be unfortunately pigeonholed as a “cancer film” or a a “gay film”, and while those are parts of Beginners, it’d be deceitful to make it that simple. Beginners is a movie worth celebrating because it touches on moments so universal and makes it all feel very truthful at the same time.
108- Take Shelter [7.5]
Curtis LaForche lives in a small Ohio town with his wife Samantha and six-year-old daughter Hannah, who is deaf. Money is tight, and navigating Hannah’s healthcare and special needs education is a constant struggle. Despite that, Curtis and Samantha are very much in love and their family is a happy one. Then Curtis begins having terrifying dreams about an encroaching, apocalyptic storm.
One’s exposure to depression, be it how it has effected someone they know or themselves, likely will play heavy into their emotional attachment to Take Shelter. The end of days looms heavy over the entire film, with a fairly simple parallel of Curtis’ (Michael Shannon, in my favorite performance of his thus far) crippling fears of life to the apocalypse. Though Take Shelter tackles these big ideas, it does so in a non-bloated fashion, thanks largely in part to the heavy focus on Curtis and his family; moreover, the whole thing feels rather minor despite the large scope.
For what I imagine is a rather small budget film, some of the awful CGI is forgivable. What I could have done without is the excessive amount of dream sequences, as the pattern became successively more easy to figure out, thus causing a loss of intensity that the earlier sequences had. All is forgiven for the crushing sequence in the storm shelter. Though one could argue the crescendo of Curtis losing it came a scene or two prior, Michael Shannon has a vulnerability so raw in the shelter that I can’t remember a finer performed scene in years. (Also, keep an eye on the lighting of that scene, which was really something special.)
Large parts of Take Shelter might not work for some. There were certainly elements I could’ve done without, but between the powerhouse performance given by Michael Shannon (with tremendous support by Jessica Chastain) and the execution of the third act, I’d certainly recommend giving Take Shelter a viewing.
107- Moneyball [6.0]
Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s and the guy who assembles the team, has an epiphany: all of baseball’s conventional wisdom is wrong. Forced to reinvent his team on a tight budget, Beane will have to outsmart the richer clubs.
As a longtime baseball fan, there are a lot of elements of Moneyball that I enjoyed. For one, the statistical breakdowns of how a victorious season can come about based on a certain combination of players is intriguing (and judging by the Red Sox eventually employing Beane’s methods, possibly factual). I also enjoyed that the film delved into the emotional heart of the game. Yes, at the end of the day it is just a game, but for some, there’s a heavy investment into the sport.
My real issue with Moneyball is just how damn pedestrian the whole affair is. The closest thing to an antagonist is Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of Art Howe, but even then, the audience may very well side with Howe’s logic and calm demeanor. Hoffman is one of my favorite actors, and it was a pleasure seeing him not chew the scenery even once in a movie. If anything, his low key attitude was almost more frightening than the explosive side of Hoffman’s range. I was also surprised by how good a subdued Jonah Hill can be. There’s a texture to his performance that I didn’t think he was otherwise capable of.
The strangest thing about Moneyball is something I can’t necessarily hold against the filmmakers: being based on a true story, we’re viewing a semi-factual account of events from way back to…ten years ago. Perhaps there’s not enough time between then and now to have the weight of the story sink in (though the A’s winning 20 consecutive games is still remarkable). Maybe in a few years I’ll revisit Moneyball and think higher of it.
106- Grandma Lo-Fi [8.0]
At the tender age of 70 she started recording and releasing her own music straight from the living room. 7 years later she had 59 albums to her name with more than 600 songs – an eccentric myriad of catchy compositions mixing in her pets, found toys, kitchen percussions and Casio keyboards.
Grandma Lo-Fi is an inspiring, if not occasionally sad view of a woman who found her passion at a later age. Sigrídur Níelsdóttir’s was a rather funny old lady who had a knack for lo-fi recording. Her joy of finding interesting sounds that replicated things such as birds chirping or airplanes flying by is rather infectious. I was amazed that in a truncated period of time, she seemed to have gone through a variety of music phases (whereas most make those progressions over the course of years). Her fear of playing live is fairly tragic, as it impeded her from continuing on with her music career. The obvious thing to take away from Grandma Lo-Fi is that it’s never too late to find the thing you love, but I was more taken aback at the thought of being potentially more creative than I am now when I’m a shriveled, old man.
(I wrestled with posting vs. not posting a review as Grandma Lo-Fi is only 62 minutes long, but between all the different definitions of what makes a feature film and the fact that I can do whatever I want with this blog, I decided to go for it.)
105- Parents [6.5]
In this bizarre and very black comedy set in 1950s suburbia, Michael Laemle comes to suspect that his conventional parents have a little secret which they have kept from him.
Parents shares some commonalities with the Spielberg Anberlin films of the 1980s, but takes the view of how a child looks at his or her parents to a very dark place. Director Bob Balaban occasionally hits the audience over the head with operatic horror flourishes, but Parents is still memorable and disturbing.
Though it takes place in ’50s suburbia, Parents could’ve worked in virtually any decade. Some of the ironies and disparities between the concept of idyllic suburbia and the realities of the lives within those cookie cutter homes is front and center, but I don’t think the film needs to be viewed as a period piece in order for that concept to work. In fact, if any movie that I’ve seen in recent memory is ripe for a remake, it’d likely be this. Parents hasn’t aged particularly well, and though that’s not enough precedent to revisit the material, it’s still something I’d like to see someone take another stab at.
104- Monsieur N. [5.0]
A historical mystery thriller about Napoleon. Sir Hudson Lowe is assigned to guard Napoleon while the latter is in exile in Saint Helena. A local girl, Betsy, has a crush on the exiled leader. This, along with the fact that keeping Napoleon on the island is costing the British a great sum of money, leads Lowe to consider drastic action.
I’ve been tremendously fascinated by Napoleon Bonaparte for almost six years now. I’ve read countless biographies and even put together a silly little concept album based on the historical figure. I couldn’t recommend Monsieur N. to a casual viewer, as I think there are too many factors that prevent it from being interesting to anyone but those heavily drawn into the Napoleon legend. There are many details and references that would have went over my head had I not done research prior to seeing the movie. With about twenty minutes to go, Monsieur N. becomes a laughable mystery movie when there’s seemingly no material left to cover. I’m still trying to find an awesome Napoleon movie and would love a good recommendation.
103- City Lights [8.5]
The Little Tramp makes the acquaintance of a blind flower girl, who through a series of coincidences has gotten the impression that the shabby tramp is a millionaire. A second storyline begins when the tramp rescues a genuine millionaire from committing suicide.
The degree of brilliance displayed throughout Charlie Chaplin’s filmography may vary, but one thing is consistent throughout each of his works: they are damn funny. Initially, City Lights plays out like a series of Tramp skits, but it eventually settles into a charming mix-up story. Though the boxing sequence felt a bit long, there were so many laughs peppered throughout that it was worth the extended bit time. The final scene is one that left a big, stupid smile on my face, even if it wasn’t difficult to telegraph. Though The Great Dictator remains my favorite CHaplin film, City Lights is a close second.
102- A Dangerous Method [6.0]
Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, the driven Dr. Carl Jung takes the unbalanced yet beautiful Sabina Spielrein as his patient.
Both the historical figures and topics at the center of A Dangerous Method are endlessly fascinating. Be it the relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, or psychoanalysis being explored and potentially limited due to the fears of its reception, there should be no shortage of interesting material to keep the viewer intrigued. Instead, David Cronenberg’s film goes from one scene to the next without much dynamic change.
That’s not to say that A Dangerous Method is largely a bore. Jung and Freud’s admiration and jealousy for each other is displayed in a subtle fashion until their relationship completely fractures. Considering their vast intellect, I appreciated that there wasn’t some verbal blow out shouting match nor venomous, manipulative attacks; rather, their competitive, jealous, and opposing views all play a part over the course of the film in giving ample reason as to why they split from each other both professionally and as friends. It’s a shame, though, that there is no emotional weight under any of it.
A Dangerous Method is best when Jung and Freud are simply bouncing ideology off each other. Michael Fassbender turns in yet another terrific performance, but it’s Viggo Mortensen that is at the best I’ve seen him as Sigmund Freud. His slow, almost cautious delivery shows Freud as a man who’s rarely at a lack of understanding, yet always measures his words carefully. Props are due to the makeup department, as Mortensen truly looked like someone else.
The one performance that I imagine is going to be divisive is that of Keira Knightley’s as Sabina Spielrein. The opening scenes showcase her in the middle of a nervous breakdown, and her acting teeters dangerously between captivating and scenery chewing. There were times in the first act where I was so unsure if her acting was laughable that it took me out of the movie completely. Her Russian accent, though not great, is at least somewhat consistent throughout.
The movie occasionally slips into melodrama (especially at the end) but largely shies away from it. I felt largely conflicted throughout as my appreciation for what is being covered in Method is something that interests me greatly, but perhaps not played out in this fashion.
101- Half Nelson [5.5]
An inner-city teacher struggling with a drug habit forms an unlikely bond with a young student who catches him in a compromising position.
Half Nelson lays it on pretty thick with its theme of change in history (or lack thereof) and how it can relate to addiction. Though it thankfully avoids a lot of trite plot points found in teacher/student movies (especially those set in urban neighborhoods), Half Nelson still feels like a dozen films you’ve seen before stitched together. Ryan Gosling and young Shareeka Epps are excellent, but there performances are much better than the material at hand. (Also, as much as I love Broken Social Scene, their music felt quite out of place throughout.)
100- Shame [9.5]
Brandon is a New Yorker who shuns intimacy with women but feeds his desires with a compulsive addiction to sex. When his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment stirring memories of their shared painful past, Brandon’s insular life spirals out of control.
Remember the film that gave you pause for one reason or another? That scene that caused you to stop in a theater or at home and acknowledge: this is why I watch cinema. There were an abundance of times throughout Shame where I paused to think of both the immediate impact it was taking on me, and the likely long-term effect as well. Almost thirteen months ago, I set out to gain a better of understanding of what individual components make for a cinematic opus that can be talked about for decades to come. I considered the hyperbole that comes with reviewing such films, and how it can cause a reader of my reviews to come in to a film with loaded expectations. It’s with that in mind that I claim that it may damn near be a coincidence, but my hundredth film viewed since 1/1/11 is very well my favorite thus far.
There is nothing remotely sexy about Shame; rather, sex is treated as a disease in the respect that director Steve McQueen is not making a judgement, but instead, displaying the ugliness of this particular potential addiction. McQueen operates most poignantly under two parameters: filming an extensive uncut sequence (as in the record breaking sequence in his directorial debut Hunger) and shooting a long scene without dialogue. The opening dialogue free scene of Shame is an examination of the nature of what a shared glance can entail, and it’s the perfect intersection of material and action for McQueen to film. Though not necessarily a complex scene, the audience is given a tremendous amount of visual information.
The morose score in Shame undercuts the implied sadness of the sexual acts depicted throughout. Composer Harry Escott chooses not to overemphasize Brendan’s (Michael Fassbender) plight in a melancholy fashion, but instead accent the lack of joy in the protagonist’s actions. Fassbender’s sickening determination, as well as his understated morbid sexual obsession, is one of the finer acting performances in quite some time. McQueen gives him a tremendous amount to work with, as Shame doesn’t stay in one finite tonality. There are moments of humor in which (aside from Fassbender’s handsomeness) Brendan’s charm is intoxicating to the female opposite of him, but there are also scenes where his fixation is an incredibly ugly and abusive animal.
James Badge Dale as David, Brendan’s sleazy boss, shows more range than I knew he was capable of during his stint in Rubicon. Though a reveal of his character’s background felt like a superfluous detail and misstep, I was pleased to see the opposite side of what Brendan could be. David has virtually the same intentions of Brendan, and yet his execution is seemingly a world away. The viewer is left with the perspective that Brendan is less sleazy since we follow him throughout, yet how do we truly feel about his addiction? It’s portrayed in a complex, often sad way, and still we can see this tortured person as a shallow man.
There’s a tremendous intimacy to Sissy’s (Carey Mulligan) performance of “New York, New York” in a jazz club, though it correlates with Brendan’s unhappiness and detachment to emotion in a chilling way. The arrangement of the song, with its chromatic scales and minor key chord changes from the original version, is almost off putting at first. Like most successful elements of Shame, it threw me for a loop as to what my expectations were when the scene started out. Sissy isn’t just a caricature of depression and craziness in the same way that Brendan is not simply just a sex addict– these are layered people brought so vividly alive by the outstanding performances by Fassbender and Mulligan.
There is a pivotal scene between Brendan and a secretary at his company that exposes the grand difference between pure sex and lovemaking. It is very important to make that distinction, as it is the separation of what informs Brendan’s addiction and what causes him to repel. Prior to that, McQueen shoots one long, uninterrupted sequence at a restaurant. The manner in which Brendan and the secretary’s conversation shifts is almost frighteningly real, and also a thorough examination of the difference in expectations and desires that can exist between two people. Though both characters may want the same thing, the way in which they arrive to their readiness of that conclusion is utterly fascinating. Details such as this (and Brendan’s workday not being complete without the sugar rush of a Red Bull) are part of what make the film so enjoyable.
It’s worth noting that Shame may not have been nearly the monster that it is without Michael Fassbender’s performance. Time and again, he has proven himself as one of this generation’s premier actors. The man is an embodiment of the delicate line between complete subtlety and outwardly expressing a lot of emotion with very little dialogue.
One of the rules I put on this site is that I have the right to revisit a review and change a score or edit as I see fit. It is my sincere hope that I don’t return to Shame and find a need to withdraw one of my strong opinions. Perhaps instead I will find more things to appreciate past my initial viewing and it will truly enter the upper echelon of my film viewing experience.
99- The General [9.5]
Johnny Gray, a Southern railroad engineer who loves his train engine, The General, almost as much as he loves Annabelle Lee. When the opening shots of the Civil War are fired at Fort Sumter, Johnny tries to enlist — and he is deemed too useful as an engineer to be a soldier. All Johnny knows is that he’s been rejected, and Annabelle, thinking him a coward, turns her back on him.
There are stunts in The General that blew me away for a movie that is approximately eighty-five years old; moreover, I was taken aback by just how damn funny the whole thing was. There are an abundance of legends in the silent era, but Buster Keaton may be my favorite. His stone face reactions are in stark contrast to the explosions and absurdities around him, causing a hilarious disparity. The General isn’t just an exercise in nostalgic pleasure, but rather, a masterpiece of humor that has stood the test of time.
98- In the Loop [7.5]
The run-up to war makes for curious rivalries and uneasy alliances in this political satire. Simon Foster is a minor minister of international development with the British government who, in the midst of a radio interview, casually tells a reporter “war is unforeseeable.”
In the Loop moves at a breakneck pace, as one poor political decision spirals into another, leading to war. Like most successful political satires, this black comedy balances humor with preposterousness so outlandish that it’s frightening to realize these instances may have very well happened. The vile thrown between constituents and council is biting, and the snappish dialogue never falters. I was a bit disappointment with the maudlin music towards the end, as I don’t believe it was necessary to underscore the events unfolding. Regardless, In the Loop is a well executed, witty satire that is occasionally quite nasty.
97- Silver Streak [5.0]
While taking a train trip from L.A. to Chicago, mild-mannered George Caldwell makes the acquaintance of Hilly Burns. As they indulge in a brief bit of spooning, Hilly tells George that her boss is on the verge of exposing a group of vicious art forgers.
At times, Silver Streak is a Hitchcockian murder mystery. Then it delves into romance, buddy comedy and James Bond-esque action film segments. (I can practically see a movie executive pitching the film, saying “it’s got everything!”.) The one consistent thing throughout is the joy of watching Gene Wilder slide from one genre to the next rather effortlessly. Before watching his teamups with Richard Pryor, I didn’t know that the mild mannered actor had a little bit of crazy in his repertoire (though his performance in Willy Wonka certainly leans in that direction). I would’ve enjoyed Silver Streak if it was more consistent in tone throughout, but the Wilder/Pryor classic scene in a bathroom made it worth watching on its own.
96- Hunger [7.5]
The final months of Bobby Sands, the Irish Republican Army activist who protested his treatment at the hands of British prison guards with a hunger strike, are chronicled in this historical drama.
A large part of the first hour of Hunger is virtually silent, with sparse dialogue occasionally thrown in. It is in a seventeen-and-a-half-minute single shot scene between Michael Fassbender and Liam Cunningham that the film explodes. This Guinness world record-breaking scene is not done in a gimmicky fashion. An ideological debate occurs that gives the viewer an insight into what Bobby Sand’s rational was in opting for a hunger strike. Though neither him nor the priest get particularly loud, the conviction with which they deliver their different perspectives make for an incredibly electrifying scene. Fassbender delivers yet another amazing performance, and is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors of his generation.
