When I read the article saying that one of the best shows on cable was a Lifetime show I thought it was a joke. Then I read a few more articles all claiming the same thing. Then I was interested enough to look up some information about the show in Wikipedia.
The plot sounded like it could be interesting. It starred Shiri Appleby who I thought was the best part of Roswell....
So I watched the pilot and was hooked. The writing was cynical and right on point. The characters were all terrible people. Yet somehow they were also fragile and endearing. I actually cared how things turned out.
I am having a hard time waiting for the promised second season. Hopefully if Lifetime drops the ball Netflix will pick it up and run with it.
Showing posts with label drama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drama. Show all posts
Friday, September 4, 2015
Friday, January 17, 2014
American Hustle
H and I saw American Hustle just before the Oscar Nominations were announced. I was amazed that it dominated the nominations. It is a very good movie, but not what I would call award worthy. It is well shot, well directed, and well played, but I expected nothing else given the caliber of the cast and director. All of the four main players are A grade talents and if they turned in anything less than above average, it would be a disappointment.
The plot was lacking. The movie was too long. It could have lost a good 30 minutes. The starting in the middle and rewinding trope felt like a flourish. The narrative would have worked just as well by starting at the beginning and it would have saved time.
So good, but not great. If it is capturing the Oscars, 2013 must have been a poor year for movies.
The plot was lacking. The movie was too long. It could have lost a good 30 minutes. The starting in the middle and rewinding trope felt like a flourish. The narrative would have worked just as well by starting at the beginning and it would have saved time.
So good, but not great. If it is capturing the Oscars, 2013 must have been a poor year for movies.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Robot & Frank
Robot & Frank was a surprisingly deep movie. I thought it was just going to be a feel good odd couple tale. Instead, it offered a commentary on aging, our relationship to technology, friendship, and dealing with the decline of a loved one. It is also funny.
Frank is a retired cat burglar with some memory problems who insists on living alone. He has two adult children that try to do the best for him. It is clear that Frank was not the best Dad nor is he easy to help out. He clearly values his independence. He is an old school tough guy.
One day his son, who visits once a week, drops off a robot to help Frank. The robot is programmed to take care of Frank and help him improve his health and flagging memory. The interactions between Frank and the robot are great. The robot, while looking like a clunker, is capable of improvising and using human tricks to manipulate Frank.
As one would expect, Frank develops a fondness for the robot. The robots attempts to engage Frank in a project drive the plot. The plot in turn drives the thematic exploration without ever hitting you over the head. Most of the thinking comes after the credits roll.
The writing and acting is superb. Frank is delicately played. You are never quite sure about how impaired he is. He walks the difficult line between being a stereotypical grumpy old man and a lovable scourge. His interactions with the rest of the cast quietly speak volumes about the love he has for life and the knowledge he has about how the thing that makes him human is slipping away from him.
Robot & Frank will make you laugh and cry. It will make you love life and dread getting older. As with all the best things, it is bitter sweet.
Frank is a retired cat burglar with some memory problems who insists on living alone. He has two adult children that try to do the best for him. It is clear that Frank was not the best Dad nor is he easy to help out. He clearly values his independence. He is an old school tough guy.
One day his son, who visits once a week, drops off a robot to help Frank. The robot is programmed to take care of Frank and help him improve his health and flagging memory. The interactions between Frank and the robot are great. The robot, while looking like a clunker, is capable of improvising and using human tricks to manipulate Frank.
As one would expect, Frank develops a fondness for the robot. The robots attempts to engage Frank in a project drive the plot. The plot in turn drives the thematic exploration without ever hitting you over the head. Most of the thinking comes after the credits roll.
The writing and acting is superb. Frank is delicately played. You are never quite sure about how impaired he is. He walks the difficult line between being a stereotypical grumpy old man and a lovable scourge. His interactions with the rest of the cast quietly speak volumes about the love he has for life and the knowledge he has about how the thing that makes him human is slipping away from him.
Robot & Frank will make you laugh and cry. It will make you love life and dread getting older. As with all the best things, it is bitter sweet.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Young Adult
I'm not really sure how I feel about this movie. I did like it, but I'm not sure I'd call it a good movie. It has moments of humor; the kind of humor that makes you ashamed to be human. It has moments of deep pathos. The actors all do excellent jobs with their parts. Charlize Theron is the only actor who could pull off the lead role without you completely despising her. The dialog and story are both smart and well paced. It is all eminently believable.
Yet, I found it hard to really get involved in the movie. Partially this has to do with the fact that for most of the movie you really think you have seen it before. Deeply flawed character finds redemption through the love of a person they would normally scorn. The fact that the roles are reversed should be a glaring sign that you are not in standard Hollywood tropes, but that is easy to misinterpret as just a nod towards modern gender equality. It isn't until the very end of the movie, that you realize how far from the tropes you have wandered. By then it is a little too late to reclaim a home audience that is easily distracted by e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook.
In final analysis, I applaud the darkness and subversiveness of the film. I just wish it had placed the hook a little more firmly from the get go. When the plot heads off into the woods, I wouldn't have been checking to see if my friends had tweeted anything over the interweb.
Yet, I found it hard to really get involved in the movie. Partially this has to do with the fact that for most of the movie you really think you have seen it before. Deeply flawed character finds redemption through the love of a person they would normally scorn. The fact that the roles are reversed should be a glaring sign that you are not in standard Hollywood tropes, but that is easy to misinterpret as just a nod towards modern gender equality. It isn't until the very end of the movie, that you realize how far from the tropes you have wandered. By then it is a little too late to reclaim a home audience that is easily distracted by e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook.
In final analysis, I applaud the darkness and subversiveness of the film. I just wish it had placed the hook a little more firmly from the get go. When the plot heads off into the woods, I wouldn't have been checking to see if my friends had tweeted anything over the interweb.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Zero Dark Thrity
The best movies excite you while you are in the seat and then, after you are safely back in your world, keep disturbing your thoughts. Zero Dark Thirty is one of those movies.
It is engaging to watch. It feels slightly too long, but that enhances the experience by reenforcing the too long nature of the search. The cinematography is dark. Even the sound, mostly quiet, except when it needs to be loud, draw you in. Jessica Chastain's performance is subtle and does an excellent job of depicting a driven person's descent into a dark place. It is not simply that moral lines may have been crossed; it is the monomania that possesses her. There is no space left in her life for anything but the hunt. The final scene is a complex release of grief and joy and fear. The mission is complete, but now what?
During the movie you do not really have the space to consider the morality of what is happening. The movie goes out of its way to stay neutral on the subject of torture. Later though it makes you think.... I am, personally, not a believer in torture; however, I am also a cynic and understand why it happens. One does not need to be evil to torture a witness, nor does one need to morally lax to consider that it may be OK. My position is rational; I don't think it provides good information. I would certainly say anything to make pain stop regardless of its truth and believe that is how pretty much everybody works. The film, despite all the crazy media uproar to the contrary, is neutral on the subject. Torture happens and, as it was in real life, some of the characters believe that it was effective. On the flip side, it is made clear that the key piece of information does not come from torture. The film simply provides the audience a space to consider its merits.
It is engaging to watch. It feels slightly too long, but that enhances the experience by reenforcing the too long nature of the search. The cinematography is dark. Even the sound, mostly quiet, except when it needs to be loud, draw you in. Jessica Chastain's performance is subtle and does an excellent job of depicting a driven person's descent into a dark place. It is not simply that moral lines may have been crossed; it is the monomania that possesses her. There is no space left in her life for anything but the hunt. The final scene is a complex release of grief and joy and fear. The mission is complete, but now what?
During the movie you do not really have the space to consider the morality of what is happening. The movie goes out of its way to stay neutral on the subject of torture. Later though it makes you think.... I am, personally, not a believer in torture; however, I am also a cynic and understand why it happens. One does not need to be evil to torture a witness, nor does one need to morally lax to consider that it may be OK. My position is rational; I don't think it provides good information. I would certainly say anything to make pain stop regardless of its truth and believe that is how pretty much everybody works. The film, despite all the crazy media uproar to the contrary, is neutral on the subject. Torture happens and, as it was in real life, some of the characters believe that it was effective. On the flip side, it is made clear that the key piece of information does not come from torture. The film simply provides the audience a space to consider its merits.
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Artist
The Artist was one of the most praised movies out last year. It was a box office surprise and an award season darling. Normally these things make me suspicious. It is a rare film that is both commercially successful and critically praised. More often than not, it is a marginally entertaining gloss or a tedious, but pretty, attempt to show off important ideas. When it is a silent, black and white movie, my suspicions are heightened.
I am happy to say that The Artist earned its praise. The story, the performances, the amazing use of sound all just work. I was riveted throughout the movie. The actors did a great job of making one feel without words. There was humor and drama. In short, it was excellent.
I am happy to say that The Artist earned its praise. The story, the performances, the amazing use of sound all just work. I was riveted throughout the movie. The actors did a great job of making one feel without words. There was humor and drama. In short, it was excellent.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Moonrise Kingdom
Last weekend H and I got a rare opportunity to see a movie! There wasn't much out that we could agree on seeing: other than the lingering Avengers and Dark Knight Rises it was mostly just the typical late summer Hollywood crap polluting the screens.
With some trepidation, and based on a good Kermode review and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating, we decided to give the latest Wes Anderson outing, Moonrise Kingdom, a shot.
Most Wes Anderson movies are infuriatingly kooky. It worked alright in The Royal Tannenbaums, but the rest of Anderson's catalog to date has been just too much. In fact, I found most of them to be kooky to the point of smugness. It is almost like he is saying if you don't find this funny, you are too crass to watch the movie. It is a little like Joyce's and Elliot's attitude towards the common reader, except Anderson doesn't have an iota of the talent to earn the attitude.
In Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson is able to temper the kook just enough to make a good movie. It helps that the story is centered around two endearing children and Anderson is smart enough to treat the characters with respect and tenderness. The strong center holds the kookiness of the rest of the movie in check.
The movie also benefits from an excellent performance from Bruce Willis as a downtrodden, good hearted police offer that becomes the surprising hero of the film.
Anderson favorite Bill Murray turns in a workman like performance. Murray's performance is paltry compared to Frances McDormand's portrayal of his wife. She makes you feel the conflicts of being a good mother, good wife, and lusting for more adventure in life. You can see from McDormand's character where Suzy gets her chutzpah.
This movie, like all Anderson movies, is full kookiness. In many ways it adds to the humor and tenderness of the film. It is always, however, threatening to overpower the whole endeavor. It wouldn't take much for the film to devolve into a version of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou where the kookiness destroys what could have been a smart commentary on family, fame, and obsession.
Ultimately, Anderson is able to restrain his tendencies and make a tender, funny, and smart movie. It is to his credit that he let the strong characters and endearing story dominate the story telling. It is the strong center that works the rest is just window dressing.
With some trepidation, and based on a good Kermode review and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating, we decided to give the latest Wes Anderson outing, Moonrise Kingdom, a shot.
Most Wes Anderson movies are infuriatingly kooky. It worked alright in The Royal Tannenbaums, but the rest of Anderson's catalog to date has been just too much. In fact, I found most of them to be kooky to the point of smugness. It is almost like he is saying if you don't find this funny, you are too crass to watch the movie. It is a little like Joyce's and Elliot's attitude towards the common reader, except Anderson doesn't have an iota of the talent to earn the attitude.
In Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson is able to temper the kook just enough to make a good movie. It helps that the story is centered around two endearing children and Anderson is smart enough to treat the characters with respect and tenderness. The strong center holds the kookiness of the rest of the movie in check.
The movie also benefits from an excellent performance from Bruce Willis as a downtrodden, good hearted police offer that becomes the surprising hero of the film.
Anderson favorite Bill Murray turns in a workman like performance. Murray's performance is paltry compared to Frances McDormand's portrayal of his wife. She makes you feel the conflicts of being a good mother, good wife, and lusting for more adventure in life. You can see from McDormand's character where Suzy gets her chutzpah.
This movie, like all Anderson movies, is full kookiness. In many ways it adds to the humor and tenderness of the film. It is always, however, threatening to overpower the whole endeavor. It wouldn't take much for the film to devolve into a version of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou where the kookiness destroys what could have been a smart commentary on family, fame, and obsession.
Ultimately, Anderson is able to restrain his tendencies and make a tender, funny, and smart movie. It is to his credit that he let the strong characters and endearing story dominate the story telling. It is the strong center that works the rest is just window dressing.
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Fighter
H and I watched The Fighter on Netflix this past weekend. I found it to be Rocky for the artsy crowd. The plot is the typical stuff. Without knowing any of the real life story of Micky Ward, I knew the basic plot five minutes into the movie. It didn't matter much since I like a good zero to hero redemption tale. I like it even more when there is fighting involved.
What makes The Fighter special are the performances. The male leads, Whalberg and Bale, are excellent.
Whalberg plays Micky with deft physicality. It would have been easy for Micky to be seen as dull or even a tool, but Whalberg brings the character's grace and strength to the fore.
Bale does the opposite. He takes a manic and overly verbal joke and humanizes him. Dicky could easily have become annoying and unlikable. He talks too much and sucks the oxygen out of the room. In Bale's capable hands, however, Dicky becomes human. Even early in the movie, you can see the love and loyalty alongside the fear and desperation in Dicky. It makes the transformation at the end of the movie believable.
I recommend seeing this movie. It has a good, if predictable, story that showcases several great performances.
What makes The Fighter special are the performances. The male leads, Whalberg and Bale, are excellent.
Whalberg plays Micky with deft physicality. It would have been easy for Micky to be seen as dull or even a tool, but Whalberg brings the character's grace and strength to the fore.
Bale does the opposite. He takes a manic and overly verbal joke and humanizes him. Dicky could easily have become annoying and unlikable. He talks too much and sucks the oxygen out of the room. In Bale's capable hands, however, Dicky becomes human. Even early in the movie, you can see the love and loyalty alongside the fear and desperation in Dicky. It makes the transformation at the end of the movie believable.
I recommend seeing this movie. It has a good, if predictable, story that showcases several great performances.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Me and Orson Wells
If the Wittertainment gods had not favorably reviewed Me and Orson Wells, I would never have considered watching it. I have an unreasonable urge to dislike Zac Effron (it is not as strong a completely reasonable dislike of Will Ferrel).
The recommendation from Dr. K and the price (free streaming on Netflix) made it an easy decision to give Me and Orson Wells a try.
It is a good character piece. Zac Efyoung plays the innocent, ambitious young actor to a tee. Christian McKay nails the narcissism of Orson Wells. Claire Daines is a perfect up and comer. The supporting cast adds a dash of comedy to the show.
It was a fun way to spend an evening.
The recommendation from Dr. K and the price (free streaming on Netflix) made it an easy decision to give Me and Orson Wells a try.
It is a good character piece. Zac Efyoung plays the innocent, ambitious young actor to a tee. Christian McKay nails the narcissism of Orson Wells. Claire Daines is a perfect up and comer. The supporting cast adds a dash of comedy to the show.
It was a fun way to spend an evening.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
An Education
Over the weekend H and I watched "An Education" on Netflix. The reviews were mostly positive and the movie deserved them. It was well done. The acting was excellent, the story was well crafted, and the cinematography was top rate.
That said it was not a great movie. Like most European dramas it felt slow. We kept waiting for something to happen. This is because "An Education" relies on character and good acting instead of big plot arcs.
Also, the whole story is a little creepy. Perhaps my work with mentally ill kids who have had run ins with pedophiles, or the fact that I'm a new father of a lovely daughter, makes me particularly sensitive. I suppose the argument could be made that in 1960 such an affair would be more common, but I find it hard to believe.
Despite the movie's flaws we gave it four out of five stars.
That said it was not a great movie. Like most European dramas it felt slow. We kept waiting for something to happen. This is because "An Education" relies on character and good acting instead of big plot arcs.
Also, the whole story is a little creepy. Perhaps my work with mentally ill kids who have had run ins with pedophiles, or the fact that I'm a new father of a lovely daughter, makes me particularly sensitive. I suppose the argument could be made that in 1960 such an affair would be more common, but I find it hard to believe.
Despite the movie's flaws we gave it four out of five stars.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunshine Cleaning
This seemingly light, quirky indie flick is a heavy ride. However, it never falls into maudlin or melodrama. Amy Adams, who I've never seen as more than a romcom fluff puff, handles the dramatic lead with grace and skill. Alan Arkin is fabulous as always. Would I be happy spending theater prices to see the movie? No. Did I enjoy it enough to rent? Definitely.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Snow Falling on Cedar
Last weekend H and I were looking for something to watch and resorted to Netflix to escape the dismal options on our thousands of cable stations. One of the new movies available for streaming was Snow Falling on Cedars. H remembered that she had liked the book and I remembered hearing good things about the book. We clicked watch.
I should have remembered the near universal rule that good books make lousy movies. (I know there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but the movie usually takes a lot of liberties with the book.) The movie was terrible. The cinematography was lush, but that was about the only redeeming thing the movie had to offer.
The main problems with the movie were lack of focus, over indulgence, and a bad central performance.
The movie tried to take all of the themes and sub plots from the book and give them all equal billing. In a novel, the author has the space to weave multiple plots and themes into a coherent whole. In a movie, the director is constrained by both the medium and time. Movies rely on show to tell the story and some things are very hard to show. Movies, generally, need to stay under 90 minutes before they become too long. To fit into the constraints a director needs to choose the one plot and theme that has primacy and force the rest into the background. In Snow Falling on Cedar the director tried to have it all and wound up with a mess.
A symptom of the director's lack of focus was an over indulgence when it came to screen time. A lot of time was given to montages and other lingering scenes. They were beautifully shot, but I wasn't looking for a visual spectacle. I wanted to see the plot move forward.
The director was not helped by his actors. Ethan Hawk's portrayal of the protagonist was terrible. I never found his emotional dilemma compelling. Should he be a man or a petulant child? I never got the sense that he had what it took to be a man in the first place. The rest of the cast was also flat. I never believed the racial tension that was the reason for the trial.
Given the major problems with the film, the plot hole driving the story is barely noticeable. I cannot believe that nobody thought to check the lighthouse records as a part of the murder investigation or the defense's inquiry. In a fishing community it seems unlikely that people were ignorant of the fact that the lighthouse listened to and kept records of the radio traffic in the area.
So the movie is crap. If you thought the book was good, don't bother. If you heard the book was good and wanted to see the movie instead of reading the book, don't.
I should have remembered the near universal rule that good books make lousy movies. (I know there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but the movie usually takes a lot of liberties with the book.) The movie was terrible. The cinematography was lush, but that was about the only redeeming thing the movie had to offer.
The main problems with the movie were lack of focus, over indulgence, and a bad central performance.
The movie tried to take all of the themes and sub plots from the book and give them all equal billing. In a novel, the author has the space to weave multiple plots and themes into a coherent whole. In a movie, the director is constrained by both the medium and time. Movies rely on show to tell the story and some things are very hard to show. Movies, generally, need to stay under 90 minutes before they become too long. To fit into the constraints a director needs to choose the one plot and theme that has primacy and force the rest into the background. In Snow Falling on Cedar the director tried to have it all and wound up with a mess.
A symptom of the director's lack of focus was an over indulgence when it came to screen time. A lot of time was given to montages and other lingering scenes. They were beautifully shot, but I wasn't looking for a visual spectacle. I wanted to see the plot move forward.
The director was not helped by his actors. Ethan Hawk's portrayal of the protagonist was terrible. I never found his emotional dilemma compelling. Should he be a man or a petulant child? I never got the sense that he had what it took to be a man in the first place. The rest of the cast was also flat. I never believed the racial tension that was the reason for the trial.
Given the major problems with the film, the plot hole driving the story is barely noticeable. I cannot believe that nobody thought to check the lighthouse records as a part of the murder investigation or the defense's inquiry. In a fishing community it seems unlikely that people were ignorant of the fact that the lighthouse listened to and kept records of the radio traffic in the area.
So the movie is crap. If you thought the book was good, don't bother. If you heard the book was good and wanted to see the movie instead of reading the book, don't.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Men Who Stare at Goats
H and I finally got around to PPVing this movie after passing it over several times. I'd like to say it was worth the wait. What it was instead was just mediocre Saturday afternoon cable fare. When we didn't get the chance to finish it, we weren't upset.
It is not a terrible movie, it is just not very good. It takes itself too seriously while being chuck full of tired cliches. I think it was meant to be funny by contrasting the seriousness of the story telling with the ridiculousness of the story. Sadly, it just doesn't work.
It is not a terrible movie, it is just not very good. It takes itself too seriously while being chuck full of tired cliches. I think it was meant to be funny by contrasting the seriousness of the story telling with the ridiculousness of the story. Sadly, it just doesn't work.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Lars and the Real Girl
It is a free Showtime weekend, so we caught up on some movie watching. H heard that "Lara and the Real Girl" was really good and it was on last night.
The movie was not what I expected. From what I remember from the trailors and the movie's description, I expected a slightly juvinile sex comedy. I watched a touching drama about family, loss, and love.
The plot is original in concept, but ultimately predictable. Despite the predictable ending, there are enough outliers that surprise. I actually liked the predictability of the plot.
The characters and performances make the movie. Despite the craziness of the situation all of the characters play it perfectly straight. You know people like these characters. They are regular folk.
"Lars and the Real Girl" is a small movie with a big heart.
The movie was not what I expected. From what I remember from the trailors and the movie's description, I expected a slightly juvinile sex comedy. I watched a touching drama about family, loss, and love.
The plot is original in concept, but ultimately predictable. Despite the predictable ending, there are enough outliers that surprise. I actually liked the predictability of the plot.
The characters and performances make the movie. Despite the craziness of the situation all of the characters play it perfectly straight. You know people like these characters. They are regular folk.
"Lars and the Real Girl" is a small movie with a big heart.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Crazy Heart
"Crazy Heart" is generating a lot of buzz in the indie movie sceene. Both Jeff Bridges and Maggy Gylenhall are nomitated for awards. So when H asked me if I wanted to see it (at a community run theater) I said sure. At the worst it would be few hours in the dark with my wife.
After seeing the movie, I understand the buzz. "Crazy Heart" is a solid character study. I liked the way it kept many elements of the traditional star biopic, but didn't feel compelled to stick to the traditional ending. Bridges is impressive as the crotchety star past his prime. Gylenhall is does a fine job as the too trusting plucky reporter. Even Collin Ferrel is pretty good as the young stud. Bridges' voice is well suited to the songs.
Is it a great movie? No it is just well done. However, when put against the dross that Hollywood is putting out lately, it shines like polished brass.
After seeing the movie, I understand the buzz. "Crazy Heart" is a solid character study. I liked the way it kept many elements of the traditional star biopic, but didn't feel compelled to stick to the traditional ending. Bridges is impressive as the crotchety star past his prime. Gylenhall is does a fine job as the too trusting plucky reporter. Even Collin Ferrel is pretty good as the young stud. Bridges' voice is well suited to the songs.
Is it a great movie? No it is just well done. However, when put against the dross that Hollywood is putting out lately, it shines like polished brass.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Up in the Air
Up on the Air is being hailed as one of the best movies of the year, but I was afriad that, like most movies, it would devolve into a "people need love" flick. H was leary of the film because she heard it was a downer (which secretly gave me hope for it). So we had no strong desire to see it, but given the dirth of quality movies out there "Up in the Air" was the only choice.
If "Up in the Air" is one of the best movies of the year it will be a mediocre year for movies. "Up in the Air" is on the right side of average, but doesn't quite reach greatness.
The acting is solid, but I expect nothing less from Cloney. I always like Justin Bateman. They play the nhilistic business men perfectly. Cloney's character's ability to fake empathy is chilling.
The story starts taking a nose dive when the main character starts to feel the need to fall in love. Why must every film end up as propaganda for love and human companionship? I'm not saying that I think a life devoid of human conections is for me, but it is an understandable life choice.
I do give the movie credit for sticking, mostly, to it's nihilism.
If "Up in the Air" is one of the best movies of the year it will be a mediocre year for movies. "Up in the Air" is on the right side of average, but doesn't quite reach greatness.
The acting is solid, but I expect nothing less from Cloney. I always like Justin Bateman. They play the nhilistic business men perfectly. Cloney's character's ability to fake empathy is chilling.
The story starts taking a nose dive when the main character starts to feel the need to fall in love. Why must every film end up as propaganda for love and human companionship? I'm not saying that I think a life devoid of human conections is for me, but it is an understandable life choice.
I do give the movie credit for sticking, mostly, to it's nihilism.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
State of Play
A great murder mystery. The script is smart and the cast is excellent. The plot has just enough twists to keep you interested but not enough to make you feel confused. It is the clarity that makes the ending work.
Sure the set pieces are pretty tired: corporate bogey men, corrupt politicians, over ambitious reporters. Even the hero is well worn. None of that stops the film from being a fun ride that exercises your brain.
Sure the set pieces are pretty tired: corporate bogey men, corrupt politicians, over ambitious reporters. Even the hero is well worn. None of that stops the film from being a fun ride that exercises your brain.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Slumdog Squarepants
H and I finally saw Slumdog Millionaire this past weekend. It was a good film. The balance between slumdog and millionaire kept it from being standard fare. It certainly deserved the Oscar compared to the other nominees.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
In the Valley of Ellah
In the Valley of Ellah is a political movie. Its catalyst is the horror of the Iraq war. At several points in the movie it states that what is happening in Iraq is worse than any previous war. It also hints that the military is more than willing to cover up bad behavior.
If this message is contrary to your politics, you will hate this movie.
If you can swallow the message, the movie has a lot to offer. Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron both put in solid performances. The pacing is excellent. The story is moving. The suspense is well maintained.
Jones plays a father trying to find out how his son is killed. He refuses to accept the easy answer offered up by the military and pushes Theron's character to investigate further. He does an excellent job of playing the regimented ex-MP. He is tough, but you can see the depth running bellow the surface.
Theron's single mom, run down, possibly sleeping with the boss, disrespected detective is well done. Theron seems to do her best work when she is playing a rundown everywoman. Perhaps we just give her a pass because that character is so far away from the scary hot reality that is Charlize Theron.
If this message is contrary to your politics, you will hate this movie.
If you can swallow the message, the movie has a lot to offer. Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron both put in solid performances. The pacing is excellent. The story is moving. The suspense is well maintained.
Jones plays a father trying to find out how his son is killed. He refuses to accept the easy answer offered up by the military and pushes Theron's character to investigate further. He does an excellent job of playing the regimented ex-MP. He is tough, but you can see the depth running bellow the surface.
Theron's single mom, run down, possibly sleeping with the boss, disrespected detective is well done. Theron seems to do her best work when she is playing a rundown everywoman. Perhaps we just give her a pass because that character is so far away from the scary hot reality that is Charlize Theron.
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