Yes, it's that time of the year again, it's awards season and that means that it's time for me and the Academy to butt heads once again. It was an interesting year for the Oscars, and I believe that the race has never been closer. This year I'm doing it a little bit differently, I'll be posting what I think should win and then I'll follow that up with what I feel the Academy will choose. There won't be as many descriptions except for Best Picture and Best Director, I'll skip some minor categories such as short film and documentary, and I won't be listing every nominee in the interest of space. So let's delve right into it.
Writing- Original Screenplay
My Pick: Zero Dark Thirty
The Academy's Pick: Moonrise Kingdom (This film has garnered a lot of praise and buzz, and while I didn't love it, it seems to me the kind of film the Academy would go ga-ga over).
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Writing- Adapted Screenplay
My Pick: Silver Linings Playbook
The Academy's Pick: Argo
Both films were superbly written, I chose Silver Linings because I feel it was the stronger of the two, however Argo has a good amount of steam going for it and it seems more in line with Academy sensibilities so I feel that that will end up nabbing the gold.
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Visual Effects
My Pick- Life of Pi
The Academy's Pick: Life of Pi
Because every other film in this category had pretty lackluster effects. This would be a win for Richard Parker the Tiger, who is a seamless blend of real tiger and CGI. There are points where it's clear Richard Parker is CGI, but more often than not I couldn't tell if he was real or not. I want to believe most of his scenes were used with a real tiger, but can tigers really be trained so that they don't attack humans in close proximity....I don't know. Either way, the visual effects for Richard Parker definitely do a better job of tricking the mind than most films these days. Of course, there are other astounding visual effects in the film, but for the space of sake I'm just going to focus on Richard Parker here.
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Sound Mixing
My Pick: Argo
The Academy's Pick: Argo
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Sound Editing
My Pick: Argo
The Academy's Pick: Argo
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Production Design
My Pick: Anna Karenina
The Academy's Pick: Anna Karenina
This film sports some of the best production design I have seen in a very long time. It's quite unlike anything I have ever seen. While the story is weak, what is done with and in the setting of the theater is a true spectacle to behold. I would be seriously disappointed if The Academy chooses Lincoln for the gold here.
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Original Song
My Pick: Everybody Needs A Best Friend from Ted
The Academy's Pick: Everybody Needs A Best Friend from Ted
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Original Score
My Pick: John Williams for Lincoln
The Academy's Pick: John Williams for Lincoln
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Makeup and Hair Styling
My Pick: Les Miserables
The Academy's Pick: Les Miserables
This award COULD go to Hitchcock, but I believe the Academy will go with the better film here
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Foreign Language Film
My Pick: Amour
The Academy's Pick: Amour
Because it's also in the Best Picture nominees, so this one should be kind of a no-brainer
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Film Editing
My Pick: Zero Dark Thirty
The Academy's Pick: Argo
I really hope I'm proven wrong here and the Academy goes with Zero Dark Thirty. This one is definitely neck and neck between Zero Dark Thirty and Argo. For myself Zero Dark Thirty is the winner because of that fantastic last 30 minutes which is edited supremely well and not only keeps the tension going but also places you right with the SEALS. That said, Argo's editing was fantastic from beginning to end, so in a way while Zero Dark Thirty has best editing, Argo is the stronger film.
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Best Director
My Pick: David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook
The Academy's Pick: Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
I still think Kathryn Bigelow deserves Best Director, but due to her Oscar Snub I'm going to have to go with 2nd best which would be David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook. I think the Academy will go with the safe choice and pick Lincoln, which I feel doesn't really deserve to be in this category. I feel that Lincoln's tone and structure was all over the place, and that was probably due in large part to Spielberg. He does a fantastic job directing his actors, not so great though at directing the flow and structure of the film. It's yet another Spielberg film that relies too heavily on sentimentality and schmaltz, although at least it's actually got some historical accuracy to it....something Spielberg's other sentimental film, War Horse, did not have. It's also possible that Ang Lee could win, a win for him would also mean Pi has a better chance at winning Best Picture as well.
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Costume Design
My Pick: Anna Karenina
The Academy's Pick: Anna Karenina
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Cinematography
My Pick: Anna Karenina
The Academy's Pick: Life of Pi
Both of these films NAILED their cinematography. For myself, I found Anna Karenina the more impressive film as far as cinematography goes, but Life of Pi will probably walk away with the gold for it's constant other-worldly, surreal, and heavenly work in this field. Both films are in honesty just about equally great, it's just that Pi keeps the amazing cinematography going for most of the film whereas Karenina's cinematography only really shines within the confines of the theater, most of the film takes place in the real world and these parts are fairly dull to look at (but when we're in the theater, the way they use that setting and what occurs inside it's confines is pure spectacle and magic, just like the old black and white days of film making, except Karenina is in color!). I will say that Pi is the more deserving of these two films, and it's likely to walk away with the gold.....it's a well deserved win.
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Best Animated Feature Film
My Pick: ParaNorman
The Academy's Pick: Wreck-It Ralph
Only reason I pick ParaNorman is because out of the two animated films I have seen in this category, it was the better one. Still need to see Wreck-It Ralph though, and I have a feeling it will walk away with the Oscar.
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Actress In A Supporting Role
My Pick: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables
The Academy's Pick: Sally Field for Lincoln
I doubt that the Academy would go with the obvious winner....who knows, maybe they will surprise me.
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Actor In A Supporting Role
My Pick: Tommy Lee Jones
The Academy's Pick: Tommy Lee Jones
Christoph Waltz already walked away with a win last year for his work in Basterds, I seriously doubt that he will get it again the very next year, besides, Tommy Lee Jones hasn't been in a great role in a long time. In Lincoln, he easily steals the show and actually managed to be what I consider the best character in the film. He deserves the win here guys, and I have a feeling the Academy will give him the award.
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Actress In A Leading Role
My Pick: Jessica Chastain
The Academy's Pick: Jessica Chastain
Chastain has garnered a lot of buzz for her work in Zero Dark Thirty, as well she deserves to. She is fearless in the film, and her portrait of a hard-set, determined female CIA Agent is phenomenal. If the Academy snubs her in favor of Jennifer Lawrence, I couldn't see it as anything less than a personal attack against Zero Dark Thirty itself.
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Actor In A Leading Role
My Pick: Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook
The Academy's Pick: Daniel-Day Lewis for Lincoln
Yes, Daniel-Day Lewis is super believable as the great orator of our time but Bradley Cooper's surprising rise to true leading man status is even more impressive in my opinion.
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Best Picture
My Pick: Zero Dark Thirty
The Academy's Pick: Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty is a vitally important film to America's history as it details a period of time where we were still picking ourselves up from a great tragedy. It's a deeply affecting film that probably won't win Best Picture like it deserves to due to it's Best Director snub. It's definitely not out of the race, but it's still a long shot. I feel that, since the Academy doesn't like to ruffle any feathers, they will go with the safe choice and pick Lincoln as best film....thereby pleasing just about everyone, denouncing water boarding, honoring Steven Spielberg, and paying respect to one of our greatest presidents. It's not fair, but that's how the Academy works. There is also a fairly good chance that they may surprise us and go with Life of Pi, a choice I would be prefectly ok with. It really could go either way, I just feel that, knowing the Academy, that lincoln has the edge here.
So there you have it, my Oscar predictions. Hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts. Till next time, I'll see YOU at the movies. HAPPY 2013 EVERYBODY!!!!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
HE SAID HE'D BE BACK: SMALLS REVIEWS THE LAST STAND
I have been a huge Schwarzenegger fan for a long time now. Hell, I practically grew up with his movies. The Last Stand is being heralded as the return of the world's greatest action hero, and boy does it not disappoint. This was my first time seeing an Arnie flick in theaters, so I was pretty psyched but fully aware that this film had the potential to suck HARD....so, how was it?
The Last Stand follows Ray Owens (Arnold), an experienced narcotics agent turned sheriff of a small town called Sommerton . Ray left the federal world for a more laid back lifestyle, and he quite enjoys the new setting and change of pace. It's his day off and Ray is expecting to relax for a change, but fate has other plans for him. A nasty drug lord (Eduardo Noriega) has escaped from prison and has armed himself with a speedy, spiffy new car and is making a run for the Mexican border, the only thing standing in his way is Sommerton and Ray isn't going to let him pass through without a fight. Along with deputies Louis Guzman, Jaime Alexander, ex-army man Sonny Landham and local wacko Johnny Knoxville...Sommerton prepares to make a risky stand against the criminal.
Every member of the cast as stated above does a surprisingly great job, with Knoxville fitting his suitably wacky role like a glove (he is nowhere near as grating or annoying as you would think he would be, in fact, he's actually kind of awesome here) and Jaime Alexander showing a good range of emotion when need be while still managing to make for a good action co-star. Luis Guzman is also a believable, reluctant bad-ass here, he gets to wield a machine gun like a boss (easily his most bad-ass role to date....same with Knoxville who gets to do his own share of kick-ass antics as well) Forest Whitaker also puts his all into his role of Federal Agent John Bannister, who is hot on the escaped drug lord's trail.
Speaking of the drug lord, the car he spends most of his time driving in is a star all in itself.The car is a Corvette ZR1 and it's sexy, sleek and fast as hell (the way Jee-woon Kim shoots the action scenes with the car makes you feel like you are speeding right alongside it). The stunts that the car pulls off are fantastic and seat-clenchingly cool, and it even gets to duke it out with Bumblebee (undercover here as a red Camaro) at one point in the film. I definitely want one.
The cool car and the talented supporting cast aside, the REAL star of the film is Arnie himself, which should come as no surprise. Here he is basically playing himself as we learn in a neat scene where he goes over his past history. He moved to Los Angeles to become a Narcotics Agent, hoping to get a piece of the action.....he grows tired of all the death, destruction, chaos and violence and removes his badge to pick up a job as a small town sheriff in an area far away from LA. That's right folks, the Arnie we grew up with changed his name and escaped to Sommerton to get away from all the violence. Arnold is finally back in full kick-ass mode and not only gets to fire a shotgun, a 1930's "Nazi Killer" gun, and a pistol, he also gets to throwdown old school style with his bare fists via some wrestling antics near the end and he gets to also show that he can still act as he shows a surprisingly great range of emotions here from regret, to sadness (were those real tears?), to determination, and finally anger. Yes folks, Arnie is back and just as good as we remember him. I'm almost positive that this film was made specifically for Arnold, as some sort of cool gift....and his gift also becomes the world's.
The Last Stand is classic bad-ass action, just like Hollywood used to make 'em. The film is very silly, very cool, and is filled with various kick-ass, full throttle scenes and cool lines for Arnie to growl on occasion. Jee-woon Kim makes for a nice fit as director, and the way he choreographs the action scenes is a thing of beauty. One of the nicest surprises about the film, is that it had me on the edge of my seat quite a bit. Don't expect an Academy nominee here guys....You're going to get plenty of action, plenty of kick-ass lines, and even a sprinkling of drama and tension...oh, and you'll also get more Arnie than you can shake a stick at. The Last Stand has just about everything an action-fan or Arnie lover could want. It's a joyous, entertaining, blood-soaked (oh yes, the blood does fly), cheer worthy good time at the movies.....exactly what I was expecting and exactly what we need. You want a classic, old-fashioned action film? I say look no further.
4 STARS
The Last Stand follows Ray Owens (Arnold), an experienced narcotics agent turned sheriff of a small town called Sommerton . Ray left the federal world for a more laid back lifestyle, and he quite enjoys the new setting and change of pace. It's his day off and Ray is expecting to relax for a change, but fate has other plans for him. A nasty drug lord (Eduardo Noriega) has escaped from prison and has armed himself with a speedy, spiffy new car and is making a run for the Mexican border, the only thing standing in his way is Sommerton and Ray isn't going to let him pass through without a fight. Along with deputies Louis Guzman, Jaime Alexander, ex-army man Sonny Landham and local wacko Johnny Knoxville...Sommerton prepares to make a risky stand against the criminal.
Every member of the cast as stated above does a surprisingly great job, with Knoxville fitting his suitably wacky role like a glove (he is nowhere near as grating or annoying as you would think he would be, in fact, he's actually kind of awesome here) and Jaime Alexander showing a good range of emotion when need be while still managing to make for a good action co-star. Luis Guzman is also a believable, reluctant bad-ass here, he gets to wield a machine gun like a boss (easily his most bad-ass role to date....same with Knoxville who gets to do his own share of kick-ass antics as well) Forest Whitaker also puts his all into his role of Federal Agent John Bannister, who is hot on the escaped drug lord's trail.
Speaking of the drug lord, the car he spends most of his time driving in is a star all in itself.The car is a Corvette ZR1 and it's sexy, sleek and fast as hell (the way Jee-woon Kim shoots the action scenes with the car makes you feel like you are speeding right alongside it). The stunts that the car pulls off are fantastic and seat-clenchingly cool, and it even gets to duke it out with Bumblebee (undercover here as a red Camaro) at one point in the film. I definitely want one.
The cool car and the talented supporting cast aside, the REAL star of the film is Arnie himself, which should come as no surprise. Here he is basically playing himself as we learn in a neat scene where he goes over his past history. He moved to Los Angeles to become a Narcotics Agent, hoping to get a piece of the action.....he grows tired of all the death, destruction, chaos and violence and removes his badge to pick up a job as a small town sheriff in an area far away from LA. That's right folks, the Arnie we grew up with changed his name and escaped to Sommerton to get away from all the violence. Arnold is finally back in full kick-ass mode and not only gets to fire a shotgun, a 1930's "Nazi Killer" gun, and a pistol, he also gets to throwdown old school style with his bare fists via some wrestling antics near the end and he gets to also show that he can still act as he shows a surprisingly great range of emotions here from regret, to sadness (were those real tears?), to determination, and finally anger. Yes folks, Arnie is back and just as good as we remember him. I'm almost positive that this film was made specifically for Arnold, as some sort of cool gift....and his gift also becomes the world's.
The Last Stand is classic bad-ass action, just like Hollywood used to make 'em. The film is very silly, very cool, and is filled with various kick-ass, full throttle scenes and cool lines for Arnie to growl on occasion. Jee-woon Kim makes for a nice fit as director, and the way he choreographs the action scenes is a thing of beauty. One of the nicest surprises about the film, is that it had me on the edge of my seat quite a bit. Don't expect an Academy nominee here guys....You're going to get plenty of action, plenty of kick-ass lines, and even a sprinkling of drama and tension...oh, and you'll also get more Arnie than you can shake a stick at. The Last Stand has just about everything an action-fan or Arnie lover could want. It's a joyous, entertaining, blood-soaked (oh yes, the blood does fly), cheer worthy good time at the movies.....exactly what I was expecting and exactly what we need. You want a classic, old-fashioned action film? I say look no further.
4 STARS
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
SMALLS' BEST OF 2012
This is the moment you have all been waiting for, what films do I consider to be the best of the best of the best of the year? Before I start my countdown, let me state that I am not a super-being and I do not have an infinite amount of time at my disposal, therefore I have not seen every film released during 2012. This list is based solely on the films I did see. Some of your favorites may not make the list either because I did not get to see them or I simply did not consider them worthy. Enough chit-chat let's get this sucker started!!!!
#10: Ruby Sparks- A clever, fun film about how men perceive women and what they expect from women. In Ruby Sparks, struggling writer Calvin creates the girl of his dreams who he names Ruby Sparks. The more he writes about her, the more she slowly starts to seep into his world until one day he awakens to find her waiting for him in his house. Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan are electric as the lovers and main characters, both putting on top notch performances. Zoe Kazan is particularly stunning, hot, gorgeous, cute, loveable and tragic as the titular character, Kazan also wrote the screenplay for the film so that's pretty cool too. Dano acts his butt off and is believable and fantastic as Calvin, easily one of his best performances to date. Chris Messina is also superb as Calvin's brother, Harry, who reminded me of a young Paul Rudd and really sold his role here. The film, while fun and quirky, is in reality about some pretty serious subjects and the film is not afraid to go to some pretty dark and scary places at times. A fantastic film from beginning to end, Ruby Sparks is a must-see for any film fan or writer. It's sure to leave you with a feel-good feeling.
#9: Life of Pi- This film is a good example of how to properly use religion in a film. The religious aspect is ever present in Life of Pi, but it can be easily ignored if one so wished. Life of Pi is another stellar from Ang Lee. In the film, he crafts a magical, mythical story about a boy hopelessly adrift at sea in a lifeboat that he has to share with a tiger named Richard Parker. These two must learn to work together if they are to survive. The cinematography is without a doubt the best of the year, evoking a heavenly, other-worldly quality (like a hallucinatory scene where Pi may just see the truth about the universe) . Both Pi and Richard Parker deserve Oscars for their performances here. It is a very slow film, and you feel every second of its 2 hour plus running time but the film is magical, sad, and amazing in all the ways that count.
#8: Argo- Argo is one of the most tension filled films I have seen this year. From a crazed, angry riot at the beginning to the dangerous escape at the end, the film will have you constantly on the edge of your seat. John Goodman, Alan Arkin, and Bryan Cranston put on superb supporting performances and Ben Affleck does fine in the lead role, I'd dare say he deserves more credit for the work he does behind the camera here than the work he does on screen. It also makes the film a bit more interesting when you learn it's based on a true story. Not only can we draw comparisons from events seen in Argo to what is currently going on today in the Middle East (yes, this film is indeed quite relevant today), but Argo also depicts a time when Hollywood and the art of film was used to save innocent people from being killed making Argo an almost self-reflective film as well....Hooray for Hollywood indeed.
#7: Liberal Arts- Liberal Arts is a teary-eyed look at life in college and life beyond college. Josh Radnor is completely relateable and real and Elizabeth Olsen is as adorable as ever (You just want to hug and kiss her whenever she's on) , and Zach Efron shines as the magical, mystical white guy who is there to drop some knowledge on Josh Radnor every now and then. Olsen and Radnor have fantastic chemistry, but their relationship isn't really the main focus of the film, it does take up a good chunk of screen time but the film is really about looking back and looking forward. It's not really a happy film, but it's never too sad either. Liberal Arts is a realistic, mature film about life that is an absolute must see. Since I am currently preparing to graduate from College, this film really struck a chord with me. For a while, it was in my top 5 but I brought it down to number 7 because I feel that there is nothing really extraordinary production wise in the film. It's got a fantastic story and great acting, but I felt there were other films more deserving of being in my top 5, so there ya go.
#6: Compliance- This film will give you chills in the worst way possible. In the film, a mysterious caller initiates a sick game of sexual power play when he calls a fast food place posing as a police officer and begins making demands relating to one of the restaurant's female employees.By far the best performance in the film comes from Dreama Walker, who portrays Becky, the poor girl at the center of the drama. She may be the main victim, but she certainly isn't the only one. She puts on an all too real performance as an employee who is scared for her life and emerges from the whole fiasco with obvious psychological damage. Quite possibly the most disturbing thing about the film is to watch how easily everyone in it complies with the mysterious callers demands, only two people hold their ground and say no, and even then they don't really try to stop what else goes on in the film. Just about everyone in this film is a despicable, disgusting person. In the end, Compliance is a film designed to shake your faith in humanity, and it goes places many other films wouldn't dare go. The film will also ask viewers to ask themselves what they would have done differently, and thus will inspire viewers to take a good hard look at themselves. Humanity can be downright ugly, despicable, and cruel and Compliance has no problem diving down into our murky depths, asking us to look deep into ourselves as well......don't expect to like what you find. Compliance is one of the most challenging films I have seen in a very long time, it's a film that shook me to my core and that is one of the highest compliments I can give to a film. While it is by no means an easy watch, I still think that Complaince is worthwhile viewing.
#5: Silver Linings Playbook- Tragedy is comedy. This is the age old belief that this film strictly adheres to. Silver Linings Playbook is about 2 very broken people who meet each other and in the process manage to fix each other. It's very poetic and beautiful. Jennifer Lawrence is the hottest she has ever been and she puts on one of her best performances here, and Bradley Cooper is phenomenal as the "hero" of our story who must overcome great odds and personal tragedy to reach the peak he has been striving for. Both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence put on performances that will cut you to the core, and the film excels at making you laugh your ass off one moment and the very next halt you in your tracks and hold you in its grasp as tension rises to a surprising degree (to the point where it actually gets pretty scary at points) only to have that tension slowly melt away to make way for the next gut laugh. My only complaint with the film is that the sports sub-plot does play a pretty big role in the finale in a way that doesn't feel natural and failed to really captivate me....maybe that's just because I've never been a huge sports fan though. Silver Linings Playbook may be a dramatic comedy, but it is still without a doubt the best comedy of the year. It's got pretty deep themes about love, self, and struggle and while sports plays a maybe too big role in the overall film, that does not prevent the main themes from gut punching you when they need to. Silver Linings Playbook is easily the best surprise of the year.
#4: Django Unchained- A Quentin Tarantino film on my list...what a surprise. In Django Unchained, Quentin makes slow, passionate love to the silver screen and invites us to watch the cinematic orgasms. As usual, Quentin can get a bit too cocky at times (like a final "horse dance" at the end) and this does detract from the film a bit and there are times where it feels like we are laughing along with the characters at the negroe's misfortunes which is bound to leave somewhat of a bad taste in audience's mouths. That said, the film overall, while a good deal darker than other Tarantino films, is still entirely enjoyable for the most part. I had a lot of fun with it, and as long as you don't have a problem with excessive use of the "N" Word, I'd bet you will too.
#3: Looper- Rian Johnson hit another home run with this film about time travel and the consequences of such. Luckily for us, hidden underneath it's cool exterior lies a message about violence creating violence. Joseph Gordon Levitt puts on another one of his all time best as Young Joe, an untrained assassin for the mob whose job is to kill people from the future who are sent back in time to him. Things get messy when his future self, played by Bruce Willis, shows up and gets the one up on him, escaping. Old Joe has come to the past with a horrific plan to save the future, and only Young Joe can stop him. It's great to see Bruce Willis back in Die Hard mode here, and the interactions between Young Joe and Old Joe are fantastic and highly entertaining (like the scene in the diner, which I never fail to bring up). Looper also talks about the idea of a person's ability to change. Old Joe claims he has changed over the years, and claims that he is doing this for his wife but in reality his motives are purely selfish and his plan revolves around excessive violence. Joe was born from violence, violence is all he has ever known, so it makes perfect sense that, in Old Joe's mind, violence is the only way to save the future. Young Joe realizes that Old Joe can not or will not change and so it is up to him to save the day. Looper is a fantastic film, and it makes for a great way to introduce your friends to true quality cinema. It's a down right elegant film, and it's also tons of fun. The best way to describe Looper is as a thinking man's sci-fi action film, and even that doesn't nail it down all the way. In the end, you'll just have to see it for yourself.
#2: The Raid: Redemption- Without a doubt the best action film in years....and it doesn't even come from the U.S. The Raid is classic action, the way it was meant to be. All the stunts and fights are done by the lead actors and crew, there is no CGI, no bluescreens and no stunt men to be found here....giving the film a brutal, raw, real quality. The story here is simple: A SWAT Team infiltrates a high rise apartment complex only to quickly be sealed in by an evil drug lord who rules the apartment complex with an iron fist. The drug lord orders the inhabitants of the apartment complex to kill the members of the SWAT team, and in return he will grant them free rent. The battle is on as the SWAT has to fight their way up, capture the drug lord, and survive. The story is fairly simple, as well it should be. The focus here is on the action, and boy is there plenty of it. The Raid's fight sequences are heart pounding and super cool as fists and feet fly like mad. I walked out of the film inspired to go forth and kick-ass. If only every action film made me feel like that.
#1: Zero Dark Thirty- The story of the decade long search for Osama bin Laden is every bit as gripping and riveting as I imagined it would be. Don't expect a lot of action except for a few scenes here and there, no, this film is on a quest to bring us the truth about how we found Osama. We start out with one of the most affecting depictions of 9/11 I have ever experienced in a theater, choosing to portray the events of that day aurally instead of visually. From there on out we explore water boarding techniques, then jump into the extensive research done in the search for bin Laden, and finally we get to tag along with Seal Team Six as they raid bin Laden's safe house. The last thirty minutes with Seal Team Six are phenomenal as it really feels like you are there with them, and when they finally do kill the bastard there is no cathartic moment, only an uncomfortable silence as the film allows the act to fully sink into our brains. The rest of the film is every bit as gripping as the last thirty minutes are, I can honestly say I was never bored and was on the edge of my seat and fully invested in the film for every second of its 157 minute run time. Jessica Chastain is simply phenomenal as the determined CIA Agent, Maya, who finds herself leading the search. The film is not a rah-rah GO USA film as some would have you believe (definitely NOT a propaganda film) , and it wisely chooses not to take sides on the torture debate as it instead shows water boarding as it actually occurred and the consequences of it on both sides (torturer and prisoner). Zero Dark Thirty is an appropriately dark, intense, and probing film that digs deep into the years between 2001 and 2012 and into the work the CIA was so tirelessly doing to find and apprehend (dead or alive) Osama bin Laden. It's a film that asks if the outcome was worth the ethical boundaries that were pushed to find bin Laden, and the film leaves us with a final thought-provoking question: Where do we go from here? It is a film that is vitally important to America's history, and not only is it my personal favorite film of the year, it's also what I consider to be the best (for very good reason).
So there you have it, my top films of 2012 list. Did you agree, disagree? Was there a film that you felt should have been included but wasn't? Feel free to post your thoughts below. Till next time, here's to a (hopefully) great 2013.
#10: Ruby Sparks- A clever, fun film about how men perceive women and what they expect from women. In Ruby Sparks, struggling writer Calvin creates the girl of his dreams who he names Ruby Sparks. The more he writes about her, the more she slowly starts to seep into his world until one day he awakens to find her waiting for him in his house. Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan are electric as the lovers and main characters, both putting on top notch performances. Zoe Kazan is particularly stunning, hot, gorgeous, cute, loveable and tragic as the titular character, Kazan also wrote the screenplay for the film so that's pretty cool too. Dano acts his butt off and is believable and fantastic as Calvin, easily one of his best performances to date. Chris Messina is also superb as Calvin's brother, Harry, who reminded me of a young Paul Rudd and really sold his role here. The film, while fun and quirky, is in reality about some pretty serious subjects and the film is not afraid to go to some pretty dark and scary places at times. A fantastic film from beginning to end, Ruby Sparks is a must-see for any film fan or writer. It's sure to leave you with a feel-good feeling.
#9: Life of Pi- This film is a good example of how to properly use religion in a film. The religious aspect is ever present in Life of Pi, but it can be easily ignored if one so wished. Life of Pi is another stellar from Ang Lee. In the film, he crafts a magical, mythical story about a boy hopelessly adrift at sea in a lifeboat that he has to share with a tiger named Richard Parker. These two must learn to work together if they are to survive. The cinematography is without a doubt the best of the year, evoking a heavenly, other-worldly quality (like a hallucinatory scene where Pi may just see the truth about the universe) . Both Pi and Richard Parker deserve Oscars for their performances here. It is a very slow film, and you feel every second of its 2 hour plus running time but the film is magical, sad, and amazing in all the ways that count.
#8: Argo- Argo is one of the most tension filled films I have seen this year. From a crazed, angry riot at the beginning to the dangerous escape at the end, the film will have you constantly on the edge of your seat. John Goodman, Alan Arkin, and Bryan Cranston put on superb supporting performances and Ben Affleck does fine in the lead role, I'd dare say he deserves more credit for the work he does behind the camera here than the work he does on screen. It also makes the film a bit more interesting when you learn it's based on a true story. Not only can we draw comparisons from events seen in Argo to what is currently going on today in the Middle East (yes, this film is indeed quite relevant today), but Argo also depicts a time when Hollywood and the art of film was used to save innocent people from being killed making Argo an almost self-reflective film as well....Hooray for Hollywood indeed.
#7: Liberal Arts- Liberal Arts is a teary-eyed look at life in college and life beyond college. Josh Radnor is completely relateable and real and Elizabeth Olsen is as adorable as ever (You just want to hug and kiss her whenever she's on) , and Zach Efron shines as the magical, mystical white guy who is there to drop some knowledge on Josh Radnor every now and then. Olsen and Radnor have fantastic chemistry, but their relationship isn't really the main focus of the film, it does take up a good chunk of screen time but the film is really about looking back and looking forward. It's not really a happy film, but it's never too sad either. Liberal Arts is a realistic, mature film about life that is an absolute must see. Since I am currently preparing to graduate from College, this film really struck a chord with me. For a while, it was in my top 5 but I brought it down to number 7 because I feel that there is nothing really extraordinary production wise in the film. It's got a fantastic story and great acting, but I felt there were other films more deserving of being in my top 5, so there ya go.
#6: Compliance- This film will give you chills in the worst way possible. In the film, a mysterious caller initiates a sick game of sexual power play when he calls a fast food place posing as a police officer and begins making demands relating to one of the restaurant's female employees.By far the best performance in the film comes from Dreama Walker, who portrays Becky, the poor girl at the center of the drama. She may be the main victim, but she certainly isn't the only one. She puts on an all too real performance as an employee who is scared for her life and emerges from the whole fiasco with obvious psychological damage. Quite possibly the most disturbing thing about the film is to watch how easily everyone in it complies with the mysterious callers demands, only two people hold their ground and say no, and even then they don't really try to stop what else goes on in the film. Just about everyone in this film is a despicable, disgusting person. In the end, Compliance is a film designed to shake your faith in humanity, and it goes places many other films wouldn't dare go. The film will also ask viewers to ask themselves what they would have done differently, and thus will inspire viewers to take a good hard look at themselves. Humanity can be downright ugly, despicable, and cruel and Compliance has no problem diving down into our murky depths, asking us to look deep into ourselves as well......don't expect to like what you find. Compliance is one of the most challenging films I have seen in a very long time, it's a film that shook me to my core and that is one of the highest compliments I can give to a film. While it is by no means an easy watch, I still think that Complaince is worthwhile viewing.
#5: Silver Linings Playbook- Tragedy is comedy. This is the age old belief that this film strictly adheres to. Silver Linings Playbook is about 2 very broken people who meet each other and in the process manage to fix each other. It's very poetic and beautiful. Jennifer Lawrence is the hottest she has ever been and she puts on one of her best performances here, and Bradley Cooper is phenomenal as the "hero" of our story who must overcome great odds and personal tragedy to reach the peak he has been striving for. Both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence put on performances that will cut you to the core, and the film excels at making you laugh your ass off one moment and the very next halt you in your tracks and hold you in its grasp as tension rises to a surprising degree (to the point where it actually gets pretty scary at points) only to have that tension slowly melt away to make way for the next gut laugh. My only complaint with the film is that the sports sub-plot does play a pretty big role in the finale in a way that doesn't feel natural and failed to really captivate me....maybe that's just because I've never been a huge sports fan though. Silver Linings Playbook may be a dramatic comedy, but it is still without a doubt the best comedy of the year. It's got pretty deep themes about love, self, and struggle and while sports plays a maybe too big role in the overall film, that does not prevent the main themes from gut punching you when they need to. Silver Linings Playbook is easily the best surprise of the year.
#4: Django Unchained- A Quentin Tarantino film on my list...what a surprise. In Django Unchained, Quentin makes slow, passionate love to the silver screen and invites us to watch the cinematic orgasms. As usual, Quentin can get a bit too cocky at times (like a final "horse dance" at the end) and this does detract from the film a bit and there are times where it feels like we are laughing along with the characters at the negroe's misfortunes which is bound to leave somewhat of a bad taste in audience's mouths. That said, the film overall, while a good deal darker than other Tarantino films, is still entirely enjoyable for the most part. I had a lot of fun with it, and as long as you don't have a problem with excessive use of the "N" Word, I'd bet you will too.
#3: Looper- Rian Johnson hit another home run with this film about time travel and the consequences of such. Luckily for us, hidden underneath it's cool exterior lies a message about violence creating violence. Joseph Gordon Levitt puts on another one of his all time best as Young Joe, an untrained assassin for the mob whose job is to kill people from the future who are sent back in time to him. Things get messy when his future self, played by Bruce Willis, shows up and gets the one up on him, escaping. Old Joe has come to the past with a horrific plan to save the future, and only Young Joe can stop him. It's great to see Bruce Willis back in Die Hard mode here, and the interactions between Young Joe and Old Joe are fantastic and highly entertaining (like the scene in the diner, which I never fail to bring up). Looper also talks about the idea of a person's ability to change. Old Joe claims he has changed over the years, and claims that he is doing this for his wife but in reality his motives are purely selfish and his plan revolves around excessive violence. Joe was born from violence, violence is all he has ever known, so it makes perfect sense that, in Old Joe's mind, violence is the only way to save the future. Young Joe realizes that Old Joe can not or will not change and so it is up to him to save the day. Looper is a fantastic film, and it makes for a great way to introduce your friends to true quality cinema. It's a down right elegant film, and it's also tons of fun. The best way to describe Looper is as a thinking man's sci-fi action film, and even that doesn't nail it down all the way. In the end, you'll just have to see it for yourself.
#2: The Raid: Redemption- Without a doubt the best action film in years....and it doesn't even come from the U.S. The Raid is classic action, the way it was meant to be. All the stunts and fights are done by the lead actors and crew, there is no CGI, no bluescreens and no stunt men to be found here....giving the film a brutal, raw, real quality. The story here is simple: A SWAT Team infiltrates a high rise apartment complex only to quickly be sealed in by an evil drug lord who rules the apartment complex with an iron fist. The drug lord orders the inhabitants of the apartment complex to kill the members of the SWAT team, and in return he will grant them free rent. The battle is on as the SWAT has to fight their way up, capture the drug lord, and survive. The story is fairly simple, as well it should be. The focus here is on the action, and boy is there plenty of it. The Raid's fight sequences are heart pounding and super cool as fists and feet fly like mad. I walked out of the film inspired to go forth and kick-ass. If only every action film made me feel like that.
#1: Zero Dark Thirty- The story of the decade long search for Osama bin Laden is every bit as gripping and riveting as I imagined it would be. Don't expect a lot of action except for a few scenes here and there, no, this film is on a quest to bring us the truth about how we found Osama. We start out with one of the most affecting depictions of 9/11 I have ever experienced in a theater, choosing to portray the events of that day aurally instead of visually. From there on out we explore water boarding techniques, then jump into the extensive research done in the search for bin Laden, and finally we get to tag along with Seal Team Six as they raid bin Laden's safe house. The last thirty minutes with Seal Team Six are phenomenal as it really feels like you are there with them, and when they finally do kill the bastard there is no cathartic moment, only an uncomfortable silence as the film allows the act to fully sink into our brains. The rest of the film is every bit as gripping as the last thirty minutes are, I can honestly say I was never bored and was on the edge of my seat and fully invested in the film for every second of its 157 minute run time. Jessica Chastain is simply phenomenal as the determined CIA Agent, Maya, who finds herself leading the search. The film is not a rah-rah GO USA film as some would have you believe (definitely NOT a propaganda film) , and it wisely chooses not to take sides on the torture debate as it instead shows water boarding as it actually occurred and the consequences of it on both sides (torturer and prisoner). Zero Dark Thirty is an appropriately dark, intense, and probing film that digs deep into the years between 2001 and 2012 and into the work the CIA was so tirelessly doing to find and apprehend (dead or alive) Osama bin Laden. It's a film that asks if the outcome was worth the ethical boundaries that were pushed to find bin Laden, and the film leaves us with a final thought-provoking question: Where do we go from here? It is a film that is vitally important to America's history, and not only is it my personal favorite film of the year, it's also what I consider to be the best (for very good reason).
So there you have it, my top films of 2012 list. Did you agree, disagree? Was there a film that you felt should have been included but wasn't? Feel free to post your thoughts below. Till next time, here's to a (hopefully) great 2013.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
ZERO DARK THIRTY IS A CHALLENGING, THOUGHT PROVOKING JOY
Zero Dark Thirty is the story of the 12 year search for Osama Bin Laden. In it, we go from failed attempts at retrieving vital information via water boarding to a behind the scenes look at the different ins and outs of the procedural for the search and finally we get to tag along with SEAL Team 6 as they raid Osama Bin Laden's safe house.
In Zero Dark Thirty, Jessica Chastain plays Maya, a top level CIA operative that finds herself leading the search for Osama Bin Laden. This film is essentially the Jessica Chastain show, as the film focuses pretty much solely on her and her efforts to gain information that could lead to locating the feared and hated terrorist leader. It's interesting to watch Maya's transformation from quiet mousy type to the vocal intense and determined heroine. This is quite possibly Chastain's best performance, and the Academy should just hand her the Oscar for Best Leading Actress right now and get it over with, she's earned it. Maya easily makes for one of the best heroines of the 21st century, a heroine that isn't necessarily the "good" guy, a heroine that makes tough calls, a heroine that is almost blinded by her drive to finish her job, A heroine that almost isn't a heroine. Chastain's performance here is one of the key selling points of the film, as well it should be.
The only other notable performance here is Jason Clarke who plays Dan, the water boarding expert. He puts on a pretty brutal performance here, but is still all too human even when he gets down and dirty with the detainees/prisoners. In any other film he would be considered a recurring role, but in here he essentially gets second billing since he is the only other character who shows up quite a bit in the film. Every other character is essentially a walk-on role, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If the film were to try to focus on every major player, it would likely get bogged down and quickly lose it's focus. It was wise to focus mainly on Chastain and Clarke.
Now, about those water boarding scenes. Yes, they are indeed brutal and pretty hard to watch. Zero Dark Thirty doesn't really take a stance on the issue, what it does do though, is present water boarding as it is in real life. It does not just affect the prisoner, but also the person doing the torturing as we see during a crucial scene where Dan reveals he is leaving the torture business due to the toll it has taken on him. I will say that this film changed the way I looked at water boarding.
Katherine Bigelow got snubbed for Best Director, due in large part, I believe, to the water boarding scenes. This is a huge flub on the Academy's part. Bigelow did an amazing job with this film, keeping it at an even pace and tone throughout....she did a huge achievement here and I feel she deserved to win that award. Unfortunately, the Academy pussied out (like they always do) and not only is this a disservice to the Oscars, it's also a disservice to Bigelow, the film, America, and audiences everywhere. With Bigelow's name withheld from the nominees, this also lessens this film's chance at nabbing the Best Picture Oscar, but more on that later.
I walked into this film a bit trepidatious, I had heard complaints from many that the film gets boring when we go through the procedural portion of the film, but to be honest I thought that that part of the film was every bit as interesting and riveting as the rest of the film was. I was on the edge of my seat and fully invested in Zero Dark Thirty for every second of it's 157 minute running time. At the end of the day, Zero Dark Thirty is a war procedural more than anything else and surprisingly, I was never bored and I loved every single second of it.
Zero Dark Thirty is a film that shatters your expectations, I don't want to say too much about the ending but don't expect any type of USA USA USA moment or a cathartic release of any kind when they finally kill the bastard. Instead, Zero Dark Thirty leaves us with a thought provoking image and an uncomfortable silence.
Zero Dark Thirty starts on September 11, 2001. All we see is complete darkness as various calls from that day play over each other in a deafening and confusing roar, easily making for quite an affecting and shaking opening. The film ends with the death of a monster and leaves us with a deafening silent question: Where do we go from here? Zero Dark Thirty is a challenging film, it may not be all that enjoyable or as fist-pumping as you would have expected it to be....and it's all the better for it. This film NEEDS to win Best Picture, but I'm pretty sure it won't due to that unintelligent Best Director snub. Zero Dark Thirty is a vitally important film to America's history, it portrays a fairly balanced and unbiased portrait of those tumultuous 12 years when the country was on a hunt for a man that most feared would never be found. It's an important part of our history, and it documents a rough time that helped shape who we are today. It is without a doubt in my mind my personal favorite film of the year and also what I consider to be the best film of the year. I really do feel that everyone needs to see this film.
5/5 STARS
In Zero Dark Thirty, Jessica Chastain plays Maya, a top level CIA operative that finds herself leading the search for Osama Bin Laden. This film is essentially the Jessica Chastain show, as the film focuses pretty much solely on her and her efforts to gain information that could lead to locating the feared and hated terrorist leader. It's interesting to watch Maya's transformation from quiet mousy type to the vocal intense and determined heroine. This is quite possibly Chastain's best performance, and the Academy should just hand her the Oscar for Best Leading Actress right now and get it over with, she's earned it. Maya easily makes for one of the best heroines of the 21st century, a heroine that isn't necessarily the "good" guy, a heroine that makes tough calls, a heroine that is almost blinded by her drive to finish her job, A heroine that almost isn't a heroine. Chastain's performance here is one of the key selling points of the film, as well it should be.
The only other notable performance here is Jason Clarke who plays Dan, the water boarding expert. He puts on a pretty brutal performance here, but is still all too human even when he gets down and dirty with the detainees/prisoners. In any other film he would be considered a recurring role, but in here he essentially gets second billing since he is the only other character who shows up quite a bit in the film. Every other character is essentially a walk-on role, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If the film were to try to focus on every major player, it would likely get bogged down and quickly lose it's focus. It was wise to focus mainly on Chastain and Clarke.
Now, about those water boarding scenes. Yes, they are indeed brutal and pretty hard to watch. Zero Dark Thirty doesn't really take a stance on the issue, what it does do though, is present water boarding as it is in real life. It does not just affect the prisoner, but also the person doing the torturing as we see during a crucial scene where Dan reveals he is leaving the torture business due to the toll it has taken on him. I will say that this film changed the way I looked at water boarding.
Katherine Bigelow got snubbed for Best Director, due in large part, I believe, to the water boarding scenes. This is a huge flub on the Academy's part. Bigelow did an amazing job with this film, keeping it at an even pace and tone throughout....she did a huge achievement here and I feel she deserved to win that award. Unfortunately, the Academy pussied out (like they always do) and not only is this a disservice to the Oscars, it's also a disservice to Bigelow, the film, America, and audiences everywhere. With Bigelow's name withheld from the nominees, this also lessens this film's chance at nabbing the Best Picture Oscar, but more on that later.
I walked into this film a bit trepidatious, I had heard complaints from many that the film gets boring when we go through the procedural portion of the film, but to be honest I thought that that part of the film was every bit as interesting and riveting as the rest of the film was. I was on the edge of my seat and fully invested in Zero Dark Thirty for every second of it's 157 minute running time. At the end of the day, Zero Dark Thirty is a war procedural more than anything else and surprisingly, I was never bored and I loved every single second of it.
Zero Dark Thirty is a film that shatters your expectations, I don't want to say too much about the ending but don't expect any type of USA USA USA moment or a cathartic release of any kind when they finally kill the bastard. Instead, Zero Dark Thirty leaves us with a thought provoking image and an uncomfortable silence.
Zero Dark Thirty starts on September 11, 2001. All we see is complete darkness as various calls from that day play over each other in a deafening and confusing roar, easily making for quite an affecting and shaking opening. The film ends with the death of a monster and leaves us with a deafening silent question: Where do we go from here? Zero Dark Thirty is a challenging film, it may not be all that enjoyable or as fist-pumping as you would have expected it to be....and it's all the better for it. This film NEEDS to win Best Picture, but I'm pretty sure it won't due to that unintelligent Best Director snub. Zero Dark Thirty is a vitally important film to America's history, it portrays a fairly balanced and unbiased portrait of those tumultuous 12 years when the country was on a hunt for a man that most feared would never be found. It's an important part of our history, and it documents a rough time that helped shape who we are today. It is without a doubt in my mind my personal favorite film of the year and also what I consider to be the best film of the year. I really do feel that everyone needs to see this film.
5/5 STARS
Sunday, January 6, 2013
HITCHCOCK IS A FRIGHTFULLY GOOD FILM
Good evening, and welcome to my review of Hitchcock.
In Hitchcock, we follow the great director when he is at a crossroads. Afraid that he is growing old, and fearing that he will have to repeat the same film until he dies, Hitchcock latches onto a promising but risky idea: adapting Robert Bloch's Psycho for the silver screen. When Paramount refuses to finance the film, Hitchcock and his wife Alma decide to foot the bill themselves, thus putting their house and beloved swimming pool in jeopardy. Adding to the stress of making the film is Hitchcock's suspicion that Alma may be having an affair with a wanna-be script writer. Will all this be too much for Hitch to handle?
Playing the famous director is none other than Anthony Hopkins. This is certainly one of his most difficult roles he has had to play, and it will without a doubt be one of his most scrutinized. I can safely say though, that luckily for us, Hopkins does a fantastic job as Hitchcock. He plays the role with a maturity that I honestly didn't expect. He easily switches from a childlike playfulness to anger to despair and so on and so forth. He does a pretty well-rounded and even portrayal of the director, and easily blends into his role here....it's not too hard to forget that this is Hopkins and not Hitchcock we are watching on the big screen.
Helen Mirren plays the role of Hitchcock's long suffering but faithful and devoted wife Alma, and is perhaps the strongest performance in the whole film. Mirren sells her role with a quiet sadness but a determined spirit that is entrancing. It is clear that she is the strongest one in the relationship, and is the support behind Hitch. Without Alma there to support him, Hitch falls apart as we get to witness first hand via an unconvincing and fictionalized romantic subplot that comes across as a bit forced.
Speaking of Alma and Hitch, Mirren and Hopkins have fantastic chemistry on screen, and it is a great joy to watch these two talented actors go toe to toe and play off of each other. Their dynamic on screen is endlessly watchable and makes for some of the most enjoyable parts of the film.
Scarlett Johansson is perfect as Janet Leigh, the leading lady of Psycho. The film only alludes to hitch's obsession with his blonde leading ladies. We never see Hitch make any obvious advances towards Leigh in the film, but they do share a good amount of screen time together. Their relationship on screen is more friendly than anything else. Johannson plays her role perfectly, as I've already said. She not only looks just like Leigh, but her portrayal is simply fantastic, you will forget you're watching Johansson on screen. This is easily one of her best performances.
James D'Arcy also leaves quite the impression with his portrayal of Anthony Perkins. His portrayal is perfect, and makes for another performance where you will believe that Perkins has been brought back to life. D'Arcy perfectly captures Perkins' speech, body language, and look....making for quite a stunning performance. Unfortunately, D'Arcy isn't given much screen time but his few scenes he has he makes count.
Both him and Johansson throw their backs into their roles here, and they help to lift the film up to a higher degree. These two definitely deserve best supporting actor/actress nods for their work here as they prove that they are some of the more talented actors working today. They took small, throw-away roles and made us sit up and take notice.
Now onto my only complaint about the film: the romantic sub-plot. As I said before, in the middle of the film there is a fictional sub-plot about a sort-of/kind-of/not-really affair between Alma and another screen writer. The subplot only takes up space and makes for an unneeded and somewhat silly element. For starters, I couldn't take it seriously because it was created solely for the film and secondly, it takes away from the neat making-of aspect the film has going for it. That said, it does do some good in that it builds up to one of the film's best scenes: A heated argument between Alma and Hitch where both finally reach their breaking points. There are also silly parts of the film where Hitch gets to interact with Ed Gein, who gets to act as Hitch's guide/mentor throughout the film. These parts are kind of neat, but they also feel out of place and, as I said before, silly.
Hitchcock is a film that sets itself up to be a behind the scenes look at the making of Psycho, and while this is sprinkled throughout the film Hitchcock is really about the relationship between Alma and Hitch which is only exemplified by that unneeded subplot. I do like getting to delve into their relationship, and the subplot does act as more of a means to an ends (without it how would we get to see how much Hitch really needed Alma?) but for the most part, as I already said, the subplot only drags down the film.
Luckily, the film does sprinkle in neat real life touches to the famous director. We get several iconic shots of Hopkins as Hitch, his two dogs appear in several scenes, a shot of the Psycho House in the background, a neat little reference to The Birds at the end, and much much more. I also like how Hopkins speaks directly to the audience at the beginning and end of the film, making for nice bookmarks and giving Hitchcock a nice, complete feel.
Hitchcock was the rare film where I was geeking out quite a bit, so naturally I liked it a whole lot. While it is dragged down by that bothersome romantic subplot, the performances and making of aspect are strong enough and interesting enough that by the end you should have forgotten that subplot was even in the film at all. I am happy to give Hitchcock an enthusiastic 3 Stars, it is indeed a very good film that manages to be both entertaining and insightful though it is a bit fictional at times. Hitchcock is a film that should please any Hitchcock fan, horror fan, or movie geek.
3/5 STARS
In Hitchcock, we follow the great director when he is at a crossroads. Afraid that he is growing old, and fearing that he will have to repeat the same film until he dies, Hitchcock latches onto a promising but risky idea: adapting Robert Bloch's Psycho for the silver screen. When Paramount refuses to finance the film, Hitchcock and his wife Alma decide to foot the bill themselves, thus putting their house and beloved swimming pool in jeopardy. Adding to the stress of making the film is Hitchcock's suspicion that Alma may be having an affair with a wanna-be script writer. Will all this be too much for Hitch to handle?
Playing the famous director is none other than Anthony Hopkins. This is certainly one of his most difficult roles he has had to play, and it will without a doubt be one of his most scrutinized. I can safely say though, that luckily for us, Hopkins does a fantastic job as Hitchcock. He plays the role with a maturity that I honestly didn't expect. He easily switches from a childlike playfulness to anger to despair and so on and so forth. He does a pretty well-rounded and even portrayal of the director, and easily blends into his role here....it's not too hard to forget that this is Hopkins and not Hitchcock we are watching on the big screen.
Helen Mirren plays the role of Hitchcock's long suffering but faithful and devoted wife Alma, and is perhaps the strongest performance in the whole film. Mirren sells her role with a quiet sadness but a determined spirit that is entrancing. It is clear that she is the strongest one in the relationship, and is the support behind Hitch. Without Alma there to support him, Hitch falls apart as we get to witness first hand via an unconvincing and fictionalized romantic subplot that comes across as a bit forced.
Speaking of Alma and Hitch, Mirren and Hopkins have fantastic chemistry on screen, and it is a great joy to watch these two talented actors go toe to toe and play off of each other. Their dynamic on screen is endlessly watchable and makes for some of the most enjoyable parts of the film.
Scarlett Johansson is perfect as Janet Leigh, the leading lady of Psycho. The film only alludes to hitch's obsession with his blonde leading ladies. We never see Hitch make any obvious advances towards Leigh in the film, but they do share a good amount of screen time together. Their relationship on screen is more friendly than anything else. Johannson plays her role perfectly, as I've already said. She not only looks just like Leigh, but her portrayal is simply fantastic, you will forget you're watching Johansson on screen. This is easily one of her best performances.
James D'Arcy also leaves quite the impression with his portrayal of Anthony Perkins. His portrayal is perfect, and makes for another performance where you will believe that Perkins has been brought back to life. D'Arcy perfectly captures Perkins' speech, body language, and look....making for quite a stunning performance. Unfortunately, D'Arcy isn't given much screen time but his few scenes he has he makes count.
Both him and Johansson throw their backs into their roles here, and they help to lift the film up to a higher degree. These two definitely deserve best supporting actor/actress nods for their work here as they prove that they are some of the more talented actors working today. They took small, throw-away roles and made us sit up and take notice.
Now onto my only complaint about the film: the romantic sub-plot. As I said before, in the middle of the film there is a fictional sub-plot about a sort-of/kind-of/not-really affair between Alma and another screen writer. The subplot only takes up space and makes for an unneeded and somewhat silly element. For starters, I couldn't take it seriously because it was created solely for the film and secondly, it takes away from the neat making-of aspect the film has going for it. That said, it does do some good in that it builds up to one of the film's best scenes: A heated argument between Alma and Hitch where both finally reach their breaking points. There are also silly parts of the film where Hitch gets to interact with Ed Gein, who gets to act as Hitch's guide/mentor throughout the film. These parts are kind of neat, but they also feel out of place and, as I said before, silly.
Hitchcock is a film that sets itself up to be a behind the scenes look at the making of Psycho, and while this is sprinkled throughout the film Hitchcock is really about the relationship between Alma and Hitch which is only exemplified by that unneeded subplot. I do like getting to delve into their relationship, and the subplot does act as more of a means to an ends (without it how would we get to see how much Hitch really needed Alma?) but for the most part, as I already said, the subplot only drags down the film.
Luckily, the film does sprinkle in neat real life touches to the famous director. We get several iconic shots of Hopkins as Hitch, his two dogs appear in several scenes, a shot of the Psycho House in the background, a neat little reference to The Birds at the end, and much much more. I also like how Hopkins speaks directly to the audience at the beginning and end of the film, making for nice bookmarks and giving Hitchcock a nice, complete feel.
Hitchcock was the rare film where I was geeking out quite a bit, so naturally I liked it a whole lot. While it is dragged down by that bothersome romantic subplot, the performances and making of aspect are strong enough and interesting enough that by the end you should have forgotten that subplot was even in the film at all. I am happy to give Hitchcock an enthusiastic 3 Stars, it is indeed a very good film that manages to be both entertaining and insightful though it is a bit fictional at times. Hitchcock is a film that should please any Hitchcock fan, horror fan, or movie geek.
3/5 STARS
BEETLE'S WORST FILMS OF 2012-REVISED
Normally, you would see my list for Best Films of 2012 go up around this time, but I haven't seen Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, and Silver Linings Playbook yet and I don't want to put up an incomplete list so instead, today, for the first time ever, I present my Worst Films of 2012 list.
#10: Battleship- Contrary to popular belief it's really not a completely terrible film. it's got bad parts, good parts, and even a few awesome parts. That said it is indeed very silly and stupid, it steals elements from just about every facet of pop culture (Halo, Metroid, Transformers, etc.), and most of the acting is pretty bad (except for the old Navy guys, The black dude with no legs, Liam Neeson, Alexander Skaarsgard, and Rhianna.) It's really NOT an original, unique film. The film plays like a wild night of drinking: It's fun while you're watching, but after it's over you won't remember much and ur head will hurt.
#9: Piranha 3DD- Piranha 3DD ups the tits , but dilutes just about everything else that made the first film so great(Many more tits here...some nice, some not so nice. Unfortunately the film doesn't have fun with the nudity and doesnt even bother to linger on any of the body parts audiences are paying good money to see). It's very messy, poorly paced, lacks the fun atmosphere the first film created, and is badly acted by the leads. The only thing that saves the films are its talented cast of supporting roles/cameos. It's not particularly fun, chaotic, or bloody....but it does have its LOL moments. Don't expect much from this dud, except maybe a few laughs here and there. Piranha 3DD is, unfortunately, dead on arrival.
#8: Casa de Mi Padre- It's terrible, completely terrible....but that's kind of the point of the whole film. Will Ferrell is in it (that's all I can say about his performance here since he's considerably weaker than in other films), and Genesis Redriguez is super hot (easily the best part of the film, unfortunately her bare ass shots are that of a body double ). All in all, I'd say that the film just isn't all that funny or cool (I still get a headache thinking about it today).
#7: The Devil Inside- The film for the most part is really stupid, but it does start to get really interesting near the very end....and then it cuts to black. There is a definite ending to the film...it's just extremely fast and there is no resolution whatsoever and this leaves the viewer feeling vastly unsatisfied. The 2nd half of the film after the exorcism deals with some material that, if the filmmakers so wished, could really have made for a wholly interesting and different kind of film...instead they barely explore the situation they have set up. In the hands of someone else and with a slightly revised script this film could have been great. The parts before and during the exorcism are stupid and dull, the parts after the exorcism are pretty interesting, the end is a disappointment.
#6: ATM- It's bad....really bad. You don't care about the characters, and there are many parts that just don't make sense (see: the ending). Josh Peck and Alice Eve really are pretty talented but this fucking film gives them NOTHING to work with, not to mention it mistreats their characters in an unforgiveable way (Eve has ZERO character in the film, and Peck is portrayed as a snobbish well-to do and selfish ass hole, not to mention he gets what is essentially the worst treatment out of any character in the film). The film is really bad, really dull, and really boring. The characters have no character, and there are no scares.....really stupid, shitty film. Actually made me a lil bit angry.
#5: Paranormal Activity 4- It always makes me happy to get to bash on this terrible film.Paranormal Activity is a downright lazy, half-assed, and uninspired attempt. It's clear that the directors and writers had run the well of ideas and inspiration dry, and this is what we got. If you are walking in expecting a good story, good characters, a tense atmosphere, and some good scares then expect to be disappointed. Paranormal Activity 4 fails to advance the franchise, instead spinning it's wheels in the mud, managing to actually take the franchise as a whole several steps back (it even attempts to rip off the Shining). The story is uninspired and bland, the characters and scares are nonexistant. While there are a few glimmers of promise in this otherwise bland, blase film they are never taken full advantage of. It's clear that the writers and directors had no passion for this film and just didn't care about what they were making. Paranormal Activity 4 isn;t just the worst film in the franchise thus far, it's also the worst found footage film I've seen thus far (even the direct to dvd Grave Encounters was better than this shit).
#4: Rock of Ages- I wish this film would stop rollin, rock n rollin. You would not believe how many people I talk to that thought this was a great film...how anyone could sit through this and walk out singing it's praises dumbfounds me. As a love letter to rock n' roll and as a rousing musical Rock of Ages fails on both counts. The story is limper than a wet noodle, the two main leads lack charisma, Alec Baldwin seems like he would rather be anywhere else, and the first 20 minutes is mind-achingly bad. The best part of this film is Russel Brand, who is the only one who appears to be enjoying himself here (besides Hey Man the Baboon) and is easily the beating heart of this film. While some of the musical numbers are fun (Most fall flat on their face), the film itself is quite tedious and is false in its proposed love of Rock n Roll. I really disliked this film, heavily disliked it. This film should have been a joyous ode to 80's rock n' roll, but instead it more so resembles a half-hearted desperate cash-grab fueled by misplaced nostalgia and ulterior motives. A terrible film, plain and simple.
#3: House at the End of the Street: My god this film was bad!!! The first hour is your typical teen soap opera, and the last 41 minutes is your typical beat for beat (by some act of God all the lead players wind up at the main house for the big finale), paint by the numbers, bloodless (literally, people get stabbed numerous times but we never see any blood) horror film. There are a few twists near the end, but they are fairly easy to predict early on. As if this weren't enough, there is a painful, ear-bleedingly bad phoned in score that plays throughout....words fail to describe how awful that score truly is. Overall, while the teen soap opera parts are pretty dull, at least they aren't downright painful like the horror parts are.
#2: Lovely Molly- If you like this film then you are a terrible, ugly human being. The film tries to be a new kind of horror film, one that has a hidden message about female empowerment (and God knows how much I fucking hate female empowerment films, the only one I've ever enjoyed was Girl With the Dragon Tattoo). However, it doesn't help that the main character of Molly is a complete psycho bitch, and the few times where the other characters can do something to prevent her insanity they falter and hesitate. This film is fucking terrible, I hated every character in it and I hated where it decides it go. It's a film that thinks it's edgy to have it's main character kill a young child. I hated this movie and everything it stands for. Fuck this film, fuck the filmmakers and fuck the actors that signed on to partake in this disgusting, dark, despicable and downright ugly drama. If this film teaches us anything at all, it's that some women are not to be trusted, no matter how hot they may be (and yes, Gretchen Lodge is indeed quite hot as the film has no problem showing with some full frontal nudity). This is one film that deserves to be buried far underneath the ground, where no one can see it and where I can pretend it doesn't exist. Lovely Molly is a film that hates men and spends most of it's time wagging it's finger in your face, I HATE films like that....I really do. That said, at least this one had effort put into it, at least it had a script and actors attempting to act....all things which the number one film on this list lack. Yes, while Lovely Molly is easily my least favorite film of 2012, the honor of worst film of 2012 goes to....
#1: Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie- Dear God, I hope this film didn't really cost a billion dollars to make. Surprisingly, there are a few chuckle-worthy parts in this film and the first 20 minutes is fairly entertaining, unfortunately the film is still every bit as terrible as you have heard due to a lack of a script ( I DARE you to find me a copy of a script, the whole thing reeks of bad improv) and a refusal to atempt to act. The two main characters are completely unlikable idiots, and most of the celebrity cameos suck HARD, but that's not what makes this film so bad. The film throws the most raunchy material in your face and thinks it's being funny, but it isn't (like a scene where a character is forced to sit in a tub while small children defecate all over him till he is drowning in shit.... actually, that's a pretty good metaphor for how it feels to sit and watch this film. Another example of the kind of humor found in this film is Tim's "adoption" of a janitor's young son against both the son and the janitor's will....I could give you more examples but I'll show mercy and stop there). It's just being painfully juvenile and immature. Some comedies pull this type of humor off pretty well, but Tim and Eric approach it like a kid who just let a smelly, loud one rip and giggles at it. I'm filing this one under DO NOT WATCH....EVER and SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE and WHY GOD WHY!!!
So, there you have it folks, my Worst Of 2012 list. It is my hope that making this list today has saved you from watching some real stinkers. Be on the lookout for my Best Of list, which will hopefully be up by early february. Till then, Stay Classy!!
#10: Battleship- Contrary to popular belief it's really not a completely terrible film. it's got bad parts, good parts, and even a few awesome parts. That said it is indeed very silly and stupid, it steals elements from just about every facet of pop culture (Halo, Metroid, Transformers, etc.), and most of the acting is pretty bad (except for the old Navy guys, The black dude with no legs, Liam Neeson, Alexander Skaarsgard, and Rhianna.) It's really NOT an original, unique film. The film plays like a wild night of drinking: It's fun while you're watching, but after it's over you won't remember much and ur head will hurt.
#9: Piranha 3DD- Piranha 3DD ups the tits , but dilutes just about everything else that made the first film so great(Many more tits here...some nice, some not so nice. Unfortunately the film doesn't have fun with the nudity and doesnt even bother to linger on any of the body parts audiences are paying good money to see). It's very messy, poorly paced, lacks the fun atmosphere the first film created, and is badly acted by the leads. The only thing that saves the films are its talented cast of supporting roles/cameos. It's not particularly fun, chaotic, or bloody....but it does have its LOL moments. Don't expect much from this dud, except maybe a few laughs here and there. Piranha 3DD is, unfortunately, dead on arrival.
#8: Casa de Mi Padre- It's terrible, completely terrible....but that's kind of the point of the whole film. Will Ferrell is in it (that's all I can say about his performance here since he's considerably weaker than in other films), and Genesis Redriguez is super hot (easily the best part of the film, unfortunately her bare ass shots are that of a body double ). All in all, I'd say that the film just isn't all that funny or cool (I still get a headache thinking about it today).
#7: The Devil Inside- The film for the most part is really stupid, but it does start to get really interesting near the very end....and then it cuts to black. There is a definite ending to the film...it's just extremely fast and there is no resolution whatsoever and this leaves the viewer feeling vastly unsatisfied. The 2nd half of the film after the exorcism deals with some material that, if the filmmakers so wished, could really have made for a wholly interesting and different kind of film...instead they barely explore the situation they have set up. In the hands of someone else and with a slightly revised script this film could have been great. The parts before and during the exorcism are stupid and dull, the parts after the exorcism are pretty interesting, the end is a disappointment.
#6: ATM- It's bad....really bad. You don't care about the characters, and there are many parts that just don't make sense (see: the ending). Josh Peck and Alice Eve really are pretty talented but this fucking film gives them NOTHING to work with, not to mention it mistreats their characters in an unforgiveable way (Eve has ZERO character in the film, and Peck is portrayed as a snobbish well-to do and selfish ass hole, not to mention he gets what is essentially the worst treatment out of any character in the film). The film is really bad, really dull, and really boring. The characters have no character, and there are no scares.....really stupid, shitty film. Actually made me a lil bit angry.
#5: Paranormal Activity 4- It always makes me happy to get to bash on this terrible film.Paranormal Activity is a downright lazy, half-assed, and uninspired attempt. It's clear that the directors and writers had run the well of ideas and inspiration dry, and this is what we got. If you are walking in expecting a good story, good characters, a tense atmosphere, and some good scares then expect to be disappointed. Paranormal Activity 4 fails to advance the franchise, instead spinning it's wheels in the mud, managing to actually take the franchise as a whole several steps back (it even attempts to rip off the Shining). The story is uninspired and bland, the characters and scares are nonexistant. While there are a few glimmers of promise in this otherwise bland, blase film they are never taken full advantage of. It's clear that the writers and directors had no passion for this film and just didn't care about what they were making. Paranormal Activity 4 isn;t just the worst film in the franchise thus far, it's also the worst found footage film I've seen thus far (even the direct to dvd Grave Encounters was better than this shit).
#4: Rock of Ages- I wish this film would stop rollin, rock n rollin. You would not believe how many people I talk to that thought this was a great film...how anyone could sit through this and walk out singing it's praises dumbfounds me. As a love letter to rock n' roll and as a rousing musical Rock of Ages fails on both counts. The story is limper than a wet noodle, the two main leads lack charisma, Alec Baldwin seems like he would rather be anywhere else, and the first 20 minutes is mind-achingly bad. The best part of this film is Russel Brand, who is the only one who appears to be enjoying himself here (besides Hey Man the Baboon) and is easily the beating heart of this film. While some of the musical numbers are fun (Most fall flat on their face), the film itself is quite tedious and is false in its proposed love of Rock n Roll. I really disliked this film, heavily disliked it. This film should have been a joyous ode to 80's rock n' roll, but instead it more so resembles a half-hearted desperate cash-grab fueled by misplaced nostalgia and ulterior motives. A terrible film, plain and simple.
#3: House at the End of the Street: My god this film was bad!!! The first hour is your typical teen soap opera, and the last 41 minutes is your typical beat for beat (by some act of God all the lead players wind up at the main house for the big finale), paint by the numbers, bloodless (literally, people get stabbed numerous times but we never see any blood) horror film. There are a few twists near the end, but they are fairly easy to predict early on. As if this weren't enough, there is a painful, ear-bleedingly bad phoned in score that plays throughout....words fail to describe how awful that score truly is. Overall, while the teen soap opera parts are pretty dull, at least they aren't downright painful like the horror parts are.
#2: Lovely Molly- If you like this film then you are a terrible, ugly human being. The film tries to be a new kind of horror film, one that has a hidden message about female empowerment (and God knows how much I fucking hate female empowerment films, the only one I've ever enjoyed was Girl With the Dragon Tattoo). However, it doesn't help that the main character of Molly is a complete psycho bitch, and the few times where the other characters can do something to prevent her insanity they falter and hesitate. This film is fucking terrible, I hated every character in it and I hated where it decides it go. It's a film that thinks it's edgy to have it's main character kill a young child. I hated this movie and everything it stands for. Fuck this film, fuck the filmmakers and fuck the actors that signed on to partake in this disgusting, dark, despicable and downright ugly drama. If this film teaches us anything at all, it's that some women are not to be trusted, no matter how hot they may be (and yes, Gretchen Lodge is indeed quite hot as the film has no problem showing with some full frontal nudity). This is one film that deserves to be buried far underneath the ground, where no one can see it and where I can pretend it doesn't exist. Lovely Molly is a film that hates men and spends most of it's time wagging it's finger in your face, I HATE films like that....I really do. That said, at least this one had effort put into it, at least it had a script and actors attempting to act....all things which the number one film on this list lack. Yes, while Lovely Molly is easily my least favorite film of 2012, the honor of worst film of 2012 goes to....
#1: Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie- Dear God, I hope this film didn't really cost a billion dollars to make. Surprisingly, there are a few chuckle-worthy parts in this film and the first 20 minutes is fairly entertaining, unfortunately the film is still every bit as terrible as you have heard due to a lack of a script ( I DARE you to find me a copy of a script, the whole thing reeks of bad improv) and a refusal to atempt to act. The two main characters are completely unlikable idiots, and most of the celebrity cameos suck HARD, but that's not what makes this film so bad. The film throws the most raunchy material in your face and thinks it's being funny, but it isn't (like a scene where a character is forced to sit in a tub while small children defecate all over him till he is drowning in shit.... actually, that's a pretty good metaphor for how it feels to sit and watch this film. Another example of the kind of humor found in this film is Tim's "adoption" of a janitor's young son against both the son and the janitor's will....I could give you more examples but I'll show mercy and stop there). It's just being painfully juvenile and immature. Some comedies pull this type of humor off pretty well, but Tim and Eric approach it like a kid who just let a smelly, loud one rip and giggles at it. I'm filing this one under DO NOT WATCH....EVER and SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE and WHY GOD WHY!!!
So, there you have it folks, my Worst Of 2012 list. It is my hope that making this list today has saved you from watching some real stinkers. Be on the lookout for my Best Of list, which will hopefully be up by early february. Till then, Stay Classy!!
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