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An error has ocurred. Please try againI do not pretend to speak for the People here but here are a bunch of great movies the Academy should've showed more love....This is a work in progress and forgive me my limited vocabulary. Me no native,brother...
Reviews
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
It´s a solid Star Wars flick. WHO exactly are you agressive haters?
No really,I´m curious. I was born in in 1978,kinda grew up with these films and by now I am a handsome but still somewhat old (42) man. As a kid I was mesmerized and a bit obsessed with these films,I loved the first trilogy,concidered it the greatest movies ever....then I hit puberty,got laid and saw things a bit differently. Still,who are ya?
If you´re MY age and take this stuff so serious as to boicott,shame and send death threats to an asian actress cause she is asian or just a terrible actress....then you need many,many years of intense therapy. On the flipside,if you´re alot younger than me,which logic suggests you should be....then eat your vegetables,get a hobby,shut up and get your own thing.
There´s plenty of movies for people like you,all you´re doing is hijacking the culture and entertainment of those who came before you,play it off like it was yours all along with a psychotic sense of entitlement. You didn´t even exist when the first trilogy came out and I bet you were still a virgin when Clones was released,so....Star Wars was never your thing,your world,you just latched onto it like a parasite.
That the nerdiest franchise has the most disturbed,aggressive and creepy fanbase is a paradox that isn´t funny,just makes me sad. Well,hope you are okay now,you feel better now,yes? All your whing and moaning of course resulted in the Rise of Skywalker where Abrams,the wrong man for this job from the word go tried to please you all and ended up pleasing no one....no one includes 84% of us who just go to the movies to have a good time and escape reality for a few hours.
Your loud and obnoxious criticism and hate was actually listened and pandered to and the rest of us who just like Star wars but aren´t nuts and demand individual fanfiction be turned into a 500 million dollar movie, paid the price,we were let down by that movie. You? You were gonna be let down no matter what cause sadly,since the internet,not only do we all have a voice but even worse,our voices matter if we scream,make threats and like here,write reviews,rate it 1 or 2 and then don´t specify anything.
Very interesting that the votes giving it 10 is almost double those who give it a 1,yet when we read the reviews....yeah,you can see which ones have gotten the thumbs up,meaning= Fans of cinema and yes,of Star Wars cast a vote and let it be. We don´t make an effort to manipulate the consensus,which at 7.0 still suggests most people find this a solid flick. And it is.
Now,out the gate,I will say that I can´t think of another trilogy handled this poorly,from set-up,intent to tone,focus on character to an ending making sense,these two directors have very different styles and as a whole,it did not work,it is a schizophrenic,lazy and confused trilogy,one director trying to correct or erase or generically replicate where obligated the work of the other...?
Because of their two very different ambitions;Johnson clearly wanted to break the generic,predictable mold,light up the past,be done with it and move forward with the franchise with endless possibilities. He makes an effort of making these characters more than what they were in the previous films,he elevates them from archetypes to human beings,flawed and messy in a few key ways and that gets us more involved. He made an attempt to evolve what a large group of people prefer to keep frozen in time,comfortable arrested development in space. Abrams did not share that vision,a tradionalist setting a predictable course and then breaking his back to correct it and forced to wrap it up even more predictable and fanserving than planned.
Yeah,this trilogy was not wellplanned or structured. Blame the studio and you mostly though I find this hated movie quite enjoyable. Johnson´s tone is a bit less nerdy or atleast he seems to be aware of the amount of corn that comes with the franchise.
Steve Yedlins cinematography is great,it´s a breath of fresh air,he doesn´t feel bound to the nerdiness but uses different filters,angles and palettes,he makes the film look fresh and far from generic.
Johnsons writing is subversive,I guess which made alot of you upset but just cause he tried to breathe new life into the universe by making bold choices,many good,some bad,you got furious since in your minds "That character would never do that" which as in the case of Luke,REALLY meant "I do not like the way you handled and wrote this and that character", which,when you boil it down,really is summed up by many of you wanting your fanfiction,individual fanfiction put up on the silver screen,with all your comics and tv-shows and scary commitment to these things most of the world know zero about.
Luke having screwed up,having remorse and living like an ermite brings out the best of Hamill as Luke,he is brilliant here, (Although he himself disliking his characters fate,publicly none the less,was regrettable. All things end. That role made his entire career,without it,he is nothing,felt a bit ungrateful....I was not to keen on seeing a 94 year old Skywalker in diapers so I felt his heroic sendoff was very fitting).
The character development made sense as far as major players go,it just wasn´t a development you wanted to accept,baby not likey. It´s not the worlds fault that you associate Luke Skywalker with your lost youth OR your recent pimples and saying goodbye to him means you have to move on with your life or atleast accept change. Characters die and we don´t always get what we want.
Del Toro screwed up his career but reminds us what a screen presence he has as the studdering DJ,one of very few characters in the trilogy with shades of grey,he sees the war for what it is an opportunist and concider both sides jerks. The whole cast is great,Serkis as arrogant,cruel Snook is awesome.
And just the fact many of you whined,how he died,he was the big bad,he shouldn´t have died etc....No,YOU,in your heads made him the big bad! Sadly,you wanted history to repeat itself,Snook displaying more of his power,Kylo being subservient,biding his time and throwing him down an elevator shaft in the last movie,that didn´t happen,you didn´t approve cause change and unpredictability is not things you seem to cherish. Watch the films again and notice that he was never gonna be the big bad and his death makes perfect sense.
As for comedy....this is the only funny SW-movie I´ve seen. Might not be a shock,it´s not an American Pie franchise. Two outta four jokes landed and I giggled here and there,Rian has a sense of humour this movie needed...Still,I realized and felt when I laughed for the 12th time that,you know "Calm down,ease up on the jokes. Yes,we appreciate the comedy,it´s needed but I feel like you might be overdoing it."
So the comedy worked but I feel there was too much of it,cutting out the bits that didn´t land would´ve been nice but without a crystal ball,that won´t work.
Best visual effects and production design in the whole saga,literally amazing,not much food for thought but this film is so gorgous to look at. The different plot threads don´t really come together in a very coherent or satisfying way,though it never really could. I know it´s the problematic middle film,things will (Lol...was gonna?) come together in the end but it does feel somewhat disjointed,as he didn´t always know where to put his focus and when. Or maybe hindsight creates that impression?
Throw in demands,expectations,psychotics and setting up a third film for,who knows and you will run into problems as a director.....Still,another minor quibble,it was a bit too long for this screenplay,too stretched out,you could easily cut 15 minutes.
Reactions like yours,we´ve all had them at some point,although being so vocal about them isn´t the norm. But if a film has a ludicrous plot twist or a character dies in unrealistic fashion,it ruins the movie,Grrr...but wait,you had high hopes and hate this film now,this was just time and money wasted so what does your brain do? It actively starts to look for more flaws,more nitpicks,more reasons to justify the bitter cricifixion of this piece of entertainment cause this insults how the story was gonna play out in your head.
Still,TLJ is an entertaining,greatlooking,oddly funny and satisfying entry for fans (I can´t use that word anymore thanks to you toxic losers) of sci-fi and those who like but doesn´t obsess and worship and scrutinize Star wars down to microscopic fragments. PS. Look what you did,from a storytelling perspective. You hated the diversity or performance,whatever,of the actress playing Rose who had a prominent role in this one? Right.
And since you bullied the studio and SW-creators into submission,all she got in the Rise of Skywalker was two redundant scenes and 3 minutes of screentime,important supporting player turned to irrelevant extra for your sake,making her pivotal role in this one end up a bizarre, incomplete arc that has no point or makes no sense since Abrams listened to you guys,he cowered (Not saying she was great,I´m just saying you went way over the line and should´ve ordered another basement-pizza).
It has great action,drama,bold moves that can´t be undone,some dull spots and a few nonsensical or lazy decisions but mostly it´s a blast and alot of that is due to Johnsons own subversive,reinvigorating and pretty clever vision. He didn´t please the fanatics but now I´m, thinking...maybe that is a good thing? Yeah,it´s better than the alternative. I know you feel like it but these characters aren´t your property,they´re just characters.
Don´t talk about greed,money and the pandering in TROS. Without your spent money giving you entitlement,your rabid fury over a safe franchise resetting and taking creative risks and your need for individual course correction this might´ve been a great trilogy. This movie is on Johnson,for good and bad,the last chapter is on you and a literal embodiement of "Be careful what you wish for."
Whiplash (2014)
The hype is pretty much justified. Whiplash is a superbly acted adrenaline-shot.
Being a film that won three Oscars and being ranked nr.36 on IMDb's top 250,this film had a lot to live up to and based on the trailer,I had no huge expectations in any way...but I was curious. And my curiosity was answered,met and extremely satisfied.
This is not a film with many important characters,most of the support,like Paul Reisers odd but concerned dad exist only in the periphery....and that is completely okay,a film does not have to go all Magnolia and have half of Hollywood in it,sometimes all you need to make true sparks fly is an overlooked character actor and a newcomer,eager to prove himself.
Miles Teller,of whom I've never heard,delivers a star-making performance. Truly impressive,showing an extreme range juggling Andrews insecurities,obsession,frustration,inner turmoil and rage. I expect great things from this young man.
I have never held J.K Simmons in extremely high regard. I really dug him in OZ and as Jonah Jameson in the Spider-man series but otherwise,he often didn't really register,having a face that God seemed to have shaped to define the true expression of constant dead-pan sarcasm. Simmons completely sheds his usual on-screen persona here. Sure,his Fletcher is mean,a bully,a tormentor,a sadistic perfectionist....but he is given so much depth and complexity,handled by Simmons without missing a note,not one moment rings false.
This man will sacrifice his own career just to find the next Charlie Parker;What first comes off as cruelty is a test of our young protagonists ambition. I might hate to admit it,as a big fan of Ruffalo's work in Foxcatcher and Norton's in Birdman but this veteran actor truly deserved his golden statue.
This is a film about obsession,narcissism,competition,ambition and music. Both of the main characters have the same goal;For Andrew to achieve absolute greatness. The road to that possible goal is unfortunately for Andrew paved with abuse,torture and self-torture,all instigated by Fletchers harsh but effective coaching.
One of them must take the role as antagonist for both to be able to reach their common goal,which might be easier said then done. This film,especially Andrews bleeding fingers,makes drumming seem more intense and endurance-demanding then Mixed Martial Arts,it sucks you in and refuses to let go.
No,none of the two leads(Maybe Simmons should've been up for a lead Oscar)are especially likable,Fletchers vulgar persona is pretty quickly presented to us,while Andrew in a hilariously awkward scene breaks up with his girlfriend based on elaborate,selfish speculation on how she would react to him having drumming as his number-one-passion. They may not be that likable but they are very human and though not admitting it,they both know they're flawed individuals.
The editing is amazing in this film. The frantic rhythm,the close,effective cuts in a rhythmic,musical tempo,especially during the films drumming-sessions,are hypnotic. Along with the flawless sound-mixing,that makes for three very well deserved Oscars. What a film!What an energy! What a masterpiece! I can not wait to see what the confident newcomer Damien Chazell brings us in the future. If this is not your tempo,then I don't know what is.
Collateral (2004)
Cruise,Ruffalo and Foxx shine in a tense,philosophical thriller. But it redefines suspension of disbelief and the third act prevents true greatness.
7,8,7,7,8...this is yet another time I wish the rating system had more options. But we can't always get what we want.
Like Collateral ending up a film that is more then the sum of its parts,a film that delivers an end-result that lives up to its ongoing promise of a classic and make you feel content and blown away when the credits roll. Collateral in the end becomes slightly schizophren,going from intellectual,tense and intriguing to chase-action,script out the window.
But it's never a bad film and for so long,it's a brilliant,hypnotizing film. Cruise manages to portray his nihilistic,cold assassin,a man who lacks depth cause it seems he wants to(though humanity shines through when he lets his guard down)....with depth. It's hard to explain and even trickier for an actor to pull off. Vincents grey suit and whole persona is on paper DeNiros McCauley in Heat,yet he creates something unreplicable. His best along with Magnolia.
A man with very little soul but who's a doer,a man of action takes Foxx's cabdriver hostage,a man with heart and a soul but a dreamer who lies to himself to get through the day without even knowing it with plans that remain just that. Polar opposites.
Vincent see through Maxx facade but doesn't bully him,sort of respects the working man. It takes a bit longer for Maxx to both get the balls to speak out and see Vincent for what he truly is but he gets there.
Good and evil debate,rationalize and share their very different views on life,there's a verbal and moral battle going on,a fight with words,culminating in both men calling the other out,holding up a mirror of the other mans twisted perception of himself.
Vincent isn't the kind of villain that will pistol-whip you if you say something he doesn't want to hear,no matter how harsh or true. He will defend his point of view and make Max confron his own selfdelusions and hypocrisy. The dialog between the two men is excellent written,Beattie does so much right for so long and the actors deliver. Foxx makes Max likable,we feel for him,how long can he let his fear get other people killed? He has to maintain an artificial cool for his safety at the same time as we see his increasing anger and frustration. Still,Oscarnom? Hmm...
Critics want to call L.A the third lead and though the city is as Vincent and Crash says"sprawly and disconnected,no one knows anyone.",it is a place Mann likes to root his crime sagas in,it's a soulless,cold city and makes it a unlikely but fascinating location for faiths to intertwine as they do here....still the third lead,minor one though and not from start to finish is played by Mark Ruffalo. His det. Ray Fanning is everything Harrelson failed to be in No Country for old men,without him it's a different film. It would get a bit claustrophobic in that cab for 2hrs,so the (Badass)introduction and subplot involving hope for Max is very welcome.
While not his best role,it might be his best performance. Gone is the shy rom-com guy or lovable loser we're used to. With swagger,facial hair,earring,backslick hairdo and mannerisms of a confident man,clothes look pimp,he Becomes Fanning. The eyes are restless,gears in his head grinding,a man of intuition and conscience.
Sure,it helps that his partner and the F.B.I are borderline-retarded but he still comes across as a street-smart,respectable cop and as the bodies pile up,he's the one who sees a pattern. Vincent's a wolf,so is Fanning,he's got the scent and can't ignore it. His obsession for the truth puts him in harms way.
The cop"with the crazy theory on his own" is a cliché-role but always a leading one,here it fits the story. We identify with him since he is the voice of reason...steals the flick,barely.
Jada Pinkett-Smith is an attorney we see briefly(It's almost a cameo) and we know we will see her again. From her chat with Max,we get that she is a workaholic and like the three men,a creature of the night. Four professionals who all are great at what they do and all will collide and paths will cross...and credibility will take a beating.
You see Annie get into Max's cab. Then Vincent gets into his cab. Fanning goes to see his snitch shortly after snitch has been payed a visit. Cop and baddie manages to end up in the same elevator. And that's just the beginning. Fates intertwine,really?
In the end,it is a tale with so many(Just one or two too many) unrealistic coincidences that Manns digital camera that gives it its realistic feeling make that effect slightly backfires.
The tension rises and after a very exciting but somewhat preposterous scene where an important player disappears from the story,unfortunately a lot or most of the scripts depth and ambiguity goes with him. Critics,you,me,we all agree the plot and film was more intriguing when it focused on the dynamic between Cruise and Foxx,with a plot in constant,unpredictable development.
Mann knows action,its not a dull moment but he goes overboard and the superassassin both becomes too super and too incompetent for no good reason except...we're"supposed" to want this. Compared to what came before,I didn't and suggest all fans of suspense to see this once,enjoy it and savor the memory of it.
It has a,lot of great moments(wolfs,man),great acting(Javier Bardem and Irma P.Hall put in good support),awesome editing and good music...it's just that it was headed towards a masterpiece. It's two thirds of that. One third mediocrity:(
The Grey (2011)
Close to a masterpiece. It's brutal,moving,haunting....and Grillos breakthrough.
A man who felt existence was pointless finds a bravery and strength within,determined and focused taping a knife to one hand,broken bottles to the other,about to face off against a equally focused,intimidating wolf. Another man,earlier claimed how bad he wanted to live,sits down on a log injured, calmly stating that his journey and his life will end here. Smiling,he reflects on his mundane,petty existence consisting of booze and work and realize that it's not all that. Pointing at the beautiful,snowy,landscape,he says-"I feel like that's all for me. How do I beat that. When will it ever get better?"
These two mens actions when it comes to facing their likely end are as different and far away from one another as possible. Yet they are the same. None of them is letting anyone else,not wolves,chance or fate choose their fate. They don't let death decide for them,this is on their terms.
Man...what a punch. Right to my gut. No,it's not Taken 2 with Neeson fistfighting an organization of insane wolfes to get his daughter back...ya dummie. Carnahan tells this tragedy with a beautiful,visual clarity,an unsettling sense of real dread, patience and respect. Respect for death,our fear for it,for camaraderie,for our fate. The cinematographer from Warrior does an amazing job,there's always beauty...even when there's carnage.
That's a big part here;contrasts or contradictions if you will. We are never more alive then when we feel death is close,our hearts pumping. When these men fight for their lives,hunted by The grey,they also,at every second,exist in The grey. You have the precious gift of life,the light within all of us,emphasized by the constant,white,bloodstained snow.
Then you have the ugly,brutal,black beast(Wolfy)that is eternal death. And these men walk every step in the grey,with both feet in both worlds,as nature both becomes one enemy that spawns another. It's philosophical in a very primal,natural way,it won't raise any new questions about death but will deal with the timeless,painful ones in a very honest,dignified way.
The unsentimental,though never detached or distant directing makes us feel like a part of the group in when the men conversate and in the presence of death,the likely topic will be life in all it's forms,all the little and big things we take for for granted;Sex,food,family,kids,every breath...and I found myself laughing when they did,knowing they may never laugh again. Yes,hypothermia would strike somewhat soon. Yes,Ottway should tell them to sharpen sticks. But wolves in a pack,as the tacticians they are,will either stay away...or move in for a slaughter if they feel threatened and outnumber men. One killed man in 100 years? Hehe,no,not correct.It's not a documentary,it's a tale of survival but Carnahan isn't completely off base.
Like the wolves have an alpha who's challenged,so does the humans. Though the screenplay initially forces them against each other in a somewhat contrived manner (What do dead men need money for?),Neesons Ottway and Frank Grillos Diaz give us some of the films greatest moments. They have a lot in common,despite their clash.
Diaz's friend just got chewed up but he's protecting his macho-ego with chestpuffing,swagger and knife cause that's all he has and knows. Until extreme circumstances make us see another side,or the side we saw hidden all along.
Grillo. Impressive what a mustache and a tan can do physically. But internally,the actor from Pride and Glory and Warrior(Both Carnahan projects),who mostly has felt Very soap opera pretty boy to me(49 in June?Wow,decent genes.) pulls off something special,the transformation from a confrontational, dangerous liability to a man who lets go of pretends and posturing and opens up,earns our sympathy(plus makes a spectacular reflex redemption)is the surprise of 2012. Oscarnom? Best support so far.
Dallas Roberts's Henrick is a sensitive,collected guy you just want to see survive. Mulroney is a likable everyday dad. Unfortunately,some of these 7 are too undeveloped. Another contrast,not perfect. With his superstar-status,Liam Neeson stands out,every now and again reminding us a bit too much that we're watching a film. Still,he has officially perfected the wise,bad-ass mentor/killer.
He brings a bold,naked vulnerability to Ottway the bad-ass,making us at times wonder how good his advice is,considering his love for living. Oscarnom? Yeah,he's great.
Suspense of disbelief has never been more approved by me then here. The animals represent death,period. Logic's not the point,just like the seconds after the credits roll are Secondary;the outcome's not what was important. Obviously.
We'll do everything to survive but how will we handle the moment when we realize the good fight isn't gonna be won? Will we go out on our knees or on our feet? Is it about how long we live or how we punch out? The grey's a beautiful,raw,honest film. Let this one slide over ya.
The Three Musketeers (2011)
WHAT? An adaptation that isn't an exact replica of books or films? The horror...
Lighten up. See the name of the director and gladly stay away or have complaints that aren't based on logic.
"What would those wires trigger,an electronic alarm?" Eeh...no,bells probably... "How come Aramis can make a leap from that height without even twisting his ankle?" God damn it,wh...Well,the musketeers are so legendary and mythological,maybe it was time to have fun with and present these guys as something close to superheroes,which the source material in a way view them as,larger-then-life...fitting words for this updated,laid-back version.
"Sophisticated" people,often say;You should read a book now and again instead of just watching simple movies." In this case,I have to reply"Take the time to see a movie and view it as a movie instead of just reading books."
Everything evolves(not always for better of course),that's everything and just cause something's classic doesn't mean that it's gold. Dumas's stories about his musketeers isn't Shakespeare,no metaphor for the afterlife,it's adventure with a splash of thriller plot-wise.
Who wants to see the same film over and over with the only difference being the actors? Not me. Adapt or die...
Most of the story is intact. Milady is still a double-agent,the musketeers still have their virtues and flaws.Dartagnan will still run into a few men during a chase and challenge them all to duels and all will show up at the same location and time and...it's silly. I said it. And that's from the book.
It's not a film that stands still,there's chasing,slicing and goofing and we get crisp cinematography for once by Anderson,good camera-work and everything about the surface is beautiful....I DO feel like a lot of hate just comes based on Andersons resume;If you"know"movies,you shouldn't like this,hence judging and sentencing it from a biased view.
The cast is mostly able and sufficient for this kind of easygoing entertainment. Walz doesn't reek of menace and evil,I hear as complaint...but what kind of Cardinal would that make? As he says"Evil is just a point of view" and lends a sophisticated,calm malice to Richelieu,who if we're honest looked a bit like a daft pedophile in Tim Currys flesh. Stevenson IS Porthos,Evans compensate lack of good material with charisma as Aramis and McFayden is funny as Arthos.
Lehrman is certainly the weak link. Don't know his age but he looks 17 tops and him challenging menacing villains and big heroes...doesn't really work and you almost laugh. An androgyn actor.
Jovovich,the directors wife,looks alright for 48:) but has way too much screen time and way too little range as an actress. Anderson should learn to separate career from personal life,at times it's almost"De Winters adventure".
Bloom in the "controversial" role as the cunning and arrogant Buckingham gives a flamboyant performance to say the least and is enjoyable,though clearly over the top.Things simmer along with not that many things to get excited about or to complain about,a solid but too familiar adventure that doesn't put our protagonists in serious harms way. Enter Mads Mikkelsen and TTT's most spot-on performance.
As Rochefort,at times a thankless role,he again stands out and rises above the material. The one-eyed captan is at his core far from a coward,which we will see but he wants results,quick,sees no point in honor and is indifferent to how an adversary is beaten. A sleazy,cool baddie worthy of walking in Lees and Wincotts footsteps. Every time he strays from the narrative,things get a bit too harmless....and the movie is most fun when it strays actually,high in the sky.
The third act raises The musketeers from a somewhat fun,somewhat hollow 5 to a 7. In the end,I judge Andersons job here,not on his own merits cause then this is a masterpiece but for it's genre. It's a fast-paced ride with airships,300 slow-mo,a finale with a duel on a rooftop to a majestic score that despite weaknesses and changes(NOT the same thing) is well worth the watch.
I don't think Dumas would be spinning in his grave even remotely,I think he'd pop up and say:"This was brave and fresh...slightly dumb but thank you for breathing new life into my work. I liked this."
The reason for one character being welcome in a probable sequel and another one not is slightly obvious and annoying though.
Inception (2010)
A beautiful surface,hollow content. Gifted cast wasted and Nolan gets stuck between reinvention and desperate pretensions.
Inception makes the average moviegoer feel smart and I would have zero problem with that,unless fans weren't so extremely elitist and condescending. I DO get it...and neither love or hate it. Limited vocabulary but maybe a good read?
DiCaprio has reached such super-stardom that can only be compared with Stallone,Schwarzenegger and Will Smith. Meaning:No matter who stars alongside him,he's the only one who sells the film.Just like in Shutter Island,Inceptions trailer only mentions LEONARDO.DICAPRIO.
If Watanabe,Cotilliard,Murphy and the rest(Oscarwinners and Oscarnominees,come on) co-star,I might want to know. Studios,respect actors...and ON PAPER,the mix of actors intrigues.
Plotwise though,it's all about Mal.Nolan had all the time he wanted to create a caper that was provocative or involved fates of main characters,danger! Morally ambiguous maybe! Yet,planting the seed in a business-mans head that selling his fathers company is his own idea is the result. HOW PG and unpersonal can we get? No room for both a new concept,a bold plot and developed characters...? Nope.
Understand it could've been to get a mail-man to call in sick the next day,heist irrelevant. 80% of Inception evolves around the caper,still it merely becomes window dressing,a distraction from the core,the human heart that occasionally beats,being the relationship between Dom and his bad conscience in the shape of Cotilliards Mal.
All scenes involving her are superb,it's a nuanced performance worthy of an Oscarnomination. Mal is dangerous,sad,disturbed, beautiful and Very dead. One scene especially involving a ledge is great,heartbreaking cinema. That the person who's most alive and complex is deceased..Paradox...but a good hint at the misuse of actors.
Several actors could just've switched names,their characters don't have personalities. What did you do here,Christopher? They describe rules for the dreamworld,dream-extraction,describe what's happening at the moment, that's it.
When Swick casted Watanabe in The last samurai,he knew the screenplay matched the mans potential. Nolan has with Batman begins and Inception twice wasted his talent...Murphy? Think I rather see him type-casted as sophisticated sociopaths alá Red Eye then see him as a blank page.
Inception's the star and while a detailed construction, intentionally confusing and complex,you DO have to pay attention,complex does not equal intelligent. As you take the ride,things move fast and you're not allowed to break and examine. It's only when it's over you realize you were standing still all along.
You are cleverly manipulated into believing the story makes you think(Cause you understand what you saw.Not the same..)or that your mind discovers philosophical metaphors. That you are witnessing something deep is shoved down your throat but depth is mostly absent.
Sure,the film deserves the Oscars. Things sound great,look great. Buildings become bridges. An orgasm for the eyes. Pfisters camera-work here is great,very colorful,crisp,clean. Imaginative art direction. I dig Zimmers less-is-more score. In general the whole film's eye candy,perfect surface. The inside...?
1.Alright,WAY too much shooting and "violence" going on here, considering everyone's sound asleep on a plane and thoughts are murdered. Would've been more intriguing with psychological tension instead of train-crashes and explosions but lack of a REAL physical threat only manages to turn suspense into a dream as well.
Sleeping boy vs. thought in zero gravity is so pointless,the impressive CGI just confirms Nolans smug self-awareness of his competent,VISUAL execution and just cements the surface statement.
2. Limbo. Wouldn't a dream-extractors worst nightmare be LIMBO,wouldn't it come up in a conversation between professionals at some point probably? No...not even mentioned until drama occurs.
3.For the 5th time,a womans accidental death consumes a wealthy,white man between 30 and 35 with guilt that will define him and her role is again pivotal. It's getting old and predictable,I hope the issues are worked out by now.
4.Last scene. It defines and sums up Inceptions feeling of surface reaching for depth and jaw breaking response,artistic pretensions,strained complexity for the sake of complexity rather then genuinely clever.
Nolan in desperation wants to wrap it up so it leaves us scratching our heads... I was banging my head against the seat in front of me when the end credits rolled.
He leaves you with two options,no scenarios or reasons that make or should make you come up with an own conclusion. Far from a thinking mans thriller. One of the two is a joke used when referring to funny,lousy twists in B-thrillers. So...
No why or how,just IF...IF films were people,Nolans own Memento,The usual suspects or Fight Club would blush,look at 8.8 and put a pistol in their mouth when the words"Smart,thought-provoking thriller" puts Inception next door to them.
The ending insults us,a cop out. Definition of a writer not knowing neither how to quit while ahead or how a journey is gonna reach a classic destination worthy of the plots seemingly intricate layers and ambitions. Sooo...he passes the ball to you and washes his hands with 15 seconds to go,smart lad.
A picture this celebrated for being smart should hold up under a magnifying glass. It burns up without you even turning it towards the sun,man. This is an experiment and Nolans monster looks good,but at times,it comes close to the IQ of Dr.Frankensteins creation.
DiCaprio gives a solid and mature performance,Hardy makes the most of what little the script offers and gives Eames mannerisms,charisma and a sense of humor. Cotilliard is amazing like stated.
The rest could've been portrayed by Gary Busey,Eric Roberts and Lindsay Lohan...
Nolans 1st failure is a mix of beauty,superficial intelligence and posturing. Caught between a flawed,pretty entertaining film and a bad one. Mediocre becomes bad when it comes to this director....so shallow.
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
A flawed,inconsistent but entertaining thriller with a good ensemble...and the wrong Lincoln Lawyer.
Meet Michael Haller. A smoothtalking,grinning,charming lawyer who will defend exactly anyone,he knows most of his clients are guilty,as long as the prize is right.
Did I say meet Michael Haller....? My bad.I,of course meant meet Matthew McConaughey.Now,I haven't read any of the Haller books and I don't know if he's supposed to be in great physical shape,have a thick Texas accent and the the standard McConaughey haircut...but I kinda doubt it.
Come on directors,if he refuses to try to transform into the character...make him.Cut his hair,force him to get get a accent coach,something...I feel as he is miscast and Josh Brolin,Eric Bana or Mark Ruffalo would've been to prefer.
Anyhow,once you established and can accept that McConaughey really isn't a great actor but this time around actually seems to try(And by the end of the film,you realize that here and there,he was actually pretty good as hims...as Michael Haller.),you might find yourself pretty entertained by this L.A. light Noir thriller.
Ryan Phillippe,as the rich snob Louis Roulet,Hallers client and accused of attempted murder to which he claims his innocence is also usually pretty wooden but here,he and McConaughey have a good chemistry and Phillippe is surprisingly restrained and believable.
The rest of the cast includes a small but good and a bit unusual(Not so nerdy) turn from William H.Macy as a detective and close friend to Haller,Marisa Tomei delivers as Hallers ex-wife and is still hot,still has a great screen presence.John Leguizamo is reliable as always and Bryan Cranston(Breaking Bad)is a cop giving Haller a hard time,poorly written role but solid performance.Frances Fisher(The Kingdom) portrays mother Roulet very well,oozing of upper-class stiffness and coldness but none the less a caring and worried mother.Josh Lucas on the other hand seems extremely uninterested and bored as the prosecutor,appearing to read his lines with the help of a small earpiece.It's the only bad performance of the movie...
While going through Roulets case,Haller finds a connection to one of his previous cases and realizes that he might've helped put an innocent man in jail,a young latino named Jesus Martinez played by Michael Pena.He only has two scenes but delivers a strong and very moving performance...
Here,The Lincoln Lawyer fails a bit and gets a bit stressed.Hallers fall from grace when realizing what he MIGHT'VE done...he goes from smug,carefree and cynical to a very sweaty man who questions his values,his moral,his whole life and career while chugging down whiskey straight from the bottle...In about 4 seconds....but it's quickly followed by new developments in the story,new people to suspect,a tragic event that is sort of a minor semi-twist,so I can overlook that part.
There aren't many dull moments in The Lincoln Lawyer,the pace is quick,the score is subtle and effective,the editing solid,you will get your minor share of both predictable and unpredictable twists and the screenplay isn't extremely original but at least feels pretty authentic and only has One plot hole according to me and for a Courtroom thriller year 2011,that's pretty impressive.And as I said,overall it's a good acting job by this ensemble.
The lawyer is at times exactly like this review...a bit inconsistent,meaning the director gives us some great scenes that are very dark,atmospheric,violent and tense in true noir style,only to loose a lot of emotional and suspenseful impact when his direction in a few key scenes feels pretty uninterested,too PG-13 and lifeless,almost TV-movie of the week-like.Especially in the third act when moral preaching,standard legal system criticism and cleverly constructed plotdevelopment end up replacing a part of the suspense.
If 3 outta 5 means good,then 6 outta 10 is the verdict overall.It passes for a good thriller that you will have forgotten about a few hours after you've seen it.
Horsemen (2009)
Bad Parents Make For A Bad World....
Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund debuted some three-four years ago with the movie Spun.It had a great cast(Mickey Rourke,John Leguizamo,Peter Stormare,Brittany Murphy and more),good energy and editing,but it was just posturing.It was completely hollow and lacked any form of real human emotions. The second time around,Åkerlund seems to understand that less is more and with the help of only one big star,the absence of flashy cinematography and a script that might be a bit predictable,but in the end is very unsettling and disturbing,he has created a horror thriller that(though in the serial killer genre its pretty impossible to avoid All cliché's.)chocks,chills and very much stands on its own two feet.The Horsemen is no masterpiece,though.Its just 90 minutes intense,brutal and honest entertaining.
The story evolves around detective Aidan Breslin(For once Dennis Quaid is not on auto-pilot and delivers a solid performance.He also looks 12 years younger than in Vantage Point.Can someone say Plastic Surgery...?),who ever since his wife's death has been consumed by his job and doesn't spend much quality time with his two sons,Alex and Sean.(ALL mentioned happens in the first 25 minutes,really not spoiling so much.)One day he gets called to a crime scene where he sees the words "Come And See" written in white paint on four trees and in the middle there's a plate with human teeth.Teeth thats been pulled out while the victim was still alive and conscious.
Soon enough,Breslin and his partner Stingray(Clifton Collins Jr. from Traffic looking bored out of his mind.And what's with that seventies porn mustache on his lip?You kidding me?)arrive to the scene of what seems to been an unusual sadistic and organized ritual murder.The victim was a mother of two biological children and one adopted daughter named Kristen(cute 30-year old Ziyi Zhang from "Crouching tiger..."who looks 18 tops.And it's disturbing that a girl adopted by American parents talks like Kim Jong-Il from Team America.Herro,Arec Bardwin...).During a walk with Breslin,Kristen reveals a horrible secret that is presented in such a way,that it really gets the hearts pumping,both the audiences and Breslins.Soon,by cheer coincidence,he finds out that the brutal murder just was the first of many.The unidentified suspects have studied the Bible a little too hard and see themselves as The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse;War,Pestilence,Famin and Death.So it looks like it's one down and three to go.But whom?And from the viewers point of view more intriguing;Why....? When we learn that Kristens father(Peter Stormare,he's unfortunately just in two scenes)have molested her for years,things get really interesting....
In many ways The Horsemen is a standard(Bloodier,better and with a darker tone,yes,but still kinda)serial killer thriller.And please... don't ask yourself how a guy can put meat hooks in his arms and back and string himself up 20 feet high in the air...I don't know man,it's a movie! But its when the movie is over and you take a breather and you think about what you just saw....That's when you realize this film wasn't so much about the physical torment and pain we humans cause each other(in this movie it's a lot!),as much as it tells us what can happen when we get mentally damaged.When we get abandoned.When we get manipulated,get misunderstood,get lost.And no one cares or takes time to see the desperate and obvious cry for help and attention.That's how i interpreted it,I could be wrong(that's a joke,I'm never wrong).
In The end,The Horsemen isn't that complicated.It makes it's point very clear and very effective,much thanks to Åkerlunds uncomplicated and unsettling storytelling.Collins Jr.'s acting however,for some reason brings The Bold And The Beautiful to mind.but the rest of the cast does a really good job(Young"thumb-sucker"Lou Taylor Pucci is going places...)so you almost(only almost)forget his dead,soulless eyes and blank expression. So yeah,I recommend this one strongly.That is if you like...no, I'm not gonna compare it to 7even or anything.Like i said,it stands on it's own two feet just fine. I give it 7.7/10