Movie Review: "Hereafter"

Hereafter

Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas-Howard, Cecile De France
Rated: Pg-13 for thematic elements including disturbing disaster and accident images, and for brief strong language.

There is life after death. God said so. But, more importantly, Clint Eastwood and Peter Morgan said so, as well. And it has nothing to do with Christianity, Islam, or anything other new age religion out there (their response to each is an eye roll.) They know because people have been there and experienced it.

Okay, well, actually they haven’t. I say that because, for starters, it’s just a movie, written by a guy and directed by another guy, with no real basis or sense of truth. But, to prove the point, even those who have been (or are) there in the story can’t describe it or explain it. With as strong of a belief of the supernatural as the movie Hereafter has, one would think it would try to explain things. At last, this movie doesn’t have much to say, on any level, really.

It doesn’t help that writer Peter Morgan is off with his trio of character plots that seems to cut away right when you actually start caring about a particular story. Or, Eastwood’s horrible miss direction, which displays the tsunami of 2004 more so as a Roland Emmerich thrill ride than an actual natural disaster. 230,000 people died in that, and yet we walk away from it’s depiction saying “that looked fun.” This is just the beginning. The performances, including Matt Damon’s, aren’t bad, but simply have nothing to work with. The only life in the movie was Bryce Dallas-Howard, whose performance is cut ever too short. The movie is bland and blunt, with a subtext so shallow a toddler could guess the clichés. Eastwood and Morgan believe in life after death, I just wish they would have added some life to their movie. Or some depth.

Movie Review: "The Social Network"

The Social Network

Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake,
Armie Hammer, Rooney Mara
Rated: Pg-13 for crude and sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and language

It’s hard to believe that less than ten years ago there was no facebook. Communication was vastly different, and personal connections were, well, a lot more personal. David Fincher reminds us of that time, when people actually had to talk, and friends actually had to interact in his new film The Social Network, which is loosely based on facebook’s creator Mark Zuckerberg. The film paints Zuckerberg as the outside kid, one who wants to be in the group, but wants to do it his way. His own pride and selfishness blind him, and make it even more difficult to connect with people. Then, he is asked to work on a project with some other students in creating an exclusive website to connect Harvard friends. Zuckerberg, who initially agrees, ditches the project, and begins working on his own invention: “the facebook.” Jesse Eisenberg, who is best known for playing quirky, teen-angst roles similar to Michael Cera, completely breaks the mold, and gives one of the best performances I’ve seen in a while as the quick-witted yet socially confused Zuckerberg. However, his co-star, Andrew Garfield, who plays Zuckerberg’s best friend, Eduardo, is the emotional center of the film. He’s the one we connect with, the one friend who anchors Zuckerberg. Garfield is splendid, and deserves an Oscar nomination, as well. No matter his recognition for the role, he has a bright acting future ahead of him. The film even boasts a good performance from Justin Timberlake as Napster founder Sean Parker, the party boy who only enhances Zuckerberg’s problems, even if Mark is too blind to see it.

While I have seen nearly all of Fincher’s films, this is by far my favorite. He’s in top form, especially with the techno-yet-isolated score of Trevor Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails fame) which could be the best score since Dario Marianelli's Atonement soundtrack. Fincher also understands every line of Aaron Sorkin’s wonderfully witty yet powerfully poignant script. Don’t think this film is “just another bio.” It’s more of a critique of our culture than anything else. It nails Generation X, our desire to fit in, to be cool, and to connect with others, no matter our surrounding. However, in the internet age, we’ve let computers do the talking for us, making us incapable of doing it ourselves. Despite their ever growing friends list, everyone in the film feels alone. Zuckerberg wants to fit in, from Harvard to Silicon Valley, but his selfish attitude and the backstabbing of his friends only repel them. Eduardo, whom seemingly doesn’t have to try in order to fit in is surrounded by crazies like Zuckerberg and his girlfriend Christy. Parker tries to connect as a social celebrity and mentor to Mark, but only seems to bring more chaos and headaches wherever he goes. Even the trio whom Zuckerberg betrays can’t get anyone to believe that Zuckerberg stole their idea. Generation X is no different. We want to fit in, yet we so we find delusional ways of telling ourselves that we have, none of which are satisfying. Like Zuckerberg, we think friendship is when you stare at your computer screen, hitting the refresh button, wondering if the people we truly care about will accept our friendship. What The Social Network understands is that life is more than a profile and friendship is more than exclusivity to information.

Movie Review: "The Other Guys"

The Other Guys

Directed by: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes,
Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson
Rated: Pg-13 for crude and sexual content, language, violence, and some drug content


Perhaps Adam McKay is wising up. After a trio of joke-infested comedies with zero-substance that have perpetually gotten more offensive and less funny (Especially Stepbrothers, which I decided to skip), McKay turns his latest film, The Other Guys, into a more so interesting and exciting film, tackling the Buddy Cop genre. It has a lot more action, a lot more thought, and some actual "intelligence" to the story. (Although his attempt makes his lack of storytelling experience even more evident.) However, it still has the typical McKay flaws, as well: too many jokes are ran into the ground, moments seem stale and forced, a few too many jokes cross the line, and Will Ferrell is becoming less and less funny. Fortunately, for the movie, there is the other guy, Mark Wahlberg. With plenty of charm, machismo, and a blend of humor, Wahlberg's Terry Hoitz transforms this would-be-boring film into something slightly funny. He's the tough man we all know, who bashes computers to pieces and yells at everyone for no real reason. Yet he knows ballet, refers to himself as "the peacock" who needs to fly, and can't get noticed by the beautiful women who are naturally enthralled by the less manly Ferrell, which provides plenty of laughs. While it certainly doesn't propel the comedy anywhere near a "great film", The Other Guys may be a sign that McKay, like the rest of us, is growing tired of his typical raunchy Ferrell flicks. Time to move on to some other films.

Zach's Favorite Film: "Braveheart"

Zach's Favorite Film

Braveheart

Directed by: Mel Gibson
Starring: Mel Gibson, Patrick McGoohan,
Sophie Marceau, Brendan Gleeson
Rated: R for brutal medieval warfare

One of the most iconic films of the 1990s, Mel Gibson’s Braveheart is, in my opinion, the greatest epic ever made, a film on a spectacular scale with a personal drive. The absence of computer effects and digital grading gives the film a very real feel, unlike the other digital equivalents in later years. The Scottish landscapes set the beautiful-yet-rugged tone, and John Boll’s cinematography and James Horner’s score only compliment it. Gibson, who is a fine director, is still a rather strange actor, making the most difficult scenes breathtaking, yet the easiest scenes almost goofy. Thankfully, he never shares a scene with the terrific Patrick McGoohan, who steals the show every time he’s on screen.

Whatever your thoughts are on Gibson’s acting, he certainly understands the emotions and themes in Braveheart as a director. While some complain about the many inaccuracies of the film, I believe it is more symbolic than a historical retelling; it’s about how far would one go to discover freedom. All the characters in the story are oppressed, from Wallace, who is under British authority, to Robert the Bruce, who is controlled by his rank, to the Princess of Wales, who is controlled by her marriage and diplomatic standing. Through these characters, we are shown how the rights of humanity go far beyond politics and allegiances. How to fight for what is good, even when you are the only one who believes it. How to find courage, even when you are alone. How to forgive, because you believe in what is good. This is Braveheart, and from the first frame to the last, I am entertained, transformed, and inspired. Every man dies, but not every man truly lives. After watching Braveheart, you have truly lived.