Movie Review: "Captain America: The First Avenger"

Captain America:
The First Avenger

Directed by: Joe Johnston
Starring: Chris Evans, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones,
Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, Haley Atwell
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action
Out of all the Marvel universe, Captain America and his arch-enemy, Red Skull, probably have the deepest connection to my childhood, thanks to an arcade-game featuring both characters, among other Avengers. Because of this, I was interested in seeing the latest addition to the Marvel universe, the film Captain America: The First Avenger. Featuring a well-known cast of Chris Evans, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, and others, Captain America is a nostalgic and entertaining film, but yet really doesn't go beyond others in it's genre. Certain scenes and slightly patriotic themes are compelling, and there's some great action, but Captain America still feels like the same Superhero origins film we've seen a hundred times over. A larger complaints focus on Chris Evans, not because he is bad, but because his take of the Captain is not the born leader of the Avengers that he is in the comics, as well as the character of Red Skull, who is yet another boring super-villian bent on world domination and destruction. Boring. Despite it's flaws, Captain America has some fun scenes (such as the tongue-and-cheek patriotic bonds programs), but it's still following the same pattern of every other superhero film and never truly distinguishes itself beyond that. It's worth watching and enjoying, but it won't ignite your imagination the way an arcade game did for me as a child.

Movie Review: "Another Year"

Another Year

Directed by: Mike Leigh
Starring: Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen, Mary Manville
Rated: PG-13 for some language

With simple-yet-brutal honesty, director Mike Leigh continues his repertoire of low-key relationship dramas with his film Another Year. The film stars the splendid Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen as a happily married couple in the twilight years of life who deal with the general unhappiness of the people around them, particularly their loud and difficult friend Mary, played by a fantastic Lesley Manville. What is striking about the subtlety of Leigh’s film, which follows the general events of one year in their lives, is how the thing that makes Gerri and Tom’s marriage and relationships work (their selfless ability to be good friends, even with those whom are difficult or hurting) is the main problem of those friends whom are struggling; their loneliness and desperation to find happiness causes them to be selfish, rude, and difficult to befriend, even for Tom and Gerri. Yet, despite their faults, we are led to feel the sympathy that Tom and Gerri have for them, knowing that no significant other (as shown by the opening scene) will ever fill one’s emptiness. To destroy one’s loneliness, one must be a friend rather than spend your life trying to find one.

Movie Review: "Tree of Life"

Tree of Life

Directed by: Terrence Malick
Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain
Rated: PG-13 for some thematic elements

When talking about the Cannes Film Festival awarding-winning film Tree of Life, renowned director Chris Nolan compared the film’s director, Terrence Malick, to another great director: Stanley Kubrick. Oddly enough, the first thought I had after seeing the film was how Tree of Life reminded of the structure of Kubrik’s classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Both films had a very transcendental voice, more like poetry or music than a narrative. Both were beautifully shot, had terrific scores, were deep, philosophical, and spanned eons of time. However, their philosophical differences set both films uniquely apart.

Tree of Life wrestles with the deep questions of life, mainly revolving around man’s existence and God’s purpose for them. The two paths the film juxtaposes is the way of nature, as shown by the “tough love” and drive of a father (Brad Pitt) and the way of grace, as shown by the gentle and selfless mother (a radiant Jessica Chastain). However, neither way is an easy road: both ways have to deal with the trials of life (exemplified in the death of one of their sons) and neither guarantee any easier path, yet both ways explain their characters' distinct reactions and understanding of these troubles. While these individual paths provide us plenty of insight, almost everything is seen through the eyes of one of their young sons, Jack (Hunter McCracken) whom even as an adult (played by Sean Penn) is ever struggling with which path to take. In a poignant scene, Jack nearly repeats the apostle Paul’s words how he doesn’t do the good he yearns to do. He is consistently trapped by trying to win the goodness and happiness of the world around him, missing that the more humbling and trusting way of grace (as exemplified by his mother and younger brother) are often more relationally and spiritually rewarding.

Similarly to 2001, Tree of Life also spends time looking at the larger picture of life. In his twenty minute grand retelling of the formation of the world, Malick shows the world which evolved through grace, while death was brought through nature (characterized in the brilliant yet infamous dinosaur scene.) This is a stark contrast with 2001, which depicts evolution and progress through death. The same goes with the ending; 2001: A Space Odyssey sees death as the beginning of some new hope or life while Tree of Life finds hope, grace, redemption, and peace in the after life. While perhaps not the most Biblically sound of understandings, it is a great picture of trusting in the sovereignty of the creator, as the mother finally reaches a peace with the God whom took her son’s life.

This review is only scratching the surface of the film's depth; I'm sure by more time spent thinking of the film and several more viewings, I will come to even greater understand and appreciate Malick's masterpiece. Beautifully shot, paced, and performed, Tree of Life is one of the few films I've seen that I really feel will stand the test of time. However, while driving home, I looked into the sky and noticed the sun light cutting through the clouds, something I probably wouldn't had noticed before. "Thank you for the beauty of life," I silently prayed. Perhaps that is the greatest compliment I can give the film.

Watch the wonderful trailer here:

Movie Review: "Voyage of the Dawn Treader"

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Directed by: Michael Apted
Starring: Georgie Hendley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes,
Liam Neeson (voice)
Rated: PG-13 for some frightening images and sequences of
fantasy action.

As a reviewer, one often tries to put personal ties and opinions aside when considering a movie. However, this film I am going to make an exception. There is no franchise that is as tied to me, personally, as the Narnia franchise. With the exception of Superman, the Narnia series are the oldest childhood stories I remember reading, watching, and playing as a kid. I remember fighting off invisible Calormen with sticks as a kid, and sitting in my second grade classroom, trying to finish my assignments quickly so I could read Dawn Treader while the other kids worked. Narnia is in my blood. It brings me back to my childhood.

I believe it was my love of Narnia that kept me from seeing the new Dawn Treader film for so long; I had a bad feeling about it. However, I recently broke down I watched the latest (and perhaps last) of the Narnia films. After a strong start with the ever-popular The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe film, the franchise received a setback with the not-so-popular (yet best film in the series) followup, Prince Caspian. When the film failed to deliver the revenue expected, Disney dropped the franchise, the director of the first two installments moved on, and the series seemed to be in trouble with the toughest adaptation ahead of it; Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Eventually, the project became a reality, but I'm not sure it was for the best. Despite being the toughest adaptation, the Dawn Treader film doesn't just sink; it never leaves the dock. Michael Apted, president of the Directors Guild and fresh off the solid film Amazing Grace doesn't seem to get the themes of the story right, the performances are stale, and the film is extremely rushed. (The kids are back in Narnia within the first seven minutes of the film; no setup here.) While I'm hardly a book purist (which especially shows considering my love for the Caspian adaptation), Dawn Treader almost feels more restricted by the book, as if the film they wanted to make was forced to follow the path the book. The film doesn't have any sense of style, themes, or messages that the first films had, either. Despite having several returning characters, we don't seem to care for any of them, because they're all uninteresting. It's like a bad Masterpiece Theater adaptation, where a beloved story becomes a boring and meaningless film shot on sad handheld digital camcorders. This multi-million dollar film isn't even as good as the 1980s BBC version.

The end of Dawn Treader was always heartbreaking for me, because it's the "last" in the series with the Pevensies, Reepicheep, and pretty much with Caspian. As Lucy and Edmond see their friends from Narnia for the last time in the film, I suddenly felt some emotion. It was sadness, but it was not evoked from the story. I was sad because I felt that these pivotal characters in Narnia deserved a greater send off then the movie they were given. Ever since Walden took over the Narnia films, I always thought that it would be great to see all the books adapted to the screen. After Dawn Treader, I realized maybe that isn't the best thing. Perhaps the journey should end here, and save us fans the heartbreak.

Movie Review: "Source Code"

Source Code

Directed by: Duncan Jones
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright
Rated: PG-13 for violence including disturbing images, and language

Duncan Jones' new film Source Code wastes little time setting up the characters or plot, and simply plunges you straight into this sci-fi thriller, and hardly slows down for either for the rest of the film. While it's a fun ride, one that keeps you engaged throughout, it doesn't give you the time needed to explain how this is happening or to build the relationships of the film (unlike the standard of sci-fi thrillers, Inception, which does both incredibly well.) Despite these faults (and some corny performances from Jeffery Wright and Michelle Monaghan), Source Code is an entertaining and relatively clean action thriller that hints that the value and dignity of human life is more important than breakthroughs and scientific opportunities.