Archive Analysis: "Capote"

Capote
Directed by: Bennett Miller

Starring: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Chris Cooper
Rated: R for violent images and brief strong language

Bennet Miller's haunting biopic on Truman Capote and the writing of his novel In Cold Blood perfectly captures the story, the man, and most importantly the psychology of the man who wrote perhaps the most famous novel of the 20th century, while straying from driving plot points and irrelevant rabbit trails. Truman (played by the gifted Phillip Seymour Hoffman in perhaps his greatest performance ever) is trend-setter, and man beyond his time, who is as gifted as they come, even when compared to his famous childhood friend (and To Kill a Mockingbird author) Harper Lee (Catherine Keener.) However, Truman is almost incapacitated by his own gifts; living up to them (and breaking his own personal stereotypes) leaves him feeling utterly insecure and self-focused, often worrying about how people view him, even in situations where he's not the center of attention. Through these actions, Capote turns people away from him, personally, and turns himself into the outcast that he so fears of becoming, which leads him to feeling some form of empathy towards the killers of his non-fiction novel. Empathy is probably the best way to describe the film; it doesn't condone Capote or the killer's actions, but you want them so badly to find the redemption that seems outreach simply because they can't see life beyond themselves.

Movie Review: "The Art of Getting By"

The Art of Getting By
Directed by: Gavin Wiesen

Starring: Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano
Rated: PG-13 for thematic elements including sexual content, language, teen drinking and partyingThe indie coming-of-age story The Art of Getting By pits a fatalistic teenager (Freddie Highmore) whose drab outlook on life causes him to go through life as a slacker, without passion or dreams. He doesn’t do homework, doesn’t have friends, and doesn’t even have any hobbies or goals. But this all changes when he begins a friendship with another trouble teenager (Emma Roberts, practically playing the same role from her film It’s Kind of a Funny Story) who forces Highmore’s character to wrestle with his emotions rather than just ignore them. While the honesty of the film is admirable, the muddy tale is full of pointless sub-plots , teenage angst (and law-breaking), and confusing themes; much like the main character, our emotions towards what is happening have no connection to a message or theme; as good as everything turns out, we’re not sure how or why it did so. Much like the title, this film simply gets by as a decent, quirky drama that would have been far more powerful had it actually had something to say in the end.

Archive Analysis: "Hamlet"

Hamlet
(1996)

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Kenneth Brannagh, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Kate Winslett,
Judi Dench, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Charleton Heston
Rated: PG-13 for some violent images and sexualityThe epic of Shakespearean adaptations, Kenneth Branagh’s unabridged, colossal scale retelling of Hamlet is a spectacle for the ages. Shot on pristine 70mm film (the most recent of films to have done so), this adaptation is played out by acting greats such as Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslett, Julie Christie, Michael Maloney, Judi Dench, Gerard Depardieu, Richard Attenborough, and Charleton Heston, as well as comedic cameos from Billy Crystal and Robin Williams (both of which must be forgiven for their lack of English accents.) The performances (particularly Maloney, Branagh, and Winslett) are dynamic and the cinematography and score are wondrous. And despite the laboriously long scenes for a movie, Branagh utilize films’ strength by editing shots outside of the scene into the various acts, which not only makes the story more powerful, but also re-emphasizes what the character is talking about, which is helpful for those like me who don’t always understand Shakespeare’s dialogue. (Perhaps this isn’t always a bad thing: Branagh’s adaptation has some gruesome moments, and includes some cut-aways of a sex scene between Hamlet and Ophelia, which is implied in Shakespeare’s script but never shown.) As massive and long (over 4 hours) as this adaptation is, it still is missing the power of the story and even of other film adaptations. This is no fault of Shakespeare, and certainly not of Branagh. It’s simply because theatrical plays (which are dialogue driven) don’t adapt well to cinema (which are visually driven.) Despite the strength of Shakespeare’s story and dialogue, as well as Branagh’s vision, when it comes to Hamlet, the play is still the thing.

Movie Review: "The Grey"

The Grey

Directed by: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Liam Neeson
Rated: PG-13 for violence/disturbing content including bloody images, and for pervasive language

Warning: this review contains major spoilers of this movie. Read at your own risk.

No matter who you are or where you live, everyone is searching for answers to life’s questions. One of the most stark examples of this is Joe Carnahan’s latest film The Grey, which stars Liam Neeson as John Ottway, who leads a band of survivors of a devastating plane crash across the Alaskan desert back to civilization. During their trek, they must survive man-eating wolves, the harsh Alaskan elements, and the effects of their own worldviews. It’s as brutal as it sounds; beauty is an outcast in this movie; besides the bleak and grainy 16mm film stock, there is little style to the film, which was probably a conscious choice of the director, but still makes it very uninteresting visually. More importantly, the battle of worldviews between the characters ends in a way that is contradictory and confusing.

Towards the end of the film, Liam Neeson's character (who earlier claimed to be an atheist) looks to the heavens and screams at God to reveal the purpose of this senseless world around him, and begs for Him to show him something real. When God is silent, Ottway curses and mumbles that he will do it himself. We are then given a climax of the film, devoid of meaning and connection to the earlier events, which devalues the internal and external plot the characters have been going through. It's one thing to say "life is meaningless" but it's an even darker thing to say "even the search for meaning is purposeless." First off, it never deals with the fact that, if the search is purposeless, why are we searching for it? (As C.S. Lewis explained, our search for purpose proves that there is a need for purpose.) Furthermore, this is contradictory because Neeson (and the film) can't escape the search and plot; Ottway claims he doesn't believe in God yet still cries to the heavens. They claim that life is meaningless, yet they still fight for survival and to find meaning. They even fail to see how the plot of the film shows a purpose-driven and sovereign hand, from their survival of plane wreck to Ottway's failed attempt to commit suicide in the back-story of the film. There is a difference to say "I can't see the purpose" and saying "there is no purpose", but The Grey lumps the two together, which is incredibly unfair. Among it's many other faults, The Grey failed to really think through it's own story; the sovereignty and meaning of life is written in every frame, even if the characters failed to realize it.

Movie Review: "The Brothers Bloom"

The Brothers Bloom

Directed by: Rian Johnson
Starring: Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz, Rinko Kikuchi
Rated: PG-13 for violence, some sensuality, and brief strong language

Rian Johnson's follow up to the critically acclaimed film BRICK is the film The Brothers Bloom, a quirky comedic action piece that the closest thing to a cross between a Chris Nolan and Wes Anderson film. The movies follows Bloom (Adrien Brody), a con-man who seemingly wants out, despite the consistent planning of his older brother Stephen (Mark Ruffallo) who loves the thrill of the chase as much as their success. Along with team member Bang Bang (a dynamic performance from Rinko Kikuchi), the brothers set out for one last job, to steal millions from a rich and lonely heiress, Penelope (Rachel Weiss). It starts out simple enough, but the job is so rapid and complex that, once Bloom starts questioning who is really playing who, one becomes lost by the endless possibilities of cons that everything (and everyone) becomes jaded. Is Stephen playing Bloom? Is Penelope playing the Brothers? Is Diamond Dog a good or bad guy? For those confused by Inception, stay away from Bloom. However, despite is confusion, an awkward scene of sensuality, some brief harsh language, an existential worldview, Brothers Bloom is still a funny and original film with a crisp, witty script that has the terrific sentiment that there is "no such thing as an unwritten life," so one should live like they're "telling the best story in the whole world." While The Brothers Bloom may not be his best, one can see great things ahead for director Rian Johnson. And there is no con to that.

Movie Review: "The Hunger Games"

The Hunger Games

Directed by: Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth,
Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci
Rated: PG-13 for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all involving teens

The odds were definitely in their favor: after much hype and anticipation, the first adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ popular book series The Hunger Games had one of the highest grossing weekends of all-time, setting a record 155 million dollars in just three days. Technically speaking, Gary Ross’ adaptation is one of the purest examples of modern cinematic style: Tom Stern shoots almost the entire film with handheld close-ups, Stephen Mirrione edits the film together with rapid and harsh jump-cuts, and the minimal score by James Newton Howard pushes the film only when necessary. Academy-award nominee Jennifer Lawrence , who is a rising star in my book, is a perfect choice, as is all the casting (perhaps with the exception of a somewhat dull Lenny Kravitz), while the great Stanley Tucci has the most dynamic performance as Cesar Flickerman, the television host of the games.

The film faithfully follows the novel, which depicts an evil dystopian (and post-religious) society that annually forces 24 teenagers to a life or death survival in a wilderness arena where the elements and contestants try to kill the each other off, as a reminder that they are still under the big government’s rule. The match is broadcasted across the country, and the citizens are forced to watch it. Its like 1984 meets Gladiator with The Truman Show. The plot follows Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), who volunteers in her younger sister’s place to fight in the Hunger Games. Along the way, she meets Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) the boy chosen to represent her district. Peeta is similar to Katniss in many ways: he is likewise a selfless person and holds human life in high regard, yet Katniss has trouble befriending and trusting him, knowing that they will eventually be enemies in the arena. This psychological instability and life-or-death situations is what drives the story.

Most criticism is of the film’s violence, which is disturbing, both from a physical and psychological standpoint, but this is the point of the film. Unlike the movie Gladiator (where we are given a message on the terrible ramifications of violence as entertainment, but are then entertained by the story’s use of violence) Hunger Games actually condemns violence, both in message and in form. The action and deaths in the arena are never glorious or titillating, though it is still graphic. Be warned, this is not a film for children, and perhaps not even young adults.

While surviving the arena is the external plot, the inner struggle of Katniss and Peeta really give Hunger Games it’s depth; how does (or can) one keep their humanity in an inhumane time and place? What is the value of humanity? Is it like Gale says to Katniss, that killing humans is not so different than killing animals? Or, as Peeta suggests, that there is value to humanity? These are the questions that are raised and, without spoiling the film, Katniss and Peeta’s answers to them show that selflessness and holding humanity and others in high regard is far stronger, braver, and more powerful than any accomplishment one can have on the battlefield.

Movie Review: "Hugo"

Hugo

Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley,
Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone
Rated: PG for mild thematic material, some action/peril and smoking.
Traditionally, Martin Scorsese films are about as far as one can get from being family friendly. Yet the great director and film historian restrains himself to a PG rating and adapted the famous children's book by Brian Selznick into the film Hugo. Scorsese fans won't be disappointed: the film still has the visual style and tone of Scorsese, but this one is far tamers, following the story of an orphan boy who lives in the inner workings of a train-station's clock tower, and how his interaction with an older man in the station restores dignity and redemption to life. Featuring some notable actors (and Scorsese favorites) such as Ben Kingsley, Ray Wintstone, Emily Mortimer, Jude Law, Helen McCrory, and Sasha Baron Cohen (who provides the few sexual innuendos that earn the film it's PG rating), Hugo is still more so a film for adults; it's pretty much a kiss up to the history of filmmaking (specifically special effects mastermind George Meiles), and is pretty slow-paced for a children's movie. But, considering the film's emphasis on the importance and purpose that everyone has, Scorsese's Hugo is as magical, wonderful, and breathtaking for adults as for his target audience, and a great reminder that you are never too old for an adventure.