The Oscars are just around the corner, so I knew I had to talk about one of the front runners for most of the major categories, Boyhood. Critically, this film has been one of the most unanimously praised of the year, with 98% approval on Rotten Tomatoes and numerous Academy Award nominations. On the other hand, quite a few fans and YouTube personalities have had divergent reactions, dinging the film for its languid pacing and disjointed story structure. Truly, this is a movie that's production background is more interesting than the actual film. It's almost redundant to say, as it's been the focus of its entire promotional campaign, but Boyhood was shot across a twelve year period, tracking the growth of a fictional family using the same actors throughout the shoot. For that reason alone this film is worth checking out, but if you're a little impatient I think there are some things to be aware of.
There's no way I can really do a plot summary of this film... as that would require this film to have a plot. What's truly unique and memorable about Boyhood is that, like its main character who becomes an aspiring photographer, it's all a series of snapshots that give the audience glimpses into a boy's life. As such, it all comes down to the collection of moments that director Richard Linklater decided to include in order to give us the overall impression of growing up. Like many have already observed, this film does a fantastic job of portraying the mundane normality of life as we recognize it. Some would actually say that it does so to a fault, as it portrays things that aren't necessarily theatrical in nature. While I certainly see their point, I found most of the scenes pretty compelling despite their lack of intensity or dramatic weight.
Not all of this can be credited to the director, even taking into account his revolutionary and gutsy approach to filming Boyhood. None of this would work if he didn't get such a charismatic and natural actor as Ethan Hawke to play Mason Sr., the titular boy's father. He does a great job of evolving his performance to reflect the different stages of life his character finds himself, providing ironic and slightly tragic insights into his relationship with his ex-wife, played by Patricia Arquette. While I definitely think Hawke's performance was worthy of the nomination he received, I was actually underwhelmed by Patrica Arquette in this film. She's easily the front-runner for Best Supporting Actress, but I can't think of a moment where I was genuinely impressed by what she was doing on screen. Mostly I found her character to be kind of bland, without much personality or relatability until the very last scene. I'm sure many will be impressed with what she brought to the part, but I thought another actress could have made her character a more meaty, and interesting part of the film.
Technically this film is well made, but nothing called my attention more than the editing. It would have been easy for the movie to call attention to the times that it switches from one year to the next with subtitles, but instead it lets the audience piece these fragments together and work out where Mason Jr. is in his development. Linklater recreates the major events of each year depicted with uncanny precision, even if some moments are a bit heavy-handed. He uses these moments to not only capture a period of time, but also to allow the viewer to put themselves in the situations these characters find themselves. I think your enjoyment of this film will directly correlate to the strength of your memory over the past twelve years, as it uses the cultural milestones to not only set the stage, but occasionally to develop character as well.
Despite some of the criticism, I don't think I was ever bored during this film - even if it was a little longer than I would have liked. In fact, I honestly don't feel passionately about this film one way or the other. There were parts that were a little pretentious, as well as moments that I found just plain ridiculous, but overall it was a very enjoyable film that was well-acted and brilliantly conceived. It's definitely a landmark for its ambition more so than what it actually says about boyhood, and the final lines of dialogue are so clunky and obvious that it almost turned me against the film entirely. Having said that, it probably deserves most of the Oscar nominations it received, and after reflecting on this film and remembering all of the things I liked about it, I've decided to give this a solid three stars.
BOYHOOD is rated R for language including sexual references, and for teen drug and alcohol use
** What did you think of Boyhood? Was it an overrated snoozefest, or an "epic masterpiece"? Let me know in the comments below, and don't forget to like us on Facebook! **
I figured I better review this film now that it's been nominated for 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. It's actually been a few months since I've seen this film, and I always intended to finish my review for it by the year's end. However, life intervened and I never had time to get it written. As you'll see in the paragraphs to follow, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit... but I was floored when I saw all the recognition that was showered on Wes Anderson's latest picture. My overall opinion for the film is still generally positive, but consider this a somewhat skeptical reaction to the insane amount of praise The Grand Budapest Hotel is receiving, which will hopefully fall on open ears and minds.
The film is told in multiple flashbacks as an elderly hotel owner named Zero Moustafa shares the history of his tenure with the Grand Budapest to a young author who is spending the night. He tells of the eccentric but devoted hotel concierge, Gustave H., who was well known for the exquisite service he would provide to all guests, though particularly to elderly women. One such woman had died under mysterious circumstances, and her descendants are in uproar when a priceless painting has been left to Gustave instead of them. Things get a bit messy when a lawyer gets involved, noting the suspicious manner of his client's death and eliciting a homicidal reaction from one sinister family member. However, Gustave won't let his inheritance slip away, and he steals the painting after the controversial will is read. This puts a target on his head for not only the police as they try to apprehend the thief, but also the old woman's violently jealous family members.
I missed this film when it was released in theaters (as I think most people did, given its lackluster box-office receipts), but with favorable reviews and a general taste for Wes Anderson's aesthetic, I thought I would give it a try on Blu-ray. For the most part, this film is highly enjoyable to watch, save for a few uncomfortable innuendos between Gustave and the elderly women he serves. There are also a few jarring moments of violence that might shock some viewers, as it comes completely out of left field. While that can enhance the element of surprise for these moments, it can also color the rest of the film a bit darker than I think it should have gone.
This movie is flowing with energetic performances from everyone in this star-studded cast, but no one is as revelatory as Ralph Fiennes. Known by most for his villainous performances in the Harry Potter films and Schindler's List, Fiennes is not only whimsically polite as the hotel concierge, but he also brings an unexpected humor to the part that I've never seen from him before. He's easily one of the five best performances I've seen this year, and I'm sure in any other year he would have garnered at least a nomination from the Academy.
Along with the performances, some of the best elements of The Grand Budapest Hotel are the technical achievements, namely the cinematography. Wes Anderson has a very distinct style when it comes to his camera work (see my review of Moonrise Kingdom for more on that), and Budapest might be his best visual work yet. However, with such a recognizable fingerprint, it becomes difficult to distinguish one Wes Anderson film from another at times. Even the posters for this and Moonrise Kingdom have very similar layouts, and if you've seen that or any other of his films I doubt you'll find anything truly original here. The quirky sense of humor, the fast-paced editing and clever camera angles are staples in an Anderson movie, and though I found myself laughing a lot here, aesthetically it wound up being exactly what I expected it to be.
Probably the main reason I'm surprised by the overwhelming praise The Grand Budapest Hotel is receiving is that it really ends up being about nothing. I feel like the artsyness of the story structure was meant to bring a deeper meaning of some kind, but it ultimately gets away from Anderson by the time the film comes to a conclusion. Whatever point there was to telling Gustave's story becomes fuzzy once credits roll, but the most critical thing I can say about this film is that the message is either under-developed or just unmemorable. I think technically this is a beautiful film, and if you like other Wes Anderson movies then you'll know exactly what you're getting, but this is hardly Best Picture material in my mind. I can think of a handful of un-nominated films that are more deserving of the honor, but perhaps this is one of those instances where the Academy recognizes an artist for a body of work rather than the movie on its own (like Martin Scorsese with The Departed).
I actually enjoyed this film quite a bit, but for me it wasn't Wes Anderson's strongest work. This may be Ralph Fienne's strongest work, and were it not for him I don't know if I would have liked this movie nearly as much. The rest of the cast also put out impressive performances, but it was more enjoyable to see all the movie stars making cameos than it was to try to follow the story. Overall it's a pretty solid effort, and I give The Grand Budapest Hotel a slightly generous three stars.
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL is rated R for language, some sexual content, and violence
** What did you think of The Grand Budapest Hotel? Did you miss it entirely? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Let me know in the comments, and don't forget to like the Facebook page! **
In the teaser trailer for American Sniper, Chris Kyle is shown peering through his scope at a street somewhere in Iraq, looking for potential threats. When a woman and a young boy emerge from the bottom floor carrying what appears to be a pipe bomb, however, Kyle is faced with a terribly difficult decision. That scene alone was enough to get me into the theaters to see this movie, and apparently everybody else in the country as well. It was one of the highest opening weekends at the box office of the last year with $89.5 million, and blew away the previous record for the month of January ($41.5 million). However, there has been a lot of controversy over this film in recent weeks, particularly over the subject of this biopic, Chris Kyle. I'm not really going to touch on that in my review - partially because I think most of the complaints are bogus - but also because I'm a movie reviewer, not a political debater. All of my thoughts regarding American Sniper are relating to the film itself, and are unrelated to my personal feelings on the late U.S. war hero.
This review is going to deviate slightly from the structure of my former posts, as I think will be the case for a lot of my Oscar series where I review all the films that were nominated for Best Picture (and Best Director, if I ever get around to seeing Foxcatcher). Films like American Sniper are difficult to summarize, in that they aren't necessarily plot-motivated, but rather tend to focus on a particular character. Besides, most people probably already know the major points of what this movie will cover, though it's the details that make it truly worthwhile. It's really an excellent window into what most service men and women must feel, both on the battle field and when trying to adjust to normal life once their tour is complete. Director Clint Eastwood really balances the themes of the films with a subtle touch, even when the scenarios played out on screen are horrifying to witness.
Even with the most skilled auteur in the director's chair, the film would utterly fail if we didn't connect with the title character. That's why a ton of credit given to Bradley Cooper for this film's success, as not only did he do an uncanny job of portraying Chris Kyle, but as a producer he was also instrumental in bringing this film to life behind the scenes. For all of you Bradley Cooper fans out there, yes, he did put on about 50 lbs or muscle for this role. What you may be disappointed by, however, is that he isn't really Bradley Cooper in this movie. He's become Chris Kyle, from the flawless Texan accent to the bushy beard and somewhat awkward interpersonal encounters.
Eastwood is also at the top of his directorial game, bringing so much emotion to moments that would be plenty intense on their own that it elevates it to another level entirely. Not only are you worried that someone will attack Kyle's platoon at any moment, but you're also horrified at the thought of him potentially having to pull the trigger on a boy who picks up a grenade launcher from the attacker he'd just shot. Add to that the struggle of leaving behind the villainous people responsible for the deaths of many of his friends, and it actually gives me a glimpse into the struggle that many veterans must face when returning home.
There is one disclaimer that I'd like to throw out there. Unlike some of the films I review where the rating is undeserved or ambiguous, there is a definite reason that American Sniper is rated R. To those who are uncomfortable with foul language, this movie is not for you. The script is written to show what is probably very authentic dialogue between soldiers in the heat of battle, and the harsh language certainly is evidence of that. I was able to get past the language for the most part, as my older brother has confirmed that life in the military (at least in regards to language) is very similar to what is portrayed on screen. Those who aren't offended by F-bombs probably won't blink an eye, but all others should either approach with caution or skip this one entirely.
What sticks with you most after seeing this film is the realistic portrayal of the horrors of war juxtaposed with the simple, relatively care-free life that most of us enjoy here in the U.S. I know I definitely found my gratitude for this country renewed after seeing an Al Qaeda war lord using an electric drill to torture and kill those who talked to the American soldiers. There are things going on overseas that most of us can't even imagine, and it really brings the price of the freedoms we enjoy (and take for granted) into greater perspective. Not only that, but the film does a great job showing the trials that military men and women go through to serve their country, often to the detriment of their own physical and mental health. Some of the moral quandaries in which Chris Kyle finds himself are almost impossible to fathom, and regardless of your personal view of his actions, it takes a unique person to be able to make those decisions and live with them afterwords.
When it comes down to it, this isn't a perfect film. There are some pacing problems here and there, and even on a technical level it seems that a few scenes actually went without sound editing. But regardless of its flaws, this is a haunting look at one of the most well-known soldiers in U.S. history, and the tragic ending makes it even more so. The performances across the board are terrific, the action scenes are gripping, and the emotion is subtle yet omnipresent throughout the film. It definitely would have made my top ten films of the year had I seen it before 2014 expired, and I'm going to give it a solid three and a half stars.
AMERICAN SNIPER is rated R for strong and disturbing war violence, and language throughout including some sexual references
** What did you think of American Sniper (or that AWESOME trailer)? Let me know in the comments, and don't forget to like my Facebook page! **
Starring: Jonny Weston, Sophia Black D'Elia, Amy Landecker
Running time: 106 minutes
A young group of disgruntled high school students are shocked to discover that one of them appears to have visited their seventh birthday party as his teenage self. They do a little digging and realize that the technology allowing time travel is not only possible, but that it's being developed in one of their parents' basements. Being impulsive teenagers, they immediately decide to use the device to improve each of their lives. However, the game is taken too far when world-changing paradoxes and ripples begin to emerge from their tampering, and they must determine a way to set things right before everything is changed forever.
Seeing that this film was produced by Michael Bay will either be a turn-off or a sign of credibility, depending on the person. However, his involvement in a project like this (which seems to be fairly hands-off) appears to be just enough to guarantee a decent production budget from the studio heads who are still rolling in Transformers money from last year. There's no doubt that this film's premise is intriguing, combining the found-footage style of Chronicle and Cloverfield and combining it with a slightly more serious take on Back to the Future.
Not a lot of people may have heard of this film, but it's sure to make a decent amount of box office dollars in the barron wasteland that is the cinemas during January. Having a cast made up of relative unknowns is also a smart way to go for the studio, as the lower budget can be focused more on the special effects that are crucial in a story such as this.
However, this production wasn't without it's hiccups, as the release date for Project Almanac kept being pushed further and further back, filming in 2013 and moving from early 2014 now to January of 2015. During a recent interview, I asked the cast members how they were impacted by the constant uncertainty that accompanies such a fluid release schedule for a film they all worked so hard to produce. "(After the delay) we went back and we did reshoots," Jonny Weston explained, "and the movie became a lot better and a lot more complex than they had originally thought." Sofia Black D'Elia added, "I think we're all just so excited that this movie is coming out at all. We're really proud of it, and we can't wait for people to see it."
When asked about the comparisons to Chronicle that will inevitably come, Sofia responded, "I think it's quite different than Chronicle. Obviously they're both found-footage, so you could just say that they're similar in that way. But Chronicle is a much darker film than ours." She went on to say, "Project Almanac is kind of a fun ride for the most part. And it's a great group of friends... I think we all wanted to make a very realistic look at teenage love... and friendship."
The trailers have already swayed many of the skeptical (myself included) into giving this film a try, and many are predicting this to be a surprise hit of the early year. With interesting ideas being presented and a more entertaining and fun application for the technology involved, it's easy to see why this film has garnered the excitement that it has. Project Almanac is coming to theatres everywhere on January 30th, so make sure to click one of the theatre links on the left to reserve your tickets!
** Are you excited for Project Almanac? Let me know in the comments section, and don't forget to like the Facebook page! **
It's a new year, and that means we get a whole new slate of movies to look forward to! Unlike most years where I struggle to put together a list of 10 films that I really can't wait to see, 2015 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years in movies that we've ever had. Just to give an idea of the films that didn't make this list: Furious 7 (not a huge fan, but a lot of people really love the later installments of the Fast and Furious series), Poltergeist (a remake of the classic 1980 film starring Sam Rockwell), Fantastic Four (a reboot of the popular Marvel comics super team), Mad Max: Fury Road (an action-packed dystopia adventure set in the Mad Max movie universe with a must-see trailer), In the Heart of the Sea (based on the real-life story that inspired Moby Dick, directed by Ron Howard and starring Chris Hemsworth), and Mission Impossible 5 (which I really can't wait to see, but without any footage I wasn't quite excited enough about it to boot out one of the other 10). With all that out of the way, here are my most anticipated films of 2015!
<<Just a note to those viewing on a mobile device, you probably won't be able to view the videos embedded in this post, so switch to desktop or click on the title above the video in order to view them.>>
This officially gets my The LEGO Movie award by just absolutely charming me by the trailers with its mix of nostalgic and modern animation styles. Just like with that one, adapting the work of such a beloved cartoon carries a great deal of risk. Many Schultz purists are already bemoaning the insertion of modern music and 3D animation into what was originally conceived as a simple, hand-drawn story about a group of kids and a silly dog named Snoopy. Based on the efforts made to emulate the original creation, I'm definitely willing to give this film the benefit of the doubt and I can't wait to see it at the end of this year. Let's hope it's as fun as it has the potential to be!
Okay, I know this film is steeped in controversy for its unusual title (which I can write off given that I suspect it's the name of a computer "system" that may evolve into Skynet... though I could be totally off on that), but also for what many are perceiving as a desperate cribbing of the two films in the series that hold universal appeal. I was a bit skeptical of this movie at first too, but after seeing the trailer and the combining of the first two plots into one while adding a clever twist to it, I think this could actually end up being pretty cool. It may not be the most intellectual film of the year, but I still really want to see what Universal can do with the Terminator franchise.
Typically this kind of film wouldn't really get my notice, let alone be on my top 10 most anticipated films of the year. However, that' just goes to show the power that a director can bring to a project. After seeing what he could do in the amazing X-Men: First Class, and actually loving his underappreciated gem that is Stardust, I became a pretty huge Matthew Vaughn fan. In truth, he was one of my first picks to direct Star Wars: Episode VII... but more on that later. As for Kingsman: The Secret Service, it looks like it could be a fun James Bondian adaptation of a Marvel comics imprint with a cavalcade of recognizable faces that can only bring legitimacy to a property that many (including myself) probably haven't heard of previously. We'll find out how good it is in just a few weeks!
After the incredible year they had in 2014 (Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy), it seems like Marvel can do no wrong. They're going to test that theory with what is surely their least marketable character to date, Ant-Man... is it too late to change the name? Despite the obscurity of this hero and the production woes that most people who follow movies are aware of (primarily Edgar Wright's departure), I honestly think Marvel may be in for another surprise hit. With a likable star like Paul Rudd in the lead and a Hollywood legend like Michael Douglas as his support, not to mention all of the technical mastery that Disney and Marvel bring to the table, I honestly think Ant-Man is going to surprise a lot of people this July.
If you're as in love with Disneyland as I am, you'll immediately recognize where the title for this movie originated. Though being named after a section of an amusement park, even the happiest place on earth, may not be the most promising concept, the director of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and The Incredibles paired with one of the creators of TV's Lost has to give the project some credibility. Throw in a really intriguing teaser trailer and George Clooney... yeah, I'm sold. It may be the most mysterious movie on my entire list, and therefore has a lot of room for error. Then again, it also has a lot of potential for greatness, which its certainly set up for based on the quality of the talent involved. Count me in for Tomorrowland this Memorial Day weekend!
#6 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (11/20/2015)
This movie is going to make a crapload of money. Even though the last installment wasn't quite as good as Catching Fire, it perfectly set up the conclusion that Mockingjay Part 2 promises to be. By getting the set up out of the way in the first part, we're all on the edge of our seats for the explosive ending they've been building towards. Having read the book, I'm acutely aware of the action-packed and highly controversial finale and I can't wait to see how director Francis Lawrence wraps up this excellent franchise.
Pixar has been a little rocky over the last few years... both Monsters University and Cars 2 were misfires in my opinion, though I actually really enjoyed Brave. With public perception not entirely in the studio's favor, director Pete Docter looks to redeem their reputation with a wildly creative and original story that has almost unlimited potential for the comedic and emotional storytelling that has become Pixar's trademark in their best films. Just watching this trailer makes me ache inside, because I still have five more months until I can see the whole thing.
#4 Spectre (11/6/2015)
Ever since Casino Royale I've been really liking this new iteration of 007 with leading man Daniel Craig, and after the really terrific SkyfallI don't think I could be more excited for another James Bond film than its follow-up, Spectre. Being familiar with some of the original installments in the franchise, I know the significance of this title, and with the same creative team that brought us the best Bond film yet (director Sam Mendes, composer Thomas Newman, etc.) I expect we're going to get another mind-blowing adventure... and the re-introduction to a legendary 007 villain. We'll see if he's petting a cat this time.
Ever since I was a child I've been infatuated with dinosaurs, and most of this can be traced back to the release of the original Jurassic Park in 1993. I've seen every installment of the franchise in theaters (to varying degrees of enjoyment), and I was a little apprehensive when I heard about Universal Studio's plans to make another sequel. However, when the casting announcements started to come out for Jurassic World and I saw some of the people involved, I started to gain more confidence in it. Then the trailer came out, and I got downright giddy to go back to Isla Nublar and see the dinosaur park brought to fruition. It may not end up as the best of the franchise, but this is a list of my most anticipated films... and I cannot wait to see what this movie is going to be!
In pretty much any other year, this would easily be at the top of the list. With all the returning cast and crew, and what looks to be the most powerful and dangerous villain they've faced yet, Avengers: Age of Ultron looks to up the ante after the record-breaking success of Marvel's first ultimate team-up movie. This trailer really sells the intensity of this slightly more serious sequel, and James Spader's voice as Ultron is enough to send chills down your spine. Rumor has it that one of our heroes might not make it beyond their encounter with the super-intelligent robot, and I don't even know whether the ending will necessarily be a happy one... which only makes me even more excited! Writer/director Joss Whedon has put three years of work into this screenplay, and all signs point to an improvement over what we all went nuts for in 2012. Bring on Ultron!
And for the most obvious selection of my list... we're getting another Star Wars film, people! I never thought this was actually going to happen! I'll save my thoughts on the entire Star Wars saga for another time (maybe a few Fridays before the release of this film... if you catch my drift), but the idea of new adventures from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away is everything I've wanted ever since I was old enough to realize that movies were made by people. After knocking it out of the park with the Star Trek reboot (and being a self-proclaimed Star Wars fanatic), JJ Abrams set himself apart as the perfect choice to bring this seminal franchise back to prominence. The mystery surrounding this original Star Wars tale is only accentuated in the teaser trailer that spawned a million fanboy theories, and the ambiguous title only deepens our curiosity. It's still seems like its lightyears away, but I'll be waiting with bated breath for The Force Awakens this December.
** There you go! What movies are you guys looking forward to most in 2015? Let me know in the comments section and don't forget to like my facebook page! **
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