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Reviews
The Big Short (2015)
Surprisingly Awesome
Adam McKay (the director of Anchorman and Step Brothers) has recently teamed up with Adam Davidson to create a new podcast for Gimlet Media. The premise is simple: take a topic that sounds incredibly uninteresting and present it in a unique light such that people are pleasantly surprised. Recent topics include "mold" and the breakup of the band Chumbawumba. They call it "Surprisingly Awesome". The launch of this podcast coincides with the release of this film which is essentially a feature length visual-driven extension of the series focusing on the subprime mortgage crisis. Throughout, Ryan Gosling serves as our narrator, taking us swiftly through the history of finance and who occasionally breaks the fourth wall as if engaging the audience in a discussion. Instead of lecturing us on esoteric financial terms, though, he cuts to Margot Robbie (in a bathtub), Selena Gomez (at a blackjack table), or Anthony Bourdain (in his kitchen) to illustrate these concepts in a humorous yet accurate manner. Yet McKay takes this one step beyond amusing lecture. He gives us great character development and he builds great suspense despite his audience knowing the ultimate outcome. This is an engaging, humorous and sobering film on an important period of recent history. It may not be enough to incite reform, but it is a powerful piece that can be added to the conversation.
Sicario (2015)
Cinematographically serene, yet intense examination of war on drugs
Sicario opens with startling intensity, unsurprising given the thematic elements of director Denis Villeneuve's previous features. Our protagonist, Kate (played by Emily Blunt), is thrust in the middle of the war on drugs where either side is leaderless and directionless creating intense chaos in the center. She is an uninformed, reactionary bystander throughout, while Josh Brolin's and Benicio del Toro's characters seem to have clear direction (even if it is unclear from where that direction came). Though this narrative setup is an understated, impactive commentary on the war on the drugs, it leaves us unable to truly savor its climax as in more traditional thrillers.
Where Sicario really impresses is in Roger Deakins' cinematography. It is visually stunning throughout. The use of infrared and night vision cameras in the third act is truly remarkable.
Overall, this film was a satisfying addition to Villeneuve's filmography that probably merits more than one viewing to truly appreciate.
Red Oaks (2014)
Largely disappointing after successful pilot
This series is very difficult to rate. The pilot was cleverly written and well-acted with a carefully selected soundtrack curated for the moods of each scene. The drama of directionless college students, middle class middle-aged parents, and the wealthy set in a 1980s country club create highly comedic situations. The creative team clearly invested everything into that 30-minute intro so they would be greenlit for an entire season, which they were awarded deservedly. However, the remainder of the series lacked direction. The season was a collection of sub-plots that occasionally intersected as if by accident and confusingly derailed itself for an entire "Freaky Friday"-esque episode. The one character who ended up arcing beautifully by the end, club president Getty, was unceremoniously removed from the Labor Day men's singles final (his opponent was former top 10 player and current tennis commentator Brad Gilbert!) in an attempt at a dark cliffhanger. Based on the way this played out, the series does not deserve a second season, and if they did go forward, I have serious doubts about their ability to cohesively tie together the plot threads from this mediocre first season.
The Martian (2015)
An Imperfect yet Enjoyable Sci-Fi Shipwrecked Tale
Andy Weir's novel of the same name, originally self-published in 2011, was quickly optioned by 20th Century Fox as its popularity soared. Ridley Scott ultimately helmed its translation to screen which was released in October of 2015. It tells the story of Mark Watney, a botanist aboard the Ares III, a manned mission to Mars, who must, as he put it, "science the sh*t out of this", in order to survive. Audiences are treated to a lone man against nature whose superpower is ingenuity. However, the jocular tone prevents us from making a connection with Watney. Instead of seeing him agonize over lost family (he mentions his parents once but has no partner or children), wrestle with faith, doubt his abilities, or even feel the effects of a prolonged isolation since time whisks forward fairly briskly, Watney is neither given a chance to overcome a character flaw nor are we able to truly sympathize with his situation. His video journals are filled with too many jokes about disco music. In keeping with the lighthearted tone, we know all too well that he will overcome all obstacles and ultimately return to Earth. But we don't watch just to see him do those things, we watch to see our protagonist learn something of himself, or of society, making the climax all the more triumphant.
The film is more successful with its scenes on Earth. We are privy to the closed-door negotiations about how to retrieve Watney safely. They calculate the risks and benefits of telling Watney's crew he is alive, about advancing the timeline of their next mission, about skipping safety checks, about partnering with the Chinese NASA counterpart, and about the overall cost of resources to rescue a single man. These discussions were filled with drama. But again, as these discussions span the course of years, we do not feel like we are among the world citizens gathered in their public squares in rapt attention watching the live coverage of his rescue.
Though perhaps unfair to make direct comparisons to other films, The Martian does call to mind 2013's Gravity. Gravity, though perhaps suffering from its overt attempts at allegory, was both more visually stunning and engaging precisely because of its focused timeline.
Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (2015)
Hopkins Role Too Small to Save This Film
This movie promised a heist, a historical kidnapping plot leading to the largest ransom paid in modern history AND Anthony Hopkins as the titular Mr. Heineken. Sadly, this movie failed to deliver. The motivations were at times unclear (There was mention of a major recession but we were never shown its far-reaching effects and thus could not empathize with out protagonists) and at times forced (all of a sudden there is a girlfriend involved who is now pregnant and needs to be financially supported and one protagonist's father appeared momentarily only to reveal he was fired by Mr. Heineken himself and we never hear from him again). The kidnappers were virtually indistinguishable yet the focus was on them instead of the police investigation or on Mr. Heineken's (and his driver's) plight in solitary. To top it off, the end text credits detailing the outcomes of the various characters (which can be found on wikipedia) were more interesting than most of the movie. I have to recommend passing on this and reading a brief synopsis of the real life case instead.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
An action film lacking a story
With Joss Whedon at the helm, and a slew of big box office draws playing virtually every character, this had the making of the movie of the century. But like the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight that took place on the same night this film premiered, it was anything but. The mythology in this film was poorly explained and detracted from enjoying the movie. The characters did not arc and some of them seemed to acquire new powers or develop new back stories when the plot suited. The film demanded you suspend your disbelief but did not even do the audience the service of putting together a plausible plot line. Even the mega-evil villain of the film was really just a misguided automaton that probably could have seen the error of his ways with a long, frank discussion about his intended course of action. Though the fight sequences were fun and unique, there were too many characters to follow. Without a reason to care about the characters, the audience cannot be expected to care for the outcome, in which case, the film will disappoint.
The One I Love (2014)
Suspenseful Romantic Drama
True love can overcome obstacles, but sometimes there are obstacles to overcome in love. When coming up against those obstacles, what is the appropriate response?
We first meet Ethan and Sophie discussing marital problems with a therapist. Ultimately, he recommends a weekend getaway to an idyllic cottage because of past successes rekindling romance with other couples he has counseled. The bulk of the film takes place in this quiet setting so we can focus in on the characters. It slowly and purposefully builds up portraits of these characters and shows us, rather than tells us, about the dreams and regrets of each. Mark Duplass (turning into one of my favorite actors) and Elisabeth Moss put on performances that will resonate with most. The viewer continues to watch because he is invested in these characters they know so well and because there is clearly a mystery to solve. Fortunately, the Twilight Zone-like premise fits in organically because we get to know these characters so well. In the end, the viewer is left with the question above, and they will have a fun time trying to answer it as soon as the credits start to roll.
The Avengers (2012)
Over the top but action-packed
The previous 'origins' movies were significantly better than this blockbuster. The characters are reduced to one-dimensional caricatures and I am fairly certain some of Iron Man's dialogue is recycled from his own series of films. The script is poorly thought out (why is Jane Foster not recruited for her portal expertise? how come Thanos chooses to send Loki to Earth and why does Loki even want to rule Earth? why does Loki ever let his magical staff go? why are the alien soldiers incredibly weak compared to the hype? how did the astrophysicist somehow resist Loki's mind control but Hawkeye couldn't?), the jokes are groaners ("I am a god!" *Hulk smashes said God* "Puny God!"), and the premise is cheesy (ragtag group of superheroes must put aside their egos to work together as a team). That being said, the action sequences are enjoyable enough to sit through to the end of this long, 2.5 hour flick.
Turist (2014)
Thought-provoking, tense family drama
A Swedish family arrives for a ski vacation in France for some quality time together since Tomas, the patriarch, has been working intensely for so long. Ultimately, a controlled avalanche approaches their restaurant and in the panic, Ebba (the mother who gives a fantastic performance) grabs her two children and bunkers down for safety screaming for Tomas to help. Alas, he has gathered his phone and gloves and taken off. This incident then becomes the center of every conversation for the remainder of the film. I enjoyed how the shots recapitulated the obsessiveness by lingering so long in one place. Though the dialogue itself was too "on- the-nose", you do leave with a comprehensive understanding of the question the film asks: Can one be responsible for instinctive actions in such a life-threatening moment? Overall, it is an enjoyable film, even if some scenes are overly long and some choices seem misguided.
Veep (2012)
Static characters spew series of one-liners
I have a comedy void, and loving most things HBO, I turned to Veep to fill it. After season 1, I am disappointed. The entire show is filled with one-dimensional characters who are constantly talking and never moving. They talk in the office, they talk in the limo, they talk on the phone. Without seeing any of the stories take place, story lines are brought in an out on a whim. You will definitely laugh, but viewers do not need to listen to a 3-minute listing of inventive nicknames involving the phrase 'veep' or or the countless 'tall' jokes they crack about the white house intern. This is clearly farcical and over-the-top, and if this suits your mood, then this a good show to watch. For me, it's more appropriate for playing in the background while I do something else.
V for Vendetta (2005)
More than a shoot -'em-up
V for Vendetta had the makings of a typical Hollywood movie filled with explosions, blood and violence. But the Wachowski brothers created a film with multiple levels of meaning that the trailers failed to even begin decoding. It is set more than 20 years in the future in England where a masked man attempts to change the world. There are elements of Hitler's rise to power through the induction of fear, the mystery of Phantom of the Opera, but most importantly an inquisitive protagonist similar to the one found in Orwell's 1984. The theme is evident: People should not be afraid of their government; the government should be afraid of the people. Through ingenious acts of deception and illusion, the main character, V, shapes Evie, a girl he rescues in an alleyway. As a common woman, she represents all of society. She has the ability to incite change but is unsure how to go about it. V's acts come across as horrendous to some, but for those attentively listening to his rationale, seems so logical. A higher-thinking member of the audience will be able to draw parallels to present life and come the horrific realization we better take care of the future before we fall victim to the same totalitarian rule.