Dir. Steven Spielberg
Few directors have that instant name-recognition like Steven Spielberg. My mom can probably name at least one or two of his movies which is quite a feat. Also, I think Spielberg is very assured in all the films that he does. Themes, set-pieces, even music flow through all of his works and tie them together. When Spielberg makes a movie it can usually be classified in one of two groups: Important “message” type films (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, this year’s War Horse) and Rollicking adventure films (Indian Jones movies, War of the Worlds). The Adventures of Tintin is firmly in the latter category. In fact, other than the search for a lost treasure, and maybe touching on some themes of vengeance, The Adventures of Tintin is almost all straightforward action with little subtext.
We’re introduced to our character Tintin (Jamie Bell) while he is shopping in his native Brussels. Most of the world is familiar with the titular hero, as he is star of his own long-running comics by author Herge. After purchasing a mysterious model ship, Tintin is suddenly thrust into a treasure-seeking journey that takes him across the globe and where he meets future partner Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis). That’s pretty much all there is to it. Tintin and Haddock follow clues and trail a meanie played by Daniel Craig who, like Spielberg, is making his second appearance of the holiday season following The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
The action scenes are bright and lively and cartoonishly over-the-top. In particular, a dizzying chase through the fictional Middle Eastern city of Bagghar that begins as a simple “follow that man!” scene and results in the decimation of the entire city. I admired the way the camera loops and flies and swivels around the action in a way that would be nearly impossible in live action. Every action-packed segment is thrilling and jaw-dropping yet ultimately feels hollow because the plot is so thin.
This brings me to the topic of the motion-capture element. Motion capture has its fair share of detractors, most of which lie in the “uncanny valley”, that is that no matter how good the animation, the characters will always have a lifeless, eerie, robotic quality. I can firmly say that Tintin boasts some of the most impressive computer animation of the year, yet it’s true, there is something oddly disconnecting about the characters. I mostly noticed it in the way Tintin’s face never quite emoted like a real person, his forehead was always a little stiff. I think, however, this didn’t affect my enjoyment of the movie, and as motion capture becomes more and more prevalent in films we become more and more adjusted to the off-kilter quality of the characters. Actor Jamie Bell does a fine job capturing the optimistic and sunny Tintin and veteran motion-capture actor Andy Serkis fits easily into the role of the alcoholic Captain Haddock.
All said and done, The Adventures of Tintin is an interesting combination of newfangled, modern cinema blended with an old school yarn about treasure seekers. Though the movie is entertaining enough, I left the theater with a sense that I might have been satisfied with the meal, but not necessarily wanting more.
Grade: B
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Dir. David Fincher
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2011. The novel, published posthumously by author Steig Larson, ignited with American readers and has resulted in a trio of films in the author’s native Sweden. It was only a matter of time before the American film rolled into theaters. Questions flared up, however. Would the American version shy away from the brutal violence and explicit sex? The answer is, mostly no. The film is a movie for grown-ups and never placates to the audience.
At its heart, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a murder mystery. It’s one that is about on par with a really good episode of Law and Order: SVU. The hunt for a serial killer of women, though, is only a small portion of the pie. Another slice is Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), the shamed reporter of a tabloid magazine looking for vengeance and an opportunity to clear his name. Elsewhere, punk/sleuth Lisbeth Salander (Roony Mara) is trying to survive/kick ass despite the obstacles, um, obstacles placed by her sleazy guardian (Yorick van Wageningen). The two heroes, for lack of a better word, team up to untangle a mystery involving a dysfunctional family that includes incest, Nazis, and pretty much all things unsavory.
So we have all the pieces of the pie. Rooney Mara’s daring portrayal of Lisbeth Salander is the whipped cream that makes the dessert so delicious. The role of Lisbeth is one that caused quite a lot of input from fans. Many believed that Noomi Repace’s Lisbeth from the Swedish films was perfect; some even calling her to take on the role in the American films. Natalie Portman was an original frontrunner, whispy, beautiful, Natalie Portman. I must say that Mara’s Lisbeth is a nuanced, complicated, and thoroughly rich performance. Fierce and strong yet damaged, she commands the screen with her icy intensity. The supporting characters, including Craig’s Blomkvist, turn in strong performances as well, though in my mind I pictured Mikael as a little more doughy and everyday, not the James Bond-ian hero embodied by Craig.
David Fincher brings a dark, cold atmosphere perfectly set in the frigid Swedish landscape and proves most effective when the characters are trying to figure something out or in mortal danger. Some of the quieter, emotional moments feel a bit uneven amidst the dreary industrial feel of the film.
I liked Lisbeth and Mikael’s partnership although at one point, the tone of the relationships shifts and becomes sort of clumsy. The film rapidly loses steam after the tense climax and is punctuated with a mini Oceans 11-type caper that really seemed a bit silly.
In the end, though, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a deft, dark and well-crafted mystery supported by strong performances.
Grade: B+
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2011. The novel, published posthumously by author Steig Larson, ignited with American readers and has resulted in a trio of films in the author’s native Sweden. It was only a matter of time before the American film rolled into theaters. Questions flared up, however. Would the American version shy away from the brutal violence and explicit sex? The answer is, mostly no. The film is a movie for grown-ups and never placates to the audience.
At its heart, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a murder mystery. It’s one that is about on par with a really good episode of Law and Order: SVU. The hunt for a serial killer of women, though, is only a small portion of the pie. Another slice is Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), the shamed reporter of a tabloid magazine looking for vengeance and an opportunity to clear his name. Elsewhere, punk/sleuth Lisbeth Salander (Roony Mara) is trying to survive/kick ass despite the obstacles, um, obstacles placed by her sleazy guardian (Yorick van Wageningen). The two heroes, for lack of a better word, team up to untangle a mystery involving a dysfunctional family that includes incest, Nazis, and pretty much all things unsavory.
So we have all the pieces of the pie. Rooney Mara’s daring portrayal of Lisbeth Salander is the whipped cream that makes the dessert so delicious. The role of Lisbeth is one that caused quite a lot of input from fans. Many believed that Noomi Repace’s Lisbeth from the Swedish films was perfect; some even calling her to take on the role in the American films. Natalie Portman was an original frontrunner, whispy, beautiful, Natalie Portman. I must say that Mara’s Lisbeth is a nuanced, complicated, and thoroughly rich performance. Fierce and strong yet damaged, she commands the screen with her icy intensity. The supporting characters, including Craig’s Blomkvist, turn in strong performances as well, though in my mind I pictured Mikael as a little more doughy and everyday, not the James Bond-ian hero embodied by Craig.
David Fincher brings a dark, cold atmosphere perfectly set in the frigid Swedish landscape and proves most effective when the characters are trying to figure something out or in mortal danger. Some of the quieter, emotional moments feel a bit uneven amidst the dreary industrial feel of the film.
I liked Lisbeth and Mikael’s partnership although at one point, the tone of the relationships shifts and becomes sort of clumsy. The film rapidly loses steam after the tense climax and is punctuated with a mini Oceans 11-type caper that really seemed a bit silly.
In the end, though, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a deft, dark and well-crafted mystery supported by strong performances.
Grade: B+
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Dir. Brad Bird
It’s amazing to think that the first Mission Impossible movie starring Tom Cruise came out 15 years ago. Back then, Alanis Morissette was at the top of the charts and the O.J. Simpson trial was just warming up.
The first movie in the series, directed by Brian De Palma, was, despite some iconic scenes, a labyrinthine plot that focused more about canted angles than coherency. The next movie, appropriately titled Mission Impossible II (or MI: 2 for you cool kids), eschewed the twisty-turny plot for a more straightforward action film with John Woo’s signature balletic action scenes. 2006’s film (MI: III, surprise), took the film into J.J. Abrams land meaning complex, emotionally turbulent scenes and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as one bad-ass villain. Despite the strength of MI:III (which was the strongest film to date, I felt), the film struggled at the box office and the franchise was in question.
Five years later, however, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol made it off the ground under the watchful eye of director Brad Bird, Pixar animation wunderkind responsible for such lauded films as Ratatouille and The Incredibles. As an animation director, Bird has an eye for the absurd. Ridiculous, over-the-top action scenes set atop towering sky-scrapers, in whirling sandstorms, and a daring escape from a Hungarian prison. Preposterous, yes, but it is called Mission Impossible, not Mission Plausible. The action scenes are set up with dizzying aplomb. Several members of the audience were gasping just at the notion of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt climbing the outside of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, but he was going to do it with, basically, one hand tied behind his back! The film certainly has some of the best action of the year, and in glorious IMAX no less.
Ghost Protocol represents a shift in tone for the MI series. Abrams had set up his film with a very complex emotional undertone, the home life of Ethan Hunt, if you will. That film saw Ethan settling down and getting married and the difficulties that can bring to an international spy. Though this complication is present in Ghost Protocol, in surprising ways, the film is more about good, old fashioned action. The MacGuffin this time is a set of codes that a megalomaniac wants to control in order to unleash nuclear war on the world. Not the most original, for sure and even Michael Nyqvist as the film’s main antagonist has very little presence in the movie. Similarly, Tom Wilkinson shows up as the secretary of IMF but basically phones in his role as the "Basil Exposition" character. Instead, the team, comprised of regular Simon Pegg and newcomers Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton, hop from locale to locale always just a step behind the bad guys meaning a daring chase to catch up.
Let’s be honest. The action movies of late have been tiresome. Yes we all marvel at the cosmic hammer of Thor; we all coo over the ambulatory simian Caesar, but for my money, the best kind of action is the one of an ordinary man, try to get the bad guys before they blow up the world. And if he has to jump down an empty elevator shaft only to stop a few millimeters before being eviscerated by a large spinning fan – so be it.
Grade: A-
It’s amazing to think that the first Mission Impossible movie starring Tom Cruise came out 15 years ago. Back then, Alanis Morissette was at the top of the charts and the O.J. Simpson trial was just warming up.
The first movie in the series, directed by Brian De Palma, was, despite some iconic scenes, a labyrinthine plot that focused more about canted angles than coherency. The next movie, appropriately titled Mission Impossible II (or MI: 2 for you cool kids), eschewed the twisty-turny plot for a more straightforward action film with John Woo’s signature balletic action scenes. 2006’s film (MI: III, surprise), took the film into J.J. Abrams land meaning complex, emotionally turbulent scenes and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as one bad-ass villain. Despite the strength of MI:III (which was the strongest film to date, I felt), the film struggled at the box office and the franchise was in question.
Five years later, however, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol made it off the ground under the watchful eye of director Brad Bird, Pixar animation wunderkind responsible for such lauded films as Ratatouille and The Incredibles. As an animation director, Bird has an eye for the absurd. Ridiculous, over-the-top action scenes set atop towering sky-scrapers, in whirling sandstorms, and a daring escape from a Hungarian prison. Preposterous, yes, but it is called Mission Impossible, not Mission Plausible. The action scenes are set up with dizzying aplomb. Several members of the audience were gasping just at the notion of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt climbing the outside of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, but he was going to do it with, basically, one hand tied behind his back! The film certainly has some of the best action of the year, and in glorious IMAX no less.
Ghost Protocol represents a shift in tone for the MI series. Abrams had set up his film with a very complex emotional undertone, the home life of Ethan Hunt, if you will. That film saw Ethan settling down and getting married and the difficulties that can bring to an international spy. Though this complication is present in Ghost Protocol, in surprising ways, the film is more about good, old fashioned action. The MacGuffin this time is a set of codes that a megalomaniac wants to control in order to unleash nuclear war on the world. Not the most original, for sure and even Michael Nyqvist as the film’s main antagonist has very little presence in the movie. Similarly, Tom Wilkinson shows up as the secretary of IMF but basically phones in his role as the "Basil Exposition" character. Instead, the team, comprised of regular Simon Pegg and newcomers Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton, hop from locale to locale always just a step behind the bad guys meaning a daring chase to catch up.
Let’s be honest. The action movies of late have been tiresome. Yes we all marvel at the cosmic hammer of Thor; we all coo over the ambulatory simian Caesar, but for my money, the best kind of action is the one of an ordinary man, try to get the bad guys before they blow up the world. And if he has to jump down an empty elevator shaft only to stop a few millimeters before being eviscerated by a large spinning fan – so be it.
Grade: A-
Friday, December 2, 2011
Movie Review
The Muppets
Dir: James Bobin
Hollywood is no stranger to the reboot. Nothing invigorates a floundering franchise like new talent in front of and behind the camera. As soon as The Muppets movie was announced several years ago, I had already cast my doubts. I had grown up with The Muppets and had quite a soft spot for them. I remember watching reruns with (obscure to me) celebrities and not quite getting a lot of the jokes. A recent trip to Disneyworld and watching the Muppetvision show (largely unchanged since my childhood) had me pining for the Muppets again. It seems as though the same nostalgia radiated through Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) as he has imbued his script for the new Muppet movie with the same warm, glowing reverence.
Segel stars as Gary, a grown man in a long-term relationship with schoolteacher Mary (Amy Adams). Gary’s brother Walter is one of the biggest Muppet fans you’ll find – and he’s a Muppet himself but doesn’t quite realize it. On a group trip to Los Angeles, Walter discovers a nefarious plot to shut down the old Muppet theater so with the help of Kermit the Frog and all the Muppet pals, the group attempts to put together a show that will save the theater.
The premise is familiar and has a equal parts road trip and Busby Berkely, “putting on a show” vibe to it. Throughout, cameos come fast and furious from the likes of Rashida Jones, Jack Black, Selena Gomez and that kid from Modern Family. The cameos, though, are really the only modern thing about the Muppets which turns out to be a good thing. There are no winking jabs at Disney or nudging references to the “industry”. Snark, sarcasm and a cynical attitude are eschewed in favor of silliness. That’s not to say that some of the jokes aren’t aimed at adults (we can clean up the theater much faster through montage!), but it always comes from a heartfelt place that just wants to make the audience smile.
Despite all the laughs (and there are many), much of the movie deals with nostalgia in a difficult way. Kermit, in particular, finds it difficult to revisit the past and (until convinced otherwise) is mostly content with leaving things the way it is. He, in many ways, is very modern in that he’s not just a bounding source of optimism, but seems to understand that the sometimes history can be painful. That being said, sometimes I wanted to just smack him and tell him to snap out of his funk, but luckily we have Miss Piggy to do just that. Speaking of, Miss Piggy and all the Muppets, display very interesting and funny quirks. Almost the way that ensemble superhero movies have so many characters that you’re bound to connect with one of them, The Muppets all have something about them that is individual that you can connect with. Miss Piggy has been hurt romantically in the past and is fiercely guarded; Gonzo has compromised his individuality and “sold out” as the head of a large corporation -- heady stuff for a blue furry creature.
Ultimately, The Muppets is a movie that will probably appeal more to adults who have missed the Muppets for the past 10 or so years rather than 6 year olds (though everyone can enjoy the chicken rendition of Cee-Lo’s Forget You). Plus, if this movie isn’t a success you can expect a reboot in 4 years starring the Moopets, and that’s something you definitely don’t want to see.
Grade: B+
Dir: James Bobin
Hollywood is no stranger to the reboot. Nothing invigorates a floundering franchise like new talent in front of and behind the camera. As soon as The Muppets movie was announced several years ago, I had already cast my doubts. I had grown up with The Muppets and had quite a soft spot for them. I remember watching reruns with (obscure to me) celebrities and not quite getting a lot of the jokes. A recent trip to Disneyworld and watching the Muppetvision show (largely unchanged since my childhood) had me pining for the Muppets again. It seems as though the same nostalgia radiated through Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) as he has imbued his script for the new Muppet movie with the same warm, glowing reverence.
Segel stars as Gary, a grown man in a long-term relationship with schoolteacher Mary (Amy Adams). Gary’s brother Walter is one of the biggest Muppet fans you’ll find – and he’s a Muppet himself but doesn’t quite realize it. On a group trip to Los Angeles, Walter discovers a nefarious plot to shut down the old Muppet theater so with the help of Kermit the Frog and all the Muppet pals, the group attempts to put together a show that will save the theater.
The premise is familiar and has a equal parts road trip and Busby Berkely, “putting on a show” vibe to it. Throughout, cameos come fast and furious from the likes of Rashida Jones, Jack Black, Selena Gomez and that kid from Modern Family. The cameos, though, are really the only modern thing about the Muppets which turns out to be a good thing. There are no winking jabs at Disney or nudging references to the “industry”. Snark, sarcasm and a cynical attitude are eschewed in favor of silliness. That’s not to say that some of the jokes aren’t aimed at adults (we can clean up the theater much faster through montage!), but it always comes from a heartfelt place that just wants to make the audience smile.
Despite all the laughs (and there are many), much of the movie deals with nostalgia in a difficult way. Kermit, in particular, finds it difficult to revisit the past and (until convinced otherwise) is mostly content with leaving things the way it is. He, in many ways, is very modern in that he’s not just a bounding source of optimism, but seems to understand that the sometimes history can be painful. That being said, sometimes I wanted to just smack him and tell him to snap out of his funk, but luckily we have Miss Piggy to do just that. Speaking of, Miss Piggy and all the Muppets, display very interesting and funny quirks. Almost the way that ensemble superhero movies have so many characters that you’re bound to connect with one of them, The Muppets all have something about them that is individual that you can connect with. Miss Piggy has been hurt romantically in the past and is fiercely guarded; Gonzo has compromised his individuality and “sold out” as the head of a large corporation -- heady stuff for a blue furry creature.
Ultimately, The Muppets is a movie that will probably appeal more to adults who have missed the Muppets for the past 10 or so years rather than 6 year olds (though everyone can enjoy the chicken rendition of Cee-Lo’s Forget You). Plus, if this movie isn’t a success you can expect a reboot in 4 years starring the Moopets, and that’s something you definitely don’t want to see.
Grade: B+
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