Rio (2011)

After being a little more than pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda, and then adoring last year's How to Train Your Dragon even more than critically lauded Toy Story 3, it goes without saying that in my mind, Dreamworks has gone from being a factory of second-rate animated fare to a studio that could someday rival even the Grand Deity of Animation itself in terms of consistent quality (the "Grand Deity of Animation" being Pixar, of course). Dreamworks' latest effort, Rio, hasn't quite taken them to that point yet, but it's still a ridiculously enjoyable and lusciously vibrant romp.

The film follows Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a rare blue macaw who lives in Minnesota with his owner,

Linda (Leslie Mann). When Blu is taken by ornithologist Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) to Rio de Janeiro in order to mate with the fierce and independent Jewel (Anne Hathaway), he is promptly kidnapped by a group of bird smugglers. Thus, with the help of the other birds of Rio, Blu and Jewel must go on an adventure through the streets of Carnaval in order to escape and return to Linda and Tulio.

From the very first scene (an exhilarating musical number), the film takes full advantage of the resources that are at their disposal automatically from the plot - those being the gorgeous colors and delectable beats of Rio and of Carnaval. The score, helmed by John Powell (one of my favorite underrated film composers), is, needless to say, amazing - and the use of classic bossa nova is intelligent and perfect. And then there's the visual spectacle on display, one of reds, blues, oranges and yellows, put on display most effectively in the climax of the film, which takes place in a Carnaval Parade. It's in this aesthetic care that the film gets its most success.

Also, it's important to mention the quality of the voice acting on display. Though perhaps Rodrigo Santoro takes it too over the top, the rest of the cast is splendid. I'm a shameless Jesse Eisenberg fan, and I loved him here - he was neurotic, funny, and adorable. Anne Hathaway is, well, Anne Hathaway and what's better than that? And then there's Jemaine Clement, whose deliciously evil work as bad bird Nigel is made even better by a musical number that could have come straight out of "Flight of the Conchords".

As much as I wish awesome voice-overs and great aesthetics are enough to make a film succeed completely, they're not. Unfortunately, Rio suffers from an unspectacular screenplay. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it; it flows well, it's funny, and there are unexpected touches of heart here and there. But, it lacks the sparkle that everything else about the movie has, preventing the film as a whole from reaching the heights that it could have.

However, it's impossible not to enjoy Rio. It's cute, adorable, vibrant and totally entertaining. It may not have taken Dreamworks to a Pixar level (and it's certainly no How to Train Your Dragon) but it's still great fun for any age.

See it: if you like any of the actors involved, if you think Dreamworks has potential, if you like bossa nova, if you kind of want to feel like a kid again, if you've ever seen Black Orpheus.

Skip it: if you didn't like How to Train Your Dragon, if Jesse Eisenberg does nothing for you, if you're imperative to cuteness.

8/10

Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)

Of all the penguin movies out there, this may just be the worst. It's certainly not offensively bad by any means, but it is almost intolerably annoying, due largely in part to Jim Carrey's performance as the title character. I truly like Carrey's acting in even some of his worst movies, but here he's a mess - the screenplay is basically a series of fragmented ideas and jokes and in what can only be interpreted as a desperate attempt to make these fragments work, Carrey overacts to the point of idiocy. At one point, Carla Gugino's character sincerely states "you're a complicated man, Mr. Popper", a factoid both Carrey and the screenwriters clearly forgot to explore, despite the latter's desperate attempts at fleshing out the character with daddy and ex-wife issues. What is perhaps even more troubling is the confusing morality at play - the Penguin Expert, who is truly just doing what he can to help the penguins, is portrayed as evil, whereas Mr. Popper, a man who egregiously concludes that his New York apartment is a suitable place for Antarctic life is portrayed as a hero who can bend the law at will.

Of course, it's not all terrible. Carla Gugino actually makes good of her meager character and a few of the gags are actually extremely successful (especially the Guggenheim scene, which was just the right amount of ridiculous). In addition, the CGI penguins were undeniably adorable and surprisingly convincing. However, even though my target-audience-younger-siblings liked it, I do find myself worrying for the state of family cinema. If this kind of mindless, shallow filmmaking is what children are becoming used to seeing, more interesting family films are going to be come increasingly unaccessable.

4/10

Note: I have not read the book, but I have a hard time believing that a Roald Dahl novel could have been this vapid.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Woody Allen's record hasn't exactly been spotless lately. For example, though I basically enjoyed his effort last year, I was certainly in the minority, and his other recent films "Whatever Works" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", though with their admirers, are certainly not up to par with Allen's earlier filmography. That's why "Midnight in Paris" had so much promise - with many at Cannes calling it a return to form for Allen. And though the film does deliver in many ways (especially in the charm that it's been repeatedly said to exude), it also fall short from being as good as classic Allen.

Owen Wilson plays Gil Pender, a screenwriter who is on a vacation in Paris with his fiancee, Inez (Rachel McAdams), and who is also working on a novel which he hopes will solidify him as a legitimate writer - not just the shallow corporatized one he feels he has become in Hollywood. Feeling disillusioned by his modern life and with his fiancee's rich parents (Mimi Kennedy and Kurt Fuller) and pedantic friend Paul (Michael Sheen), Pender yearns for what he considers the golden age of Paris - the roaring 20's. Gil soon gets his wish when a mysterious car comes to pick him up at the stroke of midnight, and transports him directly back to the time period for which he yearns, throwing him into the midst of great authors and artists like F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston) and Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) along with an enigmatic beauty, Adriana (Marion Cotillard), with whom he soon falls in love.

As a continuation of Allen's cinematic love affairs with European cities (Barcelona in "Barcelona", London in "Tall Dark Stranger"), "Paris" is completely successful. Sure, it treats Paris like an unrealistic utopia, but that's acceptable considering that most Americans see it in that way. Plus, Allen never forgets the fact that the film is in essence a love letter to Paris, filling the screenplay with monologues about its beauty and even making the movie's first three minutes a montage of Parisian streets. For someone who's never been to Paris (like myself) this adoration of the city is perfectly welcome.

Also completely welcome is the lack of a narrator. This allows the film to work on its own behalf for the most part - a refreshing change from the plodding narration in other recent Allen films.

Though Wilson is given a few solo talking-to-himself monologues that could be effectively interpreted as narration, he sells them, and despite the fact that it doesn't quite allow the film to speak for itself as much as it could, compared to a bored sounding male reciting how excited a particular character was about architecture, it's tolerable and, occasionally, even a bit endearing.

What's absolutely not endearing about the film, however, is its complete lack of complex characters. Though it does make sense for the famous authors and artists of the past to be somewhat "fake", there's no excuse for real life characters like Inez and Paul, both of whom (among others) are devoid of any shades of interesting characterization. Problems like this make many of the plot points of the film more like plot nubs (because they're pointless -- ha ha, get it?).

However, that is not to say that the acting is poor, as the cast works very well despite the script's shortcomings. Wilson is probably giving his best performance to date (it helps his character is actually kind of interesting) and works perfectly as a stand-in for Woody. Mimi Kennedy, Adrian Brody and Alison Pill all shine in brief roles, and Marion Cotillard gives her potentially stock character the most interesting shades of humanity (not that this should come as any surprise - it seems like Marion is always doing more than the script's bare minimum). And even Rachel McAdams and Michael Sheen do well considering what they're given to work with.

But despite the movie's fundamental problems, it still manages to be irresistibly

charming and utterly adorable. I couldn't stop smiling throughout - it's funny, it has clever dialogue, and the ending is almost perfect.

It's not necessarily the Woody Allen comeback some are claiming it is, but we're definitely getting closer. If Woody can mix the charm and fantasy of this film with the complex characters of his earlier work - perhaps we'll then have a new masterpiece. For now though, we can at least enjoy what he's giving us.

See it: If you have a yearning desire to go to Paris, if you like seeing a cast at its best, if you are a Woody Allen die hard, or if you've always thought that Owen Wilson could be taken seriously as an actor but he just never got the right role.

Skip it: If you like complex characters, or if you've seen "I Spy" and know that Owen Wilson can never be forgiven for that movie.

8/10

The Loved Ones (2009)

Teen-horror is a subgenre that seems to be synonymous with bad acting, poor plot development, and the mindless slaughter of a bunch of stupid and unlikable characters. Sean Byrne's film "The Loved Ones" could be considered a teen horror - it does revolve around a school dance - but it conforms to none of these parameters, succeeding rather brilliantly in its uniqueness.

The film's plot is relatively simple - Brent (Xavier Samuel), who was recently involved in a car crash that resulted in his father's death, turns down the invitation of a seemingly shy girl Lola (Robin McLeavy) to the school's end-of-the-year dance. Lola's daddy (John Brumpton) then kidnaps Brent, who them becomes a victim of horrendously violent and gruesome acts of torture at the hands of this macabre father-daughter team.

However, though the majority of the film's running time is occupied with grisly and painful-to-watch torture, it never descends into a gruesome conventional territory in its delivery. Lola, who seems to be the mastermind of the deadly acts, is a stunningly interesting character. Though she's repulsively evil, she's also extremely adorable, a feature that Robin McLeavy totally takes advantage of, with help from director Byrne, who dresses her up in a pink dress and paper crown and proudly shows her listening to a cutesy song whose lyrics declare "am I not pretty enough?".

McLeavy's performace is brilliantly wacky and off-kilter. It's such a unique piece of work that one would be hard pressed to find anything really like it - perhaps the closest character comparison would be "Misery's" Annie Wilkes, though McLeavy never tries or comes close to emulating her. Instead, she captivates the screen with an irascible and incomparable presence. It will be fascinating to see where she goes next.

The true accomplishment of the film, however, is Sean Byrne's daring and captivating directorial style. Unlike so many other horror movies who use a clicheed gritty and muted color palate, Byrne isn't afraid of utilizing color and lighting to create tension. For example, the disco ball which is ever present in the torture room is perfectly unsettling, as is the fact that the torture room is actually Lola's living room - a subtle detail that makes a huge difference. It's Byrne's unflinching vision that keeps the movie from falling too deep into unwatchable torture porn territory.

On the other hand, the film does occasionally fall into convention and like any good horror movie, it has its wee plot holes. Plus, the ending feels a bit abrupt - a cop-out that misses out on some potential profundity. However, the problems are so minor and inconsequential that they can easily be overlooked. The film is so successful - it draws you in, violently shakes you up, and never quite lets you go.

See it: If you're in the mood for a smart and bloody horror movie or you want to see a really indescribable female performance.

Skip it: If you're a bit squeamish. The movie is a cringe-fest! I literally had nightmares the night I watched it. This is not for the faint of heart.

8/10

Rango (2011)

With Pixar releasing the rather unpromising "Cars 2" later this year it seems necessary to keep an eye on the rest of the animated crop. Having not yet seen a new movie this year yet, I couldn't wait to start everything off with "Rango", which looked extremely promising and was being critically lauded. Unfortunately, though "Rango" had quite a lot going for it, it ended up being an overall disappointment.

The film tells the story of an unnamed pet chameleon (voiced, of course, by Johnny Depp) with a propensity for the theater, who becomes stranded in the desert after his owners nearly get into a car accident. The chameleon soon finds himself in the drought-ridden city of Dirt, where he meets the sassy lizard Beans (Isla Fisher), and the rest of the town's rodent and reptile inhabitants, all of whom are struggling due to the drought. Seizing an opportunity, the chameleon takes on the name of Rango and becomes the sheriff of the town, where he soon discovers that the town's mayor has an evil plot that is keeping the town dry.

Visually, "Rango" is really quite stunning. Besides the fact that the animation is realistic to a fault, the film's "cinematography" is really fantastic - the design of each shot is full of gorgeous lighting and coloring, while the camera's own movements are some of the most advanced and interesting out I've seen in a CGI animated film (and that does include "Avatar". heh). It comes as no surprise that Roger Deakins was the visual consultant - his cinematographic brilliance really shows. Soundwise the film succeeds as well. Johnny Depp's voice is pretty much perfect for the role and the score was great as well (for Hans Zimmer, anyway. heh heh).

Unfortunately, as seems to always be the case, the screenplay was unable to live up to the film's visual scheme - so much so that it detracted from the overall success of the film (which is not always the case. Sometimes an animated film can get by on looks alone). Though I admire the fact that the film was able to avoid tripping over the big religious and environmental issues it tackled, that was about the only thing it did right. So many of the film's "jokes", which it obviously thought were hysterical, failed miserably. And though the film's first scene is littered with sharp dialogue and laughs, the film loses its steam not shortly after, with incongruities that are impossible to overlook, even through the lens of what I like to call the "family film forgiveness factor".

"Rango" is almost a surefire nominee for Best Animated Film next year at the Oscars, and I imagine it'll be this year's animated critical favorite unless there's a foreign entry. And while its writing was rather disappointing, its visuals are certainly something to applaud. Not a bad start to 2011, by any means, but definitely not what I would have hoped for.

See it: If you're disappointed by the lameness of the rest of what's in theaters, and you don't mind forgoing good writing for unbelievable animated visuals.

Skip it: If you didn't get a good night of sleep the evening before, and if you feel like laughing a lot.

6/10

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Documentaries are difficult to judge, and the more and more I see the less I really know how to critique them. It seems like even the most poorly edited, lazily made documentary can be fascinating if it's based on the right subject matter. On the other hand, one watches a movie like "The Cove" (a brilliant, brilliant documentary), which not only features a compelling topic, but is wonderfully crafted, and realizes how effective the documentary can be.

I felt like I really witnessed something like that when watching "Exit Through the Gift Shop". The film is a documentary directed by infamous street artist Banksy, which begins by seemingly being a documentary about the general street art movement and then moves seamlessly into the biography of "Mr. Brainwash" - formerly Thierry Guetta, a compulsive cameraman who previously followed and filmed street artists and then became himself an overnight sensation in the art world.

What makes "Exit" work is that does everything that a documentary should do, and it does it perfectly. First of all, it features a very interesting and little-known topic (the world of street art). Secondly, it also spotlights two extremely complex people - Thierry (who is easily one of the most interesting figures in this year of cinema) and of course, Banksy himself. Finally, it is perfectly edited, a must for any documentary. The film seamlessly blends footage of the creative process of the street art, talking head interviews, and narrative content to create a fast moving, constantly absorbing 86 minutes that, while tackling several topics, never once becomes unfocused.

Unlike this year's other famous doc "Catfish", which was certainly entertaining and compelling in its own way, "Exit Through the Gift Shop" does not rely on any gimmick to keep the viewer interested - it succeeds solely on its quality as a film and its perfectly highlighted subject. Of course, there is the ever-circulating question of its validity. I personally think that it's real - however, like I said about "Catfish", even if it wasn't, it would still be a fantastic film that not only educates but makes an interesting statement on what art really is. And did I mention that it's actually extremely funny as well?

I know it's been said time and time again by bloggers, audiences and the critics' awards groups but I'll add my accolades to the pile - "Exit Through the Gift Shop" is ridiculously interesting and a true testament to what a documentary should be.

See it: if you're interested in art, great documentary filmmaking, human psychology, or mysterious British dudes.

Skip it: if you think street artists are vandalizing punks. Grrrr.

9/10

(By the way everyone I'm trying something new with the "see it skip it" thing. I'm thinking about making it a consistent review feature. Like? Dislike? Opinions below!)

Tangled up.

That pun was just too obvious but I couldn't help myself.

Last year I fell just a little bit in love with Disney's back-to-roots princess animation story "The Princess and the Frog", which, though not one of my FAVORITE films of the year, was absolutely lovely. To be honest though, my love for that movie is kind of what made me worry about "Tangled". It seemed to me like Disney was going for a snarky Shrek kind of thing, and I was sort of upset - that sort of thing is better for Dreamworks, and after proving how well they could do it the old-fashioned way, why go back to the same old generic thing?

Thankfully, my reservations were proven to be somewhat incorrect, though after watching Disney's 50th Animated Film EVER I have an entirely new set of scruples.

"Tangled" is, as you all surely already know, a reinvention of the Rapunzel story. Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) is a girl whose hair has magical healing properties due to a flower that healed her mom during pregnancy. Her parents, the king and queen of a kingdom, lost Rapunzel when the evil Mother Goethel (Donna Murphy) stole her as a baby to keep her powers to herself. Of course, Rapunzel yearns to be free, and on her 18th birthday, she decides to sneak out of her tower, with the help of a bandit named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) who accidentally lands up there while escaping the king's guards.

This reinvention of the Rapunzel story is quite successful and works perfectly as the vehicle for the typical Disney romance. Duh, Flynn and Rapunzel fall in love and whatnot, but for some reason it doesn't feel corny or anything. A lot of this is due to the technical brilliance of the animation. The movie is so refreshingly colorful and carefully animated - though Rapunzel's hair may not be a consistent length, as my sister lamented, it is still captivating to watch. CGI is very rarely beautiful, and I'm pleased to say that this film achieves some rather aesthetically gorgeous moments.

And Mother Goethel is, simply, one of the best Disney villains in recent years. Where "Princess and the Frog" and even in some ways, "Enchanted" fell slightly short was the very one-dimensional nature of their villains. 'Tis not the case here! The maternal relationship that Rapunzel has with Goethel is rather compelling - we can't forget that she is basically the only mother that she's ever known - and seeing the affection, such as hugs and kind words, between them, makes the villainship so much more horrifying and perfect. Of course, Donna Murphy's brilliant voice work is much to credit for why Goethel is such a great character. She's over the top, she sings wonderfully, and she nails every line.

Sadly, such laurels cannot be awarded to Mandy Moore. Her Rapunzel is occasionally quite good, but too often she sounds whiny, or even worse - as though she's not getting into it enough, which leaves the viewer feeling super distanced from the character. This happens especially during the musical numbers. Her singing voice (at least in my opinion) is kind of annoying, with this weird airyness that is just not convincing.

This leads to another problem with the movie - it doesn't seem committed enough to being a musical! The songs are fine, if not somewhat unmemorable (I mean, it's hard to say anything bad about Alan Menken), but somehow in the context of the entire narrative, they don't feel natural or necessary enough. However, Mother Goethel's song "Mother Knows Best" is probably the best in the movie; it's funny, creepy, and its animation sequence is tight and clever. On the other hand, the movie's musical non-singing score is quite fitting and often transcendent.

Of course, that's not to say that I didn't like the movie. I very much did, and I guess I almost started crying at the end (I'm a leaky faucet though, so don't mind me...). I suppose I'm just trying to identify the reasons it didn't lodge itself into my heart like I would have expected. It's good in so many ways, and it did not fail in the ways I expected - it just didn't reach the level of quality that perhaps it could have. I'm honestly a bit conflicted about it, but I would recommend it even if only so you all will be able to discuss it with me and help me figure it out. Haha!

7/10

Mother (2009)

Joon-ho Bong's "Mother" is a film that intrigued me ever since it became Korea's submission to the Oscars last year and its exciting trailer started circulating the blogosphere. Then, I watched (and heartily enjoyed) Bong's prior, more famous film "The Host". Enjoying that film so much made me extremely interested in seeing what he would do with such an interesting and actressy concept. Being matched up with it for the Film Community Potluck at Anomalous Material finally gave me the incentive to watch it and I was not disappointed.

Hye-ja Kim plays the titular character, an elderly woman who loves and lives alone with her son, Do-joon (Bin Won). She is completely devoted to Do-joon, and her entire world (which is pretty much solely based on her role as his mother) is completely torn apart when he is convicted of the murder of a young girl in their small village. Convinced of his innocence, she begins her own rogue investigation of the crime. But not everything is as it seems and soon the story grows more and more twisted.

"Mother" is really a masterfully written spin on the age old plot device that is being wrongly accused of a crime. As each layer of the story stacks up perfectly the audience is left in awe and suspense, all with beautifully rounded characters. Bong avoids the problems that I feel he encountered in "The Host" - "Mother" is much more focused (though it does admittedly drag a bit in the second act) and the humor is executed flawlessly, not awkwardly.

Speaking of execution, "Mother" is a stylistic masterwork. Bong's direction is sharp and tense, and with very little score he is able to make single shots excruciatingly suspenseful. The film is also beautifully shot - the cinematography is often breathtaking. The opening and closing shots in are particularly memorable in their beauty and motivic significance.

Of course, the most stunning achievement of this film is Hye-ja Kim's performance. She truly is a tour-de-force. Her love for her son is unbelievably strong, almost to an unhealthy level that Kim is absolutely not afraid to explore. One word that kept coming to mind in regards to her work is "operatic". The fearless, unhinged and raw emotion so often seen in opera is rarely found in film (simply due to the differences in the mediums), yet Kim's work is nothing short of operatic, and it's breathtaking to watch her.

Joon-ho bong has truly created a classic to be in the crime genre. Though it may not be a perfect film, it is crafted so skillfully that it is impossible to ignore. Hye-ja Kim's performance alone can simply not be praised enough - it is unique and brilliant. I absolutely recommend "Mother"...don't wait like I did, watch it ASAP!

9/10

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger...

Poor Helena (Gemma Jones). Her husband, Alfie (Anthony Hopkins), has just left her to go pursue a more youthful existence. Psychologically unstable, she begins visiting a psychic, who gives her exactly what she wants to hear, much to the satisfaction of her daughter Sally (Naomi Watts), who is falling in love with her boss Greg (Antonio Banderas) as she deals with her own struggling marriage with failed author Roy (Josh Brolin), who believes that the lovely Dia (Frieda Pinto), who lives across the street, is his muse. Bring in Alfie's new actress/prostitute girlfriend Charmaine (Lucy Punch), and you've got one wonderfully kooky and messed up web of people!

There's a lot that goes right with Woody Allen's latest. The dialogue is witty and very sharp, and the screenplay weaves together all of the film's many subplots very well. On that note, each of the characters and their stories were very interesting, intriguing, and fleshed out, making it all very fun to watch. Oh, and the narration wasn't unbearable like it was LAST TIME! In fact, it was quite effective!

Oh, and the acting is very good as well. Gemma Jones is wonderful, giving her character the perfect amount of sincerity and parody, and Lucy Punch is hysterical (and surprisingly multi-dimensional) as the over-the-top hooker. Watts, Brolin and Hopkins are also very, very good, making their characters both very funny and very sympathetic. Pauline Collins hams it up in her small but crucial role as the psychic, delivering some of the film's best laughs.

So even though on paper, the film does everything right, there's still something so vital missing. It's hard to place exactly what's wrong with it, besides the fact that nothing quite feels new. Structurally, it ends up being really similar to Vicky Cristina Barcelona - for example, remember the recurring guitar tune that made Rebecca Hall swoon in VCB? Well, it exists this time too. Except, instead of Albeniz, it's Boccherini; and instead of Hall, it's Brolin.

And, really, the films are different enough that this might not have been a problem - what the film is truly missing is the spice and flair of some of Allen's past work (especially VCB). By the end of the film, even though everything in it was good (and by no means boring), you sort of forget about it simply because it was just so flavorless. It's very well made, very well acted and very enjoyable, but overall, really nothing outstanding.

7/10

Some Invisible Ramblings on "Catfish"

Because I'm trying to support the hype, I'm writing the following in white! So only highlight it and read it if you've seen the movie or you don't really care about it being spoiled for you.

So here we go. This was a really engrossing movie, and it definitely lives up to the hype. Not knowing anything about it was truly part of the movie's success - watching the events unfold as they did was simply mesmerizing. Just when you think you know where the movie is going, it totally switches around on you and something completely new happens.

And perhaps the most stunning accomplishment of "Catfish" is its expansive emotional range. There are moments of genuine sadness, and moments that are simply hysterically funny. And when we finally meet Angela, and see the life she's living and the digital life that she's created for herself, we're confronted with so many gut reactions that we almost feel as though we ourselves spent 8 months in a relationship that probably did not really exist.

Of course, the film could have taken the easy way out and portrayed Angela as a freak, or a weirdo, but instead, even though her actions are seriously socially reprehensible, the film treats her with so much sympathy that we truly realize the kind of desperation that she feels and her actual motivation for doing what she did.

There's definitely the doubt as to whether or not it's real. But in my opinion, it would still be a great film either way. If it's real (which I do believe it is), then it's an extremely well-crafted, entertaining, thought provoking documentary that is truly timely. If it's fake, it's marvelously acted, intelligently written, and brilliantly marketed (and it still asks the important questions).

So maybe the film succeeds more on its story than its merits of filmmaking, but it was definitely worth all the hype and is the perfect documentary for our times. It's actually just mind-blowing and it'ss been stuck with me ever since I saw it.

Spoilers end!

8/10

Now Playing: The Concert

Like many, I fell in love with Melanie Laurent after witnessing her superbly butt-kicking work in "Inglourious Basterds". When I read that she would be playing a violinist in an upcoming French film, I knew that I had to see it...I mean, music + Melanie = I'm probably going to love this movie. And after watching this lovely little French gem, I can't say I fell completely in love, though it certainly did not disappoint.

In "the Concert", directed by Radu Mihaileanu, our protagonist Andrei (Aleksei Guskov), is the former-conductor-now-janitor of the Bolshoi Orchestra in Russia. His career was ruined years earlier after a risk-taking performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto was interrupted by the orchestra's Communist manager, Ivan (Valeriy Barinov).

Thirty years after that traumatizing event, Andrei intercepts a fax from a manager in Paris, asking for the Bolshoi to perform there. Seeing an opportunity, Andrei steals the fax, deletes the email and comes up with a plan - to reclaim his position as a conductor by putting together an orchestra and posing as the Bolshoi. With two weeks to go, Andrei must recruit a full orchestra made up of old friends and street musicians, with the help of his friend Sacha (Dmitri Nazarov), and the old manager who screwed him over.

Andrei plans to perform the Tchaikovsky again, and thus needs a violin soloist. He has his eyes on superstar Anne-Marie Jacquet (Melanie Laurent) and though things seem simple enough, there's a secret that Andrei hides that could change the course of the entire performance, and the fates of his friends and colleagues.

But don't be mislead by that ominous cliffhanger, "The Concert" is a comedy by the very definition of the word. Its writing is remarkably sharp and there are so many moments that are simply hysterical. The rag-tag orchestra's unprofessional antics bring on multitudes of laughs and the perfect comedic performances brought to us from Nazarov and Barinov are impeccably over the top without being annoying.

The film has a big heart as well, amplified by the sincere screenplay and the emotionally affecting performances. Each character has their own motives for reliving their musical heydays and each actor brings so much feeling to their performances. Melanie Laurent does particularly good work. She gives her Anne-Marie a cold, diva persona but there is so much beneath the surface. Her screentime is dissatisfying, but I blame that on the advertising people who make it seem like she's a co-lead. She's not, but she does beautifully in her relatively small role.

Being a movie about an orchestra, the music is obviously a huge part of the film, and it is absolutely wonderful. This isn't the first time the Tchaik concerto has been used as a plot point for a movie, but it's still one of the most beautiful pieces ever written. The original score is very unique and beautiful, and integrates perfectly with the rest of the film. Oh, and the actors actually look convincing while they're playing their instruments!!!!!! Take notes, "August Rush".

However, though I'm sort of singing its praises, "The Concert" is definitely imperfect. Its last act loses a large amount of the focus that makes the first part of the film great. I'm still conflicted about the conclusion, as well - without spoiling anything, I'll say that though I greatly appreciated the structural integrity employed, there's no way to get around the fact that it is extremely rushed. Yet, it is still a beautiful conclusion that left me in tears (thanks to Laurent and Tchaikovsky!).

Plus, it's not a film that will remain in your mind. I don't want to call it forgettable, but the only thing that stayed in my mind after leaving the theater was Laurent's performance. And to be honest, something like this would probably, nay, would DEFINITELY never happen in the real world of classical music (believe me! I have experience!). The plot and its resolution are quite unrealistic. I am, however, greatly happy that the film didn't fall into the sentimental bullcrap that I felt from its trailer. It never once went that far.

So if you get the chance, see "The Concert"! It's a gorgeous little film, a fast two hours that is full of good music and good acting. It's very funny, impeccably written (if you get past the ridiculous plot, which isn't so hard to do), and certainly one of the more enjoyable movies I've seen this year.

7/10

Volver (2006)

I'd been waiting so long to see this movie, and I finally got my hands on a copy of it. I am so glad I finally did! I've only seen one other film by Almodovar ("Flor de mi Secreto", appropriately) so I didn't know what to expect. Needless to say, I was blown away by every part of this film.

The blending of the several storylines is flawless, helped immensely by the fabulous acting. This is easily Penelope Cruz's best performance (at least, the best of her Oscar nominated ones). She blazes through the screen without being hammy or over the top, as Raimunda lies and fights to help the ones she loves. It's really a wonderful performance, and her lip syncing scene, though it was lip syncing, hit me in the deepest recesses of my soul.

The other actresses, especially Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, and Blanca Portillo, also give wonderful performances that each add so well in their own way. The music score was beautiful, and worked seamlessly into the movie.

And the writing was perfect. The dialogue was witty, sharp, touching and often funny, and the intertwining of every character's individual story was absolutely fabulous. So, so well written.

I honestly have nothing bad to say about this movie. I loved everything about it. It also solidifies 2006 as probably one of the best "Best Actress" years at the Oscars. Now that I've seen all five of the performances, I can honestly say that it is jam packed with brilliance. So hard to pick a favorite!

Thus, I give "Volver" a rare...

10/10

Now Playing: Toy Story 3

Oh, Pixar! I'm always so, so skeptical about their movies before they come out. I scoffed at the trailers for Ratatouille, Up, and Wall-E but ended up loving the movies so much. Such is the same with Toy Story 3. I was taken aback by the idea of a third film in the series, and I wasn't particularly impressed with the trailer. But ah, was I proven wrong.

In the third installment of the "Toy Story" series, Andy is now 17 and heading off to college. His toys, including the famous Woody and Buzz Lightyear, are no longer getting played with and they really miss the golden years. Through a bit of a mistake in packing, the toys end up at the Sunnyside Day Care and though it seems like paradise at first, things are not what they seem and it's up to Woody to save everyone and bring them back to Andy.

Toy Story 3 (which is written surprisingly by Michael Arndt, who wrote one of my fave movies of all time, "Little Miss Sunshine") is a perfect piece of nostalgia for those of us who grew up with the first two movies. It starts with an opening montage of home video footage of Andy playing with the toys set to "You've Got a Friend in Me" that was absolutely perfect. I was a blubbering mess during that scene, it was so touching.

Besides being a reminiscence of the old Toy Stories, TS3 also brings a great amount of successful new material to the table. I loved the new toys, especially Bonnie's theatrical troupe (with toys voiced by Bonnie Hunt and Kristen Schaal, among others) who were consistently cute and hysterical. It's a very fun movie and though some of the action-type scenes were a bit long for my taste, they were exciting, especially the climax.

There are not really many, if any, issues I had with the film, besides that afterwards it didn't have the mental staying power that some of Pixar's other films have. It's surely not fair to judge this movie based on Pixar's past successes, but it's hard not to, especially when Pixar has a nearly perfect record.

Overall, TS3 is a great addition to the Toy Story series (is it the finale? I hope so, though who knows, they might make a four, tis not my decision). It's very well written and is both hilarious and touching. I cried, I laughed, I screamed - I felt every emotion possible during this movie. Though it doesn't necessarily surpass Pixar's more recent films it's still a great movie, especially for a tre-quel!

9/10

Paper Moon (1973)

I'm beginning to realize a fondness I have for Peter Bogdanovich. A long time ago, I sang praises for "The Last Picture Show", and now, after seeing "Paper Moon", I just have more and more good things to say. So prepare yourselves!

"Paper Moon" is an adorable comedy about a young, stubborn girl in the 30's named Addie (Tatum O'Neal). The movie begins at her mother's funeral, where the con-man Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal) comes to pay his respects. The adults at the funeral tell Moze to take Addie with him, to her aunt's house in Missouri. He reluctantly accepts, and as they go along, he begins to realize that she's just as good a con artist as he is...and we begin to wonder if perhaps he is really her father.

The film is just irresistibly cute, from beginning to end, mainly helped by Tatum O'Neal's lovely performance as Addie. Her comedic timing is just impeccable for someone of her age...her "I want my 200 dollars" scene is just perfect. There's just something about her, a sort of wiseness, that you can feel, that sets her apart from the typical child actor. She was completely deserving of her Oscar win (though she was really a leading role).

Madeline Kahn and Ryan O'Neal both also give very good performances, helped by the sharp and multi-dimensional script. The script gives each character just enough backstory for them to work with and yet it never gets in the way. It's amazing to think of what Madeline Kahn's character must have been thinking during her monologue in the tall grass with Addie, in which she makes a very personal confession. Additionally, the screenplay balances hilarity with the necessary drama, and it's perfect.

Bogdanovich does the film in black-and-white just like "The Last Picture Show", which is a perfect technique for the film. It juxtaposes the whimsical story with the stark desperation of that time period which is a very strong technique. There's something to be said for the fact that my entire family loved the film - even my elementary school brothers adored it.

If you haven't seen it, "Paper Moon" is definitely worth your time. It's a wonderful little film that contains a spectacular child performance from Tatum O'Neal and the entire piece is just lovely. It's hilarious, light, and nearly perfect.

9/10

Double Indemnity (1944)

There's this feeling that you get when you're watching an absolutely brilliant performance. It's not always possible to describe the aspects of the performance that make it great, but you know that it is simply because...it is. That's how I felt about Barbara Stanwyck's performance in the 1944 classic, "Double Indemnity", a film I'd known about for ages but just finally got to watching.

In the film, Fred MacMurray plays Walter Neff, an insurance agent who becomes enamored with a client's wife, Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck). Phyllis expresses a mysterious interest in buying her husband accident insurance, and Walter, in an effort to woo Phyllis (who is unhappy in her marriage), encourages her to buy the policy and kill her husband. However, though the murder goes smoothly, things end up falling apart. The story is being narrated by Walter himself, who is recording his testimony in his boss's office.

"Double Indemnity" is a great noir that is, for the most part, extremely thrilling and entrancing. The story just wraps you in from the very beginning and the sharp dialogue keeps you going. Another great thing about the movie is that it perfectly balances the crime with the romance with the investigation to create a perfect piece of noir. As aforementioned, Stanwyck delivers a mind-blowingly good performance. She knows exactly how her character should change throughout the movie and does it perfectly - her mannerisms are impeccable and you can feel this woman through every scene she's in.

However, Stanwyck does such a wonderful job that the movie flounders a bit when she is not present (which is a surprisingly large chunk of time). Fred MacMurray gives a decent performance but he just doesn't elevate the material the way his co-star does, and even the exciting performance by Edward G. Robinson as Keyes couldn't make me stop wanting Barbara back.

Additionally, movies that utilize narration are always a little bit hit-or-miss with me. In this case, I was not completely convinced by it - it just didn't seem right that Neff would be describing his past two or so weeks in such grand detail especially (SPOILER ALERT) with his arm having been shot. Clunky narration like that is extremely bothersome at times. However, the ending did do a pretty good job of making up for it.

"Double Indemnity" is quite a thrilling piece of cinema, though in the end it didn't quite do as much for me emotionally as I thought it would. However, even though the film had its faults, Barbara Stanwyck gives an absolutely mesmerizing performance that should be considered one of the best of all time.

8/10
(so close to being a seven but Stanwyck was just too good for that)

Paprika (2006)

As a huge fan of anime and Japanese cinema in general, Satoshi Kon is a director that really intrigues me. "Paprika" is Kon's most recent feature film, and in it he has perfected the non-linear narrative and lush visual design that he showed in earlier films such as the masterpiece "Millenium Actress".

It's useless to try to describe the plot of "Paprika". There is one, a rather obvious one, that revolves around the theft of a machine that allows the user to enter people's dreams. The titular Paprika is the alter ego of a researcher who is working on the device. However, this movie is not about plot. Really, the storyline is simply a device used to procure the visual mastery that the film exhibits.

And what a spectacle it is! The film is constantly spinning in and out of dream sequences (half the time you don't know whether it's dream or reality) and from the very opening sequence where Paprika is running through the city shifting in and out of images, Kon exhibits a virtuosic command of the visuals. Color and symbolism are used to create excitement and suspense, and often times the visuals are extremely frightening, as though the viewer is experiencing the nightmares of the characters.

The music is also pretty perfect - the technological score by Susumu Hirosawa is perfectly fitted for this futuristic thriller. All of the technical aspects of the film are weaved together brilliantly to create the dreamlike tone of the film.

Perhaps the film ends a bit too soon, and the pacing is not always perfect, but despite being confused I was never alienated from the action and always felt like I knew what was going on. It was basically like a dream: nothing is normal but it all feels so right.

I don't necessarily love "Paprika" as much as Kon's other works (especially "Millenium Actress") but with this film he has created an exciting and nearly perfect study of dreams and of the human mind, accented by visual spectacles and ridiculously awesome music.

9/10

All the President's Men (1976)

It's rare when a movie comes along with the perfect combination of having an amazing cast, a fascinating source material, and impeccable direction. Needless to say, "All the President's Men", which has all three of those things, is a nearly perfect film.

The story of the film, which is based on a true story, is extremely interesting. It follows two Washington Post journalists (Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford) as they fight the odds to reveal the truth behind the Watergate Coverup.

Their investigation leads them into a world of secrets, nobody wants them to publish their story, nobody wants to go on record, and they have to deal with all of this in order to get the truth to the world before it's too late.

Perhaps the best thing about this film is how natural it all feels. The lines are delivered (or written?) with just enough pauses and "ums" that it feels perfect, like you're watching the events actually unfold. Every actor completely inhabits their roles and the editing make the actions quick, exciting and sharp. I especially liked Dustin Hoffman. He really, really stole the show in my opinion.

The only performance I wasn't completely convinced by was Jane Alexander...she wasn't bad, I think she just underwhelmed me because of her Oscar-Nominated status. Plus, her character wasn't given a lot to do.

"SIX. MILLION. DOLLARS."

But I haven't even mentioned the intense art direction...that Washington Post Office has got to be one of the most well designed sets in movie history!

The issue...if there is one, with this movie, is that everything happens so fast that it's often hard to follow. Thus, it sort of alienated me. Its emotional content isn't really deep either, so on an emotional level I had a hard time connecting.

However, the story is just so fascinating. The fact that all of this stuff actually happened, that these two reporters basically single handedly brought the truth about Watergate to the public, is just amazing. It really makes me want to read the book.

So, by taking an absolutely engrossing story, making it completely natural and turning what could have been a boring office drama into an exciting political thriller, "All the President's Men" is certainly a must see film, despite its low emotional content.

9/10

Review Archive

Here's a list of all the movies I've reviewed so far. Obviously it's a bit lacking right now but it will be constantly updated. I'm going to link to it over on the side so that you can always come back for quick and dirty reference purposes. :)

#

127 Hours (2010)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

A

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

All Good Things (2010)
All the President's Men (1976)

Animal Kingdom (2010)

B
A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Black Narcissus (1947)

Black Swan (2010)

Blue Valentine (2010)

Bright Star (2009)

C
Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Catfish (2010)
Chicago (2002)

Chocolat (2000)

City Island (2010)

The Concert (2010)

D
Date Night (2010)
Double Indemnity (1944)

E
Easy A (2010)

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

F
Frost/Nixon (2008)

G
Gosford Park (2001)

Greenberg (2010)

H
The Host (2006)

Hostel (2005)
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

I

Inception (2010)

Inside Job (2010)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

J

K

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

The King's Speech (2010)

L
Linda Linda Linda (2005)

M

Mother (2010)
Mother and Child (2010)
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

N
No Impact Man: The Documentary (2009)
Notes on a Scandal (2006)

O
The Official Story (1985)

The Other Guys (2010)

P

Paper Moon (1973)

Paprika (2006)

Q

R

Rango (2011)

The Runaways (2010)

S

Scott Pilgrim VS The World (2010)

The Secret of Kells (2009)
Shrek Forever After (2010)

Shutter Island (2010)

The Social Network (2010)

Summer Wars (2010)

T

Tangled (2010)
The Third Man (1945)

Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)

Toy Story 3

Tropic Thunder (2008)

U

V
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Volver (2006)

W

Waste Land (2010)

Wendy and Lucy (2008)

X

Y
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)

Z

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

This post is for the 1001 Movies Club. Go over there and check out more reviews of this and other movies!
"2001: A Space Odyssey" is a film whose reputation precedes itself. It's on countless Best of All Time lists, it's endlessly parodied, and the title itself seems to be a household name. Movies like this are sort of unlucky - they have to live up to their glorious reputations, which is difficult. Many fail under the weight of their expectations. However, "2001" lives up to its impressive reputation, and then some.

"2001" is an epic science fiction tale that is separated into 4 parts. In part 1, we have "The Dawn of Man", in Part 2, we have an interesting chapter about interspace politics, in Part 3, we have the really famous bulk of the movie, in which two astronauts are on a mission to Jupiter and their computer goes awry, and then Part 4...cannot even really be described.

I personally find every single moment of this film to be brilliant. It's remarkably imaginative and the symbolism is very intriguing. Stanley Kubrick is obviously a genius. He allows scenes to drag on, but it's completely necessary and absolutely not too long. One of my favorite things about the movie was the use of music - the classical soundtrack of Ligeti and Strauss just enhance every single scene and add an overwhelming sense of majesty to the entire film.

One thing I did not expect (but was pleasantly surprised with) was how frightening and emotional the film was. Hal is just so creepy, and his "Daisy, Daisy" scene was just heartwrenching. Also, the fact that everything has a sense of malaise to it - the monkeys, the monolith, the "epidemic" in space...everything builds up to create this tension that really drives the entire movie.

And, finally, the visual effects were brilliant. I feel that even in today's world of CGI and 3D, I was still completely convinced by them.

Gosh, words cannot really describe my love for this film. It has been so long since I've seen a movie that is as mind-bending, entertaining, thought-provoking and intelligent as this one. I don't think I was half as awestruck during "Avatar"! So, if you haven't seen it yet, GO DO SO, RIGHT AWAY. Not only is it a classic, but it's freaking amazing.

10/10

(the first perfect score!)