After NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, I think we’d all appreciate something lighter from the Coen Brothers. Well, relatively speaking. Putting their darkly comic twist on the paranoid thriller, the Coens give us BURN AFTER READING, a film that raises questions and staunchly refuses to answer them. Featuring spirited performances by an energetic ensembles and flashes of genuine Coen genius, BURN AFTER READING may not be the new American classic, but we’re having too much fun to care.
The whole ordeal begins when CIA analyst Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) is unceremoniously dismissed, with his superiors citing his drinking as the problem. In his malaise he decides to write his memoirs, much to the chagrin of his cold and detached wife Katie (Tilda Swinton). Meanwhile, some of Cox’s personal files end up in the possession of two gym workers. One is the dispirited Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand), who is trying to finance some cosmetic surgeries. The other is bright, chipper and mostly clueless trainer Chad (Brad Pitt) who jumps at the sign of excitement. As they begin their mission to blackmail Cox, Linda becomes involved with womanizer Harry Pfaffer (George Clooney) who is also having an affair with Katie. And if you think this sounds convoluted, you’ve only cracked the surface.
The Coens have set out to create the most ridiculously complex plot they could, and they’ve succeeded with flying colors. Late in the film, when two agents muse how pointlessly confusing the whole thing is the audience is right there with them. The entire film is an hour and a half of pointless confusion, but it couldn’t be more hilarious. When events take the trademark dark Coen Brothers twist, the film becomes even more convoluted. It relentlessly parodies the look-over-your-shoulder paranoid thrillers and the every-word-has-a-hidden-meaning spy films that is purposely loses itself as it winds to a ludicrously messy finale.
Part of the reason the mess never gets tiring is because of its top-notch cast. Each gifted with characters a step above reality, the lead actors take their parts and run. Every performance is crafted to perfection. From Swinton’s icy wife who instantly sees the worst in everybody to Clooney’s ultra-paranoid bumbling fella who’s in over his head. But fine as these two actors are, they can’t compare to the film’s three leads. Coen Brothers vet McDormand puts in another classic performance that is a masterpiece of earnest lunacy. The audience simultaneously feels for Linda as she laments over her body image and roars with laughter as she bursts into each new twist with blind confidence and an apparent determination to mispronounce names. Malkovich is sways wildly from screaming matches to complete despair in the most exaggerated way possible. But the life of the film lies with Brad Pitt. Chad is a jock who forgot that he graduated from high school, more dedicated to his job and his bicycle than seems humanly possible. He completely shreds his cool-guy personality and still manages to be cool. With his almost giggly outbursts and his pumped dances, he may be the coolest idiot around.
Even if it’s relatively free of the visual inventiveness seen in their other films, BURN AFTER READING packs a punch with its smart script and freewheeling performances. Its jokes are sharp enough to forgive INTOLERABLE CRUELTY and reteaming with a few familiar faces has done wonders for the brothers’ sense of humor. It may not be the most thought-provoking film out there and you’d be hard-pressed to justify why it all happened. But when the results are this fun, who cares?
***/****
Friday, September 12, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
When Rick O’Connell and his beloved Evie sailed off in a ramshackle dirigible at the end of 2001’s THE MUMMY RETURNS, moviegoers everywhere wished and hoped they would see their tomb-raiding, mummy-obliterating friends again. Well, 7 years later their wish has been granted, though its as if Imhotep himself granted the wish. With the painful absence of original costar Rachel Weisz, original mummy Arnold Vosloo and original writer/director Stephen Sommers, THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR will leave audiences shaking their heads sadly, wondering why they even bothered.
The evil Dragon Emperor (a mostly silent Jet Li) is determined to find the secret to immortality so he and his army can rule for all time. But long, long ago a witch (Michelle Yeoh) cursed him by turning him into chocolate and statue-fying him… which apparently makes him a mummy. Flash forward to 1947 and intrepid adventurers Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn O’Connell (Maria Bello) have hung up their hats to enjoy a quiet married life in England. But a supposedly simple secret mission brings them to Shanghai and throws them into the path of their more adventurous son Alex (Luke Ford), who has just uncovered the remains of the Emperor and his army. Faster than you can say “predictable turn of events”, the Emperor is resurrected and it’s up to the O’Connell clan (with the help of brother/uncle Jonathan) to stop the “mummy” and save the day.
It’s difficult to decide which aspect of the film is most ridiculous. I suppose it could be the title, which is misleading. There isn’t actually a mummy in the film. Sure, there are ancient figures raised from the dead, but they’re more like cursed zombies than mummies. Unless they cut out the actual mummification process, that is. Regardless of the villain’s post-life status, Li pales in comparison with the evil and all-powerful Imhotep. Aside from the desire to rule and control all, there’s really nothing to the Emperor. And how exactly he got all his magical powers is really anybody’s guess.
The other newcomers don’t fare very well either. Although Maria Bello is a fine actress in her own right, she seems next to useless trying to fill Weisz’s shoes. The key ingredient to the success of the first two films was the endearing charisma between Fraser and Weisz – Bello can’t help but fall short. And the last time we saw Alex O’Connell, he was a plucky British schoolboy with a sharp tongue and a taste for trouble. This time around, he’s still got a taste for trouble, but he’s been morphed into an All-American boy (rather odd, since he appears to have been born and raised in England) that’s nothing more than a blander version of Fraser’s character. Yeoh manages to make the most with what’s she given… which is basically nothing. But it’s always nice to see her.
There is none of the excitement, old-fashioned thrills or plain old fun jokiness of the first two films. This is likely due to Stephen Sommers’ absence; while it’s true his style of comedy and filmmaking spelt doom for VAN HELSING, it was perfectly acquitted in the world of THE MUMMY. In his place is Rob Cohen, who recently gave the world XXX and STEALTH. Working from an unexciting, unfunny and basically inept script, Cohen shows none of the visual grandeur or old-fashioned decadence that made the franchise so successful. Instead he employs an overabundance of handheld camera shots, which looks incredibly cheap in an epic such as this.
The final moments seem to promise yet another addition to the franchise (in the worst possible way, of course), but since the filmmakers have forgotten nearly everything the first film was about, they would be better off not wasting the time. One could assume, should another film come to pass, that it can’t possibly get any worse. But I have a sneaking feeling that, should the present team reunite, they would finally manage to surprise us.
*/****
The evil Dragon Emperor (a mostly silent Jet Li) is determined to find the secret to immortality so he and his army can rule for all time. But long, long ago a witch (Michelle Yeoh) cursed him by turning him into chocolate and statue-fying him… which apparently makes him a mummy. Flash forward to 1947 and intrepid adventurers Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn O’Connell (Maria Bello) have hung up their hats to enjoy a quiet married life in England. But a supposedly simple secret mission brings them to Shanghai and throws them into the path of their more adventurous son Alex (Luke Ford), who has just uncovered the remains of the Emperor and his army. Faster than you can say “predictable turn of events”, the Emperor is resurrected and it’s up to the O’Connell clan (with the help of brother/uncle Jonathan) to stop the “mummy” and save the day.
It’s difficult to decide which aspect of the film is most ridiculous. I suppose it could be the title, which is misleading. There isn’t actually a mummy in the film. Sure, there are ancient figures raised from the dead, but they’re more like cursed zombies than mummies. Unless they cut out the actual mummification process, that is. Regardless of the villain’s post-life status, Li pales in comparison with the evil and all-powerful Imhotep. Aside from the desire to rule and control all, there’s really nothing to the Emperor. And how exactly he got all his magical powers is really anybody’s guess.
The other newcomers don’t fare very well either. Although Maria Bello is a fine actress in her own right, she seems next to useless trying to fill Weisz’s shoes. The key ingredient to the success of the first two films was the endearing charisma between Fraser and Weisz – Bello can’t help but fall short. And the last time we saw Alex O’Connell, he was a plucky British schoolboy with a sharp tongue and a taste for trouble. This time around, he’s still got a taste for trouble, but he’s been morphed into an All-American boy (rather odd, since he appears to have been born and raised in England) that’s nothing more than a blander version of Fraser’s character. Yeoh manages to make the most with what’s she given… which is basically nothing. But it’s always nice to see her.
There is none of the excitement, old-fashioned thrills or plain old fun jokiness of the first two films. This is likely due to Stephen Sommers’ absence; while it’s true his style of comedy and filmmaking spelt doom for VAN HELSING, it was perfectly acquitted in the world of THE MUMMY. In his place is Rob Cohen, who recently gave the world XXX and STEALTH. Working from an unexciting, unfunny and basically inept script, Cohen shows none of the visual grandeur or old-fashioned decadence that made the franchise so successful. Instead he employs an overabundance of handheld camera shots, which looks incredibly cheap in an epic such as this.
The final moments seem to promise yet another addition to the franchise (in the worst possible way, of course), but since the filmmakers have forgotten nearly everything the first film was about, they would be better off not wasting the time. One could assume, should another film come to pass, that it can’t possibly get any worse. But I have a sneaking feeling that, should the present team reunite, they would finally manage to surprise us.
*/****
Friday, July 25, 2008
The X-Files: I Want to Believe
It’s been a few years since we last saw our favorite alienated (bad um chik) FBI agents, and much has changed. But with THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE, the world learns that we can still get the same old Mulder and Scully we’ve always loved. Built on a much smaller scale than its 1998 theatrical predecessor, the film’s strong and weak points rely on its similarity to the hit television show. Fans of the show will be more than happy to see some familiar characters, but this film will not show outsiders what the big deal was.
It’s been several years since the X-Files unit was shut down and the FBI finds another case with possible paranormal ties. Several young girls have disappeared and a local holy man (Billy Connolly) claims to be having psychic visions that relate to the case. Unable to find a connection, Agent Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) turns to the only two people she can think of for help – Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson). As the two are driven further into the case, they must both decide what they really believe and whether they want to return to the work they abandoned all those years ago.
One of the biggest problems with the original film was its lack of individuality. It didn’t serve as an introduction at all; if you weren’t an avid follower of the series, you likely wouldn’t have a clue what was happening. The film was designed as a stand-alone adventure and it certainly is that. There are only a few references to the series in the film, and none that will detract from the actual film. But unfortunately, there isn’t enough to set it apart from a standard cop thriller. The supernatural quotient is second to the recovery of the missing girls. The film is basically an extended episode of the television show. A strong episode to be sure, but nothing that really takes advantage of the filmic format.
Where the film really succeeds are in the scenes with Mulder and Scully. The performers fit back into their characters as if they had never left, and the insatiable charisma and sexual tension remains entirely intact. Anderson is particularly spectacular; her always-compelling Scully kicks up a notch as she balances the case with her day job in a hospital. Anderson could always be relied on to give the series enough pathos and emotion to make it something more; she delivers magnificently here. With each performance, she proves that she is one of the best actresses working today, able to lift any material she’s given. It’s a shame she isn’t seen more often, and the makers of the film should be lauded simply for giving her a vehicle to demonstrate her tremendous abilities.
While the film may not be a major step in the X-Files canon, it’s a more than welcome return. The lack of an ultimately compelling plot, no matter how suspenseful, is more than made up for by Duchovny and Anderson’s memorable performances. The filmmakers have crafted something that relies much more on dramatics than thrills to deliver the final product, and to be even moderately successful is a big achievement. THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE is an exciting and entertaining piece of nostalgia, and most fans will be itching to see their favorite agents again.
**1/2/****
It’s been several years since the X-Files unit was shut down and the FBI finds another case with possible paranormal ties. Several young girls have disappeared and a local holy man (Billy Connolly) claims to be having psychic visions that relate to the case. Unable to find a connection, Agent Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) turns to the only two people she can think of for help – Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson). As the two are driven further into the case, they must both decide what they really believe and whether they want to return to the work they abandoned all those years ago.
One of the biggest problems with the original film was its lack of individuality. It didn’t serve as an introduction at all; if you weren’t an avid follower of the series, you likely wouldn’t have a clue what was happening. The film was designed as a stand-alone adventure and it certainly is that. There are only a few references to the series in the film, and none that will detract from the actual film. But unfortunately, there isn’t enough to set it apart from a standard cop thriller. The supernatural quotient is second to the recovery of the missing girls. The film is basically an extended episode of the television show. A strong episode to be sure, but nothing that really takes advantage of the filmic format.
Where the film really succeeds are in the scenes with Mulder and Scully. The performers fit back into their characters as if they had never left, and the insatiable charisma and sexual tension remains entirely intact. Anderson is particularly spectacular; her always-compelling Scully kicks up a notch as she balances the case with her day job in a hospital. Anderson could always be relied on to give the series enough pathos and emotion to make it something more; she delivers magnificently here. With each performance, she proves that she is one of the best actresses working today, able to lift any material she’s given. It’s a shame she isn’t seen more often, and the makers of the film should be lauded simply for giving her a vehicle to demonstrate her tremendous abilities.
While the film may not be a major step in the X-Files canon, it’s a more than welcome return. The lack of an ultimately compelling plot, no matter how suspenseful, is more than made up for by Duchovny and Anderson’s memorable performances. The filmmakers have crafted something that relies much more on dramatics than thrills to deliver the final product, and to be even moderately successful is a big achievement. THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE is an exciting and entertaining piece of nostalgia, and most fans will be itching to see their favorite agents again.
**1/2/****
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Dark Knight
Having vividly revitalized arguably the most successful comic book franchise in film history with 2005’s BATMAN BEGINS, director Christopher Nolan now gives us the full extent of his abilities with THE DARK KNIGHT, a thrilling and momentous achievement that takes succeeds in taking itself seriously and becoming something much more than a mere superhero movie.
The mysterious Batman (Christian Bale) has been guarding the streets of Gotham City for some time now. Combined with his efforts and a new sense of hope, courtesy of charismatic District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the city is far from the crime-infested cesspool it once was. Gangsters and criminals are now afraid to go out at night, instead holding their meetings in the safety of broad daylight. But for some people, such cowardice is unforgivable. Enter The Joker (Heath Ledger), a maniac for whom crime is fun regardless of the financial possibilities. As he begins his reign of terror on Gotham, Batman/Bruce Wayne must decide how far he must take his quest and what he must do to protect Gotham and its newfound sense of hope.
Nolan has set the film in a world that seems almost too-real, and therein lies its greatest strengths. Gone is the CGI aboveground subway that pervaded every block of the city in the first film, and the villains with mystical flowers and water vaporizers. In its place is a man who is referred to as a terrorist on more than one occasion. Ledger’s astonishing performance is a testament to this. For once, the villain manages to be truly terrifying. With his cackling giggle and magic disappearing tricks, The Joker is supremely effective because he’s so real. He is the type of madman who could easily be living in any large city around the world, waiting to strike. Ledger completely disappears into the role – unknowing viewers would never have guessed this was the guy from BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN or 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU. He creates a completely different monster than Jack Nicholson’s iconic Joker in 1989’s BATMAN. With his wild swagger and make-up that appears to have been applied by gunshot, Ledger gives a performance for the ages and gives his life and career a lasting legacy.
While Bale once again proves that he is the first actor to completely pull off both Batman (albeit his Batman voice, which sounds more gravely and incomprehensible than before) and Bruce Wayne, he doesn’t make as much of an impression as in the first film. This isn’t necessarily a deterrent; if anything, this is as close to an ensemble piece that an action film is ever going to get. Everyone gets their time to shine, from Morgan Freeman’s wry Lucius Fox (who gets the biggest laugh in the film) to Gary Oldman’s James Gordon, who continues to prove that he is one of today’s most versatile actors. Maggie Gyllenhaal makes a wonderful replacement for the bland and whiny Katie Holmes, toning down her indie quirkiness for a more serious role without seeming shallow or out of place. Eckhart’s performance, while not nearly as dynamic and mesmerizing as Ledger, is totally compelling; kudos should be given to him and Nolan for masterfully introducing his dual identities without seeming overtly obvious.
Nolan has taken his already-solid directorial skills on BATMAN BEGINS and improved them ten-fold. Where the action was muddled and confusing before, it is now crisp and thrillingly clear. Cinematographer Wally Pfister switches the first film’s black and brown canvas for a bright and cold blue without losing any of the underlying darkness. Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard’s score has now captured this Gotham City as well as Danny Elfman captured Tim Burton’s Gothic nightmare. All of these elements combine in the film’s breathtaking final moments, where Batman’s mission becomes clear and everything he is about makes sense to him and the world.
Snootier filmgoers will be hesitant to even label THE DARK KNIGHT a comic book movie. Nolan has done what few (if any) other filmmakers have successfully done; take an out-of-this-world premise and make it so totally real. THE DARK KNIGHT is just as much a crime thriller and psychological drama as it is a superhero movie. To say it may be the best superhero movie ever could be an understatement. To say it is one of the best movies of any kind in years? That’s more like it.
****/****
The mysterious Batman (Christian Bale) has been guarding the streets of Gotham City for some time now. Combined with his efforts and a new sense of hope, courtesy of charismatic District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the city is far from the crime-infested cesspool it once was. Gangsters and criminals are now afraid to go out at night, instead holding their meetings in the safety of broad daylight. But for some people, such cowardice is unforgivable. Enter The Joker (Heath Ledger), a maniac for whom crime is fun regardless of the financial possibilities. As he begins his reign of terror on Gotham, Batman/Bruce Wayne must decide how far he must take his quest and what he must do to protect Gotham and its newfound sense of hope.
Nolan has set the film in a world that seems almost too-real, and therein lies its greatest strengths. Gone is the CGI aboveground subway that pervaded every block of the city in the first film, and the villains with mystical flowers and water vaporizers. In its place is a man who is referred to as a terrorist on more than one occasion. Ledger’s astonishing performance is a testament to this. For once, the villain manages to be truly terrifying. With his cackling giggle and magic disappearing tricks, The Joker is supremely effective because he’s so real. He is the type of madman who could easily be living in any large city around the world, waiting to strike. Ledger completely disappears into the role – unknowing viewers would never have guessed this was the guy from BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN or 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU. He creates a completely different monster than Jack Nicholson’s iconic Joker in 1989’s BATMAN. With his wild swagger and make-up that appears to have been applied by gunshot, Ledger gives a performance for the ages and gives his life and career a lasting legacy.
While Bale once again proves that he is the first actor to completely pull off both Batman (albeit his Batman voice, which sounds more gravely and incomprehensible than before) and Bruce Wayne, he doesn’t make as much of an impression as in the first film. This isn’t necessarily a deterrent; if anything, this is as close to an ensemble piece that an action film is ever going to get. Everyone gets their time to shine, from Morgan Freeman’s wry Lucius Fox (who gets the biggest laugh in the film) to Gary Oldman’s James Gordon, who continues to prove that he is one of today’s most versatile actors. Maggie Gyllenhaal makes a wonderful replacement for the bland and whiny Katie Holmes, toning down her indie quirkiness for a more serious role without seeming shallow or out of place. Eckhart’s performance, while not nearly as dynamic and mesmerizing as Ledger, is totally compelling; kudos should be given to him and Nolan for masterfully introducing his dual identities without seeming overtly obvious.
Nolan has taken his already-solid directorial skills on BATMAN BEGINS and improved them ten-fold. Where the action was muddled and confusing before, it is now crisp and thrillingly clear. Cinematographer Wally Pfister switches the first film’s black and brown canvas for a bright and cold blue without losing any of the underlying darkness. Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard’s score has now captured this Gotham City as well as Danny Elfman captured Tim Burton’s Gothic nightmare. All of these elements combine in the film’s breathtaking final moments, where Batman’s mission becomes clear and everything he is about makes sense to him and the world.
Snootier filmgoers will be hesitant to even label THE DARK KNIGHT a comic book movie. Nolan has done what few (if any) other filmmakers have successfully done; take an out-of-this-world premise and make it so totally real. THE DARK KNIGHT is just as much a crime thriller and psychological drama as it is a superhero movie. To say it may be the best superhero movie ever could be an understatement. To say it is one of the best movies of any kind in years? That’s more like it.
****/****
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wall-E
It seems that with every new release from Pixar, critics hail a new breakthrough in the world of animated features. Pixar’s can be called “entertaining” in the least, and in many cases they are truly something special. But from time to time, the endless admiration can be a bit much. This time around, the praise is completely justified. WALL-E, the story of a brave little robot with a little more personality than intended, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Showing a remarkable display of risk and bravery for a company sitting on top of the world, director Andrew Stanton and the folks at Pixar have ultimately crafted a simple moralistic tale that at its core is one of the most touching love stories seen in years.
Over 700 years from now, mankind has so trashed the Earth that they have left. A small envoy of robots was left behind to clean up and purify the planet while humans are gone. Those robots have all shut down – all save one. Wall-E continues his task day after day, stacking piles of compacted garbage that stretch higher than skyscrapers. And aside from a friendly cockroach and an old VHS copy of his favorite movie, he spends his days in isolation. That is until an aggressive probe robot named EVE (no doubt the newest Apple product) lands on Earth and Wall-E is smitten at first sight. He follows EVE back to the enormous ship holding the rest of mankind to fulfill his quest for love. And in the meantime, he may just save the world.
The film takes a page from the beginning of cinema, emphasizing its visuals over any kind of dialogue. While Wall-E and EVE are constantly making sounds, few words are ever shaped. And the film is all the better for it; the bleeps and squeaks become far more endearing than if Wall-E actually spoke. Extended coherent dialogue isn’t even introduced until well into the film when the humans actually appear, and everything that comes before it is sheer genius. Wall-E wheels across the deserted planet with his cockroach friend and with a single raise of the eyes, we know everything about him. His romance with EVE is the purest film romance since Charlie Chaplin gazed at the blind girl in CITY LIGHTS. The climax of the film (an emotional climax, rather than action-oriented) rightfully deserved such lofty comparisons. Filled with enough honesty and genuine feeling to melt even the hardest of hearts and draw tears from anyone, the filmmakers have accomplished something extraordinary; they’ve made the world fall in love with two of HAL’s cousins.
Not that there aren’t robots closer to our favorite red-eyed villainous PC to be found. The ship’s autopilot is basically HAL 2.0, complete with monotonous voice and unblinking red beam. But instead of being a rip-off, the grandfather of all sci-fis is lovingly paid homage throughout the film, including snippets of the Blue Danube and Also Spach Zarathustra in the soundtrack. But even a menacingly distant autopilot computer cannot be adequately described as a villain, nor can any of the other characters in the film. Like the beloved Wall-E and EVE, everyone has a flaw. From the endearing personality flaws of the main characters to the passivity of the humans to the relentless loyalty of the film’s supposed villains. This is another brave step; though the film is set far in the future, Stanton has crafted a story much more realistic than most narratives. Add in a surprising amount of social commentary (including a shocking inclusion of today’s “stay the course” mantra) and the filmmakers must be saluted for their achievement. Yes, there are environment and anti-corporation themes, but that doesn't make the film political at all. It's a love story, first and foremost.
Rather than churning out an easy fluff exercise, Pixar has made something truly special. Risking a lot in telling a story about a robot who cannot speak and setting it in a serious-minded dystopian future isn’t exactly the key to success in a G-rated family film. But WALL-E is a film that should be ranked alongside SNOW WHITE, FANTASIA, THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and TOY STORY as a milestone in animation storytelling. And more than that, it deserves to be included among all the other love stories that will last forever.
****/****
Over 700 years from now, mankind has so trashed the Earth that they have left. A small envoy of robots was left behind to clean up and purify the planet while humans are gone. Those robots have all shut down – all save one. Wall-E continues his task day after day, stacking piles of compacted garbage that stretch higher than skyscrapers. And aside from a friendly cockroach and an old VHS copy of his favorite movie, he spends his days in isolation. That is until an aggressive probe robot named EVE (no doubt the newest Apple product) lands on Earth and Wall-E is smitten at first sight. He follows EVE back to the enormous ship holding the rest of mankind to fulfill his quest for love. And in the meantime, he may just save the world.
The film takes a page from the beginning of cinema, emphasizing its visuals over any kind of dialogue. While Wall-E and EVE are constantly making sounds, few words are ever shaped. And the film is all the better for it; the bleeps and squeaks become far more endearing than if Wall-E actually spoke. Extended coherent dialogue isn’t even introduced until well into the film when the humans actually appear, and everything that comes before it is sheer genius. Wall-E wheels across the deserted planet with his cockroach friend and with a single raise of the eyes, we know everything about him. His romance with EVE is the purest film romance since Charlie Chaplin gazed at the blind girl in CITY LIGHTS. The climax of the film (an emotional climax, rather than action-oriented) rightfully deserved such lofty comparisons. Filled with enough honesty and genuine feeling to melt even the hardest of hearts and draw tears from anyone, the filmmakers have accomplished something extraordinary; they’ve made the world fall in love with two of HAL’s cousins.
Not that there aren’t robots closer to our favorite red-eyed villainous PC to be found. The ship’s autopilot is basically HAL 2.0, complete with monotonous voice and unblinking red beam. But instead of being a rip-off, the grandfather of all sci-fis is lovingly paid homage throughout the film, including snippets of the Blue Danube and Also Spach Zarathustra in the soundtrack. But even a menacingly distant autopilot computer cannot be adequately described as a villain, nor can any of the other characters in the film. Like the beloved Wall-E and EVE, everyone has a flaw. From the endearing personality flaws of the main characters to the passivity of the humans to the relentless loyalty of the film’s supposed villains. This is another brave step; though the film is set far in the future, Stanton has crafted a story much more realistic than most narratives. Add in a surprising amount of social commentary (including a shocking inclusion of today’s “stay the course” mantra) and the filmmakers must be saluted for their achievement. Yes, there are environment and anti-corporation themes, but that doesn't make the film political at all. It's a love story, first and foremost.
Rather than churning out an easy fluff exercise, Pixar has made something truly special. Risking a lot in telling a story about a robot who cannot speak and setting it in a serious-minded dystopian future isn’t exactly the key to success in a G-rated family film. But WALL-E is a film that should be ranked alongside SNOW WHITE, FANTASIA, THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and TOY STORY as a milestone in animation storytelling. And more than that, it deserves to be included among all the other love stories that will last forever.
****/****
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wanted
It will probably be proclaimed as the coolest thing since THE MATRIX. With a visual style and kinetic energy never before seen, WANTED is one of the few films nowadays that can truly be called an experience. Tense and violent enough to make almost anyone squeamish, the film’s unflinching nature will repulse as many as it will impress. But for those willing to go along, they’re in for one hell of a ride.
Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is a small, anxiety-ridden accountant going nowhere in life. When an alluring and mysterious woman (Angelina Jolie) appears beside him one night, telling him that his father was an assassin murdered by the man now hunting him, Wesley is literally thrown into the world of The Fraternity – an age-old organization of assassins driven by fate to their hits. Wesley immerses himself into intense training to transform him into the kind of assassin needed to avenge his father’s death.
The entire film can be summed up in two words: sheer insanity. How insane are we talking? Think exploding rats and looms of fate. Director Timur Bekmambetov has taken a breath – albeit a very short one – between now and in 2004 when his too-frenetic-to-comprehend NIGHT WATCH was unleashed on the world. The film features some of the most mind-bending action seen on screen in years; people are thrust inside moving cars and bullets bend around obtrusive objects, but Bekmambetov is quite successful in taking all these wild elements and combining them into something even vaguely understandable. Even the most ridiculous occurrences – say, a person jumping out a skyscraper window and making it to the building opposite – are acceptable in Bekmambetov’s abnormal vision of Chicago.
Wesley is an unusual hero, and so it only makes sense for an unusual action star to appear. Coming off his acclaimed turn in last year’s ATONMENT, McAvoy adds another diverse credit to his resume. Just as Wesley molds himself, McAvoy molds himself into a small bottle of fury, dorky and passive at first but intimidating when he unleashes himself. The amount of pain Wesley goes through during training is so extensive and genuine that even the hardest of viewers cannot help but cringe. McAvoy keeps the film grounded; without such an atypical performer coming into his prime, WANTED would become too ridiculous and far-fetched to be a success.
WANTED is definitely unlike anything we’ve seen before. The exhilaration and suspense is such that cannot be adequately described. Walking the fine line between frenetic and nonsensical, the film is a roller coaster ride from start to finish with little time to let up or take a breath. Without a doubt, some will find it too much; too violent, too ridiculous and over-the-top, too nonsensical. But this exercise in over-the-top filmmaking is not without merit. It’s insane, yes. But it’s damn fun.
***/****
Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is a small, anxiety-ridden accountant going nowhere in life. When an alluring and mysterious woman (Angelina Jolie) appears beside him one night, telling him that his father was an assassin murdered by the man now hunting him, Wesley is literally thrown into the world of The Fraternity – an age-old organization of assassins driven by fate to their hits. Wesley immerses himself into intense training to transform him into the kind of assassin needed to avenge his father’s death.
The entire film can be summed up in two words: sheer insanity. How insane are we talking? Think exploding rats and looms of fate. Director Timur Bekmambetov has taken a breath – albeit a very short one – between now and in 2004 when his too-frenetic-to-comprehend NIGHT WATCH was unleashed on the world. The film features some of the most mind-bending action seen on screen in years; people are thrust inside moving cars and bullets bend around obtrusive objects, but Bekmambetov is quite successful in taking all these wild elements and combining them into something even vaguely understandable. Even the most ridiculous occurrences – say, a person jumping out a skyscraper window and making it to the building opposite – are acceptable in Bekmambetov’s abnormal vision of Chicago.
Wesley is an unusual hero, and so it only makes sense for an unusual action star to appear. Coming off his acclaimed turn in last year’s ATONMENT, McAvoy adds another diverse credit to his resume. Just as Wesley molds himself, McAvoy molds himself into a small bottle of fury, dorky and passive at first but intimidating when he unleashes himself. The amount of pain Wesley goes through during training is so extensive and genuine that even the hardest of viewers cannot help but cringe. McAvoy keeps the film grounded; without such an atypical performer coming into his prime, WANTED would become too ridiculous and far-fetched to be a success.
WANTED is definitely unlike anything we’ve seen before. The exhilaration and suspense is such that cannot be adequately described. Walking the fine line between frenetic and nonsensical, the film is a roller coaster ride from start to finish with little time to let up or take a breath. Without a doubt, some will find it too much; too violent, too ridiculous and over-the-top, too nonsensical. But this exercise in over-the-top filmmaking is not without merit. It’s insane, yes. But it’s damn fun.
***/****
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Incredible Hulk
In Ang Lee’s 2003 comic book adaptation THE HULK, the titular character was much more likely to grunt “Hulk thinking pensively!” than any of his more well-known sayings. Audiences disagreed with that more internal visioning of the green antihero, and they demanded a change. Well, five years have passed and we’ve gotten something different. THE INCREDIBLE HULK, which may hold the record for fastest franchise reboot in film history, certainly delivers on the action so many missed in the first film. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer much else.
The film takes place a few years after the first Hulk incidents (though one can safely assume this includes none of the events in the first film). Scientist-turned-anger-management-case Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) as fled to Brazil to try and keep his emotions in check. Unfortunately, the military officials who created the monster (led by a particularly blue-eyed William Hurt) haven’t forgotten about him. After recruiting a small envoy of specialists to track down Banner, he realizes that the only way to get rid of his problem is to find a cure. Tracked by a violent man (Tim Roth) with a desire to capture Banner’s power himself, Banner must travel back to the U.S. and find his old flame Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and end his rages once and for all.
Since the filmmakers assumed that most audiences will be familiar with the character, they decided to get rid of most of the more psychological problems Banner experiences. Even with Norton as the lead, Banner himself is rather bland. Despite casting a highly respected dramatic actor (and rather unexpected choice) as a superhero, the film is not set apart from your average B-action movie. Couple this in with some poor special effects, especially during Banner’s transformation, and you’ve got a film that plays it too safe in comparison to the first movie. Lee’s film, whose riskiness was flawed but underappreciated, tried to make something more than a guy turning into the Jolly Green Giant. No such explorations are made here. At least they’ve finally realized that pants don’t grow and shrink as one’s body does.
This film was made purely for the fans. It’s chock full of cheeky references to the original comic and the 1970s television show. Yes, the purple pants make an appearance. Yes, there’s a Lou Ferrigno cameo. And yes, that sad walking away music even makes an appearance (although no one’s walking away when its heard). But for those not avid readers/watchers of its previous incarnations, the whole affair is a little boring. Aside from the requisite Stan Lee cameo that makes good on his proclamations during his appearance on THE SIMPSONS, nearly every attempt at humor falls flat. Most of the action sequences are standard chases until the finale, when the subpar CGI work becomes most obvious. And aside from Norton, no one in the cast really registers.
At least the film doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s an entertaining enough film, though one would wish they would try to improve on the intriguing storytelling methods introduced in the first film. But instead of learning from their mistakes, the filmmakers decided to scrap all they had before and start again in a safe-as-safe-can-be style. However, the film is likely to be successful enough to merit sequels, as most potential franchises seem to do nowadays. Maybe the third time will be the charm.
**/****
The film takes place a few years after the first Hulk incidents (though one can safely assume this includes none of the events in the first film). Scientist-turned-anger-management-case Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) as fled to Brazil to try and keep his emotions in check. Unfortunately, the military officials who created the monster (led by a particularly blue-eyed William Hurt) haven’t forgotten about him. After recruiting a small envoy of specialists to track down Banner, he realizes that the only way to get rid of his problem is to find a cure. Tracked by a violent man (Tim Roth) with a desire to capture Banner’s power himself, Banner must travel back to the U.S. and find his old flame Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and end his rages once and for all.
Since the filmmakers assumed that most audiences will be familiar with the character, they decided to get rid of most of the more psychological problems Banner experiences. Even with Norton as the lead, Banner himself is rather bland. Despite casting a highly respected dramatic actor (and rather unexpected choice) as a superhero, the film is not set apart from your average B-action movie. Couple this in with some poor special effects, especially during Banner’s transformation, and you’ve got a film that plays it too safe in comparison to the first movie. Lee’s film, whose riskiness was flawed but underappreciated, tried to make something more than a guy turning into the Jolly Green Giant. No such explorations are made here. At least they’ve finally realized that pants don’t grow and shrink as one’s body does.
This film was made purely for the fans. It’s chock full of cheeky references to the original comic and the 1970s television show. Yes, the purple pants make an appearance. Yes, there’s a Lou Ferrigno cameo. And yes, that sad walking away music even makes an appearance (although no one’s walking away when its heard). But for those not avid readers/watchers of its previous incarnations, the whole affair is a little boring. Aside from the requisite Stan Lee cameo that makes good on his proclamations during his appearance on THE SIMPSONS, nearly every attempt at humor falls flat. Most of the action sequences are standard chases until the finale, when the subpar CGI work becomes most obvious. And aside from Norton, no one in the cast really registers.
At least the film doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s an entertaining enough film, though one would wish they would try to improve on the intriguing storytelling methods introduced in the first film. But instead of learning from their mistakes, the filmmakers decided to scrap all they had before and start again in a safe-as-safe-can-be style. However, the film is likely to be successful enough to merit sequels, as most potential franchises seem to do nowadays. Maybe the third time will be the charm.
**/****
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