As we live on this planet, we all have known, at times, a certain amount of unsavory people. But where can one find people that are sleazy, greedy, immoral, manipulative and selfish as those seen in the film, "The Counselor"? I'm sure they exist, but I don't think I would have any use for them in my life.
This thriller stars Michael Fassbender as a counselor or lawyer who dabbles in trafficking drugs only to realize just how dangerous a situation he's gotten himself and his girlfriend, Laura (Penelope Cruz) unwittingly into. As this counselor consults with those that he needs for the trafficking to take place, i.e. Westray (Brad Pitt), Reiner (Javier Bardem), and Malkina (Cameron Diaz), he only realizes more how he is even more confused and naive than he was before consulting with them. This all snowballs when things coincidental start occurring which cause the powers that be to be even more mistrusting, suspicious and subsequently violent.
Others to round out the cast are Toby Kebbell as Tony, Rosie Perez as Ruth, Ruben Blades as Jefe, Natalie Dormer as Blonde, Goran Visnjic as Banker, Emma Rigby as Tony's Girlfriend, Bruno Ganz as Diamond Dealer, John Leguizamo as Drug Distributor, Richard Cabral as Young Biker, and Alex Hafner as Highway Patrolman.
This was solidly directed by the comparable Ridley Scott ("The Duelists" '77, "Alien" '79, "Blade Runner" '82, "Legend" '85, "Someone to Watch Over Me" '87, "Black Rain" '89, "Thelma & Louise" '91, "1492: Conquest of Paradise" '92, "White Squall" '96, "G.I. Jane" '97, "Gladiator" 2000, "Hannibal" '01, "Black Hawk Down" '01, "Matchstick Men" '03, "Kingdom of Heaven" '05, "A Good Year" '06, "American Gangster" '07, "Body of Lies" '08, "Robin Hood" '10, "Prometheus" '12). This guy brings out the nuances and subtleties of these characters as they culminate in a collision course to beat none. This was written by novelist Cormac McCarthy ("All the Pretty Horses" 2000, "No Country for Old Men" '07, "The Road" '09, "The Sunset Limited" (TV movie--play) '11, "Child of God" '13). This was McCarthy first time as a screenwriter and it actually shows in this. The script goes from scene to scene, which is OK, but in many places, they don't tie together as cohesively as they needed to do in order to ensure the storyline connecting better. Goes to show one that a novelist can't necessarily be a screenwriter and visa versa. Not to mention that these veterans actors basically could have performed these roles in their sleep, and it was incredibly difficult to feel sorry for any of the characters in this story.
Even though Scott's direction was spot on in this film, it was just not enough to save this story. If you plan to venture to your multiplex to view this one, plan on this not being at all positive or uplifting from beginning to end.
Out of 4 Stars: 2 Rated: R 117mins.
Personal triumph and tragedy is something we have all experienced in films before, but when was the last time you saw a film with only a solo performance? I would say never. Oh, sure earlier this year we saw "Gravity" with only two actors. Then back in 1979, we saw "Alien" with only seven actors total, but with "All Is Lost", seeing only one actor for a 106 minute running time was extraordinary.
Deep into a solo voyage, 1700 miles off the coast in the Indian Ocean, an unnamed man (Robert Redford) wakes to find his 39-foot yacht taking on water after a collision with a shipping container left floating on the high seas. With his navigation equipment and radio disabled, the man sails unknowingly into the path of a violent storm. Despite his success in patching the breached hull, his mariner's intuition and a strength that belies his age, the man barely survives the ordeal. Using only a sextant and nautical maps to chart his progress, he is forced to rely on ocean currents to carry him into a shipping lane in hopes of hailing a passing vessel. But with the sun unrelenting, sharks circling, and his meager supplies dwindling, the ever-resourceful sailor soon finds himself staring his mortality in the face.
This was brilliantly written and directed by J.C. Chandor ("Despacito" (short) '04, "Margin Call" '11), in that with the extremely minimal dialogue, it spoke volumes, especially from Redford's expressive anxiety, anguish, frustration, and ultimate consignment. This was much more than a sole sailor trying to survive the unforgivable sea, as one could see through Chandor's astute direction. You could see all the stages of what someone would go through to survive: curiosity, planning, frustration, anguish, anxiety, fear, bargaining, and ultimately consignment all through the talent of Redford, the eyes of director, Chandor, and through Chandor logging all this in screenplay form. Both of these guys could be looking at nods come Oscar time.
If there were any other 'stars' in this, they would be that of director of photography, Frank G. DeMarco ("Sunburn" '99, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" '01, "Con Man" '03, "Shortbus" '06, "Delirious" '06, "Spring Breakdown" '09, "Rabbit Hole" '10, "Margin Call" '11), and that of underwater director of photography, Peter Zuccarini ("After the Sunset" '04, "Into the Blue" '05, "Hoot" '06, "Deja Vu" '06, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" '07, "Jumper" '08, "A Perfect Getaway" '09, "Blue" '09, "Dear John" '10, "Killers" '10, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" '11, "Underworld: Awakening" '12, "Act of Valor" '12, "The Between" '13, "Pain & Gain" '13). Working closely together, they produced still the right look of this film--with the combination of above ground and underwater photography, the connection of the two added so much more cohesiveness to this already well cohesive production.
If you're looking for subtle nuances in writing, directing and especially acting, this will definitely fit the bill. When you see this, you won't believe that you just sat through a 106 minute running time, because Redford's performance keeps you riveted with a minimum of words.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 106mins.
Films about a certain person(s) or events, otherwise known as biopics, can be about those that are as diverse as black is to white. They can be about a captain of a tanker being hijacked as with this year's "Captain Phillips", George, the king of England in "The King's Speech", Elizabeth, queen of England in "The Queen", Julia Childs in "Julie & Julia", Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady", FDR in "Hyde Park on Hudson", Marilyn Monroe in "My Week with Marilyn", Billy Bean in "Moneyball", and now we have Julian Assange in "The Fifth Estate".
This story begins as Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Bruhl) team up to become underground watchdogs of the privileged and powerful. On a shoestring, they create a platform that allows whistleblowers to anonymously leak covert data, shining a light on the dark recesses of government secrets and corporate crimes. It gets so involved that Daniel brings in Marcus (Moritz Bleibtreu), friend of many years to help out, and also Ziggy (Jamie Blackley) is subsequently brought in as well. Soon, they are breaking more hard news than the world's most legendary media organizations combined. But when Assange and Berg gain access to the biggest trove of confidential intelligence documents in U.S. history, state department officials, Sarah Shaw (Laura Linney), and James Boswell (Stanley Tucci) are motivated to get involved. As Assange and Berg battle with each other over revolution vs. morals vs. principles, they must face a defining question of our time: what are the costs of keeping secrets in a free society--and what are the costs of exposing them?
Others to round out the cast are Anthony Mackie as Sam Coulson, David Thewlis as Nick Davies, Alicia Vixanders as Anke Domscheit, Peter Caraldi as Alan Rusbridger, Carice van Houten as Birgitta, Alexander Siddig as Dr. Tarek Haliseh, Michael Kranz as Otto, Dan Stevens as Ian Katz, and Alexander Beyer as Marcel Rosenbach.
This was well paced with just the right amount of intensity and emotion from director Bill Condon ("Sister, Sister" '87, "Dead in the Water" (TV movie), '91, "The Man Who Wouldn't Die" (TV movie) '94, "Gods and Monsters" '98, "Kinsey" '04, "Dreamgirls" '06, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn--Part 1" '11, "Tilda" (TV movie) '11, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn--Part 2" '12). It's amazing how Condon can showcase a character's fear through anger so realistically that it's mind-boggling, but this guy is an incredible director. This was adequately written by Josh Singer which was based on the books, "Inside Wikileaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World's Most Dangerous Website" by Daniel Domscheit-Berg and "Wikileaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy" by David Leigh and Luke Harding. This was written fairly solid, except that it was just a little long-in-the-tooth and were a couple of inconsistencies, otherwise kept your eyes peeled, especially during the second half of the film. Cumberbatch was brilliant in the lead role, so much so, he could get a nod come Oscar time. I'll tell you, if Assange's character was anything as this depicts, he definitely had severe trust issues with just about anyone in his life.
If you're into biopics, and specifically about those people who attempt to expose 'the system' for what it's worth, and who isn't, one will surely get the message here, and that message is: is Assange and Berg biting off more than they can chew?
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 128mins.
Action thrillers are always a great way to escape into another world that has nothing to do with yours, so we can spend a couple of hours being kept on the edge of that proverbial seat. Even though they are typically not a literary piece, they allow us to unwind and have fun until the ride is over. And what a better way to fulfill that escape that by seeing both Stallone AND Schwarzenegger in the same film and that film is "Escape Plan".
Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone), the world's foremost authority on structural security agrees to take on one last job: breaking out of an ultra-secret, high-tech facility called "The Tomb". But when he is wrongly imprisoned, he must recruit fellow inmates Emil Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Javed (Faran Tahir) to help devise a daring, nearly impossible plan to escape from the most protected and fortified prison ever built. His major obstacle is Warden Hobbes (Jim Caviezel) and his plethora of guards including the maniacal Drake (Vinnie Jones) who is at their heels every step of the way.
Others to round out the cast are Amy Ryan as Abigail, Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson as Hush, Sam Neill as Dr. Kyrie, the prison's Doc, Vincent D'Onofrio as Lester Clark, Matt Gerald as Roag, David Joseph Martinez as Captain Newal Beradah, Alec Rayme as Pilot, Christian Stokes as Babcock, and Graham Beckel as Brims.
This was directed with a very dark level of intensity and grit by the incomparable Mikael Hafstrom ("Vendetta" '95, "Days Like This" '01, "Evil" '03, "Drowning Ghost" '04, "Derailed" '05, "1408" '07, "Shanghai" '10, "The Rite" '11). He can bring out that over-the-top emotion which is needed to keep us riveted to that seat. This was written by Miles Chapman and Arnell Jesko based on a story by Chapman. This script had a few places that were a bit choppy and another place that makes you wonder why these characters were continuing with this 'cat and mouse' game, but the premise is so appealing, that one can be forgiving after a certain point. Even Stallone isn't made to look like he's a pile of rocks with a head--he's actually smart and strategical in this.
If you are in the 18-24 single male demographic, you will love this, but actually there is something for others here as well. Hey, if allowing oneself to escape for a couple of hours at the multiplex is considered empty and mindless, I'll do it in a heartbeat!
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: R 116mins.
Ever so often, an inspirational film comes along to help encourage us to become better people than what we are or believe we are. There is no accident between our society being turned upside down and more of these type of films being produced. A lot of them in just the past ten years have graced our screens, i.e. "Fireproof", "Courageous", "Soul Surfer", "Chasing Mavericks", "Facing the Giants", most recently, "The Ultimate Life", among others. Now we have "Grace Unplugged" to add to that fast growing list.
This is an inspirational/motivational film about an 18 year-old Christian singer/songwriter, Grace Rose Trey (AJ Michalka). Beautiful, highly talented and restless, Grace is far undiscovered outside church. She performs there each Sunday with her gifted father Johnny (James Denton), the praise worship music leader at Freedom Community Chapel, a small town Alabama church. A former rock star, Johnny Trey charted a Billboard number one single 20 years before. When the hits stopped coming, he crash landed hard--a one hit wonder. Johnny subsequently found Christ and a new life for his family, far from the Hollywood Hills. Because of musical differences, one day without warning, Grace leaves for Los Angeles. She talks with Johnny's former manager and producer, Frank "Mossy" Mostin (Kevin Pollack) and lands a record deal from a demo CD he listened to. Mossy sees Grace a potential pop superstar--the next Katie Perry. Cutting off contact with her parents, Grace seems prepared to stray from her Christian life and music to achieve her long-suppressed fantasy of Hollywood, until she meets her affable, awkward, clumsy assistant, Quentin (Michael Welch) who slowly, through their short talks, gets her to rethink. Is this her faith being put to the test or is it just her conscience playing tug of war with her?
Others to round out the cast are Shawnee Smith as Michelle Trey, Johnny's wife, Jamie Grace as Rachael, friend of Grace back home, Emma Catherwood as Kendra Burroughs, Grace's image consultant, Chris Ellis as Pastor Tim Bryant, Pia Toscano as Alyssa, Kelly Thiebaud as Renae Taylor, Zane Holtz as Jay Grayson, an actor, Rob Steinberg as Mark Reynolds, Patricia French as Sally Benson, Anthony Reynolds as Rick, Quentin's dad, Aimee Dunn as Donna, Quentin's mom, and Juan Martinez as Noah.
This was emotional, and well paced by writer and director, Brad J. Silverman, which was based on a story by Silverman, Brandon Rice, and James Killian. If this wasn't considered an inspirational film, this wouldn't have been a great film, because of the fact that it was quite predictable. But since inspirational films are supposed to carry a positive, caring, even spiritual message, this pretty much had to go the predictable route. It can't end up bad or even bittersweet, or be oddly presented since this is to convey a message hopefully in an entertaining way. If it makes one feel better about themselves and others around them, this will have done its job. Well, with the exceptions of very few inconsistencies, this did that for me. I walked in the theater feeling a bit down, but left feeling much better about people and the world, even if it's only temporary.
If you are spiritual, religious, etc., you will certainly get the message here fairly quick, but even if you're not, it might make you think, at least be able to enjoy the incredible voice that AJ Michalka does have. You be the judge.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG 102mins.
Sequels are typically a fast way for the production company to make more money on the coattails of its predecessor. I suppose this is probably why I've waited this long to view "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" since it was released on Sept. 27th, because my suspicions were fairly accurate.
After the disastrous food storm in the first film, Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) and his friends, Sam Sparks, Brent McHale, Manny, Earl Devereaux, Steve and his dad, Tim (Anna Faris, Andy Samberg, Benjamin Bratt, Terry Crews, Neil Patrick Harris, and James Caan) respectively, are forced to leave Swallow Falls, their town. Flint accepts the invitation from his scientist idol Chester V (Will Forte) to join The Live Corp. Company, which has been tasked to clean the island, and where the best inventors in the world create technologies for the betterment of mankind. When Flint discovers that his machine still operates and now creates mutant food beasts like living pickles, hungry tacodiles, ravenous cheeseburgers, shrimpanzees, and apple pie-thons, he and the others must return to save the world.
Others to round out the cast are Kristen Schaal as Barb, Cody Cameron as Barry/Dill Pickle, Melissa Sturm as Sentinel Louise/Live Corp. Scientist, Kris Pearn as Sentinel Peter/Labcoat Jenny, Craig Kellman as Fintly McCallahan/Idea Pants Guy, Khamani Griffin as Cal Devereaux, Earl's son, and Bridget Hoffman as Young Flint.
Considering their lack of theatrical film directing, Cody Cameron ("Open Season 3" '10) and Kris Pearn actually pulled off helming this. They really were able to make these characters come to life. It was written by Erica Rivinoja, John Francis Daley, and Jonathan M. Goldstein based on a story by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Erica Rivinoja, which is based on the book written and illustrated by Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett. This is where this doesn't quick excel as it could. The lines were somewhat trite and corny--hey, I know this is for kids, but most of the animated films made are generally written, to some degree for adults--best of both worlds approach. So it made it fairly difficult to get through it. Where this film did excel is in the incredible animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks who also created the animation for the first film. This is the only reason why one would need to see this on the large screen
This is obviously a great film for families--the bright animation, humor, excitement, but even though it's not quite as well put together as with the first film, this still has something that will allow you to have some fun.
Out of 4 Stars: 2 Rated: PG 95mins.
Films based on true stories/real people are usually fraught with grit, intensity, intelligence, and are typically topped with a message--somewhat underlying and/or obvious. Funny how films are rarely based on a whimsical or light fare, but instead are heavy-laden and incredible serious. "Captain Phillips" certainly is no exception here as it is based on a harrowing experience that a captain and his crew went through for a number of days.
This is a multi-layered examination of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates. It's through director Paul Greengrass's distinctive lens--simultaneously a pulse-pounding thriller, and a complex portrait of the myriad effects of globalization. The film focuses on the relationship between the Alabama's commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks), and the Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), who takes him hostage. Phillips and Muse are set on an unstoppable collision course when Muse and his crew target Phillips' unarmed ship; in the ensuing standoff, 145 miles off the Somali coast, both men will find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control.
Others to round out the cast are Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, and Mahat M. Ali as Bilal, Najee, and Elmi respectively as Muse's pirate crew, Michael Chernus as Shane Murphy, Catherine Keener as Andrea Phillips, Captain Phillips' wife, David Warshofsky as Mike Perry, Corey Johnson as Ken Quinn, Chris Mulkey as John Cronan, Yul Vazquez as Captain Frank Castellano, Max Martini as SEAL Commander, Omar Berdouni as Nemo, Mohammed Ali as Asad, and Issak Farah Samatar as Hufan.
As stated above, this was intensely directed by Greengrass ("Resurrected" '89, "The Fix" (TV movie) '97, "The Theory of Flight" '98, "Bloody Sunday" '02, "The Bourne Supremacy" '04, "United 93" '06, "The Bourne Ultimatum" '07, "Green Zone" '10). As one can tell by this guy's very resume, his attention to painstaking realism is unsurpassed, which, I believe, makes him stand out from the normal director. You want realism that is actually a tough watch, but a worthwhile one? Rent "United 93", The realism is that is spine tingling. The realism in this didn't match that of United, but it still was able to keep you on the edge of your seat. It was well written by Billy Ray based on the book, "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea"by Richard Phillips with Stephan Taley. Assuming this book is accurate, this captain and his crew, but specifically Captain Phillips went through their own private hell. It was gripping, and shows us that life and its situations can turn on a dime.
If you're into films based on true stories that are intense and gripping, this is definitely the film for you. But even if you're necessarily not, the acting by Hanks and Abdi as Muse, plus the incredible direction by Greengrass will keep you riveted just to see how this standoff unfolds.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 134mins.
One thing that can be said for films about self-absorbed, shallow, and insecure individuals, is that, assuming the movie is written in a positive way, we get to see these people transformed into deeper, more caring individuals by film's end, or, at least, be on the way of redemption. Do we get that concept in "Don Jon"? I think so, but it's done in a more subtle way, and it takes a little long in getting there.
Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) objectifies everything in his life: his apartment or pad, his car or ride, his family, his church, and, of course, his women. His buddies, Bobby and Danny (Rob Brown and Jeremy Luke) even call him Don Jon because of his ability to pull "10s" every weekend without fail. Yet even the finest flings don't compare to the transcendent bliss he achieves alone in front of the computer watching pornography or simply put, porn. Dissatisfied, he embarks on a journey to find a more gratifying sex life, but ends up learning larger lessons of life and love through relationships with two extremely different women: one, Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), a very manipulative, self-absorbed primadonna, and the other, Esther (Julianne Moore), a depressed but real and blunt individual whose trying to cope with her life after losing her husband and son 14 months earlier from a car accident.
Others to round out the cast are Tony Danza as Jon, Sr., Glenne Headly as Angela, and Brie Larson as Monica, Jon's closed-mouth, somber sister.
This was remarkably well written and directed from someone with only 5 shorts to his credit, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He has a ton of acting credit to put on his resume, but this being his first theatrical film in the writing and directing category is amazing. There are seasoned writers and directors who aren't this good. There are problems with this, such as waiting as long as he did to let us know what Moore was doing in this film. Believe me, it was a question up to a certain point, and was this guy really trying to be redeemed? I think it's a possibility, but again, this short 90 minute running time took a while for him to start 'seeing the light'. Gordon-Levitt's ability to emit the development of the different characters, especially Danza as his dad and Headly as his mom was so accurately conveyed. This guy should go far given more experience under his belt.
This comedy cringes on the edge of who's dysfunctional, and the problems of young people and their inability to be honest, real, selfless, or the unwillingness to reach out to others. One note: this is not for the kiddies--it is rated 'R' for a reason, but it is an interesting expose into the problems that our society faces in a world where it's all about the man in the mirror.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: R 90mins.
Films that cover the thriller genre can run the gambit, because the subject matter for them is limitless: heist films, ransom films, espionage films. Couple that with a gambling plot, in this case, an online gambling plot, and you end up with "Runner Runner".
Poor Princeton grad student Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake), believing he's been swindled in online poker, travels to Costa Rica to confront the online gambling tycoon Ivan Block (Ben Affleck). Richie is seduced by Block's promise of immense wealth if Richie works for him. But then when Richie learns the disturbing truth about Block's unscrupulous ways, he wants out. Block is so suspect, that he even has the Gambling Commissioner of Costa Rica, Delegate Herrera (Yul Vazquez) in his pocket. When Agent Shavers (Anthony Mackie) of the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.
Others to round out the cast are Gemma Arterton as Rebecca Shafran, girlfriend of Block's and someone Richie can confide in, Michael Esper as Billy 'Pet' Petricoff, Oliver Cooper as Andrew Cronin, Christian George as Wilson, henchman of Block's, John Heard as Harry Furst, Richie's dad, James Molina as Esteban, Louis Lombardi as Archie, Vincent Lareca as Sergeant Barrancas, and Bob Gunton as Dean Monroe.
This was adequately directed with creepy intensity, especially in Affleck's character, by Brad Furman ("Buried Alive in the Blues" (video documentary) '05, "The Take" '07, "The Lincoln Lawyer" '11). With the exception of Afleck, everyone else basically had 'cookie cutter' character developments. This was written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, and there were a couple of slow moments, and improbable things, just as: why would someone, who's poor, fly down to a foreign land to confront a person that's most likely a dishonest guy? The common guy would never do this, but then there wouldn't be a movie. It's not a bad film--it has potential, but is certainly not a great one.
This film, like I said, has potential. The premise is an interesting one, that if better written, would keep anyone, moi included, on the edge of the proverbial seat.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: R 91mins.
Sci-fi films. We've all seen a plethora of these in our lifetime, but how many have you seen with only two actors total with on-screen time? Sure, we've seen "Alien" '79 which has seven actors total in the film, then there's "Moon" '09, which as a few actors, even last year's "John Carter" doesn't have too many actors playing human roles. Now we have "Gravity", and with only two actors, still keeps one riveted.
Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission. Her commander is veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), helming his last flight before retirement. Then, on a routine space walk/repair, disaster strikes--debris from an explosion in space destroys the shuttle, leaving Ryan and Matt stranded in deep space with no link to Earth and no hope of rescue. As their fear turns to panic, especially from Ryan, they realize that the only way home may be to venture further into space.
The rest of the cast consists only of voices, and they are Ed Harris as Mission Control Voice, Orto Ignatiussen as Aningaac Voice, Phadut Sharma as Shariff Voice, a fellow astronaut, Amy Warren as Explorer Captain Voice, and Basher Savage as Russian Space Station Captain Voice.
This was directed with such realistic emotions by Alfonso Cuaron ("Love in the Time of Hysteria" '91, "A Little Princess" '95, "Great Expectations" '98, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" '04, "Paris je t'aime" '06, "Children of Men" '06, "The Shock Doctrine" (documentary, short) '07). It was written by Alfonso Cuaron and Jonas Cuaron. This was simply written, but with the amazing photography, visuals, and the incredible directing, these elements added to this script big time. Speaking of photography, the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki asc/amc ("Bandits" '91, "Like Water for Chocolate" '92, "Reality Bites" '94, "A Walk in the Clouds" '95, "The Birdcage" '96, "Great Expectations" '98, "Meet Joe Black" '98, "Sleepy Hollow" '99, "Ali" '01, "Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat" '03, "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" '04, "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" '04, "The New World" '05, "Children of Men" '06, "Burn After Reading" '08, "The Tree of Life" '11, "To the Wonder" '12), is absolutely stunning! This photography looks as though they took a camera crew and went up into space and shot this movie. It is one of the most breathtaking films I have seen in a while. The only film I can say that matches this recently is last year's, "Life of Pi" photographed by Claudio Miranda.
The IMAX and 3D version makes this look even better, so if you want to see this in its grandest splendor, this version should be the one for you, because this film rocks!
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 91mins.
Have I mentioned before that comedy is my favorite genre? If you haven't read my blog, the answer to that question is yes, as long it is truly a well written one with an interesting premise. The majority of comedies written in the last decades have been lackluster at best, if not a total wash. The ones that have been worthy I hold on to with a death grip and do not let go, for fear they'll disappear into oblivion. This next film in the offing is a subtle, but meaningful comedy titled, "Enough Said".
A divorced and single parent, Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) spends her days enjoying work as a massage therapist, but dreading her daughter, Ellen's (Tracey Fairaway) impending departure for college. She meets Albert (James Gandolfini)--a sweet, funny and like-minded man also facing an empty nest. As their romance blossoms, Eva befriends Marianne (Catherine Keener), her new massge client. Marianne is a beautiful poet who seems "almost perfect" except for one prominent quality: she rags on about her ex-husband way too much. Eva confides in her friend, Sarah (Toni Collette) about this, and suddenly, Eva finds herself doubting her own relationship with Albert as she learns the truth about Marianne's ex.
Others to round out the cast are Ben Falcone as Will, Sarah's husband, Tavi Gevinson as Chloe, Ellen's friend, Michaela Watkins as Hilary, Chloe's mom, Phillip Brock as Jason, Eva's ex, Eve Hewson as Tess, Albert's daughter, Nick Williams as Chris, and Ivy Strohmaier as Maddy.
This was written and directed with realism, warmth and heart by Nicole Holofcener ("Walking and Talking" '96, "Lovely & Amazing" '01, "Friends with Money" '06, "Please Give" '10). Holofcener really knows how to bring just the right amount of feeling and pathos that's needed convey just how real these characters are and what's actually going on with them and how they relate with each other, storywise. I've seen comedies about dysfunctional relationships before, but Holofcener allows us to see the dysfunction and vulnerabilities of these characters in a much more realistic way other than the over-the-top dysfunctional characters we see so much in other scripts. It is certainly refreshing. There were a couple of small, slow areas in script, but, at the end of the day, this story compelled you to stay glued to the screen.
We will certainly miss Gandolfini, this being his last film, or project for that matter--he passed away of a heart attack during this film's post production, but his memory will be indelible as we watch his effortless ability to convey to us his willingness to entertain.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 93mins.
As we live on this planet, we all have known, at times, a certain amount of unsavory people. But where can one find people that are sleazy, greedy, immoral, manipulative and selfish as those seen in the film, "The Counselor"? I'm sure they exist, but I don't think I would have any use for them in my life.
