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Atlanta Film Fest 2015 – The Documentaries

I went into the Atlanta Film Festival with the intention of checking out mostly the narrative selections; I work at a documentary festival and there’s a good chance many of the documentaries would play there too. However, the ATLFF’s documentary selection drew me in, and I found myself surprisingly liking the documentaries I saw more than most of the narratives. Strong stories, interesting characters, and natural storytelling were abundant in all of them, and in a time where Netflix, HBO, and CNN are heavily investing in documentaries, these films prove that real stories can be just as interesting as invented ones.

In Old South, Director Danielle Beverly followed the conflicts that emerged in a historically-black neighborhood in Athens, GA as a fraternity that celebrates Confederate-era traditions moves in next door. Because Beverly filmed as events occurred, there’s a palpable tension in seeing how the two communities interact with each other and a sense of suspense for the outcome. The film treats both sides fairly, and it’s a welcome surprise to see how the groups start to overcome their prejudices while collaborating on shared projects.

Everyone loves a good underdog story, and Blood, Sweat, & Beer had some great ones. This doc focuses on America's burgeoning craft beer industry and the challenges faced by people trying to start new breweries. The spotlight alternates between two main protagonists- an Ocean City, MD brewer fighting copyright litigation and a couple recent grads hoping to revitalize former steel town Braddock, PA with their brewery. All of the subjects are clearly passionate about craft beer and its positive effects on their communities, and their struggles and successes paint a larger picture of a back-to-basics, homegrown market (that could be called a revolution). If there was one suggestion I would offer, it’s to turn down the background music. The film uses an almost constant acoustic score, and I think the drama speaks for itself without the repetitive backing tracks. On a more upbeat note, I was glad to see the filmmakers acknowledge the lack of diversity in the industry, a question that grew in my mind throughout the film.

After a long history of corrupt political leaders and chaotic turmoil after 2010's devastating earthquake, Haiti needed a leader. Pras Michel, one of the members of musical group the Fugees, decided to contact controversial singer Michel Martelly, and thus began Sweet Micky for President. If House of Cards views politics as a vicious game of human behavior, Sweet Micky shows a different side of government- what happens when the worlds of entertainment and politics collide. Music is deeply tied to Haitian culture and identity, and personality games ensued in the political race, especially when Pras’ former bandmate (and even bigger celebrity) Wyclef Jean enters the competition. I would've liked to know more about Martelly’s development of a political plan coming from a primarily entertainment-driven background - it's mentioned, but only briefly. Sweet Micky shows the power of music to effect change, and the importance of democracy and the voting to overcome political machines.

In Long Start to the Journey, Chris Gallaway beautifully documented his “thru-hike” of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. It’s both a personal story, as Gallaway challenges himself to complete the hike while dealing with major life changes, as well as a universal one- he makes friends and interviews other hikers, all traveling for their own reasons. Gallaway shot the documentary himself, and he has a real knack for immersing the audience in the images he sees. The film didn't necessarily make me want to go out and start hiking (so many mosquitoes), but it did show the benefits the experience can provide to people and the importance of preserving the wilderness.

Carl Boenish, the father of BASE jumping and the subject of Sunshine Superman, shares a lot in common with Philippe Petit, the man who walked on a high-wire between the Twin Towers (as shown in the great doc Man on Wire). Both men sought extreme thrills throughout their lives, as well as the desire to share happiness and awe with the world. Director Marah Strauch breathlessly documents Boenish’s life, including his marriage and attempts to legitimize BASE jumping as a sport, using his striking original films and interviews with his family. This is the kind of movie you want to see on a huge screen, as its subject is truly larger than life. Strauch devotes a good portion of the film to Boenish’s untimely death, and while this segment threatens to slow the film’s momentum, a quick look at her subject’s legacy shows his spirit still lives on. I also loved the soundtrack – some great 60’s pop fits in great with the time period and the impressive stunts onscreen.

For more of my reviews from the Atlanta Film Festival, click here and here. You can follow me on Twitter for movie thoughts and more at @alxf9.

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ATLFF ‘15: Day One

After a late breakfast at the Majestic Diner (couldn't pass up some sweet tea/grits), I took a chance with the Saturday morning cartoon shorts. Atlanta's the home of Cartoon Network and several animation schools, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised at the high quality of the selections. Of particular note was Bear Story, about a bear who retells a story about the loss of his family through mechanical puppets. The short was beautifully told, with very detailed animation, if a bit on the dark side for kids.

On the lighter side, Starlight, made by a group of students from the Savannah College of Art and Design, took a look at the chaotic and otherworldly vision of a drive-in movie theater through a cat's eyes. The Cartoons program featured many different animation styles, and it was interesting to see one short which was a 3D animated version of Courage the Cowardly Dog. It wasn't especially funny, but provided a cool proof-of-concept about how the cartoon's unique style could function in three dimensions.

Changing gears a bit, I saw a documentary called Old South next. Director Danielle Beverly followed the conflicts that emerged in a historically-black neighborhood in Athens, GA as a fraternity with Confederate/plantation-era traditions moves in next door. Because Beverly filmed as events occurred, there’s a palpable tension in seeing how the two communities interact with each other. The film treats both sides fairly, and it’s a welcome surprise to see how the groups start to overcome their prejudices while collaborating on shared projects.

I was much less of a fan of the next movie I saw, Runoff, in which a family of farmers struggles to stay afloat in the face of Big Farming, while trying not to succumb to illegal activity. The script is frankly not very good, with characters consistently explaining how they feel and providing exposition. The leads aren’t strong enough to sell the family chemistry, and the climax feels like it was ripped from a different movie- it’s way over the top. I almost walked out, but couldn't quite bring myself to due to some handsome photography and a hope that the plot would actually go somewhere meaningful. Besides the bland thesis that our choices have consequences that we might not see, it didn’t.

Wildlike, the next movie I saw, made much more of an impact. The film tells the story of a teenage girl (Ella Purnell) who is sent to live with her uncle in Alaska after her father dies. After being sexually abused, she decides to run away, and in the wilderness meets a hiker (Bruce Greenwood), who starts to help her confront the fears she faces. The film features a remarkably confident performance by Purnell, who’s onscreen the whole movie and really carries it. Her chemistry with Greenwood (one of those always reliable character actors) provides much of the heart of the movie; the characters relate to each other over similar grief, forming a slow bond of trust. The middle third gets bogged down somewhat with imagery of national parks and glaciers- it's striking but maybe too slow. It’s a testament to the actors that I wanted to stay with the characters, though, and find out how their journey ended. For any Maryland readers, the film’s playing again at the Annapolis Film Festival next weekend.

While I had high hopes for The Editor, which seemed to be a humorous tribute to Italian giallo films, it didn’t totally follow through. It got that essential weirdness of the genre down (a supernatural twist gets pretty bonkers), as well as stylistically nailing the bad acting and cheap dubbing. However, the jokes landed more with sparse chuckles than laughs. Also, in a world of digital filmmaking, the images just didn’t capture the iconic boldness of the original films- everything was too crisp. Though the shocking violence and nudity was there, the movie fails to capture the aesthetic in the way that the OSS 117 movies or Danger 5 capture theirs. After mainlining most of Mario Bava's 1960’s filmography at the AFI Silver last summer, I might be too hard of a critic, but since the film specifically references the giallos of the 70s/80s, the reference-based humor may not land for everyone (I know I missed a lot). The festival’s screening Bava’s Black Sunday next Friday night, which I can’t wait for.

All in all, a good day’s worth of movies. Now to do it all again today.

For opening night’s reviews of I AM MICHAEL and POSSESSED, click here. You can find my complete review index here.

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2015 ATLFF: Opening Night

After a 3-and-a-half hour flight delay because the last remnants of winter decided to hit the upper East coast, I made it to the Atlanta Film Festival slightly late for opening night. I picked up my pass at the Highland Ballroom, and headed to the Plaza Theatre, one of the festival’s main locations. The Plaza features two screens, a large main one (which is really nice, I’ll try and get a photo tomorrow) and a smaller one on the second floor.

I love independent theaters that take pride in what they do, and as you can see by the marquee and the interior, it’s a great space. A helpful volunteer helped get me into the opening night film- the first of many.

I Am Michael

James Franco stars in this film based on the life of gay activist and magazine editor Michael Glatze, who decides to renounce his homosexuality and explore other paths in life, becoming a Catholic pastor. Franco has his critics and defenders, but I’m usually the second- see Spring Breakers, 127 Hours, Oz for some great work. Here, he portrays a fascinating character, one who’s tortured and pulled by ideologies and personal history. Michael doesn't know for sure who he is, and it eats at him spiritually and physically. The script, which details Michael’s breakup with his boyfriend (Zachary Quinto) and eventual marriage to a pastoral student (Emma Roberts), tends to have characters over-explain how they feel. Narration taken from Glatze’s blog posts is too on-the-nose, but Franco’s acting anchors the conflict and makes everything stronger. For example, the narration may say one thing even as Michael thinks about doing the opposite. Quinto and Roberts have their moments, but their characters became more symbolic in relation to the lead's story. While I wanted to know more about them, I appreciated that Michael’s life brings up questions that aren’t normally seen in cinema about flexible personal identity in the face of religion or subcultures.

Side observations: Was the film too long? Possibly. The last third contains several places where it could’ve ended. I liked the score a lot- rhythmic/percussive dissonance expressed Michael’s heart condition, and acted almost like a ticking time bomb on his decisions. Between this, Inherent Vice, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, I’ve really come to appreciate the value of a good Jefferson Mays cameo. Just as a disclaimer, I came in a bit late, so this review may not cover the whole movie.

Possessed (Pos Eso)

I ended the night with this claymation horror comedy from Spain. Think Wallace and Gromit (this film was directed by a former Aardman animator), but gleefully paying homage to horror classics like The Exorcist, The Omen, and Evil Dead along with its own original fill of stop-motion carnage. There's a line at which gore can go over the edge in horror movies, but it's a lot looser in animation. In Possesed, the characters are creatively dispatched and blood and guts go everywhere, but because the filmmakers commit and don't take themselves too seriously, it becomes almost horror-slapstick. Toss in a healthy dose of cultural and religious satire meant to poke buttons, and you’ve got a recipe for a great midnight movie.

In case you missed it, here’s my initial preview of the festival. You can find my complete review index here.

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Atlanta Film Fest 2015 Preview

A good film festival does a couple key things. It reignites your love of film. It introduces audiences to new genres, filmmakers, and experiences. It challenges you to think differently about art, entertainment, and the meaning of the moving image.

It’s with this mindset that I’m heading to Atlanta, Georgia for the 2015 Atlanta Film Festival, which runs from March 20th-29th. The festival, founded in 1976, features more than 75 films over its 10 days, as well as numerous shorts programs, a creative conference, and special events.

What attracted me to the festival is its variety. No good festival is complete without a horror movie or two. I was happy to see that the ATLFF doesn’t shy away from genre movies, from my much anticipated The Editor to a Western about three women defending their homestead during the Civil War. There’s a shorts showcase dedicated to puppetry- Atlanta’s home to the very awesome Center for Puppetry Arts. There’s a film entirely in sign language performed by non-professional deaf actors which sounds fascinating.. While I’m planning on sticking more to narrative films (the theater I work at hosts one of the country’s major documentary festivals), the documentary selection covers major national issues as well as local Georgian stories, and films like Old South and Frame by Frame are jumping out to me on the premises alone.

Plus, Atlanta’s blowing up on the film production scene. Due to tax incentives (which there’s still debate over- interesting read) and a rapidly growing industry infrastructure, the city’s become a major production hub on the East coast. Five television pilots are shooting this season, as well as numerous continuing TV series and films to come- here’s looking at you, Guardians of the Galaxy 2. In a time where Maryland’s been cutting down on production incentives, and therefore business, and therefore work, it’ll be interesting to see how a building industry is taking root. And by showcasing independent productions, the ATLFF seems to be one of the city’s creative cores.

So stay tuned for reviews and more!

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The Top Movies of 2014

It was not my intention to go on a movie reviewing hiatus, but the business of actually making movies stepped in the way the last half a year. That’s not to say I’ve stopped seeing them, but it’s nice once in a while to just take movies in without being critical. But for the historical record and tradition, I had to write something.

While I usually do a Best Of list at the end of the year, I thought I’d try something different and be a bit less judgemental for 2014. Before I get played off, here’s some totally made-up awards for some of my favorite movies of this year.

  Best Movie About My Life - Boyhood

Sure, the details are different, but I’m right in the demographic chronicled in Richard Linklater’s poignant portrait of growing up. The cultural landmarks featured feel ripped straight from my memories, and I totally identify with many of the emotions Ellar Coltrane’s Mason feels over the course of his childhood. Linklater chooses to focus on the quieter moments between big life events, and while some may have felt bored by the long running time, I was fascinated. You always take your own personal identity into the theater when you’re seeing a movie, and your thoughts on a film reflect your own experiences like a mirror. Boyhood was a special movie for me, in that it reconnected me to my past in a way that few others have.

  Best Critique of American Ambition - Nightcrawler

The most terrifying character in film this year wasn’t The Winter Soldier or some Blue Meanie. That honor goes to Lou Bloom, Jake Gyllenhal’s wide-eyed mirror of American corporate culture in Nightcrawler. While his attempts at upward mobility may at first seem relatable, even admirable, it soon becomes clear that he lacks any kind of morality, willing to do anything to get ahead in the steamy world of late-night news-gathering. We may identify with Bloom, but over the course of the movie, we identify more and more with Riz Ahmed’s sidekick/”unpaid intern” Rick, strapped in to the passenger seat but with no choice except to watch through the barrel of a camera as the world goes crazy.

  Most Likable Unlikable Characters - Listen Up Phillip

I could also give this one “Best Movie That No One Saw Because of Birdman”; it’s worth checking out because it provides a much funnier, sharper take on depressed artists (in this case, writers), and the struggles of creative life without Birdman’s gimmickry. This movie features one of the most cringeworthy and hilarious scenes I’ve seen in a long time, as Jonathan Pryce’s aging author Ike Zimmerman calls his clueless mentee Phillip (Jason Schwartzman) over to entertain a couple of women in a last ditch attempt to reclaim his youth. Elizabeth Moss steals the show as Phillip’s long-suffering girlfriend surrounded by self-centered writers, and writer/director Alex Ross Perry gives the film a tragicomic literary tone perfect for its self-centered subjects.

  Best War Movie - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I never would’ve expected this movie to leave me shell-shocked. Matt Reeves’ continuation of the story started in 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes shows the collision of two technologically divergent societies and the violent clash as leadership gambits, guns, and emotions take over. I was amazed at the amount of emotion given to Caesar and his tribe by Andy Serkis and Toby Kebbell, and the lifelike special effects were pushed to their limit by Reeves’ inventive staging (that 360º tank shot, wow). But ultimately at its heart, the emotional exploration of conflict is surprisingly deep, reminiscent more of something like Full Metal Jacket than your typical blockbuster.

  Best Movie to Watch at Midnight - Only Lovers Left Alive

I admit, I was hesitant to watch this one, due to the precedent of vampire movies like Twilight and the hipster-ish vibe given off by the trailer. However on a whim, in a dark, mostly empty theater, I discovered I was wrong. Only Lovers is a tender yet cold look at aging, loneliness, and love set against a backdrop of Detroit’s abandoned streets and factories. Vampirism becomes more of a metaphor for the concept of immortality- when all else is gone, what will be our legacy?

  Best Non-Superhero Marvel Movie - Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This is just a badass spy thriller posing as a superhero movie. Featuring intense, creative action sequences, an extremely likable ensemble (it’s almost more of a team-up than a solo movie), and a smart script, Winter Soldier pushed the limits as to what a Marvel movie could be. And featuring Washington D.C. as a key location was pretty damn cool too. Read my full review here.

  Best Soundtrack in a Marvel Movie - Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians is great throwback to space adventure movies of the 70’s and 80’s, but it wouldn’t be half as fun without the soundtrack. From the moment Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) is introduced dancing across an alien landscape to the end credits, James Gunn created a mixtape of incredibly catchy songs that lent a unique style and groove to the film. Side Note: I get Marvel’s intent on creating an interconnected world with their properties, but how awesome would it be if this movie was a standalone film, starting its own star-exploring franchise not hooked to the need to connect to superheroes eventually?

  Best Original Musical - God Help the Girl

I liked Into the Woods and have no interest in seeing Annie, but this movie was something the others were not- an actual, original movie musical with no basis in a previously-staged production. While first-time writer/director (and lead singer of the band Belle and Sebastian) Stuart Murdoch’s script has some issues (like a weird faith-healing sequence), the music is extremely catchy (if a bit on-the-nose), and the songs help to tell the story. Here, just listen.

    Best Movie I Saw This Year, that Didn’t Come Out This Year - Rosemary’s Baby

Working at a movie theater has its advantages, especially being able to see the wide range of films that the AFI Silver features. Some of this year’s highlights- the Mario Bava series, The Third Man, West Side Story, Metropolis with live accompaniment, and the Overdrive: LA Modern series (featuring Point Blank, Jackie Brown, Save the Tiger, and getting me hooked on David Lynch with Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive). Really, all of those are worth checking out, But one of the coolest repertory movies I had the chance to see for the first time was Rosemary’s Baby. It’s intense in all the best ways a horror movie could be, with a thin, wavering line between normality and terror. Mia Farrow’s commitment, some great production design, and a lot of unexpected humor make this film like an amped up Hitchcock film, where common fears are turned into nightmares and vice versa.

  Best of the Rest (no particular order):

Whiplash- Hard-hitting.

Edge of Tomorrow- What a blockbuster should be.

Inherent Vice- A puzzle. The good kind.

Neighbors- Lots of fun.

Blue Ruin- Really grown on me, very unique style.

The Lego Movie- Slyly subversive and fun (though too breathless maybe).

Mood Indigo- Gondry goes back to his roots, visual poetry.

The Babadook- Brr.

Interstellar- Wasn't a huge fan, but it nailed the tone of the Ray Bradburdy short stories about space I used to read growing up.

The Overlooked Awards

Just a few nods to actors I feel will be overlooked in the general Oscars conversation, but that stood out and did some of the best work their particular movies which may not be recognized.

Best Actor- Christoph Waltz, The Zero Theorem. Dan Stevens, The Guest.

Best Supporting Actor- Marco Perella, Boyhood. Jonathan Pryce, Listen Up Phillip.

Best Actress- Elizabeth Moss, Listen Up Phillip. Essie Davis, The Babadook. Rose Byrne, Neighbors.

Best Supporting Actress- Carrie Coon, Gone Girl. Emily Blunt, Into the Woods.

Stay tuned for a post on movies to look forward to in 2015, and if you’re interested in stepping back into the past, here’s last year’s Best Of list. You can see a complete list of my reviews here.

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Capital Fringe Festival 2014

I took a quick break from film reviewing to guest blog for the Washington City Paper's Fringeworthy. As I quickly learned at the Capital Fringe's Preview Night, the festival hosts an eclectic variety of performances showcasing the theater, music, dance, and art of the Washington, D.C.

Here are some of my reviews.

The Dish

DECADES

By the way, I recently caught Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. In a summer of great movies, it really stood out as the rare blockbuster that followed through on an epic premise- apes riding horses with guns. Well, there's that, but also a heartbreaking examination of where violence and cultural conflict come from. I'm not sure I'm going to review it, but you should go see it.

You can find a complete list of my movie/tv reviews here!

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Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

It’s rare that a movie as inventive as Edge of Tomorrow makes it through the studio system. The film combines futuristic sci-fi, war movies, and a premise reminiscent of Groundhog Day, and instead of feeling redundant or dumbed-down, manages to be its own unique roller-coaster ride. Edge of Tomorrow is a sleek, brutal, funny, and engaging thriller teetering just on the edge of greatness.

Based on the Japanese “light novel” All You Need is Kill, Edge finds Europe under attack by alien forces, and Tom Cruise as Major William Cage, a former ad man now representing a united military task force. Cage, by all means a coward, gets placed against his will in with the fresh recruits, strapped into a power suit, and then literally dropped into a savage battle on the coast of France. The operation seems doomed from the start, and Cage finds himself face-to-face with the aliens, known as Mimics. And then he dies. Cage reawakens earlier that day, and every time he’s killed, he goes back to the same time. In his time loop, Cage must figure out how to survive and save humanity, along the way finding out what military hero Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt) seems to know about his situation.

So yeah, it’s a weird premise from the get go, but director Doug Liman and his team of screenwriters make it work. The story progresses naturally, as Cage explores the rules of his situation and the opportunities his ability allows. The film’s structure, pacing, and editing are extremely smart and clever, setting up goals and revealing more information as needed, but not overloading the audience. If you take a step back, the plot might have some lingering questions, but in the moment, it’s captivating. 

Edge doesn’t skimp on action. In keeping with Cage’s experiences entering the war, the assault on the beach has the gritty feeling of the Normandy landing in Saving Private Ryan, and once the Mimics show up (carefully hidden to build suspense), they are a scary force of nature. It’s a world that is full of CGI, but that feels practical due to the staging of the scenes and unique designs. Cruise and Blunt excel, both at reinforcing the high concept through dialogue and through physical stunts in the battle.

Cruise also gives the movie one of its biggest assets- its sense of humor. He showcases some great physical comedy, going from spin doctor to soldier with many bumps in the road. Little things he does, like a wink or reaction, get big laughs. Similarly, Bill Paxton provides strong comic relief as a hard-nosed Sergeant. Brendan Gleeson, to me, feels slightly miscast, too clean to be a general.

However, Cruise’s star power also distracts the movie from being truly great. Suffice it to say, the ending is what you’d expect from a Tom Cruise movie. Even though he’s likable, a romantic subplot borders on being forced just because it’s Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt’s Rita, a pretty badass character, gets pushed out of the spotlight. A few small changes could’ve made Blunt just as much a star in the film as Cruise is. I don’t know if it’s a script issue, studio mandate, or Cruise’s ego, but I wish Blunt had a more active role in the endgame.

As the AV Club puts it perfectly, “Edge Of Tomorrow is distinguished more by how fluidly it handles its high-concept premise than where it takes it.” It’s a very fun ride and much smarter than your average blockbuster- District 9’s a good comparison. With only a few tweaks, it could be a classic, but it’s definitely one of the best hard sci-fi movies out recently.

For more of my movie reviews, click here.

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Mood Indigo (2013)

Michel Gondry’s latest film, Mood Indigo, takes its wistful name both from a Duke Ellington song and a novel by French jazz musician and author Boris Vian, which has also been translated as the much more whimsical “Froth on the Daydream.” It’s an apt description, but a true representation of the film encompasses both titles. Gondry’s inventive creation skillfully mixes moods, taking the audience to some very dark and some very bright places. It may be one of the happiest movies about sadness I’ve seen.

Collin (Romain Duris) lives comfortably as an inventor with enough money to get by in life without working. He lives with his friend, cook, and lawyer, Nicolas (the always reliable Omar Sy), daydreaming about inventions like the pianocktail (a piano that creates cocktails based on the keys played). But something's missing. Nicolas and Collin's philosophy-obsessed friend Chick (Gad Elmaleh) both have girlfriends, but Collin can’t stand the loneliness. Then one day at a party, he’s introduced to Chloe (Audrey Tatou). It’s love at first sight, and after a whirlwind courtship, they marry. But Chloe starts to fall ill from a mysterious sickness that can only be treated with fresh flowers (oh, it gets weirder than that), and soon financial pressures threaten to disrupt the couple’s happiness. This trailer will give you a good idea of what it's about. 

Gondry has long been a favorite filmmaker of mine, especially for his practical special effects and animation seen in movies like The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Be Kind, Rewind. Here, his talents naturally lend themselves to creating a surreal world where emotion makes everything come to life. There's a sense of visual jazz not unlike Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, and traces of analog technology and Duke Ellington appear everywhere. If you think Wes Anderson's style is unique, just wait until you see this. Characters grow long legs while dancing, the food Nicolas serves comes alive, and the race to the church turns into a literal kart race between two couples to see who can get married first.

The colorful world always sits on the edge of chaos though, like Collin's apartment in a subway car sandwiched three floors up between buildings. It’s a whirlwind- at several points, characters almost jump between scenes. Tatou, Duris, and Sy threaten to become cartoon characters, but hold their own as they are manipulated by the plot and thrown into a much darker second act and face the realities of life.

Speaking of which, this movie does go to some extremely dark places. So much so, that I could hear people question whether the ending really was the end leaving the theater. While the tragic nature of the plot could be seen as very depressing, the movie has much to say about the nature of stories, film, and love. A small moment towards the end recontexualized the whole nature of the film for me, and learning more about the novel it’s based on reveals another, more satirical reading. Gondry builds a unique world with many layers of meaning, and I’d definitely like to see it again to take it all in.

About halfway through, Collin and Chloe go on a honeymoon in the countryside where it’s simultaneously bright and sunny and pouring rain. In the one quiet moment before the storm, it seems the storm has already found them. Mood Indigo may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it plays beautifully with the duality of life’s highs and lows, and that’s what the blues is truly about.

Find more of my movie reviews here.

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Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2013)

Though Marvel describes Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a spy thriller, the film stays true to Captain America’s World War II roots and also works as a kind of urban war movie. Still readjusting to the present, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a soldier who finds a new war on his home turf, an underground war in the intelligence community that. Weaponry and technology have become much more dangerous, and Cap finds himself working with new allies against old enemies. Winter Soldier continues to raise the bar of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, telling an interesting, personal story while still taking audiences on a thrill ride.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo do a great job of balancing the movie, mixing incredibly well-shot action sequences with emotional beats and lighthearted comedy. While a lot of exposition is necessary to set up new status quos, the film never felt rushed or boring. It helps that the Russos worked with the most charismatic cast this side of American Hustle, and the script finds ways to showcase them all. Evans basically is Captain America, handling both fight scenes and his character’s confidence with professionalism and energy. However, though Cap’s name is in the title, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) owns the film. Jackson gets to be the action movie hero, and his choices are central to the plot.

Winter Soldier also introduces Anthony Mackie as Sam Jones, an ex-military paratrooper otherwise known as The Falcon. Mackie is a great addition to the franchise, adding humor and heart, and I’d definitely like to see a spin-off about him. Though he’s technically a sidekick, he’s more of the second superhero in a real team-up, and his flight sequences are unique without being a repeat of Iron Man’s. Scarlett Johansson returns as the Black Widow, and she has some strong emotional material that ties into the film's themes of secrets and moral corruption. In smaller roles, Robert Redford is perfectly smarmy as a member of the World Security Council, and Cobie Smulders retroactively shows why she was cast in The Avengers. If there’s a weak link, it may be Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier, but his limited performance is more a symptom of his character’s arc than anything else.

Even if Winter Soldier didn’t feature superheroes running around in colorful costumes, it would still be a great action movie. Some very creative cinematography, along with brutal fight choreography, makes you feel the impact of every punch. Though it sometimes gets over-the-top; the amount of creative kills rivals The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’s river battle, and redshirts get shot left and right. I also enjoyed seeing an action blockbuster at this level take place in Washington, D.C., and even though most of the film was shot in Cleveland or on soundstages, the production design did a good job recreating the look of the city. I can only hope this film inspires more projects to come to D.C.

In the grand scheme of superhero movies, Marvel’s been killing it lately. Winter Soldier rivals Iron Man 3, naturally bringing its characters to a new status quo while setting up the future. It feels like a complete, not like an in-between chapter, due to its great ensemble and willingness to go to new places. Now, on to something completely different with Guardians of the Galaxy!

Check out more of my movie reviews here, and look out for reviews of The Grand Budapest Hotel and Muppets Most Wanted soon.

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28 Movies to Look Out For in 2014

No matter how much the internet will argue over which film should win which award, everybody can admit that it’s been a good year for film . 2014 looks to be just as packed with potential.

To be fair, most of these are big studio films- it’s harder to find information on indies, though I’m sure there are many out there I’m overlooking. Oftentimes, I’ll include a movie just because I like its cast or tagline. There’s no real way to predict the future, but here we go.

The Lego Movie (February 7)

My brother and I were raised on Legos. The coolest thing about them was the ability to take whatever pieces you want and mash them up- ninjas vs. pirates, rock monsters vs. medieval knights, and so on. Combine the comedy skills of writer/directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord with every franchise in Lego’s history, an A-list cast, and a cool, stop-motion influenced animation style, and this looks like a great movie. Plus, Will Arnett as Batman.

Robocop (February 12)

The anticipation for this one has been mixed, mostly due to the disinterest in a remake. However, I still have hope, due to the cast including Michael Keaton, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Joel Kinnaman, who was one of the only good parts of the awful The Killing. The remake has the potential to examine the current state of military/surveillance technology, much like Her did for consumer/personal computing and relationships. It’s hard to tell.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (March 7)

Wasn’t a big Moonrise Kingdom fan, but Wes Anderson’s next looks really good. I love how each shot looks flat like a diorama, but the depth is used to great effect. 

Grand Piano (March 7)

Elijah Wood plays a pianist forced to keep playing without making any wrong notes by an assassin. Looks like it has a very Hitchcockian flair for the theatrical.

Muppets Most Wanted (March 21)

Though I had mixed feelings about the first movie, the trailer for the sequel looks to be much funnier, taking the gang back to the more action-packed mode of The Great Muppet Caper.

Noah (March 28)

Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and Black Swan have cemented that I’ll always be in for whatever Darren Aronofsky wants to do. I’ve been staying away from spoilers on this one, but I’m excited.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4)

While I’m a bit biased on this one, I have a feeling it’s going to be something cool. Even though only a bit was shot in Washington, D.C., it’s very D.C. centric, and from the trailer, it looks like the action from the first one continues to be awesome while giving the Captain a new status quo as a man out of time.

Oculus (April 18)

Indie horror about an evil mirror starring Karen Gillen of Doctor Who fame. Mostly just included for Karen Gillen, but the premise sounds cool too. 

Neighbors (May 9)

The trailer for this one was surprisingly funny, and I’m a fan of director Nicholas Stoller’s Get Him to the Greek and Fun with Dick and Jane (I’m pinning my disappointment with The Muppets mostly on Disney). Plus, it features a Robert DeNiro-themed frat party.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23)

More excited for the combined cast from the original movies and First Class on this one than the movie itself. Is that weird?

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (July 11)

The sequel to 2011’s prequel, Dawn trades in James Franco for Gary Oldman and Jason Clarke, while featuring a suitably apocalyptic director in Cloverfield’s Matt Reeves. The fact that the studio has faith for Reeves in hiring him for the next one bodes well.

 Jupiter Ascending (July 18- hey, my birthday!)

Mixed feelings about the trailer/stills released so far, but Cloud Atlas was amazing (my favorite movie of 2012), so I’ll give the Wachowskis the benefit of the doubt. Their new Netflix show sounds really cool, though. 

Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1)

Marvel takes a chance on a weirder property, featuring Andy from Parks and Recreation, a green-skinned female assassin, a talking Scottish raccoon, and a living tree. Definitely not the Avengers, and if the footage during the end credits of Thor: The Dark World is any indication, James Gunn is going to make this as weird as he can.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (August 22)

I’m always up for a Robert Rodriguez film, even if his latest films- Machete Kills and Spy Kids 4- haven’t exactly pushed the bar. Hey, did you see that Rodriguez is directing and producing a television series based on From Dusk Til Dawn? That sounds fun, as does a “Latin James Bond” series also in development for his new television network.

The Green Inferno (September 5)

“A group of student activists travel from New York City to the Amazon to save a dying tribe but crash in the jungle and are taken hostage by the very natives they protected.” Sound fun.

The Boxtrolls (September 25)

If you haven’t seen 2012’s Paranorman, go out and see it now. Animation studio LAIKA’s last film tempered the creepy vibe of Coraline with plenty of humor, and their next looks to continue the trend of beautifully animated stop-motion flicks.

Gone Girl (October 3)

Fincher’s been on a roll lately with The Social Network, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and directing/producing House of Cards (though I’m a bit biased on that last one). Looking forward to his next.

The Interview (October 10)

A talk show host (James Franco) and his producer (Seth Rogen) find themselves in over their heads when they get involved in a plot to assassinate the leader of North Korea.

The Judge (October 10)

A successful lawyer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his hometown for his mother's funeral only to discover that his estranged father (Robert Duvall), the town's judge, is suspected of murder. Interested to see how Downey does in a drama outside of the superhero sphere. 

The Hobbit: There and Back Again (December 17)

The second part of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy improved on the first by adding more danger, a dragon, and a darker tone. Here’s hoping the final film will continue the trend.

Into the Woods (December 25)

Back when I was a kid, I did a lot of musical theater camps, including playing “Sleeping Beauty’s Prince” in “Into the Woods, Jr.” However, I eventually learned that Into the Woods is extremely dark, a Sondheim musical mashing up fairy tales and throwing characters into existential crises of aging, death, and betrayal. The cast, including Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, and James Corden, should be interesting to watch, though director Rob Marshall has a shaky track record lately (Nine, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides). If Disney is faithful to the musical, it could either be good, but the alternative could be a hell of a mess.

  Sometime in 2014

St. Sebastian

Danny DeVito directs an “apocalyptic thriller about three people trapped in a hospital,” starring William Fitchner, Lance Reddick (who is awesome), Constance Zimmer (Janine on HOC), and Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. (D’Angelo on The Wire). Read DeVito talk about the movie here and just try not to get excited.

Ripped!

Last but not least, here’s the trailer for a movie I worked on two summers ago by Penn State’s own Rod Bingaman and Maura Shea. It’s a musical about a 1960’s band (think The Beatles or Herman’s Hermits) accidentally sent into space, where they land on a planet in the midst of a war between the men and women. It’s in post production now, and I can’t wait to see how it comes out!

Update: Inherent Vice

I forgot about this one because no release date has been set yet, but it will most certainly be on my list to see. Paul Thomas Anderson directs an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's novel about a stoner private eye navigating the seedy Los Angeles of the late 70's. Anderson reunites with The Master's Joaquin Phoenix and composer Jonny Greenwood, as well as longtime cinematographer Robert Elswit, in what is sure to be a visually amazing, sprawling epic.

Update: Boyhood (working title)

Richard Linklater's been working on this one for twelve years, and for good reason- the story follows the relationship between a boy and his parents from ages 6 to 18, using the same actors as they age through natural time. It's sure to be an interesting experiment.

Update: The Zero Theorem

I'm not sure when Terry Gilliam's next movie will be released, but I'm always excited for his films. This one sounds like Brazil for a new age- a computer hacker (Christoph Waltz) attempts to discover the reason for human existence while dealing with interruptions from the bureaucracy.

Update: Mood Indigo

Continuing the trend of filmmakers I like with films in release limbo, Michel Gondry's next looks like a return to his imaginative roots.

Update: Bad Words (March 28)

Jason Bateman directs and stars in a very R-rated comedy about an adult who decides to hijack a national spelling bee. NSFW trailer here.

For a look back at my favorite movies of 2013, click here. You can find a complete list of all my reviews here.

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Top 10 Movies of 2013

Besides the top 3, order doesn't matter that much. Overall, I saw around 54 new films, not counting documentaries, which is around the same as I did last year. 2013 was a year full of movies about technology, what it means to be human, wealth, loss, and as far as the theatrical experience goes, spectacle.

Click each title to read my review.

1. Inside Llewyn Davis

2. American Hustle

3. Prisoners

4. Twelve Years a Slave

5. You’re Next

6. Gravity

7. The Place Beyond the Pines

8. Saving Mr. Banks

9. Blue Jasmine

10. Only God Forgives

Honorable Mentions:

Note: Some of these aren't exactly the "best" movies of the year, but I enjoyed them for what they were.

Ender’s Game, Escape From Tomorrow, Spring Breakers, Side Effects, Oz the Great and Powerful, The Great Gatsby, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Pacific Rim, Philomena, Short Term 12, Dallas Buyer's Club

Movies I didn't get a chance to see this year, but would like to:

Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Dallas Buyers Club, Nebraska, Oldboy remake, Grand Piano, Mud, Prince Avalanche, Blue is the Warmest Color, the "Before" trilogy

Click here for a list of all my reviews. Thanks for reading!

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American Hustle (2013)

Before becoming embroiled in an FBI plot to take down government corruption, con artists Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) meet at a party and bond over a shared love of Duke Ellington. They love the music’s energy, the sweeping romance of it. Similarly, writer/director David O. Russell works a kind of visual and storytelling jazz in American Hustle, drawing viewers into a morally gray world, throwing in twists and turns, while still keeping that underlying emotion strong. It’s slightly messy around the edges, but completely charming.

American Hustle is a fictional story, but based on the ABSCAM sting operation of the late 1970’s and early 80’s. Rosenfeld and Prosser are blackmailed into helping FBI agent Richie DiMaso into a scheme which starts out catching art frauds, but soon grows to politicians, like New Jersey Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner), and even the mob. DiMaso’s unchecked ambition brings the group closer and closer to danger, especially as he falls for Sydney and Irving’s wife, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), gets involved in the case. 

There’s no weak link in the cast. Bale, Adams, Lawrence, Cooper, and Renner commit to their characters, all pulled in by the thrill of the game and the quest for power. No one is purely good or evil, and their character flaws threaten to bring them all down in the end. They’re all trying to figure out what part they want to play.

Everyone feels like they’re having fun, from Adams’ adopted cover personality, to Cooper’s naiveté and over-eagerness. Bale’s the soul of the film- while some may write off his weight gain as a stunt, his complete change of appearance is an essential part of the character. Irving’s a smart man who learned to survive on the streets, and just as he becomes comfortable with himself, has it all threatened to be taken away. If he was in a lineup with Dicky Eklund, Bale’s character from The Fighter, it would be hard to tell they were played by the same actor.

Lawrence does some of her best work here; one scene, featuring her cleaning her house while singing along to “Live and Let Die” will stick in many viewers’ heads. The soundtrack as a whole features songs from ELO to Elton John, and rivals Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson in capturing the sound of an era. Every needle drop hits just at the right time.

A fast-paced tale of lies, greed, and betrayal, with a unique cast of characters, a rocking soundtrack, and a committed cast, this may be Russell’s best work so far. It’s a con caper with a strong emotional center, and definitely one of the most fun films of the year.

Other Recent Reviews: Inside Llewyn Davis, Saving Mr. Banks, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. For a full list of my movie reviews, click here.

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Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Even though Inside Llewyn Davis only takes place over the course of a week, you can feel the years weighing on Oscar Isaac’s shoulders. Isaac plays the titular musician, Llewyn Davis, who stumbles around the New York City folk scene of 1961 trying to make a living. While the Coen brothers’ films often focus on misanthropes, their latest is different. Despite alienating and mooching off of everyone in his life, he has true musical talent, but even that can’t bring him happiness. Davis doesn’t want to play the traditional folk songs, but can’t embrace the more popular music played by his fellow musicians. Though the film pushes plot aside for a series of picaresque encounters (finding a lost cat is one of the main running threads), Davis just might be able to find his way.

Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, and John Goodman give their all as fellow musicians, but the supporting cast doesn’t make much of an impact, defined mostly by quirky personalities. The real work falls on Isaac, whose short, bundled up frame is almost reminiscent of Oscar the Grouch. Even when he’s being a dick to his friends, he carries an extraordinary amount of pathos. An excellent singing voice helps too.

The other real star of the film is the music. The Coens collaborate with T-Bone Burnett, who also produced the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou, to create a mix of both traditional and original folk songs. This soundtrack is less bombastic, but the songs are both memorable and cut straight to the bone. This song, originally performed by one of the film’s inspirations, singer Dave Van Ronk, has been stuck in my head for weeks, and perfectly accompanies the film’s images.

Just like the death of his partner hangs constantly over Davis’ head, Bruno Dellbonnel’s frosty cinematography seems to make the winter air hang in place. The film authentically captures the spirit of the times without feeling like a period piece; Llewyn Davis’s continued attempts to push forward, despite a lack of any destination, could be any of us. He just needs to catch that cat first.

You can find a links to all of my movie reviews here.

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Contains spoilers from the first movie and book.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first: the second movie in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy blows the first part, An Unexpected Journey, out of the water. Jackson succeeds at creating both big and small moments, but even still, it has its share of problems.

The action set pieces are amazingly choreographed. No longer do we have Radagast the Brown being pulled around by giant rabbits as orcs chase him. Instead, we get the freakiness of the giant spiders, a thrilling river-barrel sequence, and a brilliantly paced extended climax. A small fight scene drops several orcs into a room with several characters, and I couldn’t help but feel like Jackson challenged himself to go back to his roots and use as little CGI as possible.

Smaug is worth the price of admission alone. Massive. Evil. Death incarnate. I’d say more, but this is something you should experience for yourself. 

Plus, some character beats in the midst of the chaos create an emotional subtext that just wasn’t there in AUJ. Bilbo and Thorin connect on an incredibly personal level over their respective quests, and though I didn’t feel very sympathetic to the dwarves quest from the two minutes of backstory they have in the first movie, their quest means so much more here.

The Necromancer, which seemed like a vague threat in AUJ, is terrifying once revealed. I didn’t think much of Azog the Defiler, but his new deputy Bolg is what a proper villain should be. As the wood elf Tauriel, Evangeline Lilly, who I will always remember as Kate from LOST, is incredibly badass and a great addition to the franchise, and Legolas makes a heroic return killing orcs in about a hundred different ways.

But then we have the unnecessary smaller bits, and most of the problems start here—Beorn, exploring the tombs of the Nazgul, the Master of Laketown. Even the meeting with Thranduil for the most part, which seems like a redux of the scenes in the goblin caverns from the first one. When there’s no action going on, Jackson can’t stop spinning the camera around, and the visual effects suffer. There’s an over-reliance on tropes and music cues from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Bilbo using the ring gets repetitive.

This chapter is very much the middle part of its own trilogy. Part 1 was mostly getting the gang from one location to another. In Part 2, the adventure really picks up, as the dwarves, Hobbit, and wizard face the growing tide of evil spreading across the land. However, the door’s still left open for a massive battle to come, and if the series continues to improve, this huge undertaking in storytelling will be worth it.

You can find a complete list of my movie reviews here.

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Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

The inspiration behind the creation of Mary Poppins was more complex than you might think-- far from dancing penguins or one-man bands. So how did Disney’s 1964 film become the classic it is? Saving Mr. Banks delves into author P.L. Travers’ (Emma Thompson) rough past and her rocky relationship with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks), while also showing that a spoonful of imagination can help deal with tough times in the most delightful way.

Kelly Marcel’s screenplay focuses specifically on Travers’ trip from London to Los Angeles—moving ahead with the film version of Mary Poppins hinged upon Travers’ approval, and Disney was keen to do anything to get it. Travers, a proper and stubborn woman, refused to change elements of the story. As the conflict between the two deepens, she reexamines traumatic memories of her loving, yet alcoholic father, played in flashbacks by Colin Farrell.

Though the usually family-friendly Walt Disney Pictures is releasing Saving Mr. Banks, it’s surprisingly dark. Some scenes from Travers' past are shot almost like horror movies. However, they don’t overwhelm the warmth and humor of the film, as Travers bickers with composers Robert and Richard Sherman (Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novak) and screenwriter Don DeGradi (Bradley Whitford). Thompson does a great job showing multiple sides of Travers, the isolated, uptight British writer and the broken, imaginative child within. As Walt Disney, Hanks plays a fully formed character here, unlike his recent turn as an action movie star in Captain Phillips. His Walt Disney is ambitious to a fault, attempting to defuse tensions with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. When Disney and Travers clash and later unite over their similar pasts, their chemistry shines.

It's a pleasure to have actors as talented at comedy as Whitford, Schwartzman, and Novak in one room, especially when they're rushing to please Thompson’s critical eye. They throw everything into singing and showing their characters’ enthusiasm for the film. As a result, seeing parts of Mary Poppins come together, from “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” feels like being in the room with the original creators.

One of the other high points of the film is its production design. It’s very cool to see the actual buildings on the Disney lot where the film was made, as well as the Disneyland of the 60’s. Walt’s offices are filled with period toys, and the movie hints at the company’s future through decoration like a map of Florida on the wall. The attention to detail firmly places you in the time period without feeling like a nostalgic look back from the present.

If there’s one flaw that prevents the film from being great, it’s a tendency to lay on the sugar a little too much at parts. Scenes of young Travers and her father spending time together are shot like something from an overdramatic epic, and they get to be repetitive. Putting so much emphasis on their love for each other makes the subsequent events incredibly shocking. Much of the film deals with the idea that fantasy can be used as a way to mentally “rewrite” reality, but the tonal shifts in the film, while well intentioned, come across as trying to drive the drama home too much.

For any fans of Mary Poppins or Disney history, Saving Mr. Banks will make you want to go rewatch the original film right away. Banks pleases as both a behind-the-scenes look at the clashes of creativity in the filmmaking process and an homage to the themes of fatherhood, imagination, and family that make Poppins so lovable.

You can find a complete list of my movie reviews here.

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Captain Phillips (2013)

Most stories about survival have two things at their core- the test of the human spirit to overcome significant odds, and the physical things needed to stay alive. Captain Phillips, based on the true story of an American ship hijacked by Somali pirates, shows what happens when two very different men face each other and try to survive in a quickly escalating confrontation at sea.

We first see Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) packing in his nicely-sized Vermont home. His wife drives him to the airport, and he soon arrives at the bridge of the Maersk Alabama ready for what should be a regular shipping trip around the Horn of Africa.

Cut to the coast of Africa, where Muse (excellent newcomer Barkhad Abdi) wakes up on the floor of his shack from the screams of a local crime boss demanding the village get to work. Muse is a fisherman, but wants to prove himself as part of the local pirating operation. Because what other choice does he have?

By showing more than just one side of the story, writer Billy Ray deepens what could’ve been a straightforward, documentary-style reenactment into an intense human drama. The dueling perspectives of the crew and the pirates clash; the human capacity for violence hovers malevolently over the precedings.

The final third of the film takes a different turn as the U.S. military becomes involved in the situation. In contrast to the manic desperation of both Phillips and the pirates, the cold face of the government chills in comparison. Director Paul Greengrass shows sympathy to both the pirates and Phillips, but asks if the military need to suppress emotion to take action makes our society too much of a machine.

The realistic messiness of the camerawork and the tension-filled writing create a growing sense of something bad to come. However, in its attention to historical detail, the movie sometimes feels like a slave to its intentions. The payoff is continually withheld in order to accurately recreate real-life events, which becomes repetetive. In order to keep Phillips calm, Muse continually assures him that everything will be fine. Each time, it feels less and less true. Instead of raising the stakes, this happens so much it comes off as manufactured drama. 

Tom Hanks does strong work as a man trying to keep control of his ship, but compared to the mostly unknown cast, his star profile seems out of place. Unlike a movie like Cloud Atlas, where Hanks disappears into several roles, his movie star persona sticks out here.

When Captain Phillips focuses on its unique characters thrown against each other in an intense situation, it succeeds. However, in adapting the events of the real life hijacking into a strong film, it leaves something to be desired.

You can find a complete list of my movie reviews here.